It's funny how things happen. Fate so often intervenes in our everyday lives and flips the ordinary on its head. Fate is a fickle friend. It guides us on our paths, forcing us along predetermined lines and controlling our lives whether we want it to or not. Sometimes this leads us to terrible tragedy and heartbreak, but this isn't always true. There are times when fate leads us through the dark times and into the light; such as with the case of Snow Austin. 

Snow was sixteen. She had long, brilliantly red hair and bright blue eyes. She looked almost exactly like her mother did at that age. Snow and her family lived in small town of Mistbrook Falls, Michigan, which lay less than an hour northeast of Detroit. They lived in a nice, two-story house on Tranquility Circle. 

They had lived in Mistbrook Falls for the last eight years. Before that, Snow's family had lived in a very interesting place. They hadn't lived in a house or apartment building, but instead they had lived in what Snow thought was the coolest place ever; an abandoned red brick warehouse known as Warehouse 15.

Snow lived there with her birth mom, Ariana Laine, and her adoptive mom Kayla Austin. Ariana was sweet, bubbly, and very fun to be around. She was playful and funny and the best mom in the world. Kayla, on the other hand, was kind but... tough. She was very protective and overly cautious at times but Snow knew she had her reasons for being so. Regardless, Snow loved them both more than anything else in the world. They loved her fiercely and had given her an amazing life. Snow's parents were quite wealthy and they gave her anything she wanted.

Snow also had an older cousin. Her name was Sophia and she had been adopted by Kayla's sister Alana after her father Mike had died in a tragic car crash thirteen years earlier. Sophia was a fantastic cousin and they were close friends. Alana and Sophia lived in the house next door.

Of course, most people would ask why a wealthy family like the Austins would choose to live in a musty old warehouse when they could surely live in a very nice mansion somewhere. Snow, too, had asked this question when she had been a little girl. Her mothers had smiled at each other and told her that while many people lived in mansions, they didn't know anyone who lived in a warehouse. Snow had to admit that they had a point.

Life at the warehouse had always been happy and pleasant, or at least it had been for as long as Snow could remember. Her parents had told her of a darker time, a time filled with mystery and murder. Snow hadn’t been there for much of it and couldn’t recall what little had taken place once she had come to live at the warehouse, but luckily those days were long over. The threats her parents had faced were gone now and their family was safe and happy.

But as Snow and Sophia grew older, and the city of Detroit fell further and further into economical and social ruin, Kayla, Ariana, and Alana decided that they needed to relocate for the sake of the girls. Ariana had always wanted to experience small town life and the little town of Mistbrook Falls fit the Austins perfectly. They had purchased the house in Mistbrook Falls many years earlier, but somehow they had always chosen to remain at the warehouse. As disappointed as Snow had been when she had learned that they were moving, she was glad that they had.

As for the old warehouse, the Austins still owned it and Ariana made certain it was well cared for. Snow and her friends often used it as a hangout when they drove into the city on the weekends.

And so it is on a clear Thursday morning in late August, our story starts, with Snow fast asleep in her bed without a care in the world. Snow was sleeping so peacefully that she didn’t hear her door creak slightly as it opened, nor did she hear the soft footsteps as they padded across the room. She didn’t awaken until something heavy hit her in the stomach and she woke with an anguished cry. Startled, she flailed around for a moment before her sleepy brain registered the smiling face of her friend floating above her.

“Damn it, Clara!” Snow snapped, doing her best to shove the blonde girl, who had leapt rather catlike onto the bed and straddled the redhead’s hips, off of her. “Stop doing that!”

“Oh, but its fun,” the blonde replied, battling her green eyes playfully. “You still love me?” Snow rolled her eyes.

“Of course I do, but if you do that tomorrow I’m gonna sic Fluffers on you!”

“All that old cat does is lay around and sleep,” Clara snapped, rolling off of Snow and falling onto the bed beside her. “He’s like what? Fifteen years old? He’s not attacking anyone.” Clara had a point. Ariana’s cat Fluffers had lived at the warehouse since Ariana had first come to live there. He had been a year old at the time and she had kept him as a pet ever since.

“He’s still got claws,” Snow replied sharply. She glanced at the digital clock beside her bed. “What are you doing here so early anyway? It’s six a.m., Clara."

“I still owe Jackson for dumping that bottle of syrup over my head last week. I want to get him back!” Snow sighed heavily. Jackson was Snow's boyfriend and he and Clara had been involved in a brutal prank war for over the past two years. Snow had long ago given up trying to get them to stop and just went along with it. Some wars, she assumed, simply could not be won.

“What’s your plan this time?” Snow demanded, climbing out of bed and rummaging through her closet for something to wear.

“I’ve got something special planned,” said Clara mysteriously. “You’ll see.”

“Fine, don’t tell me,” said Snow firmly. “But whatever it is, it can wait until tonight. I’m not doing something that’s probably illegal in broad daylight.”

“It’s not illegal,” said Clara hastily. “Well, much…”

“Oh, we’re going to jail…”

“We’re not going to jail,” said Clara. “It’ll be fine. Okay, we’ll do it tonight then, under the cover of darkness. All stealth-like and whatnot.”

“I’ll go with you,” said Snow dubiously. “But I’m not going to help you. Jackson’s my boyfriend. I can’t take sides.”

“Like hell,” Clara snapped. “You’ve known me longer! Just because you and I don’t spend hours up in the Make Out Cave under the falls every weekend doesn’t mean he comes first! Chicks before dicks, Snowflake.”

“First of all,” Snow interrupted, grimacing. “Stop saying that. It’s never going to catch on. Secondly, you and I don’t spend any time in the Make Out Cave. Why can't you ask Nikki or Mary or even Sara...?”

"Ooooh, now there's someone you'd like to spend a little time in the Cave with," said Clara laughingly.

"Clara..."

"What?" the blonde asked. "Come on, Snow, I've seen the way you two look at each other. The only reason you're not with her is because you were dating Jackson first, right?"

"Wrong," Snow snapped. "I love Jackson, Clara. I do. Sara... she's my friend, that's all."

Snow was flat out lying. Sara meant so much more to her than that, but she could hardly share those feelings with Clara. She… she would probably understand, but Snow wasn’t ready to open that door just yet. She felt something for Sara, but she wasn’t entirely sure what it was. Of course, she was lying to herself as well. Snow knew exactly how she felt about Sara but was entirely unwilling to admit it to herself.

"Yeah, whatever you say," said Clara. "But whatever, I need your help and the others are all busy today."

"Well, at least I'm your last option," said Snow dryly. "Alright, fine, I'll come with you."

"Awesomesauce!" Clara exclaimed in a playful voice. "Now, get your butt out of bed. Your mom has breakfast almost ready and I'm starving."

Snow reluctantly rolled out of bed and dug around in her closet for something to wear. Once she was dressed, she followed Clara downstairs. The smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen reached them at the base of the stairs. They followed the scent into the kitchen. As they entered, the refrigerator door swung closed.

"Morning, girls," Ariana said brightly, waving them over to the bar where four steaming plates of bacon and eggs awaited them.

"Morning, Mom," said Snow, seating herself on one of the barstools.

"Good morning, Mrs. A," said Clara pleasantly. Ariana smiled at her and brushed her brilliantly red hair away from her face.

"How many times have I told all you girls to call me Ari?" the redhead asked, arching her eyebrows.

"Too many, they don't listen," said Snow, biting into a bacon strip. "Where's Momma?"

"Where do you think?" Ariana asked her daughter.

"Asleep," Snow and Clara said at the same time. Ariana laughed.

"Exactly," she told them. "Missy Kayla is not a morning person. In fact, I think she'd like to shoot most morning people."

"Sounds like Momma," Snow agreed.

"What sounds like Momma?" a voice asked from the staircase. Kayla stumbled sleepily into the kitchen and snaked her arms around Ariana.

"Morning, cupcake," she said sweetly.

"Morning, Kay-Kay," Ariana replied. "You almost missed breakfast."

"Well, we wouldn't want that," said Kayla pointedly. "It's the most important meal of the day."

"You think every meal is the most important of the day," said Ariana with a smirk as the brunette sat down at the bar across from Snow and Clara.

"Yeah... well... food is good," said Kayla with a shrug. The two teens laughed as Ariana pushed her wife's plate toward her.

"Here, hungry," she said with a grin. "Enjoy."

"I intend to," said Kayla. "So, what are you two up to today?" She asked the girls.

"I thought we could hit the mall," said Clara with a shrug. "Sara, Nikki, and Mary are all busy so it’s just the two of us."

"Well, just make sure you don't buy the entire clothing department," Ariana told Snow firmly. "Your closet is the size of most people's bedrooms and it takes effort to squeeze in there as it is. You don't need anymore clothes."

"You can never have too many clothes," said Clara pointedly.

"Oh, yes you can," said Kayla, exchanging a knowing glance with Ariana. "Have either of you been to Alana's place recently?"

"That's a good point," Snow admitted with a grimace.

“Hey, speaking of Alana,” said Ariana. “When is she getting back in town?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Kayla replied. “I told her that would be a problem when she decided to turn West Coast Weddings into a nationwide corporation. Now she spends half of her time at the office in New York. Luckily, she’ll be home just in time to see Sophia get her promotion.”

“I still can’t believe she’s about to make Detective,” said Snow incredulously. “She’s only been an officer for two years.”

“It’s a small town,” said Ariana with a shrug. “Mistbrook Falls doesn’t exactly have the world’s largest police force.”

“I’m pretty sure Snow here could have done it in one year,” said Clara, nudging her friend with her elbow.

“I doubt that,” said Snow shyly. Clara rolled her eyes.

“Come on, you’re the smartest kid in school. An A- might as well be a failing grade to you.”

“Yes ,well… just because I strive for the best doesn’t mean…”

“It means you’re smart,” said Kayla pointedly. “You’ve always been smart, Snow. There’s no reason to be ashamed of that.”

“I’m not ashamed of it,” said Snow quickly. “I just don’t need to brag about it.”

The four of them ate the remainder of their breakfast, chatting idly as they did so. Afterwards, after Snow and Clara helped Ariana with the dishes, the girls collected their purses and headed for Snow's car. They went out of the front door and out onto the driveway.

Snow drove a powder blue Shelby GT500 Super Snake. Kayla and Ariana had given her the car for her sixteenth birthday a week earlier. It was a lot of car for a sixteen-year-old, but Snow had reminded both of her parents that Kayla had owned a quarter million dollar Mclaren MP4-12c when she had been only a few years older than Snow was. After that, they had agreed to buy the Mustang.

"I still can't believe they bought you this," said Clara, climbing into the hundred thousand dollar muscle car and closing the door behind her.

"They can't either," said Snow with a grin. She pressed the Start button on the dash and the V8 beneath the hood roared to life. Snow smiled even brighter as they eased onto the street and drove off down the road.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mistbrook Falls was a fairly small town. With a population of around five thousand, it was just big enough to have the services of larger cities without the crowds. Mistbrook Mall was just one of those services. The sprawling complex of stores had long been Snow and her friends’ summer playground. They had spent so much time there that summer than many of the store owners knew them by name.

“I need to get something sexy to wear to Michael’s party this weekend,” said Clara thoughtfully as they wandered through the third high end clothing store.

“Are you going to that?” Snow inquired. “It’s a college party and Michael… he’s kind of a douche, isn’t he?”

“Oh, he’s a complete sleaze,” Clara admitted, her attention suddenly captured by the display case of sunglasses. “But he’s dating Mary’s sister, so…”

“He’s dating Emily?!” Snow exclaimed. “Have I been asleep all summer? When did that happen?”

“Just a couple of weeks ago,” said Clara, placing a pair of large, expensive sunglasses on her face and checking the effect in mirror on the display. “Mary doesn’t like to talk about it. She doesn’t like Michael at all. He weirds her out, the pervert.”

“So… why, exactly, do you want to go to a party at the house of a college guy who hits on sixteen-year-old girls?” Snow wanted to know.

“Because, Snowflake, just because Michael’s a jerk doesn’t mean all the guys there will be. There’ll be plenty of hotties, trust me.” When Snow didn’t seem excited about this prospect, Clara rolled her eyes. “Dear God…” she groaned. “You know nothing, Snow.”

“We’ve already established that I have a boyfriend,” said Snow. “Why should I care about cute guys at some creep’s party?”

“You don’t have to buy anything,” said Clara, trying on a second pair of designer sunglasses after being seemingly dissatisfied with the first. “But it never hurts to examine the merchandise.”

“Did you really just use a shopping metaphor?” Snow asked wearily.

“I surely did,” said Clara. “I also… oh hell. It’s Brad Reynolds.” Snow looked around and sure enough the hooligan was strolling past them, seeming to be in quite a rush.

Brad was a drifter. He’d appeared in town less than a year earlier and had been doing odd jobs ever since. He had rather wild raven hair and dark, almost black eyes. He was very creepy and people seemed to do their best to avoid him if at all possible.

“That guy…” Clara said grimly, peering nervously after him. “I swear, if he’s not a murderer or a rapist or a child molester or… or something awful like that, I don’t know what he is.”

“You don’t know he’s any of those things, Clara,” said Snow. She would openly admit that she found Brad to be extremely uncomfortable to be around, but that hardly made him a criminal. So far, he’d done nothing but some construction work on the new church across town. He had, as far as she knew, broken no laws.

Unfortunately, that was the kind of town Mistbrook Falls was. You were judged on your appearance and your status in life. Who you really were on the inside mattered very little to the people in that town.

“Trust me, Snow,” said Clara dramatically. “I’ve got a sixth sense about this kind of thing.”

“Oh, like how you were positive that Nikki stole your favorite shirt?” Snow demanded. “I seem to remember that you were wearing the shirt at the time you accused her.”

“Fine,” Clara snapped. “On occasion, the sense is… off. Still, on Brad, I’m right. He’s no good at all.”

Snow wasn’t sure about that at all. Brad seemed harmless enough to her, if a little odd. Unlike her town, Snow judged people based on how they treated her and others. She didn’t care how someone looked, only how they acted. That’s what her parents had always taught her and she firmly agreed with them.

The rest of the afternoon passed rather uneventfully. Snow and Clara shopped for most of the day. It was nearly nine before they finally left the mall and loaded their purchases into the trunk of Snow’s car.

“We’ve got to stop by Jackson’s place on the way,” said Clara as Snow started the engine. The redhead rolled her eyes.

“I thought you might have forgotten,” she muttered darkly.

“Not a chance,” said Clara. “Now, let’s get going. It’s already dark out.” Snow drove them back across town to Jackson’s house. Jackson lived two streets over from Snow in a large two-story house. Snow parked her car down the street and Clara got out.

“Wait here,” she hissed. “I’ll be right back.” She darted away into the darkness. Snow sat nervously in the car, waiting. She had a bad feeling about this whole thing. She didn’t like sneaking around and playing tricks. It just wasn’t her way. Overall, Snow wasn’t exactly the most adventurous of people. In fact, she liked to keep things as normal and simple as possible.

It was an aspect of her personality that she had most certainly gotten from Ariana and not at all from Kayla. The other redhead was meek, shy, and soft spoken. Kayla, meanwhile, was brusque, brave, and outgoing. Snow took after her birth mom in that regard.   

Snow sat there for a few minutes, growing more and more nervous the longer she waited. At last Clara, giggling madly, rushed back over and climbed into the car.

“I think he’s about to leave!” she exclaimed. “This should be good!” Moments later, Jackson’s front door opened and Jackson and another guy came outside. Jackson, the taller of the two, was a handsome young man with emerald eyes and deep brown hair. He was talking animatedly with the second man who Snow recognized at Jacob Blake, Sara’s older brother.

Jacob was tall as well, with wild reddish brown hair and hazel eyes. Snow had always liked Jacob, although the two had spent little time together over the years that they had known each other. The two stood on the porch and talked for a few minutes before Jacob waved goodbye and walked away. Jackson turned and went back inside. Clara grimaced.

“Damn, I was hoping he would go too,” she complained. “I wanted to see… oh no…” Jacob had climbed onto his bike, a fairly expensive racing model, and started to ride off. He was halfway across the street when the front wheel slipped off and he went crashing violently to the ground.

“Oh shit!” Clara exclaimed. “Shit, shit, shit! Snow, we’ve got to go!”

“What?” Snow asked, confused. “Clara, come on. We’ve got to help him! Go get Jackson!” Snow bolted from the car as Clara reluctantly went and knocked on Jackson’s door. Jacob was unconscious when Snow reached him. She quickly checked his pulse. Blessedly, he was still alive.

Snow had already called an ambulance by the time Clara and Jackson came sprinting over.

“What happened?” Jackson asked, kneeling on the concrete next to Snow. “Clara said you saw him crash?”

“Yeah…” said Snow, glancing back at Clara who looked as though she would like nothing more than to disappear into the night. “We… his front wheel just came off. I don’t know if it broke, or… he crashed and fell like this. He’s unconscious. I already called an ambulance.”

“Hey, buddy,” Jackson said, taking his friend’s hand. “Hey, can you hear me?”

“Don’t move him,” Snow warned. “Not until the paramedics get here.” They could already hear the sirens wailing in the distance. They drew nearer and nearer until at last the ambulance came into view. The paramedics were quick and efficient. They loaded Jacob into the vehicle and were speeding away up the street, barely pausing to ask the three teens any questions.

“I’m going to take Clara home,” said Snow, noticing that her friend looked like she might pass out at any moment. “Do you want me to come to the hospital with you?” Jackson shook his head.

“It’s okay,” he told her. “You go on home. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.” Snow kissed him and hugged him reassuringly before joining Clara at the car.

The drive back to Snow’s house took place in complete silence. Clara seemed unwilling or unable to speak. Once they arrived, they made their way inside. Kayla and Ariana were cuddled up in the den just beyond the foyer on the left side, watching a movie. Snow stopped only long enough to tell them that Clara would be staying over and the wish them goodnight.

Once upstairs and in the peaceful privacy of the redhead’s bedroom, Snow rounded on Clara.

“Tell me you didn’t,” she demanded of the blonde, who sat on the edge of her bed looking queasy. “Please, Clara. Tell me you didn’t sabotage Jacob’s bike.” Her friend looked up at her with very sad eyes.

“I… I thought it was Jackson’s bike,” she said. “He never rides the thing; he just wheels it around with him. I just loosened the wheel. I thought it would fall off while he was walking and it would… I didn’t know it was Jacob’s bike. They looked the same in the dark, I… I’m sorry, Snow.”

“Tell that to Jacob,” said Snow fiercely. “God, Clara! I’ve been telling you forever that this prank war was stupid and now someone’s gotten hurt.”

“Snow, you… you can’t tell anyone,” said Clara pleadingly. “If anyone finds out... do you have any idea how much trouble I would be in? Please, Snow, don’t say anything.”

“Clara, you put someone in the hospital,” said Snow hotly. “What? You’re just going to pretend like nothing happened?”

“It was an accident, that’s all anyone needs to know,” Clara exclaimed. “I never meant for this to happen!” Across the room, Snow’s phone chirped indicating that she had a text message. Angrily, she marched over and picked it up. She reread the message three times just to be sure she hadn’t misunderstood. Slowly, she looked up at Clara.

“It’s from Jackson,” she said weakly. “Jacob’s awake… and he’s paralyzed.”

2: Chapter II: Girlfriends

Mary Sheppard walked along the sidewalk, trailing slightly behind two of her closest friends; Nikki Sorrento and Sara Blake. They were heading down the street to Snow's house from St. Sebastian Hospital where they had been visiting Sara's brother.

Jacob was paralyzed and Sara... Sara didn't want to be there. Sara hated hospitals and Mary could understand why. Her dad had died three years earlier in a work-related accident and Sara had sat with him and her mother as he breathed his last. If that had happened to her, Mary knew she would never want to go back there again.

So, instead of staying with her brother, Sara had decided to go and visit Snow. She and Sara, truly, were the leaders of their little clique. They were the pretty girls, the popular girls. Their families were by far the wealthiest families in town. They were the girls everyone wanted to be friends with, wanted to date, and wanted to eat lunch with at school. They were the kind of girls all the other kids at school looked up to and wanted to be... or wanted to see taken down a peg or twelve. Regardless, Mary knew that she, Nikki, and Clara were very lucky to have been chosen as their friends.

Before Sara and Snow, they had just been three girls in the background; boring, lame, and unpopular. Snow and Sara, however, had made them into something much more. Mary would always owe them for that. That didn't mean that Snow and Sara were somehow stuck up or mean. No, both of them were sweet and kind and the best friends anyone could ask for. It just meant that their position on the social ladder gave them certain… powers. Their word alone could make you or break you at Mistbrook High.

Mary watched Sara walking alongside Nikki. She had to admit that she was envious of Sara’s beauty. The girl was tall with long, bouncy dark brown hair. She had emerald eyes that had the ability to make you feel special when she looked at you. Snow often had the same effect. Mary, meanwhile, was short and rather stocky. She had shoulder-length jet black hair and large grey eyes. Alongside Sara and Snow, she disappeared.

Nikki was the same, but much less so in Mary’s opinion. At least Nikki had a somewhat girlish figure. Her reddish-brown hair was longer and softer and her eyes were a very pretty hazel. Still, it hadn’t been enough to carry her any further forward than Mary on the path to popularity. No, they had all needed Sara and Snow for that.

“Stop daydreaming back there, Mary!” Sara called out suddenly. Mary realized that she had been loitering around the Austin’s mailbox for quite some time while Nikki and Sara waited for her on the front porch. She shook her head and hurried after them. Nikki had already rung the doorbell by the time she reached them and moments later the door swung open. Ariana smiled when she saw them and held the door open wider so they could enter.

“Come on in, girls,” she said brightly. She stopped Sara, however, and gave her a warm hug. “Sara, sweetheart, I’m so sorry about Jacob. Snow told me what happened… I’m actually surprised to see you; I thought you would be at the hospital.”

“I was… we were…” said Sara uncomfortably. “I just couldn’t stay. After my dad, I…”

“Yeah, I understand that,” said Ariana, nodding.

“I figured I’d feel better coming here,” said Sara. “I mean, Snow and Clara saw the accident, so I’m sure they’re both upset. I thought we’d all feel better if we were together.”

Yeah, Mary thought, that was their group. When anything happened to any one of them, the others closed ranks around them and protected them, helped them, gave them whatever they needed. When one of them was hurting, the other four were there for them. That was the hardest part for Mary to get used to.

Mary’s family didn’t do emotions. Her family just dealt with things individually. You didn’t share your problems at the dinner table. Things changed when she was invited into Sara and Snow’s group. They talked and shared together. They laughed and cried together. They were Mary’s own little surrogate family and they would be there for her no matter what she needed from them.

"Well, Snow and Clara are both upstairs," said Ariana. "You can go on up, if you want. I'm baking some cookies, but I'll bring them up later."

It was for reasons like this that when deciding whose house they would hang out at, Snow’s won almost every single time. Ariana was the absolute best hostess (and in Mary’s opinion, mother) anyone could ask for. Mary felt more at home when she was at Snow’s than she did in her own house. Ariana was solely responsible for that. The redhead had a way of making anyone and everyone feel welcome… like they belonged.

“Thanks, Mrs. A,” said Sara. She led the way upstairs while Ariana returned to the kitchen. They made their way down the hall to Snow’s room. The moment Sara opened the door, she rushed to Snow’s side.

“Are you okay, Snowy?” she asked her friend worriedly. “Clara? You both saw the accident, I… It must have been horrible.”

“Yeah, it… it was pretty bad,” said Snow quietly. The redhead clung rather tightly to Sara, and Sara held on just as strong.

It was sad, Mary thought. Snow and Sara were so clearly in love. They were perfect for each other. Why couldn’t they see it? Mary saw it all the time. Their subtle glances, the affectionate touches… It was just so obvious. Sometimes she just wanted to walk right up to them and tell them all about it. It would likely take a lightsaber to cut through the sexual tension between them.

It might help matters if Snow would stop being such a prude and spread her damn legs for Jackson. Maybe if Sara realized that Snow and Jackson were serious, she might stop staring stupidly at the redhead whenever she wasn’t looking. Mary, meanwhile, was definitely looking and she was getting tired of it. She rolled her eyes at the pair of them, sitting cuddled together on the end of Snow’s bed.

“We were gonna come to the hospital,” said Snow, nodding toward Clara who sat in the window seat across the room. She was staring blankly into Snow's backyard. “I thought you’d be there…”

“I was, but I couldn’t sit there anymore,” said Sara quietly. “I knew I’d feel better coming here, so… so here I am.”

"Well, I'm glad you're here," said Snow with a warm smile. "Uh... all of you. I'm glad all of you are here."

'Smooth, Snow,' thought Mary. Sara absently stroked the redhead's hair and looked over at Clara, who so far had not moved, spoken, or otherwise acknowledged their presence. 

“Clara?” Sara called out to her. She didn’t move. “Is… is she okay?” she asked Snow. The redhead shrugged uncertainly.

“She won’t talk to me,” Snow said quietly. “She’s really upset, I… I don’t know.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Nikki volunteered. She walked over to Clara and sat down beside her. The blonde jumped when Nikki put her hand on her shoulder.

“Oh… hi,” she said nervously. “I… I didn’t realize you were…” It was only then that she seemed to notice Mary and Sara were there as well.

“Oh, you’re all here,” said Clara, sounding quite surprised. “Oh, I didn’t… uh… Sara, I… I’m sorry about Jacob. Is he…?”

“He’s still in the hospital,” said Sara heavily. “He’s paralyzed, but otherwise he’s okay. He’s handling it pretty well, actually.”

“Well, that’s good,” said Snow encouragingly. “At least he’s keeping his spirits up.”

“That’s my brother,” said Sara rather fondly. “He can be a major douche, but… he’s got heart and a hell of a lot of spirit.”

“He never lets life get him down,” said Nikki fondly. Sara turned to stare at her and Nikki instantly blushed. Mary seemed to be the only other one to notice.

“Good for him,” said Snow. “And who knows? Maybe it’s not permanent. Maybe he’ll be able to walk again someday.”

“That’s the hope,” said Sara, turning her attention back to Snow. “For now, all we can do is wait and see.” She shrugged. “I’m tired of talking about it. Let’s focus on something fun… like Mike’s party this weekend, for instance.”

“Seriously?” Snow asked. “You too? I thought Clara was the only one interested in going to that. I believe there are supposed to be, and I quote, ‘hotties’ at the party.”

“I’m sure there will be,” said Sara mischievously. “Don’t tell me you’re not going? I need you there, Snowflake.”

“Clara’s going,” said Snow quietly. “You don’t need me to…”

“Yes, I do,” Sara insisted.

“Well, I’m going,” said Nikki firmly. “It’ll be fun. C’mon, Snow! It’s the last weekend before school starts. Let your hair down a little before you get all hyper focused on homework again.”

“I very rarely wear my hair up, thank you very much,” Snow snapped. “And just because I like to get good grades… well, that’s not a bad thing!”

“Sweetie, Hermione Granger likes to get good grades,” said Nikki. “You make her look like an uncaring slacker.”

“Thanks,” said Snow dryly.

“Leave her alone, guys,” said Sara defensively. “She’s the smart one, right? Nikki’s the party girl, Clara’s the wild one, and Mary’s the shy one. We’ve all got our roles to play, sweet ones.”

‘Yeah, and which one are you?’ Mary thought angrily. In all truth, Sara was technically right. Snow was the smartest person she knew. Nikki was most definitely a partier and Clara had a wild streak, to be sure. While she didn’t want to admit it, Mary was very shy… but Sara didn’t have to point that out for the whole world to see. Sara suddenly stood up.

“Alright,” she said sharply. “I’m done moping. C’mon, let’s do something fun today. I know! We can go to the mall and get something to wear to the party.”

“I’ve already got something,” said Mary quietly.

“We’ll see about that,” said Sara firmly. “I know your style, Mary. If we’re going to get you hooked up with weekend, you need new clothes.” She walked over to Snow’s dresser and picked up a pair of very pretty diamond earrings.

“Maybe Snow will let you borrow these,” she said, holding up the jewelry to Mary’s ear to see the effect. “We can get you something to wear them with.”

“You’ll have to ask Ariana,” said Snow. “They’re not mine, I’m just borrowing them.”

“I’m not sure I’d be comfortable walking around with ten grand dangling from my ears,” said Mary nervously.

“You won’t lose them,” said Snow pointedly. “You’re like… the most cautious person alive. Besides, even if you did lose them it’s not like she couldn’t buy another pair.”

If Mary hadn’t known Snow, that statement would have made the red haired girl sound like a complete bitch. Knowing Snow as Mary did, she knew the girl meant it exactly as it sounded; a statement of fact.

Snow’s parents really could afford to buy a new pair of ten thousand dollar earrings if they wanted to. In truth, they could buy whatever they liked. They already owned half of the town as it was. It had happened about three years earlier, not long after Sara's father had died. There were already a number of coal mines on the outskirts of town, in fact, Sara's father had been the owner of one such mine. Those mines, however, were not enough after a massive coal deposit was discovered beneath Mistbrook Falls. A powerful mining company had come into town with the intent of buying up all the land and strip-mining the entire area. They would have done it too if Ariana hadn’t stepped in. The company was on the verge of buying out nearly all of the local businesses when Ariana proposed a counter-offer.

In the end, she purchased all the land and buildings that the mining company planned on buying and refused to sell no matter what she was offered. That single stroke of brilliance had saved Mistbrook Falls and in addition it had given the Austin family a good deal of power and influence in the town, much to the dismay of Sara’s parents.

The Blakes, who lived right next door to the Austins, had wanted the mining company to push out the ‘lesser beings’ that lived in the section that would have been bulldozed to mine the coal. The Austins and the Blakes still weren’t the best of friends, but they maintained a social politeness for the sake of their daughters’ friendship.

Mary was always surprised at how much Sara seemed to fit into the Austin family much more than her own. Mary herself was the same. They both just seemed to belong in Snow's family. Sara didn't think herself above anyone else, unlike her parents who believed they were better than just about everyone.

"Oh... fine then," said Mary uncomfortably. "I'll ask her."

Naturally, Ariana said yes. She pressed the earrings into Mary's hand and said that she could simply return them whenever she was finished with them. There was no rush. Mary put the earrings into her purse as she followed the other girls out to Snow's car. She joined Nikki and Clara in the back seat while Sara took the passenger seat. Snow fired up the engine and they set off.

-.-

Sara sighed as she and Snow led the group through the mall, arm-in-arm. They were moving from store to store, collecting more and more shopping bags as they went. Sara loved shopping; in fact it was likely her favorite activity. She especially liked shopping with Snow. Snow was, unequivocally, her best friend. If she could have had things her way, they would have been something more.

Sara was in love with the little redhead. She had been for quite some time. She had come very close, many times, to telling her so. They spent so much time together... so many nights sleeping over alone in Snow's bedroom... she could have told her at any time. She could have come forward with her feelings, but she never had.

She was afraid, more than anything. She was terrified of losing Snow as a friend if she didn't feel the same way. The thought of that, of losing her best friend forever was just too awful to imagine. The potential reward wasn't worth the risk if it went badly. She needed Snow in her life. Snow was the one bright spot in her otherwise shitty life.

She could barely stand to be in the same room with her mom and her step-dad. She was alone in her own home... and it was certainly a large place to be alone in. She hated it. She really, truly wished she could just move in with Snow and her family. She felt like she actually had a family when she was with them. They loved her and she them. Snow's house was warm and filled with love and laughter. Sara's was full of misery.

Still, Sara was the type of girl that made the best of what she had. She had Snow. Maybe not as her girlfriend, but she was still her friend. For the time being, that was enough. They spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and relaxing in plastic seats in the food court.

"Ugh, is he working here or stalking us?" Clara groaned when Brad Reynolds trudged passed them. Sara shrugged and watched him walk away. Brad had a reputation in town as a bad seed. She didn't think he was all that bad. No... she wasn't worried about Brad at all. Some people, though... yeah, there were others in town that she was greatly worried about... and she was positive she was one of the few who was worried at all.

Mary, it seemed, didn't think Brad was scary either. Sara just managed to catch her watching him with a thin smile on her face. Sara didn't mention it, but she made sure Mary knew she had seen her looking. 

The girls decided to stop by one last store on their way out. When they were leaving, they bumped into Michael and his girlfriend Emily, Mary's sister. Michael was the typical jock. He was very handsome and played football for the local Hastings College.

Emily, meanwhile, was the exact opposite of her sister. The blonde girl was tall, leggy, and positively gorgeous. Mary hated her and Sara could understand why. Emily was everything Mary wasn't and she didn't know how to change that. Snow and Sara's popularity could only carry Mary so far. They couldn't turn Mary into her sister.

"Well, what a pretty sight," said Michael, his slick used car salesman voice sending a chill down Sara's spine. "Five of the loveliest girls in town. I hope you're all coming to my party this weekend."

"Of course," said Sara, positioning herself strategically between Michael and the other girls. "We wouldn't miss it. Clara here really wants to go and where one of us goes we all go."

"Friends to the end," said Michael with a grin. "I appreciate that. It's good, having friends you can trust... and tell all your secrets to."

"There are plenty of secrets in this town, Mike," said Sara wisely. "Too many, actually."

"That there are," Michael agreed. He shrugged and looked around at them all. "Well, Emily and I are going to grab some food. Anyone want to come?"

"No, thanks," said Sara quickly. "We've got places to be."

"Mary, you should stick around," said Emily, nodding toward her sister. "Hang out with us for a little while. I never get to see you anymore."

"That's because you moved in with Michael," said Mary, but she shrugged. "Fine, I'll stay with you guys."

"Cool," said Michael, sounding far more pleased than Sara thought he should have. "Anyone else."

"We'll pass," Sara snapped. "C'mon girls." Sara led the way through the mall, glancing back nervously at Mary, Emily, and Michael as they walked.

"What the hell was that all about?" Snow asked, looking back at Mary as well. "Geez... you were acting like you wanted to punch him in the face."

"He's a tool," said Sara sharply. 

"Then why do you want to go to his party?" Snow wanted to know. Sara hesitated for a long moment before answering. What she told Snow, although it broke her heart to do it, was a complete and total lie.

"Everyone who's anyone will be at that party, Snowflake," said Sara, slipping her arm around her best friend's waist. "It's a sacrifice we make for being popular. If we want to keep running our school, sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do."

"Well, I'd hate to lose my crown," said Snow with a giggle.

"I'm serious, Snow," said Sara firmly. "We've got to maintain our social standing. This party will help us do that."

"Fine," said Snow wearily. "Just... promise we'll all stick together there. You know that kind of party isn't my scene, I..."

"Like I said, where one of us goes we all go," said Sara firmly. "Don't worry, my darling. We'll be fine." Snow smiled warmly and Sara returned the gesture. It wasn't until Snow looked away that Sara's true emotions showed on her face. She was worried... no, she was scared. Michael's party would give her the answers she needed. If she guessed right, she'd win her little game. If she was wrong, she might just ruin everything.

3: Chapter III: The Black Sacrament

Snow drove back to her house and said goodbye to the girls. All three of them lived close enough that they would all walk back to their respective homes. Once they all separated, Snow pushed open the front door of her house and rushed inside. She found Kayla and Ariana sitting in the dining room, chatting idly together. She hurried into the room, looking quickly between the two of them.

"Is she here yet?" Snow asked breathlessly.

"Not yet," said Kayla, looking up at the flustered redhead. "She's on her way." Snow nodded and sat down at the table, relieved that she hadn't missed her aunt's arrival. After spending the day with her friends, she had almost forgotten that she was supposed to be home to greet Alana when she got back from New York.

"Good," said Snow happily. "I'm glad I beat her here. Nikki just kept talking and talking..."

"Yeah, she likes to do that," said Sophia, entering the room with a bowl of ice cream in her hands.

"Hey, Sophie!" Snow exclaimed, rushing over and hugging her. "Congrats on the promotion, Detective Austin." Sophia brushed her shoulder-length blonde hair away from her face, smiling widely.

"Yeah, I still can't believe it," she said happily.

"You worked hard for this," said Ariana pointedly. "You've earned it, Sophie."

"Thanks," Sophia replied. "It still feels weird. I never actually thought I'd make it."

"Well, you did," said Kayla proudly. She smirked at Ariana. "My niece is a detective."

"She's my niece too," Ariana shot back. "Our niece is a detective."

"Fine, I can share her," said Kayla with a grin.

"You guys are too much," said Snow, giggling. "Seriously, what you both must have been like when you were my age..." Kayla and Ariana shared a knowing glance.

"Hmm... Ariana, what were you doing when you were sixteen?" asked Kayla.

"Recovering from mental and physical abuse in a mental institution," the redhead replied thoughtfully. "Ah... good times."

"I'd just broken up with my ass of a boyfriend," Kayla reminisced. "Yeah... that went well."

"It could have gone worse," said Ariana pointedly. "Not... you know... a lot, but still…”

“Fair point,” Kayla agreed. “Very fair point.” At that moment the front door opened and they heard Alana making her way into the house. Moments later she appeared in the doorway dragging several bags and a suitcase behind her.

“You people could help, you know?” the younger Austin sister said, angrily brushing her long dark hair out of her eyes.

“Why in the world do you take so much with you?” Kayla asked as Snow and Sophia went over to help relieve Alana of some of her bags.

"It's important to always look one's best, sister dear," said Alana firmly. "No matter the occasion... and New York has plenty of occasions."

"Something tells me she wasn't just there on business," Snow said to Sophia, who grinned and nodded.

"Oh, I guarantee she wasn't," said Kayla. "I know her too well to buy that story."

"So I had a little fun while I was there," said Alana defensively. "So what?"

"The better question would be where did you have fun?" said Kayla.

"So, I got promoted to detective," said Sophia, firmly putting an end to Kayla and Alana's debate. Naturally, a long session of hugging ensued and only ended when Snow's boyfriend, Jackson, appeared in the doorway.

"So... what'd I miss?" he asked uncertainly, peering nervously around at the five women.

"We're celebrating Sophia's promotion!" said Snow, bounding over to him.

"By hugging, squealing, and bouncing up and down?" Jackson questioned.

"That's how we do things in this family, sweetheart," said Snow firmly. "You'd better get used to it."

 "I'll work on that," said Jackson, giving the redhead a quick kiss. She blushed furiously and ruffled his brown hair. Together, they all sat down around the table for dinner. Snow had to admit, it was here that she was happiest. She loved these moments, alone with her family. She felt at peace. When she was there with her family, she was safe. No one could touch her when she was so surrounded by love. She firmly believed that.

-.-

Sara was getting worried. It was nearly midnight and she couldn't get Mary to text her or answer her calls. She had left Snow's house at the same time as Nikki and Clara. Each of the girls had returned to their respective homes and Sara had immediately tried to call Mary. She did not trust Michael, not one little bit. He scared her, but no one else could see him for what he was. It didn't matter though. If she was right, she'd take them all down.

But before she could set her trap, she needed to find Mary. She was worried because like most teenage girls it was quite difficult to separate her from her phone. The fact that Mary wasn't answering was very odd indeed. She didn't like this at all and she was determined to find her friend.

Sara’s house and Snow’s were positioned in such a way that the girls could see into each other’s bedrooms from their respective bedrooms. One quick peek told Sara that Snow wasn’t lounging around her room, which meant that she was likely spending time with her parents and would be unable to come with her.

It wasn’t as though she wanted to involve the redhead directly anyway. No, she needed to keep her best friend oblivious to everything if her plan was to succeed. If she invited Snow, she would have to explain her concerns and thus her plan. It was much safer to say nothing and strike out alone, so that’s exactly what she did.

She climbed on her bike, a far more stealthy option than her Aston Martin Vanquish which tended to draw attention, and set out. She biked across Snow’s backyard and off down the street. She wasn't at all sure where she was going, only that she had to find Mary.

Mistbrook Falls, being the small town that it was, didn't have all that many places to go. There was the Underground, a local hang out that kids from school often went to. There was the Mistbrook Barista, a small coffee shop that Snow liked to relax at on the weekends. She often spent whole Saturdays there, reading.

It was unlikely Michael would end up at either of those places, Sara knew. He was college guy, so... so maybe they went back to the Hastings campus. She had just turned her bike to head in that direction when she spotted Michael's car parked outside of the old Mystic Motel. She would recognize the bright orange Lamborghini anywhere.

Sara rode over to the car and climbed off of her bike. She flipped the kickstand down, her eyes darting over every inch of the car. It was clearly empty. She looked at several of the nearby rooms, chewing her lower lip. She was on the verge of walking over to the office and asking which room Michael Hawkins was in when she heard a shout and a crash from inside Room 416, directly in front of her.

Sara darted over to the room and tried her best to look through the peephole in the door, but she couldn’t see anything. Ducking down, she managed to find a small split in the curtains over the window. She looked through and what she saw terrified her.

Mary lay naked on one of the two beds. Her arms were bound behind her back and she was crying. Emily sat next to her, stroking her hair nervously. Moments later, Michael came out of the bathroom and approached the sisters on the bed. Sara shook her head and looked away as she heard Mary cry out.

And suddenly a plan formed in Sara’s mind. It was brilliant, but terrible. It would mean a betrayal worse than the one she planned for Michael’s party, and yet… and yet it was the easier choice. It was the choice with far less risk. She would have what she needed either way and Michael... she was going to see him burn for this.

She wrenched her phone out of her pocket and fumbled with the camera. Suddenly, Emily looked straight at the window and Sara jumped backwards. Her phone clattered to the ground, but although it landed face down it didn’t break. She knelt down carefully and picked it up. She turned the lens toward her and brushed some dirt clear before peering back through the window.

She recorded a full minute through that tiny crack in the curtains. She readied the video to be sent in a text and then she kicked the door as hard as she could.

Sara was only a sixteen-year-old girl and hardly strong enough to kick a door open… at least she wouldn’t have been had the door been locked by anything other than the chain. When Sara’s foot connected with the door, it careened backwards and snapped the flimsy chain in half. Michael and Emily looked up, shocked.

“Get the hell away from her!” Sara roared defiantly, feeling far braver than she thought she should. Michael turned away from Mary and lunged toward Sara, but she held up her phone and he paused.

“I’ve got video, you sick son of a bitch,” she hissed at him. “I’ve got all the evidence I need to have you locked away for the rest of your miserable life. If you so much as touch me, I’ll press Send and my best friend’s cousin will be getting a nice surprise. She’s just made detective and locking you away for rape would be a pretty damn good first case for her.”

“Give me the phone, Sara,” Michael growled, lunging for it. He was bigger, stronger, but Sara was undeniably quicker. She dodged out of his path and he stumbled into the dresser.

“I’m not giving you shit,” said Sara harshly. She glanced at Mary. “Sweetie, put your clothes on… we’re getting you out of here.” Mary didn’t move. She just lay there, sobbing.

“Mary!” Sara shouted. “Move!” The girl obeyed slowly, her eyes locked onto the floor. The whole time Sara stood with her finger firmly held on the Send button. She looked over at Emily, who still sat on the bed.

“You invited her,” Sara spat. “You encouraged Mary to come with you. Jesus… you gave your own sister to a monster.”

“You don’t understand…” Emily began imploringly, but Sara cut her off.

“Like hell I fucking don’t!” Sara shouted. “There’s nothing you could say, not one single thing that could explain what you’ve done.” By that point, Mary had gotten dressed as best she could. Sara went to her and put her arm around her. Slowly, she guided her toward the door. She cast a grim glance at Michael as she passed him.

“You two,” said Sara, glancing back at Michael and Emily. “You’re both going to burn in a very special level of Hell for this.”

"If you tell anyone… either of you.. I’ll kill you,” Michael swore. “If that video gets out, I’ll kill you.” Sara just smirked.

“I’d like to see you try.”

4: Chapter IV: Lost...

Clara paced nervously around her bedroom, unable to calm herself down. She had caused an accident that had paralyzed someone. She knew what she should do. She knew that Snow had been right. She should have gone to the police and confessed right then and there. She could protect Snow… no one needed to know she had been there. She hadn’t had anything to do with it. No, she alone could accept the blame and her punishment… but she didn’t.

Clara was terrified of what would happen to her should anyone find out what she did. So far it all appeared to be an accident; a mechanical failure and nothing more. No one suspected foul play, so… why should she turn herself in? She got away clean, didn’t she? Only Snow knew the truth and she wasn’t going to say anything. So… why was she so distraught?

It was a very easy question to answer, of course. Her actions had permanently disabled an innocent person. No one suspected her, but she still knew what she did. There was no escaping her conscience… no matter how hard she tried.

She wandered over to her window and stared down at the quiet street in front of her house. The Mackenzie family were firmly middle class, as was the neighborhood they lived in. While not nearly as nice as Leighton Heights, the subdivision where Sara and Snow lived, it was still rather pleasant.

Clara and Mary had been friends practically since first grade. They had met on the playground and become fast friends. When Sara had set her sights on them, however, things changed. When she and Mary had been invited into Snow and Sara’s group, which already contained Nikki, Clara latched on to Snow rather quickly.

Snow had always been Clara’s favorite of the group. She was the most honest, the most genuine… traits which she herself lacked. Clara had always looked up to the pretty, rich girls that ran their school, so when they seemed interested in becoming her friend, well… she did everything she could to fit in with them.

She started dressing like them, walking like them, talking like them… she essentially turned herself into a clone of them. She wanted so badly to belong so she made certain she did. Now, years later, she did. She was one of them and the school believed the charade. It was an act, but Clara was damn good at acting. She played the part extremely well… but in her heart she knew that Sara and Snow had made her… and so they could destroy her.

That was the thing she feared the most, losing her status… even if it wasn’t real. It was real enough to anyone who looked at her and so she wanted to hold on to it. She told a lie every day. She did to herself, to her friends, and to the world. She told them all that she was something she wasn’t… and that was why she was so close to Snow.

The redhead had never made her feel any less a part of the group because she was ‘lesser’. In truth, Sara never had either… at least not directly. With Sara, there were times when she looked at people… there was just something in her eyes. Clara couldn’t say exactly what it was but it seemed to her to be a look of superiority.

Snow never did that, so it was her she envied more than Sara although Sara was just as easy to envy. Sara was undoubtedly the leader of their little group. Snow might appear on the outside to be just as much the leader as Sara was, but on closer inspection it was quite clear that Snow was nothing more than Sara second-in-command.

Snow adhered to Sara’s every word and while she wasn’t quite a lost puppy without her around, she still wasn’t the same person when Sara was away. It was a very strange and unique dynamic their group had. They were all close, all friends, and yet… there was also distance between them. Clara, for instance, trusted Snow far more than any of the others… even Mary, because Mary, unlike Clara, had taken more quickly to Sara than she had with Snow… and Clara certainly wouldn’t tell Sara about what had happened with Jacob, even if he wasn’t her brother.

Mary hadn’t tried to make herself pretty, or popular. She hadn’t dressed to impress the other girls or fit in. Instead, she had remained exactly as she was. In a way, Clara thought Mary handled becoming Snow and Sara’s friend much better than she had. She hadn’t cared what people thought of her. She didn’t seem to want the popularity. Snow and Clara didn’t intimidate her at all. She just acclimated easier. Since then, she had grown closer and closer to Sara, who Clara liked very much… she just didn’t trust her.

Trust, it seemed more and more these days, was a hard thing to come by in Mistbrook Falls. To Clara, it seemed as though everyone had a secret they were trying to keep. Of course, in such a small town where everyone knew everyone… it was very hard to keep a secret. Now, Clara had a big secret of her own and she wasn’t sure how she would ever manage to keep it quiet.  

-.-

They had to walk across town to Mary’s house. That’s the only place she would agree to go, her own home. Sara insisted that they needed to go to the hospital, but Mary flatly refused. She wanted to go home. Once they were safe in Mary’s room, the girl curled up on her bed and didn’t speak.

Sara sat down at Mary’s desk, hesitant to disturb her. Mary was always the odd girl out in their group. She had never exactly fit in, but she was still one of them. Her family was a lot like Sara’s own, only… well, they weren’t nearly as well off financially. Sara had once thought that was her family’s problem. They had so much money that it made them… cold, somehow.

After she met Mary, she learned that wasn’t the case. Mary’s family could easily be called poor. They lived in a small, two bedroom house in a bad part of town. Her mom was a waitress at The Falls, a small restaurant near the waterfall at the edge of town. Her dad drove one of the town’s two bus routes. Even together they only just managed to scrape by.

Sara had always believed the lie of movies. It was the families who had little to nothing that were rich with love and laughter. Mary’s family was not. They were emotionally distant and practically as cold as Sara’s parents were. She longed to understand Snow’s family. They, all of them, always seemed so happy. She wished she could teach her family to be like Snow’s. 

“Mary…” Sara said uncertainly after a few minutes. “Mary, we really should take you to see a doctor. You were….”

“I know what happened,” Mary snapped, the anger in her voice shocking Sara completely. “You don’t have to remind me, okay? I know! I’m not going to see a doctor. Just… just go home, Sara.”

“Okay…” said Sara quietly. “I… I’ll go, but tomorrow we need to go to the police and take them this video. Michael’s going to pay for this.” But Mary, it appeared, had other plans. She sat up, rage blazing in her eyes.

“You’ve got to erase that video, Sara,” Mary insisted. “Please, no one can ever see that! You heard what Michael would do if we tell anyone.”

“Mike’s going to jail, Mary,” said Sara firmly. “He won’t be able to hurt anyone else, I promise.”

“Sara, if we go to the police then Emily will be in trouble too and… and everyone will know what happened,” Mary said, tears welling in her grey eyes. “Please, Sara… please, promise me you’ll erase that video and never mention any of this to anyone. I just want to forget this ever happened.” Sara sighed heavily and shook her head.

“Fine,” she relented. “I won’t say anything. I still think you’re making the wrong choice, but it’s your decision to make.”

“Thank you, Sara,” said Mary weakly. “Thanks.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” said Sara quietly. “Look, you obviously want to be alone, so I’ll go. Just… if you need anything I want you to call me. I’m sure I’ll be awake, just… please, call me Mary.”

“I will,” Mary replied. Sara nodded and kissed the girl on top of her head. She turned and slowly walked away.

-.-

After dinner was over and Alana and Sophia had left, Snow and Jackson snuck away up to her bedroom. Snow had certain privileges granted to her based upon her behavior. Her parents trusted her and so allowed some things that many other parents would not. For example, Kayla had decreed that Jackson was allowed up in her room so long as the door remained fully open. Kayla had a tendency to walk past her door several times an hour whenever Jackson was over, pretending to be doing something other than checking up on them.

Snow thought the rule was really rather stupid. If she really wanted to have sex with Jackson she easily could have by now. They spent a lot of time together outside of the house. It might not have been the most romantic of encounters, but the back seat of Jackson’s car was always an option.

Snow, however, didn’t really want to take their relationship to that level. Not yet, at least. Jackson, of course, did… very much so. There were times, more and more often in recent days, that Snow feared that Jackson would break up with her because of her hesitation. He never said anything... never gave any indication that he would... but he also never said he would wait either.

Maybe she should just do it... get it over with. If she did it was sure to bring them closer, wasn't it? It would make their relationship that much stronger, right? She wanted to believe that, but she wasn’t entirely sure it was true. She loved Jackson, she really did… but no matter what she did or how hard she tried to prevent it, Sara always seemed to take up more of her thoughts than Jackson did.

Did she really want to give something so special, so irreplaceable to Jackson? Did she really want to when she felt something so undeniable for Sara? She was still unwilling to admit to herself how she felt for the dark haired girl, but it kept getting harder and harder to resist.

It was also getting harder to resist Jackson. On that particular night when Jackson led the way up to Snow’s bedroom, she found herself to be quite relaxed. She followed him into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed. Jackson closed the door and that instantly cued her into what he was up to.

“Jackson…” she said in a playful but warning voice. Jackson grinned his trademark goofy grin and sat down next to her. He kissed her and she allowed herself to slide dreamily under his spell. Jackson’s kissing could do that to her. His hands roamed her body and she didn’t stop him. She was going to let this happen and damn the consequences. At least, she was going to until he paused to help her tug her shirt over her hand and she froze.

“I… Jackson, I can’t,” she whispered. “I’m really sorry.” She straightened her shirt and staring nervously at her knees. Jackson went and opened the door. Then he came back over and put his arm around her trembling shoulders.

“You’re not ready,” he said gently. “Snow, that… that’s okay. You don’t have to be. I’m not going to force this on you. I… I don’t want to pressure you. If you say no, we stop.”

“But you don’t want to,” said Snow quietly. Jackson actually laughed.

“Well, of course I don’t,” he said, still chortling. “I mean, look at you! Who would want to stop? But Snow… I love you. You are worth the wait, okay? So, don’t be sad or worried about it. You are worth the wait.”

“You’re not gonna leave me?” Snow asked him, looking up with hopeful eyes. Jackson looked shocked.

"God, is that what you think?” he exclaimed. “No! No, Snow, I’m not. C’mon, you know I’m not that guy. I wouldn’t break up with a girl just because she won’t sleep with me. Like I said, I love you. You. So, I can wait.”

“You’re the best, you know that?” Snow told him.

“Yeah, I’m aware,” said Jackson smugly. “Listen, babe, I really can’t stay anyway. I promised Jacob I’d come visit. I hate leaving him alone.”

“How’s he doing?” Snow asked. “Sara said he’s pretty upbeat, but…”

“He’s handling it,” said Jackson. “He… he’s dealing. It’s not easy for him, not like he makes it seem.”

"Have they said... if he'll ever walk again?" Snow inquired. Jackson shook his head.

"It doesn't look likely," he replied. He leaned in and kissed her quickly. "I'll call you."

"I'll answer," said Snow with a grin. Smiling, Jackson turned and walked out of Snow's bedroom, leaving her suddenly feeling very much alone.

-.-

Sara practically ran up the few steps to Snow's porch and knocked on the door. She stood there, fighting her emotions with everything she had until Kayla opened the door.

"Oh, hey Sara," she said with a smile. Sara forced herself to smile back.

"Hey, is... is Snow here?" Kayla shook her head.

"She's out for a jog," the brunette explained. "You're welcome to wait if you want. I'm just watching TV and Ari's... doing something in the conservatory. To be honest, I'm not sure what she gets up to back there..."

"Um... sure, thanks," said Sara. She followed Kayla into the house, but left her as she turned to enter the den and instead made her way back to the conservatory. It was dark inside and always smelt rather like the house of a dying person. Sara didn't like it. She found Ariana pruning a large rosebush in the back.

"Hi," said Sara quietly, drawing the redhead's attention.

"Hey there, Sara," said Ariana brightly. "Are you looking for Snow? She should be back soon... she went..."

"For a jog, yeah Kayla told me." Sara walked closer and surveyed Ariana's rosebush. "It's really pretty."

"Yeah," said Ariana, nodding serenely.

"I'm really terrible with plants," Sara admitted. "They always die."

"Everything dies," said Ariana lightly. "Plants... they just need love."

"I think they need a little more than love," said Sara uncertainly.

"All anything needs is love," said Ariana kindly. "It's enough."

"You're a very positive person, if I've never told you that," said Sara with a thin smile. "How do you do it? Stay so... happy all the time?"

"It's not that hard," said Ariana, shrugging. "Honestly, you just... focus on the good things in your life. You have to put the... the bad things out of your mind. There's nothing you can do about them, so why worry about them. You just... let go."

"Let go?" asked Sara. "That's it? Let go of the bad and think about the good?"

"That's it," said Ariana.

"Just about the only good thing in my life is Snow," Ariana smiled knowingly and Sara gulped.

"Did... did I say that out loud?" she asked nervously. "Oh... I... I didn't mean..."

"I know exactly what you meant," said Ariana wisely. She placed her shears down on the table and fixed Sara with a serious stare. "Sara... I can see the way you look at Snow. You're in love with her. I don't blame you, she's a lovely girl. Why haven't you told her?" Sara sighed. She wasn't at all comfortable with this, but she had to admit that Ariana was remarkably easy to talk to. Maybe she could get some advice from her.

"I... I'm afraid of losing her," Sara admitted. "I... I keep thinking about how I would feel if I lost her and it's just not worth it. I'd rather pine for her from afar than risk her hating me."

"Even if she didn't feel the same way, Snow would never hate you," said Ariana firmly. "She loves you, Sara. She's in love with you, although I don't think she's admitted it to herself yet. I think she's just as scared as you are." She picked up her shears again and pruned another branch of the rosebush. "Sara... life is short. Personally, I've got a few regrets. There are things I would change if I could... but I can't. Sara, if Snow died tomorrow and you never told her how you felt... if you had to live the rest of your life never knowing if she would've returned your feelings... that's a terrible thing.

"I'm not going to tell you want to do, Sara. That's up to you. Just... don't have any regrets, okay? You don't want to run out of time and realize there's a lot of things you wish you'd done."

Sara nodded and was working up a reply. That, however, was when Snow returned. They heard her footsteps approaching and moments later they saw her coming down the garden path. Sara really hadn't intended to stop and stare. She was usually far less obvious when she checked out her best friend. On that particular day, however, she wasn't.

Snow came through the conservatory door that led to the backyard wearing a black sports bra and pink jogging shorts. She had earphones in her ears and was humming idly to whatever song she was listening to. As she entered, pushing the glass door open, she tugged an elastic hair band out of her hair and shook back her long curls. She was just brushing her fingers through her hair when she noticed Ariana and Sara standing there, the latter had her mouth slightly agape.

"Hey Mom," Snow said brightly, walking over to join them. "Sara, you should have called. I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I," said Sara, her eyes losing the battle with her brain and dropped from Snow's face to her chest and then down to her waist. A split second later, her gaze returned to Snow's blue eyes and she noticed the girl was grinning. "I... I just needed to see you."

"Not quite so much of you, I don't think," said Ariana, looking her daughter over although with decidedly less drool than Sara. "If Kayla caught you dressing like that..."

"Kayla did far worse than this," said Snow pointedly. "Lead by example, Mom."

"Why are you so smart?" Ariana complained. "It's hard to be a good parent when you're constantly outthinking me." Snow just shrugged.

"Besides, Mom, Sara seems to like it," the redhead pointed out.

"Yeah, Ariana, it's... I mean, she really... I don't think this is..." Sara rambled nervously. She instantly wanted to kick herself. Since when was she so nervous around Snow? They were best friends, right? They spent nearly every night together up in Snow's bedroom. They even slept in the same bed. They had always been close, so why was she suddenly so uncomfortable?

The answer was pretty clear. Ariana knew about her feelings and that meant Kayla likely did too. So... did Snow? If she did... if she did, then maybe she should just say it. Maybe she should just tell Snow how she felt. Ariana was right, she couldn't go on like this.

"Well, that certainly clears things up," said Ariana, smiling at Sara. "Snow... just don't let Kayla ever see you dressed like that outside of this house. You know how protective she is."

"I know," said Snow. "I'll be careful."

"Good," Ariana replied. She moved around the table and gave her daughter a tight hug. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course," said Snow uncertainly. "I love you, too." Ariana smiled at her and ruffled her hair before walking away.

"Is she okay?" Sara asked, watching as she vanished into the den. "She was so morbid before you came in..."

"She's been acting a little weird lately, but... but I'm sure she's fine." Sara didn't think the redhead sounded very sure, but she didn't press the issue. She had too many other things on her mind that night. She had made her decision. She was going to tell Snow exactly how she felt.

5: Chapter V: A Dark and Stormy Night

Snow led the way up to her bedroom and immediately went into her closet to find something comfortable to wear to bed. She tugged her sports bra over her head on the way and tossed it haphazardly onto her bed. She missed Sara's eyes widening with interest, her own attention being elsewhere.

"Hmm... where did I put that?" Snow muttered, flitting about her closet that happened to be the size of most people's living rooms. Sara lingered near the door, watching her.

"What are you looking for?" Sara asked curiously. Snow, bent almost double with her head in between two suitcases grumbled darkly.

"That t-shirt you gave me," said Snow. "I like to sleep in it. It's soft and warm."

"So are you," said Sara quietly. Snow froze and Sara did as well. The redhead's mind was suddenly working on overdrive. Did she really just say...?

"I'm... what?" Snow asked, forgetting about the shirt completely and tugging her pink bathrobe off of a hanger and wrapping it around herself. Sara hesitated for a moment, seeming to seriously consider whether or not she should say anything further.

"I said you're soft... and warm," said Sara firmly. Snow watched her best friend with narrowed eyes as the brunette appeared to fight an internal battle worthy of poems and songs. “Snow… can we talk?”

“Um… sure,” said Snow. She went and sat down on her window seat. Sara joined her, glancing nervously out of the window towards her own house.

“Snow… I love you,” she blurted out. Snow smiled.

“Oh, Sara, I love you too,” the redhead replied. “You know that. You can tell me anything, so…”

“I just told you,” said Sara. “I. Love. You. I’m in love with you, Snow. I didn’t want to say anything because I was so afraid I’d ruin our friendship and I really need you in my life. And now that I’ve gone and said it I know I’ve screwed up everything and we’ll never be able to look at each other the same way, but I couldn’t keep everything bottled up any more.” Sara stopped talking and forced herself to look into Snow’s eyes. The other girl was staring back at her with a rather blank expression on her face.

Snow didn’t quite know how to respond. Part of her wanted to say all the things she'd envisioned herself saying a thousand times. All the while, another part wanted nothing more than to continue to deny any such feelings existed. She longed to run and hide and never come out again. She might just have done so if Sara hadn't leaned in and tentatively kissed her.

Snow sat frozen for a long moment, unsure what to do. She almost pulled away, for thoughts of Jackson filled her mind. She really, truly, almost did. Jackson had kissed her in this very room only a couple of hours before. Her boyfriend had told her that she was worth the wait, that he would wait for her to be ready. Jackson had been so sweet to her and yet here she was letting her best friend kiss her.

It only got worse when Snow started to kiss her back. That, Snow would later realize, was where she crossed the line. She let down her guard and she broke the one rule she never thought she would. She cheated on the boy who loved her and to make matters worse, she found she didn't care that much. In time, it would be that very fact that would cause her the most pain. She would always remember not caring about Jackson in that moment. In her mind, it made her betrayal that much worse. But in that moment, in the heat of it all, she realized that she loved Sara, she wanted to be with Sara... and she was with Sara that night.

Snow woke just before dawn, her bare body tangled up in the mess of sheets on her bed. Sara lay beneath her, sleeping soundly with her dark hair splayed out around her. For several minutes, Snow didn't move. In fact, she barely allowed herself to breathe. She thought, briefly, that she might be dreaming. It wouldn't be the first time. She had certainly had her share of erotic dreams about her best friend. At first, they had confused and frightened her. Now... now she wasn't sure what they did.

Eventually, Snow managed to extract herself from her bed without waking the other girl. She wrapped a silk robe around herself and backed away from the bed, her mind a blur. She and Sara had slept together and she wasn't sure what that meant, not completely. It had all happened so fast. She had never expected it. She found that she was afraid. She was afraid that she had ruined her relationship with Sara and more to the point, her relationship with Jackson.

Jackson was a good person, there was no doubt about that. He was patient, loving, and kind. She, Snow, had betrayed him and she couldn't begin to guess what that blow would do to him. It would hurt him, no doubt. It struck her then just how selfish she was. She had thought nothing of Jackson and instead only of herself. Her parents had raised her better than that. She knew she would hate to see the expression on Ariana's face if she ever learned what she had done.

Snow slipped on her house shoes and slowly went downstairs. It was extremely early and the sun was just beginning to peak through the kitchen windows, casting a deep golden glow across the room. Much to Snow's surprise, Ariana sat at the bar reading something on her tablet and drinking a glass of orange juice. She looked up as Snow entered and quickly placed the tablet aside.

"Hey, Snowflake," she said as Snow sat down on the opposite side of the bar. "You're up early."

"Yeah... yeah, I had a... interesting night." The younger redhead explained. Ariana smiled knowingly.

"Hmm... I bet," she said, nodding. "You slept with Sara, so I can only imagine what sort of night you had." Snow sincerely wished she could simply fade out of existence when her brain registered what her mother had said.

"You... you know about...?"

"I know more or less everything that goes on inside this house," said Ariana pointedly. "For example, I know that Kayla's still eating those quadruple chocolate fudge cakes from Marcella's Bakery even though she promised to lay off of them. I even know where she keeps them. She thinks she’s hiding them, but she's easy to predict." Ariana studied her daughter's face for a long moment.

"Snow... what happened last night... I get it. I understand and I'm not upset or angry," Snow looked up at her mother and despite her words, she could see the disappointment in her eyes. "You… you’re growing up. You’re sixteen and your mother and I, we… we can’t protect you from the big bad grown up world forever. I just..." Ariana paused, biting her lower lip uncertainly. "I just want you to think very carefully about this. Are you sure this is what you want? Jackson is a great guy and I know he loves you. If you're going to be with Sara, you make damn sure you're ready to lose Jackson. You can't have them both, my darling."

"That's the hardest part, Mom," said Snow sadly. "I love Jackson, but Sara... she's..."

"Special," said Ariana wisely. "Yeah, I know the feeling. Listen, Snowflake, I just want you to be happy. If Sara makes you happy, then be with her. If Jackson makes you happy, then be with him. Just be honest with both of them. Don't lead either of them on. They're both good people and they love you. Don't hurt them and don't lie to them."

"I won't," said Snow firmly. Even naive little Snow knew there were more than enough lies and secrets in Mistbrook Falls. She had no desire to add to that. Ariana smiled rather sadly at her.

"Good," she said quietly. "Listen, sweetheart, Kayla and I aren't going to be here tonight. We're flying out to San Diego so... so Kayla can help her mom with some work stuff."

"So, I'll have the house to myself?" Snow asked uncertainly. She had never been left at home completely alone overnight before. She was a little nervous about it.

"Well, I thought you might ask your friends to stay over," said Ariana. "The five of you can have a sleepover if you want."

"I'll ask them," said Snow.

"That's good," Ariana replied. She glanced up as she heard footsteps on the stairs. Moments later, Sara appeared in the doorway. She wore one of Snow's oversized t-shirts that the redhead sometimes wore to bed. She padded quietly across the kitchen and joined them at the bar.

"Morning Snow," she said uncertainly. "Ariana."

"Good morning, Sara," said Ariana with a thin smile at her daughter. "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't actually get that much sleep," the dark haired girl replied, glancing at Snow. Ariana smiled serenely.

"No, I don't suppose you did," Sara looked at Snow, open mouthed.

"You told her?"

"She already knew," said Snow defensively. "She's like Dumbledore, she knows everything. I also think she can turn herself invisible to spy on me."

"I hardly need to be invisible," said Ariana with a grin. "Snow, you're not very good at keeping secrets."  

-.-

Sara left not long after breakfast. Snow had wanted to talk about what had happened the previous night and where their relationship stood. Sara, however, insisted she had something very important to do and rushed from the house as quickly as she could.

Snow spent most of the day around the house, helping her parents get ready for their trip. They drove away around 5pm, leaving the redhead alone. The Austin house was very large, in fact it was one of the largest in Mistbrook Falls and to be left in it alone was quite frightening for Snow. The girls sans Mary were all planning to join her later that evening, but not until several hours after dark.

Sara was still busy doing whatever it was she felt was so important. Clara was visiting Jacob in the hospital, and Nikki was shopping with her mom. Mary, oddly, had declined her invitation entirely even though she said she had no plans. The girl had been curt and had sounded as though she had been crying. However, she dodged all of Snow’s questions when she had asked what was wrong.

So, stuck at home alone, the nervous sixteen-year-old locked all the doors and drew the curtains over the windows. Mistbrook Falls was a quiet, peaceful town. There hadn’t been a murder or a robbery anywhere in town in recent memory and yet the town still had a somewhat creepy feel to it… especially at night.

Admittedly, the town had a dark and mysterious history, much of which most people dismissed as foolishness. It was said that a dark presence had once lingered over the town. That this… whatever it was had been known to take young, virgin girls into the caves beneath the falls. For what purpose, no one knew. The only thing anyone knew for certain was that when the girls were found, all of them had been raped and then quite viciously murdered.

Of course, everyone in town knew it was likely the work of a serial killer and that the person responsible had either died or moved to another town; hence why the attacks stopped over a hundred years earlier. The stories were foolish, the result of frightened people’s overactive imaginations. However, on a dark, blustery night like that one, with the slight chill of the approaching winter in the air, Snow could have believed them all.

Snow tried desperately not to dwell on the old stories as darkness fell across Mistbrook Falls. It was a dark and stormy night and the leaves on the trees outside rustled in the strong gusts. Although the storms that were in the area were forecast to miss the town, there were still the occasional rolls of thunder and flashes of lightening.

The redhead sat in the den around eleven that night, reading a book. All around her, the house was quiet. She started a fire in the fireplace and positioned her chair so that she could read her book by just the flickering firelight.

Fluffers, Ariana’s old cat, slept on a recliner on the far side of the room. The TV, which Snow had placed on mute after the news had gone off, was showing some sort of infomercial about a laser knife that could apparently slice through virtually anything without effort. Snow remembered reading an article online about it. It appeared to have a tendency to explode if left turned on for more than a couple of minutes.

Snow had begun to calm down somewhat, loosing herself in the just released final book of the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ series, when she heard the sound of the door in the conservatory opening. Her heart pounding with fear, Snow seized the poker from its hook beside the fireplace. She walked up the two stairs that brought her into the wide hallway. She held the poker like a sword as she nervously moved through the house.

The light-switch was all the way down the hall by the foot of the stairs, so Snow had to navigate with nothing but the LED flashlight on her phone. She held the device out in front of her, slowly advancing on the conservatory. When she reached the doorway, she could see a figure standing near the door appearing to fumble with something.

‘A burglar’ Snow thought instantly. Scared out of her mind and hoping against hope she still had the element of surprise, Snow lunged forward just as the lights came on. Clara turned and saw the makeshift weapon arcing toward her head and ducked just in time. Snow missed quite cleanly, but the force of her failed strike caused her to lose her balance and she fell. Clara just managed to catch her before she struck the hard concrete floor.

“What the hell, Snow?!” the blonde demanded once she had placed the girl back on her feet. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Yes!” Snow exclaimed, waving the poker in the air for emphasis. “I thought you were an intruder! I’m alone and scared, it’s dark, and I’m really tiny. You could have been a murderer or something!”

“This is Mistbrook Falls, Snow,” said Clara wearily. “The only person in this town that I’m afraid might kill me is that creeper Brad.”

“You could have been Brad,” Snow pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest. “How did you get in here anyway?”

“You gave me a key, remember?” said Clara. “I dropped by Sara’s, but she wasn’t home so I just walked across her yard and came up through the garden. I figured I’d save you from having to come let me in.”

“Well, call next time,” said Snow shakily. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Boo!” a voice shouted from behind them. Snow and Clara both screamed and clung tightly to each over, but it was only Nikki and she was actually crying with laughter. “Gotcha!” she exclaimed loudly, leaning against the doorframe for support.

“Damn you!” Clara shouted, Snow still holding firmly to her arm.

“I’ve got to stop giving people keys to this house,” Snow whimpered. “You guys are awful.”   

“We are not,” said Sara, coming in through the same door Clara had and causing the other three to scream and Snow to swat fearfully at her with the poker.

“Give me that!” Clara shouted, wrenching the poker from Snow’s hands. “You’re going to kill someone with that thing.”

“Sorry…” Snow muttered.

“Where have you been?” Clara asked Sara. “I just dropped by your house, but your step-dad said you were out…”

“I went for a walk,” said Sara dismissively. “I needed some fresh air. Did you need something in my room or…”

“No, I… I actually was wondering if you knew… if you knew what sort of things Jacob likes,” said Clara awkwardly. “I’ve been planning on getting his a Get Well Soon present and I couldn’t think of anything.”

“My brother likes just about anything in a miniskirt,” said Sara with a shrug. She shook her head. “If you want to get him something, buy him licorice. He loves that stuff.”

“Great, thanks,” said Clara. Nikki yawned widely.

“Okay, so are we just going to stand around here in this smelly plant room or are we going to have fun?” she asked of the other three. “I’m thinking we throw a little party of our own before Mike’s tomorrow.”

“Not in this house,” said Snow defiantly. “Kayla can smell a party from a mile away. I still don’t know how I’m supposed to get out to Michael’s party.”

“Lie, little girl,” said Clara, nudging her in the ribs with her elbow. “It’s what I’m doing.”

“Yeah, but you’re good at lying,” said Snow as she led the way into the kitchen. “I’m terrible.”

“The trick is to believe the lie,” said Nikki pointedly. “Believe hard enough and it becomes the truth.”

“I don’t need to convince a jury I’m not guilty of murder,” said Snow. “Just my parents that I’m staying over at one of your houses.”

“My parents are out of town,” said Nikki. “We can say you’re staying with me to keep me company.”

“See?” said Clara. “Easy-peasy. You can even sleep over so Nikki won’t be alone and you won’t technically have told a lie. I know how you don’t like to do that.”

“There are enough lies in this town, Clara,” said Snow, slightly more harshly than she had intended. “I don’t need to add any more.”

“How about we watch a movie?” Sara suggested before Clara could respond. “Something scary.”

“Ooooh, I’ve been dying to see The Whispering Woods,” said Nikki excitedly.

“Mary went to see that last weekend,” said Clara. “She said it was pretty gruesome.”

“Fun!” Nikki exclaimed. “Who doesn’t love blood and violence?” Snow would have pointed out that she, in fact, most certainly loved neither blood nor violence. However, the other girls all seemed pretty set on the movie so after preparing two bowls of popcorn, they all made their way into the den. Snow ordered the movie on Dreamscape, a recently popular service that allowed users (for a monthly fee) to stream currently playing movies straight to their TV sets.

When she was finished she turned to find a seat. Sara sat alone on the couch, while Clara was curled up on the recliner and Nikki was relaxing on a pile of cushions on the floor. Sara patted the space beside her and Snow had no choice but to join her. Although the other two couldn’t know what had happened between herself and Sara, she had a strong sense that they had left the couch to the pair of them intentionally. Snow sat down nervously, glancing sideways at Sara who smiled. The brunette was dealing with all of this so much better than Snow was, she felt. Sure, Sara didn't have Jackson to worry about but Snow still thought Sara was remarkably comfortable with the whole thing.

Snow leaned back against the cushions as the movie started, but she found she couldn't focus on the film at all. The only thing she could think of was Jackson and how she was going to tell him what had happened. Ariana was right, she knew she had to tell him what happened. Her mother had been quite supportive of Snow making her own decision, but she had sensed the disappointment in her voice and that had hurt just as bad as she knew telling Jackson the truth would.

Ariana's truth and respect meant everything to Snow. If her actions had damaged her mother's opinion of her... She had immediately cast aside any thoughts of not telling Jackson the truth. No matter what choice she made, she was going to tell Jackson the truth. She wasn't sure when she would do it, but she was determined to tell him everything. Snow finally managed to focus on the movie and they sat in the dark and watched the nearly three hour film. By midnight, Nikki and Clara had both fallen asleep. Sara, however, was still wide awake and Snow knew it. Without warning, she spoke.

“So… about what happened last night…”

“It was nice,” said Snow, hoping that was the proper thing to say. “I… I mean, I didn’t… I never expected to…”

“Me either,” said Sara hurriedly. “I didn’t plan on us… on us sleeping together. It was just... the heat of the moment and I've thought about... I mean, you were so... I know you’re with Jackson and I know you’re not going to break up with him. I was just thinking it would be the only time for us, and I just wanted to..."

“Sara, I… I think I might love you and… and even though I love Jackson, there’s something special about you," Snow said nervously. "Last night felt... right. We felt right..."

"Yeah, it did," said Sara. Somehow, she seemed sad. "I... I want this... us. I really, really do. I just want you to be sure."

"Me too," said Snow. "I... I love Jackson. I really do. He's amazing and honestly... he and I feel pretty right too."

"Jackson... he's one of the handful of guys in this town that I actually think could be halfway worthy of you," said Sara quietly. "Do you even think you could dump him?"

"I think so," said Snow, but she knew her voice betrayed her certainty. "I'm just... scared. Jackson's the only person I've ever been with, I... God, I don't want to hurt him. I... I hate this. Sara, as good as we were together... as right as it felt... it also felt wrong. Jackson didn't deserve what I did to him. I never thought I was capable of doing something so cruel, and yet I did it without thinking about his feelings for a second. I... Sara, I need time. I need to think about this..."

"I'm not going to pressure you," said Sara gently. "Take your time with this. And just remember... if you decide to be with Jackson, I'll always be your best friend. You will not lose me if you pick him." Snow nodded slowly, feeling like she wanted to cry. She wished it could be simpler, but no... it was the hardest decision she had ever had to make.

Sara picked up the remote and turned off the TV. She smiled warmly at Snow and brushed her hair away from her face.

"Let's get some sleep, Snowflake," she said. "We've got a big party to attend tomorrow." Snow nodded and cuddled up with the brunette on the couch. Within minutes, both of them were fast asleep.

6: Chapter VI: Win or Die

Snow had no idea when she woke up on the couch that Sunday morning, warm and comfortable in Sara’s arms, that by that night her entire world would have been torn apart. As her eyes fluttered open and she breathed in the smell of Sara’s skin, she didn’t know. She couldn’t know that everything was about to change. By the end of the day, a tragedy would rock the sleepy town of Mistbrook Falls.

Snow was the first of the four girls to wake that morning. She gently nudged Sara, who woke slowly, but smiled when she saw Snow’s face hovering above her. She raised her head and kissed Snow quite quickly. She grinned and sat up, forcing the redhead back. Snow smiled shyly, but said nothing. A pang of guilt coursed through her heart when Sara had kissed her. Every kiss, every touch, every moment she and Sara were together it was a betrayal. She was betraying Jackson every single time and she truly hated that feeling.

She knew Jackson would have never done anything like that to her. How had she been so uncaring? How had she let this happen? She was supposed to be so kind and smart. Right then, she felt like a stupid bitch. Forcing herself out of her reverie, she helped Sara rouse the other girls and together they made their way into the kitchen.

While Snow might not have been a master chef like her mother, she had picked up enough tips from Ariana to be able to put together a halfway decent breakfast of sausage and pancakes. The girls ate, chatting about their plans for that evening. It was the big day; the last day before both high school and college classes began once again and Michael would be hosting the biggest party in recent memory to honor the end of summer break.

The redhead still had no desire to go, but she knew all of her friends did. Well, all of them except for Mary. Their absent friend had told Snow so the previous night and when she told the other girls this, they all seemed surprised.

"Really?" said Sara, sounding more shocked than Snow thought was appropriate. "I was sure she'd want to come."

"If I could, I'd be right there with her," Snow grumbled.

"It'll be fun," Clara insisted. "Trust me; we'll have a good time."

"Exactly," said Nikki. "It'll be our last chance for some fun before we're sent back to hell... I mean school."

"I like school," said Snow quietly.

"Of course you do, honey," said Sara, kissing her shyly. Nikki and Clara froze on the spot, staring with their mouths slightly open.

"Oh my damn," said Nikki quietly.

"Crap..." Sara groaned, glancing nervously at Snow who could only shrug.

"Spill it, ladies," Clara snapped, glaring between the two of them. "What's going on?"

"We had sex," said Sara without hesitation. Snow rolled her eyes.

"Well, thanks Chatty Cathy," Snow grumbled. "I was just going to say that we were exploring new territory, but since you've gone and dropped the sex bomb..."

"Yeah, we would have figured it out pretty easily," said Nikki with a grin. "'Exploring new territory', Snow? Really?"

"It's better than what Sara said," Snow retorted.

"So, how was it?" Clara asked, her eyes narrowing curiously. "The sex, I mean." Snow suddenly realized that this was something she and Sara hadn't discussed and that she herself hadn't given much thought. Just how had it been? Good? Yes, she supposed it was even though she had nothing to compare the experience to. Snow then became concerned that Sara might not have enjoyed the evening as much as she had. And then it came again; a blast of white hot guilt washing over her like the tide. She was so worried about Sara's feelings, but thought nothing of Jackson's. It was all so awful. It was wrong.

“It was…” Snow began uncertainly, but Sara leapt in to rescue her.

“It was the best night of my life,” she said in such a sincere tone that Snow knew she meant it.

“Awww!” Clara and Nikki exclaimed, grinning excitedly. “Oh, but Snow… what about Jackson? I mean…. Wow, this is big.”

“Yeah,” said Snow nervously. “I… I haven’t talked to him, I… I don’t know what to say.”

“You’ve got to tell him the truth,” said Nikki immediately. Clara, however, shrugged.

“The truth is overrated,” she said grimly.

“Or underrated,” Snow replied, doing her best to keep her voice even. She was still angry with Clara, both for being so careless and for lying. And now she, Snow, was wrapped up in Clara’s mess. If the blonde’s secret got out, Snow would likely be in trouble too. And there it was again. She judged Clara so harshly and yet now Snow had a secret of her own. It was different, but still truly terrible.

“Can we just… deal with this after the party?” Snow asked quietly. “Jackson’s working tonight anyway, and I… I need some time to think.”

“Sure,” said Nikki, patting the redhead on her shoulder.

“Thank you,” Snow said gratefully.

-.-

The rest of the day passed by as regularly as one might expect a Sunday to pass. The girls lolled around the Austin house for most of the afternoon, doing nothing in particular. Later that evening, once they had dressed for the party, Snow left Nikki upstairs to finish with Clara’s hair and went to find Sara who seemed to have disappeared.

She heard the girl’s voice when she reached the foot of the stairs. It sounded as though Sara was in the den and she was having a heated conversation with someone.

“I don’t need security, I need answers,” she was saying. “I’m going to get proof that I can actually use and when I do I’ll need your help. Uh huh… yeah, of course tonight. When else would I have time or that much access? No, you just be ready. I’ll meet you after the party, once I’m sure she’s safe.” Snow entered the room just as Sara hung up the phone. She turned and froze when she saw the girl standing in the doorway.

“Oh… hey, Snow,” said Sara nervously.

“Who were you talking to?” Snow asked, her eyes narrowed with confusion. The conversation had made no sense to her. Snow didn’t know of anyone Sara would talk to like that. She almost sounded like she was some sort of spy.

“Oh, that?” Sara shook her head. “That… that was nothing, Snow. Don’t worry about it.”

“It didn’t sound like nothing,” Snow pressed as Sara continued to look nervous and fidgety. “It sounded like something serious. What’s going on, Sara? You can talk to me, you know that.”

“Not… not about this,” she said quietly. “I can’t, okay? Not yet. I know I’m not making much sense and that you’re worried, but… everything’s going to be okay. I’ve just got to do something tonight while we’re at the party. It’ll be really easy and only take a few minutes. That’s all I can say. Just… trust me, Snowflake.”

“I do,” said Snow slowly. “I do trust you, Sara, but you’re scaring me.”

“There’s nothing to be scared of, okay?” Sara insisted. “You’ll be fine, I’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about so… so let’s just enjoy the party, huh?”

“Swear to me everything’s okay,” said Snow, her eyes shining with tears. “Promise you’re not doing anything stupid or dangerous.”

“Snow, I’m not doing anything stupid or dangerous,” Sara promised. “Honey, I’ll be fine. Nothing is going to happen to me, okay?” Snow nodded, but she wasn’t fully convinced. Still, she allowed Sara to hug her as the other girls came downstairs. Snow wiped her eyes quickly and forced a smile onto her face.

She was scared, but of what she couldn’t say. Despite her promises, Sara was rattled and it took a lot to frighten her. Whatever was going to happen that night, Snow was determined to help her friend through it.

The drive across town took place in relative quiet. They drove through the center of town, past the church, the bank, and the jewelry store. There were hardly any cars on the road and even fewer in the parking lots. Snow only spotted a single car in the parking lot outside the jewelry store. It was dark by the time they arrived at Michael’s sprawling estate on the outskirts of town.

His family would easily be the richest in town if they still lived there. Michael’s parents had left Mistbrook Falls a year earlier and, as far as Snow knew, had never returned. Michael had chosen to remain in town and attend Hastings College instead of going with them. Michael had never let it be known why he had chosen to remain in such a quaint little town when clearly he belonged in a larger city.

Snow parked her car and the girls got out. They walked up the long sloping drive shoulder to shoulder as some loud pop song played from speakers set up closer to the house. Already, Snow could see people dancing wildly and she felt if possible even more uncomfortable.

This was definitely not her idea of a fun evening. If nothing else, she was happy not to have had to lie to her parents. Kayla and Ariana weren’t due in until much later that night, long after Snow would be home. No... they would have a good time in California with Kayla's mom and everything would be fine. Still, she knew in a way she was still lying to them… and she knew they wouldn’t lie to her.
-.-

The sun set slowly over the city of Boston, Massachusetts. The room was remarkably quiet except for the occasional rustle of paper as Ariana turned a page in her book. Kayla rolled her eyes and shook her head at her wife.

"How can you sit there so calmly?" she asked. "Aren't you worried what they're going to say?" Ariana, much to Kayla's very great surprise, smiled up at her and shook her head.

"No," she replied firmly. "Kay-Kay... we already know what they're going to say. We've done this a dozen times and gotten the same answer each time. You know that doing the same thing over again and expecting a different outcome is the very definition of insanity, right?"

"This place... it's the best. They've got... they have to have answers, Ari," said Kayla quietly. "They have to."

"Every place we've been has had answers, just not ones we liked," Ariana pointed out. "Kayla, listen... sometimes something gets broken and it can't be fixed. I know that's not what you want to hear, but... but we may be at that point now." Kayla shook her head furiously.

“We’re not,” she insisted. “We… we can’t be, Ari.”

“You don’t want us to be, but Kay-Kay… honey… I think we are,” said Ariana quietly. “And if we are, I… I just want to make sure that you…” But she was cut off by the door opening across the room. Kayla and Ariana both stood up and moved instinctively toward each other. Kayla reached out and took Ariana’s hand. She gave her wife a nervous smiled and looked to the man in the doorway.

“Well?”

7: Chapter VII: 'That Night'

The music pounded through the crisp air, blasting its way into the four girls' ears as they stood idly around the fireplace. Michael, if nothing else, certainly knew how to throw a party. There were people laughing, talking, dancing, drinking... and a few of them were doing things best done in the privacy of the bedroom.

"Ooooh, I see a positively perfect piece of man-candy over there," said Clara excitedly, drawing away from the girls and slipping her arm around the waist of a shockingly handsome college guy. Snow, Sara, and Nikki all exchanged glances and knowing grins. The latter gave a loud fake cough that sounded oddly like “Whore!”.

"So... other than dancing and drinking and... whatever those two are doing on the stairs... what are we supposed to do at this thing?" Snow asked, glancing at the other two.

"Nothing," said Nikki, swaying gently to the music. "Those are the best three things about these parties."

"Great..." Snow muttered. "I guess I'll get a drink then." She sighed and walked toward the kitchen. She pulled out her phone as she walked and quickly found Jackson's name. She hesitated, a wave of intense guilt washing over her. She hadn't spoken to Jackson since she had slept with Sara. Since you cheated with Sara Snow's conscience screamed at her. She wished, truly, that she could go back and change everything. She wished she would have waited and spoken to Jackson first. She could have explained everything. She could have told him how she felt and that none of it was his fault. It wouldn't have spared his feelings, but perhaps it wouldn't have hurt him as badly as it would now. She would have to tell him what she had done and she knew it was going to really hurt him. As she keyed a text message to him, she felt like the worst person alive.

Snow: I hate this party. Can’t believe I let the girls drag me here. How's work?   

She tried to be as normal as possible. She didn't want to tell him anything over the phone. At the very least, she owed him a face-to-face talk. She knew if she didn't sound like herself he would get curious and start asking questions.

Jackson: Busy tonight. Is it really that bad? I thought you would have fun.

Snow: You thought wrong. This is Clara's scene, not mine.

Jackson: Just relax Snowflake. Try & enjoy yourself. Want me to swing by after work?

Snow: No don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine. The girls are with me.

Jackson: Ok, well I’m going to visit Jacob on my way home them.

Snow: Sure. Hey, call me later ok?

Jackson: Sure babe. Love you.

Snow: Love you too.

Snow tucked her phone back into her pocket and sipped at her drink, watching the other party goers. It was mostly people of college age, but Snow spotted a few of her fellow classmates amidst the crowd.

“You look out of place,” said Steven Williams, one of Jackson and Jacob’s friends, as he approached her. He was a year older than Snow and she had to admit she kind of liked him. Snow managed a thin smile.

“That’s because I am,” she replied. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Well, I figured I ought to occasionally show up at social events in this town,” Steven replied, flatting his flyaway auburn hair. “People start to think you’ve got something to hide if all you do is chill at the Barista.

“If that’s a shot at me…” said Snow with a feigned frown.

“It’s not,” said Steven, laughing. “Trust me, I’d much rather curl up at the coffee shop with a good book and forget half of the crap that goes on in this town… but unfortunately, tonight I can’t do that so… here I am.”

“So, you’re here for social standing too?” Snow asked. “That’s why Sara dragged me here… or at least I thought it was.”

“What do you mean?” asked Steven, his eyes narrowing. “That sounds like something Sara would do. Her popularity means a lot to her.” Snow hesitated, not wanting to betray Sara’s trust. But she knew Steven and she trusted him. He wouldn’t say anything to anyone and he might help allay her fears.

“I heard Sara on the phone earlier,” Snow confessed. “She was saying… she said something about wanting answers and finding proof here at the party tonight. I’m afraid she’s into something dangerous.” Steven stared at her for a long moment before shrugging.

“Well, I hardly know Sara but she doesn’t seem like the sort of girl that’s looking for any trouble,” Steven reasoned. “I always thought she was kind of sweet. Maybe you misunderstood…”

“I didn’t misunderstand,” Snow snapped, but she immediately felt guilty. “I… I’m sorry, Steve, I just… I’m worried about her.”

“Well, then why are you standing here talking to me when Sara’s over there?” he asked. “You ought to be keeping an eye on her, right?”

“Right,” Snow agreed, rather happy to put an end to their conversation. “I’ll see you.” Snow, plastic cup still in hand, returned to where Sara and Nikki were standing. Nikki was chatting idly with a guy Snow recognized from school while Sara stood to the side appearing to be sending a text.

“If we’re here to improve our social standing, shouldn’t we be… I don’t know… socializing?” Snow asked the brunette curiously. Sara looked up at her, surprised.

“Oh, hey, you’re back,” said Sara quickly. “It took you long enough to get that drink.”

“Yeah, I ran into Steven,” Snow explained, although she neglected to mention what they had spoken about.

“Steven, huh?” said Sara. “I haven’t seen him in a while.”

“I bump into him at the Barista occasionally,” said Snow. “He likes to read there."

“Birds of a feather, you two," said Sara airily. "I swear..."

"We're intellectuals," said Snow proudly.

"Is that right?" asked Sara. "Well, do you think an intellectual like yourself could get a girl a drink?" Snow arched her eyebrows.

"Really? I was just over there."

"I didn't want anything then," said Sara, taking Snow's cup from her and smiling. "Love you!"

"Yeah, yeah," Snow muttered, trotting off and returning moments later with another cup. She passed it to the brunette and took her own back. She glanced into it.

"You drank some of this, didn't you?" Sara shrugged.

"Uh... maybe?" she said nervously. "I'm gonna run to the bathroom." She gestured around the room, which was quickly emptying around them. "It looks like the party's headed outside. Wait for me?" Snow shrugged.

"Sure," she replied. "It's not like Nikki or Clara are even aware we're still here."

"That's definitely true..." Sara muttered uncomfortably. "Keep an eye on them and make sure our resident sluts don't get in trouble." Sara walked away and disappeared deeper into the house on her way to the bathroom.

Snow stood alone by the fireplace as the rest of the party goers headed outside. She sipped her drink and checked her phone, waiting. She heard footsteps coming downstairs after a few minutes and Michael appeared suddenly from the staircase. He noticed her immediately and flashed her a grin.

"Hey there Snow," he said, walking over. "What are you doing in here all alone? The party's outside."

"I'm waiting for Sara," said Snow. She felt uncomfortable around Michael, what with his reputation. She didn't like being alone with him. "She went to the bathroom."

"Of course," said Michael. He was smiling rather oddly in Snow's opinion. "Well, once she comes back you two be sure to come on outside and have some fun. School starts back tomorrow, after all. Last night to get a little wild, right?"

"Right," said Snow quietly. Michael grinned.

"Well, I'll see you around," he turned without another word and headed outside. Snow rolled her eyes and was just about to go and see what was keeping Sara when she felt suddenly lightheaded and she stumbled. Within seconds, she lost consciousness.

-.-

“Well?” Kayla asked, looking up at the doctor who walked slowly over to join them. He was an older man, tall but not overly so. He had thinning hair and deep green eyes. From the expression on his face, Ariana could tell his news was grim.

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Austin,” he said, his gaze settling on Ariana. “Your test results are not at all encouraging. You have stage four cervical cancer and at this point our options are… limited.”

“I know my prognosis,” said Ariana. “I know it isn’t good. I’ve come here to see what, if any, chance there is to cure this. I’ve been told there is none, but…” The doctor sighed and took off his glasses.

“At this state we’re mostly looking at quality of life measures,” he explained. “Medications to relieve pain… things that we can do to make you more comfortable. Chemotherapy is an option, but at this point it would likely serve only to prolong your life. It will not eliminate your disease.” Ariana nodded slowly, the weight of his words settling on her like a thick blanket. It didn’t come as a surprise, she had been told much of the same before… but she had hoped that maybe… just maybe…

“There has to be something you can do,” Kayla insisted. “This is the most advanced cancer treatment facility on the planet! There must be…”

“If there were other options, I would suggest them,” the doctor said. “We’re here to help in any way we can. We’re here to offer hope, but I will not give false hope. I will not shower you with maybes and perhaps. As much as I hate it, I have to be truthful. This is where we are.”

“So, I’m dying,” said Ariana, before Kayla could say anything further. “How long do I have?”

“If we take certain measures… chemotherapy, for one… we could…”

“Without treatment,” Ariana interrupted. “Without treatment, how long do I have?” The doctor sighed again and rubbed his eyes. Ariana wondered how many times he had done this. The toll such a job must take on someone, she imagined, must be tremendous. He was asked, day after day, to tell people when them were going to die.

“A year,” he replied. “A year at most… and without treatment, probably a little less.”

A year. A year wasn’t so bad, Ariana reasoned. It could have been much less. She had time. Not a lot, but more than she would have thought. That was a good thing. She slowly took the doctor’s hand and they shook.

“Thank you for your help,” she told him. “I appreciate your time.” She turned and left the room. She was halfway down the corridor that led to the elevator before the tears started to fall. When Kayla found her, she was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, sobbing quietly. The brunette sat down beside her and took her hand.

“Ari…” she whispered. The redhead looked up at her, her eyes bloodshot.

“I’m scared, Kay-Kay,” she replied, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m really scared.”

“Well, that makes two of us, kiddo,” said Kayla. “Because I’m scared too. I… I don’ know if I can do this, Ari. I don’t know if I can lose you again. I know what it feels like and I… God, I’m a horrible person. You’ve got this disease and I’m sitting here talking about myself.”

“It’s okay,” said Ariana gently. “I know it’s hard for you too. But you can do this. You have to do this. You’re going to have to be there for Snow. I can’t have you falling apart on her, okay? She’ll need you.”

“We’ll need each other, I imagine,” said Kayla.

“I’m sure you will,” Ariana agreed. “Kayla… this things, it’s… I don’t want to spend what little time I’ve got left fighting a battle I can’t win. This last year we have together… I want to enjoy it. I don’t want to worry about tomorrow. I want to enjoy today. Do you think we can do that?”

“Of course,” Kayla assured her. “Of course we can, honey.”

“Thanks, Kay-Kay,” Kayla squeezed her hand tightly and pulled the redhead into a tight hug.

“You bet, kiddo.”

-.-

Snow awoke slowly, groggily. She was dizzy and her head was pounding. She was so sleepy that she just lay there, wherever she was, for a long time just drifting in and out of consciousness. Eventually, she managed to force her eyes open enough to see where she was.

She found herself to be in a much different room from where she last remembered being. She lay across a luxurious bed in what was clearly one of many bedrooms in Michael’s mansion. Gingerly, she sat up and slowly stood to her feet. She swayed on the spot and she felt like throwing up. She started forward, crossing the room slowly. She stumbled a few times, her vision growing dark and oblivion threatened to consume her once again.

Snow managed to make her way through the door and out into the hallway. Her vision was blurry and as she walked further she seemed to slip out of consciousness for only an instant at a time. One second she was struggled down the hall. The next, she found herself at the top of a staircase. Then she was standing alone in the living room where she had been waiting for Sara… with her hands covered in blood.

On the floor before her lay Sara, a pool of blood spreading steadily around her. A knife had been plunged into her abdomen and left there. She knelt blearily, unable to understand exactly what had happened. An instant later the full realization clicked in her brain and she screamed. She ran from the house, screaming and shouting for anyone to help. Blurry figures came rushing over through the darkness, asking her questions she couldn’t understand.

She tried to force herself to explain, to tell them that Sara so desperately needed help, but she couldn’t seem to make her mouth work. Eventually, someone went inside and found her. She could hear the shouts from inside. Paramedics were called and so were the police, but Snow was oblivious to it all. She sat in a daze on the low stone wall that ran along the driveway. She was being held by someone that she later realized was Clara.

The world around her was chaos. Flashes of light and loud, indistinguishable noises filled the night but she could make sense of none of it. The only thing that pierced her drowsy, foggy brain was the voice of a paramedic as he passed them.  

"Yes... yes, that's right. Sara Blake... sixteen years old... Time of death: 1:42am."

8: Chapter VIII: 1:42 Ante Meridiem

The world was blurry and dark and confusing. Nothing made sense. It was scary and strange. There were people, some of them were speaking but their words made no sense. There were hands pulling, guiding... but where? A closing door, an engine starting. Flashes of light. Noises, feelings, silence… darkness.

"Snow!"

The redhead's eyes snapped open and suddenly the world was clearly, harshly in focus. She found herself sitting alone in a police interrogation room. She had no recollection of ever leaving Michael's house, much less coming to the police station. She looked around to see who had called her name and found Sophia sitting in front of her, peering fretfully at her younger cousin.

"Snow," Sophia repeated, reaching out and squeezing the younger girl's knee. "Snow, I'm so sorry about Sara. I... sweetheart, I know this is a terrible time, but I... I need to ask you a few questions." Snow was confused. Questions? She didn't know anything. Her best friend was dead... that was all she knew.

"About what?" Snow asked, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of Sara.

"About Sara's murder," said Sophia gently. “Snow, sweetie, I need to ask you about tonight. What happened at the party?”

“N… nothing,” said Snow shakily. Nothing had happened, had it? Not that she could remember, anyway. She began to realize, however, that she could remember very little of the last twenty-four hours. “We… we went to the party and… and Sara went to go to the bathroom and then… I..." But then a truly terrifying thought occurred to her. It wasn't possible, it wasn't. It just couldn't be. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the possibility that it was she, Snow, who had killed Sara.

She had no memories of the night. She couldn't remember what had happened or where she had been. She remembered finding herself standing over Sara's body with her hands covered in her best friend's blood. She couldn't begin to imagine why she would have done such a terrible thing, could come up with no explanation for why she would kill the girl she was in love with, except... except for her guilt over what they had done. Wasn't it possible that her guilt had caused something within her to crack? Couldn't she have been driven temporarily insane by her betrayal and done something terrible?

Those things happened, Snow believed, and it could have happened to her. If it did... if she had killed her best friend then the police would find out no matter what she said. She wanted to tell the truth, but her mind was still so clouded and confused and she was very scared. Even though in her heart she knew it wasn't true, that she was just imagining the worst thing possible, that there must surely be another explanation, still she lied before she thought it through all the way.

"I don't know where she went," Snow went on. "She... she disappeared for a while and then... then I found her by the fireplace. She was bleeding..."

"And that's it?" Sophia asked. Snow nodded, thinking hard. The only other thing that she knew was that she had somehow lost consciousness. Over an hour of time was missing and she had no idea where she had been or what she had done during that time.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “That’s it.” Sophia nodded slowly.

“Okay,” she replied. “I think that’s enough for tonight. I want you to stay here for a bit, okay? Your parents just landed and their on their way. I’m going to go and get you some water. I’ll be right back.” Sophia stood and strode to the door.

“Sophie?” Snow called out to her as she pushed the door open. “Find whoever did this.”

“You can count on it,” Sophia swore. “We’ll get them, Snowflake. I promise.” She smiled gently and left the room, leaving Snow alone with her very complicated thoughts. She tried to put what few pieces she had together, but it made for a very hard puzzle. She couldn’t remember much at all of the past twenty-four hours. She remembered arriving at the party. She remembered talking to someone while getting a drink, although she couldn’t remember who that had been. The next thing she could remember was Sara saying she was going to go to the bathroom and then… then she was waking up on a bed somewhere upstairs.

It was the first memory to return to her. She remembered waking up and stumbling her way through the house. But then, why had she been asleep? And when had she gone upstairs? Had someone spiked her drink? And if so, who would do that? She had only been around her friends all night. She hadn’t even spoken to anyone else except…

“Michael,” Snow muttered quietly.  Suddenly, she remembered. She had been talking to him right before she passed out. But Michael would have had no reason to drug her, nor would he have had the opportunity. Whoever did it would have had to slip something in her drink, she reasoned. She only had a cup of punch and it never left her sight. But the instant she thought it, she remembered.

Her cup had been out of her sight even if only for a few moments. Sara had taken it from her so she could go and get a drink for her… but Sara would never have drugged her! What would have been the point? It didn’t make sense for it to have been Sara. But if it wasn’t Sara or Michael, then… who was it? She knew she should tell Sophia everything, perhaps it would help find Sara's killer assuming Snow's worst fears proved false. But then, if only Sara had had the opportunity to drug her... No, she decided. She wasn't going to say anything more just yet. If she discovered she truly had murdered her friend, then she would turn herself in. If she didn't, then it seemed unlikely that those two events were connected... at least she prayed they weren't.

-.-

Sophia was returning to the interrogation room with a cup of water for Snow when she saw Jackson marching purposefully her way. She turned and intercepted him.

“Clara called… Where’s Snow? Is she okay? Clara said Sara was dead and I… I know how close they are, is Snow…?” Jackson was rambling and he was physically shaking. Sophia didn’t think she had ever seen him look so scared before.

“Snow’s fine,” said Sophia gently. “She wasn’t hurt. She’s shaken up and a little confused, but that’s to be expected. If you want, you can sit with her until her parents get here. I’ve got to check up on the murder weapon anyway to see if we’ve got any prints to work with.” She held out the cup of water to him. “Here, take this to her. I was going to, but if you’re going…”

“Thanks, Sophia,” said Jackson. He shook his head. “Sara was my friend too,” he told her. “You find the bastard that killed her, you hear me?”

“We’re going to,” said Sophia. “Don’t you worry about it.” She gave him a reassuring smile and headed through the building to Forensics, where she knew a team would be examining the knife that was used to kill Sara. The lead forensic scientist, Leo Fitzsimmons, greeted her as she entered the room.

“Welcome, Detective Austin,” he said brightly, staring at her over the rims of his glasses. “I assume you’re here for my report on the Blake murder?”

“Well, I don’t come down here to this creepy place for fun,” said Sophia with a smirk. “What’d you find?”

“We got one set of prints off the knife, which I must say is a truly excellent blade. The hilt is made of…”

“Focus, please,” said Sophia wearily. “Did you find a match?”

“We did,” Fitzsimmons replied. “Three guesses who’s they are.”

“Just tell me, Fitz,” said Sophia. “If it weren’t three in the morning, I’d play your guessing game but as it is I’m really tired, so can we just do this?” Fitzsimmons shrugged and held out the knife to her.

“Here, Detective Sassy-Pants,” he said, grinning. “There’s some initials engraved in the handle. See if that makes you think of anyone.” Sophia begrudgingly took the knife and stared at the initials. B. R. She shook her head, but suddenly it clicked and she pulled out her phone.

“I’m going to need a warrant put out immediately,” she said. “Brad Reynolds. He’s wanted for questioning in the Sara Blake case.”

-.-

Snow looked up as Jackson entered, looking worriedly at her. He sat the cup of water down on the table just in time to avoid spilling it as the redhead leapt up and hugged him. Jackson held her close and for the first time that night, Snow felt safe. She relaxed into his embrace and they stood there for a long while, saying nothing. Eventually, Jackson drew away and peered into Snow’s bloodshot eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Snow,” he told her, stroking her cheek. “Baby, I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“It’s okay,” said Snow, sinking slowly back into her chair. “You don’t need to say anything. I just… I can’t believe she’s gone.”

“I know,” Jackson replied solemnly. “She was like a queen in this town, but she had a good heart. I’ll miss her, I know that much.”

“She was my best friend, I… I don’t know what to do without her,” said Snow. “She’s… she’s just always been there. She was the first person I met when we moved to Mistbrook Falls. We… we grew up together. I feel… lost. I feel like have of myself is just gone.”

“I’ve never lost anyone like that,” said Jackson quietly. “Someone… who meant so much to me. I can’t imagine what that must feel like. I… I wish I knew what to say to help, but…”

“Words can’t help, Jacks,” said Snow, shaking her head. “Words can’t bring her back.” Jackson nodded, swallowing thickly. Jackson had always been bad with words. He wasn’t the person she went to when she needed to be comforted. That, oddly enough, had always been Sara. Jackson could make her feel safe, but Sara had always been the one to comfort her. Before she could think any further on that topic, the door swung open and Kayla and Ariana rushed in. Ariana made a beeline for Snow and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh, Snowy," Ariana cried. "Snowy, I'm so, so sorry."

"She... she... Sara's dead, Mom," Snow said, as though Ariana didn't know.

"I know, honey," Ariana whispered. She held her daughter out at arm's length to look her over. "We're going to take you home, okay? It'll be okay, Snowflake." Ariana was in protective-mother-mode, Snow knew. She would be doing everything she could to make Snow feel safe, secure, and loved. She gently smoothed her daughter’s hair as they walked from the police station and into the blackest night Snow could remember.

Her world, her entire life had changed forever. Her best friend, her love, was dead. The girl that had given her the world, at whose side she had ruled their high school, was gone. Snow discovered as she climbed into the back seat of the car, still wrapped in Ariana’s arms, that she hadn’t cried. Perhaps the real weight of that night hadn’t settled on her yet. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t quite real to her right then.

Kayla got into the driver’s seat and started the car, while Jackson sat on the passenger side, looking back at Snow and Ariana. Together, they drove away and into the darkness and the last day of summer came to an end. Tomorrow, school would begin again and Snow would have to face the rest of her life without Sara. But in truth, she knew that although it was Sara who had died, Snow’s own life had ended that night as well. At 1:42 A. M. 

 

9: Chapter IX: Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

There are loved ones in the glory,
Whose dear forms you often miss;
When you close your earthly story,
Will you join them in their bliss?

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

In the joyous days of childhood,
Oft they told of wondrous love,
Pointed to the dying Saviour;
Now they dwell with Him above.

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

You remember songs of heaven
Which you sang with childish voice,
Do you love the hymns they taught you,
Or are songs of earth your choice?

Snow lay back across her bed, the words of the old song filling her ears. She wasn’t sure why she picked that song from her play list, but somehow it seemed fitting. She let the lyrics flow over her, lost in the semidarkness of her bedroom.

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

You can picture happy gath'rings
'Round the fireside long ago,
And you think of tearful partings,
When they left you here below.

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

One by one their seats were emptied,
And one by one they went away;
Now the family is parted,
Will it be complete one day?

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

A soft knock came at the door as the song came to an end. Snow had just plucked her earbuds from her ears when the door slowly eased open and Ariana came in carrying a plate with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich lying on it. She gave her daughter a warm smile and set the plate down on the bedside table.

“How are you feeling, sweetpea?” Ariana asked, sitting down beside the other redhead. Snow hesitated, not completely sure how to answer that question. It was nearly noon on Monday, not even twelve hours after Sara’s death. Snow hadn’t had time to collect her thoughts or process her emotions. She hadn’t even cried yet, which she had to admit she found odd.

“I… I’m okay,” Snow lied quietly. “I just… it doesn’t feel real.” Ariana nodded slowly.

“I felt the same way when your uncle Coop died,” she said. “For a while, it… it didn’t hit me that he was gone. I kept thinking that it was all a bad dream and that he would come walking through the door one day. Only he never did. After his funeral… yeah, then it hit me.”

“How do you… get over losing someone you love that much?” Snow asked, looking up at her mother’s face. Ariana shrugged and smiled a sad smile.

“You don’t,” she said softly. “You grieve and you cry… you scream, and yell, and cry a bit more. Then you move on. You never stop missing them… you never forget them. The place they held in your heart becomes a permanent open wound. Not a day will go by that you won’t ache for Sara. Some days you won’t think you’ll be able to survive the sadness… but if I can promise you nothing else, I can promise this; it will get better.” Ariana picked up the plate and pressed it into Snow's hands.

"Eat," she insisted. "It's your favorite." Ariana stood up and started for the door, but Snow called her back.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the party," she said nervously. "I... I should have..."

"It's okay, Snow," said Ariana gently. "You... made a mistake. Who hasn't? On this one, I'll give you a pass. Just don't do it again. I'll be right downstairs if you need me, honey." Ariana left, leaving Snow with her sandwich. Reluctantly, the redhead picked up a half and bit into it. She had to admit, Ariana's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches had always managed to cheer her up. No one else could make a sandwich like her mother could. There was just something special about Ariana's, who simply said the secret ingredient was love.

Snow paced her room, chewing her sandwich and thinking. The start of school had been delayed until Tuesday due to the first murder in recent memory taking place in the town, so Snow had the entire day to herself. She hadn't spoken to any of her friends since the party and she wasn't sure she wanted to. They all reminded her of Sara.

Of course, it was Sara who had brought them all together. She had been the glue of their little gang. With her gone, would their group even survive? Were they still friends without her? Snow hoped they were, but somehow she could almost feel them drifting apart. She didn't have the ability or the desire to maintain the others' popularity, which she knew was important to Nikki and Clara. As for Mary, she seemed to have gone off the grid and hadn't contacted any of the other girls for a while.

On top of everything, she had cheated on Jackson. He had been so worried about her the previous night. He had even stayed over, sleeping on the couch downstairs just to be close to her. She had betrayed him with Sara and now she was dead. Whatever they had been starting, it was over… so should she even tell him?

It was horrible to contemplate. If she confessed what she had done, she had no idea how Jackson might respond. He was a kind person, but this was a very hard hit to a sensitive spot. He easily could choose to break up with her and if she lost Jackson too… well, she wasn’t sure she could handle any more loss. Sara was terrible enough. If anyone else left her life… it would simply be too much.

-.-

Across town, Nikki and Clara were sitting alone on a swing set in North Shore Park. It was August, but an unseasonable chill had settled over the town, but the girls found that they didn’t care. They sat in silence beneath the overcast skies, waiting for… what, neither of them knew.

To Clara, none of it made any sense. She couldn’t understand why anyone would want to kill Sara. Sure, she and Sara had had their differences, but in the end they were friends. The five of them had shared a close bond and Clara wasn't sure what would happen now that one of their number was gone.

"Should we go see Snow?" Clara asked after half an hour of silence. Nikki shrugged.

"I... I don't know," she muttered. "Do you think she'll even want to see us? I mean, Sara was the one that invited us into the group. Snow might not even want to..."

"To what?" Clara snapped. "Still be friends? Nikki, we're Snow's friends too. I'm sure she'll want to see us."

"Yeah... right, of course," said Nikki quietly. "Yeah, I... I don't know what I'm talking about. All this... it's really... God, Clara... I don't even remember the last thing I said to her."

"I don't either..." Clara said, having not realized that until Nikki mentioned it. "I... she was right there and then... she's just gone."

"Yeah..." said Nikki. Silence fell between them again and they sat there for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts. To Clara, it seemed as though life in Mistbrook Falls had come screeching to a violent halt. She had always heard that life went on after a loved one died, but it didn't seem to be the case. Their world was frozen and Clara could only guess at what would unfreeze it. Her guess would be when they caught Sara's killer.

It was the first murder in recent memory within the town and since there was clearly a killer on the loose everyone was very nervous. Anyone that could kill a sixteen-year-old girl was cruel beyond imagining and had to be brought to justice. The only problem was, there didn't appear to be any suspects.

"Who do you think?" Clara asked quietly. Nikki looked up, appearing confused for a moment before she realized what Clara was talking about.

"I don't know," she replied, shaking her head. "Could've been anyone, couldn't it?"

"I guess..." said Clara. "That just makes things worse though. Who do we trust?"

"In this town?" asked Nikki. "No one, Clara. You should know that by now."

"Well, I trust you," Clara retorted. "And Snow and Mary and Jackson. Of course, Kayla and Ariana too. And Jacob and Steven... not everyone's a liar or a killer, Nikki."

"Maybe not," Nikki admitted. "But everyone's hiding something." Clara knew that was true. Everyone in Mistbrook Falls had their secrets, even her. She wondered briefly what secrets Nikki had. Their little group of friends might have been as close as sisters, but they still had their secrets.

"I guess we just..." Clara started, but broke off when two police cruisers sped around the corner with sirens wailing.

"What the hell?" Nikki asked, standing up from her swing and watching the cars vanish into the distance. Clara didn't reply. She had no idea 'what the hell', but knowing Mistbrook Falls, it was sure to be interesting.

-.-

"Don't worry about it, okay?" Brad Reynolds said into his phone as he walked down Main Street toward New Hope Church. The church sat in the center of a fork in the road, where Main Street split into Montgomery Road on the right and Isabella Lane on the left. Brad didn't stop at the church, however. He continued on, making his way along Montgomery Road.

"Listen, no one's going to think it was us, okay? Calm down, we got what we wanted after all. You got what you needed to keep yourself in the Queen of Mistbrook Falls' good graces and I got... well, don't you worry about what I got. Just keep quiet and let the town deal with it's latest tragedy... Yes... yes, okay, I know. I'm sorry, that was insensitive. Just..." But he was interrupted by the sound of sirens as two patrol cars roared up the road and into his path. Four officers leapt from their cars, guns drawn.    

"Bradley Reynolds!" one of the officers shouted. "Get on the ground now! Right now, get on the ground." The officers surrounded him and forced him to his knees. They then slammed his face hard into the concrete. He felt cuffs being placed on his wrists and he groaned in pain. He was violently jerked to his feet as a tall blonde woman stepped into view. She looked down at him with her hands on her hips.

"Brad Reynolds, I'm Detective Sophia Austin," the blonde woman said with a small smile. A second later her smile vanished and her eyes blazed. "You are under arrest for the murder of Sara Blake."

10: Chapter X: The Game Begins

"I told you, I don't effing know how my knife found its way into Sara Blake's gut, okay?" Brad snapped for what felt like the millionth time. "I didn't kill her! I didn't even know her. I wasn't at that party." Brad looked up at Sophia as she paced back and forth in front of him. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she didn't believe him.

"Then where were you last night at the time of the murder?" Sophia demanded. "Who were you with? What did you do? Do you have any sort of alibi?"

"I was in my apartment," said Brad firmly. "I was up in my apartment all evening."

"Hmm..." said Sophia thoughtfully. "Is that so?" Brad nodded. Sophia had to believe him. She just had to. Whatever he did, he was no killer. He really hadn't killed Sara and he had no idea how his knife had been used in the murder. The knife in question had disappeared from his toolbox the day before and he hadn’t seen it since. He didn’t know how or when, but someone had stolen it.

“Can anyone confirm that?” Sophia asked him. He immediately nodded.

“Mary Sheppard,” Brad replied. “Mary was with me all day yesterday. She’ll vouch for my whereabouts.”

“Mary Sheppard is one of Sara’s closest friends,” said Sophia suspiciously. “How is it you know her well enough to spend the entire day with her, but you don’t know Sara?”

“I didn’t say I don’t know of Sara,” said Brad. “It’s hard not to hear about Sara. She’s the pretty, rich girl that everyone’s jealous of. But I never met her and I certainly didn’t kill her. If you don’t believe me, give Mary a call. I’m sure she’ll be happy to clear all of this up.”

“Oh, I intend to call her,” said Sophia. “If she confirms your story, you’ll be released. If not, I’ll see to it you never see the light of day again.” The blonde turned on her heel and left the room. Brad leaned back in his chair, nervous but determined not to let it show to the camera that was pointed straight at him from above the door. Mary would know what to say, surely. She wasn’t stupid. She would figure it out. He might not be innocent of everything, but he hadn't killed anyone. He was telling the truth about that, he just needed someone to believe him.

Out in the hallway, Sophia marched to her office and circled her desk to retrieve her phone. Something about all of this disturbed her. Brad was adamant that he did not kill Sara and somehow she felt he was telling the truth.

“Hey, Sophia, did you get a chance to look into robbery at Zoe’s jewelry store?” The blonde detective rolled her eyes as she turned to see Rob Fawcett, a beat cop, approaching her.

"Does that look like my department, Fawcett?" she asked irritably, looking back at her phone and scrolling through her contacts to find Mary's number. "I'm trying to find out who murdered Sara Blake, remember her?"

"Sorry," said Fawcett, holding up his hands defensively. "I just meant that Zoe's called in three times today and..."

"Well, go out there and look into it then," said Sophia. "Maybe earn yourself a promotion. Show some initiative, the Chief likes that." Sophia found Mary's number as Fawcett walked away and dialed. Moments later, the girl answered and Sophia knew she would have her answer.  

-.-

“Okay… okay, thanks Sophie. Yeah, me too. Okay, we’ll see you later. Bye.” Kayla hung up the phone and looked over to the bar where Snow and Ariana sat sharing plate of buttered biscuits.

“What did Sophia say?” Snow asked instantaneously, looking up at Kayla nervously. The brunette sighed heavily.

“She thought they had a solid lead on who killed Sara,” she replied. “The knife belonged to Brad Reynolds, but apparently it was stolen by whoever actually killed her.”

“How does she know that?” Snow asked. “Someone went to all the trouble to steal Brad’s knife?”

“I guess so,” said Kayla. “He’s got an alibi. Mary says she was with him all night on Sunday."

"Mary? My Mary? Mary Sheppard?" Snow asked, quite confused. As for as she knew, Mary didn't even know Brad Reynolds and she certainly wouldn't spend the night with him.

"That's what she said," Kayla replied. "I didn't realize they were friends."

"Yeah..." said Snow, feeling very uncomfortable and nonplussed. "Neither did I." She shook her head. "I... I think I'm going to bed. Night, you guys."

Once safely upstairs, Snow paced her bedroom trying to put the pieces together. She felt pretty certain that she hadn't had anything to do with Sara murder, now that she knew Brad Reynolds' knife had been the murder weapon. There was no logical way she could have gotten her hands on it.

Mary, meanwhile, had spent the whole of Sunday night with Brad. That made no sense at all. Mary didn't know Brad, or at least Snow didn't think she did. But if she had spent the night with him, she must know him pretty well. Her friend had made no mention of him, positively or negatively. Maybe she knew him better than Snow believed.

But it all came back to who murdered Sara. If it wasn't Brad and it wasn't Snow, then who had done it? Who would want to kill her? Why? She had run through this same process a million times and at this point she would always go back to trying to remember what it was she knew she had forgotten. It was critically important, she knew that, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't remember what it was. Whatever it was, she just knew it would give her a clue as to the identity of Sara's killer.  

-.-

It was Tuesday morning, the first day of school. The town of Mistbrook Falls awoke to a morning much like the previous one; cold, dreary, and overcast. Snow sat in her window seat, staring across her backyard at Sara's bedroom window. Each morning she and Sara would wave to each other from those windows. They would smile and model what they were wearing to school that day. It had been a morning ritual for as long as Snow could remember. Now, Snow would never wave to anyone from that window ever again.

She had spent the whole of Monday trying in vain to remember any details of the previous day and still nothing had returned to her remembrance. She still had no idea what had happened after she passed out. She couldn’t remember much of the day before the party either, although she felt certain she was forgetting something very important. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember what it was.

She was scared. There was a killer running loose in Mistbrook Falls. She, Snow, had lied to Sophia and by extension the police and to top it all off, she was missing a good deal of time. It was enough to rattle anyone and the idea that she could possibly have murdered her best friend made it all that much worse.

She sighed inwardly as the clock struck seven thirty. She swung her legs off the seat and stood. She grabbed her bag from her desk and strode from her room. Downstairs, she found her parents in the kitchen, talking in hushed voices. They both looked up at her as she entered.

"Morning, Snow," said Kayla, exchanging a brief glance with Ariana. "We thought you were still asleep."

"Asleep?" Snow asked, confused. "School starts in a half hour. I've been up since six."

"Sweetie, you don't have to go to school today," said Ariana gently. "After everything that's happened, I don't want you to..."

"I need to get out of the house," said Snow. She was grateful to her parents for what they were trying to do, but she couldn't just sit in her room for yet another day. "I can't just sit here. All I do is think about Sara and I can't keep doing that. I need to get my mind off of her. Maybe going to school will help."

"Well, if that's what you want," said Kayla quietly. "It's up to you."

"I want to go,” Snow insisted. “I need to go.”

“Then you can go,” said Ariana. “But if you need anything, or want to come home…”

“I know,” said Snow. “I’ll call you if I need you.” She walked over and hugged them both. “I love you guys. Text me if Sophia turns up anything new about Sara.”

“We will,” said Kayla. “We love you too.” Snow smiled at the pair of them and headed outside to her car. When she sat down in the driver’s seat, her phone chirped indicating she had a text message. When she glanced down to read it, she got the shock of her life.

Ding-dong, the bitch is dead! Who are you going to screw now? –JTG

-.-

“I can’t believe we’re starting school without her,” said Clara as she rode to Mistbrook High in the passenger seat of Nikki’s car. From the driver’s seat, Nikki rolled her eyes.

“Can we not talk about Sara today?” she asked wearily. “Today’s going to be hard enough as it is.”

“Sorry,” said Clara defensively. “I just… never mind. Have you talked to Snow at all? Is she coming today?”

“She said she was,” Nikki replied. “I texted her this morning and she said she’d be here. She didn’t say much, though. I did finally get hold of Mary last night. She’ll be here too, but she sounded really weird on the phone. I don’t know what’s going on with her. She’s been AWOL since we left her at the mall on Saturday.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time Mary’s gone weird on us,” said Clara idly. “She’ll be fine.”

“Yeah… I hope so,” said Nikki just as Mistbrook High came into view. Mistbrook Falls was surrounded on all sides by a dense forest. The school was built outside of town, through a thick grove of trees. There was only a single road that led to the remote school and on a cloudy day like that one, the drive in to class was oddly creepy.

Nikki followed the road up to the school and parked in the lot. As they got out, Jackson came pedaling along on his bike. He waved to them as he came to a stop.

“Morning ladies,” he said, hopping off of his bike and wheeling it along behind him as he caught up with Clara and Nikki.

“Oh, Jackson Binghamton, as I live and breathe!” Nikki fawned. “The almighty senior talking to little old me?”

“Yes, yes, I’m immensely cool,” said Jackson, striking an impressive pose. “I’ve only got one final year of servitude left before I’m free of this place. Of course, then I’ve got to start working full-time so I might as well enjoy this while it lasts.”

“Good point,” Nikki agreed. Jackson looked to Clara, who hadn’t spoken so far.

“So, I’m still waiting for you to get me back for that syrup prank, Clara,” he said. “What’s wrong? Out of good ideas? Normally the Clara-Empire strikes back faster than this. You’re making me nervous.”

“Oh, I… I don’t know,” said Clara quietly. “I was thinking… all these pranks, it’s kind of silly, I…”

“Silly?” Nikki exclaimed. “Hearing about what gag you pulled on each other is the highlight of my week. You can’t quit now. Besides, if you do this guy wins and I don’t think I could stand that.”

"Hey!" Jackson exclaimed, looking quite upset. Nikki smirked at him.

"I've got to back up my girl, Jackie," she quipped, patting Clara on the back. The blonde smiled nervously, but didn't reply.

"Well, I've got to meet Steven before class," said Jackson. "Will you tell Snow I'll see her at lunch?"

"Sure thing," said Nikki. Jackson turned and walked away, hurrying to the school. The girls trailed along behind him. As they walked, Clara's phone chimed and she dug her phone out of her pocket to check her message.

If only Jackson had noticed your guilty face, Clara. I wonder what he'd say if he knew you'd already pulled your next prank? –JTG

"Everything alright?" Nikki asked when Clara came to a dead stop. The blonde hurriedly shoved her phone into her pocket and nodded.

"Yeah... fine," she said quickly. "I'm good." Nikki smiled and started toward the double doors of Mistbrook High. Clara glanced nervously around her, but there were students and teachers in every direction. Anyone could have sent that message... and that meant anyone could know the truth.

11: Chapter XI: The Queen of Mistbrook High

"You still haven't told her," said Kayla quietly as the sound of Snow's car starting filled the air. The brunette looked across the kitchen at Ariana, who closed her eyes with a heavy sigh.

"She just lost her best friend, Kayla," Ariana replied. "I'm not going to tell her that she's going to lose her mother too. Not now."

"You can't protect her forever; you do know that, right?" Kayla asked her. "Ariana... you're dying. Snow deserves to know that, sweetpea. I don't want to tell her either, but... but she needs to be included in this." Ariana sighed again and stood to her feet. She looked as though she wanted to both sit back down and go for a run all at the same time.

"I don't want to... to see that look in her eyes, Kayla," Ariana said tearfully. "When Sara died, Snowy... she looked so lost. She looked so hopeless. I don't want to hurt her like that."

"Oh, honey... I know you don't," said Kayla gently. "But you're going to have to. Like you said, this is where we are. We're going to have to deal with this.”

“Exactly,” Ariana retorted. “We are going to have to deal with this. We. Not her… not right now. I’m not going to wait forever, just… I want to let her at least start to process what happened to Sara before she has to start dealing with what’s going to happen to me.” Kayla nodded, understanding. She stood and went to her wife, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“She’s strong, you know?” Kayla told her. “Stronger than you think… just like her mother. Snow will be okay. She can handle this, I know it. She will be okay.”

“I really hope so, Kay-Kay,” said Ariana wearily. She always sounded so tired, Kayla thought. The bubbliness she had always had was already slipping away, replaced by a quiet tiredness. It made Kayla’s heart hurt.

She knew, as Ariana drew away from her and left the room, that she would soon be left without the redhead. She would lose the one person that she loved more than anything else in the world. She would lose the girl who had saved her so many times over. Ariana so often said that she, Kayla, always protected her. Kayla had come to discover, however, that more often than not she couldn’t protect Ariana. She couldn’t fight this threat. There was nothing she could shoot or punch or tear apart. There was no enemy to fight and that’s how Kayla solved problems.

If there were no physical foe, there was very little she could do. Ariana was being devoured by something dark and insidious inside her own body. Kayla could do nothing to prevent that. She wished that fact didn’t make her feel like a failure, but it did. She hadn’t felt… anything. She had never gotten the slightest sense that her wife was slowly dying right in front of her. If she had, maybe they could have discovered it in time… before the disease was too advanced to treat.

It was foolish and Ariana had told her so. Regardless, Kayla still felt as though she should have felt that something was wrong. Her instincts usually did just that. So, why when it mattered more than ever before had she felt nothing? It was a question she knew she would never get an answer to. Ariana would die and Kayla would be left to that same dark world she knew all too well. She would be left in the world she remembered from the months, fourteen years earlier, when Ariana had been shot by Kayla’s murderous ex-boyfriend, Dwayne Washington.

Ariana had survived, but not without help from a very powerful supernatural force that had intervened to save her. Kayla hadn’t had any knowledge of this at the time, so the months that Ariana lay comatose, hovering between life and death, had been the most terrible of her life. She remembered wishing at times that Ariana had just died. It would have been easier, she had imagined, knowing once and for all that the redhead was gone. It was the waiting, the not knowing, that had hurt the most.

She had caught herself wishing the same thing now. Part of her, the immensely selfish part, wished that Ariana was already dead. It would be easier, she believed, than this. Now, she was simply waiting for the inevitable. Ariana was going to die, there was no avoiding that. She, Kayla, would have to watch her slowly waste away and she wasn't sure how well she was going to handle that. It was a terrible thing to want, but she couldn't deny it.

Of course, she would never want to trade what time she had left with Ariana. Those moments, she knew, were precious. They were priceless and irreplaceable and she knew they would come to an end far too soon. They had sworn their lives to each other. They had promised each other a thousand years. They hadn't even come close.

-.-

Who? That was the only thing Snow could think about on her drive in to school that day. Who had sent that message? The only people who knew that she and Sara had slept together were Snow herself, Ariana, Kayla, Clara, and Nikki. None of them would do something like this to her, so... who could it be? 

She couldn't come up with an answer, but she swore to herself that she was going to tell Jackson the truth before whoever the hell JTG was did it for her. She sighed heavily as she drove through the dark grove that led to the school. As she pulled into the parking lot, she saw Jackson hurrying away from Clara and Nikki. She grabbed her bag and went over to join them.

"'Morning," she said wearily as she approached. Clara and Nikki turned to look at her and smiled. Clara's, however, seemed strained.  

“Hey, Snow,” said Nikki gently. “Um… how are you?”

“Fine,” Snow lied. She was far from fine, but she was in no mood to discuss any of it. “Just a little tired.”

“Yeah, I think we all are,” said Nikki quietly. “This is gonna be a weird day. I mean, everyone’s still talking about Sara and we were her best friends…”

“I’m really not in the mood to answer a bunch of questions,” said Snow dryly. “Or to hear a thousand people tell me how sorry they are either.”

“I just want to get this day over with,” said Clara. “I don’t even want to be here.”

Since Snow had gotten that message, she had to admit that she didn’t want to be there either. She wanted to find out who had sent it, but she didn’t know how to go about it. The number had been blocked after all and she didn’t know anyone with the initials JTG either, assuming that they were initials at all. Before Snow could give the matter more thought, Mary came walking up to them.

“Hi,” she said nervously, peering around at each of them.

“Where the hell have you been?” Nikki demanded of their friend. Mary looked really quite frightened.

“I… I’ve been busy, I…” she stammered.

“She’s been hanging out with Brad Reynolds,” said Snow before she could stop herself. Mary’s eyes widened and she suddenly looked terrified.

“How… how did you… Who told you that?” Mary squeaked.

“Sophia,” Snow replied. “She said you were with him all day on Sunday. Brad was a suspect in Sara’s murder,” she explained to Clara and Nikki. “His knife was the murder weapon, but Mary told Sophia he couldn’t have done it because they were together.”

“What are you doing with that creep?” Clara asked, looking extremely worried. “He’s dangerous.”

“He isn’t dangerous,” Mary insisted. “He’s… he’s actually really nice. We... we're going out." Clara's mouth fell open while Nikki and Snow gasped in surprise.

"You're what now?" Nikki exclaimed.

"We're going out," Mary repeated. "Brad and me, we're... we're dating."

"And how long has this been going on?" Clara wanted to know.

"About a month," said Mary uncertainly. "I... I didn't know how to tell you."  

"It's okay," said Snow before the other girls could respond. "But Mary, you can tell us anything. You know that, right? We're friends, we can trust each other."

"Yeah, I know..." said Mary as her phone chimed. She glanced at the screen and her eyes widened.

"Ooooh, is that Brad?" said Nikki airily. Mary stared at the screen for a full five seconds before looking up at her.

"Uh... yeah," said Mary nervously. "I... I'll text him later.” If any one of the four girls had been paying attention, they would have seen the scared and suspicious expressions that crossed both Snow and Clara’s faces. They were both thinking the same thing: Did Mary just get a message from this JTG person?

 “Are… are you guys okay with this? With me and Brad, I mean?” Mary asked, looking fretfully around at her friends. Snow and Nikki immediately nodded. Clara, on the other hand, sighed.

“If you’re sure about him, Mary…” she said uncertainly. “Then I guess I’m okay. Just… make sure he is who he says he is. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“He is,” said Mary firmly. “I know exactly who Brad is.”

“Then that’s good enough for us,” said Snow. “Now, c’mon. We should be in class.”

“Ugh… stop being so enthusiastic about school,” Clara groaned.

The girls made their way into the hustling and bustling halls of Mistbrook High. For Snow, it was a very strange experience. It was her first time starting a school year there without Sara. Technically, she was the most popular girl in school, but somehow she just knew she would be popular now for all the wrong reasons. Everyone would want to ask questions about Sara and she was in no position to answer them. As though to hammer that point home, a burst of static came from the P.A. system and their Principal, Maria Rodriguez, began to speak. 

"Students, may I have your attention, please. Over the weekend, Sara Blake from our junior class passed away. This morning the faculty met to develop a plan to help all of us cope with this sad event. There will be special support assistance available for any student who feels they need this service. For the remainder of the week, counselors will be available in Study Hall all day. Additionally, I would like all of us to reflect for a moment, in your own way, in memory of Sara. Thank you for your attention."

"Well, if anyone didn't know about Sara, they will now," said Mary quietly.

"Do you... do guys want to... you know... talk to the counselors?" Nikki wondered, looking back and forth between her friends. Snow had no desire to talk to anyone, much less some counselor she didn't know, especially not with whoever JTG was creeping about. Although Nikki firmly denied it when asked if she wanted to go after the others all said they didn't want to, Snow felt fairly certain Nikki did in fact want to go. Oddly, no one bothered them as they found their lockers or as they made their way to the first class of the day; English. When they entered Room 4, much of the class had already assembled and were chatting loudly together. The girls found seats and sat down just as the teacher pushed open the door.

“Settle down, settle down,” he said as he placed his briefcase on his desk. He picked up a piece of chalk and turned to the blackboard, writing out his name as he spoke. “My name is Alexander Winston and I will be your new  teacher for this year.”

“What happened to Mr. Phelps?” Dave Lattimer, a short dark haired boy called out, referring to their previous instructor. Alexander Winston, a young teacher by traditional standards, peered across the room at the student who had spoken over the rims of his thin, wiry glasses.

“Well, I haven’t taken attendance yet, but since you spoke up… What’s your name?”

“Dave Lattimer,” Dave responded. Mr. Winston nodded slowly, gazing thoughtfully at him.

“Mr. Phelps has decided to retire,” he explained at last.

“Why?” Dave asked. Mr. Winston narrowed his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t tell you that,” he replied firmly. He smiled and continued. “I don’t know why. I was just called in from Detroit to teach his class for the foreseeable future. So, on that note and if there are no further questions, we’ll get started. I’d like to begin by taking attendance so I can put a face to these names.” He waved a tablet over his head with a list of all the students’ names on it.

“Let’s see… Lilly Allen?” A tall blonde girl in the front row raised her hand. “Excellent, excellent… and let’s see here… Snow Austin?” Snow raised her hand and Mr. Winston turned toward her. He smiled, his gaze resting on her much longer than Snow felt was normal. Eventually he turned away and called the next name.

As he went through his list, Snow noticed that he paused on a number of other students just as he had with her. Perhaps he was deciding whether he liked them or not, Snow reasoned. Mr. Winston, despite Snow’s reservations, turned out to be a perfectly nice teacher. He had this way about him that she couldn’t quite explain, but he managed to make his class very interesting and much more fun than Mr. Phelps ever had.

After English, they headed down the hall to Ms. Weatherford’s room where they had math. Ms. Weatherford, an elderly teacher that seemed to hate everyone, was in her usual sour mood the entire lesson. But despite a strange feeling from her English teacher and a disgruntled math lesson, it was an ordinary school day. No one mentioned Sara at all. In fact, it seemed as though the only people who remembered she was gone were her friends.

Lunch was an awkward affair. The five girls had always occupied that one table in the cafeteria that everyone knew was the ‘popular table’. They sat with the cheerleaders and the football team, a step above the rest. On that day, it felt strange when they sat down around their table. One of their number, their leader, was missing and despite her earlier feelings on the matter Snow realized as they entered the cafeteria that everyone remembered that Sara was gone and were wondered what would happen to the social structure of their school now.

As the four girls waited in line for their food, Snow could feel the eyes of her classmates boring into her. She wanted to run and hide, but she knew she couldn’t. Sara wouldn’t want her to. Snow determined then and there to carry on her best friend’s legacy. Snow knew without question that Sara would want her to do everything she could to remain the most popular girl in school, so that’s exactly what she did.

She led her group to the table, walking with her lunch tray in the same proud fashion that Sara had taught her with the eyes of everyone present upon her. She sat down first, at the end of their table in the seat facing the window. It was Sara’s usual seat, her golden throne, and it was the exact thing Sara would have done had their positions been reversed. Her friends paused and looked at her before sitting down themselves. Clara took Snow’s usual seat and without a word the status of their group changed.

Snow was their leader, whether she wanted it or not. Clara had taken Snow’s place regardless of the fact that her status in school was entirely her own fabrication, and Nikki and Mary brought up the rear. It was an odd thing, the changing of the social order. It wouldn’t change anything within the circle of friends. The four of them would be as they always were, but to their classmates Snow was now the queen of Mistbrook High and she had just sat down upon her throne.

Before long, the other kids went back to their lunches and the day went on. Snow sat upright, just as Sara would have. ‘Surveying my people’ Sara might have jokingly said. In many schools, a clique like Snow’s might have been composed of the mean girls in the school. The pretty, rich, and popular girls tended to be that way. Sara, however, had never been that way. In fact, she had never had any patience with that behavior. Whatever could be said about who Sara was, she had never been the queen bitch.

“Hello, my lovely ladies,” said Jackson brightly, walking up to them with his friend Steven beside him. “And the fairest of them all, my sweet Snowflake,” he added, leaning down to kiss her.

“What’s got you in such a happy mood?” Snow asked, his attitude drawing one of the first smiles of the day to her lips.

“Phillip Corner graduated, that’s what,” Jackson announced. “Which means the Mistbrook High Direwolves are without a quarterback."

"So, guess who's trying out?" said Steven proudly.

"This guy!" Jackson exclaimed, pointing to himself with his thumbs. "I think I've got it in the bag. The only other real contender is Zach Mitchell. He's good, but a massive douchebag."

"What doesn't that have to do with being a good quarterback?" Nikki wanted to know.

"It... just does," said Jackson. "Shut up," he added when she just stared at him.

"Don't worry about it, man," said Steven, slapping him on his shoulder. "You've got this."

"See? That's support." Jackson told the girls firmly.

"I'm sure you'll get it, Jacks," said Snow gently. "Just play your best."

"I always do, beautiful," he replied, kissing her again. He paused, chewing his lip. "Are you... are you okay? Has anyone said anything about Sara? I... I wasn't sure if..."

"I'm fine," she told him far more sincerely than she felt. "Really, sweetie, I'm fine."

"Alright, if you're sure," said Jackson. "I guess I'll see you after school. I've got tryouts, but..."

"Well, I was thinking about visiting Jacob," said Snow quietly. "I... I haven't been and after Sara, I just thought I should..."

"That's a good idea, Snowy," said Jackson. "Well, I'll text you after I'm done and see where you are."

"Great," Snow replied. "I'll see you later. Love you."

"Love you too," said Jackson.

"And I love all of you," said Steven, flashing the other girls a roguish grin. "Especially you, Nikki."

"Keep on dreaming, cowboy," said Nikki with a roll of her eyes. Steven smirked.

"Ugh... the popular girls. Jackson, how you manage to stay with this one, I'll never know."

"Hey!" Jackson exclaimed, giving his friend a shove as they walked away. Snow watched them go, somehow feeling more miserable than she had all day. She knew she had to tell Jackson the truth and she hated every moment that he didn't know. She decided that she would tell him everything the next time they saw each other. As she and her friends returned to their lunch, she said a silent prayer that JTG didn't meet him first.

12: Chapter XII: Breakdown

As the first day of classes at Mistbrook High came to an end Snow led the way out of the double front doors and down the steps to the sidewalk, her friends trailing along behind her. During the afternoon the skies had cleared and the sun shone brilliantly above them. Snow dug around in her bag for her sunglasses and had just slipped them on when Mary’s phone rang.

“Oh, it’s Brad,” she told them, answering the call. “Hey, Brad,” she said, waving to the girls as she walked away. The three friends exchanged glances as they stared at Mary’s retreating back.

“So, Brad…?” said Clara uncertainly. “Are we sure about this?”

“It’s not really our call, is it?” said Nikki with a shrug. “I mean… it’s Mary’s heart that’s involved, not ours. Besides, we don’t know that Brad isn’t a perfectly decent human being.”

“She knows him much better than we do,” said Snow diplomatically. “Have either of you ever spoken to Brad?” Both girls shook their heads. “Right. Neither have I. But if Mary’s into him… she’s smart. I trust her judgment. If she says he’s cool, then he’s cool.”

“From your mouth to God’s ears, Snowflake,” said Clara wearily. “Are you still going to see Jacob?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Snow replied. “You want to come?” Clara hesitated, looking extremely nervous indeed before shaking her head.

“Um, not... no, no, not today,” said the blonde. “Maybe next time, I’ll…”

“Sure, next time,” said Snow delicately. “How about you, Nik?”

“I’m Blondie’s ride,” Nikki said, gesturing toward Clara. “Are you okay to go on your own?”

“To the hospital?” Snow asked, bemused. “Yeah, I think I can manage it by myself.”

“Okay, well just let us know when you make it home then,” said Nikki quietly. “I mean… with everything that’s happened, I just… I think we should all keep in regular contact so no one worries.”

“Good idea,” Snow agreed. “I’ll text you later.” Snow left her friends at Nikki’s car and crossed the lot to her own vehicle. It was only when she was safely inside and behind the tinted glass of her windows that she let out the breath she felt she had been holding all day.

While her fears of being hounded by her fellow students with questions about Sara had proven false, Snow was now being hounded by another foe. JTG, an enemy Snow didn’t know and would be hard-pressed to find. Who were they? How did they know what she and Sara had done? She could count on the fingers of one hand all those who knew that secret and none of them would do this to her.

But then the more rational part of her mind took hold and she began to think the situation through more logically. Snow and Sara were two of the most well-known people in town. Everyone knew their names and where they lived. They knew their families and many details of their lives. Many people knew how close the girls were, so maybe… maybe this JTG person was just some sick bastard playing games. Maybe they were just assuming that something might have been going on between them and were just trying to make things worse.

It wasn’t the craziest theory out there, Snow reasoned. It certainly made a lot more sense than anything else she could come up with. After all, she had only gotten the one message and it wasn’t as though they had demanded money or something in return for their silence. No, it had only been a single cryptic message that could have meant anything. Snow determined not to let herself worry about it any more. She wouldn’t have if her phone hadn’t chimed as she put her car into drive.

Snow reached into her pocket with trembling fingers and retrieved her phone. She turned on the screen and to her horror, there was another message and this one left no doubt in her mind that whoever this person was they most certainly knew things they shouldn’t… things they couldn’t.

Too bad your little friend Clara decided to bail on you. You could have confessed to Jacob together. Maybe you’ll still be queen in prison. Personally, I think you’ll be someone’s bitch –JTG

-.-

By the time Snow arrived at the hospital she was shaking so badly that she had to sit in the car for a full five minutes just trying to calm down. Someone out there knew what Clara had done to Jacob and that she, Snow, might as well have been her accomplice. There was only one living person that knew the truth about that night in the street outside of Jackson’s house and that was Clara herself, but Clara wouldn’t have sent those messages, would she? They were friends, close friends. She trusted Clara and the other girls. None of them would do this to her… would they?

No, she wasn’t going to start thinking like that. She had to hold on to the belief that those she called friends could still be trusted. She had to believe that her friends were still just that; her friends. Although, if it really was Clara, Snow found she was far less frightened than she would be otherwise. Clara was a known quantity, after all, and while she still couldn’t believe it was her she thought it would be much more comforting if it was.

Regardless, Clara she could confront and get the truth from. If it wasn’t Clara then at least someone else would know what was going on. She had briefly considered going to Sophia or at the very least telling her parents. She would have if the second message hadn’t come in. JTG knew things that could get both Snow and Clara in a great deal of trouble and since this person seemed to know her every move, Snow couldn’t risk going to the authorities just yet.

It was self-preservation at it’s simplest and Snow didn’t like what she was doing one bit. She just didn’t have a choice. She would, however, be stripping the Jackson part of JTG’s arsenal away at the next available opportunity. That would at least be one less gun pointed at her head. After that, she would speak to Clara and if the blonde girl turned out to not be the mysterious texter, then… Well, she would work on that when the time came.

What she really needed was more information. She was just flailing in the dark, hoping to find a way out. She had nothing and she knew it. She needed answers, but she had no idea how to get them. Sighing heavily, she shoved open her door and got out of her car. She grabbed her purse and made her way to St. Sebastian General Hospital.

She passed through the sliding glass doors and up to the reception desk where a nurse informed her that Jacob was in Room 815. She crossed the lobby and entered an elevator. She had just pressed the button for the eighth floor when a hand was pressed against the closing doors, forcing them open.

A doctor rushed inside, breathing heavily. He had very dark skin and deep brown eyes. He was quite tall, towering over Snow’s petite form. He smiled at her and pressed the button for the tenth floor. Snow returned his smile and remained silent as the doors closed and the elevator started on its way.

"Visiting someone?" the doctor asked, running his fingers through his thinning black hair. 

"Yes, a friend. Jacob Blake." Snow replied. The doctor nodded grimly.

"Yes, of course. I'm his doctor, actually. Alfonso Banks." 

"Oh, well it's nice to meet you," said Snow. "I'm Snow Aus..."

"I know who you are, Ms Austin," said Dr. Banks. "Believe me, everyone knows the daughter of the two wealthiest women in town."

"Great, I'm even more popular than I realized," Snow said grumpily. “The hospital staff recognizes me on sight.”

“You don’t sound happy about that,” said Dr. Banks curiously. “I know my daughter would give anything to be as popular as you are. It means the world to her, but… you probably wouldn’t recognize her if you saw her.” Snow had to admit that she had no idea who Dr. Banks’ daughter could be.

“I might recognize her if I saw her, but I don’t know her,” said Snow. “What’s her name?”

“Emilia,” said Dr. Banks.

“Emilia, Emilia… wait, there’s an Emilia in chess club. Is that her?” Dr. Banks smiled.

“That’s her,” he confirmed. “So, you’ve met?”

“Just in passing,” said Snow. “I’ve seen her around the school…”

“But you don’t exactly live in the same social circles,” said Dr. Banks.

“That isn’t what I was going to say,” said Snow. “I just meant…” The elevator doors eased open before she could finish. Snow started to leave, but Dr. Banks pressed the Hold button. He paused, turning toward her and taking a step closer and blocking her path out of the elevator.

“Snow, I… I’m going to ask you something. Do you think you could… maybe talk to Emilia? She’s a nice girl and she’s always adored you and your friends. She’d really appreciate any effort you made, I’m sure.”

“Um… sure,” said Snow, feeling quite uncomfortable. “Yeah, I… I’ll say hi the next time I see her.”

“I’m happy to hear that, Snow,” said Dr. Banks. Just briefly, for a split second as he moved out of her way, Snow noticed Dr. Banks’ eyes dart up and down her body. It happened in a flash, but Snow somehow got the feeling he was memorizing every detail. It scared her so much that she darted out of the elevator without saying anything else and didn’t stop until she reached Jacob’s room.

She pulled open the door, breathing deeply. She slipped into the room and eased the door closed behind her. She knew she was probably overreacting. Dr. Banks had very likely just looked her over once. People did that, didn't they? Even when it was inappropriate, people just looked at other people. She was a long way from accusing Dr. Banks of being a pedophile. It wasn't a path she wanted to go down. He was a man and she was rather attractive, so... maybe he had just glanced. Snow's musings were interrupted by Jacob calling out to her.

“Hey, Snow,” he said, waving her over. Using his arms, he pulled himself into a sitting position as Snow hesitantly walked closer. “Don’t be so nervous, Red. My legs won’t attack you, they just don’t work anymore.”

“I… I sorry I haven’t come to visit before now, I… I just…” Snow mumbled. Jacob smiled gently.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” he said kindly. “I’ve had plenty of visitors so I’ve been far from lonely. How… how are you, Snow?”

“I should be asking you that,” said Snow sadly. “You’re hurt and on top of it… I mean, she was your sister. I was just…”

“Her best friend,” said Jacob firmly. “Just because she was family doesn’t mean you don’t miss her just as much as I do. She loved you, Snow. Sara… I know who she was and she wasn’t perfect. She could be… cruel, if she really wanted to be. She would lie if it benefited her and she wasn’t afraid to manipulate people… but damn it, she loved you. If I know one single thing about my sister it’s that she truly, deeply, and very purely loved you.”

“She told you that?” Snow asked, Jacob’s words stinging her heart. Snow wasn’t blind. She knew that Sara was far from perfect, but Jacob made her sound much worse than Snow remembered her.

“I’d have to have been blind not to see it, Snow,” said Jacob. “Sara thought the world of you and… well, with my sister that meant a lot. I’m sure you know that she had a way of looking at you that made you feel special. I don’t know how she did it, but she was very good at that.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen that look,” said Snow quietly. “I’ve seen it many times. It was how she brought people close. She made them feel special.”

“That she did,” Jacob agreed. He shook his head wearily. “Let’s not talk about Sara, Snow. Everyone who visits talks about my sister and I… I really don’t need that right now.”

“Okay,” said Snow nervously. She bit her lip, thinking hard of something to talk about. She didn’t know Jacob all that well. He was simply Sara’s older brother and one of Jackson’s friends. The two weren’t exactly close and didn’t have much in common. “Who… who’s come to visit you?”

“Well, my mom and step-dad are here practically all the time. My mom, especially. I can’t get her to leave. Jackson stops by pretty regularly and Steven’s come through a few times. Oh, and Clara even came by. She brought me some licorice.” He gestured to the package a nearby table.

“Yeah, Clara said she was going to bring you something,” said Snow uncertainly. She was treading in dangerous waters now, she knew.

“I think she’s got a crush on me,” said Jacob in a mockingly smug tone. “All the girls are into Jake.”

“Oh, are they?” Snow asked laughingly. “Well, I’d better be careful or I’ll fall for you too.”

“Yeah, and I don’t think Jackson would like that very much,” said Jacob. “I could still kick his ass, even in this bed, but I’d rather not have to."

"I'm gonna tell him you said that," Snow told him. Jacob smirked.

"He already knows I can kick his ass," he replied.

"He's trying out for the football team today," said Snow. "He's going for quarterback."

"Good for him," said Jacob. "Knowing Jackson, he'll probably get it."

"Yeah, he really..." Snow began, but she was interrupted by the door opening and Jacob's mother coming into the room. Michelle Blake was a tall and very imposing woman. She had brilliantly green eyes and a sharp nose. Her thin lips seemed to constantly be compressed into a frown.

"Jacob, I was just going to... oh, hello Snow," said Michelle, peering down at the redhead with a glare that made Snow feel two inches tall. The Blake matriarch just had that way about her. While Sara's gaze could make someone feel special, her mother's made people feel inferior. 

“Hi, Mrs. Blake,” said Snow quietly. “How are you?”

“I’m well, and you?” Mrs. Blake replied, placing her bag on a chair and rummaging through it.

“I’m fine,” Snow lied. “I… uh, I should be going.” She quickly squeezed Jacob’s hand. “Feel better,” she told him.

“Thanks for dropping by,” said Jacob kindly. Snow smiled and turned to go.

“Bye, Mrs. Blake,” she said as she passed her.

“Mmm,” the older woman muttered. Snow didn’t press the matter and was soon out in the hallway. At the elevators, however, she was intercepted by Michelle’s new husband Rick. Snow knew very little about the man, other than the fact that he was quite wealthy. He had married Michelle only a year earlier and Sara had never made any attempt to get close to him. Snow, therefore, knew only the barest of details about him.

However, in great contrast to his wife, when the elevator doors opened and he stepped out and saw her, he smiled. This came as a great surprise to Snow, as Sara had once referred to him as a ‘pompous douchebag’ to whom smiling so kindly would certainly be beneath.

“Well, hello Snow,” he said, holding out his hand. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Snow replied, shaking his hand. “And you?”

“Well enough,” Rick replied, sighing heavily. “As well as can be expected, what with everything that’s happened anyway. Jake’s accident and Sara… I’m trying to hold everything together, but… well, Michelle’s trying to act like nothing’s happened and I just can’t do that. Our daughter is dead and… oh, I’m sorry. I’m sure you’d rather not talk about this. She was your friend, after all. It’s funny, her death probably hurt you much more than it did me. You knew her so much longer.”

“I… I don’t know about…” Snow mumbled.

“It’s just the truth,” said Rick. “Listen, I… I know it would be hard for you, but… well I’m going to start clearing out Sara’s room. Michelle’s got it locked up like a damn shrine, but I don’t think that’s healthy. So, I was thinking… if you wanted to stop by and pick up any of Sara’s things, I’d be happy to let you. I know she’d want you to have anything of hers that you might want. Maybe there’s something special or even if it’s just some of her clothes, I’d really…”

“I’ll think about it,” said Snow, not wanting to rudely refuse but also having no wish whatsoever to dig through all of her best friend’s belongings. Rick nodded and shrugged.

“I know it would be hard, Snow, but you’d be doing me a huge favor,” he said. “But, as long as you’ll think about it…”

“I will,” Snow reluctantly promised.

“Good. Thanks, Snow. I’ll let you get going.” Rick gave her a thin smile and walked away.

-.-

By the time Snow arrived back home, it was nearly dark out. She sent a text to Nikki as she had promised and leaned back in her seat, too weary to get out and go into the house. Ever since Sara’s death, Snow had been so tired. She was exhausted, although she had done very little since that night. As she sat there, her eyes were drawn to the Blake house. It sat in darkness, its owners at the hospital. On the porch, there was a small swing. It was a narrow bench seat that hung suspended from the wooden beams high above it.

Snow sat thinking of her only memory of ever sitting on that swing. It had been two summers before and she and Sara had sat there eating ice cream from plastic bowls. It had been an unusually hot day and the ice cream had been from Hanna’s Ice Cream Shop across town. It had been a really wonderful afternoon. Just as Snow thought about that, the full weight of Sara’s death hit her and she began to cry.

She sat there sobbing until the passenger side door opened and Kayla appeared, looking rather worried. She had her mouth open, as though to ask why Snow had been sitting in the car so long, but the sentence died in her throat when the redhead looked up at her and she noticed her tears. Kayla got in the car and closed the door. She reached across the center console and pulled Snow into the best hug she could manage in the confined space.

"She... she's really gone," Snow sobbed clinging to her mother as tightly as she could. "She's really not coming back."

"I know, kid," Kayla said softly. "I know." 

"Momma, I... I don't know what to do," Snow whimpered. "I don't know who I am without her." Kayla tightened her grip on Snow and kissed her cheek.

"Baby, I know what you're feeling," Kayla told her. "When Claire died, I lost it. And Ariana... when I thought I lost her, I really did think my life was over. I had nothing. I wanted to die. I thought I didn't know who I was without her either, but... in the years since that happened I've realized something really important. I've realized that I do know who I am without her. I can live without her, sweetie. I wouldn't want to, I'd hate to... but I could survive.

"Snowy... I know it hurts. Losing her... it's going to hurt for a very long time. It's okay to cry or scream or... whatever you want to do. But you can't forget to live your own life. She’s gone, but you’re still here… and hearing you say the very same things that I said back then scares me. I know how far I fell, Snow. I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.”

“I just miss her,” Snow sniffled. “So much…”

“I know,” said Kayla sadly. “I know you do. Hell, I miss her too.” They sat in silence for a few minutes more before they got out of the car and walked to the house, Kayla keeping her arm firmly around the redhead’s shoulders. They hugged at the foot of the stairs before Snow went up to her bedroom. Ariana came out of the kitchen just as Snow’s feet vanished up the stairs.

“What’s wrong?” she asked upon seeing Kayla’s face. The brunette wiped her eyes and shook her head.

“I found Snow crying in her car,” Kayla explained. “She… she finally broke down about Sara. I did my best to comfort her.” Ariana looked sadly up the stairs after her daughter.

“Is she okay?” Kayla shrugged.

“She will be,” she replied. “She’s tough, like her mom.” Ariana smiled sadly.

“How tough I am depends very much on the day,” she said. Kayla pulled the redhead close and kissed her. It drew a smile to the other girl’s lips.

“That’s what gets me through the day,” said Kayla. “I just need to see you smile at least once. Everything feels normal.” Suddenly tears welled in the brunette’s eyes and she turned away. Ariana refused to let her and walked around to face her again.

“Don’t do that,” Ariana insisted. “You don’t have to hide what you’re feeling from me, Kayla. I know how hard this is for you. I know, and I’m so sorry… but don’t hide from me. You don’t have to be strong for me.”

“But I do!” Kayla exclaimed. “I have to be strong for you, Ari. That’s all I know how to do. Staying strong for you, protecting you… that’s my job. That’s the one thing I’m usually pretty damn good at. But this…”

“Is beyond your control,” Ariana said gently. “Kayla… you can not protect me from this. Sweetheart, I’m dying. There is nothing you, or I, or the best doctors in the world can do about that. You can’t save me this time, Kay-Kay. Right now, all I need from you is just… you. I don’t need your strength, I need you.” She smiled again and took Kayla’s hand and pulled her close.

“Dance with me,” said Ariana. Kayla hesitated, feeling in no mood to dance. “Kayla, I’ve got a year left to live and damn it, I want to live it. I’m not going to sit around here and be sad all the time. So, woman, dance with me.” Kayla grinned in spite of herself and took Ariana into her arms. Together, they began to revolve slowly on the spot and all the while Ariana lightly hummed A Thousand Years. The old song had been the first they had ever danced to, Kayla remembered. It had been the hallmark of their relationship. The song was simply them… and it always would be.

13: Chapter XIII: No Such Thing as Ghosts

Snow rushed into her room and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against the hard, wooden surface, breathing deeply. Hot tears burned her eyes, threatening to once again spill down her cheeks. She wanted to resist, to hold them back, but she didn’t. She let herself cry and found that she relished the feeling as she slid slowly to the floor.

It felt good, she had realized earlier while she had sat in her darkened car. She hadn’t realized just how much grief she had kept bottled up. She hadn’t realized how heavy it was or how much it hurt. Releasing it felt wonderful; as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

She sat there on the floor for a very long time, just sobbing. If Kayla or Ariana heard her, they didn’t bother her because the door behind her back remained resolutely closed. Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, Snow slowly stood to her feet and stumbled into the bathroom. Once glance into the mirror told her more than enough. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were stained by her tears. Her hair was a disheveled mess and her makeup was smeared and blotchy.

She quickly rinsed off her face and sat down on the toilet to brush her hair. She sat there for a long while too, sniffling occasionally as she gently stroked the brush through her long, loose curls. Brushing her hair, she realized, reminded her of Sara. The girl had often taken to brushing Snow’s hair for absolutely no reason at all. “Just ‘cause” she would say.

Snow brushed and brushed, slipping slowly into a stupor and losing all track of time. It was nearly midnight by the time she put the brush down and went back into her room. She kicked off her shoes and quickly shed the rest of her clothing. She slipped into her favorite t-shirt, a long oversized white one that Sara had given her. It was soft and warm and exactly what she needed that night. She wanted to the wrapped up in something that made her think of Sara, but not of her death. Instead, she wanted to think of the life she had lived. Just as Snow was getting ready to get into bed, a soft knock came at the door and a moment later Ariana eased the door open.

"Hey, Snowy," she said quietly. "Are you... are you okay? Kayla said that you were..."

"I'm fine, Mom," said Snow just as quietly. "I was just... letting it out. I needed to. It helped."

"More than you thought it would, I imagine," said Ariana. She smiled sadly as she fully entered the room and walked over to her daughter as she sat down on the edge of her bed. Ariana pressed her lips to Snow's forehead. The kiss was far more forceful than Snow was used to and it surprised her. Snow looked up as her mother pulled away. The other woman had tears in her eyes and her lip was trembling.

"Mom?" Snow asked nervously. "Are you okay?" Ariana opened her mouth and closed it again several times before she finally spoke.

"I'm fine," she replied at last. "I just... I have some idea of what you're feeling and I... I just hate that you have to go through any of this." Snow reached out and took her mother's hand.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked. "It's... kind of a personal question." Ariana sat down beside her gave her daughter her full attention.

"You can ask me anything, baby, you know that," Ariana insisted. "Whatever you want. So, go ahead. Ask me."

"Well... Sara's dad Rick asked me to go and take anything I wanted from Sara's room," said Snow. "He wants to clean it out and thought I'd want to have some of her things, only... I can't help but think how painful it would be to have so many reminders of her around all the time. I'd constantly be reminded that she was gone and I... I don't want that." Ariana nodded slowly, arching her eyebrow.

"Was there a question in there somewhere?" Ariana asked. Snow took a deep breath.

"I just know I'd end up hating all of the things I took because they would remind me of her and I... I was wondering if..." She sighed heavily. "Mom... I don't even know how you look at me. Aren't I just a constant reminder of what Adrian did to you? I mean, I'm the child of the bastard that locked you in a closet and raped and tortured you for fifteen years. I'm the..."

"Stop," Ariana said, sounding very angry. "Don't ever say that again. Snow, I don’t see Adrian when I look at you. I never have. Not once. I just see you. I see my beautiful, brilliant, amazing daughter. I love you Snow, and I wouldn’t… If I knew ahead of time that what Adrian did to me… that at the end the reward would be you… I’d go through it all over again. It would be worth it. You were worth it, Snowy.” Ariana hugged Snow and stood to her feet.

“Go to Sara’s, sweetpea,” she said. “You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“Thanks, Mommy,” Snow said quietly. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Dove,” Ariana kissed her daughter again and left the room. Snow sat there for a while, just thinking over what her mother had told her. Eventually, she got into bed and pulled the blankets up over her body. She sighed, feeling oddly content and warm. She wasn’t sure how long she lay there, but she knew she had fallen asleep at some point because she had been dreaming. She had dreamed of a dark room… no, it had been some form of cavern. Someone, a girl, had been screaming as though the most horrendous form of torture was being inflicted upon her. Some invisible hands had seized her and dragged her through the dark toward the screaming.

Every fiber in Snow’s body had struggled to against her attackers, but the grip on her arms was solid, unbreakable. She was dragged into a dimly lit cavern and inside lay countless corpses of mutilated women. The flesh had been torn from their bodies and blood ran like a river on the cold, stone ground beneath her feet.

Snow woke with a gasp and sat up in bed, breathing deeply. Holding a hand to her chest in a vain effort to calm her racing heart, she glanced at the clock beside her bed. 3:15 AM. Rolling her eyes, she decided to go and get a cup of water when she noticed that her window had been pushed open. Snow wasn’t concerned as Ariana often opened her window for her at night if she checked on her and thought the room was too stuffy. But that night, Snow was slightly chilled, so she walked over and eased the window closed. When she turned around she had to clap a hand to her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

“Hey, Snow,” said Sara, giving her friend a warm smile. “How have you been?”

“S… Sara?” Snow said shakily. “How… what… how are you here?”

“I came in through the window,” said Sara as though this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's not... I didn't... You... you died, Sara," Snow choked out. "How are you here?"

"Oh, that..." said Sara uncertainly. "I... that doesn't matter. The how is much less important than the why. Snow, I... I was so wrong. I thought I knew... I thought I knew who the bad guy was, but I really had no idea. There is true evil in this town, Snowy. There are things happening that you must stay out of. They don't involve you, they don't... just stay clear of everything. Most importantly, stay away from Michael."

"Why?" Snow asked. "Did... did he kill you? He... did he stab you?"

"I don't know who stabbed me, Snow," said Sara, shaking her head. "They grabbed me from behind and... it happened so fast that I never even saw... Listen, just let the police handle everything and stay out of it. You and the others, just stay out and keep away from Michael. I'm trying to protect you, Snow. That's all I ever wanted was to protect you... to protect everyone."

Sara sighed and picked up a picture frame on Snow's nightstand. The photo inside was of the five girls. It had been taken the summer before on Labor Day weekend. They had all flown down to Miami for the weekend and the picture had been taken at a cookout on the beach. It had been a fun weekend, Snow remembered. She watched Sara as she gazed longingly at the picture.

"It's not... I tried so hard, but I was wrong," Sara tossed the frame onto Snow's bed as the redhead sat down on the far side. "Listen, just... God, there's so much I wish I could tell you, but it would just make things harder for you. Like I said, just keep away from Michael." 

“Is Michael bad?” Snow asked as Sara sat down next to her, picked up Snow’s hairbrush and started idly brushing the other girl’s hair with it.

“Michael… is complicated, Snowy,” said Sara quietly. “Just don’t get involved with him. That way I know you’ll be safe.”

“I wish you hadn’t died,” Snow whispered. “I wish… I wish we had never gone to that party.”

“Me too,” Sara whispered back. A million questions flashed through Snow’s mind, but the rhythmic tug of the hairbrush was oddly relaxing and before she could stop herself, she had drifted off to sleep.

It was dawn before Snow opened her eyes again. The light from the early morning sun bathed her bed in a brilliant golden glow. Snow sat up, wiping her eyes. It had all been a dream, she knew. Sara’s spirit hadn’t visited her in the night with dire warnings. It was foolish to even think such things. There were no such things as ghosts.

 She pushed the covers back and made to climb out of bed, but as she did so something clattered to the floor. Snow looked and found the picture Sara had been looking at. She had knocked it to the floor when she had tried to get up, which meant… It meant someone had placed it on her bed and she knew she hadn’t done it. That someone had been Sara.

 Snow put the picture frame back where it belonged and went to her window. It was still open, but there was no sign of Sara. If it had been her and she really had visited in the night… How? Why? As usual, Snow had no answers. She was even more confused than she had been before. Someone, or perhaps some thing, had been in her room last night. They had brought a warning with them. Keep away from Michael. With a shiver, Snow closed her window, vowing as she did so to stay as far away from Michael as she possibly could.

14: Chapter XIV: Ugly Truths

Sophia sat at her desk in her office, fully reclined and using her foot to slowly swivel her chair back and forth. She had her eyes closed and she was very deep in thought. Her first case as a detective was going nowhere. She had no suspects, no witnesses, no anything. All she had was a dead girl and a stolen knife. Her one and only suspect had an alibi and Sophia knew Mary well enough to know that she wouldn’t lie.

She had nothing and she knew it. Unfortunately, so did her boss. She was scared she would be taken off the case and she didn’t want that. Not just because she wanted to close her first case on her own, but because she had promised Snow that she would find the person who had killed Sara. If Sophia had learned one thing from having Ariana as an aunt, it was that she should always keep her promises.

But how was she supposed to do that? Without any clues or leads to follow, the case had gone cold. She had no other paths to follow. So, she decided to start fresh, right at the scene of the crime. She stood and headed outside to her car, a sleek black sedan, and drove across town to the Michael’s home. She parked her car and walked up the gravel path to the front door, the rocks crunching beneath her shoes. She knocked on the finely polished oak door and stood back to wait. Michael was clearly home as his orange Lamborghini sat sparkling in the morning sun off to her left.

As she waited, she heard a loud crash from the side of the house and her hand went instinctively for her gun as she ran in search of the source of the noise. When she came around the corner of the house, she found none other than Brad Reynolds standing beside a large pile of wood and panes of glass. One of the panes of glass was broken and he appeared to be cleaning it up. Brad looked up at her as she approached and smiled.

“Well, if it isn’t Detective Austin,” he said loudly. “I hope you’re not here to slam my face into the ground again. Point of interest, that’s actually quite painful.”

“I was actually looking for Michael,” said Sophia, her eyes raking over the pile of wood. “I was… what in the hell are you doing anyway?”

“I work odd jobs around town, if that’s any business of yours,” said Brad. “Michael asked me to do some work on his pool house, but I’ve gone and shattered this glass, so at this particular moment I’m cleaning up my mess.”

“Right,” said Sophia. “Do you know if Michael’s here? I’d like to ask him some questions.”

“Yeah, he’s around back,” said Brad. “You might try shoving him to the ground to, Sophie. He might like it.”

“Don’t call me Sophie,” Sophia snapped. “We’re not friends.”

“We could be,” said Brad as Sophia turned to go and look for Michael. “Aww, don’t be mad, sweetheart!” He called after her. Sophia ignored him and made her way around the house and found Michael coming out of the back door.

“Oh, Detective Austin, what are you doing here?” He asked when he noticed her approaching.

“I just wanted to ask you a few questions about the night Sara Blake was murdered,” said Sophia. “Could we step inside?”

“Sure, of course,” said Michael, turning around and holding the door open for her. He followed her inside and closed the door. “Here, we’ll talk in the living room,” he added, guiding her through the house. Once in the living room and seated on the couch, Sophia took out her notebook and a pen.

“So… I know we questioned you the night of the murder, but since we’ve run out of leads, I’d like to go back over everything you said and see if maybe you remember anything else.” Michael shrugged.

“Yeah, go ahead,” he replied. “I’ll tell you whatever I can.”

“Okay,” said Sophia. “So, Snow was the first person to find Sara’s body. She ran outside screaming for help. During that time, you were…?”

“I was in the pool house,” said Michael. “There was this girl… for the life of me I can’t remember her name, but we were… well, that’s not really important. Anyway, I heard the screaming but with a party like that I didn’t think much of it. Eventually I went to see what was going on and by then people had already found Sara’s body and had called the police.”

“Before that, did you see Sara at all?” Sophia asked. “Did you talk to her?”

“I saw her a couple of times, but never spoke to her,” said Michael. “She and I were never exactly close friends. She was a high school girl so we didn’t exactly have much in common. But she was with her friends, standing there by the fireplace when I saw her. Then, as I told the officer that night, I met Snow there as well. She said Sara had gone to the bathroom and… the next time I saw her she was already dead.”

"Okay," said Sophia, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. "Hmm... Sara's phone wasn't on her body and her parents can't find it anywhere. We're thinking someone must have stolen it. With so many people around, it wasn't necessarily the killer. Did you see...?"

"Anyone take Sara's phone?" asked Michael. "No, I would have mentioned that in the first interview if I had."

"Right... well, can you think of anyone that might have had a reason to kill Sara?" Sophia inquired. Michael shrugged.

"I didn't really know Sara," he replied. "So I definitely wouldn't know why someone would want to kill her. I don't even..."

"Hey, Mike!" Brad shouted through the back door. "Could you give me a hand with this glass? I need some help holding it in place."

"Do you mind?" Michael asked Sophia, half-standing from his chair. "It'll just take a minute."

"Sure," said Sophia, leaning back and taking her phone out of her pocket. Michael grinned and hurried away. Sophia sighed and looked around the room. Michael's house, much like the rest of Mistbrook Falls, was very old and it felt like it. The interior had a old feeling to it, like it was stuck out of time somehow. It was dark inside and much of the furniture was made out of dark, polished wood. Adorning the walls were the pelts of animals and a number of antique weapons.

Sophia's attention was drawn toward a long, bejeweled sword on the mantle. The hilt was thin and made of gold while the blade was a strange, gloss black. Brilliant rubies were set into it, sparkling in the light from the fireplace. In spite of herself, Sophia went over lifted the weapon from it’s stand. She didn't know much about swordsmanship, but the weapon felt perfectly balanced in her hands. The glimmering blade sparkled, the razor edge so sharp Sophia could scarcely imagine what it would feel like if it touched her skin.

"It's a veridium longsword forged in the breath of dragons," said Michael from behind her, startling her and causing her to jump. "It belonged to the Grandmaster of the Holy Order of the Dawnguard, an ancient organization responsible for battling the daedric armies that once marched throughout the world." He grinned. "Or so the guy my granddad bought it from claimed. I’m pretty sure it’s bullshit, but it looks cool so we keep it there.”

“It’s very cool,” Sophia agreed, raising the weapon higher and admiring the way the firelight danced along its shiny, black blade. “You don’t believe the story?” Michael chuckled.

“That magical warriors made a sword with the help of dragons and used it to fight demon armies?” He asked. “Not exactly.”

“It’s not the strangest story I’ve ever heard,” said Sophia, placing the sword back on it’s stand. “Well, I’ve taken up enough of your time. I don’t think I’m going to learn anything else here. If you think of anything else…”

“I’ll give you a call,” Michael promised. Sophia gave him a thin smile and turned to leave. She glowered at Brad, who leaned against the wall by the door. She hadn’t even noticed he was there. Once Sophia was well out of earshot, Brad turned to Michael.

“You could have told her, you know?” he said firmly. “You could have told her everything.”

“Why would I?” Michael snapped. “She has nothing to do with what we’re trying to accomplish. She’s trying to find out who killed the Blake girl, that’s all. That’s not our concern.”

“It is if you’re the one that killed her,” said Brad, fixing Michael with a very pointed look.

“Did you seriously just ask me that?” Michael demanded.

“What? If you killed Sara?” asked Brad. “I guess I did. With what she knew…”

“What Sara knew doesn’t worry me,” Michael shot back. “She’s dead and what she knew died with her. Am I sorry she’s gone and out of my way? No, I’m not. I’m much better off without her in the picture. But did I kill her? You know what? I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’ then,” said Brad, shrugging. He turned to go, but paused. “We can trust Sophia, you know that. She’s not one of his…”

“Just because we know she’s not, doesn’t mean we can trust her,” Michael retorted. “We don’t involve anyone else if we don’t have to. The more people that know, the harder this is going to be. Especially now that you’ve brought Mary into this. I never told her anything and neither did Emily, and now…”

“Mary doesn’t know anything,” said Brad sharply. “She came to me with a problem and I helped her solve it. She doesn’t know about us, okay? She never needs to. She’s not part of this.”

“Good,” said Michael. “Keep it that way.”

-.-

Snow didn’t mention anything about what had happened in her bedroom the previous night when she went downstairs for breakfast. She still wasn’t sure what was going on and she knew the story made her sound crazy, so she kept it to herself. Still, she was determined to stay away from Michael. He could be a really creepy guy at times, so it seemed like good advice to her despite where it came from.

The redhead padded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Kayla stood at the stove, gently flipping sausages while Ariana watched with an amused grin on her lips. Snow sat down at the bar as Kayla turned one of the patties over and the grease in the pan sizzled angrily. Kayla leapt back in surprise and almost dropped her spatula.

“I don’t like this,” Kayla said wearily. “I’ve never been good with cooking."

"Which is why you need to learn,” said Ariana patiently. “Every time I have to stay overnight in Detroit for work at the bookstore I’m worried you two are going to starve.”

“We’ve never gone hungry,” said Snow thoughtfully. “Momma always orders pizza.”

“So, that’s what you do when I’m away, is it?” Ariana asked as Kayla attempted to flip another patty. “Pizza? Kay-Kay, just because you can live off of pizza and beer doesn’t mean our child should have to.”

“One time,” Kayla grumbled. “One time I let her have a beer and you’ve never let me live it down.”

“She was seven,” Ariana reminded her. “And besides, she needs some variety in her diet.”

“Sometimes I order Chinese…” Kayla muttered, this time flipping the sausage much more successfully although without an ounce of finese.

“Oh, well that makes everything better,” said Ariana sarcastically. “I just want to make sure when I’m not here that our daughter will still eat well.”

“She eats fine, Ari,” said Kayla firmly. “I’ll never be as good at this as you, but I can take care of our kid. Don’t worry.”

“So, are you heading to the city soon?” Snow asked as Kayla stacked the sausage onto a plate. Ariana shook her head.

“No, I was just… planning ahead,” she replied. “I figures it couldn’t hurt to…” She broke off as a knock came at the front door.

“I’ll get it,” both Snow and Kayla said at the same time. Kayla pressed the spatula into Ariana’s hands.

“I don’t mind, I’ll see who it is,” said Snow, but Kayla gave her a very fiery look indeed and she got the hint. Kayla hurried away and returned a moment later with Mary, who looked oddly nervous to Snow.

“Hey,” said Snow, drawing her friend’s attention. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Oh, I… well, I wasn’t going to, but I… well, I’m actually here to see you, Mrs. A,” she said, turning to Ariana.

“Me?” asked Ariana, grabbing Fluffers, who had just leapt stealthily onto the table and was making a sneaky attempt to reach the plate of sausage unnoticed. “What for?”

“I just wanted to return these and say thanks,” said Mary, holding out the diamond earrings she had borrowed. Ariana took the earrings with a thoughful expression on her face. After a moment, she held them back out to Mary.

“Keep them,” she said kindly. “I’m sure they look amazing on you. Consider them an early Christmas present.”

“Oh, I… I couldn’t,” Mary stammered. “I… I wouldn’t want to… I just borrowed them, I…”

“I insist,” said Ariana, pressing the earrings into the girl’s hand. “I rarely wear them anyway, and like I said; I’m sure they look great on you.” Ariana turned and went back to the stove before Mary could argue further. Snow thought, upon watching Mary’s expression, that she wasn’t remotely happy. Snow would have imagined being gifted with jewelry that expensive would make most people happy, but not Mary it seemed.

“Do you want to stay for breakfast?” Snow asked, shaking the other girl from her thoughts. “You can ride with me to school if you want.”

“No, I… I need to go,” said Mary. “I’ll just see you at school. Thanks for this, Mrs. A,” she added, earning a smile from Ariana as she left the room.

“She might just be the strangest girl I’ve ever met,” said Kayla when they heard the front door close.

“She’s been acting really weird lately, even before Sara…” said Snow quietly. “I wish I knew what’s wrong.”

“She’ll tell you when she’s ready,” said Ariana, spooning scrambled eggs onto Snow’s plate and glowering at Fluffers, who had managed make his way to the plate of sausages unseen and had just taken one in his mouth when she noticed him. The cat froze as though he might not be seen if he didn’t move. Ariana rolled her eyes, but let the cat slowly slink away with his prize. “Until she does, just keep being her friend.”

“Yeah,” Snow muttered quietly to herself. “It’s just… one more secret.”

After breakfast, Snow left early in order to hopefully catch Jackson at his house before he left for school. It was time to tell him the truth about what she and Sara had done. She had to stop keeping that secret and tell him the ugly truth. It was the very last thing she wanted to do, but she was terrified if she didn't tell him then JTG was sure to do it for her. It was going to be hard enough as it was. If the truth came from someone else...

Snow arrived just as Jackson was walking the front steps, his backpack dangling over his shoulder by only one strap. He looked up when he heard the sound of her car’s engine, but Snow’s heart sank when he didn’t smile. He always smiled at her. He knew. Snow got out of the car and rushed over to him. He still wasn’t smiling. Instead, his expression was one of nervousness. She stopped a few steps from him, not sure where to begin.

“Jackson, I… I’m so sorry,” she breathed. “I never meant for you to find out this way, I… I didn’t want you to…”

“Find out what?” Jackson asked, his eyes narrowing worriedly. “What are you talking about? Wait… did you…? Come here.” He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her around to the back of his house and into an old barn that he and his father had converted into a hangout. There was a fully stocked kitchen, a large flat-screen TV, and endless video games.

“Snow… I don’t know what you’re talking about, but… but I think I’ve got some idea of why you look so worried.” He sighed heavily. “You got one too, didn’t you? A text? From JTG?” Despite her fear, Snow’s heart leapt. Someone else had gotten a message too. It wasn’t just her. She wasn’t alone anymore.

“I… yeah. It started yesterday morning,” said Snow. “That’s why I came, I wanted to…”

“That’s when I first got mine too,” said Jackson quietly. “Whoever this is… they know things. Things they couldn’t know, shouldn’t know… There’s something I need to tell you, Snowy. I know you’ll never be able to forgive me, but… I’ve got to tell you before JTG follows through and does it for me.”

“Wait,” said Snow quickly. “I… I’ve got something I need to tell you too. It’s about me and Sara. We… oh, Jackson, I’m so sorry. Sara and I, we… we slept together. It was the Friday before she died and we… I never meant to, it just sort of happened. She told me she loved me and I had all these confusing feelings and we just… It just happened.” Snow broke off, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to hurt you… and you had just told me that you would wait for me to be ready and then I did something so terrible, I… I’m sorry, I know you’re mad and… and… just… please, say something.”

“I didn’t wait,” Jackson said tonelessly, wrenching his phone from his pocket.

“W… what?” Snow asked, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

“I said I would wait, but… I didn’t,” he said in a whisper. “I was upset when I left and I… I went to a party with Steven and I met this girl and I…” He paused and handed her his phone. He turned his back to her, holding his face in his hands as she read the message glowing on the screen.

Once a cheater, always a cheater. I hope that bitch was worth it, Jackie. I wonder what Snow will do when she finds out? You know what they say about a woman scorned  –JTG  

Snow stared at the message for a full minute, not entirely sure how to respond. Was she angry? No, she couldn’t say she was. Was she upset? Yes, of course. Her boyfriend had cheated on her. That betrayal still hurt regardless of the fact that she was guilty of the very same thing.

“Did you love her?” Jackson asked, causing Snow to look up at him. She considered, if only for a moment, lying to him. It would have been easier, but there were enough lies between them already.

“Yes,” said Snow quietly, knowing as she did so that she was hurting him. “I did. I knew… I’ve known for a while I just… I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to be in love with her, but…”

“The heart wants what it wants,” said Jackson sadly. “We can’t help who we fall in love with.” He managed a grin somehow. “You know… you slept with Sara because you loved her. I had sex with a random girl because I was mad. Damn… at least you had a good reason.”

“Neither one of us had a good reason,” said Snow firmly. “Look, we both betrayed each other. We both… we did stupid things. What we had… what we have is good. We’re good together, Jacks. I don’t want to lose that.”

“Me either,” said Jackson, his expression brightening. “Can we… are you saying you want to try again? To give each other a second chance?”

“I do if you do,” she said nervously. It was true, she did still want to be with Jackson. The only question she refused to ask herself was if Sara were still alive, would that still be true? She already knew the answer.

“I think I do,” said Jackson. “I may have lied to you when I said I would wait, but… I wasn’t wrong when I said that you’re worth it. I think we can do this.”

“Me too,” said Snow, taking an uncertain step closer. Jackson followed suit and within moments they were tentatively kissing. It was a tender moment, viciously interrupted by the chime of both of their phones. They broke apart, reaching for their phones together. Snow got there first and read the message aloud as Jackson turned on his screen.

“Two little liars sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. I still know all your dirty little secrets. Don’t worry, bitches. The game’s not over yet. JTG.” Jackson immediately rushed to the window and looked outside, peering in every direction.

“Someone was watching us!” He shouted. “They had to have been. How else could they have known we were kissing?”

“This is starting to get really scary,” Snow whimpered, sinking onto the couch.

“Starting?” Jackson asked incredulously, still looking for any signs of someone watching them. "It's already scary, Snow."

"I just meant... God, it's real now," Snow said quietly. "Before today it could have just been Clara playing games, but now..."

"Wait? Clara?" asked Jackson, perplexed. "You thought Clara was JTG?"

"It... it was a possibility," said Snow. "She knew about Sara and me and... and JTG knows something else. Something Clara did and I knew about. I... I don't want to keep any more secrets from you, but... I'm not going to say anything until I talk to her. This... it's big and Clara could get in a lot of trouble. Anyway, I thought it might be her because she was the only person that knew about both things, but if JTG knows you slept with someone else then... Well, I'm pretty sure it wasn't Clara."

"Then who the hell is it?" Jackson demanded. "Who's doing this to us? Why now?"

"I have no idea," Snow replied. "I've gone over and over this a million times. I don't know anyone who could know all the things JTG knows. It's just not possible, unless they've been watching all of us... but how could one person watch all of us? Unless JTG is multiple people."

"That's terrifying," said Jackson weakly. 

"I'm going to talk to Clara," said Snow suddenly, standing to her feet. "I need to make sure it's not her. After that... we'll figure out what comes next." Snow hesitated for a moment, thinking hard. "Jackson... is there anything else you haven't told me? Anything JTG can use against you?" Jackson shook his head.

"Not that I can think of," he replied. "But with JTG, who knows?"

"Right..." said Snow uncertainly. "Look, I'll call you after I talk to Clara and we'll figure this out. Just... be careful."

"You too," Jackson told her. He pulled her close to him suddenly and kissed her forehead. "Are we... are we okay?"

"I feel like I should be asking you that," Snow replied.

"We both screwed up," said Jackson firmly. "This isn't on just one of us."

"Yeah, I know," said Snow. She drew away from him and turned to go. She paused at the door, her curiosity winning out over her better judgment.

"Who was she?" Snow asked before she could stop herself. "The girl... who was she?" Jackson shook his head. Snow could tell from his expression that he had been hoping he wouldn't ask that.

"I doubt you know her," he replied. "She's just some girl, I... ugh, her name was Emilia. Emilia Banks."

15: Chapter XV: Where It All Began

Snow rushed out to her car and flung herself inside. She started the engine and drove away as quickly as she could, the feeling of being watching clinging to her like a shadow. It seemed that JTG was everywhere and it was impossible to escape. They saw everything. Snow shook her head and started in the direction of Mistbrook High, her worried thoughts continuing to plague her.

As she drove, her thoughts turned to Jackson. What he had done, sleeping with another girl, had hurt her much more than she had realized at first. Her heart actually ached, but she knew she had no right to feel that way. Hadn’t she done the same thing to him? Hadn’t she betrayed him just as harshly? Why should she be allowed to feel hurt when she was just as guilty as Jackson was? She shouldn’t, she knew that, but she couldn’t stop herself from crying. Jackson was the one person she truly believed would never hurt her. She had been wrong.

To make matters worse, he had slept with Emilia Banks. The very same girl Snow had promised Dr. Banks she would try to befriend. While she didn’t feel overly obligated to honor that promise given that Dr. Banks had then proceeded to scare her, she knew that Ariana would keep her promise regardless. She supposed she could talk to Emilia either way, perhaps glean some information from her. As far as Snow was concerned, every living soul in town was a suspect. Anyone could be JTG and since Emilia obviously knew about Jackson’s infidelity, it put her that much higher on her list.  

Her plan for the day was first to confront Clara at the first available opportunity. She had to know for certain if she could be trusted. If Clara was trustworthy, then she would reconvene with Jackson and go from there. If Clara proved to be the culprit… well, that would be a very different story altogether. Snow wasn’t at all violent or confrontational, but if Kayla had ever taught her anything it was not to take any threat lying down.

Snow wasn’t able to get Clara alone until after first period. She found the blonde girl chatting with a couple of cheerleaders near her locker. The two cheerleaders, whose names Snow knew to be Missy and Natalie, saw her approaching and smiled nervously.

“Hi Snow,” said Missy quickly.

“’Morning,” said Snow, in no mood to deal with either of the cheerleader’s simpering. She had seen them cozying up to Sara many times before. After all, if Sara didn’t like you she had always had the power to destroy you. Snow briefly wondered if she now had that power herself. “Clara, I need to talk to you….” She glanced quickly at Missy and Natalie. “Privately.”

“Uh, okay?” said Clara uncertainly, following Snow as she led her into the bathroom. Once she was sure they were alone, Snow rounded on the other girl so quickly that Clara involuntarily backed away from her and bumped into the wall.

“Is it you?” Snow demanded, jerking her phone out of her pocket. “Did you send these?” She held up her phone, one of JTG’s messaging glowing on the screen.

“What? Did I send… Wait, you… you got one too? From JTG?” Clara babbled, reaching out and taking Snow's phone to read the message.

“Yes,” Snow replied. “Wait… you’ve been getting messages too? Show me.” Clara handed over her phone and sure enough there it was. Snow passed her phone back and shook her head.

“I… I’m sorry for this… for acting this way, but after... once I realized that you knew about me and Sara and about Jacob… Clara, no one else could know about those two things other than you, so…”

“So naturally you thought I was JTG,” said Clara haughtily. Snow immediately felt bad for attacking her friend, but hadn't had a choice.

"Clara, I'm really sorry for suspecting you, but... I'm scared and you were just a logical choice, I..." Clara shrugged.

“Honestly, I was starting to think it was you. I was going to confront you about it, but you got to me first. But wait, so JTG knows about you and Sara sleeping together?”

“Yeah,” said Snow quietly. “He… she… whatever, they know. And that’s not all. Jackson… he’s been getting messages too. He… he cheated on me with Emilia Banks. He slept with her the same night Sara and I…”

“Damn…” said Clara consolingly, but then her expression darkened. “Hold on, how the hell would I know about that?”

“I… I don’t know," Snow admitted nervously. "I just... I had to know I could trust you. I feel like I can't trust anyone right now, so... so knowing you're on my side is making me happier than I've been in a while. I love you, Clara, you know that? Right?"

"Aww, of course," said Clara softly, pulling her friend into a reassuring hug. "I love you too. Don't worry about it, sweetie. I'm always on your side, no matter what. Whatever else happens, you'll always have me, Snowy."

"I'm really glad to hear that," Snow whispered, relaxing into the warmth and comfort of the blonde's embrace. Somehow, Snow felt closer to Clara in that moment than she ever had to anyone else. They shared a secret and by extension, a bond. They would rise or fall together. She could trust Clara, her best friend. She wanted nothing more than to stay right there in Clara's arms for the rest of time. She never wanted to face the world, or Jackson's, and her own, betrayal, or JTG ever again. But she knew she had to. Slowly, Snow drew away and sighed.

"So... me, you, and Jackson," she said thoughtfully. "What's the connection? Why us? Why just us?"

"Who says it's just us?" asked Clara. "You didn't know about me or Jackson until today. JTG could be going after anyone and we wouldn't know. We might not be the only ones getting messages."

"But how are we going to find out?" Snow wondered. "Go up to everyone in town and ask them? Pass out flyers or a mass email?"

"No, but we don't need to ask everyone in town," said Clara. "Just our friends and maybe our families."

"To explain this we're going to have to tell them what's really going on," said Snow pointedly. "If you tell your parents about Jacob..."

"They'd turn me in," said Clara matter-of-factly. "I know they would. They always said if I ever got arrested, they weren't bailing me out."

"Just our friends, then," said Snow. "We'll talk to Nikki and Mary and see if they know anything."

"And what if one of them is JTG?" Clara wanted to know. Snow shook her head.

"I don't know... I feel like I can't even think without JTG knowing what I'm thinking about. It's like they're everywhere."

"Then maybe we shouldn't be talking about this here," said Clara. "Maybe we should find someplace private, someplace we can't be overheard..."

"Someplace out of town," said Snow, a sudden smile coming to her lips. "I know a place. I'll text it to you later. Surely JTG's not reading our texts."

"Would it really surprise you if they were?" asked Clara. Snow refused to answer.

-.-

They drove down the quiet road in the darkness of the night, Neither Snow nor her two companions said anything as they drove. When they reached the end of the road, Snow dug a small remote out of her glove box and pressed a button. The door before them opened like a maw as Snow drove them through and into the utter blackness beyond.

Snow parked the car and got out, guided only by the Mustang's headlights. Jackson and Clara got out as well and followed her as she walked over to a series of switches and flipped each of them in turn. The lights came on slowly; flickering on from left to right until the darkness was pushed aside, leaving both of them standing in the light. Snow turned around and smiled at Jackson with her hands on her hips.

"Welcome to Warehouse 15," she said proudly as the last of the lights came on, illuminating the darkened warehouse. "C'mon, let's go upstairs."

"So, this is your infamous warehouse," said Jackson, sounding impressed. "I can't believe you've never brought me here before."

"It's always just been sort of... you know, a hangout for the girls," said Snow as she led the way upstairs to the old apartment. "But with this damn JTG stalking our every move, we need a place they can't find us."

"Well, I doubt they followed us here," said Clara and Snow and Jackson nodded in agreement. At the top of the stairs Snow pushed open the door to the apartment and flicked on the lights. The place still looked much as it had in the days when she had lived there and Snow was immediately filled with nostalgia.

The redhead wandered over to the old sofa and plopped herself down on it. She sighed contentedly as Jackson slowly circled the room, examining the world she had come from. Snow missed the old warehouse even more each time she went there. It was home, so much more than Mistbrook Falls would ever be. The warehouse would always be a safe place, a happy place. It would always be her home.

Clara sat down beside her and Snow cuddled up against her as Jackson poked his head into Kayla and Ariana's old bedroom, which was empty save for a small twin-sized bed that Ariana occasionally used whenever she had to stay in the city to work at the bookstore. Snow sighed contentedly, the rhythmic sound of Clara's heartbeat lulling her to sleep. She was very near to slipping into the peaceful darkness when Jackson came around and sat down on the edge of coffee table.

"So... I don't think anyone followed us, but... well, this is JTG we're talking about, so who knows?" He said dryly. "What now?"

"We share everything," said Snow firmly. "If we're going to do this, there can't be any secrets between us. We have to be honest with each other if we're going to fight JTG."

"Snow..." Clara said pleadingly.

"Anything we say stays between us," Snow added. She glanced at Jackson. "Agreed?"

"Agreed," said Jackson, while Clara nodded begrudgingly.

"Okay," said Snow. "Clara?"

"Right... okay, so... so Jacob. His accident was my fault." Clara spoke not to either Jackson or Snow, but instead to the coaster on the coffee table. "I... it was a prank, but it was meant for you, Jackson. You never ride your bike, so I thought... well, the wheel would've fallen off while you were walking but I... I thought it was your bike, but it was Jacob's and I..."

"And he's paralyzed," said Jackson disbelievingly, staring at Clara with a look of disgust. "You... you could have killed him, Clara!"

"I know," Clara exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I just... I made a mistake, I..."

"A mistake?" Jackson shouted incredulously. "A mistake is when you forget to take out the trash or accidentally buy skim milk at the store. What you did..."

"Jackson," Snow said gently, placing a hand on his arm. "Don't. She's already upset enough. I'm not going to let you sit there and yell at her."

"You're not going to let me?" Jackson repeated, staring at her with his mouth slightly open. Snow took her hand away, suddenly very angry.

"No," she said hotly. "I'm not going to let you. In case you've forgotten, you screwed another girl. I may have done the same thing, but I'm not attacking someone else for their mistakes either. Did she do something wrong? Absolutely... but it was an accident. What you and I did can't be called the same. Maybe we only hurt each other, but it doesn't matter. So no, I'm not going to let you yell at my friend when we've got much bigger issues to deal with without turning on each other."

"Snow..." Jackson began, but she cut him off.

"I'm not done," she snapped. "JTG is coming after us. We don't know what they want, why they're doing this, or who else is their target. We can't turn on each other, not if we're going to figure this out and stop them."

"If we go to the police..." Jackson began again.

"If we go to the police then JTG will tell them about Jacob," said Snow. "I won't do that to her. Besides, I drove her there and back to my house. I knew all along what she did, so I'd be in trouble too. Jackson, if we're going to do this we've got to work together. Just us and maybe Nikki and Mary if we find out we can still trust them. But that's it. Not our parents or anyone else."

"I don't like this," said Jackson, glancing at Clara who hadn't said a word the entire time. "But... you're right. You're right, we're in this together. Clara... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said..."

"No," Clara interrupted. "No, you... you should have. You're right, I did something terrible and I deserve to pay for it... and I will. I'll go and tell Jacob what I did. He can press charges himself."

"Clara, please..." said Snow fretfully.

"I'm not going to tell him you were there," said Clara quickly. "It was just me... all me. I'll keep you out of it completely." Snow shook her head.

"That wasn't what I was going to say," said Snow quietly. "I was going to say I didn't want to see my best friend go to prison. I need you, Clara... now more than ever. I know that sounds selfish, but..."

"But nothing," said Clara with a shrug. "I'm sorry, sweetie. This is just something I've got to do." Clara stood up abruptly and disappeared down the stairs. Snow shook her head and glared furiously at Jackson.

"Thanks," she said sarcastically. "I've already lost Sara and now I'll lose Clara too. Thank you so much!” She stormed off after Clara, ignoring Jackson’s apologies. She found Clara sitting at the foot of the stairs, crying quietly. Snow sat down beside her and draped her arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

“You don’t have to do it, Clara,” Snow told her. “You don’t. You made a mistake, all three of us have made mistakes, it’s not…”

“I put someone in the hospital,” said Clara, wiping her eyes. “I hurt someone that I really care about, and… and I’m just walking around free while he’ll never walk again.”

“We don’t know that he’ll never walk again,” said Snow reasonably. “He could be fine someday, we just have to wait and see. But turning yourself in…”

“Will take the last thing JTG has on us away from them,” said Clara. “If I tell the truth, then JTG’s got nothing. We’d be free.”

“You don’t know that either,” said Snow. “Clara, like we said we don’t know if anyone else is involved. You could be a hero and turn yourself in, but what if Mary or Nikki or Steven has a secret of their own. We wouldn’t necessarily be free. I could just find myself with one less person I can trust.” She closed her eyes tightly, fighting to reach a decision.

“There’s something I haven’t told you,” said Snow quietly. “There’s something I haven’t told anyone. The night Sara was murdered, I… I passed out. The next thing I knew an hour had passed and was on a bed upstairs and then… then Sara was lying on floor in front of me and my hands were covered in blood. For all I know, I could have killed her.”

“Oh, please,” said Clara dismissively. “I don’t know why you passed out or what happened, but I know you didn’t kill Sara.”

“Unfortunately, you can’t know that either,” said Snow quietly. “It’s possible. I could have killed her. I don’t think I did, and I can’t imagine why I would have, but… Clara, I don’t remember much of anything from that night and with everything else JTG knows I think it’s possible that they know what happened that night too. If so, and I really did kill Sara…”

“Then JTG has something really big on you,” said Clara nervously. “But… but there’s no way that you would have done that! Snowy, you couldn’t have. Sophia said Brad’s knife was stolen the day before Sara was killed, so how would you have gotten it?”

“I didn’t say I had all the answers,” said Snow, shaking her head. “I wish I did, but I don’t. I’m just saying that it’s possible. I could have done it, Clara. I hope I didn't. I'd hate myself forever if I did, but... it's possible."

"You think too much," said Clara dryly. She shook her head. "Damn, I miss the old days. Remember when we were just high school kids following Sara around like lost puppies?"

"We never followed her like lost puppies," Snow disagreed. Clara, however, arched her eyebrows.

"Sweetie, I know you put that girl up on a pedestal like she's the best thing since sliced bread, but we all know Sara wasn't always the most honest and trustworthy person. She had her secrets too, just like the rest of us. She knew how to manipulate people. You just never saw it because you were in love with her and always saw her through rose colored lenses."

"Jacob said something similar when I visited him," said Snow sadly. "But... that's not the Sara I knew. She wasn't a liar or a manipulator. She wasn't cruel, she was... she was my friend."

"She was my friend too, Snowy," said Clara slowly. "She just... I didn't trust her. Not like I trust you, Snow. That's why I'm so glad you're not JTG. If you were... I don't know what I'd do." Snow didn't know what to say, so instead she just kissed the blonde on the cheek as Jackson's footsteps approached from behind them.

"Uh..." he began, but Snow shook her head wearily.

"It's okay," she said quickly. "I'm sorry for yelling I you, Jacks. That was awful of me, I... I just can't handle this anymore."

"Well," said Clara, standing to her feet and stretching. "We should probably be heading back home. It's getting really late."

"Yeah, I guess so," said Jackson, glancing around the warehouse. "We should make this place our hideout. The place we come when we want to get away from town and hopefully JTG. We can come here to work on figuring out who JTG is in private."

"That sounds like a pretty good plan," Snow agreed. "But before we go, we need to figure out what to do next."

"We figure out who else we can trust," said Clara. "Mary, Nikki, Steven..."

"That's a good idea," said Jackson, perhaps more enthusiastically than he normally would have. Snow knew he was just trying to smooth things over with Clara by agreeing with her.

"Okay, so we keep an eye on them for a while and see if they're up to anything suspicious," said Snow. "Then we can decide if we want to bring them into the group."

"Agreed," said Clara. Jackson nodded as well. They then set about shuttering the warehouse and soon enough they were back in Snow's Mustang, driving down the road that would take them out to the highway. Snow glanced back at the old warehouse just before she turned onto the road. She wished more than anything else that she never had to go back to Mistbrook Falls.  

16: Chapter XVI: You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone

The rest of the week passed without incident. JTG had fallen mysteriously silent and life, in a way, had gone back to some semblance of normalcy. Jackson earned his place on the football team, so his practices kept him very busy and away from Snow and Clara. The girls, disappointed that one of the only people they could trust couldn't help them, set out to keep a watchful eye on Nikki and Mary. However, with JTG's absence it was difficult to determine if either of them had gotten a message or were perhaps JTG themselves.

Saturday was Sara's funeral and the mood in the Austin house was as dark as a storm cloud when Clara woke that morning. She rolled over in bed and shook Snow awake. Ever since their trip to the warehouse on Wednesday, Clara had been spending each night at the Austin house. It was comforting, having Snow so close all the time. She could trust Snow and in Mistbrook Falls, trust meant a lot.

"Ugh..." the redhead grumbled as she sat up in bed. "I don't want to go."

"You have to go, Snowy," said Clara firmly. "It's Sara's funeral."

"I know," said Snow. "That's exactly why I don't want to go." Clara sat up as Snow pulled the blankets over her head.

"Come on, Snow," said Clara, shaking the redhead vigorously in an effort to rouse her. "Snowy... I know you don't want to do this, but... you'll regret it if you don't go. It's your last chance to... to have any sort of moment with Sara."

"I can't have any moments with Sara!" Snow shouted beneath the blankets. "She's dead."

"I know that," said Clara in a soft tone. "I just meant..."

"You want me to say goodbye," said Snow. Clara could hear the sadness in her voice and knew the other girl was crying. "I don't want to say goodbye to her, Clara... I can't."

"You don't have to," said Clara quietly. "I'm not going to. My grandmother... you never met her, but she always used to tell me to never say goodbye. If you don't say goodbye, then they're not really gone. They're just somewhere else... not here right now."

"But she's not coming back," said Snow thickly. "She's never coming back."

"Stranger things have happened..." said Clara idly. She wasn't going to talk about what she had seen earlier that week. It was impossible. She had imagined it, she must have... and yet it had seemed so real. It had happened the night before they had gone to Detroit. Clara had just gotten out of the shower and found Sara sitting on her bed, looking through a photo album and telling her to look after Snow. She had thought she was going crazy, but she had been there. Real, solid, present. But she couldn't have been. Sara was dead and her body was waiting at the church to be buried. It couldn't have been Sara... so why was she so certain it had been?

It took some convincing, but Clara finally managed to urge Snow out of bed and into the shower. Sighing heavily, she left the redhead to bathe and went downstairs. The Austin house was quiet as she entered the kitchen. Kayla was sitting at the bar, spooning cereal into her mouth with one hand while smoothing out the morning paper with the other.

"Morning, Clara," she called out as the blonde set about making a bowl of cereal for herself.

"You're up early," said Clara, pulling open the refrigerator and retrieving a carton of milk.

"Yeah... Ariana made me," said Kayla dryly. "She says I take too long to get ready. I've got to wear a dress today and me and dresses don't get along."

"I'm sure you look pretty in a dress," said Clara, sitting down on the opposite side of the bar. Kayla shrugged.

"Dresses have never been my thing," she replied. "Ari had enough trouble getting me in one for our wedding. They were actually kind of cute. They were pink and white striped sundresses and we..." She paused, an expression of powerful sadness crossing her face. She looked down into her bowl and said no more.

"Is everything okay?" Clara asked uncertainly. Kayla looked up and shook her head.

"No, Clara... right now, nothing is okay. I... it's nothing for you to worry about, I just... Today's going to be hard enough without..."

"Kayla, if... if you ever need someone to talk to," Clara offered. "I mean, I know I'm just a kid, but I'm a pretty good listener most of the time."

"I appreciate that, Clara," said Kayla quietly. "I... I'll remember that." Clara nodded as Ariana came into the kitchen wearing a flowing black gown and steering a still-damp Snow in front of her. The younger redhead was wrapped in a bathrobe and looked very unhappy.

"How are you doing, Snowy?" Kayla asked as her daughter sat down beside her.

"Okay, I guess," she said, sounding anything but okay. "I just wish I didn't have to go."

"Well, you don't have to go," said Kayla. "No one's making you."

"But you'll wish you had gone one day, sweetie," said Ariana. "Believe me; you need to see this through, baby."

"I know," Snow said miserably. "I just... wish she were still here." Ariana slipped her arm around her daughter's shoulders and hugged her close.

"I think we all do," she said softly.

-.-

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Nikki asked as she parked her car and looked over at Mary, who sat rigid in the passenger seat. Mary swallowed thickly and nodded. In truth, she didn’t want to do it at all, but she knew she had no choice. She had brought this on herself, after all.

“Really?” asked Nikki. “I mean, after everything you went through to get them…”

“It is what it is, Nikki,” said Mary. “I’ve got to do this.”

“Hmph… well, if I’d broken into a jewelry store to steal some diamond earrings I damn sure wouldn’t take them back,” said Nikki. “Why did you do that, anyway? Ariana would have understood that you lost her earrings, you didn’t need to go to all of that.”

“Ariana’s one of the few people in this town that’s ever believed in me,” said Mary softly. “I… I didn’t want to lose her trust.”

“So you robbed a jewelry store?” Nikki asked incredulously. “Seriously? That was your plan?”

“Technically, it was Brad’s plan,” said Mary defensively. “I just went along for the ride.”

“And stole a pair of ten thousand dollar earrings while you were at it,” Nikki countered. “Look, you got away with it. If you go in there, there’s no way you’ll convince anyone with this cock-and-bull story you’ve concocted.”

“It doesn’t matter, I’ve got to try,” said Mary. “JTG knows I stole the earrings. If I don’t take them back, then she’ll rat me out anyway.”

“You don’t know that,” said Nikki. “JTG might not tell anyone anything. We don’t know who JTG is or what they want… and what makes you so sure they’re a she, anyway?”

“The messages… they just feel like a woman’s behind them, don’t they?” Nikki shrugged.

“Words on a screen, Mary,” Nikki grumbled. “It’s hard to put a voice to them that doesn’t sound like a demented stalker.”

“Fair enough,” said Mary. She squeezed the box containing the earrings tightly in her hand. She reached for the door handle, but Nikki stopped her with a question.

“Would you have ever told me?” She wondered. “If I hadn’t picked up your phone the other night when you got that message? Or would you have kept it a secret?”

“That some crazy person was threatening me via text?” Mary asked. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have. I don’t recall you ever mentioning that you had a…”

“I said we don’t talk about it,” Nikki snapped. “JTG already knows, and I don’t… If my parents find out, they’ll…”

“Kill you, yes I know,” said Mary wearily. “I’m sorry, I just… I wish we could tell Snow and Clara. Maybe they could help us, but without knowing who JTG is or what they want…”

“There’s no way Snow and Clara are JTG.” Nikki said firmly. “It’s impossible. Neither of them could know what we did.”

“I didn’t say they were JTG,” said Mary. “I meant that since we don’t know who JTG is then maybe… if we told them what was going on, then JTG might go after them too and neither one of us want that.”

“That’s a terrifyingly good point,” said Nikki nervously. Mary nodded her agreement and pushed open the car door. She squared her shoulders and marched across the parking lot to Zoe’s Jewelry Store. Frightened, she pulled open the door and stepped inside. A chime sounded somewhere deep within the shop as she slowly eased up to the counter.

The glass case that had once contained the very earrings she held in her hand had been replaced and the new glass that had been installed in place of the panes she had smashed sparkled tauntingly at her. She gripped the box firmly as the sound of footsteps from the rear of the store drew closer.

Zoe Emison was a tall, dark-skinned woman with rather dark green eyes and thin lips. She approached the counter, eyeing Mary curiously. She gave the girl a smile, however, and beckoned her forward.

"Hi there," she said. "How can I help you?"

"Um..." Mary said uncertainly. No, she couldn't panic now. She had to be convincing, otherwise... "Um, I found these in the park yesterday," she said, holding out the box. "I thought maybe someone had lost them. I was just going to keep them, I thought they were pretty... but then I heard about the robbery and I... well, I thought they might be stolen." Zoe's eyes immediately narrowed and she took the box from Mary. She opened it and sighed heavily.

"These are exactly what they took," she said, placing the box on the counter. "You just... found them?" Mary nodded, perhaps too vigorously.

"In the park," she repeated. "I... I saw the box in the sand by the swings and picked it up. They're so pretty, but when I heard about the robbery, I thought I should turn them in."

"So, you brought them back here instead of to the police?" Zoe asked suspiciously.

"Should... should I have done that?" Mary asked nervously. "I wasn't sure. I thought I ought to bring them here since I didn't know for sure if they were stolen. If they belonged to someone, maybe you could find out who and give them back." Zoe stared at her for a long moment, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Mary held her breath the entire time, praying to any god that might be listening for help. At long last, Zoe closed the box and tucked it into her pocket.

"Well, thank you," she said, still with a suspicious tone. "Thank you for bringing these back."

"Oh, you're welcome," said Mary, overcome with relief. "I'm happy you got them back." Mary turned on her heel and practically sprinted from the store. She hurried into Nikki's car, much to the other girl's surprise.

"Did you steal something else?" Nikki asked, her eyes widening. "Because I'm not your getaway driver."

"No, I... I think she bought it," said Mary weakly. "I... she was suspicious, but I think I convinced her. I think I'm in the clear." At that moment, Mary's phone chimed and she pulled it out of her pocket, terrified.

"Oh, God..." she whispered, holding the phone out for Nikki to read.

If at first you don't succeed, lie, lie again. Another lie won't save you from me. I still know what you did. I can still destroy you. Liar, lair, I'll set your world on fire --JTG

-.-

The rest of the morning passed with a somber slowness that seemed to drag on forever. Clara and Snow went back upstairs and dressed for the funeral. Snow, in her usual fashion, wore a long black dress similar to her mother’s while Clara picked a shorter, more revealing emerald green dress instead.

At eleven o’clock, the four of them left the house and made their way their way across town to New Hope Church, the town’s singular house of worship. Clara could tell Snow was barely holding back tears as they got out of the car. The blonde took her hand on the walk up to the building and she was rewarded with a very small smile from the redhead.

As they walked through the quickly growing crowd, Clara was surprised by just how many people had come out that day. Nearly everyone from school was present, teachers included. Many of the local business owners that had known Sara had come and much to Clara’s surprise, even the mayor put in an appearance. Clara wasn’t sure why this surprised her so much. Sara’s family was wealthy and influential and had even helped fund his election campaign. Why wouldn’t he come to their daughter’s funeral?

Clara and Snow made their way to the front of the chapel, where Snow was taken aside by a worried Jackson. Clara, spotting Nikki and Mary standing somberly beside Sara’s casket, went over to join them.

“She doesn’t look real, does she?” Nikki was saying quietly as Clara approached. “I mean… she was always so full of life…”

“And now she’s dead,” said Mary weakly. “What’s she supposed to look like?”

“She’d want to look stunning, dead or not,” said Clara, stepping up beside them and peering down into the coffin. She didn’t want to look, but she knew she had to and she had to admit that Nikki had a point. Sara was much paler than she remembered and her usually silky brown hair was rather dry and thinner than it had been. Death, Clara supposed, simply did that to people.

“She’d be happy with the turnout,” Mary said, nodding to the assembled crowd. “Always the most popular girl in town, even in death.”

“That’s immortality, my darlings,” said Snow, joining the three of them around Sara’s coffin. “Sara’s gone, but… this town will never forget her.”

“Are you doing okay, Snow?” Mary asked, peering nervously at her. Snow shook her head.

“Not really,” she said quietly. “I just want this to be over.”

“Me too,” Nikki agreed. "The faster the better. Maybe I'll stop feeling like she's haunting me." Clara would have given anything to ask what Nikki meant by that, but she resisted the temptation. Telling anyone that she had seen and spoken to Sara would only make her sound crazy.

The girls all sat down in the front row, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Clara watched as people approached Sara's casket. Nikki's parents, Randy and Julia, a devout couple that kept their daughter on a shockingly short leash, spent a good while up there while Clara's mom, Noel, spent only a brief moment. Clara gave her mom a smile as she walked back to her seat, one which her mother returned.

Being a single mother was a difficult thing, Clara knew, but Noel had always managed to provide her with anything she needed. While the two of them maintained a very middle-class lifestyle that was easily put to shame by the wealth of the Austins or the Blakes, Clara would never trade her mother for anyone else. Noel was Clara's rock and it broke her heart to imagine what she would say if she ever found out that her daughter was responsible for Jacob's injury.

Mary's parents didn't seem to have come at all. It wasn't really a surprise. Mary's parents rarely ever came to any of the town's events, so for them to ignore Sara's funeral wasn't unusual. As for Sara's parents, they were the perfect image of a grieving family. They stood near the entrance with Jacob, who had been released from the hospital for the funeral, sitting in a wheelchair beside them. They were all well dressed and regal in shades of black and gray.

It was odd how little Clara knew about them. Rick and Michelle were almost unknown to her. They were universally disliked in the part of town she was from and based on what Sara had said their reputation was well earned. Regardless, she still felt bad for them. They had lost a child and Clara couldn't imagine that pain.

Clara leaned back in her seat and glanced along their row. Mary sat next to her, staring at the blank screen of her phone with an impassive expression on her face. Nikki on Mary's left, watching people going to Sara's casket as Clara had been. Snow sat at the end with Jackson, talking quietly together. On the row behind them, Ariana and Kayla sat with Alana and Sophia. None of them were speaking.

Sophia, Clara knew, was having a hard time over the last few days. There were absolutely no clues pointing at who could have killed Sara. It was as though her killer had vanished into thin air and left behind not so much as a single fingerprint. There were no leads, no suspects, no motive, no anything. The case had gone cold almost from the moment the crime had been committed. Snow had told Clara that Sophia had said she was beginning to wonder if Sara hadn't stabbed herself. If Clara hadn't known the girl, she might have believed it based on the evidence. But Sara wasn't suicidal, there was no way. She might have been a lot of things, but she wouldn't have killed herself.

Clara sighed as the minister stepped up to the podium and asked that everyone be seated. She hated this, all of it. Despite what she had said to Snow, this ceremony was meant to be the time when goodbyes were said. Clara wasn't ready to say goodbye to Sara. She refused to do it. She wouldn't. She didn't.

 -.-

Snow hated the ceremony. It was short, direct, but beautiful, exactly what Sara would have wanted. Snow hated it all the same. She had cried and cried, despite trying her best to keep it together. She had fallen apart all the same. Jackson had been there to hold her, to comfort her. The immense wrongness of it all struck her even then. Jackson was comforting her over the death of the girl she had cheated on him with.

When it was over at last, Snow and the other girls mingled for a while with the other mourners before going outside. They stood in silence in the cool September air, none of them knowing what to say.

"I... I guess that's it," said Nikki quietly, her eyes red. "She's really gone."

"Yeah..." Clara muttered. "I guess so."

"So... do you guys want to sleep over or something?" Snow offered. She really didn't want to be alone right then. She wanted her friends close; even if she wasn't sure she could trust all of them.

"That sounds nice," said Mary. "We should do that."

"Do what?" Jackson asked, joining them on the sidewalk and gently slipping his arm around Snow's waist.

"We're all staying over at Snow's tonight," said Clara.

"Well, that ought to be fun," said Jackson, giving Snow a one-armed hug. "I'd love to come, but I promised Steven I'd hang out with him tonight..."

"Girls only," said Nikki with a grin.

"Great, well I wasn't welcome anyway," he said. "I guess I'll just..." But he was interrupted by the distinct chimes of five different cell phones all receiving texts at the same time. All five of them exchanged uncertain glances as they reached for their phones. Snow looked down at her screen as Clara gasped next to her and Mary clapped a hand to her mouth.

I’m sick of watching you speculate. As if any one of you amateurs could be me.  It’s time all my little liars were united. The game’s changing, bitches. New rules, same players --JTG

17: Chapter XVII: ...Must Come to an End

"Alright, spill it," said Snow once she and the others were all gathered in the relative privacy of the warehouse. She sat on the couch between Jackson and Clara, looking up curiously at Mary and Nikki. "How long have you been getting messages from JTG? What does she have on you?"

"I got my first message on Tuesday," said Mary nervously. "That text I got that I said was from Brad... it wasn't. It was from JTG."

"And what is she threatening you with?" Jackson wanted to know. "What did you do that she's holding over you?" Mary exchanged a nervous glance with Nikki before launching into the story. When she was finished, her friends sitting on the couch were staring up at her with their mouths hanging open.

"You broke into a store in order to return earrings to my mom," said Snow incredulously. "Earrings, I might add, that she then told you to keep. This is... that's just great."

"I'm more interested in how you and Brad know each other," said Clara sharply. "I'm assuming you're not dating then?"

"No, we... we're not," said Mary. "Brad... he's my cousin...."

"He's your what now?" Clara gasped, glancing around at the stunned expressions on the other's faces. "You... you never... Brad Reynolds is your cousin?"

"My dad's brother's son, yeah," said Mary quietly. "My parents don't like him, for obvious reasons. He's been staying in town and I... we've been talking a lot, getting to know each other. He was already planning to break in and I told him about losing the earrings and he offered to help me get another pair."

"By robbing a jewelry store," said Snow weakly. "Seriously, Mary? You know my mom wouldn't have cared that you lost them. You didn't need to do that."

"Yes, I did," said Mary quietly. "I live in the shadows, Snow. No one pays any attention to me. My parents are... they ignore me and when I'm with you... Who else is anyone going to look at with you and Sara around? Ariana, though... she always saw something in me that I never could and I... I never want to lose that."

"Well, if she finds out you committed a crime to keep yourself in her good graces, I imagine she'll change her opinion a bit," said Snow. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mary. This is just getting to be too much. Stealing and lying and cheating and..."

"What did Brad take?" Jackson asked suddenly, his eyes narrowing. "From the store, I mean. You said it was his idea... what was he after?" Mary shook her head.

"That's the weird part," she said quietly. "I have no idea what he wanted. He went into the back of the store and made me stay up front. He wouldn’t tell me what he took or why.”

“Does it really matter?” Nikki asked. "Who cares what Brad took?"

"We should," said Jackson sharply. "There's every chance that he's JTG and if he is, then..."

"Brad's not JTG," said Mary quickly. "That's not his style. He doesn't have time to play games with a bunch of high school kids. If there's anyone outside of this group that I know isn't JTG, it's him."

"Then who is it?" Snow asked. "That's what we need to talk about, not..."

"There's one more thing we need to discuss first," said Clara. "Nikki... what's your secret?" Nikki swallowed thickly and shook her head as every eye turned toward her.

"I... I'd really rather not say," she muttered, avoiding their gaze.

"Oh, you'll say," said Clara hotly. "That's the deal here. We've told you everything about us. There's no secrets between us."

"There can't be," Snow added, placing her hand gently on Clara's knee to stop the blonde before she went too far. "That's the only defense we have, Nikki. JTG knows all of our secrets. She's watching us. We have to be honest with each other.”

“We can’t give JTG anything they can use against us,” Jackson put in. “We have to be a team.”

“Says the guy who wanted to turn me in,” Clara snapped. Snow took her hand and shook her head.

“Clara, you’re not helping,” said Snow calmly. “Jackson’s not going to turn you in. No one is turning anybody in. Jackson’s right, we’re a team. If we’re going to beat JTG, we have to stand together. We have to tell each other the truth. All of us have to tell the truth, no matter what it is.”

“I’ll vouch for her,” Mary said suddenly. “I know what she did and I promise you it’s not anything that will hurt the rest of you. It’s not illegal; just… her parents would come down hard on her if they found out. She’s scared…”

“Like the rest of us?” asked Clara wearily. “Come on, Mary! I could go to prison and so could you. So could Snow since she’s basically an accessory to my crime. If we’re all in this together, then we’re all in it together. No secrets, that’s the deal. JTG is after all of us.”

“Let’s focus on that, then,” said Snow, desperate to ease the tension. “As much as I don’t like the idea of anyone in the group keeping secrets from the rest of us, JTG’s the real threat. Who is she? What does she want? Why is she doing this to us?”

“You’re the smart one,” said Mary. “It’s a mystery, right? A puzzle? We’ll help you put the pieces together.”

“It’s a puzzle,” Snow agreed lamely. “It’s a puzzle but we only have half of the pieces and the picture on the box belongs to a different puzzle. I’ve gone through what we know a million times and it all comes out the same. There’s no one that I know of that could possibly know everything we’ve done. They would have had to have been watching us… all of us… for a really long time. It doesn’t make sense… and for all of this to start right after Sara died, I…”

“Is anyone entertaining the idea that JTG could be Sara’s killer?” asked Nikki. Everyone turned to look at her, surprised. Snow shook her head, stood to her feet and began pacing back and forth behind the couch.

“If JTG killed Sara…” she muttered quietly. “Had Sara been getting messages? Maybe we’re not JTG’s first targets. She could’ve gone after Sara first and we just never knew.”

“As close as the two of you were, I’d imagine you would have noticed something like that,” said Jackson. “I mean, you knew Sara intimately, surely if someone was stalking her you would have picked up on it.”

“I’m starting to realize that Sara was good at hiding things,” said Snow dryly. “Hell, I’m not so sure I would have noticed or not.”

“Let’s say JTG is Sara’s killer,” said Clara. “Why did she kill Sara? What’s the motive? I can come up with reasons why someone might not like Sara, but to want to kill her? That’s tougher to rationalize.”

“Sara was popular, rich, beautiful… Jealousy is a strong emotion,” said Nikki.

“Then why are they bothering with me?” Mary asked. “I’m not worth being jealous of.”

“You’re one of the five most popular kids in school,” said Jackson firmly. “In Mistbrook Falls, you might as well be royalty.”

“Technically, I’m just friends with the most popular girl in school,” Mary countered, nodding toward Snow. “I guess I’m guilty by association.”

“This doesn’t feel like a jealous act,” said Snow, shaking her head. “This… it’s calculated. It’s methodical, it’s planned. JTG pushed the five of us together when we were busy tearing ourselves apart. There has to be a reason for that, but I don’t know what it could be.”

“Jealousy,” said Mary quickly. “Think about it. JTG didn’t like that you were suspicious of us, so she made sure we all knew at least that much truth. She was jealous.”

“Maybe,” said Snow. “But I still don’t think JTG’s going to all this trouble because she’s jealous of us. It’s possible, sure, but it doesn’t feel right. It’s too simple and JTG is anything but simple.”

“But it makes sense,” said Nikki. “Who wasn’t jealous of Sara?”

“Jealous enough to kill her?” Snow asked. “It would take an extreme level of jealousy to commit murder… and then stalking and threatening us on top of it. No… it’s not because she’s jealous. This thing… all this with JTG, it’s a game. She said it herself to me and Jackson. ‘The game’s not over, bitches’ and then again with ‘new rules, same players’… it’s all a game.”

“Snow’s right,’ said Jackson. “This is a game… and we’re losing. Also, if JTG doesn’t stop calling me a bitch, I’m going to get pretty pissed off.”

“I’m already pissed off,” Clara muttered. “I’m done playing this game.” She pulled out her phone and after a few moments spent pressing buttons, she held the device out to show them. “I blocked JTG’s number. Let’s see her send me messages now.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” said Mary weakly.

“I guess it’s worth a shot,” said Snow tiredly. “Just… don’t turn up dead, okay Clara? I can’t lose anyone else.”

“I can’t talk about this anymore tonight,” Nikki groaned. “Anyone ready to go home?”

“Actually, I think I’m going to spend the night here tonight,” said Snow, thinking how nice it would be to spend the rest of the weekend free from Mistbrook Falls.

“That’s not a bad idea,” said Clara. “Do you mind if I stay too?” Snow didn’t mind one bit and in the end, everyone decided to bunk down at the warehouse that night. Snow let the rest of them do as they pleased while she sat alone on the couch with a notebook in hand, deep in thought. If they were playing a game, Snow decided, they damn well needed to know the rules. She was worried that Clara’s plan was a dangerous one. It might work in some cases, but somehow Snow feared that JTG didn’t believe that the only way to win was not to play.

-.-

Back home in Mistbrook Falls, Ariana sat much like her daughter did; alone on the couch. Kayla was out with Alana, helping with preparations for Founder’s Day; an annual celebration of the founding of Mistbrook Falls. It was late in the afternoon and Ariana had just finished talking to Snow, who had explained that she would be staying overnight at the warehouse with her friends. Ariana didn’t mind, in fact she was quite happy to have the house to herself for the day. It gave her time to think.

Ariana had only had small increments of alone time since she had learned that there was no chance of curing her illness. She had often wished she could just slip away somewhere all by herself and shut out the rest of the world for a few minutes so that she could think things through. She needed to think about so many things and more than anything, she needed a moment when she didn’t have to be so strong.

Kayla was barely holding it together and if Ariana cried, Kayla would doubtlessly fall apart. But when she was alone, she could cry all she liked and not have to worry about Kayla’s vulnerable state. Oddly, however, she soon realized that she didn’t really want to cry at all. She was far from at peace with what was happening to her, but somehow her feelings had gone beyond tears. She had reached the point of no return, she knew that. Crying about her inevitable death would not stop it from happening.

She wanted to plan, to prepare, to make sure everything was in order when the day finally came. She didn’t want to leave Kayla and Snow with anything they had to deal with. She wanted everything to be taken care of for them. Despite her lack of tears, it would be impossible to say that she wasn’t very sad. A cloud of despair had descended upon her and no matter what she did; she was unable to make it go away.

To top it all off, she was very scared. It was a frightening thing, watching a timer tick down on your own life. Knowing that very shortly her health would begin to drastically deteriorate to the point that she would eventually be bedridden was absolutely terrifying. It was a different kind of fear, she realized, than what she had experienced in the years she had spent locked away in a closet and being tortured by her father. Back then, she had never been sure what to expect. Every day brought with it a different agony. Now, she knew very well what was coming her way. There would be few surprises to come her way. She knew exactly what was going to happen to her and it was that which haunted her dreams.

As she sat there lost in her dark thoughts, Fluffers leapt up into her lap. She smiled down at him as he nuzzled her hand. The poor cat was very old and sickly and although he had a lot of trouble getting around, sometimes Ariana thought there was more life left in him than there was in her. She knew the cat didn’t have much longer left, but somehow she found herself wondering if her oldest friend would outlive her.

“You’re a good cat,” she praised him quietly, stroking his fur. “You’ve always been a good cat. You’ve always been there for me, Fluffs. I’m glad you’re here right now, because I’m really scared. I’m scared of dying…”

“Don’t be.” Ariana looked down at Fluffers, her eyes wide.

“Um… I know I talk to you a lot and pretend that you answer me, but I know you really can’t talk. So, unless I’ve completely lost my mind…”

“You haven’t lost your mind, Red,” said Cooper, stepping around the couch and into view. Her long-lost friend smiled at her as he sat down on the sofa. “Long time, no see.”

“Well, you could drop by from time to time, you know?” said Ariana. “I know you’ve got to keep the grand design of the universe in order and all that, but that can’t take up all your free time.” She smiled brightly at him. “How have you been?”

“Never better,” Cooper replied, grinning as Fluffers came over to greet him. “Being a Guide is never boring, that’s for sure. How are you… dealing with everything? I know it can’t be easy.”

“It’s not,” said Ariana sadly. “I… I’m dealing with it. It’s just… really hard.”

“Don’t I know it,” said Cooper. “Don’t forget, I’ve been there already. Facing death is really scary, but… Ari, what comes after that… it’s not scary at all. I can’t tell you everything, not yet, but I promise you it’s wonderful.”

“You mean being a Guide?” Ariana asked. Cooper shook his head.

“No, no,” he said. “Being a Guide is great, but there’s so much more than that. Being a Guide is only temporary. One day, if I choose, I can stop and go on to something else. Not everyone who dies becomes a Guide. Those who don’t… well, like I said I can’t tell you much, but I promise you’ll be happy. You’ll be happy and you and Kayla and everyone you love will one day be together again.”

“Don’t tell Kayla that,” said Ariana. “She’ll live the rest of her life after I’m gone waiting till we’re together again and I… I don’t want her to put her life on hold for me.”

“Why do you think Alana never dates anyone?” Cooper asked. “Ari, she knows. She knows that one day she and I will be together again. This life, Ariana, it’s necessary… it’s important, but it isn’t… This is hard to explain. This life is but a pinprick to eternity. Death is… misconstrued. Death isn’t the end, Ariana. It’s the beginning of everything.”

“I… I don’t understand,” said Ariana, shaking her head weakly. Cooper grinned understandingly.

“I know, and I don’t really expect you to,” he replied. “All you really need to know is that there is nothing to fear. The day will come when you understand why, once you see what’s waiting for you. Once you understand what people like Destiny are preserving… ah, but I’ve said too much.”

“No, please, keep going,” Ariana pleaded. “You told me once that I wasn’t ready to know certain things…”

“And you still aren’t,” said Cooper quietly. “I’m sorry, but it just isn’t time. It will be, though. Soon enough, I think, it will be. You’ll understand and one day you’ll share what you learn with those you love. I know it doesn’t make sense now, but one day it will. You just have to be patient.”

“I’m notoriously impatient these days,” said Ariana. “It’s a bad habit Kayla taught me.”

“Yeah, she never was good at waiting, was she?” Cooper smiled sadly. “Don’t worry about her either, sweetpea. She’ll be okay. She’ll grieve, but in the end she’ll realize just like Alana has that if she just waits that one day she’ll be with you again.”

“How?” Ariana wanted to know. “Where? Where will we be?” Cooper simply smiled and stood to his feet.

“Some version of heaven,” he replied. He leaned close and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry, I’ll stop by again soon. I’ll make a habit of it, actually.”

“Good,” said Ariana. “I’ve missed you.”

“Aww, I’ve missed you too, Beautiful.” He hugged her tightly and smiled as he drew away. “You stay red, okay?” Ariana grinned in spite of herself, remembering the moment when Cooper had disappeared in front of her in the bookstore many years before. She gave the very same answer she had so long ago.

“Always.”

18: Chapter XVIII: Night at the Warehouse

It was very early on Sunday morning and while the rest of her friends were asleep, Snow was pacing the cold warehouse floor, deep in thought. She took her notebook with her, scribbling in it everything they knew about JTG; Sara’s death, their own lies and misdeeds, potential suspects for Sara’s murder and JTG… everything she could think of. She wanted to write everything down, to see it in front of her and try to put the pieces together.

The answer, she knew, was out there. She just had to find it. Snow was very smart and a puzzle like this was her bread and butter. This was what she was good at… except she couldn’t even begin to explain what was going on. None of it made any sense to her at all. She was certain JTG was playing a game with them, but what were the rules? How was she supposed to win? What was the objective? What was the point of the game?

That answer came to her rather quickly. It was obvious. They were playing chess. In chess, Snow knew that you have to think many moves ahead in order to win. That’s exactly what she had to do to win JTG’s game. She had to start thinking multiple moves ahead and stop letting JTG dictate the game to her. She had to take charge and see JTG’s strikes coming before they were even launched. It was the only way she could ever win.

But it was difficult to predict the moves of an opponent she knew nothing about. Snow was a very good chess player, but that was because she could read her opposite number well. She only had text messages from JTG, and they ranged in attitude. Reading JTG was hard. She had to learn more about her.

It would help if she knew what JTG wanted. That was something else that made no sense to her. JTG had gone to extreme lengths to gather all of this information about them. Snow would assume that the purpose would be to use that information to blackmail them into doing something, but no such demands had ever come. It seemed that all JTG wanted was to scare them… but why? What would be the purpose? Why would anyone go to all that trouble just to frighten a bunch of kids? And more to the point, who would go to that much trouble to frighten a bunch of kids?

Snow’s list of suspects was practically empty. No one person could know every secret the five of them had. It was impossible. So, did that mean JTG was more than one person? Perhaps JTG wasn’t one person’s initials, but instead stood for three separate people? Or could it be the name of a large group of people all working together? No, Snow reasoned, that would be stupid. Two or three people, perhaps, but no more. It couldn’t be that large of an operation. She and her friends were only high school kids after all, not government agents being hunted by the CIA.

And then there was Sara and her mysterious murder. Had JTG been responsible? Had she been in contact with Sara before her death? If she was, then what secret did Sara have and was that the reason she was killed? Snow thoughts, much like her footsteps, were carrying her around in circles. After two full laps of the massive warehouse, she returned to the apartment. She sat down on the couch and closed her eyes. She was so tired, so very very tired. She had lost the will do to... anything. She felt nothing, desired nothing. Her dreams and her grades that had once meant so much to her suddenly meant so little. Since Sara had died, it felt as though her life had stopped in its tracks. She felt numb... and that terrified her. She would have given anything just to feel... something.

She was just about to call it a night when she noticed the door to the fire escape was slightly ajar. She eased it open and found Nikki standing on the fire escape, gazing out at the quiet Detroit skyline beyond.

“My parents used to stand out here and do that,” said Snow, leaning gently against the railing. “They loved coming out here. They actually met right here… well, right down there,” she added, pointing toward a small outcropping in the side of the building.

“Fifteen years ago this November. It’s pretty crazy to think they’ve been together so long, but… they’ve got this saying; a thousand years isn’t long enough. Forever. That’s what they always say. I can’t help but wonder if they’re right. Maybe they will be together forever. If they are, then maybe… maybe one day I’ll be with Sara again… and maybe one day… maybe then you’ll be with your baby again.” Nikki’s eyes widened in surprise and she turned around quickly.

“Mary told you?” She asked, looking shocked. Snow shook her head.

“She didn’t have to,” said Snow quietly. “You’re my friend, Nikki, and… and since you mentioned your parents, I… I knew it could only be a couple of different things. I just sort of put the rest of the pieces together.”

“It was a year ago,” Nikki whispered, tears filling her eyes. “I… I went to this party and… I met this guy. He was really sweet and we… When I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified. I told him first, but he didn’t want anything else to do with me. He told me to get rid of it and… and that’s what I did. Snow, promise me you won’t tell anyone. If my parents find out that not only did I have sex with someone before marriage and had an abortion…”

“My lips are sealed, Nikki,” said Snow reassuringly. “I promise, I’m not going to tell anyone. But JTG…?”

“She knows,” said Nikki fretfully. “I don’t know how, but she does. She could tell my parents whenever she wants and… and if she does, they’ll disown me.”

“They won’t disown you,” said Snow calmly. “They won’t like it… they won’t like it at all, but they wouldn’t disown you.”

“You don’t know my parents, Snowy,” said Nikki sharply. “They’ll never look at me the same way again. They’ll never forgive me.” 

“They’re your parents, Nik,” said Snow. “They’ll forgive you. They’ll still love you.” Nikki just shook her head and didn’t reply.

“C’mon,” said Snow gently. “It’s getting cold, let’s go inside.”

“Actually, I’m going to stay out here for a while,” said Nikki. “It’s peaceful out here. You go on, I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t stay out here all night,” said Snow. “Nikki… it’ll all be okay. We’ll figure this out, I promise.” Nikki gave her a thin smile.

“Oh, Snow… don’t ever make a girl a promise if you know you can’t keep it.”

Snow went back inside, Nikki’s words still ringing in her ears. She was just upset, that was all. JTG wasn’t invincible, she was a person and a person could be stopped. Nikki was losing hope, and that was the last thing any of them needed to do.

She pushed open the door to what had once been Kayla and Ariana’s bedroom. The large bed they had shared was still there, currently occupied by Mary and Clara, both of whom were fast asleep. There was no sign, however, of Jackson. Slightly worried, Snow began to search the warehouse for him.

She found him down in what had once been a break room for the warehouse workers. Ariana had converted it into a library years before, but all her books had been moved to Mistbrook Falls. Now, the room was practically empty except for the abandoned tumbledown shelves that had held the many hundreds of books. Jackson was sitting in a chair, staring at something on his phone. He didn’t immediately notice her as she eased into the room. He looked up, however, when he heard the door close behind her.

“Oh… hey,” he said, giving her a nervous grin. “I was just… thinking.”

“Me too,” Snow admitted. “I can’t stop thinking. I wish I could, just for a minute, but I can’t. Not with all of this going on.”

“I’m the same way,” said Jackson, staring once again at his phone. His expression was one of immense longing. “I want to stop thinking, but it’s tough when someone’s stalking you.”

“Yeah…” Snow muttered. She sighed, wondering whether it was the proper time to have a more personal discussion. They hadn't, since they had confessed their indiscretions to each other, discussed their relationship at all.

Snow was quickly beginning to realize that she and Jackson... they simply didn't work anymore. She wished they could, but whenever she saw him she could only see his betrayal and she knew Jackson saw the same when he look at her. They needed to talk, she needed to tell him how she felt. She figured it probably wasn’t the best time for it, but she plowed ahead regardless.

“Hey, Jacks… can we talk?” Jackson took a long time to answer as he stared at his phone. So long in fact that Snow circled around him to see what he was looking at.

On the screen was a picture of her. Snow remembered the day well. It had been taken back during the summer when she and her friends had gone to the beach. Jackson had insisted of getting a photo of her in the bikini she had worn that had closely matched her hair. He was staring at the picture, his finger tracing one side of her face.

"Jacks...?"

"I don't want to talk, Snow," he told her quietly. "There's nothing for us to talk about." He stood up slowly, turning toward her with a sad expression on his face. "What are we going to talk about? We cheated. There's nothing else to say. We don't work anymore, Snow. We're not the same, we're not... we haven't ever been the perfect couple. I love you, Snow and I know you love me, but... but you're not in love with me. That's okay, I'm not mad. It is what it is. I just... I don't want to talk, Snow. I don't want to think... I just want to feel."

"Feel... what?" Snow asked as he took a step closer.

"Just you, Snowy," he replied. "Just you." Then they were kissing. In one swift motion, Jackson had pressed her backwards against the wall. Snow wrapped her legs around him, all other thought stricken from her mind. It was crazy, what she was doing, what she was allowing to happen. Somehow, though, she didn't care. She wanted this and nothing was going to stop her from getting what she wanted.

Clothing was shed, practically torn from their bodies in their haste. Jackson, still holding Snow, carried her over to the table he had been sitting at and laid her back across it. It wasn't remotely romantic, Snow thought, not at all. But then this wasn't going to be a romantic night. It wasn't going to be soft and sweet and gentle. There was a look in Jackson's eyes and it was hard. They were not going to make love, sensual and sweet, Snow knew that and in a way she wished it could be different. But for that night, it couldn't be.

That night would be about passion and heat. It would be fast and violent. It would not be about love, but lust and domination. It was a hunger they both shared for reasons that were their very own. For Snow, it was the most alive she had felt since Sara died. It was for completely selfish reasons that she reached behind herself and unclasped her bra as Jackson stood over her, watching with eyes filled with lust. She just wanted to feel alive again. She wanted the constant ache in her heart that consumed her every waking moment and followed her to sleep in her nightmares to ease if only for a moment.

She was using Jackson, but from his expression she could tell he was doing the same. Snow knew, even as Jackson's hands fell upon her, that their relationship would not survive that night. She had known all along that they wouldn't last, not after so much heartache and betrayal. This would be their last goodbye, a white-hot flameout that might just destroy them both. Snow didn't care.

It began with a lightning bolt slicing through her mind; a blistering heat that overwhelmed her thoughts and left her completely breathless. It was exactly as she had envisioned it; fast, furious, and without a hint of emotional connection. It ended much as it had begun and Snow found herself lying on the table, watching Jackson dressing across the room. Reluctantly, she stood gently to her feet and began collecting her clothes. Jackson sat down, shaking his head.

"Snow, I..."

"It's okay," she interrupted him. "I know... I knew going in that it wasn't... That we were just... Jacks, I needed this. Like you said, I needed to feel. I've been... numb since Sara died. Numb and scared of JTG. This... for just a little while tonight I felt something again. I felt alive. So, thank you... thank you for this."

"Yeah," said Jackson quietly. "Yeah, sure..." Snow dressed hastily and as quickly as she could went back up to the apartment. She went into the bedroom and slipped into bed next to Clara, clinging tightly to the blonde with all the strength she had. Clara woke up immediately and Snow knew that even through the darkness her friend could tell she was upset. Without a word, Clara pulled her close as Snow's strength shattered and she began to cry.  

19: Chapter XIX: Keep Your Enemies Close...

Snow didn’t sleep at all that night. She lay limply in Clara’s arms, listening to the blonde’s slow, even breathing. She wished she knew what was upsetting her so much. Her experience with Jackson had been exactly what she had wanted, what she had needed. For those precious few moments, she had been able to stop thinking. Her mind had been blissful, wonderfully blank. She didn’t feel used or abused. She wasn’t worried about breaking up with Jackson, if that was indeed what happened. She felt comfortable with that as it was likely the best thing for both of them.

Perhaps it had simply all become too much. Really, there was no perhaps to it. It already had become too much for Snow to handle. Sara, JTG, Jackson cheating, cheating herself, the lies, the mysteries, not being able to trust anyone outside their small group… she was overwhelmed. It was beginning to wear her down and she was scared that she wouldn’t be able to keep going for much longer. Her perfect little life in her perfect little world had been shattered in an instant and every day since then someone had crushed what was left of the pieces.

Slowly, she got out of bed and padded out of the bedroom. She hesitated when she saw Jackson sitting at the table, nibbling on a slice of buttered toast. He gave her a nervous smile as she passed him on her way to the refrigerator. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table across from him.

“Hey,” he said quietly as she picked up her spoon.

“Hey,” Snow replied, only meeting his gaze for an instant.

“Listen, about last night… I know that’s not what you envisioned. I… I should have been more romantic or at the very least treated you like a lady instead of…”

“A whore?” Snow interrupted him, arching an eyebrow. “It’s okay, Jacks. Really, I wasn’t expecting much romance on a collapsible table.”

“Maybe not, but I shouldn’t have done that… not that way,” said Jackson. “I care about you, Snow. I care a lot more than I showed you last night, so… I’m sorry.”

“Well, don’t be,” said Snow. “I needed last night. I needed it exactly as it was. I didn’t need to be treated like a lady, Jackson. Like you said, I needed to feel something and to stop thinking for a little while. You helped me with both of those.” Jackson gave her a thin smile.

“Happy to be of service,” he told her. Snow sighed and looked down at her bowl, not feeling remotely hungry.

“Where do we go from here, Jacks?” She asked quietly. “We don’t work anymore, not the way we used to. We both know it. Do we… do we stay together and try to make it work? I thought we could at first, but now… we’re not the same people we used to be.”

“I think… Snowy, I think we need time. I think we need to process what we both did and… and see if this is still what we want. I do love you, Snow. I’ll never stop… but I think if we’re going to ever have a chance then we need to take a break for a while. We need to go and see if we're better off together or apart."

"So... a break," said Snow, nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, we're on a break. I... I hope we can still at least be friends. With JTG running around there aren't many people I can trust, and..."

"Of course we're still friends," said Jackson quickly. "Look, things don't have to be weird between us. We're just two friends that used to go out and now... we don't. That's all."

"Okay, then," said Snow, returning to her cereal. Somehow, despite what Jackson said, Snow had a feeling things between the two of them would never be quite that simple. As Snow and Jackson went back to their breakfast, Clara, Mary, and Nikki stumbled out of the bedroom and into the kitchen in search of breakfast of their own.

"Good morning," said Snow, earning a dark glare from Mary.

"What's good about it?" Mary snapped.

"I forgot how cranky you are in the morning," said Clara with a smirk. "C'mon, Mary, it's Sunday. Be happy."

"I'm not happy," Mary grumbled. "I'm irritated. I didn't sleep well either."

"I don't think any of us did," said Snow. "We're not going to sleep peacefully until JTG is caught."

"No, I don't guess we are," said Mary. "I'm just... done with this."

"I don't think it works like that," said Snow, glancing nervously at Clara. "I don't think we get to choose not to play this game."

"Well, I'm giving it a shot," said Clara defensively. "It's the only plan we've got right now."

"Yeah..." Snow muttered uncomfortably. "I just wish I had a better idea."

“But you don’t,” said Clara. “None of us do, so this is what I’m doing. I’ve got to try, right?”

“I’m just worried how JTG will react,” said Jackson. “Blocking her number… it can’t be that easy.”

“I can’t talk about this anymore,” said Snow briskly. “Guys, let’s just put this on pause for today, okay? I… I just can’t right now. I can’t deal with this today.”

“You don’t have to,” said Clara apologetically. “I’m sorry. I think we all need a break. Let’s just… let’s just enjoy the day.”

~-~-~

They spent most of the day lounging around the warehouse, none of them talking about anything important as per Snow’s request. It was a pleasant sort of day, the kind they used to have before Sara died and JTG became a part of their lives. It was peaceful.

By mid-afternoon, they loaded into Snow's car and headed for home. Snow dropped Clara off last once they reached Mistbrook Falls. The blonde got out and leaned back into the car through the open window.

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself tonight?" Clara asked. She had been nervous about leaving her best friend by herself, but she really needed to spend some time with her mom.

"I'll be fine, Clara," said Snow firmly. "I mean it. Go be with your mom. I'm a big girl. I can handle a night by myself."

"Okay, Snowy," said Clara. "You call me if you need anything, okay?”

“I will,”

“Snow... I don't know exactly what happened last night, but," said Clara. “But… but you came to bed crying and I… Listen, if you ever want to talk, well… I’m here.”

"I know,” said Snow gratefully. "Thanks, Clara. Honestly... I still need some time to sort it out myself right now.”

"Well, whenever you’re ready to talk, I'm right here," Clara assured her. The redhead smiled.

"I never doubted it. 'Night, Clara." Snow backed slowly down the drive. Clara watched her drive away until her taillights vanished around the corner at the end of the street. Once Snow was gone, Clara lazily walked up the path to her front door. Once inside, she was immediately struck by the scent of food cooking. Perplexed, she turned to her left and went into the kitchen. 

Clara's mother Noel was bustling about the room busily cooking dinner. Clara found this immensely odd since Noel almost never cooked and she wasn't particularly good at it when she did.

"Hi, Mom," said Clara, dropping her purse on the counter and going over to join her mother at the stove.

"Hey, sweetheart, I'm glad you're home," said Noel, her bright green eyes that matched her daughter's left the pan she was using only for an instant as Clara came up beside her.
"Are you staying here tonight, or going back to Snow's?"

"I'll be here," said Clara. "I'm sorry I've been spending so many nights with Snow, but since Sara..."

"I know, sweetie," said Noel gently. "It's okay. Believe me, I understand. I'm sure Snow needed you and you needed her. How's she doing, anyway?"

"She's... handling it," said Clara quietly. "We all are... as best we can. It's just harder for her."

"Yeah..." Noel replied sadly. "But you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Clara lied. "Sara and I... we... we had our differences. We were friends and I loved her, but... but Snow... Sara and I weren't as close as she and Snow were. It's just harder for her." Having no further desire to talk about any of this, Clara glanced into the pan as she picked up the cookbook Noel was using.

"What sort of recipes are you getting out of a book called Fifty Flavors of Sage?" Clara asked, holding the book out to Noel.

"Hopefully, a good one," said Noel. "Herb roasted chicken with lemon and sage. It'll be good."

"Well, it's got to be better than the time we both got salmonella because you decided it would be fun to make your own chicken nuggets," said Clara sourly.

"Hey, the doctor said that was not my fault," Noel countered.

“He only said that because he liked you,” said Clara. “I still don’t know why you didn’t go out with him.”

“He was too uptight,” said Noel. “You know me, Claire-Bear, I like guys that are at least a little bit free spirited.”

“Uh huh,” Clara murmured.

“Besides, do you really what some guy interrupting our movie nights?” Noel asked.

“We don’t have movie night every night, Mom,” said Clara. “We may cuddle on the couch to watch a chick flick, but every woman needs someone to ‘cuddle’ with in a different way. Mom, I love you, but we’re not doing that.”

“I am doing perfectly fine on my own,” Noel replied, causing her daughter’s eyes to widen.

“Oh, God!” she exclaimed. “Really? I didn’t need to know that.”

“That is not what I meant,” Noel said quickly. “I just meant that I don’t need a man in my life to be happy. I have you and that’s enough.”

“I know, I just… I mean, one day… eventually, I’ll… I don’t want to live in Mistbrook Falls my whole life, Mom. I want to see the world one day. I want to live somewhere exciting like L.A. or New York, but I… I couldn’t stand leaving you here all alone.” Noel smiled sadly and placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

“Clara, listen to me,” she said firmly. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be just fine if you decide you want to move away someday. I’ll be really happy for you so long as you’re living your dreams. Let me worry about my love life, okay honey?” Clara nodded just as smoke began billowing from the pan on the stove and the smoke alarm blared loudly.

“Damn it!” Noel exclaimed, glaring angrily at her burned chicken. “I was so sure I’d get it this time. I really think I might need cooking lessons.”

“Before you burn the house down,” said Clara airily, bringing a smile to her mother’s face. “Should I order a pizza?”

“Sure,” said Noel, throwing the ruined chicken into the trash. “I’ll clean this up and then we’ll have that movie night. You pick this time.”

“Cool,” said Clara. She pulled out her phone and dialed the pizza place. The house phone rang as she ordered and Noel answered it. The conversation was brief, but Clara could tell by her expression that whoever it was hadn’t brought good news.

“I got the pizza order in,” said Clara when Noel hung up. “What’s wrong? Who was that?”

“Um… that was my boss,” said Noel quietly. “Someone… someone at the bank accused me of sexual harassment. I’m suspended until they finish with the investigation.”

“Are you serious?” Clara exclaimed angrily. “That’s ridiculous! Anyone at that place should know you’d never do any like that. Who is this person that’s saying this stuff? Are they a client or a co-worker…?”

“A client, I guess,” said Noel uncertainly. “Apparently, they didn’t want to leave their name. They just left their initials… J.T.G.,”

“Oh…” said Clara, her heart dropping into her stomach. “Oh, well… well, it’ll all work out. They’ll see you didn’t do it and… and it’ll be fine.” Clara rushed over and pulled her mother into a tight hug, hoping all the while that she couldn’t feel her furiously beating heart.

“You should go wash up for dinner,” said Noel when they broke apart. “The pizza will be here soon.”

Clara went upstairs, her heart beating so fast she was sure it was going to explode. JTG couldn’t do this, she wouldn’t allow it. That crazy bitch was not going to do anything to her mom. If the psychopath wanted a war, Clara was damn sure going to give her one. She was, until she shoved open the door to her room and slammed her purse down on her bed. She sat down to take off her shoes and noticed a simple sheet of notebook paper folded in half lying on her nightstand. She picked it up and unfolded it. It took a tremendous effort for her not to scream. A simple note written on it in a hand she didn’t recognize. The message, however, was quite clear.

You don’t get to quit playing, Claire-Bear. This is my game and you don’t get to change the rules. But I’m going to change them right now… and it’s all because of you. Game on, bitch --JTG

20: Chapter XX: ...And Your Frenemies Closer

Monday morning dawned bright and clear, but with a cool bite to the air. Snow stood in front of her full body mirror, examining her appearance. It was a new day and Snow was determined to make a fresh start. She was newly single and although she felt a pang of heartache whenever she thought of it, there was a good feeling there as well. She felt… free.

In a way, she felt rather bad about that. When she really thought about it, she realized that she never expected them to last forever... but she hadn't ever imagined that they would have gone down so spectacularly in flames either. Jackson had been her first boyfriend. She had dated him for two years and in that time he had never held her back or limited her in any way. He had never told her she couldn’t do something or go where she pleased. He hadn’t been overly clingy or jealous… so why did she feel so free? Perhaps the fact that Jackson was the only person she had ever dated was the reason. She had never experienced just going out on dates. She had always had a boyfriend. Now that she didn’t, she could date whoever she wished.

And yet, she found she had no desire to date anyone at all. She was quite happy, at least for the moment, to not have anyone else that she had to involve in her life. She didn’t have to worry about keeping someone else happy or making sure she spent enough time with them. She could just worry about herself for a while. She considered that such feelings might make her seem completely self-centered, but right then she didn’t care.

She brushed her hair back away from her shoulders, modeling the knee-length navy blue dress she wore. It would do, she decided, as she selected a pair of strappy sandals from her shoe rack and slipped them on. She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs to the empty kitchen. Kayla and Ariana had gone into the city for ‘date night’ on Sunday, leaving Snow with the run of the house. She had hoped they would be back before she left for school, but as she hurriedly spooned cereal into her mouth and the clock ticked closer and closer to the first bell, it seemed less and less likely.

Soon enough, Snow had to leave. She locked up the house and hurried out to the garage. She had just dropped her bag into her Mustang when she spotted something strange on the other side of the room. Many years earlier, back when her parents had first met, Ariana had bough Kayla a car. It had been Kayla's dream car, a blaze orange 2013 Mclaren MP4-12c. In it's day, it had been an extremely high end performance car. By 2027 it was easily outstripped by more modern vehicles, but Kayla had always kept it and on rare occasion even took it out of the garage.

On that day, the cover that was draped over the old car had been partially pulled back, revealing part of the front fender. Snow walked over and tucked it down securely before returning to her own car and backing down the driveway. She drove across the sleepy town and arrived at school a few minutes before the start of class.

She grabbed her bag out of the passenger seat and started toward the school. As she walked she spotted Clara sitting on the curb near the school. The blonde was staring blankly at the ground, seemingly unaware of anything going on around her.

"Hey," said Snow as she approached, drawing the other girl's bloodshot gaze. "What's wrong?" Snow sat down on the sidewalk when Clara didn't reply. "Clara, what is it? What happened?"

"You were right," Clara whispered. "JTG... she... she retaliated. She found out I blocked her number and she... she got my mom in a lot of trouble at work. She's been suspended for sexual harassment."

"Well, that's stupid," said Snow, shaking her head. "Clara, it'll be fine. There's no way JTG can make those charges stick. It didn't happen so she's got no proof and even if she did she'd have to reveal herself to use it. Your mom is going to be fine, honey."

"That's not all," said Clara. She was trembling and Snow knew she had never seen her look so scared. "JTG left a note on my nightstand. She was in my house, Snow."

"My God," Snow breathed, holding a hand to her mouth.

“I can’t do this, Snow,” said Clara weakly. “We can’t do this anymore. I unblocked her number, but… we can’t keep doing this. We can’t fight her, not if she’s willing to break into our houses and frame our parents. This is a whole new level and we’re not equipped to handle this.”

“So, what? Do you want to go to the police? You and me could end up in jail, and Mary definitely would. The only way this comes out is if we tell the truth, Clara. We’d have to tell all of it. If we do that, we’re all in a lot of trouble.”

“If we don’t then who knows what JTG will do to us,” Clara argued. “If she’ll break into my house… she could kill one of us, Snow.”

“If we tell the police about this it won’t help us catch JTG,” Snow said calmly. “We’ll just be the ones in trouble.”

“We’re already in trouble, Snowy,” Clara whispered. “Snow… I’m scared.” Snow wrapped her arm around the blonde’s shoulders and pulled her close.

“That’s good,” she told her. “I’m scared too.” Clara wiped her eyes and slowly stood to her feet.

"We should get to class," she said weakly. Snow nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so." Clara and Snow made their way into the school and wound their way through the rapidly emptying hallways. They reached the English classroom just as the bell rang. Mr. Winston, the English teacher, looked up at them as they entered.

"You're almost late, ladies," he admonished them.

"So we're not late then," said Clara, causing Snow to grimace. Mr. Winston's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak just as Snow did the same.

"She's sorry, sir," Snow said hurriedly. "She's having trouble today. She's... she's... on her period. She'll be awfully moody for a while."

"Right," said Mr. Winston dryly. "Please take your seats." Snow and Clara took seats near the back of the class, right behind Mary and Nikki.

“’On her period?’” Clara hissed as they sat down.

“Well, I had to say something,” said Snow, glancing at Mary and Nikki, who had turned around to face them. “You know how stern Mr. Winston can be. Being snarky with him isn’t going to help anything.”

“What’s up with you two today?” Nikki asked, exchanging a glance with Mary.

“We’ll tell you after class,” Snow whispered, unwilling to try and explain all that Clara had told her in a hushed whisper under the watchful eye of their English teacher. Nikki looked as though she might press the issue, but Mr. Winston stood up before she could.

“One week in," he said, pacing slowly back and forth in front of them. "One week into this school year and I haven't given a single pop quiz. Until today. We've been reading King Lear by William Shakespeare this past week. It’s a truly tragic tale. What are some of the prominent themes of the story?" Many students raised their hands, Snow included. Mr. Winston's eyes scanned the class a moment before settling on her.

"Ms. Austin?"

"Betrayal," Snow said immediately. "Regan and Goneril betrayed King Lear and Edmund betrayed Gloucester and Edgar."

"That's a good one," said Mr. Winston. He narrowed his eyes. "Why did you pick betrayal, if I may ask?"

"Well, it's the central theme, isn't it?" Snow asked. "Lear's eldest daughters were consumed with their desire for power and ended up tearing apart their family chasing it down. Edmund was just like them... obsessed with power. In the end, it destroyed everyone."

"That's very good, Ms. Austin," said Mr. Winston. "But you forgot perhaps the most important instance of betrayal there is. At the very beginning, Cordelia is betrayed by none other than the title character. King Lear foolishly dismisses his most beloved daughter because she cannot find the words to describe just how much she loves him.

"She loved him so much that she couldn't translate the feelings into words," he continued, strolling slowly between the rows of desks. "Lear valued his treacherous daughters' false expressions of love, but was angered by Cordelia's true demonstration of it. His values were skewed and that, I believe, indicates that at the core of every single betrayal lies a skewed set of values."

"So... whenever someone betrays someone... they do it because their values are skewed?" Nikki asked curiously. Mr. Winston paused and turned his gaze toward her.

"I think so," he said with a shrug. "Of course, I'm just an English teacher and not a psychiatrist. What do I know? Anyway, we're a bit off topic. Pop quiz, my children! Let's get cracking."

By the end of class, Snow was already very tired and they had algebra next. Wearily, she stood to her feet when the bell rang and slowly trudged behind her friends as they left the classroom. Mr. Winston, however, called her back.

"A moment please, Ms. Austin," he said. Snow sighed and told the others to go ahead without her.

"Yes, sir?" She asked when her friends were gone. Mr. Winston sat behind his desk and looked up at her, pursing his lips.

"Ms. Austin, your performance in this class before my arrival has been exemplary," he said lightly. "You've gotten straight A's throughout your entire high school career, and yet on the first essay I assigned..." He drew the essay out of his briefcase and placed it on the desk in front of her. They had gotten their grades back the previous Friday and Snow had been disappointed in her result.

"I know, I got a B," Snow said quietly. "That's like failing for me, I know that. I just... since Sara died, I just..."

"Yes, Sara..." said Mr. Winston quietly. "Snow, I'm very sorry about that. I know she was a very dear friend. Have you... spoken to anyone about what you're going through? I know that can be hard, but with your grades slipping..."

"I've talked about Sara more than enough," said Snow a bit more harshly than she had intended. "I don't need to talk, or get a tutor, or see a therapist. I don't need a do over or special treatment. I need to grieve for my best friend. I need time, Mr. Winston. If my grades slip during that time, then okay. My grades will slip. Good grades won't bring Sara back. There are more important things in life than high marks and the honor roll.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” said Mr. Winston kindly. “I know you’re going through a hard time. That’s why I wanted to speak with you. I wanted to encourage you to continue to be the student I know you to be. Any loss is difficult, but don’t let it destroy everything you’ve worked for. I never met Sara, Ms. Austin, but I’m sure she wouldn’t want that.”

“No,” Snow said softly. “Um… if that’s all, can I go? I’m gonna be late for class.”

“Of course,” said Mr. Winston. He stood and walked her to the door, guiding her with his hand pressed against the small of her back. If Snow hadn’t had so much on her mind, she would have found this strange and uncomfortable, but as it was she barely even noticed. She paused at the door and turned back to him.

"I disagree with you, by the way," she said pointedly. "About King Lear... what you said about betrayal. I don't think everyone who betrays someone has misguided values. Some people just make mistakes." Mr. Winston smiled thoughtfully at her before shrugging.

"Well, like I said, I'm just an English teacher," he told her. "You should get to class." Snow nodded and walked away. She never saw the English teacher watching her from his classroom door as she made her way down the hall and out of sight.

Snow met up with her friends in front of Mary’s locker. They were talking together in a hushed whisper and she immediately knew what they were discussing. Clara was obviously telling them what JTG had done the previous night.

“…but if JTG’s sneaking into our houses to leave messages...” Mary was saying fretfully as Snow approached. “How do we fight that?”

“We don’t,” said Nikki with a shrug. “I thought we were up against a school bully that knew too much, but this…”

“Doesn’t change anything,” Snow said firmly. “It’s scary, I know, but what else can we do? JTG knows all of our secrets. If we go to the police then everything comes out. If we keep playing JTG’s game at the very least we stand a chance.”

“Not a very big one,” said Mary nervously. “But… I’ve got a lot to lose here. If you’re still up for keeping our secrets secret, then I am too.”

“We’re all in this together,” Snow said firmly. “All five of us… right?”

“JTG may know all of our secrets, but so do we,” said Mary. “We’re all each other has right now.”

“We don’t all know each other’s secrets,” said Clara, her eyes flickering toward Nikki. “I don’t like that you’re keeping secrets from the rest of us. If Snow’s right and we’re all in this together then we shouldn’t have any secrets from each other. We’re friends and we have to be able to trust each other.”

“She’s right, Nikki,” said Snow quietly. “If we keep secrets and tell each other lies, JTG can use that to tear us apart. We can’t afford to turn on each other. Not now. You should tell her.”

“Wait,” said Clara, turning to Snow with disbelief on her face. “You know now?”

“She guessed,” said Nikki quickly. “Back at the warehouse, she… she figured it out but I made her promise not to tell anyone. I… Okay, I’ll tell you. Just… not here. We’ll talk about it after school, okay?”

“Fine,” said Clara. “But Snow’s right. We’re in this together. If one of us goes down… we all do. If we go to the police then we’re all in trouble. If we can beat JTG at her own game, then maybe we won’t be.”

“We just have to play by the rules,” said Snow. “JTG only went after Clara’s mom because she blocked her number. I don’t think she’ll bother anyone else as long as we do what she says.”

“So we let her blackmail us?” Mary wondered.

“Until we figure out who she is,” said Snow weakly. “Yeah… what other choice do we have?” The bell rang before any of them could answer.

On their way to the cafeteria for lunch after math class ended, Snow saw someone that she had been doing her best to avoid at the end of the hall. She paused, knowing it was time to girl up and do what she needed to do. She told the others to save her a seat and hurried down the hallway.

Up until that moment, Snow had never gotten a good look at Emilia Banks. They did not, as Emilia’s father had so eloquently put it; reside in the same social circles. Snow had never paid her much attention before, but as she approached the girl she took in every detail she could.

Emilia was tall, much taller than Snow. She had long, straight, deep black hair and emerald eyes. Those same eyes widened and her ebony skin flushed when she saw Snow approaching. She took an involuntary step back and nearly tripped over her own feet.

"Oh God," she breathed before Snow could even introduce herself. "Oh no... Oh God... Snow, oh... no, Ms. Austin... uh, Lady Austin..." She curtsied rather awkwardly. "They call you the queen around here. I, uh... you're going to destroy me, aren't you? You could, I know. Everyone knows how influential you are. Oh, no... oh, no... Oh, please. I'm so sorry. I... I... I..."

"Stop," said Snow firmly, utterly perplexed by Emilia's reaction. Jackson hadn't mentioned that she was so nervous and easily flustered. There was some part of her, a small part, that wondered what had drawn him to her. She wasn't even that pretty. The second she thought it, Snow regretted it. She wasn't like that. She didn't think of people like that... or at least she never used to. "I'm not here to yell at you or convince the school to hate you."

"Oh..." Emilia said softly, letting out a long breath and holding a hand to her chest. "So... so, what did you find me for? You... after what I did with Jackson, I was sure you... wait... you know about that, right? I didn't just make things worse..."

"No, I knew," said Snow. "Jackson told me everything. It's okay, Emilia. I'm not mad at you. Jackson and I... we've broken up, but we're on good terms. We're still friends. You don't have to be scared of me."

"Well, I am," said Emilia nervously. "You... you and your friends are so beautiful and glamorous and popular. You're so intimidating."

"Me?" Snow asked, shocked. "Tiny, short little me? I've been called a lot of things, dainty most recently, but never once has anyone ever said I was intimidating."

"Maybe not people you talk to," said Emilia. "But for commoners like me, you and your clique are pretty scary. People would pay just to get a 'hi' from you in the mornings. It would raise their social status. If you want to make someone a social outcast, you could do it. You and Sara..."

"Sara was a very different person than I am," said Snow sharply. "For one, Sara would have erased you if you slept with her boyfriend. She most definitely could intimidate someone if she wanted to. We were different like that, but... but I don't want to talk about Sara. I just... I wanted to say hi and... uh..." She realized right then that she hadn't actually taken the time to think about exactly what else she might say to Emilia if she ever followed through on her promise to talk to her. "Uh... maybe you'd like to get some coffee sometime?” She regretted that the instant she said it as well. She hadn’t planned on doing anything more than simply saying hello, but now that she had made the offer she could hardly take it back. Somehow she imagined that it would break Emilia’s fragile little heart. “I hang out at the Mistbrook Barista a lot, but my friends aren't really into it. I just thought you might..."

"Did my dad put you up to this?" Emilia deadpanned, looking extremely embarrassed. Snow swallowed nervously.

"Uh... technically... yes," Snow admitted. "He said you really admired me and my friends and that if I talked to you it would make you happy. The... the coffee idea was all mine though."

"He shouldn't have asked you to do that," Emilia moaned. "Oh, no... oh, I'm so embarrassed. Oh gosh, I... I'm so sorry for him, he... he..."

"Don't... do that," Snow insisted. "Please, don't do that. Look, if you want to get the coffee, I'd be happy to go with you. To be honest, I could use a new friend or two."

"I'd love to," said Emilia as calmly as she could. Snow thought it looked like a lot of really hard work.

"Cool," said Snow. "I guess I'll meet you there after school." Emilia nodded nervously, but she was smiling. As odd as it felt to have what amounted to a fan girl, she couldn't help but smile when she realized she might very well have just made Emila's day.

-.-

Clara, Mary, and Nikki weren't particularly supportive of Snow's plan to spend the afternoon with Emilia and insisted she come with them to Clara's house where Nikki would be sharing her secret with Clara. Snow, however, was determined to make good on her promise and drove across town to the small coffee shop. The Mistbrook Barista, simply called the Barista by most of the townsfolk, was an old fashioned sort of place with rickety tables and mismatched chairs. There were a variety of crocheted doilies on many of the tables and the carpet on the floor was made up of a number of varying prints and patterns.

Snow came to the Barista often. It was a quiet and peaceful place where she could catch up on her reading or chat with some of the other regulars. She went up to the counter and ordered a cappuccino. While she waited, she glanced around the room to see who else was there that afternoon. She spotted Steven sitting off by himself in a secluded corner. He had a book laid open on the table in front of him, but he wasn’t reading it. Instead, he was busily texting someone. Moments later, he put his phone aside and went back to his book.

Snow’s coffee arrived just then and she reached into her purse to find money to pay for it when her phone chimed. She finally found the cash and handed it over. She took her coffee and pulled her phone out of her back pocket. She almost dropped the cup when she read the message.

Making play dates with your boyfriend’s slut, eh Snowy? I was hoping for a bloodbath. Well, maybe someday –JTG

She never would have made the connection in a million years if she hadn’t glanced across the room at Steven. He was watching her closely with a thin smile on his face. He raised his hand and waved at her. Snow waved back, sinking slowly into a seat near a window. Her mind was racing and her heart was pounding. It couldn’t be… it was impossible. She knew him. They were friends. He wouldn’t do this to her… to any of them. She didn’t want to even entertain the idea, but it took hold in her regardless. She couldn’t help but wonder if JTG might be none other than Steven Williams.

Suddenly, she was so angry that she started to stand up and go confront him. A betrayal like this, for JTG to be someone she considered a close friend… no, that couldn’t stand. But as she started to rise, Michael entered the shop and she fell back into her seat. She hadn’t seen Michael since the night of the party and Sara’s murder, but she distinctly remembered Sara’s cryptic warning that she still had mentioned to no one; stay away from Michael.

She would have done just that. It seemed to be a good idea, after all. Michael, however, seemed to have other ideas. When he was finished placing his order, he turned around and upon seeing her, he made his way over.

“Hey, Snow,” he said uncertainly. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” she said, surprised at his concern and rather frightened by him even though he had never done anything to her or even been anything but nice to her. “I’m just here meeting a friend.”

“Oh, cool,” said Michael. “I’m picking up an order for me and Brad. We’re doing some work on my pool house, but we’re taking a break. Brad’s not a beer fan, so coffee it is.” He sank down into the chair opposite her.

“So…” he said quietly. “How have you been doing? I mean, since Sara…”

“I don’t want to talk about Sara,” Snow said hurriedly. “I’m sorry, I just… I don’t like to talk about her.”

“Well, that’s understandable,” said Michael. “I get it, you know? It’s hard… losing someone you care about. Especially being the one to find them... It’s not easy.”

“Have you ever lost someone you loved?” Snow asked before she could stop herself. Michael nodded slowly, seeming very sad.

“My sister,” he said solemnly. “She, uh… She was three and she… we had a pool in the backyard and she… I was twelve and I was supposed to be watching her. I turned my back for a second and she… I found her lying face down in the water. She drowned and I…” He broke off, shaking his head.

“That… that wasn’t your fault,” said Snow, not entirely sure how to respond. She barely knew Michael and he was sharing something that clearly caused him a great deal of pain. “You were just a kid. Your parents shouldn’t have left you alone to watch her.”

“It was still my fault,” Michael insisted. “I killed her. That’s on me. But like I said, I know what it feels like to lose someone you love. It hurts and… I’m really sorry that it happened to you.”

“Thanks,” said Snow. Michael’s coffee order was ready by then and he stood up to get it.

“Um… if you ever do feel like talking about Sara… maybe to someone who doesn’t really know you all that well… Just give me a call,” Michael offered, giving her a thin smile. Snow nodded uncertainly.

“Yeah,” she told him. “Thanks.” Michael smiled again, took his coffee and left. Snow watched him go, feeling very confused. Sara, or whoever had been in her room that night, had insisted that she stay away from Michael. However, he seemed perfectly nice to her. She knew his reputation, but he hadn’t seemed nearly as bad as people made him out to be. He hadn’t hit on her or anything like it. He had been quite friendly and she could see no reason to intentionally avoid him… and that was when she remembered.

She had spoken to Michael at his party, this she already knew. She had been standing by the fireplace, in the very spot where Sara had been murdered. Sara had gone somewhere… to the bathroom. It had been the last time she had seen Sara alive. She had waited there for her to come back, but she didn’t. Michael came downstairs and talked with her, but only for a few moments and then he had gone outside… and then she had blacked out.

It was the first time she could remember the exact moment she lost consciousness. It had been mere moments after Michael left the room. She knew it had been around that time, but couldn’t remember exactly. Even so, he couldn’t possibly have been the one that did it. Her drink had been in her hands the entire time, so unless Michael was some supernatural being that could make people fall asleep she was sure he hadn’t had anything to do with it.

That, of course, still raised the question of who did. Sara, who had been left alone with her cup… or perhaps even worse… had JTG been at the party? Reminded suddenly of her suspicions about Steven, she looked back into the corner where he had been sitting, only to discover that he was gone. She sighed heavily and leaned back in her seat, her head beginning to ache.

She sipped her coffee in silence, hoping that Emilia got there quickly. Snow wanted nothing more than to be warm and safe in her bedroom. Of course, it was pretty clear that even the sanctity of their own homes was no longer safe from the prying eyes of their tormentor.

21: Chapter XXI: The Fault in Their Stars

Ariana ran up the stairs to the front door of her house, fingers trembling as she fumbled for her key. She tried desperately to force the door open and finally managed it as she heard the rapid footsteps on the path behind her. Leaving her keys in the lock, she raced through the entryway and dashed into the kitchen. She ducked behind the bar to hide, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure the sound would give away her hiding spot.

She heard the footsteps come to a stop at the base of the stairs. They paced back and forth a few times before turning toward the kitchen. Wasting no time, Ariana darted through the side door into the dining room and from there she rushed toward the den. She had just managed to slip inside when a hand grabbed her arm.

“Gotcha!” Kayla exclaimed, pushing a furiously giggling Ariana backwards onto the sofa. “Damn, you’re fast.”

“I had to be,” said Ariana with a smirk. “You remember what Snow was like when she was little. I had to keep up with her somehow.”

“That is a very fair point,” said Kayla, straddling Ariana’s hips and smiling victoriously down at her. “Now, I think we should get back to what we were doing before someone ran away.”

“Don’t you dare,” Ariana warned, but Kayla ignored her and proceeded to tickle her mercilessly. Ariana shrieked and tried fruitlessly to stop her wife’s relentless assault.

“You are a bad girl, Kay-Kay,” Ariana said breathlessly when Kayla at last stopped her attack. “Very bad.”

“The worst,” Kayla agreed, leaning down and capturing the redhead’s lips in a deeply passionate kiss. “And you love me for it.”

“I wouldn’t have you any other way,” Ariana confessed, still breathing heavily. Ariana rolled onto her side and Kayla squeezed in behind her, wrapping her arms around her wife’s slender frame.

“Mmm, don’t ever let me go,” Ariana whispered, settling back into Kayla’s embrace.

“Never,” Kayla promised.

“Good,” said Ariana. She took a deep, relaxed breath. “I had fun this weekend,” she added as Kayla took her hand in hers.

“Me too,” Kayla replied. “It was good to get away for a while. We didn’t have to think about…”

“Don’t,” said Ariana pleadingly. “Please, this is too perfect. Just… please, don’t Kayla.”

“I’m not,” said Kayla softly. “I just… It’s just always on my mind, you know? I don’t want it to be…  I wish I could lay here with you and just be right here in the moment, but all I can think about it how many more times I’ll get to hold you like this. One day soon you’ll be gone and I’ve got to figure out how to deal with that.”

“I know,” said Ariana gently. “I know how hard this is for you. I know you…”

“I want to fight this, Ari,” said Kayla in a firm voice. “I know you said you didn’t want treatment, but… but baby, we need to fight this thing. I know we’ve been told it’s hopeless, but honey you and I both know that there are supernatural forces in the world…”

“And none of them are going to help me,” said Ariana. “Remember what Destiny told us? My job, the things I was destined to do… I’ve done them. Destiny can’t just pop back in and save everyone that’s dying. People have to die, Kay-Kay. We all have to at some point. Nobody gets to live forever.” The sigh Kayla let out was one of resigned defeat.

"I know," she said in a weak voice. "I know. I'm just trying to..."

"You're trying to save me," said Ariana. "That's what you do. I've told you before, you can't save me this time. Right now, I'm more worried about you than me. If you do what you did when Dwayne shot me, I..."

"I won't," said Kayla firmly. She sat up, pulling Ariana up with her. She fixed her wife with a stern stare, but her eyes were brimming with tears. "Ari, I won't go that far. When... when that time comes... I'll be okay. I'm going to break down. I'll fall apart and for a while... I know I'm going to lose my mind, but... but I'm going to take it second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. Eventually, one day, I'll be okay. Snow and me both... we will be okay. I don't want you worrying about us."

"I always worry," said Ariana, lacing her fingers through Kayla's. "But... I believe you. I really do. I think you can handle it, and I know you'll take care of Snow."

"Of course, I will," said Kayla. "We'll take care of each other. We always do."

-.-

Across town at the Barista, Snow was still waiting for Emilia to arrive. She had been waiting for nearly a half hour and she was beginning to hope that Emilia would be a no-show and she could rush over to Clara's house and let her friends in on her latest suspicions.

Steven. How could he be JTG? She didn't have any solid evidence to work with, just convenient timing. A million people could have been sending texts at the exact same moment. Should she be suspicious of every one of them? And then there was the fact that JTG would surely be more cautious and not send her vicious texts at coffee shops in broad daylight.

Of course, JTG was obviously very bold. She was attempting to frame Clara’s mother for something she didn’t do. So perhaps she would be bold enough to send her malicious texts in front of the whole world. It wasn’t as though anyone could see what she was doing, after all. Snow knew that she had to do something about Steven and she was just debating between asking Jackson to talk to him or doing it herself when the door opened and Emilia came inside, looking quite flustered. She scanned the room for a moment before she found Snow and hurried over, anxiety written all over her face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said breathlessly when she reached Snow’s table.

“It’s okay,” Snow said kindly, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t curtsy again. “Here, sit down. Have a cookie.” She pushed a plate of chocolate chip cookies that were provided free on the table toward Emilia.

“Oh… thank you,” Emilia said, taking a cookie. She took a bite and shrugged.

"It's not bad," she said idly. "I like the ones from Game of Scones, that bakery down the street." Snow nodded idly, unable to think of anything interesting to say about cookies.

“So…” said Snow uncertainly, taking a sip of her coffee. “You, um… Your dad said that you were a big fan of me and Sara and my friends. What about us makes you so enamored?” It only occurred to her after she asked the question that it might seem rude of her.

“Oh… oh, I… I don’t know,” Emilia stammered. “You’re all just so… so beautiful and glamorous…”

“You clearly haven’t seen Clara in the morning,” said Snow with a smirk.

“No... no, I never have,” Emilia said nervously. “I… I guess in a way I was kind of jealous of you… of all of you. Sara too, she… she was so gorgeous and tall and… and… she would just look right through me… like I wasn’t even there.”

“You know… the more I think about Sara, and I mean really think about her… I can see that she wasn’t as perfect as I remember,” Snow confessed sadly. She wasn't sure why she was talking about Sara to a total stranger that had slept with her then boyfriend, but it really was. “You said that me and my friends are so beautiful and glamorous, well it was Sara that brought the others into our group. She helped them fit in with us. She made them feel special. Sara was good at making people feel special, but I’m starting to realize how often she made people feel like crap.”

“She did,” Emilia said quietly. “I… I tried to talk to her once… at the park, I tried… I thought… she seemed so nice, but… but she just told me to leave her alone. She told me to go away and never talk to her again. She was so mean and rude, I… I don’t see how you were friends with her. You’re so nice and kind to me, and she… she was just awful. She really de…” She broke off, looking highly apologetic. “I’m sorry. She… she was your friend and I’m saying all these terrible things about her. Oh… oh, no. Oh, you hate me now, don’t you? Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any of it, I… I…”

“You did mean it,” said Snow stoically. She could piece together the rest of her sentence without much difficulty. She really deserved what she got. It was a hard thing to accept; that at least one person felt that Sara had deserved to die. Snow was coming to see that Sara was far from perfect and that she didn’t always treated people the right way, but to deserve to be murdered? No, that wasn’t true. No one deserved to die like that, especially not her best friend. “You meant every word,” Snow went on. “But the thing is… she was rude when she told you that. She… she should have treated you better and I’m sorry that she didn’t. But she didn’t deserve to die. Whatever she did, whoever she was… she was my friend and she didn’t deserve that.”

“No… no, I know… I’m sorry, Snow,” Emilia wailed, drawing the glances of curious patrons. “I… I shouldn’t have said that. That was awful of me to say. I… no, of course she didn’t deserve… and I really didn’t mean… I just, I… oh, no… oh, no, oh I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so terrible…”

“I know you didn’t,” said Snow. She shook her head wearily. “Sara… could be cruel, I’ve come to realize. The person I thought she was… the person she showed me… wasn’t who she really was.”

“What’s making you think that way?” Emilia asked. Snow shrugged.

“A lot of little things,” Snow replied. “Things my friends have told me… what you just said… things that I look back on that Sara did and realize she might have an ulterior motive than what I thought. I see now that she picked certain people to make feel special. The people she liked… she’d look at them and they would feel like they were important because Sara blessed them with her gaze. But then people like you, someone who idolized her, she completely ignored. I wish I knew why. Suddenly… I feel like I didn’t even know her."

"Maybe... maybe you didn't," Emilia suggested quietly. Snow nodded absently.

"Yeah... maybe I didn't," she muttered. She cleared her throat. "I didn't plan on talking about Sara, but since I've shared some painful stuff here then so can you. There's something I've been wondering... you and Jackson. How'd that happen?" She was being blunt and she knew it. It was rude, but she really wanted to know how things had progressed between them. She couldn't ask Jackson, not now, but she could ask Emilia.

"Oh, I... I shouldn't talk about that," said Emilia quickly, looking if possible more nervous than she had thus far. "I... I... I..."

"You don't have to be so scared," said Snow gently. "Look, Emilia, if I wanted to ruin your reputation or convince the rest of the school to blackball you, I would have done it by now. I just... want to know. If you don't want to tell me, that fine."

"No, I... I... I'm sorry. I'll tell you," said Emilia. "I just... oh... oh... okay. I was at this party. I didn't want to go, but a couple of my friends dragged me out. It... it was a pretty wild party and I... my friends kept telling me to loosen up and giving me drinks... I... I... I didn't realize who he was when he started talking to me. He was drunk too and he seemed really sad and angry. I... I... I don't really remember what happened. We just... Things happened and... and I... I... I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Emilia," said Snow. It was no better or worse than she had imagined. It hurt just as badly as it had before. She felt just as betrayed as she ever had, but at least she had the truth. She no longer had to imagine what had happened. It was a form of closure and maybe that was something.

“You know, I…” Snow began, but was interrupted by Emilia’s phone chirping softly from her pocket. She pulled it out apologetically and glanced at the screen. Her expression grew dark as she put her phone away.

“I… I need to go,” she said quickly. “My dad needs me home right away.”

“Are you okay?” Snow asked concernedly. “Emilia… was that text really from your dad?” Emilia looked at her, clearly confused.

“Of course,” she answered. “Who… who else would it be from?” Snow swallowed thickly, unsure if she should do what she was thinking of doing.

“Um… Emilia, do the letters JTG mean anything to you?” If Snow had been expecting the girl’s eyes to widen with shock and for her to exclaim that she too had been getting mysterious texts, then she was sorely disappointed. Instead, Emilia simply shook her head looking very confused. She then left after making plans to meet up again on another day, leaving Snow sitting alone at her table perhaps even more confused that she had been so far.

She sat there by herself for a few minutes, deep in thought. The afternoon hadn't gone the way she had planned, but it had certainly given her plenty to think about. Steven could be JTG, Michael was an enigma wrapped up in a mystery, and Emilia... Snow didn't even know where to start with her newest 'friend'. One moment she seemed terrified of everyone and the next she was raging up a storm about Sara. Then there was the possibility that she had gotten a message from JTG. Snow knew the message was very likely from her father, just as she had said, but the possibility was there and she wasn't willing to just ignore it.

It seemed that the afternoon wasn't quite finished giving her things to think about. Just as she stood to leave, Sara's dad Rick came into the shop. Snow gave him a smile as she headed for the door, wondering how many people she knew would visit the shop that day. Rick, however, didn't just smile back but called out to her.

"Hey, Snow," he said, causing her to pause reluctantly. "Hey, I... I was just wondering if you'd given any thought to helping me clear out some of Sara's things. I'd really like to get that taken care of as soon as possible."

In truth, Snow hadn't thought about it very much at all. With JTG on the warpath, clearing out Sara's bedroom had been low on her list of priorities. Now that she was face-to-face with Rick, she knew she needed to give him an answer. She almost said no, that she had no interest in helping, but before she did a sudden thought occurred to her. If there was any evidence that Sara had known about JTG prior to her murder, that information would surely be in her room. If anyone else searched that room and found it, or even didn't realize what it was and threw it out...

"I'd be happy to help, Mr. Masterson," said Snow with a pleasant smile. "Can my friends come?"

-.-

“Damn it, Barry, that’s not good enough,” Sophia complained to a beat cop who had been quietly questioning the local townsfolk for any information about Sara’s murder. It wasn’t working. “That’s not nearly enough to go on.”

“No one seems to know anything,” said Barry, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m sorry, we’re doing our best but… this case is getting cold fast.”

“I’m well aware,” Sophia snapped. “If it weren’t, I wouldn’t have traffic cops harassing the locals.” She sighed heavily and tugged free the elastic band that held her blonde locks back behind her head. She shook her hair loose exasperatedly and stood up from her desk.

“I’m sorry, Barry,” she said quietly. “I’m just… really on edge lately. I want to get this guy.”

“We all do,” said Barry, patting her gently on the shoulder. “Trust me, no one’s giving up until we get him, okay? Don’t overwork yourself. It’s not helping you and it isn’t going to help us catch this prick any faster.”

“I know,” said Sophia tiredly. “Thanks, Barry.” He smiled and left her office. Sophia slowly paced back and forth, thinking. Barry had good intentions, but he was wrong. They had nothing. There were no leads to follow, no evidence to analyze, no witnesses to interview. The case was going cold. It wouldn’t be publicly declared such, but that was what was quickly happening. A murderer was getting away and there was nothing she could do about it.

“You look miserable,” said Alana, appearing quite suddenly in the doorway.

“Thanks for the support, Mom,” said Sophia dryly, beckoning her mother into her office. “What are you doing here?”

“What? Can’t I visit my little girl on the job? See how the detectives do their thing?” Alana asked with a smirk.

“Lately I haven’t been doing much of anything,” said Sophia. “We don’t have anything left on the Sara Blake case. Literally, there’s nothing. We’ve left no stone unturned and we’ve come up empty. Whoever did this is going to get away with it. I… I promised Snow I’d get the bastard, but…”

“You can't work miracles, Sophie," said Alana gently. "If the evidence isn't there... I know you did your best and Snow will understand. Besides, a new clue could come up one day and you'll be there to follow it."

"I just feel like I'm letting everyone down," said Sophia softly. She dropped her gaze to the floor, feeling very ashamed. "Everyone was so proud when I made detective and I've completely blown my first case."

"Oh, baby," said Alana, reaching out and taking her daughter's hand. "It's not your fault. No one else has managed to catch the killer either. You've done an amazing and thorough job. You've worked long hours and done everything you possibly could. No one else could have done any better." Sophia nodded, but she didn't feel any better.

"Okay, we're getting you out of here," said Alana firmly. "You need to relax. We'll go to the Underground and have dinner."

"That actually sounds amazing," said Sophia with a small smile. They left the police station and drove across town to the Underground, a local hotspot that often served as an after school hangout.

That evening, the Underground was rather quiet and almost empty. It's dark walls made to resemble the inside of a cave made the occasional cracks of the pool balls from the two teens playing the game off to the right echo loudly. Sophia and Alana ordered sandwiches and found a table in a secluded corner to wait.

Within moments the door opened and Brad Reynolds came in, looking rather tired. He went up to the counter and ordered a drink. While he waited he surveyed the room and when his eyes settled on the mother daughter duo, he smiled.

"Oh, hell..." Sophia groaned when she noticed him watching them.

"What?" Alana asked curiously, glancing over her shoulder at Brad.

"That's Brad Reynolds," Sophia explained. "He was a suspect in Sara's murder, but Snow's friend Mary swears she was with him the whole night."

"Mary was with Brad?" Alana gasped. "I've heard about Brad... I can't believe someone like Mary would be hanging around him."

"Well, she says they were together," said Sophia. "They've got a solid story for where they were and what they were doing. Of course, she's also got a good story about how she just so happened to find an extremely valuable pair of earrings that were stolen from Zoe's jewelry store. She turned them in to Zoe last week and said she just found them. That's tough to believe."

"Yeah, but Mary wouldn't have stolen them," said Alana firmly. "C'mon, you know Mary. She's the sweetest kid in the world."

"I know," said Sophia with a shrug. "Here's the interesting part of it though. The store was robbed on the same night Sara was murdered, right? What if Mary and Brad robbed the store instead of hanging out at Mary's house like they claim?"

"If you really believe that, why aren't you following it up?" Alana wondered. Sophia sighed heavily and shook her head.

"Because I can't prove it and Snow would hate me for going after her friend," she replied. "I know it's my job, but... with everything those girls are dealing with, I just can't do that to them. Zoe's happy she got her earrings back and she isn't interesting in pursuing it further. I'm letting it go, but I can't stop another detective from taking the case and looking into it."

"And if they do?" Alana asked.

"Well, they'll have to prove I did something wrong," said Brad, who had approached silently and unnoticed. "Hey there, Sophie. You trying to get me in trouble again?"

"Not right now," said Sophia coldly, glaring at him. "I told you not to call me Sophie. We aren't friends. We're trying to have dinner, so if you don't mind."

"Alright, easy Ice Queen," said Brad, grinning. "I just wanted to say hi. This is your mom, right? Alana Austin? It's a pleasure."

"It's nice to meet you, Brad," said Alana, shaking his hand while Sophia glowered.

"Brad..." Sophia growled. Brad smirked at her.

"Damn, Sophie, you are sexy when you're angry," he smiled even wider. "Those flushed cheeks, piercing eyes... wow. You're also pretty hot when you're in super cop mode too, like that day you came running around Mike's house with your gun out. Hot as hell."

"I'm going to tase you if you don't go away," Sophia warned him. Brad shrugged unconcernedly.

"Alright, I'll go to my side of the bar then," said Brad. "I'll see you around town, Beautiful. Oh, you should keep your hair down like that. It's sexy that way instead of tied up all the time. Momma Austin, a pleasure." He kissed Alana's hand and strode away. Sophia shook her head wearily while Alana watched her with a sly grin on her lips.

"What?" Sophia asked her. Alana hesitated, glancing after Brad.

"He's really into you," she told her daughter. Sophia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying, sweetheart. That boy is crazy about you. I'm a wedding planner, I know these things." Sophia didn't reply and soon enough their sandwiches were ready. They chatted idly as they ate, but for some reason she couldn't quite explain Sophia's eyes occasionally flickered over to where Brad sat enjoying his beer.  

22: Chapter XXII: What Sara Knew

“There's no way its Steven," said Clara after the moment of stunned silence that followed Snow sharing her suspicions with the other girls in Clara's bedroom. She slipped off of her window seat and sat down on the edge of her bed. "C'mon, Snow, it's Steven. He wouldn't do this to us."

"You thought I was JTG and I thought you were," Snow reminded her, pacing nervously back and forth across Clara’s thick and fluffy yellow area rug. "We both suspected Nikki and Mary. Honestly, right now I don’t trust anyone outside this room other than Jackson and my moms.”

“But Steven though?” said Nikki uncertainly from her position on Clara’s bed. “He’s always been so nice and he’s Jackson’s friend.”

“Friends turn on each other,” said Mary quietly, speaking for the first time since Snow had started sharing her fears about Steven. She leaned forward in her chair, chewing her lower lip. “I don’t think we should rule out anyone at this point. I think we should talk to him. If he isn’t JTG, then he could still be willing to help us. If he is…”

“Then… what?” asked Nikki. “We’re spending so much time trying to figure out who JTG is, but have any of you thought about what we do after that? JTG knows all of our secrets. If we turn her… him… it… whatever. If we turn whoever this is in to the police, they’ll tell them everything about us. We’ll still be in trouble.”

Snow had to admit that she hadn’t considered what they would do when and if they found out JTG’s identity. Nikki made an excellent point. If they turned JTG in she would doubtlessly take all five of them down with her. She could see no way around that. If JTG went to prison, all of them would have to pay for it.

“We… we’ll worry about what to do with JTG once we figure out who she is,” Snow said at last. "For the time being, we need to focus on finding JTG. After that, we'll do what's best for us.” She looked around at the distraught faces of her friends and wondered what she could possibly say or do to reassure them. That had always been Sara’s job. Snow was no longer certain that she had ever actually been sincere in those reassurances, but they had worked nonetheless. Sara had always been the Queen Bee and if she, Snow, was to take her place then she needed to do what Sara would have done.

“Guys,” she said quietly. “We’re gonna get through this. We’ll find JTG and stop her. We’ll be okay, we all will. I promise.” She sighed, suddenly remembering that Steven wasn’t the only topic they needed to discuss. “Oh... I almost forgot. Rick, Sara's step-dad, asked me again about helping clean out Sara's room and I volunteered us. I was thinking the other day at the warehouse... what if JTG killed Sara? Or at the very least, what if JTG was in contact with Sara before she was murdered?"

"Hold on, we... we think JTG is killing people now?" asked Mary, her voice trembling.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Clara muttered. "This bitch is crazy, so... yeah, I could see it. We started getting the messages right after Sara was killed. Maybe she knew something or... maybe she figured out who JTG was and she was killed so JTG could keep her secret."

"I can't... I... I can't do this," Nikki whimpered. "I never thought JTG would physically hurt us, but... but if she killed Sara..."

"We don't know she killed Sara," said Snow calmly, trying again to ease their fear. "It's just... a possibility I thought of. JTG probably had nothing to do with it, but in the event that she did, we need to know. This will be the only chance we’ll get to search her room for clues without looking suspicious. We’re supposed to be going through her stuff, so that’s exactly what we’ll do. I told Rick we would come by tomorrow after school. If there’s anything there to find, we’ll find it.”

-.-

The girls stayed over at Clara’s house that night. They all felt safer being together, the group that knew all the secrets. Whenever they were away from each other, they felt very much alone. The four of them all slept cuddled in Clara’s bed. There wasn’t really room, but they made it work.

At school that day, Snow met up with Jackson and expressed her concerns about Steven. At first he adamantly defended his friend, but at last admitted that he had, in fact, told Steven about his night with Emilia. They eventually agreed to confront Steven together at some point in the near future, once they decided how best to do it.

After the final bell of the day rang and classes were dismissed, Snow and her friends made their way over to the Blake house. It was similar in size and style to the Austin house right next door, but the atmosphere even on their trek up the path to the front door was altogether different.

The air itself was heavy as they walked along the path from the sidewalk to the front porch. The house, mostly in shade due to a large oak tree in the yard, was shrouded in darkness. It gave the entire property a dark and foreboding feel. The usually immaculately manicured front lawn had gone slightly to seed and needed mowing. There were a number of weeds growing unhindered in the flowerbeds and even a few through cracks in the concrete path. At the base of the stairs were a handful of newspapers that no one had bothered to bring inside. The girls climbed the stairs and Nikki rang the doorbell. Within moments the door eased open and Rick appeared, smiling slightly.

“Hello, girls,” he said, standing back to let them in. The followed him inside, stopping in the foyer. The interior of the Blake house was exactly as anyone who knew them would expect it to be; very, very rich.

While both the Austin and Blake homes were in the same price range, it wasn’t uncommon to see things out of place or messy at the Austin’s. Their house was very well lived in and it looked that way. The Blake house, meanwhile, looked as though no one had lived there in a very long time. In fact, it looked virtually untouched inside.

The furniture resembled displays in a high end furniture store. Absolutely nothing was out of its proper place. From the bookshelves that lined one of the living room walls to the collection of pans that hung from their rack in the kitchen, everything was the image of complete and proper order.

“Thank you so much for coming,” said Rick, before the girls could venture too far into the house. “I’m really anxious to get this going. Michelle is… well, I don’t know if you’ve seen her recently, but she isn’t handling Sara’s death well at all. She’s… well, you’ll see when you get up to Sara’s room. No one’s been in there since she died. Michelle’s got it locked up like some kind of shrine, I… I don’t think it’s healthy.”

“What do you want us to do, exactly?” asked Mary.

“Well, I just want you to take anything of hers you might want,” Rick explained. “Clothes, jewelry… whatever. Sara’s gone and keeping all of her things like this isn’t going to bring her back. So… yeah, that’s pretty much it. I wanted to let you go first in case there was anything special of hers you might want before I start donating things.”

“I think we can do that,” said Snow quietly.

“Good,” said Rick, smiling. “And please, take anything you want. Clothes, furniture… I don’t care. I just want to help my wife grieve and start to move forward.”

It was a very somber moment when the four girls went upstairs and Snow slowly eased open Sara’s bedroom door. It was pretty clear that no one had been in there since the night of Sara’s death. An assortment of clothes lay scattered on the bed, evidence of Sara’s usual confusion over what she should wear. The rest of the room, unlike the house itself, looked very lived in. There were bits of paper scattered over Sara’s desk and her closet door was half open. It looked as though Sara had just stepped out of the room for a moment, not out of their lives forever.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Snow said sadly. She and Sara had spent a lot of time in this room. They had laughed and joked there, watched movies and shared secrets. To go back into that room again brought all the pain of Sara’s death back to the surface again and she started crying even as she went over and set about sorting through the clothes on Sara’s bed. Mary and Nikki went quietly to Sara’s closet while Clara slowly approached Snow and gave her hand reassuring squeeze.

“It’s okay, Snowy,” she whispered. “It’ll be okay. I know this is hard, but… you can do it.”

“I know,” said Snow, wiping her eyes. “I… I know. Thanks, Clara,”

“You bet,” Clara replied. “Now, let’s get this thing started.” She went over to Sara’s radio and found a local station playing a wide mix of songs. Together, they set about searching Sara’s room. They looked through her closet, under her bed, and in every drawer they could find. They found nothing of interest in relation to JTG, but they managed to help by clearing out Sara’s clothing which would be donated to a local charity as none on them could imagine wearing their dead friend's clothes.

Snow decided to keep Sara’s desk, not because she needed a new one but because they had carved their initials in the hard wooden surface years before. Sara had always called it their 'secret desk' because they had always sat underneath it to share secrets as young girls.

Clara suggested they take Sara's laptop and spend some time looking through it to see if there were any references to JTG. Snow volunteered to keep the computer at her house, wishing as she put it into her school bag that they could have found Sara's phone. It had disappeared after Sara's murder and no one had been able to locate it. That, Snow knew, was the piece of evidence they really needed. It would prove, once and for all, if Sara had been contacted by JTG.

When they were halfway done boxing up Sara’s clothes, they took a break and fell back across Sara’s bed to rest. The four friends lay there staring up at the ceiling in silence, just listening to the music flowing through the room.

“Sara would hate us donating her clothes,” said Nikki after a moment.

“Yeah, she would,” Clara agreed. “That girl loved her wardrobe.”

“She always looked fancy, even in jeans and a t-shirt,” Mary reminisced. “She was always so… put together, no matter what she was doing.”

“’Beauty is more powerful than any weapon,’” Snow said quietly. “’A beautiful seductress could lure the keys to the universe from God himself.” When the other three looked at her with wide eyes, she grinned and added; “That’s something Sara told me once.”

“Sounds like Sara,” said Nikki with a sad smile. “She could be vain like that.”

“Yes, she could,” said Clara. “She could be vain, and cold, and even heartless sometimes… and not a day goes by that I don’t wish like hell she’d walk through that door.”

“Me too,” said Mary.

“Me too,” Nikki chimed in.

“I think we all do,” said Snow softly. The other girls nodded as the song on the radio came to an end. They started to get up and go back to work when the radio host started talking and his words froze them in their tracks.

“Hello all you listeners out there in Mistbrook Falls,” he said. “This next one is a listener request. It’s an old classic that’s going out to Snow Austin from her best friend JTG. I hope you like it, Snow.” Snow turned to stare at her friends in confusion and dismay as the song started to play.

I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart

In my heart I have but one desire
And that one is you
No other will do

“Snow…?” said Mary nervously, exchanging frightened glances with the other girls.

“How… how did she know we were even listening to the radio?” Nikki asked fretfully. Snow shook her head wordlessly as the song continued.

I've lost all ambition for worldly acclaim
I just want to be the one you love
And with your admission that you feel the same
I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of

Believe me

I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart

Snow reached out and turned the radio off. She held a hand to her chest and turned back to the others. They were staring at her with wide, terrified eyes. As much as she might think it was her job to comfort them, in that moment she had no idea what she could possibly say. JTG, however, seemed to not be quite done because her phone chimed. She pulled it out of her pocket with trembling fingers.

I don’t want to set the whole world on fire, Snowflake. Just yours… and I’ve got just the secret to do it with –JTG

-.-

That night, Snow seriously thought she might be on the verge of a mental breakdown. This, everything with JTG, it was simply too much. She lay on her bed, her mind switching from a blur of intense thought to blissful blankness. She didn't know what secret JTG could have been talking about, and that scared her more than anything.

She wanted to once again go over her notes on JTG, but she couldn't get her mind to focus. Instead, after hours and hours of lying in bed and unable to sleep, she took out Sara's laptop and turned it on. It powered up and the welcome screen appeared, waiting for her to input the proper password. Snow spent half an hour attempting various words that she thought Sara might use, but was never able to gain access.

She sighed heavily and placed the laptop on Sara's desk that she and her friends had moved into her room earlier that day. She sat down on the edge of her bed, holding her head in her hands.

"What did you know, Sara?" Snow asked the empty room. "I know you knew something. You must have, but I..." And then she remembered the one thing she had just known she had forgotten. It was, perhaps, the most important thing she could have remembered. She had overheard Sara on the phone that night… the night of Michael’s party...

“I don’t need security, I need answers,” Sara was saying. “I’m going to get proof that I can actually use and when I do I’ll need your help. Uh huh… yeah, of course tonight. When else would I have time or that much access? No, you just be ready. I’ll meet you after the party, once I’m sure she’s safe.” Snow entered the room just as Sara hung up the phone. She turned and froze when she saw the girl standing in the doorway.

“Oh… hey, Snow,” said Sara nervously.

“Who were you talking to?” Snow asked, her eyes narrowed with confusion. The conversation had made no sense to her. Snow didn’t know of anyone Sara would talk to like that. She almost sounded like she was some sort of spy.

“Oh, that?” Sara shook her head. “That… that was nothing, Snow. Don’t worry about it.”

“It didn’t sound like nothing,” Snow pressed as Sara continued to look nervous and fidgety. “It sounded like something serious. What’s going on, Sara? You can talk to me, you know that.”

“Not… not about this,” she said quietly. “I can’t, okay? Not yet. I know I’m not making much sense and that you’re worried, but… everything’s going to be okay. I’ve just got to do something tonight while we’re at the party. It’ll be really easy and only take a few minutes. That’s all I can say. Just… trust me, Snowflake.”

“I do,” said Snow slowly. “I do trust you, Sara, but you’re scaring me.”

“There’s nothing to be scared of, okay?” Sara insisted. “You’ll be fine, I’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about so… so let’s just enjoy the party, huh?”

“Swear to me everything’s okay,” said Snow, her eyes shining with tears. “Promise you’re not doing anything stupid or dangerous.”

“Snow, I’m not doing anything stupid or dangerous,” Sara promised. “Honey, I’ll be fine. Nothing is going to happen to me, okay?”

“Nothing is going to happen to me, okay?” Snow heard the words as though Sara had just spoken them. God, how wrong she'd been. This was obviously what had gotten her killed. Whatever Sara was doing that night been the cause of her death. Snow couldn't begin to guess what it was, or who she had been talking to on the phone, but she did have a clue where she needed to start.

Sara had mentioned having access to something, clearly something in Michael's house. Whatever she was doing must have involved Michael to some degree. In spite of Sara's warning, Snow decided she had to talk to Michael again. She had to get close to him and see what she could learn. Maybe she had been talking to him on the phone, or perhaps he was her target that night and he had killed her. She couldn't be sure, but she was certainly going to find out.

She stood and walked over to Sara's desk, smiling down at the initials carved into it. The engraving was surrounded by a rough heart and the memory of making it brought a smile to her face. She would never be sure what made her do it, but she ran her fingertips across the engraving and as she did so the engraving depressed much like a button and a small click sounded deep inside the desk. A moment later, a loud sliding sound emitted from beneath the desk.

Snow pulled out her chair and crawled under the desk. A panel on the underside had slid back to reveal a hidden compartment. Inside, she found a thick yellow envelope. It was sealed with tape, but there was no writing anywhere on it. She went to her bed, tore it open, and dumped its contents onto her bedspread. She leapt back in shock and surprise as bundles of hundred dollar bills poured out across her bed. She did a quick count and discovered that one bundle held two thousand dollars. There were five bundles and each one was the same thickness. Snow was holding ten thousand dollars.

Snow stood, despite being very tired, and began to pace. Ten thousand dollars…? It made no sense. Why had Sara hidden all this money? For what? Where had she even gotten it? Surely she hadn’t asked her parents for it. Snow had hoped that searching Sara’s room would provide her with answers. Instead, it had only created new mysteries.

Wearily, Snow stuffed the money back into the envelope and returned it to its hiding place. She had no guesses as to why Sara had been hiding so much money or what she had intended to use it for. Did it have something to do with whatever she had been planning to do at Michael’s party? Or perhaps Sara was just saving up to buy her own house, given how much she hated living with her parents. As with all the other mysteries in her life, she had no answers. She did, however, know where she had to start; with Michael Comstock.

 

 

23: Chapter XXIII: Confrontations

It was very early on Wednesday morning when Brad arrived at Michael's house. He parked his truck in the circular driveway and grabbed his toolbox from the passenger seat. He got out set off around the side of the house. It was a cool, clear September day and Brad had no desire to be working, but he had no choice. He had sworn to do as Michael needed him to, whenever he needed him. It was his duty and he was honor bound to uphold it.

Brad walked through the freshly cut grass along the side of Michael's sprawling estate. He passed the pool house and wide pool, the surface of the crystal clear water as smooth as glass. He reached the back door and pulled it open. He crossed the kitchen and dropped his toolbox off on the counter. He had just grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and popped it open when he heard voices arguing in the living room. He leaned back against the counter to listen.

"I did exactly as you asked, Emily," Michael said angrily. "I did what you wanted me to do. I said we should have told her, but you didn't..."

"She wouldn't have understood," Emily shot back. "I barely understand and I've seen what you do with my own eyes. I had to protect her, Michael."

"By lying to her? Emily, I... I don't have time for this. I did what you wanted me to do. If you can't handle that now, that's your problem. We could have told her the truth... we could have told her everything, but instead you insisted that we keep it all a secret. According to you, she already hated you so who gives a damn if she hates you that much more now?"

"I never wanted her to think that I..."

"That you what?" Michael snapped. " Whatever she thinks about you, it's on you, Em. I followed your lead. If it's a problem now, it's yours to deal with. Now, we had a deal and I expect you to keep up your end. I helped you, you keep your damn mouth shut... and she better keep hers shut too."

"Or what?" Emily demanded. "You'll kill me?"

"I think you know me better than that," said Michael in an oddly calm voice. "I may be many things, Emily... but I am not a murderer. Now, get the hell out of my house and don't ever come back. I've got work to do." Emily stormed off through the kitchen, not even glancing at Brad as she passed him. Brad rolled his eyes as Michael appeared in the doorway.

"I assume you heard all that?" Michael asked him.

"Only because I was standing in here eavesdropping," Brad retorted. "What the hell was that about?"

"It's nothing," said Michael harshly. "Nothing important, anyway."

"Fine, don't tell me," said Brad, shrugging. "I don't give a shit. I guess you two aren't together anymore?"

"No, not for a while now," said Michael. "Don't you ever talk to your cousin? I figured she told you."

"As far as Emily is concerned, I don't exist," said Brad indifferently. "So, no. I don't talk to her and to be honest you're better off without her."

"Yeah..." said Michael wearily.   

“So…" said Brad, when Michael said no more. "Did you manage to talk to Snow?”

“I did."

“And?” Brad pressed. “What do you think?”

“She’s cute,” said Michael. “Big doe eyes, an incredible rack… and my God, those full, pouty lips. To think what she could do to me with those…”

“You’re a dick,” Brad snapped, rolling his eyes again.

“What?” said Michael, shrugging. “That’s what most people in this town think of me. I might as well maintain the illusion.”

“Maintain it on your own time,” said Brad. “Do you think she’s the one?”

“Possibly,” said Michael, shrugging once again. “She’s beautiful with plenty of sex appeal. She’s young… and a natural redhead, which gives her a unique element. She’s everything he’s looking for.”

“Is she a virgin?”

“Surprisingly, that topic didn’t come up during our five minute conversation,” said Michael coolly. “Besides, assuming she’s the one, the real one, it won’t matter.”

“If she’s the one, we need to act now,” said Brad quickly. “I mean right now. If she’s the one he wants, then we need to go get her.”

“Not so fast,” said Michael firmly. “I don’t want to jump the gun on this. We don’t know for sure she’s the one. We need to investigate her further. We… we need a plan to get close to her.”

“Well, you managed it once,” said Brad. “Do it again. Speaking of which, what did you say to her, anyway? You’ve spoken to her, what? Once before?”

“I told her about my sister,” Michael said solemnly.

“Oh…” said Brad, suddenly quiet. “Damn, that’s…. Hey, I… I’m sorry, Mike.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “It worked, that’s all that matters. It made her feel connected to me, I think. I told her if she ever needed someone to talk to, I was willing to listen. Maybe I can use that and see if she would be willing to return the favor. Maybe she would talk to me if I told her I needed to talk about my sister.”

“Do whatever you need to, so long at it works,” said Brad. “Find out for sure she’s who we’re looking for, and if she’s the one then we’ll bring her in.”

“And be one step closer to finishing this thing,” Michael added. “Once and for all.”

-.-

Kayla walked down the stairs and across the hall to the kitchen, stretching as she went. It was early on Wednesday morning and smells of bacon frying downstairs had awoken her. She ambled sleepily into the kitchen and found Ariana placing a plate of bacon and eggs in front of Snow, who looked oddly forlorn.

“You okay, Snowy?” Kayla asked, slipping an arm around Ariana’s waist and kissing her. “Morning, Cupcake,” she added to her wife.

“Yeah, I… I’m fine,” said Snow quietly. “I’m just dealing with a lot right now. School and Jackson…”

“What’s going on with Jackson?” Ariana asked, supplying Kayla with a plate of her own.

“We… we’re on a break,” said Snow, taking a bite of bacon. “We’ve broken up.”

“Aww, honey,” said Ariana, swooping down upon her daughter worriedly. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah… yeah, actually, I am,” said Snow. ‘About that, anyway’ she thought furiously.

“So, what happened?” asked Kayla. “Did he find out about you and Sara?”

“You told her?” Snow demanded of Ariana, who nodded shamelessly.

“Kayla and I don’t keep secrets from each other,” she said plainly. “We tell each other everything.”

“Well, okay… yeah, he found out. Then I found out about him and Emilia. He cheated on me too.”

“Damn,” said Kayla dryly. “I knew I didn’t like that guy.”

”Do you want us to hate him, sweetie?” Ariana asked her daughter. “We can hate him if you want us to.”

“We can go a step further and get even with him,” said Kayla. Her eyes widened suddenly and she snapped her fingers. “We could kick him in the balls.”

“As funny as that would be, Momma, I don’t want to hurt him,” said Snow sincerely. “We… we’re okay, really. The break up was mutual. It’s something we both decided on our own and agreed it was the best thing. Things weren’t the same between us and we knew it. I don’t want you guys to hate him.”

“But can I still kick him…?” Kayla began, but broke off after a look from Ariana. “What?” she asked as Ariana rolled her eyes. “I’m just trying to help.”

“And in different circumstances, I’d be happy to go with you and kick him too,” said Snow. “But really, we’re still friends. We’re doing fine.”

“If you’re sure, Snowy,” said Ariana. Snow nodded vigorously.

“I’m sure, Mom,” she replied. “I’m sure.”

After breakfast, Snow left the house and made her way out to her car. It was a cool morning and the feeling of autumn was in the air. The last days of summer were fading quickly, and soon enough the thick snows of winter would be upon them. Snow didn’t mind and not just because it was the weather event she was named for, but because she truly liked snow. Mistbrook Falls was beautiful when it was covered in snow. It reminded Snow of Christmas cards.

But winter was still a couple of months away and she knew those months would seem like years with everything going on in her life. Between school, Sara’s murder, and JTG stalking their every move, Snow barely had time to breathe. She would have thought that would make time fly. So far, it had not.

Snow pulled into the parking lot and found a space. She eased her Mustang into the spot, grabbed her bag, and headed for the school. She had hoped to meet up with Jackson and the other girls before class to discuss the money she had discovered in Sara’s desk. She hadn’t managed to come up with any new ideas about how Sara might have gotten the money, or what she had intended to use it for. She hoped her friends might be able to shed some light on the topic. Jackson, however, had other ideas and intercepted her before she even reached the front door.

"Hey, Snow," said Jackson, strolling up to her. "I’m going to confront Steven before class. Are you ready?”

"Am I ready to accuse a good friend of being our stalker?" Snow asked, rolling her eyes. "No, not really."

"I can do it," Jackson volunteered, sounding somewhat uncertain. "I mean... if you don't want to be there..."

"No, I need to be there," said Snow firmly. "I told the girls that I would handle it, so I need to handle it. I'll be okay, I just... I hope it's not him."

"Me too," Jackson said sincerely. "Me too."

Together, Snow and Jackson tracked down Steven on his way into the bathroom just before the bell rang to signal the start of the morning classes. Sort on time and in need of a private place to talk, they followed him in.

"Get out," Snow snapped at a freshman who was washing his hands. He jumped when he noticed her and rushed from the room.

"It's good to be queen, isn't it?" Jackson asked her, drawing a smile to her lips. Steven, upon hearing Snow's voice, poked his head out of his stall.

"Snow...? What the hell are you doing in here?" he demanded.

"We need to talk, Steve," said Jackson. "We need to ask you something... something important."

"Uh... right now?" Steven wondered. "I'm, uh... kind of in the middle of something."

"Put it on pause, this is important," said Snow sharply.

"Okay then..." said Steven, emerging from the stall. "Uh... what's going on?"

"Are you JTG?" Snow demanded, deciding that beating around the bush would likely get them nowhere.

"J... what?" Steven asked bemused, glancing back and forth between Snow and Jackson. "What the hell is that?"

"JTG," Jackson repeated loudly. "We don't know who it is, but they've been texting us since Sara died. They're threatening to expose secrets that we'd rather not get out."

"And you think I'm doing it?" Steven asked, a note of hurt evident in his voice. "C'mon, really? Me? Why would I do that?"

"I saw you at the Barista on Monday," said Snow. "You sent someone a text at the same time I got a message from JTG. Whoever sent it knew where I was and what I was doing."

"And that automatically makes me your stalker?" said Steven incredulously. "I'll be a lot of other people were sending texts then too." He rolled his eyes and took out his phone. "Here. Take a look and see if I've been sending any of the texts you've gotten." Jackson took the phone and scrolled through the messages. He shook his head slowly and held the screen out so Snow could take a look. There was nothing there to see as far as Snow could tell.

“Is this the phone he was using?” Jackson asked her, scrolling through the messages again himself. Snow shrugged.

“It looks like it, but I wasn’t all that focused on the phone,” she replied. “What do you think, Jacks?”

“Innocent until proven guilty,” he said with a sigh. He passed the phone back to Steven. “Sorry, buddy.”

"I... I'm sorry, Steven," said Snow delicately. "I... you've got to understand, I... we're all just really scared and I... I overreacted."

"No, you didn't," said Jackson firmly. "I know I gave you a hard time about accusing Steven, but... you were right. We can't trust anyone just because they're our friends."

"Look, it’s fine, Snow," said Steven reassuringly, shoving his phone into his pocket. "I get it. If someone was stalking me, I'd be overly cautious and scared too."

"Still, I shouldn't have automatically assumed it was you," said Snow, embarrassed. "We've been friends for a while, and I didn't even have any real proof."

"So... this guy that's stalking you," said Steven uncertainly. "What's he got on you? What does he want for his silence?"

"Different things on each of us," said Jackson. "JTG doesn't have anything on me right now. My secret was that I cheated on Snow, but on Snow and the others..."

"I'm sorry, others?" Steven asked. "Who's all involved in this?"

"Other than us, just Mary, Nikki, and Clara that we know of," said Snow. "I'm wondering if... well, if maybe Sara might have been one of JTG's targets too. I'm thinking JTG might have killed her."

"Since when?" Jackson demanded, looking quite shocked. "You never mentioned that to me."

"It's a recent development," said Snow. "There's a couple of things I need to talk to you and the girls about. It’s about Sara.”

“Okay, well then let’s find them and you can tell us,” said Jackson. He turned to Steven. “Listen, I’ve got to run take care of this. I just want to say… we’re really sorry about all this, I…”

“Don’t worry about it, man,” said Steven dismissively. “We’re cool. If you need any help catching this bastard, you let me know.”

“No,” Snow said sharply. “Steven… if you aren’t one of JTG’s targets, you’ve got to stay out of it. If you help us, JTG will come after you. In fact, pretend we never had this conversation. It’ll be better for you if you forget all about this.”

“Hold on,” said Steven. “You guys are my friends. I’m not just going to leave you to deal with some psychopath on your own. I might be able to help you track this guy down.”

“Steven, I mean it,” said Jackson seriously. “We’ll all be better off if you don’t get involved. So long as JTG isn’t targeting you, you need to ignore this. It’ll be…” But he was interrupted by the sound of his and Snow’s phones chiming. They took them out, exchanging nervous glances with each other before reading the message.

Wrong again. I won’t be that easy to catch. Kisses, bitches –JTG

-.-

“So, what does Steven think?” Nikki asked when she and the others all gathered beneath a tall oak tree during their lunch hour.

“We told him to stay out of it,” said Jackson. “It’ll be safer for him that way.”

“JTG still knows we told him,” said Snow wearily, leaning against the tree with her arms folded. “She knows that he knows now. I don’t know what secrets he has, but JTG will be able to find them if she wants to.”

“What did you tell him to do?” Mary wondered.

“Lay low,” Snow replied. “We told him to pretend we never told him anything about JTG. Hopefully, if he keeps his mouth shut then JTG will leave him alone.”

“Damn…” muttered Clara, who had up until that point been pacing back and forth with her arms wrapped around herself. “Damn it, I was hoping it would be him. I was hoping he’d end up being JTG.”

“What?” asked Jackson, his eyes wide with surprise. “Why?”

“Because then this would be over,” she hissed. “We’d be done and this nightmare could end. I know we’d lose a friend, but at least we wouldn’t have to keep looking over our shoulders and finally be able to fall asleep at night.”

“Speaking of not sleeping at night,” Snow said grimly. “I didn’t get much sleep last night myself… not after what I found. Jackson, you weren’t there so I’ll start at the beginning.” Snow explained everything that had happened in Jackson’s absence. She told him about her fears that JTG might have killed Sara and about the frightening song and text JTG had sent as they searched Sara’s room.

“I’ve been thinking about that too,” Clara interrupted. “JTG knew we were listening to the radio. How? Unless JTG can turn herself invisible, which I’m starting to think she can, how could she have known we had the radio on? What if she’s actually a he… and he’s Rick?”

“Rick?” Snow repeated, surprised that she hadn’t even considered the possibility.

“He was the only other person home,” Mary said thoughtfully. “He could have been out in the hallway, listening to us… spying on us.”

“But why?” asked Snow. “Why would Rick want to stalk us and threaten us? How could he know all our other secrets?"

"The same way anyone else could," said Nikki nervously. "JTG could be anyone... even Rick. If some stranger could know all about us, he definitely could. He was there... it fits."

"Maybe," said Snow thoughtfully. "I just... I don't know Rick well, but I can't see him doing this. Still, as far as I'm concerned everyone is a suspect so we'll add him to the list and keep an eye on him. Anyway, last night I just kept thinking and thinking and couldn’t sleep. I went over to Sara’s desk and touched the place where we had carved our initials and… it’s like it was some kind of button or something. A hidden compartment opened and… I found an envelope that Sara had hidden. It had ten thousand dollars in it.”

“What the hell was Sara doing with ten grand?” asked Nikki.

“I don’t know, but I’m betting whatever it was had something to do with what else I discovered last night,” said Snow. “I remembered something from the night of the party. Sara was talking to someone on the phone before we left. I don’t know who it was, but she was saying something about needing answers and that she would never have better access than she would at the party.”

“Access… to what?” Jackson wondered.

“She wouldn’t say,” Snow replied. “She just said that she had something to do at the party. I don’t know what it was, but I’m betting it got her killed.”

"So, what do we do?" asked Mary. "We've got ten thousand dollars and Sara's mysterious quest at Michael's house. How does that get us any closer to finding JTG?"

"It gives us a place to start looking for answers," said Snow. "Michael's house and Michael himself. I ran into him at the Barista and we talked. He said he was willing to listen if I ever wanted to talk about Sara again and... and I think I'm going to take him up on it."

"No!" Mary exclaimed, far more loudly and vehemently than Snow would have thought possible from the usually soft spoken girl. "Snow, you... you can't do that. You can't talk to him. He's dangerous."

"I know he's got a reputation," said Snow. "But he seems okay. He told me about something really personal to him and he was pretty upset about it. I'll be..."

"Don't do this, Snow," said Mary, her eyes shining with tears. "Please, Snow. I'm begging you, don't go." Snow didn't understand Mary's reaction. Sure, Michael might not be the nicest, most upstanding guy in town but there was no reason Snow could think of that would cause Mary to react this way.

"Mary... sweetie, I appreciate you worrying about me," Snow said, squeezing her friend's hand reassuringly. "But I'll be fine with him. I can take care of myself and besides, I don't think he'd ever hurt me. I consider myself a pretty good judge of character, so don't worry so much."

"I'm more concerned about how you're going to get any information out of him," said Jackson, while Mary turned away looking utterly distraught. She made no further objections to the plan, but Snow could tell she was devastated. "You can't just ask him direct questions."

"It'll be easy for her," said Clara, marching over to Snow. She ruffled the girl's hair to give it a loose, windswept look. She unbuttoned the top three buttons of Snow's blouse and gave her breasts a very firm push upwards.

"I love the thought you're putting into this, Clara," said Snow dryly. "But I don't need to use my boobs to get answers. I'll use my brain and come up with something a little less humiliating."

"Fine," said Clara with a shrug. "But my way would be faster."

Snow was less than confident as she drove home after school. She didn't know how she was going to get answers from Michael, but she knew it would take some time no matter what she did... unless she followed Clara's advice, which she wasn't willing to do.

Then there was Mary who adamantly insisted that Snow avoid Michael. She had always known that Mary didn't like Michael, but she had never known her to be afraid of him.

Snow could see no reason to fear him, at least on the surface. Besides, this was their only option. If Michael knew something or was somehow involved then they had to find out. Still, as Snow dressed and prepared to leave on her quest she couldn't get Sara's cryptic warning out of her mind. Stay away from Michael.

 

 

 

 

24: Chapter XXIV: The Sword in the Darkness

“And by the end of the week, we should be looking at a pretty powerful storm system moving through the area. We’re expecting quite a bit of flooding and winds in excess of seventy miles per hour. We’ll be sure to track all of the severe weather as it approaches and keep everyone up to date at the storms develop. Spencer, back to you.”

Snow vaguely listened to the weather report as she dressed to go and visit Michael. She blatantly ignored Clara's advice and instead of dressing provocatively, she opted for a simple white tank top and a pair of jeans. Michael was, after all, much older than her. He was nearly 26 after all. She was hardly planning on seducing him into giving her information, although if Michael really was anything like people in town said he was she would admit that Clara’s plan might work faster than her own.

Still, Snow had another plan altogether. She was going to take a page out of Sara's book. She was going to lie to his face. She was going to pretend to be his friend and use that for her own gains. Right or wrong, she had to do it and it had to work. If it didn't... well, she supposed she could always take off her bra. She sincerely hoped it never came to that.

Snow arrived at Michael's house and parked her car in the circular driveway. She got out and walked up to the house, her heart pounding. The last time she had been here had been that night... Sara's last night alive. It wasn't lost on her that she could very well be walking up to the front door of the person that had killed her.

The fact that Michael could be the killer terrified her, but this was the only way she could find out. She had to face him. She reached the door and rang the doorbell. She stood back to wait and within a few moments the door swung open and Michael appeared, looking surprised to have visitors. He smiled, however, when he saw her.

"Hey, Snow," he said, pushing open the glass outer door. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh... I... well, you said if I ever wanted to talk about Sara that you would... I just thought..." Snow broke off, shaking her head. "I'm sorry," she continued, wiping a nonexistent tear from her eye. “I… I shouldn’t have come. I’ll… I’ll just go…” She turned and started to walk away, but before she had even reached the steps, Michael called out.

“Wait,” he said hurriedly. “No, I meant what I said before. If you want to talk then please, come in. Honestly… I wouldn’t mind talking to you myself. I don’t talk about my sister… ever. I just don’t, but with you it was so much easier. I didn’t hurt as much and I’d like to feel more of that… I mean, if you want to.” Snow nodded and Michael held the door open for her. She slipped inside and found herself in a wide foyer that she didn’t remember from the night of the party. They had gone into the house from the back door that night. She realized that she might not have even seen this part of the house before, considering the massive size of Michael’s home.

She followed Michael along the wide, darkened hallway and into the spacious living room. Snow purposefully avoided going near the fireplace when she took a seat on the sofa. It was there that she had found Sara stabbed and bleeding on the polished hardwood floor. She could scarcely believe that she was back in that room again.

“We can go somewhere else,” Michael said uncertainly, watching her closely. “If… if you’d rather not be in here since… well…”

“It’s okay,” said Snow quietly. “I… I’m fine. It might help, actually, being in here. There are parts of that night that I don’t remember too clearly. Maybe being here will help clear some of it up.”

“Could be it will,” said Michael. He sighed, watching Snow as she looked around the room. She hadn't really noticed much about Michael's house the last time she had been there. It had a very old feel to it, much like the rest of Mistbrook Falls. The room was dark with lots of dark but polished wood. It smelled slightly of cigar smoke and made Snow think of a meeting room at a highly exclusive men-only club.  

"So... do you like to hunt?" she asked, nodding toward the heads of various animals mounted to the wall above the fireplace. Michael shrugged and shook his head.

"Not really," he replied. "That's my dad's thing. He's big on hunting. He used to take trips all the time when I was a kid. Big game hunting in Africa and things like that."

"Oh," said Snow. She was terrible at small talk with people she didn't know. She cast around for something to talk about and noticed a long black sword glittering on the mantelpiece. "Wow, that sword is really cool."

"Yes, that's a veridium longsword," said Michael, walking over and lifting the blade from its stand. He sat down beside her and held it out to her, hilt first. Snow took the weapon and rotated it, taking in the beautiful jewels encrusted in the hilt and the oddly shimmering black blade.

"It's beautiful," said Snow quietly. "Where did you get it?" Michael considered her for a moment before he answered. He seemed to be seriously considering what he was going to say.

"Have you ever heard of the Holy Order of the Dawnguard?" Michael asked her.

"Yeah..." she said uncertainly, wondering where Michael was going with this. "They were an order of knights sworn to defend the world from demons. They didn't exist, of course, they're mostly just myth and legend that can be attributed to other groups such as the Knights Templar and the Freemasons."

"Well, what would you say if I told you the Dawnguard did exist and that sword belonged to the Grandmaster?" Michael queried. Snow arched her eyebrows.

"I'd say you're full of it," she said with a grin. "C'mon, a group of knights that went around fighting demons? You might as well tell me magic is real and dragons exist." Michael smirked and shrugged.

"You don't believe in magic?" he asked her very seriously.

"No," said Snow, her eyes narrowing. "I believe in what I can see, Michael. I believe in fact, proven fact. I believe what I can see and feel and touch. Magic, the supernatural... no, you'll never convince me of that. Oh, and before you ask; no, I don't believe in UFOs or Bigfoot or ghosts either." But you do said a small voice in her head. She had seen Sara, hadn't she? But no, she was certain that had simply been a dream. There were no such things as ghosts.

"Well, I believe in magic," said Michael, taking the sword and returning it to the mantelpiece. "But I don't think this is why you came here."

"No, it isn't," said Snow, shaking her head. "But you made me smile. I haven't smiled in a long time... but you managed to make me, so... yeah, I don't care why I came here. I just... like talking to you.” She wished she were lying, that had been her plan, but the longer she sat there the more comfortable and at peace she felt. In fact, she would almost say she felt happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been happy. She had good friends and family all around her, but somehow just sitting in a strange living room talking with Michael had managed to raise her spirits like nothing else could.

“Then let’s keep talking,” said Michael with a smile. He sat back down on the couch and leaned against the thick cushions. “We don’t even have to talk about Sara or my sister. We can talk about whatever you want.”

Snow had no idea what to talk about, but they managed to carry on a fairly pleasant conversation for quite some time. Michael was funny, but sweet at the same time. He really seemed to listen to her when she was talking and appeared genuinely interested in what she was saying. By the time Michael say he was going to the bathroom over an hour later, Snow had completely forgotten the whole reason she had come to his house in the first place.

She was supposed to be seeking information about Sara’s murder, but she hadn’t even broached the topic once. Michael wasn’t supposed to be her friend; he was a suspect… so why did she like him so much? He could have killed her best friend, so why did she want to stay and keep talking with him? It made no sense, but that didn’t stop it from being true.

She really did like Michael. There was a connection between them that she couldn’t deny and she knew he felt it too. It was a fast-developing friendship and in some ways it scared her. Could this man really have killed Sara or have had something to do with whatever it was she was planning on doing that night? She knew she should put her feelings aside and focus on her mission, but Ariana had often told her to always trust her feelings. They would never let her down.

-.-

“Hey mom, can Mary stay for dinner?” Clara called as she and Mary entered Clara’s house. The house was dark and very quiet and no response came to Clara’s shout.

“She’s home, isn’t she?” Mary wondered as Clara led the way down the hall toward the living room.

“Yeah, her car’s in the driveway,” said Clara. Noel was always bustling about the house when Clara got home from school, usually having just gotten home from work herself. Clara entered the living room and found her mother sitting in her favorite chair by the fireplace, a nearly empty bottle of whiskey on table beside her.

“Hell…” Clara muttered quietly. “Mary, I’m sorry but this is going to be a long night. She’ll be embarrassed if she knows you’ve seen her like this. I hate to…”

“No, it’s fine,” said Mary, shaking her head. “You take care of her. I’ll see if Nikki needs some company. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will, thanks,” Clara whispered. “Love you. I’ll call you later.”

“Love you too, Clara,” Mary replied. Clara crossed the living room as Mary retreated back down the hallway. Noel sat in her chair, her head bobbing slowly to music only she seemed to be able to hear.

“Hey, Mommy,” said Clara, kneeling down beside her and taking her hand. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Oh, Claire-Bear… I didn’t know you were home,” Noel said blearily. “I… I was just having a couple of drinks…”

“More than a couple from the look of things,” said Clara sadly. “You were doing so good. What happened?”

"I... I got fired," said Noel. "They said they couldn't afford that kind of controversy, so… so they let me go.”

“They can’t do that,” Clara exclaimed furiously. “You didn’t do anything wrong! They can’t fire you without proof.”

“Yes, they can,” said Noel. “They can do whatever they want in a case like this. They don’t need proof.” She reached for her bottle, but Clara got there first and moved it out of reach.

“I think we’ve had enough of that,” said Clara firmly. Noel looked up at her with tears in her eyes. She shook her head dejectedly.

“I’m sorry, baby,” she said stuffily. “I never wanted you to see me like this. I just… I needed to… I wanted…”

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for,” said Clara. “But you’ve got to promise me that you aren’t going to start drinking again. After Dad left, you went to a really dark place. I was scared and I don’t ever want to see you do that again. Besides, we’ll be okay. You’ll find another job and until then I can pick up some work after school to help out. The Barista’s hiring, so maybe…”

“I don’t want you to do that,” said Noel. “You… you’re not supposed to… I’m the mom, I’m supposed to take care of you.”

“And you do,” said Clara sincerely. “You take amazing care of me, you always have. But Mom, we’re a team. You and me, we’re a team. We’re in this together and we’re going to get out of it together.” Noel smiled and brushed her daughter’s blonde hair away from her face.

“You’re the best daughter anyone could ever ask for,” she said quietly. “Have I ever told you that?”

“No, but I’m going to make sure I remember you said that the next time you get mad at me for not cleaning my room,” said Clara, smirking. “Now, come on, let’s get you in bed. You’re going to want to sleep this off because you’re going to have one hell of a headache tomorrow.”

Clara helped Noel upstairs and into bed. Noel fell asleep the instant she lay down and Clara had to tuck the blankets in around her. She turned off the lights and turned to leave. She paused at the door and looked back.

“Night, Mommy,” she whispered, pulling the door closed behind her. She sank to the floor and rested her back against the door, no longer able to hold back her tears. She pulled her knees up to her chin, sobbing on the cold hardwood floor.

It was all her fault, she knew. She had pushed JTG and JTG has pushed back ten times as hard. She had cost her mother her job and by extension had caused her to start drinking for the first time in seven years. She felt horrible, but there was nothing she could do. This was her punishment. The price she had to pay for being so foolish. She should have known blocking JTG’s number would never work, her friends had even warned her that it wouldn’t. If she had just listened to them, none of this would have happened.

Noel already lived on a slippery slope. When Clara’s dad had left them seven years before, Noel had turned to alcohol to ease her pain and had fallen hard and fast. Clara had only been ten years old, but she would never forget the fear that she would lose her mother too. Fortunately, Noel had turned her life around. She got sober and found a good job at Geller and Greene National Bank. They had moved into a new house and the two of them had been perfectly happy ever since. Now, Clara was terrified that Noel would slip back into the darkness and she wasn’t sure how to help her if she did.

Her only option was to stop it before it happened. She wasn’t sure how to do that either, if she was honest with herself, but she had to try. She had to find a way to help Noel before it was too late and Noel went down a path of self destruction. She couldn’t lose her mother. She had survived losing her father and Sara both, but Noel… there would be no coming back for Clara if anything happened to her.

-.-

Snow was having a perfectly pleasant afternoon with Michael. They talked and talked about all manner of things, never tiring of their conversation. Snow managed to force her doubts and concerns down and forget all about her reasons for going to Michael's house, at least until he offered to go and get some coffee from the kitchen.

As Michael vanished through the doorway, Snow stood and circled the room. As she went, she examined the many animal skins and ancient weapons that adorned the walls. Sitting on a stand in the corner, Snow found an old but beautifully pristine record player. There was a record already on the player, as though Michael had recently been listening to it. She leaned over to see what sort of music he might like, but there was no label on the record.

“Hey, Michael, do you mind if I put some music on?” Snow called out.

“No, go ahead,” said Michael. “But if you’re looking at that record player, I don’t exactly have the most recent stuff. They don’t really make a lot of records these days, so I hope you like older music.”

“No problem,” Snow replied. “Personally, I prefer the classics.” She lifted the needle and placed it gingerly on the record. She backed away as music began to fill the room. It wasn’t until she had returned to her seat that she recognized the song.

I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart

In my heart I have but one desire
And that one is you
No other will do

“Oh, you didn’t change records,” said Michael, returning with two mugs of coffee in his hands. “Great. I love this song. It’s one of my absolute favorites.” He passed her a mug and leaned back, thoroughly absorbing in the music.

Snow sat there stunned and scared out of her mind. Her heart was beating so forcefully that she was surprised Michael couldn’t feel the vibrations through the couch cushions. That song? The same one JTG had specifically played for her? What were the chances of that? She didn’t get long to dwell on it because her phone chimed and her heart skipped a beat as it did whenever she got a text. She reached for her phone fretfully, but was wholly unprepared for what she saw.

I warned you to stay away from Michael. Now what am I supposed to do? You're making this all so much harder. I need you to start listening to me –S

25: Chapter XXV: The Calm Before the Storm

"Oh... hey, Mary," said Nikki when she answered the door. "I thought you were staying with Clara?"

"She had to cancel," said Mary. "Her mom's in pretty rough shape. I don't know what happened, but Clara had to take care of her. So, I thought you might want some company. Snow's off with Michael and if I'm alone that's all I'll think about, so..."

"Sure, if you don't mind being around my parents," said Nikki. "They're... well, you know what they're like."

"It'll be fine," said Mary. "I just don't want to be home alone."

"So you want to worry about Snow together?" asked Nikki, holding the door open and letting Mary inside.

"Something like that," Mary replied. She had been in Nikki's house many times, although they very rarely stayed there for long. Unlike Snow's house or Clara's, which were always welcoming, Nikki's was less so. Nikki's staunchly religious parents were extremely strict and harshly judged anyone that did not live according to their beliefs. 

This didn’t really bother Mary that much. She greatly valued the opinions of some people, but Nikki’s parents most certainly did not make that list. If they chose not to like her, that was their problem. She wasn’t going to let it upset her. She had more than enough trouble to deal with without worrying about them too.

Nikki led the way down the hall towards the living room, where Mary knew Nikki’s parents no doubt waited. Nikki’s house was a lot like Sara’s in that everything always seemed to be in order. Nothing was ever out of place or messy. It felt as though no one lived in the house, but instead it was a museum where no one would dare to touch the exhibits.

When they reached the living room, Mary felt as though she had just entered the holiest of places. The room was lit mostly by natural light flooding through tall, stained glass windows that were set into the walls at regular intervals. The room itself was rather sparse with a couch and two chairs surrounding a coffee table that sat on a thick area rug. There were a pair of bookcases on the far wall, but otherwise the room was empty.

Randy and Julia Sorrento sat on the sofa, both of them reading. Randy, a rather short man with graying hair, deep brown eyes, and a somewhat squashed nose, had the evening edition of the Mistbrook Gazette lying on his lap. Julia, in stark contrast to her husband, was very tall. She too had brown eyes, but her chestnut hair was shiny and sleek and tied up in an elegant knot behind her head. She was reading from what appeared to be some sort of religious magazine that Mary didn’t recognize. She looked up at them as they entered, staring down her long nose at them rather severely as she always did whenever Nikki brought one of her friends over. Mary knew that look very well. Julia never made any attempt to hide her disdain for Mary and the other girls.

“Mom…” Nikki said uncertainly, drawing her father’s attention as well. “Dad… I was wondering if Mary could stay here for a little while?”

“Have you finished your homework?” Randy asked, giving Mary a look similar to Julia’s

“Yes, sir,” said Nikki. Randy glanced at Julia before nodding slowly.

“Very well, she can stay,” he said. “But not for long. We’ll be having dinner at 6:30.”

“Yes, sir,” Nikki repeated quietly. “Thank you.” Nikki turned on her heel and led Mary back out into the hall and upstairs toward her room.

“I’m sorry they’re so rude,” Nikki said apologetically. “Most people would invite a guest to dinner instead of kicking them out, but… well, you know.”

“Yeah…” said Mary, following Nikki into her room. Nikki’s bedroom was just as sparse as the living room downstairs. She had a bed, a nightstand, a desk, a bookshelf, and a small corkboard on the wall by her door where she had tacked a few pictures of her and her friends. She didn’t have a TV or a computer, Mary knew, because her parents wouldn’t allow them in the house.

“I want out of here so bad,” Nikki grumbled, sitting down angrily on the edge of her bed. “I just… ugh! They make me so mad sometimes. They claim to be all righteous and holy and whatever else and they’re so rude to people.”

“If you’re upset because they didn’t invite me to dinner, it’s fine,” said Mary, shrugging. “I’m not worried, I promise.”

“It’s not just that,” said Nikki. “It’s… I can’t even talk to them, you know? I can’t tell them what I’m feeling or anything. I have to be a good little girl all the damn time and it pisses me off. If I had anywhere else to do I’d tell them all about the baby and be happy when they kicked me out.”

“Well, my parents can barely afford to feed just us, otherwise I’d tell you to come and stay with us,” said Mary. “You could always stay with Snow. It’s not like they don’t have any extra bedrooms in that house, and you know they’d be happy to have you. Why don’t you ask?”

“Because then there’s no going back,” said Nikki solemnly. “I may hate them sometimes, but they’re still my parents. I don’t want them to… I don’t want to hear them say they don’t love me anymore.”

“It’s just my opinion, Nikki, but… well, if they would stop loving you just because you did something that went against what they believe then their love isn’t worth having in the first place.” Mary knew it was a harsh thing to say, but then Mary had never been one to mince words and she wasn’t all that empathetic. Her family, while not strict like Nikki’s, wasn’t close. They all lived in the same house together, but to call them family for any reason other than genetics would be a lie.

“They’re still the only family I’ve got, Mary,” said Nikki quietly. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“C’mon, you’re not alone,” said Mary. “Me, Snow, Clara… we’re your family too and you’ll always have us.”

“Maybe…” said Nikki sadly. “But with JTG out there, who knows? Sara’s already gone and I… What if JTG kills one of you next?”

“We don’t know JTG killed Sara,” said Mary. “It’s just a guess. Anyone could have killed Sara, she…” Mary paused, suddenly feeling very nervous. “Nik… if I tell you something, can you promise not to think I’m crazy and that you’ll keep it to yourself?”

“Um… sure,” said Nikki, although she didn’t sound all that sure to Mary.

“I saw Sara,” Mary confessed. “After she died, I saw her. She was in my room one night and she said… she apologized for the way she treated me sometimes.”

“I saw her too,” said Nikki, her eyes as round as saucers. “She was in my room too. She didn’t stay long… we just talked about the night she died and then I turned my back and she was gone. I thought I was going crazy or dreaming or… or something, but now… Mary, what else did she say?

“She said she was sorry for some of the things she did,” said Mary. “She even apologized for… for Labor Day.”

“Damn, that was Sara?” Nikki asked, her mouth falling open. “Holy shit… I don’t even know what to do with that.”

“I still don’t,” said Mary. “I couldn’t believe it when she told me, but… it was her. She admitted it.”

“Whoa…” said Nikki softly. “How… how do you feel about that?”

“I don’t, really,” said Mary indifferently. “Sara’s dead, so what does it matter?”

“Mary, she came to visit both of us,” said Nikki. “That’s got to mean something!”

“Yeah, apparently ghosts are real or we both took the same drugs,” said Mary. She sighed heavily. “I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m worried enough about Snow. I really don’t want to think about Sara’s ghost haunting us.”

“Have you heard from her yet?” Nikki asked. “Snow, I mean. Has she left Michael’s house?”

“I don’t know,” said Mary. “But if she doesn’t text me soon, I’m going to go find out.”

-.-

Snow faked an emergency at home and fled Michael's house as quickly as she could. She raced out to her car and set off as fast as her car would go. She pulled off of the road once she was far enough away from Michael's house and sat there, just breathing deeply and trying to calm herself.

She was scared. The possibility that Michael was JTG frightened her, but she wasn't entirely sure she believed it. She had immediately suspected Steven, but had been wrong. Michael had done nothing suspicious or worrying other than just so happening to like a particular song. That didn't automatically make him a stalker.

There was also the fact that Snow genuinely liked him. He was nice and considerate and seemed to really like her in return. They had a connection, a real one. Surely if he were up to something she would have felt it. She had to trust her instincts and they were telling her that Michael was not trying to hurt her.

But right then, Snow was much more interested in the latest plot twist; S. Who was this new mystery texter? Snow’s initial thought was that it had to be Sara, but then she was dead so it couldn't be her. But if Sara was dead, who had she spoken to that night in her room? Who had warned her to stay away from Michael that night? Who else but Sara?

Of course, although the evidence pointed to Sara, the irrefutable fact that Sara was conspicuously dead put a bit of a wrinkle in Snow’s theory. If it was true that Sara was dead, and there truly were no such things as ghosts, then how had Sara appeared to her? If there were ghosts, why would one see the need to send a text to warn her about Michael? Surely supernatural beings had a better method of communication.

The bigger question, if that was possible, was why did Sara or whoever S really was want her to stay away from Michael? Did S know something about Michael that Snow didn’t? Did S, perhaps, know that Michael was JTG? Was S trying to help her by warning her that Michael was dangerous? If so, why not just come out and say it? It would have been much easier on everyone if S had just told her the truth… unless S was JTG and she was just screwing with them. But no, that made no sense. If S and JTG were the same person… what would that accomplish? JTG was perfectly terrifying all on her own. She didn’t need help from anyone else.

Snow leaned back in her seat, sighing heavily. She was confident in her belief that S and JTG were to separate entities and while she was certain JTG was their enemy, she was less sure of S’s intentions. Friend? Foe? There was no way to be sure.

“Unless…” Snow whispered, pulling out her phone. She scrolled through and found the message from S. She paused, her thumbs hovering above the keyboard before she began to type.

Who is this? Snow typed. She chewed her lower lip, waiting for a response.

Who do you think it is? Came S's cryptic answer.

I don't know. I don't know much of anything anymore. You warned me to stay away from Michael. The only person that's done that is Sara.

Well, then maybe you're on to something, Snowy.

Sara's dead. You can't be her. You're someone else or you're JTG and you're just screwing with me.

Who the hell is JTG? Snow hesitated, wondering if it was all a trick. If S didn't know about JTG, then… well, she wasn’t sure exactly what that meant.

First you tell me who you really are. Snow typed. And no more lies or cryptic crap.

I’m a friend, Snow. Let’s just leave it at that for now. One day I’ll tell you everything. Until then, you’ll just have to trust me. Now, who is JTG and why would they be screwing with you? Snow had no idea what to do. For all she knew she really could be talking to JTG and it was all a trap. She sat there for several minutes, working up the courage to reply.

I don't know. She sent at last. Whoever they are, they've been stalking us since Sara died. They know things, stuff they couldn’t know. I don’t know what JTG wants, but she keeps saying we’re playing a game.

She? S asked. If you don’t know who JTG is, how can you know it’s a she?

We say she just to simplify things. Snow explained. The texts she sends us to threaten us sound like a girl, so until we learn otherwise…

You keep saying ‘we’. Who’s we?

Some friends of mine. Snow replied. You don’t need to know who. If you can keep secrets, so can I.

Secrets are the currency of Mistbrook Falls, Snow. S said. I can’t blame you for keeping a few of your own. I’m afraid I won’t be able to be much help with your JTG problem, but I am uniquely placed to keep an eye on Michael. I meant what I said, Snow. Stay away from him. I’ll know if you don’t.

Sara was killed in Michael’s house. Snow replied. He may know something about her murder. I’m going to go back there and see him again whether you like it or not. I still don’t know you and I don’t trust you. You haven’t said Michael’s dangerous, just for me to stay away from him. Maybe you killed Sara and you want me to stay away from Michael because he knows you did it.

I didn’t kill Sara. S responded. Snow started to type a reply when a second text came in that changed everything.

But I'm the reason she's gone.

-.-

Clara walked slowly through the long corridors of St. Sebastian General Hospital, on her way to Room 815; Jacob's room. She was fighting a fierce internal battle with herself as she walked, struggling to make a very critical decision. She had a plan, the only one she could come up with to hopefully protect her mother from JTG. The bitch could only hurt her so long as she had something to blackmail her with. If Clara admitted to what she had done, if she owned up to everything then JTG would have nothing and Noel would be safe.

She thought about going to the police, but she knew if she was going to confess then she needed to do it to the person she had hurt. She had to tell Jacob herself. She couldn't let him find out from the police. She had destroyed his life and if she was going to tell the truth she owed it him to tell him first.

She reached Jacob's room and paused outside, taking a deep calming breath before pushing the door open. Jacob lay in bed, watching the news on TV.

“We’re still tracking the predicted path of this weekend’s storms, but it looks as though Mistbrook Falls is right in the path of these storms,” the weatherman was saying. “We’re expecting anywhere upwards of eight to ten inches of rainfall and wind gusts in excess of ninety miles per hour in some areas. Be sure to keep your weather radio nearby over the weekend in the likely event of power outages and we’ll keep you up to date right here at Action 16 News.”

Clara eased the door closed and entered the room properly as the news went to commercial. Jacob looked up at her as she approached and smiled.

"Hey," he said brightly. "I'm glad you're here."

"Really?" Clara asked, quite surprised by his reaction.

"Yeah, you bring licorice when you visit," he said, smirking. Clara smiled in spite of herself and retrieved a pack of the long candy from her purse and handed it to him.

"Thanks, Blondie," said Jacob, grinning at her as she sat down on the stool beside his bed. "Hey, guess what? I'm getting out of here this weekend. The doctors think it might do me some good to finally go home. I don't really care so long as I can sleep in my own bed again."

"But what about your physical therapy?" Clara asked. "Shouldn't you be here working on that?"

"I'll still be doing physical therapy," said Jacob. "It's been helping quite a bit, actually. I've got some feeling coming back into my legs. I still can't walk on my own, but we're hopeful that one day soon I'll be able to."

“That’s great,” said Clara, managing her first real smile in days. The news that Jacob might one day walk again made her happier than anything short of pushing JTG off of a cliff could. “I’m happy for you. I’m sure you’re ready to get out of here.”

“Oh, more than ready,” said Jacob. “Saturday can’t come soon enough.”

“Yeah…” Clara said absently. “So…did anyone ever tell you what happened with your bike? Do… do they know why the wheel came off?”

“The bolt was loose,” said Jacob with a shrug. “The bolt was loose and the wheel came off. It was impossible to tell if it was loosened intentionally or just by me using the bike.”

“What… um… what would you do if someone really did loosen it on purpose?” Clara asked him. Jacob looked at her strangely, clearly surprised by her question.

“I… haven’t really thought about it,” he said slowly. “I mean… I guess I’d ask them why they did it. I’d want to know why they would want to hurt me. After that… I guess it would depend on what their reasons were. Why do you ask?”

“I…” Clara began, but she stopped when her phone chimed. She knew what the text would say before she even read it.

Didn’t we go through this already? You don’t get to change the rules, bitch. This is my game. You blab to him, I take all of you down. Make your choice –JTG

Clara did her best to keep her emotions from showing on her face as she shoved her phone back into her pocket. She so wanted to give JTG the middle finger and tell Jacob the truth anyway, but she knew that if she did JTG would retaliate Athough she didn’t know what else JTG could possibly do to her or her mom, she knew JTG would doubtlessly figure something out that was much worse than what had already happened.

“I just wondered… I wondered if you would be able to forgive them,” Clara said, quickly making up an answer. "I mean... if it were me and someone had intentionally hurt me or someone I cared about... I don't know if I could ever forgive them."

"There's a lesson I learned from my sister about forgiveness," said Jacob thoughtfully. "Yeah, I know, Sara could hold grudges better than anyone, but she told me something once that I've never forgotten. Forgiveness isn't about letting the person who wronged you off the hook. It's about letting go of your own anger and pain. You can forgive someone without them ever apologizing to you. So, yeah... if someone did this to me, I'd forgive them. Not for them, but for me."

Clara didn't know what to say to that. She still wanted to confess and get it all over with, but she knew her mom or her friends would be the ones to pay for it. She sighed as she realized she would have to keep her secret until JTG was caught, if that ever happened. JTG seemed all-knowing, omnipresent... unstoppable. How four teenaged girls and a high school quarterback would be able to stop her, Clara couldn't even begin to guess.

-.-

"...Tell me, where did you sleep last night? Hmm mmm mmm, hmm mmm mmm... Where the sun never shines, will shiver the whole night through...." Snow entered the kitchen, her mother's singing bringing a thin smile to her lips.

"Hey, Mom," she said, dropping her purse on the table and hoisting herself onto a barstool.

"Hey, sweetie," said Ariana, depositing a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on the table in front of her. "How was school?"

"It was... school," said Snow with a shrug.

“That’s it?” asked Ariana, sounding surprised by the lack of details. “Usually you’ve got a lot more to say than that.”

‘Sorry,” said Snow quietly, picking up a cookie. “I’ve just… got a lot on my mind today.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ariana asked her, taking a cookie for herself.

“Not really,” said Snow, nibbling at her cookie. “It’s just been a long couple of weeks.”  

"Yeah..." Ariana said quietly. "I guess it has. Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

“No,” Snow repeated. “Really, I’m fine, Mom. I’m just really tired. I need to stop pushing myself so hard at school. I’m burning myself out.” It was a lie, and Snow hated herself for it. She had already been taking school less and less seriously in recent days. It was JTG that was causing her exhaustion. School had practically become an afterthought. She hated that too, but there was nothing she could do about it as long as JTG continued to hunt her.

“Well, you don’t have to get straight A’s all the time,” said Ariana with a wink. “I wont be disappointed in you, I promise. Don’t overwork yourself, sweetpea. There are more important things than grades.”

“I know, Mom. I’ll start taking things easier,” Snow promised. Ariana smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

“Love you, Dove,” she told her, giving her shoulder a firm squeeze.

“Love you too, Mom,” Snow replied. Wearily, Snow hauled herself out of her chair and up the stairs to her bedroom, feeling very guilty for lying to Ariana. She knew she didn’t have a choice. If she told her the truth, JTG might target her too and she didn’t want that to happen. She wanted Kayla and Ariana as far away from JTG as possible. She couldn’t imagine what JTG could possibly do to them, but she was confident that was simply lack of imagination on her part.

Up in her room, Snow sent texts off to her friends telling them that she was safely home and that she would tell them what happened with Michael the following day. She was much too tired to get into it so late in the evening. The others all texted her back saying they were glad she was safe and that they would see her tomorrow.

Snow kicked off her shoes and fell back onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She held up her phone thoughtfully for a moment before keying another message.

Hey, Mike. Sorry I had to leave so fast today. Everything’s fine at home now. I hope you’re not upset with me. I was having a good time. I hope we can do it again sometime.

She hesitated a moment before she sent it, but in the end she pressed the button and there was no taking it back. In her heart, she truly believed that Michael wasn’t JTG. Still, there was something about him that she just couldn’t place. Whatever it was, she hoped it was nothing bad because there was something else about him that she couldn’t yet place either. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but instead a good one. She hadn’t had much time to think about it, and her brain was too tired to deal with it right then. Snow closed her eyes and had almost drifted off when her phone chimed again. She held it up to read the message.

No, it’s fine. Things happen. I’m just glad everything is okay. Anyway, I really loved having you over. You’re welcome any time you want to come, just stop on by. Maybe next time I can give you the grand tour of the place and we can debate the existence of magic a little more. Snow actually laughed aloud at the last part.

I’m looking forward to it. Snow typed. Goodnight, Mike.

Goodnight, Snowflake. Michael replied.

 Snow leaned back against her pillows and closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. It was still there when she drifted off to sleep.

26: Chapter XXVI: The Storm

"'Morning, Clara," said Snow when the blonde opened the front door, looking tired and miserable. Snow passed her a thermos as she followed Clara toward the kitchen. "Here you go; Kayla's hangover cure. I don't know if your mom's got a strong stomach, but be sure to warn her not to look at it, don't smell it, just down it in one and try not to throw up. She'll feel better pretty fast if she can keep it down."

"Thanks, Snowy," said Clara, placing the thermos in the refrigerator and sighing heavily. "I hate this. I wish there was something I could do for her, but... I don’t know what to do.”

“All you can do is be there for her,” said Snow. “You can’t fix what happened. Listen, don’t do anything to piss JTG off. I know you’re angry, but if we don’t keep playing by JTG’s rules…”

“JTG will retaliate, I know,” Clara said hotly. “The bitch has got us by the balls.”

“I wouldn’t have necessarily put it that way, but sure,” said Snow with a small smile. “For the time being we’re just going to have to tolerate JTG until we can catch her.”

“How are things going with Michael?” Clara asked. “I got your text last night, but you didn’t say…”

“Um… yeah, about that,” said Snow uncertainly. “Things have… changed. JTG isn’t the only mystery texter anymore. There’s a new player in the game and I… I don’t know who it is, but they’re calling themselves ‘S’”

“Mother dick,” Clara muttered, shaking her head wearily. “What… what did they say? S, I mean? Are they working with JTG or something?”

“I don’t think so,” said Snow. “S didn’t seem to know who JTG was. S just wanted to warn me to stay away from Michael.”

“So… S was trying to help you?” asked Clara, her eyes narrowing. “Okay, I don’t get it. If S is on our side, why not just come out and say who they are? Why go to all the trouble to hide if they’re helping us?”

“Just put it on the list of things we don’t know,” Snow grumbled. “I was up almost all night thinking about S and… and… Clara, if I tell you something that going to make me sound thoroughly insane, will you promise to still love me and be my friend?”

“Of course,” said Clara, looking more confused than ever. “What is it?”

“I… I think S might possibly… I mean there’s a chance that S… could potentially be, maybe… Sara.” Clara stared at her, eyes wide. She didn’t say anything, but instead sank into a chair at the kitchen table.

“You saw her too, didn’t you?” Clara asked quietly. “She came to visit you too. She must have.”

“Wait… wait, you… you saw Sara?” Snow asked, praying Clara was telling the truth and not just having her on. It would mean she wasn’t crazy, at least about that anyway.

“Yeah, she just showed up in my room,” said Clara. “She made me swear that I would protect you, only she didn’t say from what. What did she tell you?”

“That’s the part that makes me think S is Sara,” said Snow. “She told me to stay away from Michael. She made it seem like he was going to murder me or something."

"This... is completely ridiculous," Clara muttered. "There's no way. I mean, Sara... Sara's dead." She looked up at Snow, fear glowing in her eyes. "Sara is dead... right?"

"You were at her funeral," said Snow quietly. "She looked dead to me." Clara nodded slowly, appearing to be thinking hard.

"Okay... so... so Sara's dead," said Clara. "She's dead and... and... so, who the hell came to chat with us? It must have been Sara unless she's got an identical twin sister none of us knew about."

"That, Clara, is a mystery for another day," said Snow wearily. "Assuming it was Sara, and assuming Sara is S, then she isn't going to hurt us. Whether she's alive or a ghost or... whatever the hell she is, she's our friend and she wouldn't hurt any of us."

"Physically, maybe not," said Clara grimly. "But emotionally, she could tear us apart."

"Maybe, but right now I'm more worried about JTG than Sara," said Snow. "She's not a real and present threat. JTG is. I didn't learn much at Michael's. I tried but... I was scared at first…”

“Do you still think he’s going to murder you?” Clara asked, arching her eyebrows curiously.

“Of course not,” said Snow dismissively. “He… he’s very interesting. He’s kind and sweet and… I don’t know. There’s something about him that I can’t figure out, but I’m certain he’s not JTG. I thought for a second… he likes the same song JTG played for me on the radio, but no… Michael being JTG doesn’t fit. He may know something about me and Sara and what she was doing at the party, but he’s not JTG. I’m going to go back and see him again. We’re building a bit of a rapport, and I think if he knows anything I can get him to tell me.”

“’A rapport’?” Clara repeated doubtfully.   

“Yeah,” said Snow. “A rapport… it means bond, relationship, connection, affinity…”

“I know what it means,” Clara interrupted. “I just never imagined you and Michael developing anything like… wait a minute!” She was grinning broadly, almost disbelievingly.

“Holy hell,” she whispered. “You like him.”

“What?” Snow asked incredulously. “No, I… Like I said, we’ve developed a bond…”

“Yes, you do,” Clara exclaimed. “You are so into him. You smile every time you say his name, and look at you! You’re blushing.”

“Because you’re embarrassing me,” Snow snapped. “We’re just friends, Clara. He told me something really personal to him. I’m not... we’re not… that’s all there is to it. We’re friends.”

“You keep telling yourself that, Snowy,” said Clara in a knowing tone. “You wouldn’t admit to liking Sara either, but everyone else could see it. Maybe try listening to someone once in a while.”

“Michael is ten years older than me,” said Snow, shaking her head. “Even if I was interested in him, he’d never glance at me. I’m sixteen and…”

“A gorgeous, redheaded bombshell?” Clara said, smirking. “C’mon, Snow. Deny it all you want, but you’re sexy and there’s not a straight man alive who wouldn’t want you, Michael included.” Snow had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. She had never really thought of Michael in that way before. He was her friend, but that was all. He was someone she enjoyed talking to, but nothing more.

No, it was a silly idea. She was perfectly happy being single, and Michael... well, sure he was a very handsome guy, charming and sweet... and those abs of his... Snow shook her head violently, forcing herself to put a stop to that line of thought. She couldn't go down that road, not now. Michael, no matter how she felt about him, was still a suspect and she couldn't let herself fully trust him. Besides, Mary, Sara, and whoever the hell S was had all warned her to stay away from Michael. She could only imagine what each of them would do if they found out she was dating him.

Snow left not long later, promising to meet up with Clara and the others at school so they could discuss everything that had happened as a group. She wanted to stop by Michael's house before school. She wanted to see him again and apologize for leaving so quickly in person. She felt she at least owed him that much.

-.-

The sky was quickly darkening as Kayla eased her gloss white SSC Ultimate Aero 2 to a stop at the side of the road. She glanced across the center console at Ariana, who sat with her hands folded in her lap.

"Are you sure about this?" Kayla asked her wife uncertainly. Ariana nodded confidently.

"I want to do something good," said Ariana. "Kay-Kay, we've been so blessed and yes we've given and we've shared, but it hasn't been enough. We live very extravagant lives. We have a big house, a private jet on standby to whisk us off to any part of the world. We bought this space ship of a car you wanted..."

"Rocket," Kayla corrected her firmly, revving the nine hundred thousand dollar supercar's 1400 horsepower engine. "She's a finely crafted, precisely honed rocket."

"My point," Ariana continued, shaking her head at her wife's car obsession. "Is that we have more than enough to go around. We can spend millions of dollars and never miss it. I want to help the people we love and make their lives better. I want to do this, Kayla."

"I'm not saying we shouldn't do it or that we can't spare the money," said Kayla quickly. "We own two successful businesses and the biggest part of this lovely little town. I think we can handle this. I just meant that... well, you know how proud she is. If we just go waving our cash in her face, she'll turn it down."

"I'm not going to wave cash in her face," said Ariana. "I'm going to make her an offer as her friend. It's all I can do, Kay-Kay. I can offer. Just wait here and give me a few minutes. I'll be right back."

"You don't want me to come with you?" asked Kayla, not even pretending to be hurt by this announcement.

"Sweetie, I love you," said Ariana gently. "But... well, we're going to need a soft touch and... that's not your area of expertise." Ariana leaned forward and kissed the brunette briefly, a smile on her lips. "I'll be right back."

"Uh huh," said Kayla, leaning back in her seat. "I'll just be out here listening to the radio and playing Castle Crush Adventures on my phone. I'm stuck on level 423."

"Good luck with that," said Ariana, smirking widely. She pushed open the door and climbed out of the car. The wind was blowing wildly as she made her way along the path that led up to Noel and Clara Mackenzie's front door.

She had to admit that Kayla made an excellent point. Noel was a very sweet woman, she was also very proud. She had every reason to be. She had worked extremely hard to get to where she was. Ariana had never had to work in her life. Her grandfather had practically dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into her lap. She had never struggled to pay her bills or wondered where her next meal was coming from. She and Kayla had lived an extravagant lifestyle since the day they had met. They had cars, a luxury yacht, and a private jet. They wanted for nothing and at no point in her life, before that day, had that fact ever made her feel bad.

She had always appreciated what she had and had never let it make her think she was better than anyone else. She gave to causes, donated to help those in need. She had even bought most of the town in order to save it from the Blakes, who wanted to strip mine it. But still, somehow it didn’t seem like it was enough. Her wealth had been handed to her. She had never worked for it or in any way earned it. Why did she deserve to live such a luxurious life while others struggled?

Ariana knew full well what Kayla would say. She would say that it wasn’t her place to save the world. She was just one woman and while she might not have worked, she had certainly suffered enough to deserve to live the rest of her life as happily and luxuriously as she pleased. It was a fair argument, but Ariana still couldn’t shake the upsetting feeling that she hadn’t done enough to help people that really needed it. She shook her head as she climbed up the steps to the front door. She had just reached out to ring the doorbell when the front door swung open and Clara appeared, looking rather frazzled.

“Oh, hey Mrs. A,” she said in surprise. “Sorry, I’m running late for school. What’s up?”

“I was just stopping by to see Noel,” said Ariana. “Snow told me what happened. Clara, I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay,” said Clara, shrugging nervously. “We… we’ll be fine. Listen, I’ve got to run, literally run, to school. Nikki and Mary are already there and I didn’t think to ask Snow when she stopped by. But if you want to talk to my mom, she’s in the living room.”

“Go hop in the car and Kayla will take you,” said Ariana. “She won’t mind, I promise. She loves driving that new car of hers.”

“I bet she does,” said Clara. “Thanks, Mrs. A.”

“You’re welcome,” Ariana replied. “And how many times have I told you to call me Ariana?”

“Right,” said Clara. “Thanks, Ariana.” Clara rushed from the house, leaving Ariana to make her way down the hall to the living room where she found Noel half lying half sitting on the couch.

“You look terrible,” said Ariana, causing Noel to look up in surprise. “And from the look of that thermos, I’d say you’ve just had the pleasure of Kayla’s hangover cure.”

“That might have been the worst tasting thing I’ve ever drunk,” said Noel, pushing the thermos further across the coffee table away from her. “Not to sound rude, but what are you doing here?”

“Snow told me what happened,” said Ariana, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch. “That you lost your job at the bank, I mean.”

“Ariana, I never asked Clara to…” Noel began, but Ariana cut her off.

“I know you didn’t,” she said quickly. “But Clara told Snow and Snow told me, and… well, I’d like to help you out.”

“We’ll be fine,” said Noel stiffly. “We don’t need anybody’s charity. I’ll find another job and until I do… I’ll have to draw on my savings.”

“And if you don’t find another job?” Ariana asked pointedly. “It’s a small town, Noel, and there aren’t a lot of good, high paying jobs around here. I’m sure you have a lot of bills to pay and if you’ll let me, I want to help you. It isn’t charity, Noel. This is one friend helping out another. We’ve been friends for a long time and if Kayla and I needed help, I know you would offer.” Noel looked extremely irritated, but she seemed to at least be considering Ariana’s proposal. She chewed her lower lip while Ariana waited in silence.

“Fine,” Noel said at last. “But I’m paying you back whatever you give me. With interest.”

“No, you’re not,” said Ariana firmly. “I’m not going to pay your electric bill or something. I… I want to truly make a difference. I’m going to pay off your mortgage completely. This house will be yours, job or no job.”

“Ari… that… that…” Noel didn’t quite have the words to refuse Ariana’s offer. “I don’t want you to….”

“Noel, I’m dying,” said Ariana quietly. She had been hesitant to share this information, but she knew she was quickly running out of time to keep her secret. It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they finally did Noel sat up and held a hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears.

“W… what?”

“I have incurable cervical cancer,” Ariana explained. “Apparently, I’ve got about a year left. I’ve decided I want to use that time to help the people that I love. I don’t want my name up in lights or people to start celebrating Ariana Day or for there to be a statue of me in the town square. I just want to… make people’s lives a little easier. So, I’m buying your house for you. I’m also going to get Clara a car. She needs one and Kayla loves going car shopping, so it’ll give her something fun to go do. I’m also going to go down to that bank and give the owner a piece of my mind.”

“It won’t do any good,” said Noel dismissively. “They’ve already made up their minds.”

“We’ll see about that,” said Ariana firmly. “I own the land that bank sits on. I know you, Noel. You would never do what you’ve been accused of doing and I’m going to make sure they know it too. Unless they want me to kick them out and open a sushi restaurant, they’ll give you your job back.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re both the sweetest and most intimidating person ever?” Noel asked, smiling and crying at the same time.

“I learned the second part from Kayla,” said Ariana with a grin.

“Yeah, somehow I’d imagine she could convince anyone to do just about anything.”

“I’m sure she could,” Ariana agreed. She sighed and stood to her feet as the sound of Kayla’s car’s engine roared down the street. “By the way, I’ll make sure Kayla doesn’t get Clara anything like that.”

“I’d appreciate that,” said Noel. “I know my daughter. She wouldn’t have the self control to be safe with...”

“A rocket,” said Ariana, shaking her head. “That’s what Kayla calls it.” Noel smiled slightly and nodded.

“Yeah… yeah… Ari, I… I’m really sorry about what you’re going through. I can’t even imagine how scared you must be. Look, if you need anything just call me, okay? Whatever it is, day or night, I’ll be there for you.”

“Thanks,” Ariana replied. “I… I’m just taking it day by day. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this to yourself for now. I haven’t told Snow yet and if Clara finds out… well, those four girls share everything and I don’t want Snow to hear it from anyone but me.”

“Of course, I would never say anything about something like this,” Noel swore. “But my God, telling Snow. I can’t blame you for not telling her. I don’t know how I would ever tell Clara if I had something like that.”

“Yeah, well, I have no idea how to tell Snow either,” Ariana admitted. “I know I have to tell her, but… I don’t… She’s been through so much recently, and to hit her with this too… I don’t want to hurt her again when she’s just beginning to recover from losing Sara.”

“It’s not going to be easy,” said Noel. “But… if you keep waiting, is it going to get any easier?”

Ariana dwelled on that question when she returned to the car. Kayla was still waiting inside, doing a rather strange gyrating dance to some pop song on the radio. Ariana got into the car, unable to keep herself from giggling

“You always were a terrible dancer,” she said as Kayla continued to sway in her seat.

“I recall stepping on your feet a couple dozen times at our wedding reception,” said Kayla as the song came to an end. “How’d it go in there?”

“Good, actually,” said Ariana. “She agreed to everything. Also, you’re going car shopping with Clara.”

“Cool,” said Kayla brightly. “We’ll get her something amazing. Oh, I know. Ferrari has just come out with a new…”

“I promised Noel that we’d get her something a bit more responsible,” said Ariana quickly. “Nothing… like this.”

“What’s not responsible about a carbon fiber chassis, a twin-turbocharged 6.8 liter V8 engine pumping out 1400 horsepower and a top speed of almost 300 miles per hour?" Kayla asked incredulously.

"Uh... nothing," said Ariana laughingly. Kayla smirked and gunned the engine, throwing them both back in their seats as the rear wheels spun. Smoke billowed up all around them before the tires finally gained traction and the car shot off down the street.

"Maybe not," said Kayla happily. "But responsible isn't any fun." Try as she might, Ariana couldn't disagree.

-.-

It had already begun to rain heavily by the time Snow arrived at Michael's house. She pulled her car as close to the house as she could and darted up the steps to the covered porch as quickly as she could. She rang the doorbell and stood back, wringing out her hair as she waited.

"Oh, hey Snow," said Michael, when he opened the door. "Geez, you're soaked! You should have called and I would have let you park in the garage."

“It’s fine,” said Snow hurriedly. “I didn’t get that wet anyway.”

“Well, come on in and we’ll get you dried off,” said Michael, holding the door open for her.

“Sorry for dropping by unannounced,” said Snow as she entered the house. “I just wanted to apologize in person for leaving so quickly yesterday.”

“Oh, you’re welcome here any time,” said Michael, waving away her apology and guiding her down the hall. “And don’t worry about yesterday. It’s fine. Is everything okay at home?”

“Yeah… yeah, everything’s fine,” said Snow as Michael led her into a bathroom. He grabbed a towel and passed it to her.

“Here,” he said. “Dry your hair. It’s still dripping.”

“Thanks,” said Snow, accepting the towel and patting her hair dry as best she could.

“So,” said Michael, leaning against the sink to watch her. “Do you have time for that tour before you head to school?”

“Sure,” said Snow, deciding there wasn’t much she could do for her hair right then other than get it dry. She returned the towel to Michael and followed him out of the bathroom.

“My grandparents built this house,” Michael explained as he led the way down the long hallway that led to the living room. “In fact, we’re one of the founding families of Mistbrook Falls. We’ve been here a long time.”

“Yeah, your parents always put on a good show on Founder’s Day,” said Snow, remembering suddenly that the annual festival was scheduled for that Sunday. “Are they coming back in town for the festival?”

“No…” said Michael quietly, shaking his head. “No, I’m pretty sure they’ve left Mistbrook Falls for good. Personally, I love this town. I couldn’t imagine leaving. It’s quiet, peaceful, and the people are great.”

“Most of the people,” said Snow grimly. “Someone murdered Sara…”

“And they’ll get what’s coming to them someday,” said Michael firmly. “Trust me, fate has a way of making sure the guilty pay for their crimes… even if they’re never caught.”

“So, you believe in fate now too?” Snow asked playfully. “Not just magic?”

“You’re never going to stop mocking my beliefs, are you?” Michael asked her, stopping and turning to stare at her.

“I’m not mocking your beliefs,” Snow said quickly, hoping she hadn’t offended him. “I’m just… surprised that they are your beliefs. I never imagined you being… whimsical enough to believe in stuff like that.”  

“Because of my reputation around town?” Michael queried, arching his eyebrows. “Yeah, I know what people say about me and I’m sure you do to.”

“Yeah, I know,” Snow admitted. “And I used to believe it before I got to know you better. Unless you’re exceptionally good at hiding things, then I don’t believe any of it. You don’t seem like a womanizing douche to me.”

“Well, that’s good,” said Michael, laughing heartily. “Truth be told, Snow, I don’t really care what random people in town think of me. I can’t change their minds. They’ll believe what they want and that’s fine with me. It’s the people closest to me, the people I genuinely care about whose opinions I value.”

“So, which side do I fall on?” Snow asked before she could stop herself. She instantly regretted asking that. What was she thinking? She reassured herself that it was all just what Clara has said earlier making her think this way. There was nothing else to it, she was certain. But if that was true, why Michael’s answer made her heart skip a beat, she really couldn’t explain.

“Your opinion of me means a lot, Snow,” he told her seriously. “I know we just met and we hardly know each other, but I… I really do feel connected to you. I like being around you. I was in a pretty crappy mood this morning, but when I saw you standing on the porch, dripping wet… well, my day took a 180 degree turn.”

“I… that’s really sweet,” said Snow, her heart racing in her chest. It’s just Clara getting to you, she thought fiercely. That’s all there is to it. You’re not feeling anything for him. He’s ten years older than you and he’s so incredibly gorgeous... If she could have told her mind to go blank and not think any more, she would have after that.

“I’d really like for us to be friends,” Michael continued uncertainly. “Like I said, I really enjoy spending time with you, and…”

“What… what about Emily?” Snow managed to say. “I mean, she’s your girlfriend. Even if we’re just friends, how would she feel about you spending time alone with another girl?”

“Even if we were still dating, I’d hope that she would trust me enough that if I say we’re just friends then I’m telling the truth,” said Michael indifferently. “If she can’t trust me that far, then I wouldn’t want to date her anyway.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Snow, wishing she hadn’t mentioned Emily at all. “I… I didn’t know...”

“Of course you didn’t,” said Michael, shrugging. “I’m fine with it, really. We didn’t date that long and she… She’s not who I thought she was. She’s not the kind of girl I want to be with. Emily is too obsessed with herself. She’s too vain for me, but it is what it is.”

“Well, I’m still sorry,” said Snow quietly. “I just broke up with my boyfriend and… even though I’m happy with the outcome, it’s still hard. I really did love him… but then I’m sure you don’t want to hear about a sixteen-year-old’s relationship problems.”

“If you want to talk about it, I’m happy to listen,” said Michael, turning and continuing down the hall.

“I appreciate it, but I’m fine,” said Snow. “We separated on good terms and we’re actually still friends somehow.” It was true and it wasn’t true. She and Jackson were definitely still civil towards each other, but it was hard to say they were friends. They met up only for business related to JTG and if JTG weren’t around, she doubted they would have any contact at all. Still, that wasn’t something she wanted to share with Michael. Talking about their exes probably wasn’t the best way to begin their relationship.

Friendship Snow practically screamed inside her head. It was no way to begin their friendship, not their relationship. She continued to berate herself as Michael led her to the wide, circular staircase at the end of the hall. They went upstairs and Michael guided her along another, shorter hallway. He paused outside of the first door they came to.

"Here," he said. "We'll start with my inner sanctum." He pushed open the door and stood back to let her go first. She stepped cautiously into Michael's bedroom. It was roughly twice the size of her own, which was saying something. A gigantic canopy bed sat in the far corner beneath a wide window that looked down on the sprawling grounds behind the house. There was also a door that led to a wide balcony. Much like downstairs, the walls were adorned with weapons, most of them swords, and a glittering golden shield dominated the far wall with a beautiful hand-engraved image of the rising sun. Snow looked around the room twice before turning back to Michael, a smirk on her lips.

"So, you don't want me to think you're a womanizer, and the first room you take me to is your bedroom?" she asked him. Michael laughed loudly at that.

"It's not like that, Snow," said Michael. "I was just..."

"I'm kidding," said Snow, shaking her head as a powerful clap of thunder rolled through the house. "We need to work on your sense of humor." She turned and walked to the clear balcony door, watching the pouring rain outside.

"This is getting bad," she said worriedly, watching the rain beat down relentlessly.

"Yeah, it is," said Michael, joining her at the door. Snow shivered at his sudden closeness. Oh, why does he have to smell so good? she though desperately. He's a suspect... you can't be falling for him. You can't like him, you... you... Damn it, Snow. No. "Shit, the creek's starting to flood," Michael added, interrupting Snow's thoughts. "We'd better get you out of here before the road floods. It won't take long to flood and if it gets too bad, you won't be able to get through."

Michael ran out and pulled Snow's Mustang into the garage so she wouldn't get drenched going outside. The wind was blowing powerfully and the rain was pouring so heavily she could barely see where she was going as she drove away. Lightening flashed and thunder rolled and her windshield wipers feebly attempted to clear the windshield, but it was fruitless.

She saw the creek Michael had mentioned after only a few minutes, and it was already extremely high. She gasped suddenly when she saw the water had risen over the road in front of her. It was already several inches above the pavement, and up ahead she could see the creek overflowing its banks and cresting high over the small bridge that was the only way off of Michael's estate.

She had no choice but to turn around and go back to Michael's house. The road was already flooded to the point of being far too dangerous to use. Until the rain subsided and the creek was able to drain, she had no way to leave. She was stranded.  

27: Chapter XXVII: A Night at Comstock Manor

“Yeah… yeah… no, I never made it to school. Momma, I’m at Michael’s… Yeah, Michael Comstock… No, we’re not dating. We’re friends. I stopped by his house on the way to school and the road flooded. I’m stuck here until the storm passes and the creek drains… Yeah, he’s fine with me staying… What? No, he’s not a rapist, Momma. Ugh, fine…” Snow put her phone on speaker and turned around to Michael, who sat on the couch in the living room. “Michael, are you a rapist?”

“Uh… no?” he said uncertainly. Snow rolled her eyes and got back on the phone. “See? He’s fine. I’ll be safe here… No, you’re not coming to get me. The roads are extremely dangerous. Half the town is flooded. I just talked to Clara and she said they’re keeping everyone at school too just because it’s too dangerous to try and get home… Yeah, I know… I know, I’ll be fine and I’ll be home as soon as I can. Uh huh… yeah... I love you too. Tell Mom I love her too. Uh huh… okay, bye.” Snow groaned loudly and fell onto the opposite end of the couch from Michael.

“Sorry about that,” she told him. “Kayla’s just… overprotective.”

“She’s not,” said Michael. “She’s your mom and she’s worried about you. I can’t blame her.”

“Yeah… sometimes I just wish she would relax a little,” said Snow. “I mean, I’m sixteen. I can take care of myself.”

“You could be one hundred and sixteen and she would still worry about you,” said Michael. “She’s your mother.”

"I know. I wouldn't have her any other way," Snow said fondly. "She may be overprotective, but Kayla would go to war for me. They both would."  

“I… hope this doesn’t come off sounding insensitive or rude,” said Michael uncertainly. “But what’s it like having two moms?”

“It’s… great,” said Snow, not entirely sure how to answer his question. "I mean, I don't know what it’s like to not have two moms. I lived with another couple for a few years after I was born, I... This is pretty personal, I... okay, my dad abused  Ariana… he was terrible and he really… Anyway, by the time she escaped from him she was in no shape to raise a baby. Her grandfather sent me to live with this family he knew, the Marins. I don't really remember much of the time I was there. I stayed with them for a few years before Ariana and Kayla came and got me. After that, I lived at the warehouse and..."

"Hold on," said Michael, holding up a hand to silence her. "You lived in a warehouse? Were you guys homeless or something?"

"No, no," said Snow quickly. "We weren't homeless at all. Ariana owned the warehouse already. She loved it there and liked living there, so that's where we lived. The only reason we moved here was because Detroit starting going downhill with crime. Otherwise, we'd still be there. But it was nice at the warehouse and I miss it. We still use it as a hangout for me and my friends. Back when we lived there, all of my friends at school wanted to come to my house, because none of theirs were nearly as cool."

"I bet you were the most popular girl in school," Michael commented, grinning at her. Snow smirked and cocked her head to one side.

"Were? Bitch, please. I'm still the most popular girl in school," she said trying so hard to sound serious, but she couldn't stop herself from grinning. "People call me the 'Queen of Mistbrook High'. I had a girl curtsy to me last week."

"Seriously?" asked Michael. "She actually curtsied?"

"Eh... well, she's a little... strange," said Snow. "She's a little bit obsessed with me and my friends. I'm... not sure why exactly."

"She's probably just a fan of royalty," said Michael, smirking. "Or she's in love with you."

"Well, if she is then she did the right thing," Snow murmured. "She's half of the reason me and Jackson broke up. They slept together."

"Fuck...." Michael breathed, shaking his head.

"It's not completely their fault," Snow continued. "I slept with Sara, so who am I to judge them?"

"Oh, so you... you like girls then?" Michael asked. Snow thought he sounded rather disappointed, but she attributed it to her own confused feelings rather than pretend it could be anything else.

“And guys,” said Snow offhandedly. “I did have a boyfriend, after all. I guess I’m not so worried about someone’s gender and more… how they make me feel. There are positives and negatives to both.”

“Such as?” Michael asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“Maybe let’s not go down this road,” said Snow uncertainly. “Weren’t you asking what it was like having two moms?”

“Yeah, but this is much more interesting,” said Michael, grinning mischievously. “So, go on. Spill it.”

“Fine,” said Snow, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Girls are… softer.”

“No disagreements here,” said Michael, smirking. Snow rolled her eyes.

“But it’s true. There’s something about kissing a girl or just cuddling that’s… softer,” said Snow. “And sexually, we just know what another woman wants better than a guy. Of course, we can go shopping together and paint our nails and do our hair too. Girls also aren’t embarrassed to make a late-night tampon run either for their girlfriend either. Jackson wouldn’t do that.”

“Neither would I,” said Michael firmly. “A guy’s got to draw the line somewhere.”

“Thanks,” said Snow, shaking her head.

“Okay, but you said there are positives and negatives to both,” said Michael. “What are some of positives for guys?”

“Guys can make a girl feel safe in the way no one else can,” said Snow. “Jackson… I always felt safe with him. I knew he would fight for me, protect me if he could. When he would wrap his arms around me, I knew nothing could touch me. Kissing, sex, whatever, it can all be just as good in different ways. But feeling safe… there’s no substitute for that. Yeah, now we’re getting pretty deep.”

“That is exactly what she said,” Michael said, laughing at his own joke and earning an annoyed glare from Snow.

“Really?” Snow asked him wearily. “That’s what makes you laugh?”

“Occasionally, yeah,” said Michael. “I have an interesting brand of humor.”

“I see this,” Snow replied. “We may need to work on that.”

Much of the morning passed rather uneventfully for Snow and Michael. They sat on the couch and watched the morning news, most of which was coverage of the ongoing storm that was predicted to last through the night. Snow, however, spent a lot of the time deep in thought. She was trapped in this house with Michael. It scared her because she could no longer continue to deny that she was starting to see Michael as more than just a friend. Being alone with him for so long, spending the night in his house, it would all make those feelings that much harder to handle.

Oddly, she found she wasn’t uncomfortable with being there for any other reason. She expected to be frightened by being trapped in the same house with someone who she had only yesterday suspected of both Sara’s murder and of being JTG. Nonetheless, she didn’t believe he was responsible for either of those things and she genuinely felt comfortable around him. Technically, that was only half true. She wasn’t concerned that he would try to kill her, but instead she was uncomfortable in another way that she was quickly coming to realize that she wasn’t properly trained to deal with. But regardless of her fears, she knew she was going to have to deal with her feelings much sooner than she had ever thought.

-.-

"No way. Quetzals isn't a word."

"Oh, yes it is. A quetzal so happens to be the national bird of Guatemala. As a point of interest, it’s also the name of their currency. Now, let's see... that's a 50 point bingo bonus, two triple word scores and a double letter score is... 374 points. And I do believe that's the game... unless you can make up a 500 point deficient with the three letters you've got left." Michael stared at his tiles for a full minute before shaking his head, turning his rack of letters over, and peering wearily at Snow across the kitchen table.

"You win," he said dejectedly. "Note to self, never play Scrabble with a genius."

"I'm not a genius," said Snow with a pleased smirk. "I'm just really smart. A genius would have kicked your ass half an hour ago."

"Hmm... beauty, brains, and a spunky attitude," said Michael, grinning. "If you play Dungeon Destroyer, you might just be the perfect girl."

"I just so happen to be a level 80 mage specializing in fire and arcane magic," Snow said proudly. Michael smirked.

"So, you don't believe in magic and yet you play as a mage?" he asked her. Snow rolled her eyes.

"I don't need to believe in magic to play a game," she retorted.

"How can a girl so smart and so beautiful be so infuriatingly closed-minded?" Michael grumbled.

"I'm not closed-mined," Snow replied. She kept a calm, even tone but on the inside she was positively screaming ‘He thinks I’m beautiful’. "I'm just realistic. If magic existed, don't you think people would know about it? Don't you think people would be using it to solve all their problems?"

"You've never read Harry Potter, have you?" Michael wondered, arching his eyebrows. "Look, just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I mean, have you ever seen a billion dollars?"

"Actually, yes," said Snow, with a thin smile.

"Fine, so you're the wrong person to use that example with," said Michael. "But it still proves my point. Plenty of people never have, but obviously you know it exists. Why can't magic be the same?"

"Why is it so important to you that I believe?" Snow asked. "I don't get it. Why does it matter if I do or I don't? Why do you care?" Michael stared at her for a long, thoughtful moment before answering. His reply was not at all what Snow had been expecting.

"I want you to live with your eyes wide open," he said. "I want you to see not just the world around you, but the whole universe. I want you see it all, to be open to every experience. I want you to live, Snow. I want you to believe in magic because it's real. One day, I'll show you."

"You... really aren't the man this town makes you out to be," said Snow, considering him intensely.

"No," said Michael firmly. "I'm not." He glanced at the clock hanging above the refrigerator. “Wow, it’s already almost one. Are you hungry? I can cook something.”

“You cook?” Snow asked as Michael made his way to the refrigerator and peered inside.

“My mom taught me,” he said, rummaging around inside and extracting a package of cube steaks. “She was always cooking big meals and she thought I should be able to cook for myself too, so she taught me.”

“My mom’s the same way,” said Snow. And he cooks, Snow thought, making a mental check on her list of commendable qualities a potential boyfriend should have. “Ariana’s an amazing cook and she’s always in the kitchen.”

“I’ve tasted some of her cooking on Founder’s Day and at some of the dozen other festivals this town has every year. She’s really good,” said Michael. He held up the package. “Chicken-fried steak?”

“Sounds good to me,” said Snow. Michael refused her offer to help, and insisted she sit down and leave the work to him. She obeyed, leaning back in her chair to watch him. He really seemed to know what he was doing as he moved about the kitchen, preparing a mixture of spices for the steaks. She would have thought him a master chef if, when he went to place the meat into the pan of boiling oil, he hadn’t accidentally dropped one of the steaks into it.

Hot oil splattered everywhere, and although he was quick enough to shield his face, his arms and chest were not so lucky. He leapt back, groaning in pain. Snow leapt to her feet and rushed over to him.

“Take your shirt off,” she told him, intending to check the severity of the burns. It would be impossible to get Michael to a hospital in the storm, so she desperately hoped his injuries would be mild and she could treat them herself. Michael peeled off his shirt and Snow felt her knees go slightly weak. She had known that Michael was a muscular, well-built man, but she hadn’t been prepared to be so suddenly and unexpectedly presented with the body of a man who very clearly spent much of his day working out.

His abdomen, his arms… every bit of him was taut and toned. His arms, she noticed, were larger than her legs. It struck her then that if Michael really did mean her any ill, she stood no chance against him. Most fully grown men that she knew wouldn’t last long in a fight with him. He looked as though he had been training for the ultimate fighting championship… or to go to war.

“Oh, damn…” she whispered to herself as she leaned close to examine the burns. It was not the burns she was concerned about, they were minimal at worst. Instead, it was her closeness to Michael that caused her discomfort.

"That bad?" Michael asked, grimacing.

"What?" Snow replied, surprised that she was suddenly being asked a question. "Oh... no, you... you're good. You're really, really good. Just some minor burns on your chest... we'll get you some baby oil... no, I mean burn oil - ointment, burn ointment," Snow managed to choke out. "It'll help. We'll just rub that on... and a few bandages and you'll be good as new."

“Great,” said Michael. “There’s some burn ointment in the bathroom, if you want to grab that.” Snow hurried away to get it, cursing herself for her foolish behavior as she walked.

Why was she acting this way? She couldn’t understand why she was reacting the way she was. She had to admit to herself, although she really didn’t want to, that she was developing real feelings for Michael. And why shouldn’t she? He was handsome, strong, sweet, kind, and protective. He liked music and he could cook. What more could she ask for? But regardless of any of that, she couldn’t figure out why she kept acting like a complete idiot in front of him.

She had never been such a bumbling fool around anyone else she had ever liked. She had been able to be perfectly normal friends with Sara and Jackson both. Why was it so different with Michael? But then, maybe that was it. She had been friends with Sara and Jackson before any romantic feelings had surfaced. She hardly knew Michael at all, and she really wanted to make a good impression. Perhaps that was why she could barely string two words together around him.

She reached the bathroom and found the burn ointment in the medicine cabinet. She took it, noticing Michael had a number of strange vials filled with oddly colored liquids inside. She didn't have time to investigate, and instead returned to the kitchen. When she arrived, she found Michael where she had left him only now he held her phone in his hand and was staring at the screen with a look of disbelief on his face. He looked up when she entered and held the phone out to her.

"You got a text," he said, thrusting out the phone. "Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Filled with dread, Snow took the phone and read the message.

All alone, cuddled up with Michael. How sweet. Don't get too cozy, bitch --JTG

"Uh... that... that's just... that's not..." Snow stammered.

"These texts go back for a while," said Michael sharply, scrolling through JTG’s messages. "This fucker's threatening you... I don't even know... Who is this guy?"

"I... I shouldn't tell you," said Snow nervously, taking her phone from Michael. "If I do, you'll be a target too, and I... I don't want that. I..."

"I'm not scared, I promise," Michael insisted. "This son of a bitch is going to be when I get my hands on him, but I'm not. Trust me, I've dealt with much worse than this guy. Snow, tell me." She did. She wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, but she didn't have many other options. Michael wasn't going to let it go, she knew that. She could only hope that Michael was as brave as he claimed. She told him everything. She told him all about JTG, her threats, and their suspect list. She shared everything she knew about all of it, including her suspicions about what Sara might have been up to at the party. The only things she left out were the exact details of the secrets JTG had about them, S, and the fact that both she and Clara had been visited by Sara. The former included secrets she had no right to share, and the latter where things tbat just made her sound crazy and she didn’t want Michael to know that anyone had warned her to stay away from him.

"...and that’s when I overheard Sara on the phone,” Snow explained. “She was talking to someone, I don’t know who, but she was saying something about never having the same kind of access as she would that night. That’s… sort of why I came here at first. I was hoping to figure out if…”

“If I had anything to do with Sara’s murder?” asked Michael rather stiffly.

“No… no, not exactly,” Snow replied hurriedly. “More… to find out if you knew anything about it. If you could think of any reason Sara might want access to your house. I mean, I’m assuming she was talking about your house. For all I know, she meant something else entirely, but it makes since seeing as that’s where she was and she disappeared for a while to do something, so…”

“I get it,” said Michael quietly. “Listen, I didn’t know Sara well. We met a few times, obviously…”

“She didn’t like you,” said Snow. “Sara didn’t like you. At the mall that day, she looked like she wanted to kill you.”

“I can’t speak for Sara, but I didn’t hold any ill will toward her,” said Michael. “Like I said, I didn’t even know her. What do you think? Do you think I killed her?”

“Of course not,” Snow exclaimed. “Obviously, I don’t think that.  If I did, do you really think I’d be here alone with you? I’m not stupid, Michael, I’m just… really, really scared and I don’t know who to trust or what the truth is. We’re being stalked, hunted… and there’s no one we can turn to for help.”

“Yes, there is,” said Michael firmly. “Me. I can help you. I’ll call Brad once the storm clears up and we’ll start looking into this.”

“Wait… Brad? Brad Reynolds? Mary’s cousin?” Snow asked, surprised that they knew each other. “You know Brad?”

“Yeah, he works for me,” said Michael. “Doing odd jobs, that sort of thing.”

“Okay... well then you might want to talk to him because he and Mary… they did something together that JTG knows about. That’s one of the things she’s got on us. It would get Mary into a lot of trouble if it came out… probably more trouble than any of us. We don’t know if Brad’s been contacted by JTG or not, but if she knows Mary was involved then there’s no doubt she knows about Brad too.”

“Brad can handle himself,” said Michael, although he suddenly looked nervous. “I’ll call him later and talk to him about it. It’ll be okay, Snow. Brad and I can look into this and still keep it quiet. Even if Brad’s involved already, I’m not, so JTG can’t hurt me. Besides, I don’t have any secrets.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a lie,” said Snow knowingly. “This is Mistbrook Falls. Everyone has secrets.” The moment she said it a crack of thunder rumbled through the air and the power winked out, plunging them into complete darkness.

-.-

It took them some time to feel their way through the darkened house to a closet in the kitchen where Michael retrieved two flashlights and a bundle of candles. Using the flashlights to guide them, they lit enough candles to illuminate both the kitchen and living room.

The steaks Michael had been planning to cook were replaced by ham and cheese sandwiches due to the lack of electricity. Snow leaned against the kitchen counter while Michael prepared the sandwiches, deep in thought.

Sharing details about JTG with Michael had changed everything. While he didn’t know any of their secrets, he knew enough that if he went to the police he could no doubt convince Sophia to look into it. If Sophia started poking into JTG’s affairs, then she could easily become the bitch’s next target. Or JTG could just release all of their secrets and checkmate them in a single move.

That was Snow’s biggest obstacle in her battle with JTG. She had an instant ‘I Win’ button that she could deploy against them at any moment. Snow had no such weapon to use. She knew nothing about JTG and that limited tactical data was greatly hindering her response. She had no way to retaliate against JTG without hurting herself and her friends, meanwhile JTG could strike with impunity.

Somehow, she had to find a way to gain the upper hand. She had to discover JTG’s identity. Without that information, she had no way to win. JTG could continue to play whatever sick game she was playing forever. Discovering JTG’s identity would force them into a stalemate. JTG would know their secrets, but Snow would know her name. Neither side would be able to attack the other without harming themselves. Mutually assured destruction. It was the only tactic she could conceive that would end the game with a positive outcome for her and her friends... and if JTG did decide to reveal all their secrets, Snow could ensure that at the very least JTG went down with them.

Dinner was a rather quiet affair. Michael attempted to make small talk, but Snow was in no mood for it. She was tired, scared, and her mind was on overdrive thinking about JTG. She hadn’t given much thought to Brad and his potential connection to JTG before, but after talking about him with Michael, she was beginning to wonder if he was part of this too. They still didn’t know what Brad had taken from the store, but she knew she had been right before; if JTG knew about Mary then she doubtlessly knew about Brad as well. What that meant for her war against JTG, she couldn’t begin to guess.

She and Michael whiled away the rest of the afternoon doing nothing in particular and talking about nothing of importance. Snow didn’t want to talk about JTG any more and Michael seemed to realize this because he didn’t mention it again. Much later that evening, after a warm shower and another serving a sandwiches for dinner, Snow changed into the loose white t-shirt and boxer shorts Michael had provided for her. He had correctly assumed that she would be more comfortable sleeping in something other than the outfit she had selected for school that morning.

“Sorry I don’t have anything a bit more girly,” said Michael, holding his arm around the doorway to the guest bedroom with the bundle of clothes in his hand. “But they’re clean and freshly washed.”

“They’re fine, thank you,” said Snow, taking the clothes and dropping the towel she had wrapped around herself in the event Michael hadn’t had the forethought not to just barge into the room. She was far from sure of her feelings, and the last thing she needed was for Michael to see her naked. She dressed quickly by candlelight and piled her undergarments, blouse, and pants on the dresser.

The clothes he had given her were much too big for her, especially the shirt. Snow suspected in certain lights, one could probably see right through it as well. She wondered briefly if Michael had selected that shirt intentionally. The one good thing she could say about the shirt was that it smelled like Michael. That was when she realized she was treading into dangerous territory with Michael. She found his scent intoxicating. That, she believed, was probably a bad sign.

“You can come in now,” Snow called as she sat down on the edge of the bed and laid back across it, testing it for comfort. Michael appeared, smiling, in the doorway.

“You look ready for bed,” he said, leaning against the door frame.

“I am,” Snow replied. “Thanks again for letting me stay and… and for listening to all that JTG stuff, I…”

“I want you to tell me stuff like that,” said Michael. “We’re going to find this JTG, Snow. We’ll find her together. Whoever’s doing this is going to wish they’d never even thought about doing it when I’m through with them.”

“My valiant defender,” Snow said airily.

“That’s right,” Michael said firmly. “We’ll get her, Snowy. Don’t worry. Do you need anything else before bed?”

“I’m good, but thanks,” said Snow. Michael nodded and walked over to the candle on the bedside table.

“Well, goodnight then,” he said.

“Goodnight,” Snow replied. Michael blew out the candle and left the room, using his flashlight to light his path. Snow wriggled beneath the covers, listening to the sound of Michael’s footsteps growing softer. She was exhausted, but still far too wired to get any sleep. She tossed and turned for hours, but she couldn’t get her brain to shut down.

She finally drifted into a light doze, dreaming fitfully of Michael in a dark room. It was hot and her bare skin was dripping with sweat. Michael was beneath her and it felt like her body, no the very air around her was on fire. Suddenly, the sound of music from down the hall woke her and forced every bit of sexual tension out of her mind. She sat bolt upright, her heart racing.

I just want to start a flame in your heart
In my heart I have but one desire
And that one is you
No other will do

She thought it was just Michael, perhaps, listening to his favorite song. It had to be him. If it wasn't... She reached for her flashlight and turned it on. She grabbed her phone and eased out into the hall. She didn't want to go out there when she could just cover up her head and pretend it wasn't happening. But if it wasn't Michael, she needed to know. She had to know.

She slowly padded down the completely black hallway, the path in front of her lit only by the narrow beam of light from her flashlight and occasionally a brief flash of lightning through the windows. The old house creaked around her as the storm raged, but all Snow heard was the music. She walked on, becoming slightly lost as she tried to make her way to the living room. She didn't know the house well and she found the dark hallways creepy. She kept glancing behind her, but although she never saw anyone she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following her.

At last, she reached the living room. It looked exactly as she and Michael had left it except for a lit candle sitting on the table beside the record player. Snow walked over, glancing nervously around the room as she went but there was no one there.

"Michael?" Snow called out. No one answered. She reached the record player and slowly lifted the needle from the record. The music stopped immediately. Without warning, the flame burning on the candle's wick winked out and Snow was plunged into complete darkness. A moment later, her phone chimed and Snow's heart dropped into her stomach. With trembling fingers, she held up the phone and turned on the screen.

I don't want to start a flame in your heart, Snow. I want to cut yours out --JTG

Snow stood, frozen in place as the pitch darkness pressed in all around her. She knew, although she was too terrified to turn around to check, that she was not alone. Without warning, a powerful blow knocked the phone from her hand. A kick knocked her to the floor, her flashlight clattering across the polished wood. Her attacker stood above her, framed for an instant by a flash of lightning. She could distinguish no features on the figure dressed from head to toe in black. Their face too was obscured by a black cloth mask. She realized in a rush of horror that she was face to face with JTG.

Snow scrambled backward, feeling desperately for her flashlight. It was the only thing close to a weapon she could get her hands on. She watched, terrified, as the figure drew a long blade and started toward her. She screamed and like an answered prayer, a burst of light illuminated the room and Michael appeared with a silver sword in his hand. JTG vanished in a flash, rushing from the room. Michael gave chase, but returned a few moments later empty-handed.

"Snow... Snow, are you okay?" Michael asked, kneeling down beside her where she still huddled on the floor, trembling.

"That... that... that..." she babbled. "That was JTG. She... she was going to kill me."

"Well, she's gone now," said Michael firmly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "She's gone and the house is safe. I've got a few... security measures on the property that will keep her out. Don't worry, Snow. She can't get back in, I promise."

Snow heard him, but only barely. JTG had just changed the game. She was going to try to kill her again and maybe her friends as well. It wasn't just threats and texts... JTG wanted them dead. If she hadn't been sure before, she was then. JTG had killed Sara, there was nothing else for it. She had started with Sara and now she was coming after her. JTG upped the ante and Snow had no defense, much less a counter attack. She was scared, more scared than she ever had been before. All the while, Michael had been talking. She hadn't been listening to a word he had been saying. 

"...and you'll stay with me for the rest of the night. I don't want you to be alone," Michael said quietly. "I'll protect you, Snowy. Don't worry."

"I don't know if anyone can protect me," said Snow, hopelessly. Michael brushed her hair away from her face and gave her a very serious stare.

"I can," he insisted. Somehow, despite her despair, Snow believed him. She allowed him to guide her to his bedroom. They climbed into bed together, the awkwardness of it all completely lost on her. She settled down into the blankets, which she would have found warm and comfortable but instead she found them cold and harsh. Michael eased up behind her and wrapped his arm around her. His grip was tight, protective, shielding. She leaned back against his muscled chest, his warmth soothing her somewhat.

"I've got you, Snow," he whispered in her ear. "Don't worry. I've got you."

"Don't let me go," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "Please... don't ever let me go." She broke down completely, sobbing into her pillow as the full weight of everything crashed down upon her. Michael pulled her closer, stroking her hair gently as she cried.

"It's okay, Snowy," he said. "You're safe. I'll stay right here. I'll say awake all night and watch over you. Don't worry about anything." Snow relaxed into his embrace, her sobs still as powerful as ever. At some point during the long, cold night, Snow finally managed to drift off to a troubled sleep.

28: Chapter XXVIII: Fast Times at Mistbrook High

Clara, taking Ariana’s advice, rushed out to Kayla’s car and eased open the door. She leaned in, grinning childishly at the sleek carbon fiber interior. Kayla looked up at her when she opened the door.

“Hey, Clara,” she said, beckoning the blonde inside. “Come to see the car?”

“And to ask for a ride in it,” said Clara. “I’m running late for school and Ariana said to ask if you wouldn’t mind driving me.”

“Sure, I’d be happy to. Just take off your shoes before you get in,” said Kayla, firing up the engine. “I’m kidding,” she added when Clara started to obey. “Hop in and we’ll get you to school.” Clara climbed into the car and moments later they were cruising across town.

"Thanks," said Clara, leaning back in her seat. "And thanks for coming to see my mom. She's... really having a tough time with all of this."

"I'm sure she is," said Kayla. "But Ariana will get her cheered up, don't worry."

“She’s good at that,” said Clara. She glanced at Kayla and noticed that although she was trying to smile, there was pain etched deeply into her face. It seemed that mentioning Ariana had brought that pain starkly into focus. “It seems like she needs to use that gift on you. You look like you’ve lost your last friend. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” said Kayla robotically.

"You're lying," said Clara without hesitation. Kayla glanced across the center console, surprised. "What? I'm very direct. You know me."

"That I do," said Kayla wearily. “It’s just not something I can really talk about right now."

"Okay," said Clara, knowing that pushing Kayla to talk wouldn't get her anywhere. She had always been one to keep her emotions bottled up. "But I meant what I said the other day. If you ever need someone to talk to..."

"I know. Thanks Clara," said Kayla. "One day, I'll probably need to take you up on that... just not today."

They had arrived at the school by that point. Kayla eased the car to a stop along the sidewalk in front of the building. Storm clouds had begun to gather on the horizon and the winds were picking up as Clara climbed out of the car and thanked Kayla for the ride. She then set off toward the front doors, the sound of Kayla's car growing softer as she drove away.

Once inside, she headed for her locker, hoping to run into her friends before class began. As she walked, other students smiled at her and many said various forms of 'good morning' to her. She knew why they did it. It wasn't because they were happy to see her, it was because she was Snow's right hand woman.

Despite the popularity she had long ago gained by becoming Sara and Snow's friend, she had still lived in their shadow. Now, she only lived in Snow's and managed to cast a shadow of her own. She was popular, important, envied, loved by some and hated by others just because of her social status and the table she sat at during lunch.

She had fought so hard to rise to that level, to be part of the in-crowd. It had meant so much to her that she had changed everything about herself so she would fit in. It had been all she had ever wanted. Now, the only thing she wanted was her and her friends to be happy and safe and free from JTG. She would give all of it up in an instant, would go back to being a wallflower that no one ever noticed or cared about if it meant JTG would never bother them again.

What good was popularity in the long run, anyway? Sure, in high school she got to be the envy of everyone around her. She got to run the school alongside her best friend. They owned the hallways and everyone around them desired to fall in their good graces. But all too soon high school would end and their popularity would mean nothing. They would each go off and live their lives, high school drifting away into the past. It would all be meaningless in the end. Being envied by the masses, Clara realized, wasn't all it was cracked up to be. She couldn't help but feel that it had all been a waste.

Clara was so deep in thought as she strolled along the hallway that she walked right passed her locker and had to double back. She found Nikki at the locker next door when she arrived. She sighed heavily as she typed in the combination on the keypad. The door popped open and she shoved her bag inside and retrieved her English book.

"You're in a mood," said Nikki, placing her hands on her hips. "PMSing?"

"Shut up, Nikki," Clara grumbled, setting off toward the English classroom.

"So... what? Guy problems?" Nikki asked as Mary came walking toward them. "We've all had guy problems. Even Mary."

"Shut up, Nikki," said Mary angrily. "Good morning to you, too."

"Clara's in a mood," said Nikki with a shrug. "I was just trying to figure out what's wrong."

"JTG is what's wrong," Clara growled.

"Fair enough," said Nikki, nodded. "But I'm still pretty sure you're PMSing."

"Shut up, Nikki," Clara sighed wearily.

"'Morning, ladies," said Jackson, emerging from a hallway to their right.

"Clara's in a mood today," said Nikki immediately.

"And you're clearly drunk," Clara snapped. "I'm not in a mood, I'm tired and worried about my mom. Kayla and Ariana stopped by and they're trying to cheer her up, but..."

"Well, they're good at that so maybe they can help," said Mary, hopefully.

"Yeah, maybe," said Clara. "I hope so. She's just been so down."

"She'll be okay," said Jackson reassuringly. "I wouldn't worry about her too much. She's tough. She'll bounce back."

"Yeah... yeah, I know," said Clara. She shook her head, wishing someone would change the subject. Almost instantly, she got her wish.

"So, where's Snow?" Jackson asked. "I haven't seen her today."

"She..." Clara began, but she was interrupted by an announcement over the loudspeaker. The storm had gotten far worse than anyone had anticipated and parts of the town were rapidly flooding. For safety, everyone would remain at the school until the storm passed and the roads were cleared. Classes would be canceled and everyone would gather in the cafeteria for the remainder of the day.

As they made their way to the cafeteria, Clara called Snow to let her know what was happening. Snow informed her that she herself was stuck at Michael's and would have to stay there until the storm passed. As they entered the cafeteria and sat down around their usual table, Clara ended her phone call with Snow. Outside, the storm's intensity continued to increase. Lightning flashed and the thunder was almost a constant rumble in the background.

"She's stuck at Michael's," she told the others. "The road's washed out and she can't leave."

"What was she doing at Michael's?" Jackson asked sharply, his eyes narrowing.

"Michael, hopefully," said Clara with a smirk.

"You aren't serious?" said Mary, sounding quite nervous. "You wouldn't want them to... like... be together."

"Eh, I could ship them," said Clara, shrugging. "Snichael? Yeah, I could see it. Snow's obviously into him and... oh..." She broke off at the look on Jackson's face. He looked angry, but still more sad and disappointed. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine," said Jackson, but from his tone it was clear nothing about the situation was fine.

"Seriously though, why is she at Michael's?" Nikki asked, steering the conversation out of these uncomfortable waters. "I never heard from her yesterday other than her text last night saying she'd explain everything today."

"Oh, right," said Clara, suddenly remembering that the others knew nothing of what Snow had told her earlier that morning. "Snow went to Michael's yesterday for all the reasons we discussed. While she was there, Michael started playing that same song JTG played for Snow on the radio."

"So he's..." Mary began, but Clara cut her off.

"No, Snow doesn't think he's JTG," said Clara quickly. "She seemed pretty convinced of it when we talked. They're becoming friends and she's pretty sure he's okay. She thinks he may know something about what happened that night, but he's not JTG. But there's something else.... someone calling themselves S started texting her. S... warned her to stay away from Michael, and... and Snow and I think that S... might be Sara."

"Sara's dead," said Jackson, arching his eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure that means she can't text."

"I saw Sara in my room after she supposedly died," said Mary in a tone that told Clara she sincerely wished she had never needed to talk about the event at all. Mary glanced sideways at Nikki, as though asking her for help. Nikki sighed heavily.

"I saw her too," Nikki muttered. "Separately from Mary, but... I saw her and talked to her."

"So did me and Snow," said Clara. "She visited us both and talked to us. She... this is crazy. She came to see all of us..."

"Not me," said Jackson uncertainly, looking as though he wasn't sure whether to be pleased or disappointed.

"Don't feel too left out," said Nikki dryly. "At least you're not being haunted. I mean, Sara's dead..."

"What if she's not?" Clara asked suddenly, looking around at them all. "I mean... what if she's not?"

"We all saw her body," said Mary slowly. "We went to her funeral, we buried her... she's dead." 

"Yeah... and yet we all had a nice little chat with her," said Clara. "So... what if she's not?"

"What if she's JTG?" said Nikki, her eyes widening. She looked around at them all as though she had just discovered the Fountain of Youth. "I mean, think about it. Sara knew us, all of us. She knew so many of our secrets... the lies we've told. What's that she always used to say?"

"'Friends share secrets. It keeps us close'," said Clara quietly. "The only problem is that we told her all of ours, but she always kept hers to herself."

"Okay, wait a minute," said Jackson, shaking his head. "Are we seriously entertaining the idea that Sara, a girl we saw buried in the ground, isn't dead and is also our mysterious stalker?"

"Either that or Sara's ghost is haunting us," said Clara. She sighed. "Look, I don't know if Sara is JTG or S or even if she's still alive. All I know is something happened the night she died. JTG appeared right after she died and now this S person… The four of us saw Sara. We didn’t imagine it or dream it, we saw her. That means… well, I don’t know what it means, but it means something. We’re not all crazy.”

“Speak for yourself,” Mary muttered. An instant later all four of their phones chimed at the same time.

“Shit…” Nikki groaned as she and the rest pulled out their phones.

My little liars look so strange sitting there without their leader. Keep playing by the rules, bitches. I’m watching you –JTG

“She’s here,” Mary whimpered, glancing fretfully around the cafeteria.

“She’s always here,” said Clara, not bothering to look at all. She knew she would never spot JTG if she tried. She wouldn’t be able to even if she was sitting across the table from her. JTG was smarter than that. She wasn’t going to get caught out in the open. Nikki opened her mouth to say something, but what it was Clara never found out. Steven came walking toward them from across the cafeteria and Mary swore softly, causing Nikki to pause.

“Shit, he can’t come over here,” Clara whispered. “If JTG’s watching us, he needs to stay far away from us.”

“Hey guys,” said Steven, walking up and slapping Jackson on his back. “I hope this damn storm clears up and the football game is still on for tomorrow. It's the Mistbrook Falls Direwolves versus the Rosewood Lions and its Jackson's first ever game." When none of them spoke, his eyes narrowed curiously. "What’s going on?” He put his hand on the back of the chair next to Clara, but she pulled it abruptly away from him.

“You… ought to find another seat,” she said apologetically. “It’s not the best time to be seen with us.”

“What? Oh, you’re talking about JTG,” said Steven, rolling his eyes. “I already told Snow and Jackson that I’m not worried. I’m already involved, so if JTG is going to target me there’s not much to stop her.”

“Still, she’s left you alone for now,” Nikki pointed out. “She’s already ruining our lives, there’s no point in risking yours. Sitting with us does just that. The more distance you keep from us, the better off you’ll be.” Steven shook his head.

“Look, I’m not worried about some crazy…”

“You can’t sit with us!” Mary hissed fiercely, glaring at Steven from across the table. Everyone turned to look at her, surprised.

“Uh… yeah, they’re right Steve,” said Jackson quickly. “Listen man, this whole thing with JTG… it’s something none of us is prepared to deal with. We’re trying to watch each other’s backs and protect the people we love. If you get involved, that’s one more person we’ve got to worry about. Until this is over, it’s best if you keep your distance. I don’t want you becoming a target. JTG has already gone after Clara’s mom. If we don’t play by her rules, she’ll start going after other people and you’d be a prime target for her.”

“Alright,” said Steven, looking quite defeated. “I get it. I just… I wish I could help.”

“We do too,” said Clara sincerely. “It’s just that if you try to help you, you’ll only be hurting yourself. JTG means business and the less people that have to suffer because of her, the better.” Steven walked away and found a seat at a table with a few of the cheerleaders. In true Steven style, he had them laughing within seconds. Clara watched him for a few moments, no less worried now that he had gone. Mary, however, asked a question that brought her back to her more pressing problem.

“So this S character,” Mary said thoughtfully. “What do we know about them? Do they know about JTG?”

“According to Snow, no,” said Clara. “S didn’t have any idea about JTG.”

“What if S is JTG and is messing with us?” Jackson put in. “It sounds like something JTG would do.”

“Maybe, but Snow was pretty convinced they’re two separate people,” Clara replied. Jackson scoffed.

“And who is Snow? God?” he demanded. “She doesn’t know everything. We can’t operate based solely on what Snow thinks.”

“Easy, Chewie," Clara replied harshly. "Snow is the smartest person any one of us knows. She cheated on you, I get it. You’re pissed at her because she’s hanging around a new guy, I get it. Right now, all that matters is the psychopath hunting us. We’ve got to be a team. I trust Snow’s opinions because I trust Snow. If she doesn’t think S and JTG are the same person, I believe her.”

“Why don’t we all just calm down,” said Nikki quietly. “You just said it, Clara. We’re a team. We’re on the same side. It won’t do any of us any good to go turning on each other now. Once we’re free of JTG, if you want to have a go at Snow then do it, but not right now. We need her, Jacks. We need all of us.”

“Sorry,” said Jackson and Clara in unison, drawing a smile to both of their faces.

“I’m starving,” said Jackson in an attempt to change the subject. “I’m gonna go grab some food.”

“Me too,” said Nikki as Jackson walked away. Mary, however, grabbed her arm to stop her.

“Wait,” she said quietly. “I… I’m glad he left. I was just thinking about something. What if Sara is still alive and she’s… I mean, she’s threatening us with all these secrets. What if… what if she’s planning on turning us in for… for the Miranda thing." Clara and Nikki reacted violently to Mary's words. Clara glanced wildly around, checking to see if anyone was within earshot.

"Shut up," Nikki hissed furiously, her eyes blazing. "We swore. All five of us, we swore never to talk about it. Ever."

"That was when Sara was still alive and JTG wasn't after us," said Mary. "Maybe we need to talk about it."

"If JTG finds out about the Miranda thing..." Clara whispered. "I mean... that was the worst Labor Day weekend any of us has ever had. It... it was a mistake, we never... Look, if anyone finds out it won't matter that it was Sara's idea. Sara was the instigator, but we all went along with it. We were there and we didn't try to stop her. We're just as guilty as she is. JTG will have enough ammunition to destroy us.”

"Can we stop talking about this, please?" Nikki grumbled. "We know JTG is watching us. She's probably listening to us too. This isn't the time for this. JTG isn't Sara. Sara's dead. JTG doesn't know... she can't know. It's impossible. The only people who know are the three of us at this table and Snow. As long as none of us talk, no one will ever know about the Miranda thing."

“Fine,” said Mary. “There’s only so much JTG talk I can take in one day anyway. I’ve already had enough. Besides, I’m worried about Snow stuck out there with Michael. Especially if our creepy S is warning her to stay away from him too.”

“Snow can take care of herself,” said Clara firmly. “I wouldn’t worry about her too much. She’s tiny, but she’s feisty.”

“Maybe, but… you don’t know Michael,” said Mary nervously. “You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“Do you?” Nikki asked, arching her eyebrows. Mary instantly shook her head.

“No, but… but that doesn’t mean… I know his reputation, that’s all. He’s a creep and I don’t like him.”

“I’m sure Snow will be fine,” said Clara, glancing around the crowded cafeteria and knowing that somewhere amongst that mass of humanity, JTG sat watching. “It’s us I’m worried about.”

-.-

“I just don’t get Jackson,” Clara complained as she and Nikki made their way to the bathroom a half hour later. “Sure, Snow cheated on him but he did the same thing to her. Where does he get off being back at her? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Nikki agreed. “But it’s not our problem, it’s theirs. We need to stay out of it and let them handle it.”

“It just pisses me off that Jackson can be such a dick,” Clara grumbled.

“He’s a guy, what did you expect?” Nikki asked. “And anyway, what he said wasn’t even that bad. We do sort of treat Snow’s word as gospel. Why did you jump all over him?”

“Snow is one of my best friends,” said Clara. “I’d have done the same thing for any one of you. You, Mary, Snow… I don’t have any family other than my mom, but… but I’ve got three amazing sisters that I’ve come to realize I can’t live without. Anyone has a go at one of you…”

“Oh, Clara…” Nikki said softly, wrapping her arm around the blonde’s shoulder. “When did you get so sentimental?”

“I have no idea,” said Clara. “I just know that’s how I feel. With JTG lurking, I feel like I could lose you guys any second. I’m afraid you’ll all end up like Sara, and I… I can’t lose another sister.”

“You won’t,” said Nikki firmly, taking the blonde’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll figure this out, Clara. We’ll be fine.”

“You don’t know that,” said Clara, her eyes filling with tears. “You can’t know that. Sara thought she would be fine too. Now she’s dead… she’s dead and I… sometimes I hated her. One day she could be your best friend and the next day she could be your worst enemy. But I loved her… she brought us all together. She might have been horrible at times, but she brought us all together. She was our friend and someone killed her.”

“They’ll be caught,” said Nikki, but one glance at her face told Clara she didn’t really believe it. She didn’t get the chance to mention it because both of their phones chimed and they nervously took them out.

It’s time to end this little game. We’re going to meet, face to face. Boiler room in the basement in fifteen minutes. Come alone. Tell no one. Disobey and my five pretty little liars will become four. See you soon, bitches –JTG

“Fuck that,” Nikki muttered, shoving her phone into her pocket. “There’s no way I’m doing this.”

“Nik, JTG just threatened to kill one of us if we don’t do what she says,” said Clara, her heart feeling as though it would soon pound out of her chest. “We’ve got to go right now.”

"She didn't say she would kill one of us," said Nikki calmly. "Not explicitly."

"Are you willing to take the risk?" Clara snapped. "What if that's exactly what she meant?"

"This is a trap, Clara," said Nikki. "You know it is. JTG isn't going to reveal herself to us."

"Maybe," said Clara. "Maybe not. It doesn't matter. We've got to go. Play by the rules, remember? If we don't, JTG will make us pay for it. We're going."

"Fine," Nikki relented after a few moments of hesitation. "I swear, one day I'm going to kill this bitch."

"Yeah," said Clara. "If she doesn't kill us first."

They made their way through the school and downstairs to the maintenance hallway that led to the boiler room. Neither Clara nor Nikki had ever been to the boiler room, and they got lost looking for it.

"I think it's this way," said Nikki when they reached a T junction. She was pointing toward a door at the end of the hall to their right.

"Sure, why not?" said Clara, following Nikki along the hall. They reached the door, which upon closer inspection was conveniently marked 'boiler room'. Nikki grasped the doorknob and opened the door. Instantly, the power winked out and plunged them into complete darkness.

The girls took their phones out immediately and turned on their flashlight apps. Narrow beams of light spilled out into the boiler room before them. Clara turned her light back down the corridor the way they had come and screamed as a black clothed figure shoved her with a shocking amount of force. She was propelled backward into the boiler room. Nikki sprawled unceremoniously next to her moments later. The door slammed closed and silence fell.

"Oh shit... oh shit... oh shit..." Nikki kept repeating as Clara picked up her phone from where it had landed after she had fallen. She dusted off the screen and cast the beam of light around the boiler room. Apart from the pair of boilers on the far wall, the room was empty. She went to the door and turned the knob, but she knew it was pointless even before she tried. The door was locked from the outside.

"It's locked," she told Nikki, who still sat on the floor sobbing.

"We're locked in?" Nikki asked, standing shakily to her feet and joining Clara at the door. "Can... can you pick the lock?"

"Sure," said Clara sarcastically. "If I'd remembered to bring my sonic screwdriver. I, foolishly, left mine at home. Did you bring yours?"

"Don't be a smartass," said Nikki, picking up her own phone. "We... we've got to get out of here. Is there another door?"

"I don't think JTG would have locked us in here if there was another way out," said Clara. "We're trapped."

"Well, we need to think of something," Nikki replied. "We're sitting here like lame ducks."

"If you've got any ideas, I'm all for it," said Clara, her hands on her hips. "I've already hailed the U.S.S. Enterprise and Scotty's not available to beam us up."

"Be serious, Clara," Nikki snapped. "We need to find a way out."

"There isn't one, Nikki," said Clara hopelessly. "We're stuck here until someone finds us or JTG decides to let us out." She sat down on the floor, resting her back against a support pillar. Nikki glared down at her.

"Just so you know, Clara," she said darkly. "This is all your fault."

-.-

Back in the cafeteria, Mary was worried. Clara and Nikki hadn't come back from the bathroom and they weren't answering her texts. Jackson and Steven had vanished as well. She had spotted them earlier, talking together and looking at their phones. They had then hurried away and she hadn't been able to find them. She was truly concerned that JTG had contacted both of them, given the nervous way they had been looking at their phones. What the bitch might have wanted with them, however, Mary couldn't begin to guess. Perhaps JTG had finally threatened Steven as well. Surely Jackson would be the first person he would go to if that happened.

But regardless, why would they leave the cafeteria and ignore her texts? Where were Clara and Nikki? When the backup generator finally kicked in and the lights flickered on, Mary left the cafeteria and went in search of her friends. She wandered the halls for ages, searching and searching. She passed many of her classmates, but couldn't find the four people she so desperately wanted to find.

She was scared. She didn't like being alone, not since Michael had raped her. She felt like he might be lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike again whenever no one was watching. Keeping her friends nearby gave her comfort. Surely he wouldn't try anything with the others around her.

To make matters worse, Snow was stuck at his house overnight. She was in terrible danger and she couldn't tell anyone without revealing her own horrible secret. She would have to tell them what Michael had done to her if she was going to help Snow, but she didn't want to think about it much less tell anyone. Michael was dangerous and cruel deserved to rot in hell, but Mary couldn't send him there. She didn't want anyone to know what had happened. It would be so awful. In such a small town, everyone would hear about it. People everywhere would know that she had been victimized and she didn't want that.

She kept searching, finally turning down the hallway that led to the teacher's lounge. As she approached, she heard voices coming from within. She couldn't understand what they were saying as they were speaking in hushed tones. Curious, she edged closer to listen.

"...and he isn't sure she's the one," a voice Mary recognized as Mr. Winston's, the English teacher. "We have to be sure before we act. If we're wrong and we involve the girl, we'll be exposed."

"Exactly," said another voice that Mary hadn't heard before. "With the damnable Dawnguard watching our every move we have to be extremely careful. If they catch us, if they find out..."

"Fuck the Dawnguard, Alfonso," said Mr. Winston irritably. "There's only two knights manning Stonehaven now. The rest of the Dawnguard are either dead or have laid down their swords. Their armies are vanquished, their fortresses fallen to ruin. Their dragons forever lost to history. They are nothing." Mary was quite confused by what she was hearing. Dawnguard? Stonehaven? Dragons? It made no sense. Perhaps they were reenacting a scene from their favorite comic book series... yes, that would be it. And yes despite her desire to dismiss the conversation outright, there was something about it that gave her pause. She knew, somehow, that she had seen the word Stonehaven before. She just couldn't remember exactly where.

"They are the only threat to us and their current Grandmaster is a powerful warrior," said the man called Alfonso. Mary quickly tried to remember anyone in town named Alfonso and immediately remembered that Alfonso was Emilia's father's name. "The Dawnguard have been a persistent thorn in our side for centuries. They are determined and resourceful. To underestimate the Order, no matter how small, could be our undoing."

"They have no idea who we're looking for," said Mr. Winston. "They can't."

"The girl's been spending a lot of time with him recently," said Alfonso haughtily. "He could have told her everything. If he has, if she knows the truth and believes it then they'll no doubt be protecting her."     

"He won't tell her," said Mr. Winston. "Not without solid evidence she's the one. They won't reveal the existence of the Dawnguard without a good reason." The Dawnguard. Mary had no idea what that could be, but she was suddenly quite frightened by Mr. Winston and Mr. Banks. It sounded as though they were up to something nefarious. They seemed to be pursuing a girl that the Dawnguard were protecting. She didn't know who that could possibly be, and she didn't much care so long as it wasn't one of her friends. She had enough to worry about without concerning herself with whatever this was.

She was curious, regardless, at the mention of dragons. Dragons? Really? There were no such things as dragons... but then she didn't believe in ghosts either and yet her dead best friend had appeared to her and her friends. Could there be a connection between Sara's mysterious appearance and whatever it was that Mr. Winston and Alfonso were up to? It didn't make much sense, but anything was possible. If they were linked, if they knew something...   

"So... we take her then," said Alfonso, interrupting Mary's thoughts. "At the earliest opportunity, we take her. If she's the one, he'll know and we can finally begin." 

"We can," Mr. Winston agreed. "But if the Grandmaster has shielded her, even without her knowing, she'll be untouchable by us. He will have ample opportunity tonight to place any number of protective wards on her. We'll need to..." But Mary didn't hear whatever it was that they needed to do. She had just seen Jackson and Steven turning the corner at the end of the corridor and were hurrying toward her. She had no time to worry about Mr. Winston and Alfonso Banks and whatever the hell the Dawnguard was. She would worry about that later, once her friends were safe.

Whatever they were talking about likely didn't involve her, her friends, or Sara anyway. She was reaching, grasping at straws for the truth. Still, this girl, whoever she was, certainly seemed to be in trouble. She considered, for a moment, going to the principal with what she had heard. She knew, however, that no one would believe such a ridiculous story anyway. For the time being, there was nothing she could do but wait and see what happened.

"There you guys are," said Mary as the guys jogged over to her. "Where the hell have you been? And why are you both so wet? Were you outside?"

"Yeah," said Jackson hotly, pulling out his phone. "Steven and I both got these texts." He held the phone up for Mary to read.

"Under the bleachers on the football field at the fifty yard line," Mary read aloud. "You've got ten minutes. We're going to meet face to face and end this once and for all. Tell no one. If you do, I'm cutting a player out of our little game. Permanently."

"Exactly," said Jackson. "We've been out there for two hours and we never saw anyone. The storm's getting worse and we just said screw it and came back inside. I don't care what JTG says, I'm not getting struck by lightning."

"So that's why you both just disappeared without telling anyone," said Mary. "I've been looking everywhere for you... oh, but Clara and Nikki are missing too. What if JTG got them? We need to find them!" Jackson and Steven nodded and they hurried away to continue the search for Clara and Nikki. As they wandered the school, Mary forgot all about Mr. Winston and Alfonso's conversation as her desperation grew stronger and panic set in. She didn't think about any of it again for the rest of the night. She didn't remember that she had seen the word Stonehaven once before, engraved deeply into one of the stone pillars that rose on either side of the gates to Michael's estate.

-.-

"Let's play Twenty Questions," Nikki said pleadingly into the silence of the boiler room.

"No," Clara growled.

"Boo, you whore," Nikki grumbled.

"Shut up, Nikki." Clara stood to her feet and began to pace, checking the time on her phone as she walked.

"Almost three hours we've been stuck in here," Clara complained. "No cell signals... no way to contact anyone. We've got no food, no water, and I need to use the bathroom."

"Hold it," said Nikki. "I love you, but we're not crossing that line."

"I can't hold it all night, Nik," Clara snapped. "If we don't get out of here, I'm using that bucket."

"For the love of God, someone open this damn door," Nikki screamed, walking over and kicking the door. Like an answered prayer, the door opened. Mary, Jackson, and Steven stood framed in the doorway, looking quite relieved.

"Thank God," Mary exclaimed, rushing forward and pulling both of her friends into a tight hug. "It took us forever to find you. We've been looking all over. How did you guys end up stuck down here?"

"Let me guess, you both got texts from JTG telling you to meet here?" asked Jackson. He nodded toward the door. "The key was left in the lock outside. Pretty clear someone intentionally locked you in here just like that same person lured Steven and me outside to the football field."

"That's... pretty much it," said Clara darkly. "JTG said we were going to meet and end this. If we told anyone, she threatened to kill one of us."

"That's pretty much what happened with us too," said Steven, shaking his head. "This bitch is crazy. What did that do? Get us wet and test you both for claustrophobia?"

"I want to know why I didn't get a text," said Mary, sounding somewhat hurt.

"Are you really upset about that?" Nikki asked incredulously. "Trust me, you're better off being left out. But Steven's got a point. What was all this about? Why send us all off on a wild JTG chase?"

"To get us out of the way?" Clara suggested uncertainly. "Maybe she needed us distracted so we wouldn't notice her doing something."

"Like what?" Jackson asked.

"I don't know," said Clara, shrugging. "But something tells me we're going to find out."

The rest of the day and night passed uneventfully. JTG was silent and the five friends spent the night in the cafeteria with the rest of their classmates. While the rest of them joked and laughed and chatted happily and later that night fell asleep in their sleeping bags to untroubled dreams, JTG's little liars sat in silence and lay awake for hours, wondering...

When dawn broke and the storm had passed, the students were finally allowed to leave. The kids and the teachers all collected their belongings and made their way out of the school. They walked through the school's many hallways, some of which had display cases filled with trophies and awards won by the school's sports teams. At the bottom of the staircase that led to the second floor, there was one special display case. It held no trophies or awards, but instead it contained a large engraved plaque and a corkboard with dozens of pictures of the same thin blonde girl.

The plaque itself, made out of highly polished oak, was engraved with a short, simple message; A bright spot in our school, forever darkened. You will be missed. Rest in peace, Miranda Sinclair.  

 

 

29: Chapter XXIX: A Thousand Years, Part Two

"Couldn't we wait until after the storm to do this?" Kayla asked as she eased the car into a parking spot outside the local branch of Geller and Greene National Bank. "I want to get home before it gets bad."

"We'll get home before the storm," said Ariana, reaching for the door handle. "This shouldn't take long."

"You're confident," Kayla noted, grinning as her wife put on her most serious face.

"Yes, I am," said Ariana. "Noel didn't do anything wrong and I'm going to make the manager see that." She paused, a small smile appearing on her lips. "And if I can't, you'll be there to tell him that either he gives our friend her job back or you'll rip his heart out and eat it raw."

"I haven't gotten to threaten anyone in ages," said Kayla brightly. "This should be fun."

"With luck, you won't have to threaten anyone," said Ariana. "You're the muscle in case I can't negotiate a deal."

"Damn, girl," said Kayla. "You can't dangle a reward like that in front of me and then snatch it away. It's cruel. I was expecting to get into a good scrap."

"Oh, like that time you got into a scrap with Dwayne and he shot me in the stomach?" Ariana asked, cocking her head to one side. "Because that wasn't fun for me."  

"Hey, it was still a good fight," said Kayla. "And you were fine. You just nearly died and you lost your memories for a while. No big deal."

"Well, there was also the time you got into a scrap with Dwayne's girlfriend, who killed Coop, stabbed me, and almost beat you to death," Ariana reminded her. "You know, the worst situations we've ever been in typically involve your bad choice of boyfriends."

"That's... not entirely unfair," Kayla reluctantly admitted. "But we were fine and Coop got to be a powerful supernatural being out of the deal. He's pretty badass these days... and when he visits Alana, well according to her he's pretty impressive."

"There are some topics I refuse to talk about," said Ariana firmly, pushing open the door. "Coop's sexual performance is one of them. Now come on, let's stop reminiscing about the past and get this done so we can go home." Ariana climbed out of the car and made for the bank's front doors. Kayla watched her for a moment, admiring the way the faint rays of sunlight burning through the thickening clouds glinted off of Ariana's flaming red hair.

That hair of hers had easily been the first thing Kayla had noticed when the girl had violently dragged her into an outcropping in the side of the warehouse. She had found herself face to face with the kooky girl and even though her heart was racing and she had been scared out of her mind, she had noticed Ariana's brilliantly red hair.

In a way, it felt like that had happened in a different lifetime... to someone else entirely. They weren't the same people back then that they were now. So much, everything really, had changed since then. She missed the way things used to be, back when it was just their little family living in a ramshackle warehouse. Life had been so much simpler. They had been happy. She wanted to go back to that life, but she knew she never could.

"Are you coming?" Ariana called when she looked back and noticed Kayla wasn't following her. Shaking herself free from her thoughts of the past, Kayla got out of the car and followed Ariana into the bank.

Geller and Greene National Bank was the only bank in Mistbrook Falls, and it was quite a large branch for such a small town. Kayla followed Ariana across the lobby, their shoes tapping on the highly polished marble floor. Ariana spoke briefly with a receptionist, who called the manager out from his office.

The manager, who Kayla knew to be Dennis Roberts, was a short, balding man in his late forties. He was, at heart, a corporate yes man who would do anything to please his bosses. He was also famous for having a raging temper. Ariana, meanwhile, was a determined woman with more financial power than some small countries. Kayla knew Ariana would not walk out of the bank that day without securing Noel's job for her. The redhead might be small and unimposing, but when she saw an injustice there was no stopping her.

"Mrs. Austin!" Dennis exclaimed when he emerged from his office. He approached Ariana and shook her hand with both of his. "How can I help you today?"

"I'd like to speak with you," said Ariana, her voice as sweet as ever. "Privately." It was Ariana's usual tactic, Kayla knew. Her wife would always attempt polite diplomacy before she fired her artillery. If Ariana could defuse the situation before she had to outright destroy her enemies, she would do so. On the other hand, if she had to resort to other methods, she would do so quickly, violently, and without mercy.

It was funny. Kayla had always been the one quick to anger and violence. Sure, Ariana's battles were not physical ones. She would never hurt anyone that wasn't trying to hurt her or her family. She fought for the defenseless, the helpless. She was the sword and shield for those that couldn't protect themselves.

People often wondered why Ariana would spend millions to save a small town that most had never heard of and those that had didn’t care about. When a corporation sponsored by the Blake family had come to bulldoze a large section of the town for mining purposes, Ariana had stepped in and purchased all the land in question. It hadn’t been because Ariana had a strong love for Mistbrook Falls or that she valued its history. She cared about the people that called the tiny town home. Sure, they could all move away and buy new houses and start new businesses, but it would mean leaving a town many of them had lived their entire lives in. It had been a case of the powerful abusing their power, in the way she herself had once been abused. She couldn’t let it stand, so she devised a plan to buy the town and put a stop to the mining.

Ariana was a brilliant tactical thinker, which came as a surprise to Kayla considering that when they first met she had been certain Ariana wasn’t entirely sane. Buying a town might not have occurred to most people, but it did to her.

"Please, step into my office,” said Dennis, guiding Ariana down the hall. Kayla followed and soon she and Ariana were seated in front of Dennis’s desk in his very posh office. Dennis sat down in a high backed chair and leaned forward, his fingers laced together on the desk in front of him.

“So, how can I help you ladies today?” he asked them. “If this is about one of your accounts, I can certainly…”

“It’s not,” Ariana interrupted him. “We wanted to talk to you about Noel Mackenzie. I understand she was fired recently after being accused of sexual harassment, and… well, I can personally assure you that Noel would never do something like that. I was hoping you would reconsider firing her.”

“Oh…” said Dennis, looking suddenly quite uncomfortable. “Oh, I’m afraid I can’t do that. Geller and Greene can’t run the risk of this sort of legal trouble. A case like this would be catastrophic for us. I’m afraid the decision will have to stand.”

“Noel was a good employee, we both know that,” said Ariana. “Customers here loved her, yet you fired her on the word of one anonymous person. Anyone could call in and claim to have been harassed. Kayla and I are alone with you in this office. If I call tomorrow and report that you did the same, could I expect to see you fired?"

"That's not..." said Dennis nervously.

"Oh, it's exactly the same thing," said Ariana sharply. "There is no evidence that Noel has been anything other than an exemplary employee, yet she was fired because one person claimed..."

"That claim is enough to..."

"What we're trying to say," Kayla interrupted. "Is that Noel is a good person that isn't responsible for what whoever this person is says she is. She doesn't deserve to be fired."

"I'm really sorry about all of this," said Dennis. "This is unpleasant, but we don't have a choice in this matter. I'm sorry, but Ms. Mackenzie will not be welcomed back. It just isn't a risk I'm willing to take."

"I see," said Ariana, nodding slowly. Kayla had to work hard to stop herself from smiling. Dennis had refused. He really had no idea what he was doing.

"You're going to give Noel her job back," said Ariana pointedly. "I really don't care how we go about getting to that point, but I know it's going to happen. Now, we could sit here and threaten to bulldoze this building and put up a sushi restaurant. We own the land, after all."

"We could prey on that temper you're known to have, piss you off to the point that you call one of us the C word, and then blackmail you," Kayla put in helpfully.

"Or," said Ariana. "We could just skip all of that unpleasantness and I can tell you to hold me personally responsible for any future trouble Noel might cause. I'll handle any legal issues that come up. If you ever find evidence that she's guilty, I'll fire her myself. Hell, I'd likely see to it she's run out of town if she were to actually be guilty.

“I wouldn't come in here and speak with you if I thought, even for an instant, that she had done it. I’d offer her a job myself at mine or Kayla’s companies if I knew she wasn’t too proud to accept what she would consider pity. You do really think I would hire someone I thought might be responsible for something like that?” Ariana broke off, seeming to seriously consider something.

“You don’t know this, Mr. Roberts, but I spent many years being sexually abused,” Ariana said at last. “I know, very well, what it looks like. I know it when I see it. Noel… she’s not that kind of person. You’ll just have to trust me on that.”

"I’m… very sorry for what you went through,” said Dennis uncomfortably. “I must say, you... drive an incredibly hard bargain.” Ariana grinned, cocking her head to one side.

"Yes, I do," the redhead agreed. "But this isn't one. This is really simple. Noel will be my responsibility, and should any issues arise, I'll handle it. You're at no risk financially, which is what you're worried about after all.”

“Fine,” Dennis relented at last, however he didn’t look remotely happy about it. “Fine. I’ll let Noel know she can have her job back… on a provisional basis. If she so much as breathes when she’s not supposed to, I’m putting her out on her ass.”

“Fair enough,” said Ariana, standing and offering her hand to Dennis. They shook and then Dennis was ushering them out of his office.

“You were pretty impressive in there,” said Kayla once she and Ariana were back outside. The skies above were growing steadily darker and thunder was beginning to rumble in the distance.

“Not really," said Ariana, shrugging. "I was honest and I appealed to his core instincts... to protect his profits. He's not a bad guy, Kayla. He's just doing his job. I don't..." She paused as her phone chimed. She took out her phone and read the text, her expression growing darker the farther she read.

"It's from Rosie," Ariana told Kayla. "There's been a fire at the bookstore. We need to help her. She doesn't know what to do."

"How bad was the fire?" Kayla asked as they got into the car.

"I'm calling her now," said Ariana. "Hopefully not too bad... and hopefully we'll be able to outrun this storm."

As Kayla and Ariana drove away, Dennis Roberts sat down heavily at his desk. He drummed his fingers nervously, frightened by what he had to do. Slowly, he took out his phone and scrolled down his list of contacts until he found the number he was looking for. Saying a silent prayer, he pressed Call.

"Yes?" The voice on the other end answered.

"I... I know I'm not supposed to call, but... but I had to give Noel her job back," said Dennis shakily. "I... I... I know you said..."

"If you know what I said, then why did you disobey?"

"It was Ariana and Kayla Austin," said Dennis quickly. "They.... they came in and insisted I give Noel her job back. They made a case that... well, it would have been suspicious if I hadn't backed down and done what they asked. If I hadn't, they would have found another way. You know what they're like. They've got a lot of power and influence in this town and plenty of money to back it up. I didn't have a choice. Noel would have gotten her job back if Ariana had been forced to run this bank out of business and open a new one just for her."

"I see. Very well, it is what it is. Noel's firing has already served its purpose, anyway. As for the Austins, they are troublesome bitches, to be sure. I'll handle them in due time, trust me. I'm not ready to face them directly, not yet. They're too dangerous, but in time... in time. As usual, speak of this to no one. I'll know if you do... and don't forget that I know a few of your secrets too, Mr. Roberts. Have a good afternoon, and make sure to get home safe to that beautiful wife of yours. From what I hear, there's a storm coming."  

-.-

"Hey, Snowy… Yeah, we're heading into the city for the afternoon. There was a small fire at the bookstore, and Rosie needs our help. You're at school already, right? Uh huh... wait, you're at Michael's? Michael who...? Oh... wait, are you two dating? Because if that's the case there's no way you're... Uh huh, okay... well, is he okay with you staying there? Okay, okay... but you trust this guy? You're sure he's not a rapist or something... Sure, that's what you think. I'd like to hear it from him..." While she waited for Snow to put the phone on speaker, Kayla glanced over at Ariana, who was driving.

"She's stuck at Michael Comstock's house," said Kayla with a grimace. "The road's flooded and she can't leave." Ariana nodded but didn't speak as Michael's voice came through the speaker before she could reply.

"Um... no," he said, sounding rather nervous.

"See?" said Snow, taking the phone off of speaker. "He's fine. I'll be safe here..."

"I don't like this, Snowy," said Kayla sharply. "We're coming back to get you right now."

"No, you’re not coming to get me," Snow said firmly. "The roads are extremely dangerous. Half the town is flooded. I just talked to Clara and she said they’re keeping everyone at school too just because it’s too dangerous to try and get home."

"Okay..." said Kayla. She wasn't at all happy about this. "Okay, fine. You just watch your back, okay? I don't know Michael well, but you're smart enough to know if you're in trouble. Uh huh... okay, baby. I love you... Yeah, I'll tell her. You be safe, sweetie. Bye." Kayla hung up and tossed her phone into the cup holder.

"So she's alone with Michael Comstock?" Ariana asked as Kayla leaned back in her seat.

"Yes, and I'm strongly opposed to the idea," Kayla said firmly. “He’s the one that threw the party she lied to us about going to.”

“I’ve met Michael a few times,” said Ariana thoughtfully. “He seemed nice to me.”

“Maybe, but he’s still a guy and he’s a lot older than her,” said Kayla. She had to admit that Ariana was a far better judge of character than she was. The fact that the redhead thought Michael to be at least halfway decent spoke volumes.

“You asked her if they were dating,” said Ariana. “What’d she say?”

“She said they were just friends,” Kayla replied. “But… I mean, she’d tell us if they were, right?”

“Well, she told us about Jackson,” said Ariana. “She came and asked us for permission, but that was a long time ago. She’s growing up, Kay-Kay. We may hate it, but there it is. She’s old enough to make her own decisions. If she wants to date Michael, do you really think we could stop her?"

"She's our daughter," said Kayla. "She's a little girl, and we..."

"She's not a little girl anymore," said Ariana. "She's... a young woman. She's sixteen. There was a time in history that she would already be married with children of her own. She's smart and I trust her judgment. She's made some mistakes, but who hasn't? She's got a good head on her shoulders. I'm worried about a lot, Kay-Kay. Snow dating Michael isn't one of them."

"You've got a lot of faith," said Kayla dubiously.

"In Snow? Absolutely." Ariana responded. "I always will."

Kayla had no choice but to push Snow and Michael out of her mind as they drove closer and closer to Detroit. The storm that bore down on Mistbrook Falls would miss Detroit completely, and in fact the skies were clear and the sun was shining as Ariana took the exit from the highway and drove them across town to Coop's Books.

The old bookstore had thrived in the years since Ariana had owned it, so much so that Ariana had needed to hire a full staff to operate it even before their move to Mistbrook Falls. The manager, Rosie, a blonde girl in her late twenties, had been a fantastic find. She had assembled a team of employees and together they kept the store running perfectly in Ariana's absence. Up until that day, they had never had a reason to call Ariana in to deal with a problem.

"Shit..." Kayla breathed when they arrived. The front of the store was in shambles. The glass in the windows had shattered and the brick walls around them were scorched. Ariana eased the car to a stop and she and Kayla hurried over to Rosie, who was talking with one of the firemen while the rest rolled up their hoses and loaded them onto the waiting fire truck.

"Hey," Rosie called out when she saw them approaching. "C'mon, we can go inside. It's not as bad as it looks, really."

"What happened?" Ariana asked as Rosie led the way into the store. Most of the damage was confined to the area around the doorway and the displays in the windows on either side. There was some water damage and some of the books on the nearest row of shelves were soaked, but the rest of the store was otherwise unscathed.  

"The wiring in some of the lighting we used in the front window displays seems to have been bad," said Rosie, shaking her head sadly. "We didn't... we had no idea..."

"It's not your fault," said Ariana gently. "We're insured, sweetie. Don't worry about it. Besides, it could have been much worse."

"We're just glad everyone got out okay," said Kayla. "We can fix everything else."

"We'll get some estimates in the morning," said Ariana. "I wouldn't think it would take long to repair, but you'll all be paid for your regular hours for however long we have to close."

"Thanks, Ari," said Rosie. "I... I'm sorry again. I should have paid more attention. Maybe I could have..."

"Rosie, it's fine," Ariana insisted. "Go on, get out of here. We're obviously not selling any books today and I'm sure you're exhausted. We'll handle things from here and we'll call you tomorrow after we find out how long we'll be shut down."

"She's sweet," said Kayla, once Rosie had gone and she and Ariana were alone in the quiet of the bookstore.

"She is that," said Ariana, dropping her purse off on the front counter. She looked around the store and Kayla noticed there was a deep sadness in her eyes. The bookstore always brought up sad memories for Ariana, doubtlessly seeing the damage made it all that much worse.

"You know," Kayla said quietly, walking over to her wife. "Maybe we should..."

"Damn it, what did you two do?!" Cooper exclaimed, stepping out from between two rows of books and surveying the damage. "Do you girls have to burn everything down?"

"Technically we've only burned down one thing," Kayla commented. "The apartment building we just happened to... well... happen across and this was not our fault."

"Burning down my dad's house was a lot of fun though," said Ariana as Cooper pulled her into a tight hug.

"Arsonists," Cooper grumbled jokingly. "How you doing, Beautiful?"

"Good," said Ariana, relaxing into Cooper's embrace. "How's life up there?"

"Heavenly," said Cooper, smirking. He grinned over Ariana's head at Kayla. "You still as moody as always?"

"I've never been moody," said Kayla defensively.

"Ha!" Cooper exclaimed. "Do you remember the first time we met? You were... a bit of a bitch."

"Yeah, well, I didn't like you back then," said Kayla. "Not to mention I'm usually bitchy toward people who hit on me the moment I meet them."

"That's... fair," said Cooper dryly. "Sorry about that."

"Well, I'm sorry for being so... bitchy," said Kayla. Ariana stood to the side, watching them with a thin smile on her face.

"An apology after fourteen years," she said. "Better late than never, I suppose."

"Exactly," said Cooper. He gestured toward the destroyed entryway. "So... what happened here?"

"Bad wiring," said Ariana. "We'll make some calls tomorrow and get it fixed."

"Don't you have more important things to worry about that this?" Kayla asked him, smirking. "What with the whole Guide thing you're doing?"

"I'm on break," Cooper said dismissively. "The Grand Design of the Universe can get by without me for a little while, right?"

"Uh... if you say so," said Kayla, exchanging a glance with Ariana. "Well, since you're here, why don't you help us cover the windows so we don't get robbed overnight? We've got some tarps in the back and there's..."

"We won't need any of that," said Cooper, grinning brightly. He went to the door and checked around to see if anyone was nearby. Then, he snapped his fingers and instantly the fire damage was repaired. The carpets were fresh and clean and the glass in the windows was crystal clear.

"Damn," Kayla breathed, while Ariana nodded in agreement.

"Are you supposed to do that?" Ariana asked. "I mean... use your powers for something like this?"

"Technically... no, probably not," Cooper admitted reluctantly. "But it's fine. This won't alter the destinies of anyone, so it's not a big deal. Besides, if I didn't do it then you could always ask... oh, wait... never mind. Sometimes I forget that you guys don't know all the things I know. I probably shouldn't tell you about what I was just about to tell you." 

"Well, you can't not tell us now!" Kayla exclaimed. 

"Yeah, that's not nice," Ariana agreed. "C'mon, who else would we ask to fix our store with magic? Most of our friends can't do magic, you see."

"No, I... I didn't mean..." Cooper stammered nervously. "Look, there are things I shouldn't tell you, and this is one of them. It's not something that involves you... directly... and it'd be best if you don't know."

"But you're saying there's someone we know, someone in Mistbrook Falls that has powers like you?" Ariana asked curiously. Cooper nodded slowly.

"Yes, and that's all I'm telling you," he said firmly.

"Be like that then," said Ariana, but she was smiling. Kayla, however, wasn't. The front of the store had drawn her attention and she turned to Cooper, troubled.

"Uh... it's nice of you to fix all that," she said. "But... how do we explain to Rosie and everyone how we managed to repair everything overnight? We can't exactly tell people our supernatural friend fixed it with magic."

"We could," said Ariana idly. "Although, Dr. Pinder would likely be paying us visits in our padded cells and helping us with our straitjackets."

"Hmm... I hadn't considered that," said Cooper, tapping his nose. He snapped his fingers again and all the fire damage had returned, only the windows had been boarded up securely. "There," he said. "At least no one can get in and you won't end up in a mental institution."

"Thanks," said Kayla dryly. "So, Ari... do you want to stay in the city tonight since we've got to come back and deal with this tomorrow?"

"We're of one mind as always," said Ariana, grinning. "I was thinking we could spend the night at the warehouse, for old time's sake. We haven't stayed there in a while, and... well, it'd be nice."

"It would be nice," Kayla agreed. "I don't want to drive home through that storm anyway."

"Good," said Ariana happily. "Coop, you can come too if you want..." She flashed Kayla a mischievous grin. "But you'll have to leave before bedtime."

"Why?" Cooper asked, seemly genuinely curious. "I've seen it all before."

"What?" Kayla and Ariana asked at the same time, outraged.

"Um… well, I… I occasionally look in on you guys,” said Cooper, frightened. “You know, to make sure you’re both doing okay and… I mean, time it’s… it’s different up there and sometimes you guys are… well, in the middle of something… when I stop by.”

“Bull. Shit,” said Kayla sharply. “You’ve been perving on us for thirteen years, haven’t you? Do you take pictures too?”

“I bet he’s got loads of pictures,” said Ariana, but she flashed Cooper a playful smile. “He’s got a special folder on his computer where he keeps them so he can go and look at them whenever he…”

“Okay,” Cooper said emphatically, shaking his head wearily. "We're not talking about this anymore... and I don't have a computer up there."

"You don't need one when you can get the live show," said Kayla, earning a giggle from Ariana and a glare from Cooper.

"Fine, I give up," said Cooper. "Look, you two go on ahead and I'll catch up later. I've got some Guide stuff to take care of first."

-.-

On the way to the warehouse, Ariana sent a text to Snow letting her know they would be staying overnight in the city. Kayla drove them the few blocks over from the bookstore and turned down the paved road that ran along the side of Warehouse 15. The massive red brick structure sprawled over 400,000 square feet, and even after so many years Kayla could still be surprised by the size of their old home.

She glanced sideways at Ariana, her heart warming at the sight of the smile on her wife's lips. The warehouse always made Ariana happy, no matter how bad things may be. She had always been happier there than anywhere else. Ariana had poured her heart and soul into the warehouse, and she knew that in a way she and the warehouse were connected.

They each existed because of the other. Ariana had found the old warehouse and made it a home. It would have likely been torn down years ago without her, and Ariana had found it at a time when she couldn't have survived without it. When Ariana died, and Ariana was going to die, Kayla knew that the warehouse would die with her. Its warmth, its light, its hominess would be gone forever.

Soon, they reached the end of the long road and came to a stop in front of the warehouse's giant cargo doors. When they had lived there, the doors had often been left open during the day but since they had moved the warehouse was kept locked up tight. Kayla reached for the small remote that opened the doors, but Ariana stopped her.

"I've got it," said Ariana, getting out of the car and scurrying up the fire escape.

'Just like the old days,' Kayla thought fondly. For years, it had been the way they had gotten into the warehouse. Ariana would go up the fire escape and open the doors from the inside. Eventually, they had updated the doors mechanical openers and bought remote controls for them as well.

Moments later the cargo door began to rumble its way open and Kayla drove inside the warehouse. She parked in the usual spot beneath the stairs and got out. Ariana was approached from behind her, looking around the warehouse still with that smile on her face.

"It never changes, does it?" Ariana asked as Kayla took her hand and they started up the stairs to the apartment. Kayla shook her head.

"Nope," she agreed. "This place... sometimes I come here and I swear I've gone back in time and I'm going to find that kooky girl I met all those years ago up here cooking cupcakes."  

"I like cupcakes," said Ariana thoughtfully. Kayla grinned and tugged open the door to the apartment. The instant they stepped inside, Kayla felt like she was home. She smiled brightly and sat down on the couch. Ariana circled the room, seeming to be lost in thought. Kayla watched her for a few minutes, not wanting to disturb her.

"Did I ever tell you about how I found this place?" Ariana asked her curiously. "About how I ended up here?"

"Not exactly," said Kayla. "You... wrote about it in your diary and I read it, but you never really talked about it and I... I never wanted to pressure you to. You told me once that you wanted to close the door on that part of your life and I never wanted to ask you to open it again." Ariana went over and sat down next to Kayla. She took the brunette's hand in hers and sighed.

"I've opened it since then, Kay-Kay, you know that," said Ariana lightly. "We told Snow everything that happened. I may not want to talk about it, but it doesn't stop me from having to every now and again... and I kind of feel like I should tell you all of it. Like I should... get it out there. We've known each other for fourteen years and there's still a lot I've never told you."

"And you don't have to," said Kayla firmly. "Ari, sweetie, you don't have to tell me anything. I know how hard it is for you... even after so long. I don't want to you to do anything you don't want to. If you want to tell me, you know I'll listen, but if you'd rather not go through it all that's fine too."

"Well, I'm not exactly talking about my dad here, Kay-Kay," said Ariana. "It's actually one of the happiest moments from that time. It was... I think eight months after being rescued. Grandpa Henry brought me here. It was the first time I'd left the Harbor Bay Institute since I'd been taken there and he thought it was time I got out and saw some of the world."

"And he took you to a rundown warehouse in Detroit?" Kayla asked, arching her eyebrows. "He goes all out for a first date."

"He wanted to show me the first place he ever worked," said Ariana, swatting Kayla playfully on her knee. "When he was young, he'd worked here at the warehouse. He learned so much from his boss that he really respected. Later, he went off and built his own company, but he always had a place in his heart for this place. When he saw it was up for sale, he bought it so he could always go back and remember how special it was. He wanted to show me the place that meant the most to him."

"That's sweet," said Kayla quietly. "I don't know if I've ever said this, but I really wish I could have met him. He sounds like a good man."

"He was," said Ariana fondly. "He really was. I remember the first moment I saw the warehouse. The sky was as clear as I can ever remember it when we came around the corner. I'd never seen such a big building before, it was... it was awe-inspiring to me. I remember it being such a bright shade of red, even though it couldn't have been any different than it is now and it's not nearly as fire engine red as I remember it.

"We got out of the car and... It just seemed like those walls went on forever. The doors were open and we went inside. I remember people moving boxes and things, but I wasn't paying them much attention. I was still too absorbed in the building. I couldn't believe anything could be so big... but I loved it. The second I laid eyes on it, I loved this place. I knew I wanted to live here, to make this place a home. Grandpa Henry couldn't understand that part, but it was all I could think about. The warehouse was special... is special. I couldn't imagine then just how special it would be... it's where I met you."

"There's no doubt about it, there's something special about this place," said Kayla, nodding in agreement. "That day... running down the street, I never thought...  I was just running, I didn't know I'd run right into you. You know, people say they're meant to be, but we really are meant to be. Destiny told us that. I just... I wish we were getting our forever, but..."

"We will," said Ariana firmly. "We'll get our forever, sweetie. I believe that... and I feel it. I wish I could explain it, but... somehow, someway... I just know. We are going to spend forever together. We may be apart for a while, but one day we'll find each other again."

"You can't know that," said Kayla. She wanted it to be true, more than anything. She wished and hoped and prayed that it was true, but in her heart she couldn't believe it. Not believing, refusing to open herself to that sort of pain was far easier than the alternative.

"I can and I do," said Ariana, smiling widely. "Coop told me. He said... he said that death isn't the end, it's the beginning. After we die, we... go somewhere else. He couldn't explain things, but he swore that we'll be together again one day. He said this life is but a pinprick to eternity... that's our forever, Kayla. We're going to get our forever, I know it. I want you to believe it too, because... because I'm okay, Kayla." Ariana paused, her smile as bright as ever.

"I'm not afraid anymore. Kayla, I... I don't want to die just because I don't want to leave you behind. But I'm not going far and... you'll be there one day. So I'm okay with what's happening to me. I'm not scared, Kay-Kay. I'm at peace with this... our reward at the end will be worth it. It'll all be okay and we'll be together again. I promise..."

"And you always keep your promises," said Kayla with a sad smile. She knew Ariana never made promises she couldn't keep, which meant she believed what she was saying so strongly that she was willing to make that powerful of a vow. Kayla pulled her wife closer and kissed her, relishing the feeling. Every kiss, to Kayla, was their first. It had never lost the passion, the emotion, the elation of the very first kiss they had shared right there in the warehouse so many years before.

"I love you," Kayla whispered. "If you're so sure that this is real, that Cooper knows what the hell he's talking about... then okay. I'll believe. I just...  hope you're both right."

"We are," Ariana said with a grin. "Trust me, babe."

"Always," said Kayla, kissing her again. Ariana smiled and stood up. She hurried over to the stereo and turned it on. She scanned through the playlists until she found what she was looking for. She pressed play and turned back to Kayla, motioning for her to get up. Kayla stood and joined her as the song began to play.

The day we met,
Frozen I held my breath
Right from the start
I knew that I'd found a home for my heart...

Beats fast, colors and promises,
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?,
But watching you stand alone,
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

One... Step... Closer...

They danced slowly, revolving on the spot. For a few minutes, the rest of the world stood still. Nothing moved except for them. The rest of the universe didn't matter. Nothing else mattered.

I have died everyday waiting for you,
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this

One... Step... Closer...

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more...

One... Step... Closer...

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more...

As the song came to an end, Kayla dipped Ariana back as she always did. When she brought her back up, she was giggling happily. They stood there in the middle of their old home, face to face, breathless from dancing. Kayla closed the few inches between them and kissed her.

"We'll get our thousand years, Kay-Kay," Ariana whispered when they broke apart. "We'll get our forever."

"Forever," Kayla agreed. She meant it, she believed it, and one day it would happen. There would be no stopping them. Nothing had stopped them before, not murderers or sadistic fathers or supernatural beings from another world. What was death compared to all that?

 

  

30: Chapter XXX: The Cabin in the Woods

"Yes... yes, we'll handle it... No, you tell them we'll be going with someone else if that's their attitude. Yes, that's fine... I'll call them tomorrow. No, I'm not home yet. We've... run into some trouble. I'll call you when we get back to town... uh huh... yeah, thanks Julie. Bye." Sophia barely heard Alana's phone conversation. Instead, she was more focused on their current situation. She and Alana had been heading back into town from nearby Rosewood, a smaller town on the other side of the local mountain range.

It had been a pleasant trip, at least until Sophia's car had gotten a flat tire on the winding mountain road just outside of town. They had since spent the last hour trying to change the tire, but one of the studs had stripped making tightening down all of the lug nuts impossible. They were stuck. Sophia had called Kayla, but she and Ariana were halfway to Detroit to deal with an emergency at the bookstore. With the storm already striking the town in full force, there was no one else she could call for help.

Sophia didn’t fancy spending all night in the car, but the storm would soon reach them and she liked the idea of walking back to town in torrential rains and lightning strikes even less. Until the storm passed, they didn’t have a lot of options. Alana, on the other hand, seemed far more concerned by her phone call because she stormed back over to the car, fuming.

“We are never ordering from Redd’s Wedding Supplies ever again,” she said furiously. “I ordered tableware for two hundred people. The bride wanted their names and the date of their wedding engraved on everything, so when I placed the order I said I wanted the bride and groom’s names engraved and the date of their wedding. Julie just called and said the order came in and guess what they engraved? ‘The Bride and Groom’s Names Engraved and the Date of the Wedding’.” 

“I guess they took you literally,” said Sophia, shaking her head.

“I don’t mind that they made a mistake,” said Alana. “But they’re refusing to correct it. Now I’ve got two hundred place settings I can’t use and I’ve got to find another wedding supplier that can fill the order in two weeks.” She sighed heavily and shook her head. “I’ll deal with it tomorrow. How’s the tire coming?”

“It’s not,” said Sophia grimly. “One of the studs is stripped, and I’d rather not have the wheel come flying off on these windy roads and we go careening off the side of a mountain.”

“So we’re stuck?” Alana asked disbelievingly. “Seriously? This is a MFPD patrol car. Doesn’t anyone do maintenance on these things?”

“Of course,” said Sophia. “But we’re a small police department with a small budget, and Mistbrook Falls is a small town. We don’t exactly get into high speed chases that often.”

“So I guess we’re spending the day here then,” said Alana grumpily, looking up at the steadily darkening sky.

From their vantage point in the mountains, they could see Mistbrook Falls sprawling out in the distance. The town was surrounded on all sides by thick forests with only two roads in and out. The nearest ran out of town past the high school and up into the mountains past the campgrounds and the waterfall that gave the town its name. That same road ran through the small downtown area and the working class subdivision, Bridgewater. It then cut over the narrow river that ran through town, skirted the edge of Briarwood Heights, the wealthiest part of town, and down along the river until it met up with the highway outside of town. It was over the highway that the storm drifted ominously, growing closer by the moment.

"We need to find shelter," said Alana worriedly. "The storm's getting closer."

"Where are we supposed to go?" asked Sophia. "We're in the middle of nowhere. We're not going to find a Motel 6 up here."

"No, but there's a cabin just past those trees over there," said Alana, pointing at a small wooden structure hidden behind a cluster of trees further up the road. Sophia had to admit she had never noticed it.

"Well... I suppose it's better than spending the night in the car," said Sophia dryly. "C'mon, let's go see if anyone's home."

Sophia led the way along the road to the dirt path that led to the cabin. If a storm hadn't been turning day into night and strong winds hadn't been tearing at the trees, the cabin would have looked quaint and welcoming instead of something out of a horror movie.

Although she wasn't going to admit it to her mother, Sophia was slightly unnerved as she approached the cabin and knocked on the door. They waited in the semidarkness, but no one answered the door.

“I guess no one’s home,” said Alana, trying to peer through a window at the darkened interior.

“Yeah, I guess not,” Sophia replied. Sophia backed away from the door and wandered around the side of the cabin where she spotted a familiar pickup truck parked in a tumbledown garage.

“Oh hell,” she muttered, drawing a confused stare from her mother. “I know who lives here.” At that moment the front door opened and Brad Reynolds stepped out onto the porch. He spotted them and his face cracked into a wide grin.

“Well, hello there Momma Austin,” he said, nodding to Alana. He smiled at Sophia. “Ice Queen.”

“Jackass,” said Sophia, returning his smile.

“So, do you mind telling me why the MFPD is trespassing on my property?” Brad asked, arching his eyebrows. "I don't recall dialing 9-1-1."

"We've run into some car trouble," said Alana, nodding in the direction of their car. "We can't call anyone to come get us and... well, there's this storm. We were looking for shelter."

"Is that so?" said Brad, nodding slowly. "Well, you're always welcome Momma Austin. Ice Queen, you can come in too... for a kiss."

"I really am going to tase you," said Sophia dryly. Brad smirked.

"Alright fine, no kiss," he said, holding up his hands. "I'll be nice today. You two come on inside before this storm blows us all away."

Sophia and Alana followed Brad inside the small cabin. The interior was dark, but well organized. The cabin consisted of just one room which held Brad's bed, a small sitting area near the fireplace, and a tiny kitchen. A fire blazed warmly in the fireplace, casting a orange glow across the room.

"Um... where's the bathroom?" Alana asked curiously, glancing around the cabin.

"Outside," said Brad indifferently. "Make yourselves at home. There's a fresh pot of coffee, if you want some."

"Thanks," said Sophia, settling herself down on the couch.

"Oh, now look at you," said Brad, grinning. "You do know how to be nice. So, how about that kiss?"

"Alright, that's it," said Sophia firmly. "Your ass is tased."

-.-

The afternoon passed rather peacefully, despite the powerful storm raging outside. Sophia and Alana played cards at a small table in the kitchen while Brad relaxed on the couch, doing something on his laptop. Alana, to show her thanks for offering them shelter, cooked a fantastic dinner that evening. Considering the power had long since been knocked out by the storm, the fact that she was able to produce a quality meal did a good job of showing off her resourcefulness.

Later that evening, after Alana had gone to bed, Sophia sat on the sofa in the dark sipping at a mug of cocoa and staring into the fire, losing herself in the flickering flames. She could think of nothing but Sara's murder case. It was a constant presence in her mind and she couldn't stop thinking about it. She had failed so completely and she didn't know how to undo her failure. She was out of clues, had no more leads to follow, and was completely out of suspects.

She had let everyone down and somehow she had to find a way to tell Snow that Sara's killer was going to get away with it. She hated that. She despised the fact that someone in their town of five thousand had murdered a young girl and she had know idea how to find them. She wanted more than anything to solve the case, to bring Sara's killer to justice. She just didn't know how.

Brad approached through the darkness, beer in hand, and sat down on the opposite end of the sofa. Sophia looked up at him, surprised to find her eyes filling suddenly with tears. She tried so hard, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Shit," Brad breathed. "I know you don't like me, but I didn't think I'd make you cry." Sophia laughed for the first time in weeks. She shook her head and wiped her eyes.

"It's not that," she said thickly. "I... I'm just a pretty huge failure of a detective. I've completely screwed up my first case and... and worst of all I've let my cousin down. Snow, she... she and Sara were best friends and I promised I'd catch the bastard who killed her, but I can't."

"You haven't," said Brad. "That doesn't mean you can't or you won't, just that you haven't done it yet."

"I don't have anything else to pursue," said Sophia quietly. "I'm out of leads, suspects... everything. It's like Sara's killer vanished into thin air... but I know they didn't. He's still out there somewhere and I'm terrified he'll strike again."

"You're putting way too much pressure on yourself, Sophia," said Brad firmly. "You're just one person, but... well, if I can say so; you don't strike me as the kind of person to just give up. Shit gets hard, but you fight through it. If Sara's killer's still out there then... then get out there and find him." Sophia stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before reaching out and easing Brad's beer bottle out of his hand. She took a swig and handed it back to him.

"You're an interesting woman, Sophia," said Brad, taking the beer and drinking from it. "So... what's your problem with me?"

"My problem with you?" Sophia asked, her temper flaring. "What do you think my problem is? You're a dick and I think you're lying. Why, I don't know, but something about you is... off."

"Do you want to know what it is?" Brad offered brazenly. "I'll tell you the truth, my whole long, sad story... but you have to go out with me. Just one time and I'll tell you." Sophia reached out and snatched Brad's beer again. She took a swig, a much longer one this time, before handing it back to him.

Would it really be so bad? Brad annoyed the hell out of her and she didn't trust him in the least, but she couldn't deny that there was something... well, something about him. She couldn't quite figure out what it was, but it was there and it was undeniable.

"Okay," she said at last. "One date. That's it."

"Deal," said Brad. He stretched, yawning widely. "Well, I hate to be that guy, but I really need to get some sleep and you're sitting on my bed, so..."

"Oh... right," said Sophia. She stood and turned toward the bed off in the corner where Alana already slept. She paused, turning back to Brad, who was settling down on the sofa. "Um... goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sophie," Brad replied. She gave him a thin smile and continued on to bed. It wasn't until she had almost drifted off to sleep that she realized that Brad had called her Sophie. Only her friends called her Sophie and unlike the first time, she hadn't thought to correct him. She lay awake for a long time that night, wondering what that meant.  

-.-

Early the next morning, after the storm had passed and the skies had cleared, Brad went outside to survey the damage and collect some wood for the fire. His property had weathered the storm very well indeed, with only a scattering of broken tree branches he would need to clear up later.

He went out back to his garage and found his axe. He trudged up the drive toward the old stump he used to chop wood and was just getting ready to start working when his cell phone rang. He dug the device out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.

"Damn," he groaned when he saw Michael's name. It was much to early to deal with any of that, but he took the call regardless. "I'm busy," he said by way of greeting.

"Sorry, but I need to ask you a few questions," said Michael firmly. "You make it through the storm okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine," said Brad. "Sophia and Alana rode it out with me. They had a flat but they've called someone to come help them. They'll be leaving soon."

"Are you somewhere you can't be overheard?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, I'm outside," said Brad. "What's up?"

"Snow's here," said Michael. "She got stuck here last night. We've been talking and we may have a problem. Someone's stalking her and her friends, someone calling herself JTG. She's sending threatening texts... and she knows a lot of things she shouldn't know. She knows about you and Mary and Zoe's jewerly store."

"How?" Brad exclaimed. "We were careful. How could anyone know about that?"

"I don't know, but if anyone... if he ever finds out that we faked the robbery, that Zoe's working with us..."

"Zoe could be in a lot of trouble," said Brad nervously. "Damn it, Mike... she's the only witch on our side. If anything happens to her, we won't have a trump card to play if the Coven come calling."

"We likely won't see them coming, either," said Michael. "She also makes the only weapons we can use in this war. On top of it all, Zoe's the only one that can control the..."

"Yes, yes, I know," said Brad wearily. "I'm still nursing the wounds, so I know. So... what do we do? If we try to protect Zoe, it'll be clear she's working with us. If we keep our distance..."

"Zoe can take care of herself," said Michael firmly. "She's one of the most powerful witches alive. If anyone can protect themselves, its her. I'll try to get a message to her to warn her, but we worked so hard to make sure everyone in town believed the robbery was real. If anyone finds out it was fake and we just used it to smuggle out our swords and that damned map, we'll have a lot of explaining to do and if it gets back to him..."

"It won't," said Brad. "It can't, Mike. Try to warn her, but don't take any chances. We can't risk it. Zoe's our best kept secret and our ace in the hole. If we lose her, this is over." He paused, wondering how best to broach the topic he knew he must.

"What about Snow?" He asked slowly. "Do you... are you still sure she's the one?"

"She fits the profile, but I don't know," said Michael wearily. "She could be, but then again she might not be. If I were guessing, I'd say she's our best bet."

"Well, she's in the perfect position, Mike," said Brad quietly. "Right now is the best chance you'll get. Take care of her and if she is the one, he'll be out of options. Without her, he'll never..."

"I'm sorry, 'take care of her'?" Michael said darkly. "No... we're not doing that again. Last time, I let you... but this time it isn't happening. I'm not going to kill her and I'm not letting you do it either."

"It's the easiest option, Mike," said Brad reluctantly. "I don't want to do it either, but if he gets his hands on her, we're screwed. It's best if she's just removed from the picture."

"No," Michael said forcefully. "If we have to, we'll tell Snow the truth. We'll protect her, but we aren't going to kill her. She doesn't deserve that, Brad. She's sweet and funny and I... I can't kill her."

"Dude... please tell me you're not falling for this girl," Brad said worriedly. "Please, please, please tell me you're not that stupid. You... you can't possibly be that ignorant."

"We're not even going to talk about how not your business that is," said Michael angrily. "I don't even... oh shit, I gotta go." The line went dead and Brad shoved his phone into his pocket. Furious, he picked up his axe and swung it down onto the log with all of his might. It sank deeply into the wood, stuck firm. He knew exactly where that axe needed to fall, but Michael was too cowardly to go through with it.

He wrenched the axe from the wood, promising to swing it himself if he had to. He might hate himself afterward, he certainly had the last time, but if it served their purpose... if it would save their town... If everything they worked for was going to fall apart, Brad swore he would do what he had to do. If Michael couldn't find another way, he vowed to deliver the killing blow and put Snow down before she could be used to destroy everything they had fought for.     

31: Chapter XXXI: The Day After

Snow was so comfortable when she next woke that she seriously thought it should be a capital crime for someone to have to move from such a wondrous position. She lay there in bed with her eyes firmly closed, her sleepy brain slowly registering the room around her.

It was clearly morning, for she could see bright light shining through her eyelids. It was very quiet, which meant the storm had finally passed. It was only then that the fact that a hand that wasn’t hers was resting gently on her hip penetrated the sleepy fog that surrounded her and her eyes snapped open.

She lay cuddled up against Michael, who lay on his side, facing her. Their legs were slightly intertwined and Michael’s right hand had somehow managed to find its way onto her hip. She had tucked her head under his chin, but he shifted as they lay there and buried his face in her hair. She moved slightly in response and a lance of pain shot up her back, no doubt a wound from her fall the previous night. She let out a soft cry of pain as the memories of JTG’s attack came back to her and her perfect morning crumbled to pieces.

Michael smiled at her as she pushed herself up, resting on her arms. She noticed that his eyes looked rather tired and she felt a rush of gratitude toward him. ‘He kept his promise. He stayed awake all night for me…’

“Hey, you’re awake,” he said sleepily. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

“No… not really,” she replied, her voice breaking with emotion. All she wanted to do was curl back up against him and cry herself to sleep again. She didn’t want to go and face the day, relieve the night as she shared it all with her friends. She never wanted to leave that bed. Michael, it seemed, had read her mind because he took her hand and pulled her back down against the pillow.

“Then stay here,” he said softly. “You can stay right here until you feel like getting up. I’m pretty comfortable anyway.”

“You really stayed awake all night for me, didn’t you?” Snow asked, nuzzling her head back under his chin.

“I surely did,” said Michael, one arm snaking around her back protectively. "I said I would, after all. I stayed right here all night."

"Thank you," Snow mumbled. She felt safe, so safe there. She wanted to stay right there in Michael's arms for the rest of time. He would protect her, that she knew. JTG couldn't touch her there, not so long as Michael was there with her. It was stupid, although she didn't want to admit it. Michael wasn't invincible and JTG was a dangerous adversary, but he was strong and brave and seemed to want to protect her. Maybe that was enough.

Despite Michael's invitation to stay as long as she liked, Snow knew that if the roads were clear then she needed to leave as quickly as possible. She had so much to tell the others, but she didn’t want to do it over the phone. They were, all of them, in very real danger. JTG had, up until the previous night, been an invisible tormentor. The threat had been emotional, not physical. Now, JTG and the danger she posed was all too real. Now, JTG seemed to be after blood.

But just hers or all of theirs? That was the real question. JTG seemed to have a certain fixation with her that she couldn’t understand. The song, the attack… all of it seemed focused on her. So then why threaten her friends? If it was all just about her, what was the point of targeting her friends? It didn’t make any sense and try as she might, she could see no plan, no goal, no endgame with JTG. It was quickly becoming clear that the only thing JTG wanted was to torture them. She had never made demands, after all. It seemed like the only possible explanation… but to Snow, it still didn’t fit. It was all much too personal for that to be all it was. JTG had a purpose for everything she was doing. She had to.

“Are you hungry?” Michael asked after a few minutes. “I could make breakfast.”

“Are you going to set yourself on fire again?” Snow asked sleepily.

"Technically I haven't set myself on fire yet," Michael countered. "But it's always a possibility."

"Okay, just don't hurt yourself," Snow replied as Michael climbed out of bed.

"Don't tell me what to do, woman," said Michael, adopting a horribly fake serious voice. “I am Man. I do what I want!” He beat his chest proudly. Snow stared at him, mouth agape, for a few moments before dissolving into fits of laughter.

“Okay... okay, you... you go do that then," Snow managed to choke out. "I'll stay here and lounge, barefoot and pregnant. You go hunt and bring back meat."

"There's something about the mental image of you barefoot and pregnant that is both horribly disturbing and rather erotic at the same time," said Michael slowly. "More disturbing than erotic, but the point stands."

"And you have interesting fetishes," said Snow, grimacing.

"I have been known to roleplay on occasion," Michael offered, causing Snow to hold up her hand to silence him.

"And now I know more about you than I ever wanted to," she said, shaking her head exasperatedly.

"Hey, you brought it up," Michael reminded her as she climbed out of bed. "Don't blame me for any weirdness."

"Oh, I can make things plenty weird," said Snow as she slipped past him into the hallway. She smirked. "C'mon Daddy, I've been a such a bad girl. Are you gonna spank me?"

"Oh baby, you know I... Jesus Christ, I can't do it," said Michael grimly. "I just can't even... Let's go eat."

"I've got something you can..." Snow began, grinning widely.

"Don't," Michael said firmly, interrupting her. "Seriously, don't."

"What?" Snow asked, still grinning. "I thought you liked roleplay?"

"I... I... never said anything about any of this weirdness," said Michael nervously.  

"I was almost murdered last night," said Snow, sighing. "Can you let me have a little fun at your expense, please?"

"Sure, make fun of me all you want," said Michael. "Just do it less creepily."

"Oh, fine, be that way," said Snow, leading the way into the kitchen. Michael set about cooking breakfast while Snow sat down at the table to wait. Much to her surprise, when she sat down she found a half eaten bowl of cereal on the table.

"Did you already have breakfast?" Snow asked curiously, nudging the bowl with her finger. Michael looked around and his gaze settled on the bowl and his eyes widened.

"Oh... no, I got hungry in the middle of the night and had a snack," he explained, walking over and placing the bowl in the sink. "Fighting off assassins in the dark makes a guy hungry."

"Right..." said Snow quietly. It was a perfectly logical explanation and Snow had no reason not to believe him, but somehow she couldn't shake the feeling that Michael might not have been completely truthful with her. Whatever it was, she wasn't going to worry about it right then. She had enough on her plate without concerning herself over one rogue cereal bowl.

Breakfast consisted of thick cut hickory smoked bacon and fluffy scrambled eggs. Snow had to admit that Michael was a very good cook when he wasn't drenching himself in boiling oil. Only Ariana had managed to prepare a better meal than he had. After breakfast, Michael excused himself to go call Brad to ask him if he had ever had any contact with JTG.

While Michael was on the phone, Snow dressed in the same clothes she had worn the day before and went outside to see how much damage the storm had caused. The general area around Michael's house was surprisingly untouched. In fact, it was almost as though some invisible barrier surrounded the house and protected it from the storm. She walked down the long driveway, out to the stone pillars that held the heavy iron gates that blocked access to the estate. Usually the gate was open, but that morning the gates were locked up tight.

Wrapping her arms around herself in a vain attempt to warm herself against the sudden chill that had filled the air in the wake of the storm, Snow peered through the gate's iron bars to see the road beyond. It was still flooded, but the water had drained significantly since the storm had subsided. Even so, she still wasn't sure she would be able to make it out.

Sighing heavily, she turned and walked along the wrought iron fence that lined the property. Shorter stone pillars like the ones at the entrance were spaced out evenly along the sections of fence, holding the pieces in place. As she walked through the damp grass, taking in for the first time the true size of Michael's estate, she couldn't help her gaze from being drawn to the pillars. Each one was engraved with the image of the early morning sun halfway cresting the horizon and tendrils of flame burst from the sun in all directions. In the center of the sun was a large triangular shield. The words clypeus inter tenebras et lucem were engraved in a crescent shape beneath the symbol.

"Clypeus inter tenebras et lucem..." Snow muttered quietly. "Inter... between... the shield between darkness and light... between darkness and dawn." She looked further down the pillar and saw a single word, this one in English. "Stonehaven..."

Snow couldn't begin to guess why there were strange words in Latin carved on Michael's fence posts and she really didn't care all that much... but she had to admit it was strange and she highly doubted Stonehaven was the name of a Latin-speaking fence construction company.

She wasn't sure why the mystery of Michael's fence bothered her so much as she made her way back to the house. The words themselves were actually quite nice. The shield between darkness and light, it made her feel a bit safer. She chose to ignore the fact that JTG would have had to climb that very fence in the night to attack her.

She spotted Michael standing on the porch, talking animatedly on the phone with someone she assumed was Brad. Michael didn't notice her until her heard the sound of her footsteps on the path as she got close.

"We're not even going to talk about how not your business that is," Michael was saying. "I don't even... oh shit, I gotta go." He smiled at her as she climbed the stairs up to the  porch.

"You didn't have to hang up on my account," said Snow, nodding toward Michael's phone. Michael rolled his eyes.

"Eh, I was done with that conversation," Michael said dismissively. "I swear, that guy can be the biggest dick sometimes."

"Did he know anything about JTG?"

"No, nothing," Michael replied. "He hasn't gotten any weird texts or anything. He's not big on the idea of looking into it either, but I'll convince him. We'll figure all of this out, Snow, I promise."

"Thanks, Michael," Snow said gratefully. "Just... be careful. This isn't your fight and if you got hurt because of me, I..."

"I'm not scared of JTG," Michael said firmly. "Trust me, I can handle myself in a fight. JTG'd be a damn fool to attack me."

"Tough guy, aren't you?" Snow asked playfully. "Are you going to use your sword again?" Michael smirked.

"I've got plenty of other things I can use my sword for," Michael said seriously. Snow arched her eyebrows and an instant later they both burst into fits of laughter.

"Out of curiosity," said Snow when they had both regained control of themselves. "Why did you a sword to fend off JTG?"

"There's a lot of swords around here," said Michael, shrugging. "I could have gotten my dad's shotgun, but I don't have any shells so I would have had to use it as a club. A sword seemed more efficient... and it was dark and I was fumbling around like an idiot trying to get to you. I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on. You're lucky I didn't try to bludgeon JTG to death with my left shoe."

-.-

An hour later Michael went out and checked on the road conditions. He was confident he could get Snow home, but decided it was safest for him to drive her home in her own car. Snow didn't like the idea since Michael would have to walk all the way back home, but Michael wouldn't have it any other way. He absolutely refused to let her drive out on her own.

The trip out to the main road was treacherous to say the least and Snow was very grateful Michael had offered to drive. Once they reached the main road through town, however, the roads were clear. Michael drove Snow's Mustang into the driveway of the Austin house and parked. He got out and opened Snow's door for her and walked her up onto the porch.

"Thanks for driving me home," said Snow gratefully. "And for letting me stay at your house, and for protecting me from JTG, and... and everything else you've done for me. I can't thank you enough."

"You don't need to thank me at all," said Michael. He was staring at her intensely, more intensely than anyone had ever looked at her before. There was longing in his eyes and his stare made her heart skip a beat. "I was happy to have you and... well, if you wanted to come back at some point... I mean, for a visit, I'd be..."

"I'd love to," Snow said breathlessly. From the look in his eyes, Snow half expected Michael to try to kiss her. She could read people pretty well and she could tell he wanted to do just that. Part of her wished he would, but she knew she wasn't ready. She was scared and still grieving Sara and her broken relationship with Jackson. It was much too soon.

"Well, good," said Michael, looking away and clearing his through nervously. He nodded several times before glancing back the way they'd come. "Well, I should get going. I've got to meet up with Brad soon, so..."

"Yeah... right, yeah," said Snow uncertainly. "I'll... I'll call you later, then?"

"Yeah, please do," said Michael. He patted her on the shoulder and walked away, down the stairs and along the path toward the street. Snow opened the front door and went inside. She closed the door and leaned back against it, happy to be home but sad to be away from Michael. Snow loved to be around him. He made her feel warm and safe. Now that he was gone, she was quickly feeling vulnerable again.

Snow started toward the stairs when she realized she was still wearing Michael's jacket. She turned around and opened the door, intending to hurry after Michael she knew he couldn't possibly have gotten more than a couple of houses down the street in that time. When she reached the sidewalk, however, there was no sign of Michael at all. He seemed to have simply vanished into thin air.

Before she could even begin to contemplate how Michael could have disappeared so quickly, her phone rang. She pulled the device from her back pocket, checked the caller ID, and answered.

"Hey, Clara," she said, glancing up and down the street for any sign of Michael she might have missed.

"Hey, are you still with Michael?" asked Clara. Snow shrugged.

"Um... I'm not exactly sure where Michael is at the moment," she replied, standing on her toes in the faint hope that might somehow help her spot him. "I just got home. Did everything go okay at school last night?"

"Actually, I was going to ask if you could come over," said Clara quickly. "A... well, a lot happened last night and... well, I don't want to talk about it over the phone."

"A lot happened with me too," said Snow, walking into the house and grabbing her keys. "I'll be right there."

Snow hopped back into her car and drove across town to Clara's house. The Mackenzie home seemed to have weathered the storm fairly well, all things considered. There were several downed tree limbs scattered across the yard, but otherwise the house seemed in good shape.

Snow got out of the car and hurried up the steps to the front door. Noel opened the front door just as Snow reached out to knock. She was dressed in a fine pant suit and had the brightest smile on her face.

"Oh, hello Snow," she said pleasantly. "Sorry, I can't chat. I'm off to work and I'm in a rush."

"Oh, you... you got your job back, then?" Snow asked curiously.

"Yeah, your moms are amazing," said Noel. "They marched down to the bank and basically demanded my job back and... well, here I am."

"That's great," said Snow happily. "I'm glad everything worked out."

"Me too," Noel replied. "I'll see you later, Snow. The girls are all upstairs if you want to head up." Noel hurried off to her car and Snow went upstairs to Clara's room where her three best friends were gathered, talking quietly together on Clara's bed. She felt an instant wave of comfort and relief when she saw them. It was the longest she had been out of their company since JTG had started her campaign against them and she hadn't realized just how lonely she had been without them until she stepped into Clara's bedroom.

"Snow!" Mary exclaimed, rushing over and throwing her arms around the redhead, much to her very great surprise.

"Um... I missed you too, Mary," said Snow, patting Mary awkwardly on top of her head.

"Oh... oh, I'm sorry," said Mary apologetically, releasing Snow. She looked her over from head to toe, as though checking for injuries. "I was just... you were stuck with Michael, I... I was worried he might..."

"Might... what?" Snow asked, arching her eyebrows. "We don't have anything to worry about with Michael. He's a lifesaver, literally. Listen... last night, JTG broke into Michael's house. Bitch starts playing that damn song and attacks me with a knife. She sent me a text saying she wanted to cut my heart out. If Michael hadn't been there... she would have killed me."

"Shit..." Nikki breathed, glancing at Clara. "I thought we had a rough night.”

“Snowy, are you okay?” Clara asked concernedly.

“No,” Snow said softly. “Not really. I thought JTG… I didn’t really think she’d try to kill one of us, but… I guess she would.”

“Did you notice anything that would give you a guess who JTG could be?” Nikki asked. “What was she wearing?”

“I didn’t get the best look what with her trying to kill me,” Snow muttered. “But she was wearing all black. Just guessing… she was average height, average build… I don’t know, I was trying not to be murdered.”

“But Michael… he saved you?” Clara asked. “We... we trust him now?"

"We trust him," said Snow firmly. "We have to... because he found out about JTG."

"What?" Clara demanded, sliding off the side of her bed and walking over to Snow. "You told him about... about everything?"

"Of course not," said Snow. "He picked up my phone when I got a JTG text and he read it. I... what could I do? He wasn't going to stop asking about it until I told him the truth. Of course, considering he did save me from a knife wielding attacker, I’m honestly surprised that you’re surprised I had to tell Michael about JTG. I mean, how else could I explain that? I didn't tell him our secrets and I didn't mention S either, but I told him about JTG. He can protect himself from that bitch and he might be able to help us."

"Help us how?" Mary asked quietly. "I... I don't like him and I don't want him around. He's dangerous and S warned you to stay away..."

"And we're trusting S now?" Clara asked. "I'm not trusting anyone who hides behind a screen. If S really wants to help us then come out and tell us who they are. I don't know Michael, but I know him a lot better than I do S."

"Maybe S really is JTG," said Nikki suddenly. "It would make sense. If S was JTG and she knew Michael could be helpful, she wouldn't want us to be near him."

"That's a good point," Snow agreed. "S... I don't know what to think about S. She can't be Sara, so JTG is the next best guess and I..."

"About Sara..." said Mary nervously, staring at Snow and avoiding the exasperated looks from Nikki and Clara. "I... I had a theory."

"We ought to tell her about JTG locking us in the boiler room before we get to your crazy theory," said Clara sharply.

"JTG locked you in the boiler room?" Snow asked, surprised. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," said Clara. "We still can't figure out why. As far as we can tell, she didn't do anything else. She sent me and Nikki to the boiler room and locked us in for a couple of hours. She sent Jackson and Steven out to the football field and... nothing happened to any of us. I don't get it."

"Wait... Steven? He's part of this now?" Snow asked, perplexed. "How did he...?"

"He knew too much," said Nikki grimly. "Or at least that's my guess. He was too close to this and JTG's not taking any chances."

"Jackson filled him in on everything that's been going on," said Clara. "As for JTG locking us in the boiler room... I think it was just to scare us. Well, that or to distract us, but I can't figure out for what reason."

"We're all fine for now," said Mary quickly, seizing her moment to speak up. "What JTG was doing doesn't matter right now. Listen Snow, I've had a terrible thought and now I can't shake it. I've been thinking that... well, we've all seen Sara, right? What if she's alive and she's JTG... and she's going to turn us in for the Miranda thing."

"Jesus, Mary," Snow exclaimed harshly. "We all swore never to talk about it!"

"I know, but c'mon," said Mary. "It makes sense, doesn't it? Think about it, Snow. Sara fakes her death so she's free and clear. JTG has an endgame, she has to. Maybe she just wants to punish us before she drops the hammer and anonymously tells the police what happened."

"Sara wouldn't do that," said Snow slowly. "She might have been cruel at times, but she wouldn't do this to us and she certainly wouldn't force us to take a fall for... that."

"How can you be so sure?" Mary asked. "Snow, we all loved Sara but she wasn't a nice person. She was all about self-preservation, you know that. If she saw a way to escape from underneath what happened... can you honestly say if Sara had to pick between herself and us, she'd choose us?"

If Snow was honest wit herself, she could say no such thing. She loved Sara, she always would, but even if she was still alive she would never be able to trust her again. She had seen and heard too much since Sara's death to see her as anything but the person her friends had all told her she was. Sara was... Snow wasn't sure what Sara was... had been... whatever. It all came down to a couple of questions. Did she, in her heart, believe Sara was still alive?

The answer was no. Whoever S was, whoever had visited them in their rooms... it couldn't have been Sara. She had held Sara as she died. She had gone to Sara's funeral and seen her body be buried in the ground. Sara was dead and gone, that, she knew, was fact. If her answer was no, then her next question didn't matter. Did she believe Sara would turn them in for the Miranda thing? She didn't know for sure and it didn't matter. But that proposed another question altogether; did someone else know what had happened that day? Did JTG know the truth and was even then plotting how to use it against them? Was Miranda JTG's endgame?

It was possible, sure. JTG knew everything about them, so it was possible that she knew about the Miranda thing too. But if she did and that was the plan, why all the games? If JTG wanted to destroy them, why not just do it? And then it hit her. Evidence. JTG didn't have any evidence to use against them. There was not, as far as she knew, any evidence to what happened that day two years earlier. JTG could, in theory, know of their involvement, but it was virtually impossible for her to have any proof. If that was the case, then... well, Snow wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but it at least worked in their favor.

"I... No, Mary, I can't say Sara wouldn't turn on us if she had to," said Snow quietly. "But I believe Sara's dead. I don't know what we've been seeing or who S really is, but Sara's dead. We all saw her body in her coffin and she bled to death on the floor in front of me. So, unless she can fake being stabbed multiple times, she's dead."

"Okay... Okay, but what if JTG knows about Miranda?" Mary suggested. "I mean, even if Sara's dead, it doesn't mean JTG isn't doing the same thing."

"No one else knew about that," said Nikki firmly. "No one else was even there. No one else saw anything."

"No one in this room has or ever will say anything about it," said Snow. "Sara's dead, Miranda's dead, and there's no one else who knows."

"How can you be so sure no one else knows?" Mary asked. "It was dark... anyone could have been hiding... watching. You know what Miranda was like. Everyone loved her, she..."

"She was Sara on steroids," said Clara harshly. "Look, I'm not saying she deserved to die, but despite what that damn plaque at school says, I'm sure as hell not missing her."

"Miranda was worse than Sara," said Snow. "Sara might have worked hard to hide her real self from me, but at least everyone else seemed to see her for who she really was. Miranda... she made everyone love her, but we all know what she was really like. All the attention... I swear, it was like sex to her. The fact that me and Sara started gaining popularity pissed her off to no end and she made sure to make Sara's life hell."

"Not to... cast Sara in an even more negative light," said Nikki uncertainly. "But um... well, I've always wondered if... maybe Sara staged the whole thing. If Sara planned it all to get rid of Miranda."

"Come on guys, seriously?" Snow asked incredulously. "It was... Sara didn't… she didn't mean for any of it to happen. She never..." The sound of their phones chiming put and end to Snow's sentence. They all reached for their phones, their hearts racing as the screens lit up.

I know what you did that summer. Play by the rules, or the whole world will know too. Life is but a dream... and I'm your nightmare. Kisses, bitches –JTG

32: Chapter XXXII: What They Did Last Summer

"No... hell no, we're not doing this. We agreed not to talk about it." Clara folded her arms across her chest and stared defiantly at Snow, Nikki, and Mary. They all sat with Jackson and Steven in Clara's bedroom. "They weren't there. It doesn't involve them, so why..."

"It does involve them," said Mary, gesturing toward Jackson and Steven. "JTG's attacking all of us. It doesn't matter if they were part of it or not, JTG made them part of it. If what happened to Miranda is the reason JTG is doing all this, then they need to know."

"She's right, Clara," Nikki said calmly. "I don't like it either, but we've got to do this." Clara shook her head disbelievingly and turned imploringly to Snow who had listened to the conversation, carefully considering both sides.

"I agree... with Mary and Nikki," Snow said delicately. "I'm sorry, Clara, but the guys need to know what's going on. It's not fair to them otherwise. They're in danger and it's our fault. They deserve to know why they're being targeted." Clara threw up her hands and sat down angrily in her window seat, her back to the others.

"Okay..." Snow said uncertainly. "It, uh... it happened last summer. It... it was Labor Day and we'd all gone up to the lake."

"Wait," said Jackson suddenly, fear apparent in his expression. "Labor Day... please tell me you're not talking about..."

"Miranda," said Snow quietly. "Yeah, I am."

"Shit..." Steven breathed. "Snow, what the hell happened? I thought it was an accident..."

"It was," Snow insisted. "It... it was, but... but it wasn't an accident like it was reported. Sara... well, you know how much popularity meant to her. Miranda was the queen bee back then, and Sara... she wanted the crown. Sara had something on Miranda, but we never did figure out what it was. She was really cryptic, saying stuff like cell phones and webcams were great ways to learn secrets if someone knew how. I don't know what she meant exactly, but somehow she learned something big about Miranda.

"Sara went to confront Miranda up at Lookout Point, and Miranda... she went ballistic. She attacked Sara and... it was over before any of us knew what happened. Sara pushed Miranda and she... she fell. It was dark, we couldn't... we couldn't see her, but... I mean, it was a fifty foot drop."

"Sara kept saying that Miranda was dead and confessing wouldn't bring her back," said Mary softly. "We all swore to never speak of that night again and take the secret to our graves. When they found Miranda the next day... well, there were no signs of foul play, so everyone thought it was an accident... that she just slipped and fell."

"So Sara killed a girl... and you just covered it up?" Steven asked incredulously, exchanging a disbelieving look with Jackson.

"We were scared," Nikki said nervously. "I know that doesn't excuse it, but..."

"Doesn't excuse it?" Steven repeated, stunned. "Nikki, a girl effing died. It was Sara's fault, she pushed her! Snow, you said so yourself."

"Yes, but Miranda attacked her first. It wasn't..."

"Sara confronted Miranda, right?" Steven asked. "Sara started the whole thing."

"Steve, what's done is done," said Jackson quietly. "I... I don't like it either, but we can't undo what happened. We've got to deal with what's in front of us."

"I think JTG knows what happened to Miranda," said Snow slowly. "Maybe she was watching, or somehow saw what happened. I don't know, but... but I think JTG killed Sara and now she's doing this to us to punish us for protecting Sara. I just... I can't figure out why she targeted you, Jackson. Steven I understand, he knew too much, but Jackson... you weren't there. You didn't have anything to do with it."

"Anyone crazy enough to do any of this doesn't seem to need a reason," said Jackson dismissively. "Honestly, I'm less interested in why she's doing it and much more interested in stopping this bitch. She's targeting me, she's involved me in her game... that's all I need to know."

"You're much easier to please than me," said Snow with a thin smile. "She tried to kill me and I'd like to know why."

"If JTG's doing this because of Miranda... maybe she's going to kill all of us," said Nikki nervously. "We killed Miranda, so..."

"We didn't kill Miranda," Clara snapped, speaking for the first time since she had retreated to her window. "Sara killed Miranda and it was an accident. If this bitch wants to punish us for what Sara did, let her try. I'm done with this, guys. We've got to find her and as far as I'm concerned, we can bury her."

"Kill JTG, you mean?" Mary asked, exchanging nervous glances with the others.

"Let's just say if the bitch fell into a rock crusher, I wouldn't pull her out," Clara muttered.

"We're not killing anyone," said Snow firmly. "At least unless she tries to kill us first. She attacks us, she's far game as far as I'm concerned."

"Didn't she already try to kill you?" Mary reminded her. "I mean, you just said..."

"My point," said Snow quickly. "Is that we aren't going to go hunting JTG. If she attacks us and we kill her trying to protect ourselves, that's different. Let's... let's just... I don't know. I... I don't know what we're supposed to do. I just keep thinking in circles, it... none of it makes sense. She's everywhere, but she's nowhere. She's sending these messages, but she's never told us what she wants. I don't know what to do."

"Maybe we should spend some more time investigating Sara," Mary suggested. "I mean, we have her computer. Maybe she knew something about JTG that we don't."

"You never had any luck with her password?" Jackson asked. Snow shook her head.

"No, and I tried everything I could think of," she replied. "I thought I would be able to guess it, but I never could. I don't know what password she used."

"I can take a crack at it, if you want," Steven offered. "I'm pretty tech savvy. I can probably get into it if you give me some time."

"Sure," said Snow. "I've been keeping it in my room. I'll get it to you later today."

"Cool," said Steven. He stood up and stretched, glancing around at the others. It was quite clear to Snow that he wasn’t happy about the things he’d heard that afternoon. Their secret had changed the way he looked at the four girls, that was certain. "Well, if that's all the new business for today, I need to get going. I promised I'd check in on Jacob this afternoon."

"He's getting out of the hospital this weekend, isn't he?" Nikki asked.

"Finally," said Jackson. "Poor guy. He's going crazy in that place. He'll still need his physical therapy, but he's ready to go home."

"I bet he is," said Clara rather nervously. "Look guys, I hate to be a bad hostess, but I told my mom we'd have dinner tonight to celebrate her getting her job back. I'm cooking, so I figure I'd better get an early start."

"You sound so confident," said Steven with a grin.

"I can stay and help if you want," Snow offered. "I've picked up a thing or two from Ariana over the years."

"Thanks Snow, but I kind of want to do this myself," said Clara.

"Fine, just don't blow up your house," said Snow, smirking. "I don't think your mom would appreciate that."

Clara saw everyone out of the house and they all went their separate ways. Mary and Nikki walked down the street, chatting quietly together. Steven hopped on his bike and pedaled away while Snow made her way to her car, with Jackson close behind.

"Uh... Snow, can I talk to you for a sec?" He asked uncertainly.

"Sure," said Snow, leaning against the door of her powder blue Mustang. "What's up?"

"It's... well, I was just wondering if you and Michael were..."

"Were... what?" Snow asked, her anger flaring suddenly. Her blood was positively boiling, surprising even her. "Dating? I don't think my love life is any of your business. We broke up, didn't we? That's when what I do and who I date stopped being your concern."

"I was just…” Jackson began, but Snow cut him off.

"Jackson, I want things to be as civil as possible between us," Snow said evenly. "But my relationship with Michael is absolutely none of your concern. My relationship with anyone isn't your concern. In a normal situation, we wouldn't have to be around each other all the time. We wouldn't see each other and talk to each other on a daily basis so frequently after breaking up.

"I can't deal with my ex-boyfriend nosing into my friendships with other guys right now. We've got too much to deal with. So it doesn't matter if Michael and I are hanging out in his living room playing Yahtzee, or if I'm on my back on his bed. JTG's the focus. After we deal with her, we can have this argument if we really must. Until then, we have to be allies. We're just going to have to deal with it."

"Snow, I... I didn't mean anything by it," said Jackson softly. "I was just asking. I didn't mean to start a war."

"I'm sorry, Jackson," said Snow, her anger fading as quickly as it had come. "I didn't... I'm just..."

"Under a lot of stress," said Jackson kindly. "I know. We all are. Look, I... we agreed, it's fine to see other people. If you and Michael are together, I'm happy for you. I want you to be happy, Snow. You deserve that."

"Well... thanks, Jacks," said Snow, letting out a long breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. She was beginning to crack, she knew it now. Snapping at Jackson for asking a simple question? Sure, it wasn't necessarily appropriate, but he didn't deserve to be attacked for it.

"Really, Jackson, thank you. I don't know how I'd get through this without you. The girls, they... they all look to me to be their leader, and I don't have the answers."

"No one's expecting you to have all the answers," said Jackson gently. "We're all in this together, Snowy. Don't take the whole burden of JTG on yourself. It's not your job to deal with JTG on your own."   

“I know,” Snow replied. “I just wish… I don’t know what I wish, actually. I’d need more than three wishes, that’s for sure.”

“Well as soon as we find a genie, we’ll have to narrow down your list,” said Jackson. “Snow, listen. Like I said, I want you to be happy. If Michael makes you happy, then I’m fine with that. So go, forget about JTG for one night and go be happy. The trouble will still be there tomorrow.”

“Michael and I aren’t… I mean, we’re not… I don’t know if he even, if I even… I’m rambling now. I’m going home and going to bed. That’s what will make me happy right now. Sleeping all weekend long.”

“Then go do it,” said Jackson. He pulled her into a hug and as Snow relaxed into his embrace she knew exactly what her wish would be. She would wish that her one night with Sara, and Jackson’s with Emilia, had never happened. She wanted, more than anything, to have her boyfriend back. As they broke apart, however, she knew it would never happen. The rift was too great. She could never look at him the same way again and she knew Jackson felt the same. She and Jackson were done forever. What that might mean for their friendship, she couldn’t say. She hoped, though, that at the very least he would never hate her. She wasn’t sure she could live with that.

Snow drove home and parked in the garage. She made her way into the silent house alone, wishing her parents were home. Unfortunately, they were still in Detroit and wouldn’t be back until the next morning. Snow was facing a night completely alone and while the Austin house was nowhere near the size of Michael’s sprawling mansion where it was quite easy to get lost on the way to the bathroom, it was still a large place to be left alone when a psychopath was trying to kill you.

Regardless, Snow was determined to ride out the night by herself. She wasn’t going to call her friends and ask them to spend the night with her because she was scared. She went around and locked all of the doors and windows and closed the curtains. She went upstairs and, with some hesitation, opened Kayla’s gun safe. She retrieved one of her mother’s guns, an older model Remington 870 shotgun. Kayla kept all of her guns loaded at all times, but Snow checked just to be sure. She hoped against hope she didn’t have to use it, but if JTG came after her again she planned on being prepared to protect herself.

Of course, even the best laid plans begin to unravel when darkness falls. Snow had retreated to her bedroom and cracked open a book, planning to read until it was time for dinner. However, as the sun began to set and the shadows outside her window grew longer, Snow’s courage began to dwindle. Even the tiniest noises sounded like an intruder and twice she swore she heard footsteps on the stairs.

By eight o’clock, Snow was in a panic. She was hungry and wanted to go downstairs to make dinner, but she was too afraid to open her bedroom door, shotgun or no shotgun. At last, she picked up her phone fully intending to call Clara. Her fingers, however, seemed to have another plan in mind because it was Michael, not Clara, who answered. She felt childish and stupid, but the moment she heard his voice, she began to cry.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Michael asked, concern filling his voice. What’s wrong? It was such a simple question and yet Snow had no idea how to answer it. It would have been much easier to tell Michael what wasn’t wrong.

“I… It’s stupid, I…”

“If you’re crying, it isn’t stupid,” said Michael. “C’mon, talk to me.”

“I’m home alone,” Snow said quietly, feeling quite embarrassed. “My moms are still in the city and… and I’m hunkered down in my bedroom with my mom’s shotgun. I keep thinking… JTG…”

“Do you want me to come over?” Michael offered.

"Oh... oh, you don't have to do that," Snow sniffled, feeling if possible even more embarrassed. "I'm being stupid, I shouldn't have even called. I didn't mean to bother you, I just..."

"You're not being stupid," Michael said kindly. "You're scared. Hell, with everything you're going through I'd be scared too. I'm on my way."

"Really, Mike, it's not... you don't have to..."

"I want to," said Michael. "We're friends, I care about you. I'm not going to leave you alone all night, scared and crying. I'll be right there."

"Well, if... if you want to," said Snow. She was deeply pleased Michael had insisted. She felt bad for imposing, but he had volunteered and his company would raise her spirits significantly. "I'll even make you dinner."

"Now that sounds like a fine evening," said Michael. "I'm getting in the car now. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Okay," Snow said quietly. "Thanks, Mike."

"You bet, beautiful," Michael replied. "See you soon." Snow didn't want to hang up, but she knew Michael was only a few minutes away. Regardless, she stayed locked in her bedroom until she heard the sound of Michael's Lamborghini pulling into the driveway. She was still terrified as she opened her bedroom door, shotgun aimed down the hallway. The hall was empty and everything was perfectly in place. Slowly, she slipped down the hall and went downstairs which was just as clear of intruders as the upstairs was. She peered through the peephole to make sure it was Michael waiting on the other side and opened the door.

"Damn, do you greet everyone with a shotgun?" Michael asked, eyeing the weapon in Snow's hands.

"Not exactly," Snow replied, setting the shotgun aside and pulling Michael into a hug. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course," Michael said dismissively, wrapping his arms securely around her. "Where else would I be?"

"Somehow I imagine there's other things you'd rather be doing on your Friday night than babysitting a scared teenager," Snow said dryly.

"You mean sitting home alone drinking wine and trolling Instagram?" Michael asked with a smirk. "Because that's what I was doing." Snow backed away from him, looking up in surprise.

"Um... really? That's how you spend your Friday nights?" Michael nodded. "You sound like this girl I met once when Alana took me to New York."

"Don't judge me," said Michael, following Snow as she lead him into the kitchen. "I could be out being irresponsible. Instead, I'm at home watching funny cat videos."

"We're going to have to get you out of the house," said Snow, grinning. It was amazing how quickly her mood had changed. She was laughing and she felt safe. She felt... happy. Being with Michael made her happy, happier than she had been since Sara died and JTG appeared. Do what makes you happy, that’s what Jackson had told her. Michael made her happy, even when she was sure she would never be happy again, so that meant… well, she wasn’t at all sure what that meant.

Snow didn’t have much time to ponder her feelings that night, since she was having too much fun to worry about anything else. After a dinner of chicken fried steak, which Snow prepared without burning herself and proceeded to tease Michael about relentlessly, she decided to treat Michael to a tour of the house. It took much less time than the tour of Michael’s mansion had taken and after fifteen minutes of venturing through the house, they ended up in Snow’s bedroom.

“You can look in the closet, but don’t judge me after you do,” said Snow when Michael reached for the sliding glass doors. He grinned and eased open the door.

“Mother of God…” Michael breathed, stepping into Snow’s packed yet surprising organized closet. There were rows and rows of shoes, most of which consisted of heels of varying degrees of height and racks upon racks of clothing of in a wide range of styles. In the back, there was a full body mirror in which Snow could see Michael’s expression which ranged somewhere between shock and disbelief.

“Is it too much?” Snow asked him, watching him closely.

“No… no, it’s not too much at all. The twelve Gucci bags I see over there might be a little too much, but no. I mean, there are apartments in New York smaller than this closet, but no… no, I think this is just perfect.”

“I did warn you before you opened the door,” Snow reminded him with a smirk. “That’s what happens when you have too much money and too much free time on your hands. Sara’s closet was even worse. I swear she never got rid of anything.”

“Girls and their wardrobes,” Michael muttered, pulling the door closed.

“Oh, like you don’t have something that you waste money on,” said Snow, sitting down on at the foot of her bed while Michael sat down on her window seat and peered through the window into the backyard.

“Oh, I have hobbies,” said Michael offhandedly. “Well, one. My interests are very… singular.”

“Enlighten me, then,” said Snow, now genuinely curious.

“I will,” Michael replied. “Someday.”

“You can tell me,” Snow pressed him. “I promise I won’t laugh.”

“Actually, you probably would,” said Michael. “I’ll let you in on my secret one day soon, don’t worry.”

“Do I look like I need one more mystery in my life?” Snow asked, arching her eyebrows. “Believe me, I’ve got plenty. I don’t need any more.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a bit of mystery,” said Michael. “It makes life fun. How boring would it be if we knew every single thing about each other? Getting to know each other, discovering new things… that’s the fun part.”

“Right now I think I’d trade the fun part for knowing everyone’s secrets. At least then I’d know who I could trust. As it is… I’m hard pressed to trust anyone.”

“Well you can trust your friends, your family, and me,” said Michael, standing and going to sit next to her. “I can’t speak for anyone beyond that, but it’s a start.”

"Not much of one," Snow said quietly. "That's still a lot of people I can't trust. A lot of potential threats."

"Snow, you need to relax," Michael told her firmly. "Worrying about JTG like this all the time... it isn't good for you." He stared at her for a long moment, chewing his lower lip thoughtfully.

"Lay down and take your shirt off," he said, patting the blankets behind her. Snow looked up at him, a smirk on her lips.

"I'm not that easy, Mike," she said defensively. "At least put a little effort into it."

"Would you just lay down?" Michael sighed, rolling his eyes. "Trust me, if I was trying to get you into bed, you'd know it."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Snow, obeying Michael's instructions. She had to give him credit. When she tugged her shirt over her head, not once did Michael's eyes drop from her face.

"Now, roll over and relax," said Michael. Snow obeyed and moments later Michael began to massage her back.

"Ooooh.... oh, oh, oh..." Snow whimpered in pleasure. "Oh God, Mike. That feels amazing. Are you a masseuse in your spare time?"

"No, I just know the joys of a good back massage every now and then," Michael told her.

"Yes you do..." Snow moaned. She lay there, fully relaxed for the first time in a long time. She forgot about JTG, about Miranda, and Sara, and Emilia, and Jackson, and even the rather embarrassing fact that she was lying on her bed topless except for her bra in front of the guy she might like. All her troubles seemed to melt away as Michael's hands rubbed and pressed into her skin.

She was in heaven and nothing was going to take her out of it. She sighed contentedly, relishing Michael's touch. She was so comfortable that she very nearly  drifted off to sleep. She was safe that night, alone in the house with Michael. She wasn't going to worry about the next night or the one after that right then. For that one night she could fall asleep in Michael's arm, safe and warm. She would deal with JTG and all the mysteries of Mistbrook Falls tomorrow. That night, she was much too happy to worry about anything at all.

 

 

 

33: Chapter XXXIII: Je Suis Une Amie

“Snow!” It was the shout that woke her the following morning, but for the briefest of moment she didn’t realize that fact. Instead, she opened her eyes, blinking at the powerful golden glow of the Saturday morning sun streaming in through her window. It wasn’t until she felt the weight of Michael’s arm draped lazily across her back that she yelp with fright and bolted out of bed.

“Mike!” She hissed, trying to be quiet but inspire him to hurry at the same time. “Michael, get up!” She seized her shirt and hurriedly tugged it on. She hadn’t realized that she had fallen asleep while Michael had been massaging her. She had slept all night with Michael at her side. If Michael was here in her room, then the only people that could be calling her were…

“My moms,” Snow hissed. “They’re home. Get up! Go to the window seat. Pretend you slept there.”

“Wha…” Michael grumbled sleepily. “What happened…?”

“Michael,” Snow growled, slapping him lightly across the face. “My moms are home and I left that shotgun downstairs where Kayla can very easily get her hands on it. Do you really want her to come up here and find you asleep in my bed? If so, by all means keep laying there. I’ll be sure to say kind words about you at your funeral.”

“But we didn’t…” Michael began sleepily.

“Mike, I know you’re not a parent,” Snow said as delicately as she could. “So maybe you don’t understand how serious this is. But it’s early in the morning on the weekend and Kayla has just spent an hour driving home. So any moment now an agitated brunette with a shotgun is going to come into the room and catch you in bed with her underage daughter. You can either be pretending to sleep across the room where we might be able to pull off a convincing cover story, or you can be trying your best to convince her that you did not, in fact, spend last night banging her sixteen year old daughter. Despite what we did or didn’t do, it looks like we did. So, where do you want to be?”

Even a very sleepy Michael couldn’t disagree with that logic. He quickly hurried across the room and arranged himself on the window seat with a pillow and one of Snow’s blankets. Snow had only just managed to throw herself back into bed and close her eyes when Kayla and Ariana appeared in the doorway.

“What…” Kayla began in a stunned voice, but Ariana pressed a finger to her wife’s lips.

“Shh,” Ariana whispered. “Don’t wake them up.”

“Why shouldn’t I wake them up?” Kayla asked, but she whispered all the same. “Why is he asleep in our daughter’s room?”

“I’ve been with you the whole time we’ve been gone,” said Ariana dryly. “What makes you assume I have more information? We’ll find out what he’s doing here, but yelling at Snow isn’t going to help.”

“It’ll help my blood pressure,” Kayla muttered.

“No… no, it won’t,” said Ariana, shaking her head. “That’s not how… that’s the opposite of… ugh.”

Slowly, Ariana crossed the room to the edge of Snow’s bed. Kayla followed her. Snow, having listened with bated breath, was lying there doing her level best to appear to be sleeping. Technically, what she was going to tell them would be the truth. She had been scared and had called Michael who had offered to spend the night so she wouldn’t be alone. She would just have to leave out exactly what she had been afraid of and where Michael had really slept last night.

“Hey, Snowy,” said Ariana, gently shaking her daughter’s shoulder. Snow opened her eyes and looked up at her mother blearily, pretending to have just woken from a sound sleep.

“Oh, hey,” she said thickly. “You’re back.”

“Yeah, we are,” said Ariana. “I see you have a guest.” Snow glanced across the room at Michael, who had to give credit to for pretending to sleep very well. He was even snoring slightly.

“Oh… right, I forgot he was here,” said Snow, sitting up and stretching. “He, uh… I got really freaked out last night, being here alone and everything. I called Michael and he offered to keep me company.”

“And my shotgun…?” Kayla asked

“Right, sorry about that, I… I thought I could tough it out alone and, well, I thought it might make me feel safer, but it didn’t.”

“Well, as long as you’re okay, sweetie,” said Ariana gently. “But you should have called us before inviting Michael over without us here.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” said Snow. “It was really late and I just… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” said Kayla. “I just want to make sure… is there anything, you know, going on between the two of you? I know you said no before, but…”

“Oh… no, no, there’s… there’s nothing going on,” Snow said perhaps a little too quickly. “We’re friends, that’s all.” But that’s not all you want to be, said the annoyingly persistent voice in the back of her mind.

“Alright,” said Kayla, although she surveyed Michael with suspicious eyes.

“I’m going to go make breakfast,” said Ariana. “Let Michael know he’s welcome to stay if he wants.”

“Yeah, I’ll tell him,” said Snow. “I imagine he’ll be hungry. Oh, what happened with the bookstore?”

“Oh that,” said Ariana, exchanging a quick glance with Kayla. “Uh… it’ll be fine. Nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah,” said Kayla. “We’ve got a friend that’s going to help us fix it up quickly. You could almost say it’ll be like magic.”

“Magic,” said Snow, shaking her head. “You guys will like Michael. He believes in that stuff like… seriously.” Kayla and Ariana exchanged another look and soon left the room.

“So, did you buy that story of hers?” Kayla asked as they walked downstairs. Ariana shrugged.

“She seemed to be telling the truth,” she said thoughtfully.

“Teenagers lie,” said Kayla pointedly. “Particularly horny teenagers that just broke up with their boyfriends. They lie quite well, as I recall. Also, Michael’s shifty. I don’t like him hanging around our daughter.”

“He gave up his evening to come and sit with Snow when she was scared,” said Ariana. “He doesn’t sound like a bad guy to me.”

“That’s assuming we believe that story told to us by a horny teenager,” Kayla replied.

“She has a name, you know?” said Ariana. “You don’t have to keep calling her… never mind. Look, Snow’s a good girl. We’ve always taken Snow at her word and…”

“And the last time we did she ended up at a college party where her best friend was murdered,” Kayla reminded her. “A college party, I might add, that was hosted by the muscled Adonis sleeping in our daughter’s bedroom.”

"What if she likes him?" Ariana asked pointedly as they reached the kitchen.

"Then she just lied to us."

"Okay, let's say she just lied to us," said Ariana. "Let's say she likes him. Let's say they start going out. What do we do? How do we handle it? She's sixteen already. In two years, we won't have any say in who she dates or what she does. She'll be an adult. She's well on her way now. She's not a kid anymore, Kay-Kay. She's a young woman... a brave, passionate, opinionated young woman that we aren't going to be able to control forever."

"That doesn't mean we let her do whatever she wants," said Kayla. "I don't like Michael and honestly, I don't want her dating him. I don't want him in our house. You know his reputation, he's..."

"Not as bad as he's made out to be," said Ariana. "Look, I'm not comfortable with the idea that Snow is friends with and could be interested in a man ten years her senior... but, I get a good vibe from him. I can't explain it, but I feel like she's safe with him. Like I said on the way to Detroit, if Snow wants to date Michael... if she trusts him, then so do I. I don't know what Michael's done or what he's really like, but he's not a bad guy. I know that much. I can feel it."

"I still don't trust him," said Kayla darkly.

"Good, I don't either," said Ariana with a smirk. "He's the guy that could be sleeping with our daughter. We're not supposed to trust him, but we do trust Snow. I trust her judgment. Hell, I think she’s probably smarter than both of us. If she backs Michael, then so do I."

-.-

Back upstairs, Snow sat up in bed just as Michael stood and glanced nervously toward the door.

“Well, Kayla didn’t kill you,” said Snow, grinning. “That’s a good start.”

“Well, not being murdered is definitely a good start to a Saturday,” Michael agreed. “I’m surprised they weren’t more… pissed.”

“Well, I doubt they’re happy about it, but if they’re much happier than they would have been if they’d found us a couple of minutes earlier. You were in my bed and I was topless, so that sort of paints a particular picture. We’d have had a tough time explaining that one.”

“Ah, you’d have come up with something,” said Michael. “With your quick wit, I’d bet on you. Speaking of quick, you were pretty quick to shoot down the idea of us being more than friends. What? Am I not good enough for you?” For the rest of her life, Snow would always assume that she went completely insane for the few seconds it took her to answer him. She must have, because out of all of the responses she could have come up with, she answered by saying

“Well, if I’d told them the truth they would have been pretty ticked off at both of us,” she said, starting to climb out of bed. She froze, however, when she realized exactly what she had said. Michael was staring at her, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Snow, I… I was just joking,” he said, laughing uncomfortably. “I wasn’t trying to…”

“What? Oh… oh yeah, no. No, I know,” Snow babbled. How? How could she have been so stupid? “No, I… I was joking too… yeah…”

“Snow,” Michael said seriously. “Are you… do you have… feelings for me or something?”

“Oh, God…” Snow groaned, flopping back down on her bed and holding her hands over her face. “I… I don’t even know where to start. I don’t know what I feel or if I feel… Everything with Sara and Jackson is so fresh and raw and… and I met you right after and suddenly you’re here and we’re friends and then I’m at your house and… and… Look, whatever this is, it’s not a big deal. It’s just… I feel safe with you, Mike. I feel safer with you than I do when I’m with anyone else. When we’re apart I’m… really scared.

“Last night was great, we had a good time and it was like JTG didn’t even exist. That’s because you were here and… Okay, here it is. This… it’s just a crush. That’s all it is, so… so let’s just forget about it. I’ll get over it and we can still be friends. I don’t think I could survive losing your friendship right now, so please don’t let this make things awkward between us. I know you don’t feel anything and there are a lot of girls your own age that are way prettier and more mature than I am, so let’s just…”

“Snow, relax,” said Michael, coming over and sitting on the opposite side of her bed. “Nothing is going to make me stop being your friend. Snow, I… I… Well, you’re not completely alone in your… feelings. I don’t know what it means exactly and you…”

“I’m sixteen,” said Snow, nodding sadly. “You’re ten years older than me and you don’t…”

“Our age difference is a pretty big deal,” Michael agreed. “But you being young isn’t what’s making me hesitate. You mentioned girls my age being so much more mature than you? Well, I can tell you right now that age doesn’t automatically make someone mature. You’re probably more of an adult than half of the adults I know. It’s more… what people would say. People in this town already think I’m a womanizing douche. If I started dating an underage girl, they’d come up with a few more unkind things to say about me.”

“So… what are we saying here?” Snow asked quietly, uncovering her face and looking up at him. “We both feel something for each other, but we can’t…”

“We need to take some time,” said Michael firmly. “We need to make sure what we really want and what we really feel. Snow, when I get involved with someone I want it to last. I wanted Emily and I to last. We didn’t, but I tried. I like you, Snow, there’s no questioning that. You’re smart, funny, sweet, beautiful, and you brighten my day just be being around… and you scare me out of my mind. I like this, us. I like having you as a friend and becoming more than that would… complicate things.”

“And I don’t need any new complications,” said Snow softly, doing her best to keep the disappointment from her voice. She wasn't sure why it hurt so much. She hadn't even fully processed her feelings and even if she had she had never been sure she wanted to follow through with anything. But the fact that Michael hadn't taken the initiative and kissed her, but instead advised caution cut her deeply. "Okay, so... so we take our time. We don't rush into anything. We... I mean, that... that's what you want to do?"

"It's not what I want to do, Snowflake," said Michael, shaking his head. "But I think it's what we need to do. Is that okay with you?" No, it wasn't okay, but what else could she say?

"Yeah," Snow said quietly. Michael reached down and brushed Snow's hair away from her face.

"No, it's not," he said knowingly.

"No," Snow agreed in saddened tones. "It's not." She sat up, turning toward Michael while fighting back tears. "I don't want to wait, Michael. I'm tired of waiting. I waited for Sara because I was too afraid of losing her as a friend if we didn't work out. I'm waiting, every day, for JTG to come ruin my life... or end it. I don't want to wait anymore. I don't care that I'm not completely sure how I feel about you. I don't care that's it's fast or that you're older than me. I don't care what people will say. Tomorrow, JTG could blow up my car on my way to school or release information that sends me to prison. She could murder my friends or burn my house down with my parents inside.

"I'm scared," Snow admitted, her eyes shining with tears. "I am terrified. If JTG has taught me anything, it's that hesitation is... the stupidest thing in the world. Waiting, second guessing... it cost me so much time with Sara. I don't want it to cost me anything else. Not when I don't know how much time I have left."

"Well..." said Michael quietly. "I... will have to think quickly."

-.-

Across town, Sophia sat in the Mistbrook Barista sipping at a cup of coffee. It was early on Saturday morning and the Mistbrook Falls Police Department would be busy arranging security for Founder's Day. The annual celebration of the founding of Mistbrook Falls was set to be held that afternoon, however the storm had pushed the event to Sunday instead. With a murderer loose in town, the MFPD was taking no chances with such a prominent event and planned to have a high police presence. Sophia would be working the event all day, so she elected to take Saturday off.

The Barista was always busy on Saturdays, but that day it was even more so. It seemed as though half the town made its way through the coffee shop that morning. She recognized nearly all of the patrons, but she didn't speak to anyone until she saw Clara, Nikki, and Jackson walking along the sideway outside. Clara came into the shop while Nikki and Jackson waiting outside, talking quietly together.

"Hey, Clara," said Sophia, waving to the blonde when she had finishing ordering. "How have you been?"

"Oh... fine, I'm fine," said Clara as the barista turned around to prepare her order. "How about you?"

"Yeah, I... I'm okay, I guess," said Sophia. "I'm dealing with a lot right now."

"Sara's case, you mean?" Clara asked curiously, passing her debit card to the cashier.

"Yeah, that," Sophia replied. "A... friend... told me I shouldn't give up and I don't want to, but I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do."

"A friend?" Clara asked, her eyes widening. Sophia couldn't be sure, but she thought for a moment that she saw a flicker of fear in the blonde's eyes.

"Brad Reynolds," Sophia replied, chewing her lower lip. "He's... I'm not entirely sure what Brad is, but he's not the complete jerk I thought he was."

"Well, that's good," said Clara, smiling. "And... about Sara's case... don't kill yourself over it. Catching her killer won't bring her back, Sophia."

"No, but seeing the bastard strung up would make me feel better," Sophia grumbled.

"Me too," Clara agreed. "But pushing yourself to the breaking point won't help anyone." Clara's order came up moments later and she bade Sophia goodbye. Sophia went back to her coffee, watching Clara through the window as she passed the coffees out to her friends. As she, Nikki, and Jackson walked out of view, Sophia's phone chimed. She dug it out of her pocket and had to do a double take to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Hey Sophie! What if I help you kill two birds with one stone? I know who killed Sara and Miranda Sinclair. Oops, did I say too much? Me and my big mouth --JTG

    

34: Chapter XXXIV: J.acob T.he G.reat

It was mid-afternoon on Saturday and Snow was relaxing in the den. She was determined to have one pleasant, JTG-free day. She had put her phone on silent and refused to even look at it for the remainder of the afternoon. She knew ignoring JTG wouldn't work, but maybe for one afternoon she could be free. Unfortunately, Snow knew only too well that JTG didn't just rely on text messages. She had other methods, which was perhaps the most frightening thing of all. Snow had no idea how JTG would strike next.

Michael came into the room, shaking Snow out of her thoughts as he sat down on the opposite end of the couch. She noticed immediately and felt a sudden pang of sadness. When she had confessed her feelings to Michael, she had changed their relationship. They were friends, close friends, and now things were awkward between them. Michael was sitting as far away from her as possible, something he wouldn't have done before. She had ruined what they had and she wasn't sure if she could ever repair the damage.

"Okay, look," she said suddenly, causing Michael to jump in surprise. "Everything I said earlier... it... it doesn't matter. Let's just forget about it and let things go back to normal. I told you it's just a crush, I'll get over it. After what I said, everything feels weird and awkward and... Michael, our friendship is too important to me to ruin, so... let's just forget it."

"Snow... you haven't made anything weird," Michael said reassuringly. "At least not to me, I don't..."

"You're sitting so far away from me we're not even in the same postcode," Snow said dryly. Michael glanced down at the space between them and grinned.

"I'm not sitting over here because I'm uncomfortable," said Michael. "I'm doing it because I'm getting a really strong vibe that if I even breathe in your direction Kayla will make me start singing soprano. In light of that, I'm going to stay over here when she's around."

"And that... that's the only reason?" Snow asked, praying to any god that would listen that he would say yes.

"Of course," Michael assured her. To prove it, he slid close and slipped his arm around her. With his other hand, he brushed her hair away from her face. He placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head up toward him. She smiled in spite of herself, causing Michael to grin happily.

"There's that pretty smile," he said warmly.

"Well, aren't you complimentary?" Ariana asked, appearing in the doorway. She stood watching them with her hands on her hips. Michael jerked away from Snow, who stared nervously up at her mother with frightened, questioning eyes.

"I... I'm sorry, Mrs. Austin," said Michael. "We were just..."

"Please, call me Ariana," said Ariana sweetly. "Mrs. Austin makes me sound old."

"Mom, what you just saw..." Snow began slowly. "It wasn't..."

"I know what I saw," said Ariana plainly. "And I'm not going to say a word about it, except... Look, I don't know exactly what's going on between the two of you. If it's anything romantic, and after what I just saw it seems likely... don't hurt her, Michael."

"I would never hurt Snow," said Michael hurriedly. "Ever. I promise you that."

"That's good to hear," said Ariana, smiling slightly. "But I mean it, Michael. Don't hurt her. If you do, you'll have to face Kayla."

"Snow mentioned...." Michael began, but Ariana cut him off.

"And then you'll have to deal with me." Snow had never realized just how intimidating Ariana could be when she wanted to be. She had to admit, she appreciated it. She knew Michael would never hurt her and that Ariana would never have to make good on her promise, but it was nice to know just what kind of power stood behind her. Suddenly, she wished she could unleash her parents' wrath on JTG. That would be vengeance the likes of which she could scarcely imagine.

"I understand," Michael said diplomatically. "I promise, you have nothing to worry about."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that," said Ariana, smiling warmly. "I'll have lunch ready soon. Are you planning to stay, Michael?"

"If you'll have me, yes please," said Michael, exchanging a glance with Snow.

"Sure," said Ariana. "I'll make a plate for you."

"Thanks," said Michael as Ariana turned and walked away.

"You, sir, are one lucky guy," said Snow, half laughing once Ariana was out of earshot. "When they caught me and Jackson kissing, he got grilled for an hour."

"Well, we weren't kissing, were we?" Michael said with a smirk.

"No, but we were sort of cuddling and you were staring at me like you wished we were kissing, so it's safe to say you got off easy," said Snow. “I think you…” Snow paused when her phone chimed. She pulled it out of her pocket, nervous as she always was whenever she got a text. She was relieved, however, to discover it was from Clara.

“Oh, right, I forgot,” said Snow quickly. “My friend Jacob is getting out of the hospital today and Jackson asked us all to be there. Thank God Clara reminded me or I wouldn’t have ever thought about it. Would you want to come too? I don’t think anyone would mind.”

“Even Jackson?” Michael asked dubiously.

“Even Jackson,” Snow said firmly. “He’s okay with where he and I are right now and he’s okay with you too. He told me so. Jackson’s not the jealous type… most of the time. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

-.-

Clara stood anxiously in the parking lot of St. Sebastian hospital, leaning against the side of Nikki’s car. Jacob was at long last being released from his captivity and Jackson had wanted all of them to be there to support him. Jacob was still wheelchair bound, but he was said to be very pleased to be going home at last. Clara, however, was terrified. She had avoided the hospital ever since she had planned on telling Jacob everything and JTG had put a very firm stop to it. She didn’t want to be anywhere near Jacob and risk invoking JTG’s wrath. However, JTG had only threatened her when she knew Clara was about to reveal her secrets. She hoped, and hope was the only thing she could do, that JTG wouldn’t attack her just for being around Jacob so long as she held her silence on the subject of the cause of his accident.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Snow’s Mustang growling its way through the parking lot and easing into the spot next to Nikki’s car. Nikki and Mary, both of whom had been waiting in the car, got out as Snow parked her own car. When both of Snow’s car’s doors opened, Clara realized she had forgotten to mention to her friends that Michael was coming too.

“Hey," Snow called, closing her door and walking over to her friends with Michael close behind her.

"Hey, Snow," said Clara, smiling. She was always happiest when all four of them were together. Jackson and Steven were both targets of JTG as well, but somehow Clara felt that the four girls were JTG's primary focus. When they were apart, Clara couldn't shake the feeling that they were much more vulnerable. She knew they were no more safe together than they were apart, but at least then she knew nothing terrible was happening to her friends, to her sisters.

Michael, Clara noticed, lingered behind Snow as though he wasn't quite sure he wanted to be there. He seemed to be extremely uncomfortable, which struck her as very odd. Michael didn't seem the type to be uncomfortable around a group of high school girls.

"Hi, Michael," said Clara, hoping to draw him in and ease his apparent discomfort. She knew Snow liked him no matter what she said, so she thought it best to make him feel welcome. Mary, however, seemed to feel the exact opposite. She was doing her level best to avoid looking at Michael. In fact, she almost seemed to be visibly shrinking away, doing what she could to make herself appear smaller as to not attracted unwanted attention. 

"Hi Clara," said Michael, nodding to her. "Nikki. Mary."

"I'm glad you could come," said Nikki. "Steven needs all the moral support he can get." Michael nodded again, but didn't speak. Mary didn't either, a fact which Clara immediate saw that Snow noticed. She was eying Mary with something Clara thought lay between confusion and anger. She did not, however, address the issue. Instead, she asked;

"Where's Jackson and Steven?" 

"Already inside,” said Clara. “We were just waiting for you.”

"I guess we should meet up with them," said Snow, glancing at Michael. She led the way across the parking lot toward the hospital. Michael walked alongside her with Nikki at their heels. Mary, however, hung back.

"Hey... are you okay?" Clara asked, watching Mary closely.

"I... yeah, I... I just didn't expect Michael to be here," Mary muttered, staring at the ground.

"You really don't like him, do you?" Clara asked as she took Mary's hand and guided her along after the others. "What? Is it about Emily? I know he broke up with her, but you and Emily don't even like each other. I didn't think..."

"It’s got nothing to do with Emily,” said Mary. “It’s… I just don’t like him, okay? He scares me. He’s dangerous and I don’t like Snow hanging around him so much.”

“She likes him, Mary,” Clara said quietly. “Even if they don’t start dating, they’re obviously friends. I think you’re going to have to accept that.”

“No,” Mary said sharply. “I don’t have to accept it. I won’t. I don’t like him and I don’t trust him with Snow. I don’t get why you do.”

“Because Snow vouched for him,” said Clara with a shrug. “That’s enough for me.”

“Yes, because Snow’s such a good judge of character,” Mary said hotly. “She thought Sara was a sweet little angel when the rest of us all knew she wasn’t. I’m not going to be so quick to trust Snow’s judgment, especially on this.”

Although Clara wasn’t going to admit it, Mary had a point. Snow had misjudged Sara, but they had been friends for years. She hadn’t needed to be cautious or worried about who she could trust. Now, all of them were careful and didn’t trust easily. Clara knew Snow would surely be cautious when it came to Michael. He had earned her trust, and she knew that trust didn’t come easily to Snow anymore. No, Mary could say what she liked but Michael didn’t seem that bad to her and Snow thought he could be trusted. Clara was going to keep Michael in the trustworthy category until she found evidence to the contrary.

She was concerned, however, about Mary’s refusal to ever stand down about Michael. Snow liked the guy, that was obvious. If they started dating and Mary still held on to her dislike of him, it could cause a lot of discord amongst the four friends. They couldn’t afford to fight each other, not with JTG stalking their every move. If Snow and Mary went to war over Michael, it would tear the group apart and JTG would have won.

She hoped at the very least Mary could be convinced hold her silence about Michael, even if she didn’t like him. Clara didn’t particularly care if she liked him or not, so long as she kept her mouth closed about it. They couldn’t afford a civil war, not now. She didn’t know what JTG had planned, but she knew a crack in their friendship would make JTG incredibly happy.

They caught up with the others in the lobby where they had found Jackson and Steven waiting near the bank of elevators. Snow seemed to be introducing Michael to the other guys and from the look on his face, he seemed to be feeling at least a little more comfortable than he had in the parking lot.

“…Doing a final check up on him. It should take about half an hour,” Jackson was saying when Clara and Mary reached them. “His parents are up there with him now.”

“How’s he doing?” Nikki asked. “He always seemed in good spirits, but it’s hard to tell sometimes with Jacob.”

“He’s pretty good,” said Steven. “Really happy to be going home, I know that. He just… it’s the first time he’ll be back home since Sara… He’s having a rough time of it.” No one seemed to know what to say to that. Clara noticed that Snow seemed on the verge of tears and was looking pointed at the floor. Michael leaned forward and whispered something in her ear than almost instantly made her smile. Clara didn't know Michael well, but that action had made her like him that much more. He must have known exactly what to say to cheer Snow up. Clara wasn't sure even she would have had that answer.

-.-

Mary was anxious and more nervous than she had ever been. She had to talk to Snow, but she wasn't sure she would have an opening to do so. They all moved to the waiting room to wait for Jacob and his parents to come down. After ten minutes, Jackson and Steven decided to check out the cafeteria and Michael said he wanted to stretch his legs and went for a walk outside. With just the four girls left, Mary knew she had her chance.

"Um... Snow? Can we talk?" Snow looked up at her with a mixed expression on her face. Clara and Nikki exchanged a glance but said nothing.

"Sure," said Snow, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. "You sound serious. What's up?" Mary swallowed thickly. She wasn't sure why she was so scared, but she felt as though she was about to plead her case before the royal court. In a way, she supposed she was. Snow was one of her best friends, one of her sisters, and yet Snow had power that she, Mary, would never have. She couldn't help but worry what would happen if Snow decided to bring that power to bear against her.

"Um... well, it... it's about you and Michael, I..."

"Oh Mary," Snow said exasperatedly. "Please, not right now. I know you don't like him."

"Snow, he scares me," said Mary pleadingly. "He really scares me. He's dangerous and you know his reputation, he..."

"Is a lot more than his reputation," said Snow evenly. "I know him a lot better than you do, Mary. He's been nothing but sweet and kind to me. He saved me from JTG and he hasn't once tried to get me into bed."

"But still, he's... he's not a good guy, Snow," said Mary. "I just... I want you to be safe. He's dangerous and I don't want you around him."

"Well, you're going to have to get over it, because I'm going to be around him," said Snow. "He's my friend and... and he could, maybe, be something more. Mary, you know I love you and honestly I really do love that you're so worried about me. It's sweet, but you don't have anything to worry about. He's never hurt me. He's never done anything me or you or anyone else... unless you know something the rest of us don't."

There was her opportunity. Mary could obliterate Michael with a single stroke. It was her nuclear option and Mary knew she should use it. She didn't want to, she didn't want to ever speak of it again. She didn't want her friends to know what had happened to her, to have them look at her with horror and pity. She didn't want that... but if it meant saving Snow from a similar fate or even something worse... well, she didn't have a choice. She opened her mouth, but the second she did her phone chimed. She pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. She had to work very hard to keep the shock from showing on her face.

If Snow finds out about Michael, the police find out about your little heist. You ruin Snow's world, I'll burn yours down. Don't test me, bitch --JTG

A million questions ran through Mary's brain all at the same time. How? Why? Who? No one knew... no one except Michael, Emily, and Sara. Of course, the very same could be said for Clara's accident and Nikki's abortion too. No one else should know those secrets either, yet somehow JTG did. That didn't automatically make Michael or Emily JTG.

"Who was that from?" Nikki asked, shocking Mary from her thoughts.

"Oh... Emily," Mary said, thinking fast. "She just wanted to know what I was going to get our parents for their anniversary next month. Anyway..." She hesitated for a moment, tempted to defy JTG and tell them everything... but she couldn't. JTG might do a lot more than just tell the police about the robbery. When Clara blocked JTG's number, she ruined her mother's career. Opening defying JTG's demands... Mary couldn't begin to guess how she would react to that. Meanwhile, the other girls were all staring at her suspiciously and Mary knew if she didn't say something soon they might start to question the text message. They couldn't know it was from JTG.  

"I... no, okay, no. I don't know anything you don't about Michael. I just don't like him. He makes me uncomfortable."

"I really wish that wasn't the case," Snow said sadly. "I love you, Mary, but Michael's my friend too. He's one of the few people I can trust and I'm not going to cast him aside because you have a 'feeling'. I hate to be so blunt, but... you're going to have to be okay with that." Snow stood up and set off in the direction Michael had gone earlier, her red hair bouncing behind her. Before the sound of Snow's heels clattering on the tiled floor could fade away, Mary turned pleadingly to the other girls.

"You two can't seriously say you're okay with this," Mary deadpanned. "Come on, it's Michael. You all know what he's like..."

"Snow says he's okay," said Nikki slowly. "And he doesn't seem like a douchebag to me. Let's face it, Brad's reputation is pretty poor around here too, but you know him better than the rest of us. The same goes for Snow. She knows Michael better than we do. She trusts him. With JTG on the hunt... please, Mary, don't rock the boat right now. For the time being, just leave it be." Nikki stood up as well and walked away in the direction of the cafeteria. Clara chewed her lower lip for a moment before hurrying after her.

Mary shook her head and slumped back in her chair, feeling thoroughly miserable. She knew how it looked to the other girls. Had she really expected Snow to abandon a friend, a guy she liked, based solely on her bad feeling? No, of course not and confronting Snow like that had only made her mad and clearly Nikki and Clara were siding with Snow, not that she could blame them.

She didn't know what else to do. Michael had his claws in Snow and JTG seemed determined to keep Snow from learning the truth. Unfortunately, Mary thought she knew why that was. If JTG knew what Michael had done, she was going to wait until the perfect moment to reveal it all. She was going to use it against Snow when she knew it would hurt the most. Just when she had decided she would go and see how things were going with Jacob, her phone chimed again. She didn't want to read it, but she knew she had to.

All your little friends have left you. Poor Mary. What's that saying? Oh yeah, the weakest link is the easiest to break. How long until you snap? --JTG

-.-

"Any luck with the trace on that text?" Police Chief Terrance Mendez asked, striding into Sophia's office. Sophia looked up at him, shaking her head. To someone that didn't know him, Chief Mendez was a rather intimidating. He was tall, well built, and almost always looked as though he would like nothing more than to see the world burn. Sophia, however, knew otherwise. He was a good man and an even better police officer. She couldn't ask for a better boss. He'd given her a chance when most others would never have done so. He believed in her... and she knew she had let him down.

"No," she said quietly. "It's like the damn thing just materialized out of nowhere. It bounced off a couple dozen cell towers and then it's just gone. We've tried texting back, but we got no response and the number is blocked, so we couldn't try sending a message from another number. Whoever sent that text... they knew exactly how to make sure we couldn't find them. We're still working on it, but I'm not too hopeful."

"Personally, I'm hesitant to put too much stock into this text," said Mendez, rubbing the thin stubble on his chin thoughtfully. "People love to prank law enforcement, it could just be..."

"It's a lot of trouble to go through just for a prank," said Sophia. "Whoever this JTG is... I think they know something important. They seem to be saying that Sara Blake and Miranda Sinclair were killed by the same person, but as far as we know Miranda wasn't murdered. There wasn't a single piece of evidence to suggest foul play in Miranda's case. Obviously Sara was murdered, but Miranda... it doesn't fit."

"Unless someone killed her and did a damn good job covering it up," said Mendez.

"The fall killed Miranda, the autopsy confirmed that," said Sophia. "She fell over a hundred feet into a ravine. There were no signs of any other injuries not sustained from the fall. Someone could have pushed her, but... but if they did then they must have surprised her because there was no sign of defensive wounds or anything.”

“I think this whole thing is a hoax, personally,” said Mendez. “It has that feeling to it. This could even be from Sara’s killer, trying to distract us and lead us in the wrong direction.”

“Maybe,” said Sophia quietly. She wasn’t sure what to think. This text had changed everything, but it might also have changed nothing. The whole thing could be a lie, a hoax designed to guide her in the wrong direction, or just some idiot playing games. She couldn’t know for sure, but she knew if she didn’t follow it, find out what it really was, she would never be able to let it go. “But I have to find out for sure.”

“You know I’ve always believed in you, Sophia,” said Mendez, giving her a thin smile. “If you think there’s something to this, then by all means get out there and look into it. Just remember… I’ve been on the force for a long time and… well, there are some cases that no matter how hard you try or what lengths you go to… they just can’t be solved. Sometimes the bad guy gets away, Sophia. It’s just the way it is.”

Mendez turned and left the room, leaving Sophia alone. She leaned back in her chair, exhausted but filled with a renewed vigor. She had a clue, maybe a fake one but a clue nonetheless. She didn’t care that Mendez thought it wasn’t real, and she refused to accept that the bad guy would get away. Not this time. Not on her watch. She was going to find out what the text meant and who sent it. She wasn’t going to give up. She was going to solve this mystery.  

-.-

After an hour of waiting, Jacob was finally wheeled out of the elevator by his parents. Rick smiled when he saw all of them assembled in the lobby, but Michelle surveyed them with a look of great disdain. Jackson and Steven, who had been chatting idly with Snow and Michael, hurried over as soon as the elevator doors opened. Snow took Michael's hand, earning a surprised grin from him, and led him along after them.

"How are you doing, buddy?" Steven asked as Mary, Nikki, and Clara joined them.

"Best as I can be, what with being confined to this chair," said Jacob. He grinned. "Which, since I'm getting to finally go home, is pretty damn good."

"We'll get you out of that chair soon," said Jackson, patting Jacob on his shoulder. "You're too stubborn to stay down for long."

"You know it," Jacob said smugly. "I don't care what they say, I'm going to get out of this chair under my own power and kick it over the Falls on day."

"That's the Jacob we know and love," said Snow brightly. She was really happy to hear him sounding so cheerful and full of confidence. That was Jacob's way, though. He never let anything get him down.

"Hey, Snowflake," said Jacob, smiling up at her. "I'm really glad you came. All of you, for that matter. I didn't... oh, hey Michael. I... can't say I expected to see you here."

"Yeah, I was with Snow and she invited me," said Michael slowly. "I didn't..."

"Well, the more the merrier," said Jacob, still grinning. "Thanks for coming, man."

"We really appreciate all of you coming, but we'd like to take Jacob home," said Michelle firmly. Snow didn't think she sounded appreciative at all, but didn't feel it would be appropriate to say so given the setting. "He needs to rest."

"I've been resting for weeks," said Jacob wearily. "I don't need more rest."

"Actually, I was thinking we could have a little party," said Jackson. "You know, a homecoming celebration for Jacob. Everyone's here, it'd be..."

"Not today," said Michelle in a tone that suggested it would be unwise to argue the point further. "Jacob needs some time to readjust to life at home with his family. Just his family."

"Mom, don't be..." Jacob began, but Michelle cut him off with a glare.

"You can have your friends over another day," she said firmly. "Not today."

"We can party up and play some games later," Steven suggested. "Call of the Battlefield 8 came out last week and I got you a copy."

"Cool," said Jacob, although much of the cheerfulness was gone from his voice. "I'll call you later and you can send me a party invite."

"Sure," said Jackson. "Is your gamertag still the same? You change the thing all the time. Every time I sign on, you've changed it to something else."

"It's still the same," said Jacob. "It's hard to come up with something better than Jacob the Great." It took a few moments for what Jacob had said to fully register. From looks on the faces of the other girls, they too had all noticed it. Jacob the Great. J. T. G. Everything was a blur to Snow as Rick and Michelle wheeled Jacob out to the parking lot. The girls rounded on Jackson and Steven the second they were alone.

"Jacob the Great?" Nikki said in a furious whisper. Jackson and Steven exchanged a confused look before their eyes widened in shock.

"Fuck..." Steven whispered, staring off in the direction where Jacob and his parents had vanished. Snow squeezed Michael's hand tightly and received a reassuring squeeze in return. She didn't say it out loud, but to her Steven's reaction couldn't have been more fitting. So much for her JTG-free day.

-.-

Snow and Michael returned to the Austin house, both of them eager to sit down and relax. The day had certainly been eventful and it had given Snow a lot to think about. Mary didn’t like Michael and even their friendship was unacceptable to her, much less anything else. She loved Mary, she was one of her closest friends, but Snow wasn’t going to let her dictate what she could and couldn’t do. Her friendships were no business of Mary’s and as far as she was concerned, Mary was way out of line. Michael had done nothing to Mary, and yet she was acting as though she had caught him kicking puppies.

Mary’s hatred of Michael made no sense and Mary didn’t seem to have any explanation for it. Whatever it was, Snow was serious in her earlier statement. Mary was just going to have to get over it. She hated being so blunt, but there it was. She wasn’t going to stop being friends with Michael just because Mary didn’t like him. If Mary had shown her proof of Michael’s apparent misdeeds then that would be another story altogether. As it was, Snow was going to trust her own instincts and continue her friendship with Michael.

But Mary was currently the least of Snow’s worries. Jacob… he couldn’t be JTG. It was all a coincidence, it had to be. He was paralyzed from the waist down and had been confined to St. Sebastian since before JTG’s attacks began. Unless Jacob had an accomplice who was acting on his behalf, he wasn’t JTG. She and her friends had all agreed not to overreact as they had in the past. It was likely just a coincidence and without any additional evidence, they had resolved to keep an eye on Jacob but otherwise they would do nothing. But even though logically she knew she likely had nothing to fear from Jacob, she couldn’t shake the thought that JTG had just moved in next door.

“You okay?” Michael asked as they entered the kitchen. Snow nodded and began absentmindedly shuffling through the cabinets.

“Yeah, I just… I have a lot on my mind,” she replied. “I mean... Jacob, he...

“Snow, he’s been in the hospital. How would he know any of the things he’s supposed to know? More to the point, how would he have attacked you at my house? And… why would he do any of this? Isn’t he your friend?”

“Yes, but he…” Snow paused as she retrieved an opened bag of alphabet pasta from one of the cabinets and dumped its contents into a saucepan. “Look, I said before that there’s a lot of stuff you don’t know about all this. Secrets… lies… things I can’t tell you. Not because I don’t want to, but because they aren’t my secrets to share. It’s… Jacob could have a reason to want to hurt us.”

“Because his bicycle accident wasn’t an accident?” Michael asked, arching his eyebrows. “Sorry Snow, but I can put two and two together pretty easily.”

“It was an accident,” Snow insisted. “No one set out to hurt him, it… it doesn’t matter what the reasons were or what happened. If he knows, he might want revenge and… but even then he wouldn’t target all of us. That’s the problem I’m having with this whole JTG thing. I can’t figure out why any one person would hate us all so much that they would do this.”

“What if it’s a group of people?” Michael suggested.

“We’ve thought of that, and… sure, it’s possible,” said Snow wearily. “But I don’t… I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. I very nearly had a completely JTG-free day and I’m not going to ruin it by thinking about her now.”

“I will certainly drink to that,” said Michael.

Snow made a quick dinner of alphabet pasta smothered in tomato sauce. Ariana would be home with Kayla within the hour, fully prepared to cook dinner, but Snow was tired and hungry and really wanted to collapse on her bed and rest. Her argument with Mary, perhaps even more than the fright brought on my Jacob’s revelation, had tired her greatly.

Snow managed to relax a little as she and Michael sat down to eat. It was a fairly pleasant evening, despite all that had happened that day. Michael kept her deep in conversation the entire time and she barely noticed what she was eating. After dinner, Michael said that he needed to be heading home. They made plans to meet up the following day at the Founder’s Day Festival up at the falls and then Snow walked Michael to the door. Michael stepped out onto the porch and hesitated before turning around and kissing Snow gently on the cheek.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked, not bothering to acknowledge what had just happened.

“Uh… yeah, yeah, of course,” Snow babbled. “Tomorrow.” Michael smiled and walked down the steps and got into his car. The Lamborghini’s engine roared to life and growled with power as Michael eased the vehicle down the drive and out onto the road.

Snow waited until Michael's car vanished from sight before she went back inside. She sighed as she made her way to the kitchen to clean up the mess she's made cooking dinner. When she picked up her bowl and glanced into it, her heart skipped a beat. She dropped the bowl and she fell into a chair holding her hands over her mouth.

On the floor, amongst the shattered remains of the bowl and the steadily spreading tomato sauce lay the alphabet pasta. What should have been a mixed collection of the entire alphabet was instead a mixture of only three different letters; J, T, and G.    

-.-

“Hello there. Did you find everything you need?”

“I did, thank you.”

“Did you need that rope cut to a particular length? That's a pretty long rope and we'd be happy to...”

“No, its fine like it is. I’m preparing a little get together for Halloween. I’ve got some… surprises planned for a few of my friends.”

“Making your own haunted house?”

“Something like that.”

“You’ve got some electrical wiring here too.”

“Yes, to help with some of the effects. Some of them should be downright electrifying.”

“I don’t do much myself for Halloween. It sounds like you’re going all out.”

“Only the best for my friends.”

“Of course. Well, thanks for shopping with us. Have a good evening, dear.”  

"Thank you, and believe me; I'm going to have a great night."

35: Chapter XXXV: Founder's Day

In the small Midwestern town of Mistbrook Falls, Founder's Day was one of the largest celebrations all year long. The annual festival was held in a wide open field up near the waterfall that gave the town it's name. Each year, the field was covered with tents where vendors sold homemade trinkets and food of all kinds. There was a chili cook off and a barbeque competition, a live band that brought people up on stage for karaoke, all sorts of carnival rides and games and even an archery range. Late that evening, there would be a fireworks display launched from back in town that would be easily visible up in the mountains.

Throughout the morning, Snow did her best to enjoy the festivities but she couldn't shake the terror she had experienced the previous night. She had no idea how long that bag of pasta had sat in the cupboard, but they hadn't eaten pasta in a least a week so it was impossible for her to determine exactly when JTG had entered her home.

JTG had entered her home. It was her most dreaded thought. She had violated the one place Snow should be safe. She couldn't say when, but it was enough to know it had happened. Of course, in the immediate aftermath, Snow had been so frightened that JTG had just been there, had only just switched the pasta in the moments she had been walking Michael outside. This was foolish as it would have been impossible for JTG to do something like that in such a limited amount of time, which she realized once she had time to calm down.

She had mentioned what happened to no one. It would do nothing to ease her own fear and it would only ruin the weekend for the others. Her friends deserved to have a peaceful, fun-filled day, even if she had to worry. The price she paid for being the queen, she supposed. Despite all of Snow's fears, she refused to allow JTG to completely ruin her day. It would be her first time out and about with Michael and that at least made her happy. It wasn't a date, but it was something. It was a start.

Snow tried to make the best of it as Kayla eased their RV to a stop at the edge of the festival and announced that they had arrived. Snow went out through the side door got her first good look at the festival. There were tents set up for what seemed like miles, sprawling out across the field before her. There were people everywhere, talking and laughing happily. She couldn't blame them either. It was a beautifully clear day, warm but with a hint of a chill in the air. It was the last gasp of summer and Snow had a feeling that they were in for a long, cold winter.

"Hey, there you guys are!" Snow heard Clara calling above the noise of the crowd. Snow turned and saw the blonde strolling toward her with Noel in tow.

"Hey Clara, Noel," said Snow as Kayla and Ariana emerged from the RV behind her.

"Snow, you've got to see who's up on the karaoke stage," said Clara, giggling furiously. "You know Karen Matthews?"

"She is not singing," Snow said as though it would make it true. "After what happened in band? I thought she'd never do anything musical again."

"What happened in band?" Kayla asked, exchanging a glance with Ariana.

"Okay, so Karen decides she's going to play the trombone," said Clara, while Snow chortled. "On her first day she gets up in front of the class, plays one note..."

"And vomits all over the woodwind section," Snow finished, dissolving almost immediately into a fit of giggle along with Clara.

"That's terrible," said Ariana. "Poor thing."

"Personally, I feel worse for the woodwind section," said Noel, causing the others to laugh.

"C'mon Snow," said Clara, grabbing her arm. "We've got to see how this goes."

"Don't stand too close," Kayla called after them as Clara and Snow set off through the crowd, arm in arm.

"So, are Mary and Nikki here yet?" Snow asked as they walked through the bustling festival.

"They're waiting for us, actually," Clara explained. "Mary seemed pretty upset when she found out you and Michael will be on a date today.

"I told you last night, it's not a date," Snow insisted. "It's... we're just friends."

"For now," said Clara knowingly. "You've admitted you like him and it's pretty obvious he's into you."

"It's not a question of if we're attracted to one another," said Snow. "It's about... Mike's worried how the town will perceive him if he starts dating someone so..."

"Young?" Clara asked, arching her eyebrows. "I can understand that and I doubt his reputation would take a drastic upswing once word gets out, but... who cares? He's only a creep if you're not interested."

"That's... not entirely true," Snow said uncertainly. "It's not illegal, but you've got to admit it's a little awkward. People would see us a particular way and Michael... he's not sure he wants that."

"Screw those people," Clara said hotly. "Snow, it's about you and Michael. If you two like each other, be together. Screw what everybody else thinks. Did Romeo and Juliet care what people thought about them?"

"If it were just my reputation on the line, sure I could say that," Snow agreed. "But it's his life that could be destroyed by this, not mine. I don't want him to get hurt. And by the way, Romeo and Juliet isn't exactly what I'm aspiring to here. It's not a love story. It's a relationship between a thirteen-year-old girl and a seventeen-year-old guy that lasted for a grand total of three days and resulted in the deaths of six people."

"I think Michael can handle a few nosy people talking about him," said Clara, shaking her head. "And you just have to ruin everything, don't you?"

"A few people, the whole town," Snow muttered grimly. "C'mon, Clara. You know what Mistbrook Falls is like. These people will latch onto a scandal like that in a heartbeat. It's all we'll hear about for months."

"Yeah, and then the vultures will move on to their next scandal and you and Michael will be forgotten," said Clara knowingly. "It might be a lot at first, but you'll be old news before long."

Snow knew Clara was right. People would forget all about her and Michael before long, but the idea of what they would have to deal with in the interim bothered her. Michael had told her to take time, to think about while he did the same. She had done as he asked and the longer she thought the more frightened she became.

It was a risk, she knew. It was a big risk for both of them, and yet despite that she couldn't get rid of the bright spot in her heart that lit up whenever she thought of him. Did it really matter what people thought of them? If she was two years older, would that somehow make the whole situation appropriate? She'd be an adult, sure, but was two years really that important? Should she care? Should anyone care? It wasn't their business, after all. Did what they thought matter? Should she and Michael just do what they wanted and damn the consequences? As was becoming more and more common, Snow didn't have an answer. All she knew was what she wanted to do. She knew what would make her happy.

At last they reached the stage where Karen Matthews, a tall and surprisingly thin girl, was singing with a very particular passion. She wasn't very good, Snow thought, but at least she was keeping her lunch down. Mary and Nikki stood well back from the stage, watching with interest. Snow and Clara made their way over to them.

"Took you long enough," said Nikki when she spotted them.

"I didn't exactly run to go find her," said Clara dryly. "No vomit?"

"None," Mary confirmed, giving Snow a smile. "Hi."

"Hey, Mary," said Snow evenly

"Hey, I... I just wanted to say..." Mary muttered nervously. "I... The stuff I said about Michael yesterday... I should have kept it to myself. It isn't my place to tell you what to do or who to like. Clara and Nikki are right, I... Now's not the time to rock the boat, so... if you want Michael in your life. I can stay quiet about it... but Snow... I'm not okay with it."

Snow wasn't at all sure how to respond. Mary's fears about Michael were wholly unfounded, but Snow knew she wasn't being malicious. She genuinely had concerns about Michael and she was trying to protect one of her friends. That said, she wasn't going to allow Mary's fears to sway her opinion of Michael or influence whether or not they pursued a relationship. Snow knew Michael very well. They had spent a lot of time together and she knew they had nothing to worry about from him. He cared about her and he would never hurt her. Michael was easily one of the most trusted friends she had and Mary's misgivings wouldn't change that. Snow needed people she could trust and in that moment, Michael was one of the only people that fit that requirement. She was going to do everything in her power to keep both of her friends. She refused to think about what she would do if Mary remained adamant in her dislike of Michael. If Mary forced her to choose... How would she make that decision?

She knew what she would have to do. She would have to choose Mary. They had been friends for years, but if Mary forced her to choose between Michael and herself... Snow knew she would never be able to forgive Mary. She would lose both of them in the end. She prayed it never came to that.

"We'll talk about it later," said Snow, giving Mary a thin smile. "Let's just enjoy the festival for today. I'm sure we'll have a dozen other things to worry about tomorrow."

-.-

"Hey there, Ice Queen," said Brad, sliding into the seat across from Sophia. She sat at a small table near a truck selling snow cones near the entrance to the festival. Sophia looked up at him as he sat down, her eyes narrowing.

"Must you call me that?" She asked wearily.

"I must," Brad said solemnly. "Sorry, but that's the way it is. The rules are the rules and I can't change them."

"Fine, but I'm coming up with a nickname for you," said Sophia, smirking.

"Go for it, lady," said Brad. "I'm tough, I can take it. But while you're working on it, I do believe I was promised a date."

"What? Today?" Sophia asked, surprised. "Brad, I'm working." Brad looked around, surveying the snow cone stand and the small collection of tables that surrounded it.

"Um... well, you're doing a great job," Brad said seriously. "This snow cone stand looks very safe."

"Brad, don't be a douche," Sophia said, rolling her eyes. "I'm just here in case anything happens. I don't have to actively patrol all day."

"Then you've got time for our date," said Brad brightly. "I'll get us some snow cones."

"You sure know how to show a girl a good time!" Sophia called after him as he jogged over to the stand and ordered two frozen treats. He returned a few minutes later with the snow cones, one cherry and one grape, and slid the grape one toward her. Sophia eyed him suspiciously before picking up her spoon.

"How did you know grape is my favorite?"

"I'm good at reading people," said Brad, grinning. "Grape seemed... fitting."

"Alright," said Sophia with a shrug. "Let's see how good I am at reading you. You said if I went out with you once you'd tell me your story, but... let me see how much I can guess." Brad smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"Okay," said Brad. "Shoot."

"Well," said Sophia, staring at him and tapping her nose thoughtfully. "Let's see... your dad walked out on you very early on. You..."

"I really don't want to play this game," Brad said suddenly. "This... I said I'd tell you. Let me... let me just tell you."

"Oh... okay," said Sophia, slightly taken aback. "Okay, go ahead."

"Okay, well... you're right. My dad did walk out on us. That's why I go by Reynolds instead of Sheppard," Brad said slowly. "My mom... Mary's family never liked her. She... she was into some stuff, had done some things that they didn't approve of. She had a past, like everyone else. They wanted nothing to do with her, but my dad... he loved her, or at least he did once. They got married, but as time went on, the... the stress of his family... he chose them over us. My mom took me and left town."

"Damn," Sophia whispered. "Brad, I... I'm really sorry." Sophia had no idea what to say. She, too, had lost her father at a very young age, but it was a different sort of loss. Her father hadn't betrayed her and left her behind. Instead, he had died in a tragic accident. It was an accident caused by his drinking, by his own stupidity, but it was still very different.

"It's okay," said Brad indifferently. "That's not really the worst part of the story. I never really knew him, so there wasn't much to miss. My mom, though... she was devastated when he left her. She never... she never came back. She went back to her old life, trying to keep us both alive. She did everything she could, she worked harder than anyone I know, but... eventually, she just... withered away. That's when I came back to town. I wanted to meet the people that... that hated a woman so much that they destroyed a marriage and in a way, her life. I wanted to see them and tell them to their faces that I hated them... but the person who answered the door was Mary."

"Who you certainly don't seem to hate," Sophia commented. Brad grinned.

"No," he said firmly. "No, I don't hate Mary. She... she was sweet. When I told her who I was, she gave me a hug and we just... we hit it off. I never said a word to any of the rest of them... well, Emily on occasion, but she doesn't like me either. She bought into her family's dislike of me, so we don't exactly have a lot to talk about. She thinks I'm a useless troublemaker just like my mother was."

"What about your dad?" Sophia wondered. "Is he in town? Have you spoken to him?"

"Nope," said Brad harshly. "And I don't really want to. I'm here for Mary now, and... and I've made some friends. I don't need to talk to my father or the rest of my family. I never knew them so I don't miss them and... and it isn't my job to make them like me. If they don't, they don't. I've got Mary, that's enough. I'm here to make a new life for myself, not to reconcile with my family. I'm doing that now."

"So... that's your whole, mysterious story?" Sophia asked. "I mean, it's really tragic, but..."

"But what? You were expecting something more?"

"Well..." Sophia said nervously. "Yeah." Brad chuckled.

"There's a lot more to me than you know," he said firmly. "Don't worry, I've still got some surprises for you."

"Good to know," said Sophia, smiling slightly.

"Great," said Brad. "So, now that you know my whole sad, sorry tale, how about we actually go have some fun and enjoy to festival."

"Well, I did agree to a date and I don't think twenty minutes and some snow cones count, so... okay." Brad stood and held out his hand. Sophia took it, surprising even herself at her lack of hesitation, and together they strolled away into the festival.

-.-

Meanwhile, Snow had spotted Steven playing one of the carnival games and left the girls to rush over to him. In the madness of Jacob getting out of the hospital and the sudden fear that he could be JTG, Snow had completely forgotten to give Steven Sara's laptop. She brought it with her in the hopes of passing it off to him sometime that day and she took the first opportunity afforded to her.

"Give me a sec and I'll see what I've got to work with," said Steven once they were seated on the couch in the Austin's RV. He turned on the computer and placed it on the table in front of them.

"How long do you think it'll take you to get through Sara's password?" Snow wondered as the screen appeared that asked for it.

"Not long," said Steven confidently. He plugged in a USB drive and set to work. "Given the proper know-how and some specific equipment and basic passwords like this are peanuts to crack. If you want serious protection, you're talking about deep encryption, but this stuff, it's... done!" Steven announced, turning the computer towards Snow to reveal Sara's desktop.

"Damn," said Snow, highly impressed. "You're good at this."

"Maybe," said Steven slowly, browsing through the computer's files. "Maybe not. That encryption I was talking about before? Snow, this computer is completely bare except for one folder. It's so heavily encrypted that I can't even start opening it here. I'll need a lot more equipment for this, Snow. This could take weeks, maybe longer to get through this."

"No, but... but this is good," said Snow, a sudden energy flowing through her. "This... it means... If Sara went to this much trouble to make sure no one could see this folder, then she was hiding something big. Maybe it'll tell us who killed her, or maybe who JTG is or if she was getting messages before she died. Maybe it'll even tell us where she got that ten thousand dollars from."

"Ten... ten thousand dollars?" Steven asked, all of the color draining from his face. "How... how did you...?"

"Oh, right... we never told you about that when we were telling you about JTG, but... yeah, in Sara's desk I found an envelope with ten grand in it. We couldn't figure out where she got it or what she was going to use it for... but something tells me you already know."

"Not... not what she was going to use it for, no," said Steven slowly. "I never knew that, but... I know where she got it. She got the money from me." Snow felt her mouth fall open.

"You... she... she got... You're telling me this now?" Snow babbled, leaping to her feet. "Why? Why did you give Sara all that money? Where did you get that much money?" Steven sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

"No one asks you where you get all your money from," said Steven. "Do your parents have any idea how much you spend at the mall? Would they notice if ten grand suddenly went missing from bank accounts they don't check that often? Mine wouldn't. Mine didn't."

"But why did you...?"

"Sara... knew something about me," Steven said slowly. "She... she knew... Okay, this is... this is really tough for me. No one knows and I... Okay." He took a deep, steadying breath. "I'm gay. Sara found out and... and she found out about how I feel about Jacob, and she... used it against me. She blackmailed me into giving her the money. She threatened to tell everyone, and that... I mean, my parents, they... they wouldn't understand. I'm sorry, Snow. I wish I could tell you more, but we never talked about it again and I never heard anything else about what Sara wanted the money for."

"Steve, I'm so sorry," Snow whispered, fighting the tears that threatened to form in her eyes. "I... I've still got the money, I'll give it back... God, that... that was so horrible of her. She should never have... I can't believe she would do something like that. She knew something so... so painful and difficult for you, and she just... God, I'm so sorry." 

"Snow, don't worry about it," Steven said quietly. "It... it's okay."

"No, it's not, Steve," Snow said sadly. "You... She was supposed to be your friend. Listen, I... I don't know where you are with... with everything or if you want to tell anyone, but... I'm here for you. If you want to talk, or... or just need moral support, I'm here. Really, Steve, I mean it. Anything you need, I'm there."

"I really appreciate it, Snowy," Steven said gratefully.  

"I should have been there before," Snow said hotly. "I mean, if I had known... if I hadn't been so stupidly enamored with Sara to the point I couldn't see her for who she was... If I had known what she was doing, I would have stopped her." Steven shrugged.

"That's just what the popular people do," said Steven quietly. "You prey on the lower class. You're rich, powerful, beautiful... you can get away with murder. Sara... you couldn't have stopped her. No one could."

"Someone stopped her," Snow reminded him. "Someone hated her enough to kill her and I'm starting to see how that could be. But Steve, you have to know... the rest of us... me, Clara, Nikki, Mary... we're not like her. We were her friends, but we..."

"Followed her around like lost puppies," said Steven gently. "She was the queen bee and you all were her little worker bees. You might not have been like her, but you never stood up to her. It's okay, I don't blame you. I love you girls, but you can't deny that you run the school. You walk those halls like royalty and your word is law."

"But we're better," Snow said firmly. "I am better. I don't think I really knew Sara at all anymore, but I'm not her. I didn't want this. I never wanted to... I did it because I knew it was what Sara would have wanted, but I'm not her. I'll never be her. I wouldn't have done what she did to you, and I would have stood up to her if I had known. I might not have been able to stop her, but I would have tried."

"You don't have to defend yourself, Snow," said Steven softly. "I'm not attacking you. We're friends, I didn't mean to... Look, I know you're not like Sara, but that doesn't change what people think. They saw you and your friends marching along behind Sara, following her every order. Now, today, people look at you two different ways. Either they hate you... or they want to be you. Sometimes they hate you because they want to be you too, but that's the way it is. I'm not saying any of it is your fault, it's not, but... that's the way it is."

"And there's no way for me to change it, is there?" Snow asked quietly. Steven shook his head.

"I don't think so," he said. "People are going to think what they're going to think. It doesn't matter if you're the most amazing person in the world, if people want to see you in a certain way... they're going to. It's lonely at the top, Snow. You might want to start getting used to that."

Steven and Snow went their separate ways after that. Steven promised to keep working on Sara's laptop and that he would let her know when he had something. Snow set off across the festival to find her friends, deep in thought. She wasn't too upset about the things Steven had said. He was right, she knew that, but she found she didn't care all that much. She couldn't change what people thought of her if they didn't want to see anything else, but she was determined to be better than Sara had ever been. She had power, sure, but she swore never to use it as Sara had. She could be better. She would be better.

What she was the most upset about what learning yet again that she hadn't known Sara at all. She would never have believed the lengths Sara would go to in order to get what she wanted, but after everything she had heard... after Steven... she would believe anything anyone told her. Sara had been vicious and cruel and for a split second she wished she had one more moment with her, just so she could tell her how disappointed she was.

Snow found the girls very close to where she had left them, only Jackson had joined them while she had been gone. She decided not to mention her conversation with Steven right then. It would only upset them and it wouldn't hurt if she waited until the next day. They seemed to be having a good time and she didn't want to ruin that. Despite her miserable mood, she wanted her friends to have at least one enjoyable day. But it wasn't all bad for Snow, because just as she was about to reach her friends she saw a familiar figure carving through the crowd and her heart leapt.

"Michael," she called out, waving to him. He looked over at her and grinned, fighting his way through the crowd in her direction.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Michael said when he reached her. He pulled her into a hug. "I was beginning to think you weren't here."

"I've just been... around," said Snow offhandedly. Michael nodded, looking her over. He smirked when his gaze reached her feet.

"You really do wear heels all the time, don't you?" He wondered.

"I wear five inches or I go barefoot," she said, grinning.

"Fair enough," said Michael. "At least this way I don't have to look so far down. You're surprisingly short."

"You're overly tall," Snow countered, smirking. "Besides, I may be short but I'm at the perfect height to punch you in the balls, so... keep that in mind."

"I'll do just that," said Michael. "You're tiny, adorable, and deadly. Got it."

"I'm glad we understand each other," Snow said, a pleased smile on her lips. "C'mon, my friends are waiting right over there."

"I... uh, I'm not sure if they... I don't think they like me all that much," Michael said uncomfortably.

"Clara ships us so hard she gave us a couple name," Snow said idly. "Nikki... I don't think she cares either way, but she doesn't dislike you. Mary... Okay, so I'll admit that Mary has some issues with you and she doesn't want us to be friends, but... but she'll get over it. She just... she had to get to know you better, like I have. She'll come around, but the only way she will is if she spends time with you. So, come on and let's try to have some fun today before something horrible happens or someone tries to kill one of us."

"There was a time in my life that the phrase 'someone tries to kill one of us' would seem strange," Michael said airily. "After the stuff you've told me recently... not so much."

"I certainly have brought excitement into your life," Snow said playfully.

"I had plenty of excitement before, thanks," said Michael dryly. "Trust me. Excitement is the last thing I need more of."

"You seem very set in your ways," Snow commented. "A little exciting spontaneity would be good for you."

"I'm spontaneous all the time," Michael said defensively.

"When?" Snow asked him.

"Oh, all the time," said Michael. "In fact... I was going to say something to you later today. I... I had it planned out, but... now you've given me a better idea. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Snow called after him as he hurried away.

"Don't you worry, Snowflake," Michael shouted back. "You'll see." Snow had no idea what Michael had planned, but she had to admit she found herself both concerned and excited about it. She had, of course, been teasing Michael about being spontaneous. Michael lived a very 'in the moment' sort of life. It was she, Snow, who planned out every little move she made. Her every action was carefully thought out and planned. Spontaneity wasn't her strong suit.

"Where did Michael go?" Nikki asked, walking over with Clara, Mary, and Jackson.

"To... surprise me," Snow said uncertainly. "I have no idea what he's up to."

"Well, it sounds like fun," said Clara, bouncing her eyebrows suggestively. "I bet I know what he's doing."

"Knowing Michael, you have no idea," said Snow. "I'll bet he's gone to..." She was interrupted by a loud crack from the speakers that the band had set up around the stage. She and the others all looked up in surprise when they heard a familiar voice begin to sing.

"She's blood, flesh and bone. No tucks or silicone. She's touch, smell, sight, taste and sound. But somehow I can't believe that anything should happen. I know where I belong
and nothing's gonna happen." Michael's voice, soft and gentle but with a slight gruffness to it, began to draw a crowd almost immediately. Snow vaguely noticed her parents nearby, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Michael. She was certain her heart had stopped the second he started singing.

Michael worked the stage like a pro, drawing in the crowd quickly. As far as Snow was concerned, the rest of the town wasn't there. He was singing directly to her... and he really was. He paused in the center of the stage during a lull in the song and stared right at her.

"'Cause she's so high... High above me, she's so lovely. She's so high... Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite. She's so high... High above me." Clara nudged Snow in the side with her elbow and smirked.

"He's good," she whispered into Snow's ear. Snow found she couldn't disagree. Michael stopped moving around the stage then and sang the rest of the song staring right at her.

"First class and fancy free. She's high society. She's got the best of everything. What could a guy like me ever really offer? She's perfect as she can be. Why should I even bother? 'Cause she's so high... High above me, she's so lovely. She's so high... Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite. She's so high... High above me.

"She comes to speak to me. I freeze immediately. 'Cause what she says sounds so unreal. But somehow I can't believe that anything should happen. I know where I belong and nothing's gonna happen. 'Cause she's so high... High above me, she's so lovely. She's so high... Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite. She's so high... High above me."

As the song came to an end, Michael leapt down from the stage and walked toward her. Snow was frozen on the spot, unable to move. She knew, a second before he did it, what he intended to do. He had been so concerned before, and now... in front of the whole town, her parents...

Michael strode right up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. Snow melted into him almost immediately. If her heart had stopped before, it had restarted with a vengeance and was now threatening to burst out of her chest. All time stopped. The crowd vanished. It was just the two of them there, alone in that wide open field. JTG didn't exist. Sara, Jackson, Emilia... none of it was real. None of it mattered.

After what could have been anything from a few seconds to all eternity, Michael began to pull away. Snow didn't want him to, but the moment he did and she opened her eyes, she realized why. The crowd was still there and many people were watching them. They weren't alone and Snow instantly felt herself blush.

"I, uh... I guess you finished thinking, then," Snow said distractedly. 

"Yeah," Michael said, grinning slightly. "I finished."

"Good," Snow said, completely breathless. "I really like your decision."

"Me too," said Michael, running his fingers from her hair. "Even if your moms kill me... that was worth it." Snow glanced to where she knew Kayla and Ariana were watching. While Kayla's eyes were narrowed, she had a thin smile on her face. Ariana stood beside her and gave her daughter a reassuring wink.

"I think you'll be okay," Snow told him. "Well... probably. Kayla has one of those faces that's kind of hard to read."

-.-

Much of the rest of the day passed in a blur. No one, not her parents nor her friends, made comments about what had happened with Michael. She knew she would have a long talk later with Kayla and Ariana and her friends, especially Mary, would be sure to have their own opinions, but at least for that afternoon they kept them to themselves.

As for Snow, she was happy. Everything seemed so much better, so much lighter even though she knew it wasn't. JTG was still out there, maybe watching them even as she sat leaning against Michael as he rested against the trunk of a tree near the pool that the falls rained down into. Michael had his arms wrapped around her waist and his chin resting on her shoulder. She felt comfortable, at peace, even if she knew it was only for the moment.

Clara and Nikki were swimming nearby in the pool, playing under the constantly thundering waterfall. Mary sat alone on the edge of the pond, kicking her legs idly under the water. Steven and Jackson were climbing their way up to the top of the falls for the second time, preparing to jump down into the pool below.

"They're idiots," Snow said pointedly, watching them climb.

"They seem pretty brave to me," said Michael thoughtfully.

"There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity," Snow reminded him. "Those two have firmly gone across it. That's a forty foot drop into water, the depth of which is questionable."

"Well, they didn't die the first time they jumped," Michael pointed out.

"And now they're just tempting fate," said Snow. "Never tempt fate. It doesn't end well."

"You don't believe in magic, but you believe in fate?" Michael asked curiously.

"I guess... yeah," said Snow thoughtfully. "I mean... Look, I'm not saying I believe there's some supernatural force controlling all of our fates. That's ridiculous, but... I don't know, I just don't like pushing my luck."

"Well, you're leaning in the right direction, at least," said Michael. "So, what do you say we go for a swim? The water's warm and I imagine you would look incredibly sexy in a bikini."

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Snow asked him slyly. "Okay, I'll go and change. You, mister, make sure Jackson and Steven don't break their necks while I'm gone."

"I'll do my best, babe," said Michael. Snow tilted her head and kissed him quickly before standing up.

"You know... I didn't actually expect this, us... to really happen," Snow confessed. "I thought... I don't know what I thought, but I didn't think this would ever happen."

"Well, it did," said Michael kindly. "And I'm pretty excited to see where it goes. I... I'm really happy."

"Me too," said Snow. "Despite everything else that's happening, I... I'm happy."

"I'm glad," said Michael. "Now, go get changed. I really want to see you in that bikini."

"Perv," Snow admonished.

"Proud of it, babe," Michael called after her as she walked away. It was a roughly five minute walk through the woods and across the road to the field where the Founder's Day festival was still in full swing. Snow was halfway along the path when Emilia stepped out from behind a tree.

"Oh... hey, Snow," she called out to her, causing Snow to jump back in surprise. "Oh... oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No... hey, it's fine," said Snow, holding a hand to her chest. "I just wasn't expecting anyone else to be out here."

"Yeah, I... I was just trying to get away from all the craziness," she said, gesturing back toward the festival. "It's a little wild..."

"Yeah, it's pretty crazy," Snow agreed. "Um... I don't know if you're interested, but my friends are up at the falls. I'm going to get my swimsuit, but if you'd like to join us..."

"Oh... oh, no... No, I don't think so," said Emilia. "It would be really awkward, I wouldn't... No, I couldn't."

"Okay," said Snow uncertainly. "Well, if... if you change your mind, you know where we are." Snow started off on her way again, but before she knew what was happening Emilia stepped right in front of her and kissed her. It was deep, loving, lustful, passionate kiss that blew Snow's mind. Before she knew what was happening, she was kissing Emilia back. Her mind was a blur, a cloudy fog had settled over her, threatening to drag her down.

Part of her wanted to stay there with Emilia forever. There was so much heat and passion and longing and Emilia was so soft and felt so amazing pressed up against her. Emilia's skin was supple and her lips tasted like strawberries. It was amazing and wonderful and... and wrong. It was so wrong and she didn't want to do it. She liked Michael, not Emilia. Emilia was the awkward girl that had slept with her boyfriend, nothing more. She wanted to pull away, but the pull was too strong to resist. However, the second she realized she wanted out of the situation she found she could, in fact, pull away.

"Emilia, what the hell?" Snow asked, pushing the girl away and staring at her with disbelief.

"Oh... oh... oh, I... I'm so sorry, Snow," Emilia whimpered, tears welling in her eyes. "I... I didn't mean to... You weren't supposed to..."

"No... no, it... it's okay," said Snow, feeling that it wasn't at all okay but that seemed to be the appropriate thing to say. "Emilia, it... it's fine, just... I'm sorry, but I don't... I... I've got to go." Snow hurried away, stumbling slightly on the woodland path. As she walked away, she didn't see Emilia watching her closely. She didn't notice another figure appearing out of the woods, but Emilia did. She shook her head disappointedly.

"You were right, dad. She's been protected." Emilia ran her finger across her lips. "No one should have been able to resist something so powerful, so that means... She's been shielded, but it's much too powerful for weakened Dawnguard magic. No... there's a witch in town, there has to be. If we're going to succeed, we'll need to find whoever it is... and kill them."      

36: Chapter XXXVI: All Hallows' Eve

After Founder's Day, Snow told the others about everything she had kept to herself. She told them about JTG swapping out the pasta and she and Steven explained the story of where Sara got the mysterious ten thousand dollars from, although Steven begged that they keep his feelings for Jacob between the two of them for the time being. She had agreed and the two of them had spent a great deal of time together doing nothing but talking. Steven had never been able to just talk about himself, who he really was with anyone before. After Founder's Day, there was someone else who knew the truth. Snow had been a great help to Steven since that day and he repeated told her how grateful he was.

The only thing Snow didn't mention to anyone was her encounter with Emilia in the woods. She had pretended to everyone it had never happened and so far Emilia had stayed silent on the matter as well. In fact, Snow couldn't recall seeing Emilia since that day. That day had been a month earlier and much to everyone's surprise, JTG had gone strangely silent. No one had heard from her since the day before Founder's Day, and although at first they had all been nervous, in recent days life for Snow and her friends had gone almost back to normal. The odd silence slowly turned into nervous peace. They all knew JTG was still out there somewhere, but she was no longer a constant presence on their minds.

Their newfound peace brought with it new opportunities to just be high school kids again. Nikki, anxious to spread her wings a bit, joined the school's swim team. She had only been with the team for two weeks, but she had been having a lot of fun at the practice sessions. Clara had been spending a lot of time with Jacob, who had returned to his own home after only a week with his parents. He said he had been absolutely miserable there and left as soon as possible. Clara had volunteered to help him however she could, and although Snow knew her primary reason for doing it was her guilt, she couldn't help but notice there might be a spark of something more between them. It was realization that broke her heart for Steven, but there was nothing she could do about that. Clara's proximity to Jacob had also given her new insight in his potential to be JTG, which she said seemed highly unlikely.

Mary had held true to her word and had said nothing more about Michael since Founder's Day. In fact, Mary said less and less the longer Snow and Michael remained together. She was slowly withdrawing from the group, spending less and less time with her friends. Perhaps that was her plan, Snow wondered. Maybe Mary was trying to make things easier for her. Perhaps she knew the predicament Snow faced and was just removing herself from the group before it all blew up around them. Snow hated it, but what could she do? Should she give up her own happiness for Mary? She should ruin the only positive thing in her life to come out of JTG's relentless attack all because Mary couldn't accept that Michael was a good man?

No. She loved Mary, would do anything she had to for her and all her friends. The four girls were bonded together forever. They were more than friends, they were sisters. Snow would kill for them, she would die for them, but this... it was asking too much. There was no reason for Mary to hate Michael this much. Her 'bad feeling' wasn't enough to make Snow push Michael away. No. She wouldn't do it. Not even if it destroyed their friendship. It wasn't her place to appease Mary.  

Steven, meanwhile, was hard at work cracking Sara's computer. He claimed to be very close to finishing, but he kept encountering more setbacks. Jackson had refocused on football and he had lead the Mistbrook Falls Direwolves to victory over every team they had faced so far that season save the most recent, a game that resulted in a devastating loss after the opposition delivered a brilliantly executed Hail Mary pass and a surprise fake punt that caught the overconfident Mistbrook Falls team unawares.

As for Snow, her life could hardly have been better. Michael had proved to be the best boyfriend she could have hoped for. He was sweet, loving, and doted on her constantly. He treated her like a princess and she had to admit that she was falling in love with him, terrifying though that thought was. She wasn't sure she was ready to be in love again, not so soon after Jackson. She was happy being with Michael, but she hadn't expected to suddenly find herself in love with him. It had all happened so fast, so blindingly, furiously fast and... and what was love anyway? Was she really in love? Did she even know what real love felt like? She was barely sixteen years old. It wasn't as though she had a lot of experience with the emotion.

Despite her confused feelings, she was much too happy to worry about it on that cold Sunday morning. It was October 31st, Halloween. Like most holidays, Halloween was a big deal in such a small town. The main attraction was a vast haunted house that was held at an abandoned factory in Bridgewater, the small industrial part of town across the river from the Briarwood Heights subdivision. Snow and her friends, even Mary, were all planning to attend the festivities that night.

That morning, however, was to be spent relaxing. Although not yet winter, the cold air had certainly arrived and very soon the first snowfall of the season would descend upon the town. Snow and Michael elected to remain indoors, out of the cold, and instead sat warm and comfortable on the sofa in Michael's living room. Snow leaned back into the cushions, her legs crossed at the ankles and resting on the coffee table. Michael lay sprawled across the couch, his head in Snow's lap. Snow's attention was vaguely focused on the reality show on the TV across the room. Michael's, however, was focused on her.

"You're pretty upside down," he said conversationally, drawing a sly grin from the redhead.

"I'm pretty from every direction," Snow said playfully.

"Oh, are you now?" Michael asked. "Geez, conceited."

"It's not conceited if it's true," Snow pointed out. "I'm not being conceited, I'm... self-confident. It's new for me. I'm trying it out with the opportunity afforded by finding myself suddenly in a JTG-free world."

"You really think she's gone?" Michael wondered.

"No," Snow admitted quietly. "No, of course not. She's still out there somewhere, but... it's weird. She's never been quiet this long. Either she's gotten bored with us or she's luring us into a false sense of security. Either way, until Steven cracks Sara's computer we've got no way of hunting her. So, until we've got more to go on or JTG reemerges, I'm going to pretend she does exist."

"I like that plan," said Michael. "It gives you time to focus on other things."

"Yes, it does," Snow said idly, staring at the TV while her fingers lazily tugged through Michael's hair. "I can focus on all sorts of things again. School, friends, my favorite TV shows..."

"Anything else?" Michael pressed her.

"Not really, no," she said seriously. "I can't think of a single thing." Michael sat up with a look of mock disappointment on his face.

"Oh," Snow said uncertainly. "Oh, yes, and my wonderful boyfriend too." She smirked. "Where is Brad, anyway?"

"You're something else today," said Michael. He leaned forward, his speed and aggressiveness surprising Snow so much that she only just realized what he was going to do an instant before he did it. One moment he wasn't there and the next he was so close that she could almost count his eyelashes. She felt his breath brush lightly, hotly, across her lips. Her lips parted just before Michael's met hers and she felt all the breath leave her lungs.

She inhaled, soaking him in. His warmth filled her, enraptured her... and then it was gone. He pulled back briefly and smiled down at her, but Snow wasn't ready for it to end. His lips had been so warm and inviting. She didn't want to stop. She loved his aggressiveness. She wanted him to take the lead, to force her down and kiss her with such passion she lost all sense of self, lost track of time. But she knew only too well that he knew just how badly she wanted him to do that. He knew how desperate she would be if he held off, right at the edge, so close she could taste him on the air but far enough away to drive her mad.

She could wait; it would be what he would want. He wanted her quivering, trembling with desperation before giving her what she wanted. But she wasn't going to wait for him. She draped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, pressing her lips to his. She lay back across the sofa, pulling him down with her. She knew the dangers, she knew she might be starting something she couldn't stop. She wasn't entirely sure she would even want to stop. Right then and there, she didn't care about anything other than getting Michael to take control... and take control he did.

He kissed her deeply, seizing her arms and forcing them into the cushions above her head. She whimpered and she felt his lips briefly form a smirk. She reached up, tangling her fingers in his silky hair. He pressed himself against her, his weight pressing her slender form deeper into the cushions. His warmth, his heat, his fire engulfed her and she melted into him. She could feel his heart racing, hammering. His breathing was ragged in those tiny moments when they parted for air.

She was on fire, her own heart beating with the same ferocity as his. She was overwhelmed, lost in the moment and trembling with an urgency she had never felt before. He kissed her harder, one hand seizing her fiery red hair and twining her locks without any thought to what he was doing. He pulled her hair, forcing her head back and allowing him to press hot kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, and against the supple flesh of her breasts... just before a quick, sharp rap at the front door brought everything to a halt.

"Damn..." Michael breathed, causing Snow to giggle. He sat up reluctantly and glared darkly at the door. 

"That... probably wasn't the best idea anyway," Snow said breathlessly, allowing Michael to pull her up. "That was heading somewhere fast, and... and I don't know if..."

"I know," Michael said quietly, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. "I don't want to rush into anything either. I don't want to do something and ruin this. We're too good together."

"Yeah... yeah, we are," said Snow. Michael grinned.

"You didn't need to answer," he replied. "I can tell you agree by the way you're still trembling."

"You're bad," Snow told him firmly. Michael smirked and kissed her one last time. "So, so bad." Michael stood at last and went to answer the door. Brad pushed his way past Michael the second the door opened.

"We need to talk," he said firmly. "Now."

"Really?" Michael asked, nodding toward Snow. "We're..."

"Done," said Brad. "For the moment, anyway."

"I can come back later," Snow offered, looking uncertainly back and forth between the two. Whatever Brad wanted seemed very important, and she could occupy herself for a little while.

"I'm sorry, Snowflake," said Michael gently. "Really, I don't want to..."

"It's okay," Snow assured him, picking up her purse and draping the strap over her shoulder. "You can make it up to me later."

"I'll call you later," Michael promised.

"You better," Snow kissed him quickly and headed for the door. The second the door closed Michael rounded on Brad.

"What the hell?" Michael demanded, but Brad snapped his fingers and his body was suddenly surrounded by a flash of golden light. When the light faded, Brad was gone and Zoe Emison stood in his place.

"Damn you," Zoe hissed, holding a hand to her chest. "Do you know how difficult a Glamour spell is to work? It takes a hell of a lot of power, Michael."

"Shockingly, yes," said Michael. "I do know how difficult a Glamour spell is, seeing as you bitched for weeks about it the last time you had to do it. I believe that's why we faked a jewelry store robbery so you could get the map to us without you having to come here."

"Yes, and now I have to use even more of my magic to control that damnable beast of yours," Zoe complained. "I'm a witch, Michael, not a magic fountain."

"I never said you were," Michael countered. "But it is All Hallows' Eve. Magic is at it's most powerful today. Look, I'm sorry for all we're asking you to do. I know it's a lot and you're taking a big risk, but..."

"But it's for the Dawnguard," said Zoe wearily. She sighed. "I know. Trust me, if it was for anyone else I'd never consider it. But given our families' history, and everything the Dawnguard has done for the witches, I can hardly refuse."

"Thank you," Michael said kindly. "What about the protection spell I had you put on Snow? Is it still working? Is she still safe?"

"She is," Zoe confirmed. "She's been touched by darkness only once since the spell was put in place. She's in danger, but as long as my spell remains in effect evil cannot touch her. Trust me, Michael. I've taken Snow personally into my care. You needn't worry about her safety. So long as I'm alive, no harm will come to her."

"You have no idea how happy that makes me," Michael said, letting out a sigh of relief. "Just knowing she's safe... that he can't get to her, I... I can focus now. I can work on stopping him now. Please, Zoe... please just keep her safe."

"Damn, I've never seen you this enraptured with someone before," said Zoe, a smirk playing on her lips. "Somebody's in love."

"My emotions are none of your business," said Michael sharply. "You keep your little witchy nose out of my mind."

"I don't need my powers to tell you've fallen for her," said Zoe pointedly. "Not that I blame you, I mean, she's a lovely girl. Just... I hate to say it, but Brad may be right. If Snow's death would put a stop to..."

"He'd just find someone else, assuming she's the one at all," said Michael hotly. "And it wouldn't matter if I knew for a fact she was. No one is going to hurt a hair on Snow's head. I love you, Zoe. You're one of my oldest friends, but I will kill anyone who tries to hurt her… that includes you and Brad."

"And you wonder how I know you're in love with her?" Zoe asked, shaking her head. "Don't worry. Brad won't be doing Snow any harm. Trust me, I'll keep her safe."

“And… and about JTG…”

“I told you before, Michael,” Zoe said exasperatedly. “Witches are not permitted to take sides in the struggles of mortals. JTG has no quarrel with the Coven; therefore I cannot help your girlfriend work against him.”

“Her,” Michael corrected her.

“Him, her, who cares?” Zoe grumbled. “As far as the Coven is concerned, JTG is a non-issue. I cannot help you.”

-.-

Brad was a strange character, Snow had learned after spending a month at Michael’s house. He stopped by at odd times, and often disappearing to do work somewhere on the property for hours. Snow had noticed that he didn’t seem to like her very much, which surprised her greatly. Not because she thought everyone should automatically like her, but instead because as she as she knew she had never done anything to cause Brad to dislike her. Regardless, he was one of Michael’s friends and she was at least going to try to get along with him.

She had to admit that she wasn’t entirely disappointed by Brad’s arrival. Certainly, she had been enjoying herself, but Brad showing up unannounced had put a stop to something that she knew needed to be stopped. She and Michael had agreed at the outset to take their relationship very slowly. They both wanted it to work out and neither wanted to ruin it by going too far too fast.

Michael had almost a full decade of life experiences more than she did and he was doubtlessly far more sexually experienced. Her time with Sara, while good, had been filled with a lot of fumbling and nervous embarrassment. Snow hadn’t known what she was doing and Sara hadn’t seemed to either. Jackson, she thought, barely even counted. He had bent her over a table and that had been that. There hadn’t been an ounce of intimacy or romance to it and really, she hadn’t had to do much of anything. Michael would surely expect more than that and it frightened her. If nothing else, she could happily say that if Michael’s sexual expectations were the worst thing she had to worry about, she had it pretty good. After weeks of fearing JTG’s next attack, worrying about something so normal felt positively delightful.

Snow’s drive home proved quite uneventful. The sleepy town was only just beginning to wake beneath an overcast sky, the all too familiar fog banks that rose up over the river around that time of year had spread over the town, locking Mistbrook Falls in a thin cloud of cold drizzle. It was fitting, Snow thought, that Halloween should be a dismal sort of day weather-wise. Especially in an already old and creepy feeling town where there were stories of evil spirits and haunted cemeteries.

Mistbrook Falls just had an eerie feeling to it. It was isolated, surrounded by thick forests on all sides. It was old and it looked and felt old, which only added to its innate creepiness. On Halloween, when every storefront and many of the houses were decorated, the creepy factor increased ten-fold.

After night had fallen and Ariana had finally convinced Kayla to agree to a date night in the city, something she had adamantly refused to do since Snow had started dating Michael, Snow sat in the kitchen alone, waiting for her friends. Nikki was picking up Clara and Mary before swinging by Snow's so they could all ride to the haunted house together. Jackson, Steven, and Michael all planned to meet them there. As she waited, Snow dressed in her costume for the evening. She had heard it said that Halloween was the one night in the year that a girl could dress like a complete slut and get away with it, and Snow somehow suspected Clara would be taking full advantage of the rule. Snow chose to dress as a Greek goddess with a long, flowing white gown and loose golden bracelets on her arms. She styled her hair in loose ringlets that fell down her back and she was crowned with a sparkling golden tiara. She settled on a pair of gold, over-the-knee, six inch heels that she knew she would probably end up regretting by the end of the night.

Snow was quite happy when she heard Nikki's car pulling into the drive. Despite JTG's disappearance, she still didn't like being home alone, especially at night when it was cold and dreary. She felt as though she could see figures standing outside in the mist, watching her. She saw no one lurking in the yard, however, when she opened the door for her friends.  

"Hey, Snowy," said Clara brightly, who had dressed in a shockingly revealing Native American outfit. "Are you ready?"

"Almost," Snow replied. "C'mon in." 

"I've got to change anyway," said Nikki, holding up her witch costume. "With as much skin as this thing shows, my parents wouldn't have let me out of the house." 

"You could have gone with something less slutty," Mary pointed out, holding out her arms to better show off her extremely fluffy black cat costume. "Then you wouldn't have a problem."

"Where would the fun be in that?" Nikki muttered, vanishing into the downstairs bathroom.

"I'm glad you decided to come, Mary," said Snow, grinning at her. "I barely see you anymore."

"Yeah, I... I've just had... you know, stuff going on," Mary said quietly. Snow and Clara said nothing, but Snow could easily read the blonde's mind. Clara was thinking the same thing she was; Mary was, very clearly, lying. Snow would have pressed her on the issue, but it seemed inappropriate. It was a conversation they should have in private, not under the watchful eyes of their friends.

"So, where are Kayla and Ariana?" Clara asked, swiftly and effortlessly changing the subject.

"At the warehouse," Snow explained, leading the girls into the kitchen. "Ariana finally convinced Kayla that they could have a night out and that Michael wouldn't kidnap or murder me in their absence." 

"Kayla doesn't like him?" Mary asked. She seemed to be trying her best to keep the joy out of her voice. Snow chose to ignore it.

"She's coming around," Snow told her. "I keep inviting Michael for dinner, so they're getting to see more and more of each other."

"I'm just surprised Michael agreed to dinner with those two," said Clara, smirking. "If I remember correctly, Jackson was about to pee his pants the entire time when you first had him over for dinner." 

"Yeah," said Snow with a fond smile. "Poor guy. Kayla didn't like the idea of me starting to date. She gave him one hell of grilling." 

"I bet he never..." Clara began, but she was interrupted by Nikki, now fully dressed in sultry witch's garb, rushing into the room and attempting to curse them all with nonsense words while waving a plastic wand.

"Come on, let's get going," said Nikki, leading the girls outside. "Ready to be scared?" 

"I spend most days scared," said Snow dryly. "I'm ready to be Halloween scared, if that's what you mean."

"Come on, Snow, don't do that," said Nikki as they got into the car and pulled out onto the road. "JTG's been quiet for a month now. Just enjoy the night."

"I am, I was just saying," said Snow, shaking her head. "We all know JTG's still out there somewhere."

"Well, I'm not going to worry about it until the bitch sends us another text," said Clara firmly. Snow liked Clara's outlook on the subject, but she found forgetting about JTG was much easier said than done. 

Before long, Nikki was pulling into the parking lot outside the haunted house in Bridgewater. One of the factories was brightly lit up and decorated to look like a medieval castle that had fallen heavily to ruin. There were a handful of food trucks selling Halloween theme foods to people waiting in line to go through the haunted house.

"Okay, let's actually enjoy ourselves for once," said Clara as the four of them got out of the car. 

"Agreed," said Nikki brightly. 

"We're meeting Jackson and Steven by the food trucks, right?" Mary asked as the four of them set off toward the haunted house. 

"Yeah," Snow said idly. She took out her phone and started to dial Michael's number to tell him where to meet them, but the sound of her name made her stop. 

"Whoa, Snowy," Michael said, appearing so suddenly Snow would almost swear he had teleported there. He let out a low whistle. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," Snow said, grinning. "You didn't wear a costume."

"Of course I did," said Michael, gesturing toward his jeans and AC/DC t-shirt. "I'm dressed as Average Joe."

"That's not funny," Snow told him pointed. Michael chuckled.

"It was a little funny," he replied, leaning in to kiss her lightly. "Mmm, my girlfriend is a Greek goddess. There's got to be some kind of benefit to that. Please tell me you're Aphrodite."

"Athena," Snow corrected him with a smirk. "Sorry, but all you're getting from me is wisdom, mathematics, and battle strategy. Oh, and Athena was a virgin goddess, so you're out of luck there too."

"Well... fine," said Michael, defeated. "Ruin everything, why don't you?"

"Sorry," Snow said sweetly. She took his hand, lacing her fingers with his. "Come on, we're getting left behind." She pointed at the other girls, who were already heading for the food trucks where Jackson and Steven stood waiting.

After meeting up with the others, they all joined the line to go through the haunted house. The atmosphere was creepy, but fun and exciting as they waited. Inside the haunted house, however, things began to take a rather disturbing turn for Snow. As she walked with her friends through the smoky rooms, where flashing lights assaulted her eyes and strangers in costumes ranging from creepy to downright disturbing leapt out from the darkness or grabbed at their ankles, she began to feel panicky.

She felt she could see JTG in every corner, lurking behind every mask. She was still out there, still watching them, waiting for her moment to strike again. She could be anyone, could be standing in the next room waiting to attack. She was everywhere and nowhere, everyone and no one. Suddenly, Snow couldn't breathe and she rushed for the emergency exit. The others caught up with her outside where she stood leaning against a tree, gasping for breath.

"Snow, are you okay?" Clara asked as she and the others gathered around her. "Sweetie, what happened?" Snow found she couldn't answer. She was trembling and she couldn't breathe.

"She's having a panic attack," said Michael, kneeling down in front of her and taking her hands in his. "Snowy, it's okay. You're safe. All your friends are here, you're safe. Just breathe for me, Snowflake. Just breathe, in and out. Come on..." Snow closed her eyes firmly, blocking out everything but Michael's voice, which she found to be strangely soothing. Slowly, she felt herself beginning to calm down and she could breathe again. She opened her eyes and found herself face to face with Michael, who was watching her nervously.

"I'm okay," Snow reassured him breathlessly. "I'm fine, I... I'm sorry, guys. I didn't mean to ruin everything, I just... I just started thinking about JTG and I kept thinking how she could be in there with us and I just..."

"It's okay," said Nikki gently, squeezing Snow's shoulder reassuringly. "It's fine, honey. You're not the only one who sees JTG lurking in the shadows, I promise."

"C'mon, let's get you back to the car so you can sit down," said Clara, taking Snow's hand and starting to lead her away. "You guys think you can get our girl some water? She looks like she's about to pass out."

"I think we could all use something to drink," said Jackson. "We'll get some drinks and food and meet you in the parking lot."

The girls went back out to the parking lot and Snow sat down on the hood of Nikki's car. She felt so silly and foolish for panicking like that, but she hadn't been able to stop it. She had felt surrounded and the pressure of it all had swallowed her. She had been trapped with no way out. Sitting down though, even in the darkened parking lot, she felt so much better.

"I'm sorry for freaking out like that," Snow told the other girls. "It all just got to me..."

"Like Nikki said, you aren't the only one who's constantly looking over their shoulder for JTG," said Clara consolingly.

"I thought you said you weren't going to worry about JTG until she sends another text," Snow reminded her.     

"I try not to," said Clara quietly. "That doesn't mean it always works out."

"We'll probably be looking out for her for the rest of our lives," said Mary. "Even if we know she's gone. I know I'll never feel like I'm not being watched again." Snow had just opened her mouth to agree when a cloth was pressed over her face from behind and within seconds darkness had consumed her and she knew no more.                                                                                               

-.-

"Snow... Snow... Come on, Snow..."

Snow could hear the voice, but it seemed to be coming from a million miles away. Her eyes were so heavy that try as she might she couldn't force them open. She was exhausted and her brain was fuzzy. She couldn't remember what had happened and she had no idea who was calling out to her.

"Snow, wake up!" It was Mary and her voice sounded very scared. Snow's eyes finally fluttered open and she discovered she was sitting at a table in what appeared to be one of the factories surrounding the haunted house. It was dark and cold and machinery loomed menacingly in the darkness.

Mary stared at her fearfully from across the table. Her arms and legs were bound to her chair by heavy chains and Snow realized that her legs too were bound, but her hands were free. On the table in front of her lay a handgun. It was just within Snow's reach and she seized it quickly. It was then that a brilliantly bright light blinked on, illuminating a wide circle around the table. Clara and Nikki lay nearby on the concrete floor, their eyes closed. They were too far away for Snow to tell if they were alive or dead. Without warning, a deep voice spoke from the darkness.

"Hello, my lovely little liars," said the voice. It was a deep voice, but it was muffled and sounded as though it were being electronically masked. "I'm glad you could all make it."

"Snow... Snow, I'm scared..." Mary squeaked from across the table.

"I'm glad to hear that, Mary," said the voice. "You should be very, very scared. You see, today we are going to play a little game. Snow, you have already picked up the gun. Good. You now have to make a choice. You can either use it to kill Mary, or yourself."

"No..." Mary breathed.

"If you refuse to make a choice, you both die. Choose, and whoever lives may go free." Across the room, one of the pieces of machinery began to move toward them. It looked to Snow like some sort of robotic laser welding machine. It moved slowly, burning a trail into the floor. If it didn't stop, Snow realized it would burn through both of them. But she had the gun... if she shot the welder...

"And if you do anything other than the two choices I've laid out for you," said the voice, seemingly reading Snow's mind. "I will kill you both."

"Snow... Snow..." Mary whimpered, tears streaming down her face. "Snowy..."

"Its okay, Mary," said Snow, doing her level best to remain calm. "It'll be okay, sweetie. It'll all be okay." Snow looked down at the gun in her hand and knew immediately what she had to do. She had no other choice. There was nothing else she could do. She looked up at Mary with tears shining in her eyes.

"Mary..." she said quietly. Mary shook her head violently, squeezing eyes closed. "Mary, please... please tell my parents that I love them... and that I'm sorry." Snow raised the pistol, pressing the barrel to the side of her head.

"No!" Mary screamed, fighting against her bonds fruitlessly. "No, Snow... Snow, there's another way. There has to be another way!"

"This is JTG, Mary," said Snow quietly. "There is no other way. You heard her. She'll kill us both if I don't..."

"Then it should be me," Mary cried. "Snow, it should be me. Please, let me be the one. Don't do this, Snow. It should be me."

"No, sweetie," Snow whispered. "It shouldn't be." She screwed up her face and tried to squeeze the trigger, but she couldn't make her hand work. She wasn't ready to die, but she couldn't kill Mary and if she did nothing JTG would kill them both. She had to do it. She had to be brave, just like Ariana had years before. Her mother had been willing to sacrifice her own life to save Kayla's. She had taken a bullet for her and nearly died as a result. Snow knew she had to summon her mother's courage. She had to. She would. She did.

She pulled the trigger.

-.-

Michael was getting worried. He, Jackson, and Steven had all gone there separate ways to buy food and drinks from the different vendors and since then he hadn't been able to find anyone. He had spent ten minutes wandering between the trucks, looking for Jackson and Steven, but they had seemingly vanished. He went to the parking lot to meet the girls, but they too had gone missing without a trace. He tried calling Snow, but got no answer. Upon returning to the food trucks, Michael found Jackson wandering aimlessly with a handful of bottled waters, looking just as lost and confused as Michael felt.

"There you are," said Michael, waving to get Jackson's attention. "I've been looking everywhere and can't find anyone. Where are the girls?"

"I can't find anyone either," said Jackson exasperatedly. "I've tried calling everyone, but no one's answering."

"I called Snow, but yeah... no answer. Steve won't answer either and he's married to his phone," said Jackson. "I'm starting to get worried."

"What? You don't think... JTG? Do you think she could have done something to them? 

"It wouldn't surprise me," said Jackson nervously. "But... but, all of them? Steven and the girls... that's five people. JTG overpowered all of them?"

"Maybe JTG had a gun," Michael suggested. "Who knows? Who cares? We need to find them." 

"Yeah, we start looking. Let's ask around... see if anyone's seen them." Jackson and Michael wandered through the crowd, asking people if they had seen any sign of the girls or Steven, but no one had. They checked the food trucks, asked at the entrance to the haunted house to see if they had gone back inside, and even walked out to where Steven and Nikki's cars were parked to see if they had left.

"Okay, now I'm scared," Jackson said quietly. "Something is very wrong, Michael. Very wrong. We've got to find them."

"I know," Michael replied. "Okay, let me call my friend Brad. He's here somewhere and he can help us look."

"Does Brad even know about JTG?" Jackson asked. "Are we just going to tell him?"

"He knows," said Michael. "Snow wanted me to ask him if he'd been contacted and I kind of had to tell him what was happening. That doesn't matter now. Look, they obviously they haven't left on their own because their cars are here, so... so if JTG took them she surely wouldn't have taken them far."

"But why would JTG even take them?" Jackson asked. "What's the point?"

"What's the point of anything JTG does?" Michael countered. "Hell, you're better informed about her than I am. Look, there's tons of places JTG could have taken them around here. We'll have to start looking in some of these buildings..."

"That could take hours, even if Brad helps us," said Jackson hopelessly. "If JTG's hurting them..."

"If JTG's hurting them, I'm going to rip her throat out," Michael promised. "If she hurts Snow... I'll kill her."

-.-

She had imagined it would hurt, somehow. She wasn't sure how long it would take for her to die. She didn't know if it would be instant or if she would spend a few moments dreading the darkness that threatened to swallow her. But no matter what, she expected it to hurt. What she didn't expect when she pulled the trigger was to hear a click and then silence.

Slowly, Snow opened her eyes and looked down at the gun. She pulled the trigger again and it clicked. She ejected the magazine and racked the side, peering into the chamber. The gun was empty. All around her, JTG's laugh filled the air.

"Very good, very good," JTG said pleasantly as the laser welder hissed to a stop. "Mary, you've got a good friend here. In case you were wondering, this was a test. A painless test of your devotion to your friends, Snow. Mary, she was willing to die to save you. That's loyalty. That's love. I'm very glad you made a choice, Snow. I really would have hated to kill both of you. That, by the way, was very real."

"Why are you doing this?" Snow shouted as Mary sobbed quietly across the table from her. "Why are you doing this to us?! What the hell did we ever do to make you hate us this much!" JTG didn't answer. Instead, the lights all winked out and Snow felt the same cloth pressed over her nose and mouth once again. Within seconds, she had lost consciousness.

Snow had no idea how much time had passed when she woke again. The room she found herself in was similar to the last in that it was dark and seemed to be in one of the old factories. She and her friends were bound to metal frames hung from the ceiling in a rough circle. Each of their right hands were left unbound and placed in front of them just within reach was a small podium with three buttons and pictures of the other girls.

"What... what the hell?" Clara asked from Snow's left. "Hey... hey... Are you guys okay? What happened?"

"It's JTG," said Mary, who hung directly across from Clara. "She... she... I don't know what she's doing. She's testing us or torturing us... I don't know." She dissolved into tears, shaking her head from side to side and pleading incoherently.

"Mary, honey, it's okay," Snow tried to soothe her friend even though she knew that they were not going to be at all okay. "We'll be fine, sweetie. We'll get out of this. Can any of you get free?"

"These chains are too tight," Nikki said, struggling against her bonds. "I can't get loose, I..."

"Then stop trying," said the same voice that Snow recognized from before, speaking from somewhere beyond the room. "It will do you no good. This test is very different from the last one. Firstly, it involves all of you. Secondly, everything here is exactly as it seems. There is no trickery or games being played. The rules here are simple. You are each strapped to a metal frame that is attached to a battery. At the press of a button, it will deliver a high voltage, low current electric shock to the victim. It is not lethal, but it is extremely painful. We are going to take turns going around the room. Each of you will, in turn, choose who is shocked by pressing one of the three buttons in front of you. If at any time you refuse to make a choice, all of you will receive the shock. This will continue until I choose to stop it or you lose consciousness. We begin now."

All of the lights in the room went out for a full ten seconds and then the light over Nikki clicked on. She looked around, her eyes wide with fear as she stared from the panel to each of her friends.

"I can't," she said desperately. "I... I can't, I won't."

"Choose," JTG demanded. "Choose, or you all suffer."

"I won't," Nikki hissed. "She's trying to break us," she told her friends. "She's trying to make us turn on each other. She wants to push us to the point that we'll turn on each other. We can't do it. We can't we..." But then she was screaming. All of them were. Pure lightning arced across Snow's body and she knew it was happening to her friends too. It was pain beyond description, beyond anything she could have ever imagined. Then it was gone. The lights went out again and then it was Clara's turn.

"If... If I chose..." Clara whispered, whimpering in pain. "If I chose, then it's just one of us. If I pick just one, then the rest... we'll all suffer less. It'll be..."

"If you chose, JTG wins," said Snow, shaking her head. "Clara, don't... don't do it."

"You're going to make everyone suffer?" JTG asked. "How is hurting all of your friends proving your loyalty? You're only torturing them all." Clara didn't get a chance to respond because the pain was back and all they knew was agony. On and on it went for what must have been hours. Around and around the room until the girls hung limply from the frames, their bodies so wracked with pain they could barely move. None of them chose. It was the one thought Snow clung to as the pain coursed through her for what she knew was the millionth time. They hadn't betrayed one another. They were resisting JTG. Their bond of friendship was too strong to break. They wouldn't turn on each other. They were united and they had proven it. They would resist and stand together, no matter what.

-.- 

Michael called Brad, who met them just beyond the lights surrounding the haunted house ten minutes later. While they waited, Michael had planned which factories they would search. He was scared and extremely worried, but he had to remain calm. He had to find Snow. He had promised to protect her and he couldn't allow anything to happen to her. He wouldn't.

"So, let's get started," Brad said as he strode over to them. "What are we doing?"

"We're going to search these factories," Michael said quickly. "If JTG's got them, she's probably got them held in there."

"That's a lot of ground to cover," Brad said thoughtfully. "Theres'... how many factories out here? It'll take ages. We should split up. It'll cut down on the time this takes."

"That's a good idea," said Jackson. "We can use our phones to stay in contact. If anyone finds anything, we tell the others immediately."

They each went their separate ways, heading to the buildings Michael had assigned. They went through building after building, each of them texting the other two when they cleared one. After three hours, no one had found anything of interest. It wasn't until Michael reached one of the last factories that he saw something that made his heart skip a beat.

Just outside the door to one of the smaller factories lay a body. He caught a glimpse of red and thought it was Snow, but it was only a red jacket. He ran over and found Steven lying face down, unconscious. He checked him for injuries, but he didn't seem to be hurt, just unconscious. He sent a text to the others, telling them what he'd found and telling them to meet him there. Jackson and Brad had just arrived when Steven gasped and sat up, choking and gasping for air.

"What.. what the hell happened?" Steven asked, holding a hand to his chest.

"That's what we were going to ask you," said Jackson, kneeling next to his friend. "You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah, I think so," said Steven, coughing. "I don't... Someone jumped me. I remember... I got a funnel cake and some sodas and went to meet the girls. Then... someone put something over my face, and... and the next thing I remember is waking up here."

"I think that someone was JTG," said Jackson. "Steve... the girls are missing. Did you see them?"

"No, I... No. No, I didn't," said Steven uncertainly. "Wait, yes. Yeah, they... they were all standing around Nikki's car, I think. I saw them and that's when I was attacked. They were there, but... but if whoever got me was going after them..."

"We have to keep looking," said Jackson, his voice shaking slightly. "They... they'll be okay, we just need to find them." There was fear, real fear, in Jackson's voice. Michael heard it plainly. He was scared too, but he had faced worse, much worse, than JTG. They would rescue the girls and then he was going on the hunt. If JTG wanted to play games, Michael would do just that. JTG had no idea who she was messing with. 

-.-

Snow was certain she was dead. She couldn't think, could barely feel. Her body hung limply from the metal frame and she was only just able to lift her head to look around at her friends. This was JTG's final punishment. She was going to slowly kill all of them. They were going to die and she would never know who JTG was.

"Snow... Snowy, I... I can't..." Clara whispered, her bloodshot eyes trying in vain to focus on Snow. "I... I can't keep going."

"Yes, you can, Clara," said Snow. It was important, so important, that Clara not give up. She mustn't give in, but Snow couldn't remember why that was. She was so tired, so very tired and try as she might, she couldn't remember why Clara needed to keep fighting. All she knew was that it was imperative Clara not give up. "Clara, you... you can. You're gonna be okay, sweetie. We're all gonna be fine... We are, we..."

"We're not," Clara said thickly, tears streaming down her face. "We're not... we'll never be fine." Clara's hand reached out without looking, feeling the edge of the podium in front of her. She slapped at the buttons and across the room, Nikki screamed.

"Clara..." Snow whispered, devastated. Clara couldn't have. She wouldn't have... but she did. In the end, they all did. Even Snow. The pain became too great, the agony was just too much. It was never going to stop, ever. When she reached out to press that button, knowing all the while would happen, she also knew that it would spare her that terrible pain if only for a moment. But in the last moments before she lost consciousness, Snow realized exactly why Clara couldn't give up, why none of them should have given up. It meant that JTG had finally beaten them. JTG had won.

When Snow awoke for the third time that evening, she and her friends lay in the grass at the edge of a field that bordered the factory district. She rolled onto her back and lay there for a long while, unwilling and unable to move further. The overcast skies from earlier that day had cleared enough for stars to come out and the big, full moon hung like a brilliant shining disk in the black night. As Snow lay there, breathing in the cold night air, she was sure she had never seen anything so beautiful.

Around her, the other girls began to stir. They all sat up and looked around at one another, unspeaking. They all knew what they had done, knew what it meant for all of them. They knew exactly what JTG had wanted them to know; that no matter how loyal and devoted to each other they were, JTG could make them hurt each other.

"What do we do now?" Nikki asked quietly, causing the other girls to jump. "What do we do?" Snow had no idea what they did next. JTG was back and she wasn't pulling any punches anymore. Snow didn't know how to fight her. She didn't even know if she wanted to fight anymore. What was the point? Still, she couldn't tell her friends that. It was her place to encourage them, as Sara would have done. She ignored the fact that the real Sara, the one she hadn't known at all, might not have thought it her place to encourage her friends at all.

"We figure it out," Snow said softly. "We figure it out together. No matter what else... what happened, what we did... it doesn't matter. We're all each other has. We're best friends, we... we're sisters. We stand together, no matter what. If we don't, we're gonna die alone."

Together, the girls stood to their feet and started off in the direction of the haunted house. Their bodies ached with every step and before long they were holding onto each other for support. From around the side of a building, the girls caught sight of Jackson, Steven, Michael, and Brad running toward them.

"My God, what happened?" Michael asked when he took Snow into his arms. Snow just shook her head.

"Not tonight," she whispered to him. "Please... not tonight. Just... Mike, JTG's back and she... she's worse than ever and I can't..." She broke down in Michael's arms. Around them, Jackson, Steven, and Brad checked on Clara, Mary, and Nikki. Snow couldn't bare to tell them all the story that night. It was all too much. She just wanted to go home and fall asleep in Michael's arms. It was all she could do to start walking back to the parking lot. Her energy was sapped. She would try to make sense of everything that had happened the next morning. They would have to sort things out in the morning. There was so much to deal with, so much to think about, but Snow knew none of them had the energy or the desire to talk about any of it that night. She certainly didn't.

But it appeared that JTG wasn't quite finished with them yet. As they walked across the wide concrete lot, toward the haunted house in the distance, they smelled the familiar smell of gasoline. Suddenly, a flame lit up the night on the ground and in seconds the concrete was aflame. Someone had poured gasoline on the ground, spelling out a simple sentence in three foot high letters that now blazed the message into the darkness:

Happy Halloween Bitches 

37: Chapter XXXVII: Pretty Isn't the Point

Snow didn't think she had ever been more miserable in her life. She and her friends, minus Brad who had left them after making sure everyone would be fine, all went back to Snow's house following the events of Halloween. Snow's parents were gone for the night and so the house was empty. Snow couldn't bear to be alone, a feeling she knew she shared with the other girls. After Nikki managed to share what had happened to them, Michael had refused to leave her side regardless so she invited everyone to spend the night.

Michael, ever the worrier, insisted the girls go to the hospital but as Clara had said; what were they supposed to say? Did they tell the doctor that they had been kidnapped and tortured for most of the night? That would lead to a police investigation and their parents would find out. It was sure to bring JTG's wrath down upon them. Even if by some miracle it resulted in JTG being caught, she was sure she would take all of them down with her. The risk was simply too great and although exhausted and in a lot of pain, the girls were otherwise unharmed.

They took a pair of rollaway beds from the spare bedroom and set them up in Snow's room. Clara and Mary shared one while Jackson and Steven took the other. Nikki claimed the window seat for herself and curled up comfortably on it. She didn't close her eyes, however. She just stared at the night sky through the window with a distant expression on her face.

Snow and Michael shared Snow's bed, lying as close together as possible. Michael wrapped his arms around her as Jackson turned out the lights, plunging the room into darkness and silence. In the darkness, even surrounded by her friends and Michael's embrace, she was terrified. That night, that horrible night, had changed everything.

JTG had returned. She had known, of course, that it wasn't over. She had known all along that JTG would come back, but every day she didn't gave her a tiny speck of hope that maybe she wouldn't. Now that she had, Snow had no idea how to respond. She was just as powerless against her as she had ever been. Perhaps now, she was even more so. JTG had proven that she could turn her friends against her, that all four of them could be made to cause harm to the others. They were, each one of them, weapons to be used against each other. JTG didn't need to reveal their secrets or stab them in the back. She could force her friends to do it for her.

By three in the morning, Snow still lay awake, completely unable to sleep. The darkness and silence were driving her mad and eventually she slipped quietly out of bed and padded downstairs to the empty living room. She lit a fire in the fireplace and sank down on the floor, resting her back against the sofa. She wrapped her arms around her knees, wishing she had remembered to grab her bathrobe as the oversized shirt and boxers of Michael's she wore did little to warm her.

Soon enough, the fire was big enough to warm the room and it managed to soothe Snow somewhat with its comforting heat and shimmering flames. She leaned back, watching the flickering flames for what felt like hours, lying in the orange glow of the fire in the otherwise black room. Fluffers came over at one point and she absently stroked his fur until he grew tired and scurried away. She barely noticed. She was deep, deep in thought. She was so lost in her own thoughts of JTG, she was surprised she ever came out of it. She was going round and round in circles, never finding answers. She called it ‘spiraling’ because that’s exactly what it felt like.

If she had a problem to solve, or if she was scared, worried, or nervous about something Snow would latch onto it and try to find a resolution. She would keep thinking and thinking, spiraling deeper and deeper into her own thoughts, her mind refusing to stop searching for an answer and obsessing over the issue until it was resolved. It kept her awake many nights, even when the problem was something simple. When the problem was JTG, there really was little hope.

“Snow?” The redhead very nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Mary’s hesitant voice from the doorway. She had never heard her friend approach and the sudden sound had startled her.

“Hey,” Snow said quietly, holding a hand over her racing heart.

“Sorry,” Mary said nervously. “I… I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay,” Snow said gently, patting the spot on the floor beside her. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No,” said Mary, going over and settling down on the floor beside Snow. “No, I wasn’t asleep. I don’t think anyone up there is.”

“I couldn’t keep laying there,” said Snow, still staring into the flames. “The quiet was starting to drive me crazy. I came down here, but… but all I’ve done is think myself around in circles.”

“Did you… did you maybe want to talk about it?” Mary asked uncertainly.

“It’s nothing we haven’t talked about a hundred times before,” Snow said wearily.

“No, I… I meant what happened tonight,” said Mary. “Snow, you… you put a gun to your head and pulled the trigger… for me. You were willing to commit suicide, for me. I didn’t… after the things I’ve said about Michael, I wasn’t even sure if you wanted to still be friends, so I didn’t…”

“Why would you think we wouldn’t still be friends just because you don’t like Michael?” Snow asked, finally tearing her gaze away from the fire and turning to look at Mary.

“Fear,” Mary said quietly. “It’s something I think about sometimes, especially since Sara died. Sara was the one who picked us; me, Nikki, and Clara. She brought us in, not you. After Sara died, I was worried you might not even want…”

“That I wouldn’t want to still be friends?” Snow asked, actually managing a laugh. “Mary…”

“It may not make any sense to you, but to someone like me?” Mary said pointedly. “After the three of you walked away that day at the hospital, I… I got really scared. I knew if you didn’t want to be friends after that, I’d lose all three of you. Nikki and Clara… the popularity… they love it, Clara especially. They are who they are because you and Sara invited us into your group. They would never want to give that up. Me? I don’t care. I’m not popular or pretty, I…”

“Pretty isn’t the point,” Snow interrupted. “That’s not why we’re friends, Mary. That’s not why Clara and Nikki… we’re not friends because of Sara, hell... maybe we’re friends in spite of her. Just because she brought you in doesn’t mean I love you any less. Who cares about being pretty? Pretty doesn’t stop a psychopath from hunting you. The point is someone killed one of my best friends and I think that same person is trying to hurt my other best friends and I can’t do anything about it. That’s all that matters right now.

“You three are my best friends and I’d do anything for any one of you. You girls are my sisters, Mary. I would die for you. I would kill for you. I would have made the same choice for any of you. JTG didn’t really even offer me a choice. The second she laid out the rules, I knew what I had to do. I never considered not doing it.”

“I don’t know if I could do that,” Mary whispered. “I don’t know if I could be that brave.”

“If you had asked me this morning if I could do it, I’d have said the same thing,” Snow said softly. “Once you’re there, in that place, being told to make that choice… you could do it, Mary. You’re way stronger than you give yourself credit for. And by the way, you are pretty. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“Thanks,” said Mary, blushing and turning to look into the fire. “And… and about Michael… I just wanted to say that… I saw something in him tonight I’ve never seen before. I’m not saying I like him, I don’t… but the look on his face when he found you, when he saw you and he knew you were alive… he was so relieved, so happy. He… he really likes you. Hell, he might be in love with you. I’ll figure out how to be okay with you two. It’s my problem, Snow. I’ll take care of it.”

“I really appreciate that, Mary,” Snow said, wrapping her arm around Mary’s shoulders.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” said Mary sadly. “I… I was just so worried and… and you’re just so tiny and I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetie,” said Snow. “You don’t need to apologize. I understand.” Mary nodded slowly.

“Thank you, by the way,” she said quietly. “I… I haven’t said it and I just realized how bad that makes me, but… but thanks for not shooting me tonight.”

“You don’t need to thank me either,” said Snow. “The gun wasn’t even loaded.”

“I know, but at the time… you didn’t,” Mary replied. “So, thanks. Thank you for being my friend and for not shooting me.” For the second time that night, Snow managed to laugh. The sheer... she couldn't think of the appropriate word for it, but whatever it was it made her laugh. Their lives really were unbelievable.

“You’re welcome, Mary,” she said. Mary stood and started for the door, announcing that she was going to try to get some sleep. She stopped, however, and turned back.

“Um… Snow?”

“Yeah?”

“If… if there really had been a bullet in that gun…”

“There wasn’t.”

“I know, but… but if there had been… if it had gone off and you… you… JTG would’ve killed me too. I couldn’t have lived with it. I couldn’t have watched that happen and… We’ve got to stop her, Snow. We’ve got to stop her before she really does kill one of us.”

“We will,” said Snow, although she knew it was an empty promise. “We’ll catch her, Mary.” Even through the darkness, Snow could make out Mary’s thin smile.

“Don’t make a girl a promise you know you can’t keep,” she said. She vanished through the doorway. If Snow had ever learned anything from Ariana, it was that she was always to keep her promises. She always had so far. She couldn’t help but wonder how she was supposed to keep this one.

For almost two hours after Mary left, Snow stayed in front of the fire, dozing lightly but never fully drifting off to sleep. She wasn’t entirely sure she would ever fall asleep again. She had just decided to head back upstairs and at least lay down and try to sleep when she heard footsteps on the stairs and stayed where she was as the steps grew closer.

“Hey, Snowflake,” said Michael, taking Mary’s vacated spot. “Mary said you were down here. Are you okay?" Snow shook her head.

"No... maybe, I... I don't really know," she babbled. "I'm so tired... the way I feel right now, I almost wish that gun was loaded."

"Don't ever say that," Michael said firmly, reaching out and turning her head so she was looking at him. "I mean it, Snow. Don't ever say something like that. This... all this... it's not that bad."

"It's hell," Snow muttered. "We're in hell, Michael... and I don't know how much more I can take."

"We're going to get this bitch," Michael promised her. "We'll get her, we just... It may take a little time, but we'll get her."

"Assuming we do, then what?" Snow asked. "If we catch her, she knows all our secrets. The only way she goes down is if we all go down."

"It's not the only way," Michael said quietly.

"What? Are we supposed to kill her?"

"If it comes down to a choice between her and you?" Michael asked. "Damn right I'd kill her."   

"You aren't a killer, Michael," Snow said gently. "I know you, you're..."

"I mean it, Snow," Michael swore. "If it's you or her... I'll kill her." As much as the thought scared her, Snow knew he meant every word. If Michael ever found JTG, he might very well kill her. Snow realized with a start that she wouldn’t feel an ounce of remorse if that happened. She wanted to explain to Michael what his promise meant to her, but she was so exhausted that she couldn't find the words. Instead, she pressed her lips to his for a moment before taking his hand and leading him upstairs to bed where she hoped she might finally fall asleep.

-.-

As dawn broke over Detroit, Kayla's eyes fluttered open. The office turned bedroom was bathed as it usually was in the early morning hours in golden sunlight and for a split second Kayla thought she had gone back in time. She imagined that it was thirteen years earlier and everything in her life was perfect. They still lived at the warehouse, Ariana wasn't sick, Snow was only three years old and didn't even know what the word 'dating' meant. They hadn't had a worry in the world. Their lives had been happy, pleasant, and peaceful.

More than a decade later and happy, pleasant, and peaceful did not remotely describe their lives any longer. Their world was chaotic, frightening, and on the verge of imploding. Kayla knew exactly when it would all reach critical mass. It was an inescapable result, she knew that. It would happen, it had to happen, very soon. When it did, everything was going to change.

She rolled over, expecting to find Ariana lying beside her, but her side of the bed was empty. From the direction of the kitchen, she heard the distinct sounds of someone cooking. She slid out of bed and found Ariana in the kitchen, busily frying bacon.

"'Morning, Kay-Kay," said Ariana, smiling at Kayla as she approached.

"Good morning," Kayla replied. "You're up early."

"I wanted to get breakfast started," said Ariana with a shrug. "Here. There's just the eggs left to..." But she broke off, clutching the counter and whimpering. Kayla rushed to her side and half-carried her over to the sofa.

"I'm fine, Kayla," said Ariana, although her face betrayed her words. "Don't... don't worry."

"Ari, you're getting worse," Kayla said quietly, squeezing her wife's hand. "I... I don't know what to do, I..."

"There's nothing for you to do," said Ariana gently. "Just... be there... to help me through it."

"You know I will be," Kayla promised. She bit her lip nervously. "But, Ari... you know that this thing... it's getting harder and harder to hide. It's time, sweetie. We've got to tell Snow the truth." Ariana nodded slowly, the hint of tears in her eyes.

"I know," she said weakly. "I know, I... I can't keep waiting. You're right, it's time. We'll tell her. Once we get home and Snow gets out of school, we... we'll tell her everything."

"I know it'll be hard, but she deserves to know," Kayla said firmly. "It's the right thing to do."

"Then why do I feel so miserable?"

"Because sometimes the truth sucks," said Kayla. "But let's face it; an ugly truth is always better than a pretty lie."

"Maybe not always," said Ariana with a grin. "But I get your point. We'll tell her... and I'll pray my heart can take it."

"You know what?" Kayla asked, patting her wife's knee. "You go and lay down. I’ll finish breakfast.”

“Kay-Kay, I’m fine,” Ariana insisted, but Kayla would have none of it. She escorted Ariana back to bed and made sure she was actually lying down before returning to the kitchen.

It was a harsh, cold reality that she faced, but she knew she had no choice but to face it. Ariana was slipping away from her a little more each day. She tried to pretend that it didn’t bother her, that she wasn’t afraid, but she knew Ariana saw right through her façade. Ariana always knew exactly what she was thinking. There was no hiding the truth from her.

What had come to scare her the most was how she would react when Ariana died. It was coming and this time she could prepare for it, but she knew there was a chance, a good chance, that her response would be the same. Only this time it couldn't be. She couldn't behave as she had all those years ago. Back then, she hadn't been responsible for anyone but herself. She could afford to fall apart and no one would suffer but her. Now, she had a daughter to care for; a daughter that would be suffering just as much as she was.

There was no way around it. Kayla would have to stay strong, if for no other reason than Snow. She didn't know how she would ever manage it, but she knew she had to. She would have to find her strength and find it soon. When they returned home, everything was going to change. Their secret would come out at last and Snow would learn the truth. When she did, Kayla knew their lives were all going to take a turn for the worse.

-.-

Snow's eyes snapped open at the creak of a floorboard. She sat up sleepily, peering nervously around her room. It was still very dark outside and all of her friends still lay in their places, all of them sleeping. All around her, the house was quiet. Movement from across the room drew her attention and she froze. Sara stood by her old desk, seeming to do her very best to close the top drawer without making noise. Snow eased out of bed, careful not to wake Michael. The second her feet touched the floor, Sara turned, leaving the drawer half open.  

"Shit," she breathed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I needed something from the desk.”

"Sara.... Sara, how are you here?" Snow asked quietly. "I don't understand. You're dead."

"And you're in trouble," Sara replied. "I wish I knew how to help you, but I... but I don't. Listen, you'll get through this Snowy. I know you, you're strong. But... maybe just a little advice; you're going about this all wrong. JTG's an enigma, you'll never find her. Someone out there stabbed me, and I don't think it's the same person. Look for them, Snow. Find out who they are and maybe they'll lead you to JTG. There's a connection, Snow. You just have to find it."

"I've tried," Snow said miserably. "I've tried, but... but I can't figure it out. It could be anyone, I... I don't know what to do."

"Yes, you do," said Sara gently. "You're the smartest person I know. You can figure this out, Snow. You can find the person who killed me." Sara stretched out her hand toward Snow and suddenly Snow's vision went blurry and her world went dark.

Snow's head snapped up from her pillow and she stared around blearily. Michael shifted slightly beside her, his arms subconsciously tightening around her. It was very early on Monday morning and the sun had just begun to peek over the horizon and cast an orange glow across her bedroom. Snow sat up, slowly disentangling herself from Michael. She was ready to dismiss Sara's visit as a dream, but with dread in her heart she turned to look at Sara's desk. The drawer hung open, just as Sara had left it.

She got up and thoroughly searched the drawer, but she found nothing out of the ordinary. Whatever Sara had needed, she had taken with her and left no clues behind as to what she had been searching for. She knew it was pointless, but she stepped out into the hall and called Sara’s name. No one responded.   

She eased her door closed and leaned back against it, breathing deeply. Sara scared her almost as much as JTG did. Sara was dead, and yet she kept showing up. It wasn’t possible. Either she and her friends were having the same shared hallucination or Sara’s spirit or maybe a demon conjured up to look like Sara was haunting them. Either way, it chilled Snow down to her bones.  

What had she really seen? Who was she? What was she? Was she real? Was she a ghost, a demon, or something else altogether? What Snow wished the most, although she knew it could never be true, was that all of those options were wrong. What she wished most of all was that Sara was still alive. That would be her wish. She felt she could handle the rest if only her best friend was still alive.

She went back to her bed and lay down next to Michael. He was so warm and comforting, even asleep. He made her feel safe, even if she knew he couldn’t combat JTG or spirits from the beyond. It was enough that she knew he would try. She cuddled up next to him, but her movements caused him to wake. He looked down at her and smiled.

“Hey,” he said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Snow whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you." It occurred to her that Sara had just apologized for the same thing.

"I don't mind," Michael said, smirking slightly. "I like waking up next to you." He leaned in and kissed her. She forced herself to return the kiss, even though at that moment she felt nothing but misery and dread.

“Did you get any sleep?” He asked when they broke apart.

"Yeah... yeah, a little," Snow replied. "Not much, but some. I was thinking about maybe making breakfast for everyone."

"That sounds amazing," said Nikki from her perch on the window seat.

"Yes, it does," Jackson agreed, sitting up and nudging a still-sleeping Steven awake.

"Fine, but we're not letting Michael anywhere near an open flame," said Clara, yawning widely as Mary disentangled herself from the sheets on the other side of the bed. Snow grinned guiltily at Michael, who gave her a look and shook his head.

"Do girls tell each other everything?" He asked dejectedly. Across the room, Steven and Jackson nodded in unison.

"Yes," said Steven firmly. "Yes, they do."

Breakfast was a rather quiet affair, considering how many people were present. No one seemed to quite know how to talk about what had happened the previous night and what scattered conversation did take place died out quickly. After breakfast, Steven and Jackson both needed to run home before school and left. Michael reluctantly left soon after, having been assured by Snow that she would be fine driving to school .

Once she had seen Michael out, Snow returned to the kitchen where Nikki, Mary, and Clara were gathered. The girls sat at the bar and Snow slowly made her way over to them. She cleared her throat nervously.

"Um... okay, so... last night..." she said uncertainly. "We... it doesn't..."

"It doesn't matter," said Clara firmly. "It can't matter."

"She showed us we can hurt each other," Nikki said quietly. "She can make us hurt each other."

"That's not it," Clara argued. "When I pushed that button... I was thinking that if I picked just one person, then the rest wouldn't suffer. Any one of us would have picked ourselves if we could. It was just someone else pushing the button. JTG didn't break us, she didn't... We can't let her."

"But she did break us," Snow whispered. She knew it was the wrong thing to say, but it was the truth. JTG had beaten them. She always beat them. Snow wanted to stay upbeat and hopeful for her friends, but her hope was gone. JTG had broken that too. "We did exactly what she wanted us to do. Put all the spin on it that you want, but JTG won this round. She proved we can hurt each other to save ourselves. Our friendship was the only weapon we had, and now... Do we even have that?"

"Of course we do," said Mary, wrapping her arm around Snow's shoulders. "You said it yourself last night. We're sisters, Snow. JTG can't take that from us, no matter what she does."

"JTG can take anything from us, Mary. She's already proven that, and I... I can't lose you girls, any of you..." And then Snow began to cry. The other girls hurried to gather around her, closing ranks as they always did when one of their number was upset, frightened, or threatened. "There's some things I can live without, but you... all of you, I... You and my parents, I can't survive losing any of you."

"It's okay, Snowy," Clara said softly, gently wiping Snow's tears with the back of her hand. "You're not going to lose us, Snow. We're not losing anyone else." Snow nodded, not remotely comforted by Clara's promise. No one could promise that. JTG could come and go at will, enter their homes at her whim. If JTG wanted to kill any one of them, she could. JTG could take all of her friends from her whenever she pleased and there was nothing she could do about it... except...

"You were right, Mary," Snow said thickly. "We've got to stop her. I don't know how, but we've got to stop her before she takes anything else from us."

"How?" Clara asked, shaking her head. "We don't know who she is or how to find her. She's a damn ghost, she's... invisible, untraceable. How are we supposed to find her?"

"I saw Sara last night," Snow said breathlessly, earning surprised stares from the others.

"Wait... what?" Nikki said uncertainly. "You saw Sara again? When? Where?"

"Here," said Snow. "Last night... upstairs in my room. I woke up and she was rummaging through that old desk of hers. She said she needed something from the desk, but I looked through it and I couldn't find anything missing, so... so I don't know what she wanted, but she told me something that I think might be important. She said she doesn't think JTG and her killer are the same person like we thought. She thinks someone else killed her and that if we find them that they might lead us to JTG. She said there's a connection and we just need to find it."

"So... so we're going after Sara's killer?" Mary asked, looking around at the others. "That's the plan now? We're hunting the person who murdered Sara?" Snow nodded slowly, absently chewing her lower lip.

"That's right," she said firmly. "Screw JTG, we're hunting Sara's killer. I don't know how yet, but we're going to find whoever killed Sara. If they're working together, hopefully they can point us in JTG's direction... if not, at least we'll know who killed our friend."

"Okay... where do we start?" Clara asked. Snow narrowed her eyes.

"If Sara needed something out of her desk, maybe there's something in some of her old things that could give us a clue," Nikki suggested. "There's still plenty of her clothes that we haven't searched. Maybe there's something there."

"I've got a bunch of her stuff in the attic," Snow said, gesturing toward the ceiling. "We can look through it all later. But that's not where we start. No, there's another place."

"Where?" Mary wondered.

"A bitch she might have been," Snow said dryly. "But nothing Sara did would make anyone want her dead... except one thing. If Sara's killer knows JTG, then they could have found out. We're going to start, Mary, with Miranda Sinclair's parents."

It wasn't hope that spurred Snow on, not at all. She had lost hope. JTG was unstoppable and there was very little chance that they would catch JTG even if they found out who killed Sara. Snow was sure she would never feel hopeful again. No, instead it was out of sheer desperation that she chose to act. There was the promise of some small semblance of a normal life if it worked. She had Michael and her friends and her parents... if they stopped JTG it would all go back to normal. She was so desperate for that normal, happy life that she was willing to do anything to get it back.

She would make a deal with the devil, sell her soul for all eternity to end it. One way or another, she was going to end it. She was going to find Sara's killer and see them punished, then she was going to hunt JTG down. She didn't care if she had to follow the bitch to the ends of the Earth and beyond, she was going to find JTG. She was going to put an end to her game once and for all. 

38: Chapter XXXVIII: The Christmas Secret

"C'mon, there's nothing here and we've got to get to school," said Clara, tossing yet another of Sara's skirts haphazardly onto the floor. They were in Snow's attic digging through a half dozen boxes of Sara's things. None of them knew exactly what they were looking for, but they all expected to know it if they saw it. However, after an hour and a half of searching and coming up empty-handed, they were becoming less enthused by the idea of continuing.

"I guess not," said Nikki dejectedly. "I was just hoping that we'd find something that would lead us to Sara's killer... a clue, a name... something."

"Well, we've still got to talk to Miranda's parents," said Snow, cutting the tape off of the last box. "Maybe they'll have some information."

"Maybe they wanted Sara dead," said Mary. "If it was them and we start poking around..."

"We'll be in no more trouble than we already are," said Clara pointedly. "At least then we'd know who's trying to kill us."

"That... that's a good point, actually," Mary admitted.

"Does anyone remember when the worst thing we had to worry about was what to wear to school?" Snow asked dryly, pulling a small gift box from the bottom of the larger box. It was white except for the lid, which was wrapped with a red bow. Snow remembered the box vividly, but she was surprised to see Sara still had it. There was a note dangling from a string attached to the bow and Snow picked it up and read it. She gasped suddenly and leapt to her feet.

"Guys... you've got to read this," she said breathlessly. "She knew... all that time, she knew."

 

Christmas Eve: One Year Earlier

 

Another day is gone
Washed away with sorrows that you dwelled upon
And as the moon is rising you think to yourself,
I could be gone, if I go now

You can't turn back the hands of time
Just let it go and you'll be fine
What's done is done and it's alright
You can't turn back the hands of time

Sara pulled her music player from her pocket and paused her favorite song. The usual joy she got from listening to it had long since faded. Nothing had been the same since... since Labor Day. In a way, she had gotten everything she had ever wanted that day. She had gotten rid of Miranda, the bitch that had always held her back and stood in her way. She had usurped the title of queen bee in Mistbrook Falls and reigned as the closest thing to royalty high school would ever see. She and her clique ruled the school and there was no one left to oppose them.

So why did she feel so miserable? Of course she knew why. She had pushed a girl off of a cliff to her death. She deserved it, no doubt. The things Miranda had done... the people she had hurt, the lengths she had gone to to get what she wanted... Miranda deserved what she got. That bitch deserved to die and Sara didn't feel an ounce of remorse. Miranda had fired first, after all. Miranda had attacked Sara, and she defended herself. If Miranda hadn't attacked her, she wouldn't have died.

Sara had never wanted to kill Miranda, just destroy her at school. It would have been easy to do. She had the evidence, she had everything she needed to destroy Miranda and she had been on the verge of using it. It would have been glorious. It would have been a single, brilliant stroke that would have buried Miranda and assured Sara's rise to power. So, why hadn't she used it?

To her dying day she would never know exactly why she hadn't done it. She had everything she had needed, but she never pulled the trigger. In the end, she hadn't had to. What Miranda had done... it was sick and twisted, and she deserved to be punished for it. It still didn't mean she deserved to die. Sara had just wanted power. She never meant to hurt anyone.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw Ariana's car down the driveway next door and ease to a stop in front of her house. The window rolled down and Snow waved vigorously at her.

"Get in, Sara. We're going shopping," she called, gesturing for Sara to get into the car. Sara tugged her earbuds from her ears and slowly stood to her feet. She walked along the path out to the street and pulled open the car door.

"Where are we going, Snowball?" Sara asked, eyeing the perky redhead curiously. "What's sparked this impromptu shopping trip? You said you finished all your Christmas shopping a week ago. I really don’t want to spend all afternoon fight the crowds and waiting on line for you to get Mary a fruitcake.”

“I would never get Mary a fruitcake,” said Snow dryly. “I’d never get anyone a fruitcake, not even if I hated them. We’re going shopping because you’ve been in a mood for weeks and its time to get you into the Christmas spirit.”

“You know I don’t like Christmas,” said Sara quietly. It wasn’t hard to imagine why that might be. Sara’s father had died very near Christmas three years earlier and ever since then Sara had always been rather gloomy around Christmas. The holidays brought up terrible memories for her and the miserable life she had led since then.

After her father’s death, her mother had married a man named Rick; a pompous douchebag if there had ever been one. To make matters even worse he was close friends with Rachel and Tony Sinclair, Miranda’s parents. Although their parents spent a lot of time together, the girls never bonded and eventually came to hate each other.

Their family structure was quite similar, if Sara thought about it. Miranda too had lost her father but it had been many years earlier. Sara doubted Miranda had even remembered him. Afterwards, Rachel had married Tony and… well, Sara had a few choice words for Tony just as she did with Rick. It was the one thing she and Miranda might possibly have agreed open; both of their stepfathers were assholes.

Rick, though… well, Sara supposed he wasn’t all bad. He was a bit of an idiot if you got right down to it. Too much money and not enough sense to go along with it, Sara thought. Money made people think they were unstoppable, untouchable, but if Sara’s hunch was right; and she wasn’t entirely certain it was, she would prove Rick very wrong indeed.

“I know you don’t like Christmas, yes,” Snow admitted somewhat reluctantly. “But… okay, I can’t stand seeing my best friend look so sad. So if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me.”

That was a bit of a low blow in Sara’s opinion. Sara would do anything for Snow, literally anything. She would fight, kill, steal, and watch the world burn for Snow if she had to; if Snow asked her to. In fact, she’d set the world on fire herself if need be. If she was willing to go to those lengths to protect Snow and make her happy, was it really too much to ask for her to be happy on Christmas?

No, of course it wasn’t. She could pretend to be happy for Snow, if that’s what she wanted. She could push aside her sadness for her best friend and maybe even a little bit for herself. She wanted to be happy and enjoy the holiday, but it was just so hard. Losing a parent, Sara thought, was the most painful thing in the world. Sara sincerely hoped none of her friends had to experience it anytime soon.

Speaking of Sara’s other friends; she wouldn’t be seeing any of them over the Christmas holiday. Nikki had gone with her parents to visit their extended family in Maine. Clara and Noel had foregone presents that year and instead pooled their money for a vacation to Miami, Florida. Mary, meanwhile, was still in town but was secluded in her house with her family. While the Sheppard family never seemed all that close, Mary’s parents insisted on family time during the holidays and Mary was unlikely to be able to escape.

They were arriving at Mistbrook Mall before Sara could give her friends much more thought. The mall was packed, as Sara had expected, with last minute shoppers desperately searching for that last Christmas gift. They managed to luck into a relatively close parking spot and hurried into the mall just as the first flurries of snow began to fall. 

The girls wandered through stores, buying very little and mostly just looking. Snow kept trying to brighten Sara's mood and Sara had to admit it was working. It was tough to be in a bad mood around Snow. She was always so happy and upbeat. Snow's eternal optimism was something Sara greatly envied. She couldn't imagine what it would take to sap Snow's positive outlook.

They went to the food court after a couple of hours to get something to eat. Snow offered to go place their order while Sara found them seats. Sara selected a table and sat down, watching the other shoppers around her with mild interest.

"Surveying your kingdom?" Steven asked, sitting down suddenly across from her.

"Don't start with me today, Steven," Sara said shortly. "I'm not in the mood."

"Oho," said Steven loudly. He leaned in closer, his eyes settling on Snow's back as she waited in line. "After what you've done, Sara, I'll start with you whenever the hell I please."

"What do you think you can do? I know your little secret and if you don't do exactly as I say, I'll out you to everyone. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"Why are you doing this?" Steven demanded.

"You don't need to know," Sara replied firmly. "Just assume that it's important enough for me to use your secret to do it."

"Obviously I mean nothing to you," said Steven hotly. "So that doesn't tell me how important anything is to you. It just tells me what you're willing to do to your friends." Steven stood up and strode away furiously without another word. Sara sighed heavily and shook her head, doing her best to hold back tears.

"I wouldn't have," she whispered. "I never would have if I hadn't had to."

-.-

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night?" Snow offered as they pulled into Sara's driveway later that night after a long day of shopping. "You know you're welcome."

"I know," Sara replied, smiling slightly. "I'll come over tomorrow morning. You can show me what Kayla and Ariana got you for Christmas."

"Okay," Snow said quietly. "Call me if you need anything?"

"You know it," said Sara. She kissed her friend on the cheek and started to get out of the car when Snow stopped her.

"Hey, there's something on your porch," she said, pointing out of the window at a small white box wrapped with a bright red ribbon. "I'll bet it's a gift from one of your many admirers."

"I don't have any admirers," said Sara. "It's probably something my parents ordered." She got out of the car and went over to pick up the box.

"What is it?" Snow called from the car.

"It's..." Sara stared down at the note dangling from the ribbon. It had her name on it. Slowly, she lifted the lid and stared down into the box. Her heart skipped a beat and she slowly lowered the box to the ground. She held up the note to read it.

I know what you did last summer. You won't live through the next one. Feliz Navidad, Bitch --JTG

"Sara, what is it?" Snow asked again, her voice filled with concern. Sara put the lid back on the box and arranged her face into what she hoped was a relaxed look.

"It's a secret," said Sara, flashing Snow a mysterious grin.

"Really? I love secrets," said Snow, her eyes gleaming curiously.

"I'll tell you all about it soon enough," said Sara, still grinning. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, tomorrow," Snow replied. "'Night, Sara."

"Goodnight, Snowy." Snow backed down the drive and returned to her own home. Sara sat down slowly on the porch and reopened the box. Inside lay a single photograph. It was taken during her confrontation with Miranda on the night she had died. Someone, hidden in the bushes perhaps, had snapped it at the exact moment she, Sara, had pushed Miranda to her death while her friends stood behind her, watching.

Someone, somewhere, knew what had happened and it seemed they didn't care that it had been an accident. This photo made it appear as though she had pushed Miranda on purpose. A sudden dread filled Sara's heart and she looked at the note again before taking out her phone and dialing.

"What?"

"Hey..." said Sara. "I... I know I'm the last person you want to hear from, but... Listen, I've got a problem. I may need your particular skill set."

"Seriously? You're calling me for help? Sorry, Sara, but you burned that bridge already."

"Someone just threatened to kill me," Sara said bluntly. "I don't know who, but as good as you are... you might be able to find out who they are. You know I can make you help me, but... I'm asking."

"What happened to being the queen bitch? That look suits you."

"I don't even know if the threat is real, but... I'm scared. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything, but I don't know....  I don't know where else to turn."

"I ought to leave you to your fate, but... if someone did kill you I'd feel partly responsible, so I'll help you. But after this, we're done. We part ways cleanly and if you ever pull this bullshit with me again..."

"I won't," Sara promised. "I swear. You help me with this and I'll let you off the hook. Yours isn't the only secret I can use."

"And you wonder why someone wants to kill you?"

"I didn't..."

"I'll be in touch." The line went dead. Sara sighed and held up the note.

"JTG..." she whispered to herself. "Who are you, JTG? What the hell do you want?"

-.-

"I forgot all about it," Snow said as her friends passed the note between them. "I never gave that box another thought, but it was clearly from JTG. Now we know JTG killed Sara, this... this as good as proves it."

"And there's nothing in the box?" Clara asked, opening it and peering inside.

"No, but I'd bet my life there was," said Snow firmly. "JTG was after Sara almost a year ago and she finally killed her."

"Is that what she's going to do to us?" Mary asked quietly. "Is she going to kill us all like she killed Sara?"

"No," said Nikki hotly. "No, because we're going to stop her. Right, guys?"

"That's right," said Snow, although she had to try very hard to sound convincing. "We're going to stop her. I don't know how, but damn it I'm done with this. We're going to find her and we're going to stop her. Michael offered to help us and... and as much as I wanted to keep him out of this, we need his help."

"What can Michael do that we can't?" Mary asked uncertainly, her eyes watering slightly.

"Hopefully a lot," said Snow. "If nothing else he's a big, grown man that already chased JTG off once. Maybe he can at least scare her if she knows he's looking for her."

"I just want this all to be over," Clara said sadly. Snow didn't reply as they headed downstairs. What could she say? She wanted it to be over too, but she didn't know how to end it. They knew that JTG really was Sara's killer, but all that proved was that someone hated Sara enough to kill her. The only people she knew that would want that, if they knew the truth, were Miranda's parents. But as she stood in the living room waiting for her friends and stroking sleeping Fluffers, she realized she was wrong. Everyone had loved Miranda, everyone. Anyone in town could have killed Sara and could therefore be JTG. They might have learned that Sara had known about JTG all along, but they were no closer to finding her. 

39: Chapter XXXIX: The Last Good Day

It was snowing heavily by the time Nikki parked her car in the lot outside Mistbrook High. Mary peered up at the darkened sky as she and her friends got out of the car, letting the flakes fall across her face. Despite the fear gripping her heart at the thought of JTG, Mary had never felt so free. Michael... he was less than nothing to her. Twelve hours earlier, her very life had hung in the balance. She had been kidnapped and tortured and forced to torture her friends. She had stared down the barrel of a gun and watched as her best friend placed that same gun to her own head and pull the trigger.

What, in the grand scheme of things, did Michael really matter? There was nothing Michael could do to her that would be worse than JTG could do... had already done. She hadn't forgiven Michael, no. She would never forgive Michael, but she wouldn't live in fear of him. She still didn't understand why he had done what he did; why her sister had done what she did. It would never make sense to her, but she thought she could live with that.

Michael, whatever else he was, loved Snow. She knew that. She had seen it with her own eyes. He would never hurt her, his reaction when he had found her the previous night showed her that much. She couldn't say she liked them together, but she no longer feared what Michael might do to Snow. In truth, Mary was simply done worrying about Michael altogether. She was done being afraid of him. So long as she feared him, he held power over her. The moment she stopped, the moment she let it all go was the moment her newfound freedom had settled over her.

So she would let Michael be. She would let Michael and Snow be happy together so long as Michael remained the loving and caring boyfriend he appeared to be. God help him if he ever hurt Snow. Mary would cause him entire world to come crashing down if he ever harmed her. She smiled slightly at the thought. She supposed she and Sara were more alike than she would have thought.

"This is the last place I want to be today," Clara groaned as the girls made their way into the school's bustling hallways. Mary couldn't disagree. She usually enjoyed school, although not nearly as much as Snow. That day, however, the thought of sitting through the long classes was enough to make her feel sick. Going home and lying in bed, that sounded like a much better way to spend the afternoon. Instead, they would all be forced to sit through another English lesson where Alexander Winston would drone on and on about...

"The Necronomicon," Winston said sharply, scratching the title across the chalkboard. He turned to face the class. "What is it?" As was typical, Snow's was the first hand in the air.

"It's a textbook of magic," she said quickly. "It's a grimoire that appears in some of H. P. Lovecraft's work."

"And what, precisely, is a grimoire, Ms. Austin?" Winston asked, eyeing her curiously.

"A textbook of magic," Snow repeated. "It's a book of instruction on magical techniques. It's not to be confused with a Book of Shadows, which in modern Wicca is typically more of a magical journal containing personal Wiccan practices and core rituals."

"You never cease to amaze me, Ms. Austin," said Mr. Winston, nodding satisfactorily. "You seem to know a great deal about Wicca. You're not a witch, are you?"

"Of course not," Snow replied, shaking her head. "I don't believe in magic."

"And what if I told you magic was real?"

"I wouldn't believe you either," Snow said pointedly. "Not unless you can show me a little magic right now. What? Is the Necronomicon real too?" Mr. Winston stared at her for a long moment before choosing to reply.

"I'd never encourage my students to truly believe in something so foolish," he said firmly. "That said... well, we'll leave that for another day. Today, H. P. Lovecraft and the Necronomicon. In At the Mountains of Madness..." Mary tuned out much of the rest of the lesson, her exhausted brain unable and unwilling to listen to what she felt was mindless drivel. But she had to admit, the talk of magic and grimoires made her feel certain there was something she had forgotten.

-.-

Ariana's heart filled with dread as her home appeared at the end of the driveway. It was very nearly time. She couldn't back out, not now. Kayla was right, of course. It was well past time she told Snow the truth about her illness, but the prospect of doing so was more frightening than anything else she could imagine. It was the very last thing she wanted to do, but she knew could put it off no longer.

She sat down on the sofa in the living room while Kayla took their bags upstairs. Fluffers crawled up beside her and nuzzled his head against her hand lovingly. She gently stroked his fur and leaned down to kiss the top of his head. He curled up in Ariana's lap as she continued to pet him.

"I love you, buddy," Ariana whispered to him. Fluffers purred softly in response. They sat like that for a while, waiting until Kayla came back downstairs.

"Well, Snow didn't destroy the house while we were gone," said Kayla as she entered the room.

"Did you expect her to?" Ariana asked interestedly.

"No," said Kayla, pursing her lips. "I mean, I probably would have at her age, but... well..."

"Snow is quite well behaved, thank you very much," said Ariana firmly.

"Yeah," Kayla agreed quietly. "You did a really good job with her."

"We did a good job with her," Ariana corrected. "We did. You were just as much responsible for her upbringing as I was."

"Yeah... I guess," said Kayla. "I just... never really got the hang of the whole 'mom' thing. Not the way you did. You were a natural from day one. I always had to... work at it."

"And you did a beautiful job," said Ariana with a smile. "You really did, Kay-Kay." Silence fell between them for a moment. Ariana knew exactly what Kayla was thinking about, but she hoped she didn't say anything. So then, naturally, that's exactly what she did.

"Are you... are you sure you're ready to tell Snow?" She asked nervously. Ariana shook her head.

"Of course not," she said wearily. "But you're right, I have to. I can't keep hiding this, it's getting too hard. Before long, she'll start to notice and I can't... let that happen. When she gets home from school, I'll... I'll tell her."

"I'll be right there with you, honey," Kayla promised. "Whatever you need, I'm there." But Ariana wasn't listening. Fluffers had stopped purring, even though she was still petting him. He never stopped purring... and so she knew. She looked down at the cat, her oldest friend who had carried her through the darkest days of her life and began to cry. She wished he could be with her for the dark days to come, but it wasn't meant to be.

-.-

“So, what are we doing about meeting Miranda’s parents?” Snow asked as she, Clara, Nikki, Mary, Steven, and Jackson all assembled around Nikki’s car after school.

“It’d be strange for us to just suddenly drop by,” said Jackson thoughtfully. “If they’re the ones doing this, they’d figure out pretty quickly that we’re on to them.”

“Yeah, all six of us showing up? It’d be pretty weird,” Nikki agreed. “What if just one or two of us stop by and say we were thinking about Miranda?”

“Because it’s not insensitive at all to show up to a dead girl’s house unannounced and dredge up painful memories,” Clara pointed out.

“If they’re JTG I’m not too worried about upsetting them,” said Steven sharply. “In fact, I’ll probably be inclined to hurt them a little bit more.”

“Me too,” Snow agreed. “But we still can’t show our hand so openly. If we’re really dealing with JTG here, we have to be careful. We all know what’s she’s capable of.”

“Except we don’t,” said Mary quietly. “Guys… we have no idea what JTG is capable of.” It was a fair point, Snow had to admit. They had no idea the lengths to which JTG might actually go, but they knew she was capable of torture and very likely murder. How much more did they really need to know?

“We know enough,” said Jackson firmly.

“Right,” said Clara. “Whatever we do, we have to be careful.”

“I might have an idea,” said Mary delicately. “It’s risky and really dangerous, but it might tell us everything we need to know.”

“Go on,” Snow urged her. Mary took a deep breath.

“We break in.” Mary’s words were met with a stunned silence.

“Well… that’s… I mean, you are the only one of us that’s ever burglarized a place, so you’d know all about it,” said Clara with a smirk. “But I don’t think…”

“It’s brilliant,” Snow whispered, more to herself than her friends.

“Say what now?” Nikki asked in surprise. "Brilliant is not the word I would associate with breaking and entering."

“Mary’s plan, it’s brilliant,” Snow repeated. “Whoever JTG is, they’ve got to have some kind of base of operations. This isn’t being done by some rookie with a cell phone and a pair of binoculars. JTG knows everything about us and that means some pretty heavy duty surveillance equipment. If Miranda’s parents are JTG, we might find some evidence of that in their house... but not if we go when they’re home.”

"This is crazy," said Nikki, looking desperately at the others. "Seriously? We're going to break into JTG's house? The bitch got Clara's mom fired just for blocking her number. What do you think she'll do if we go rummaging through her cupboards?"

“Look, if we’re about to plan a burglary let’s not do it in the school parking lot,” said Steven, glancing around nervously. “There’s a lot about this we have to consider. I mean… what if they aren’t who we’re after? This could go bad in a lot of ways. We need to think about it carefully.”

“Then let’s do that,” said Clara. “I promised I’d stop by Jacob’s after school and I don’t want to keep him waiting while we plan out the next thing we can go to jail for.”

"Yeah, let's just shelve it for today and..." Snow's phone rang suddenly, interrupting the rest of her sentence. She glanced at the caller ID and noted that it was Kayla calling.

"Hey, Momma," she said, answering the call and walking a few pacing away from her friends. "What's up?"

"Yeah... hey, Snow. Can... can you come home?" Kayla's voice sounded nervous and sad. That made Snow quite scared. She didn't hear those emotions in Kayla's voice often.

"Sure... hey, what's wrong?"

"Snowy..." Kayla said quietly. It... it's about Fluffers." 

40: Chapter XL: The Fall

Snow rushed up the steps and through the front door. She glanced into the living room and found her parents sitting quietly together on the sofa. The tears she had shed on the ride home welled up again as she slowly approached and sat down beside Ariana and Kayla on the couch.

"Hey," she said quietly, taking Ariana's hand. "I'm so, so sorry, Mom. Are... are you okay?"

"Yeah," said Ariana, nodding slowly while Kayla gently rubbed her shoulder. "Yeah, sweetie, I'm fine. I'm just... I knew it was coming, but I just wasn't ready."

"Fluffers seemed fine when I left for school," said Snow. "I couldn't believe... when Momma called, I didn't think it was real. He didn't seem any different."

"Sometimes something can be wrong and you don't notice it," said Kayla gently. "Sometimes you don't see it, but it’s right there." She glanced uncertainly at Ariana, who had already been hovering on the verge of tears. At one look from her wife, she broke down completely.

"I can't, Kay-Kay," she whispered, sobbing her heart out and clinging tightly to Kayla's hand. "I can't... I can't... I..."

"You can," Kayla said firmly. "You can do it, baby. I'm right here, it's okay. You can do this."

"Guys... what's going on?" Snow asked. Something wasn't right, she could feel it. Her parents weren't talking about Fluffers anymore. She was suddenly very frightened and even more confused. She stared back and forth between her moms, her heart beating much faster than it should have been. "Tell me."

Ariana and Kayla exchanged a glance, Ariana's eyes filled with despair. She opened her mouth and began to plead with Kayla to help her, but Kayla squeezed her hand reassuringly and nodded toward Snow.

"It's okay," Kayla repeated. "You can do this. It's time... it's past time to tell her, Ari. What happened doesn't change what you need to do. I know it's a bad time for this, after Fluffers, but you can't keep putting this off." Ariana took a deep, steadying breath and turned, teary-eyed, to Snow.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Snow asked, becoming more afraid by the second. "What is it?"

"Okay, baby," Ariana said at last. Her entire body was trembling. Even her voice shook as she spoke. "Sweetheart, I know you've been through so much recently and this... this is so hard for me to say, I wish... I wish I didn't... but you deserve to know. I don't..."

"Mom, you're scaring me," Snow said, frightened. "Please, just... just tell me. Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

"Snowy... I... I..." Ariana paused and took another deep breath. "I have... stage four cervical cancer..." Ariana kept talking, but to Snow the entire world froze… no. No, it didn't freeze. It came to a sudden, violent, screeching halt. Every aspect of her life ceased in a single instant and the world around her fell apart.

Snow vaguely heard her mother's words, but the only one that truly pierced the fog that surrounded her was 'untreatable'. Her disease had been discovered too late. There was no hope. No, that couldn't be true... it couldn't be. It couldn't be. Before she could stop herself, she was rambling.

"But... but there's... there's there are treatments, they... they have... they have treatments and medicine and... and... and... there's chemotherapy and..."

"At this point, those things would only... extend my life by a little bit," said Ariana. "Snowy, we... we've gone to a dozen different hospitals and talked to the best doctors in the world. There's... nothing to be done, sweetheart."

Nothing. Nothing to be done. No fix, no way out. No cure. No hope. That morning all the troubles in her life had seemed so important. Only a few hours later and none of it mattered. JTG was nothing at all. She didn't matter. She never would again. The great mystery of it all that she had spent so much time trying to solve no longer concerned her. JTG could share all of her secrets, could scream them from the mountaintops. She didn't care. Her friends, Michael, Sara... nothing mattered.

"How... how long... How long until...?" Snow couldn't bring herself to say the words. She tried, but she couldn't make herself say them. She couldn't even allow herself to think them.

"We were... we were told a year," said Kayla gently.

"But it's more like... ten months now," Ariana added nervously. Despite her grief, a sudden jolt of anger shot through her.

"You've known about this for two months and you didn't tell me?" Snow said hotly. "You... you didn't tell me that you... that you're..."

"I didn't want to hurt you," Ariana said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I never... I never wanted this... to do this to you. I knew how it would hurt, and I... I didn't want to... When we found out there wasn't any way to cure this... it was the night Sara died. You were so miserable; I didn't want to make things even worse..."

"Well, you did," Snow snapped harshly, leaping to her feet. "You should have told me!" She turned on her heel and ran from the room. She burst through the back door and out into the backyard. It was a dark, cloudy afternoon and the thick snow hampered her movement as she ran. She finally stopped twenty yards from her house and fell to her knees, sinking down in six inches of powdery snow.

She looked up at the dreary grey sky, where thick snowflakes swirled and fell down upon her. Her grief hit her all at once out there in the frigid November air and she broke down. She started screaming, an anguished, agonized scream filled with emotions she couldn't categorize. She screamed her pain out across the yard, her agony echoing through the peaceful neighborhood around her.

She ached, she physically ached. Sara's death, devastating though it had been, was nothing compared to this. This... it was pure agony. It was grief beyond her understanding. It was the kind of misery that caused life to lose its meaning. She fell back into a bed of snow and stared up at the sky. She wished it would all just end; that she would just die. She had nothing left to live for. Her life was nothing but pain and misery. What was the point? There was no point.

Snow curled up on the ground, her body sinking into the snow. She was freezing and the tank top and gray sweater she wore did little to warm her, but she didn't care. It didn't matter. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, numb to everything around her. Eventually a hand settled on her arm and she knew it was Kayla. She didn't say anything, not at first. Instead, Kayla lay down in the snow with her daughter and pulled her close.

Snow rolled toward her mother, allowing herself to be swallowed by her embrace. She cried and cried into Kayla's chest until she had no tears left to shed. She screamed until her throat would no longer make a sound. At long, long last Snow came suddenly and violently out of the deep reverie she had at some point sunk into. The sun hung low in the sky and she was positively freezing. She looked up at Kayla, whose eyes looked very sad and her cheeks were pink from the cold.

"I don't know what to do," Snow said softly, looking up at Kayla with bloodshot eyes. "I... How did everything go so wrong? Why does it have to be her?"

"Oh, baby..." Kayla whispered, kissing Snow on her forehead. "Baby, I've asked myself that same question a million times. Why her? I wish I could say I had an answer, but I don't. It's not fair. She... she spent more years locked up in a closet being tortured than she's spent free and happy. It's not right. I wish I could tell you how to make it stop hurting, Snowy. Believe me baby, I know what you're feeling right now. I've lived with it for weeks now and... and it hasn't gotten any easier."

"I feel like someone's ripping my heart open," Snow whimpered hoarsely. "It hurts so bad, Momma, I... I don't know... I can't lose her."

Snow suddenly found she couldn't say the words that she felt in her heart. Ariana was her mother, the only blood she had in the world. She had always believed that blood didn't make a family; it was love that made a family. Her own father was proof of that. Even so, there was no escaping the fact that Snow shared a bond with Ariana that she would never share with Kayla. She loved them both just as much, would be just as devastated to lose either one of them, but there was just something extra she shared with Ariana and once she was gone she would never have it again.  

“We’ll get through this together, Snowy,” Kayla told her. “It won’t be easy and I can promise you that the pain will never completely go away, but… but it will get better. Every day it’ll get a little easier to bear.”

“I don’t want it to get easier,” Snow said sadly. “I don’t want her to…  I don’t want to say goodbye. I can’t, I… I can’t do it.”

Never say goodbye, Snow heard Clara’s voice say. Not there. Not in that moment, but from the day of Sara’s funeral. She remembered Clara telling her that. Never say goodbye. If you don’t say it, they’re not really gone. They’re just… somewhere else. Somewhere out of sight, but still very near. At the time it had given Snow a sprinkling of hope. Now, it gave her nothing. Her despair was far beyond something so stupid.

“I wish she would have told me,” Snow muttered. “She should have told me… you both should have.” Kayla nodded slowly.

“Yeah…. Yeah, you’re right,” Kayla agreed. “But… but don’t be too hard on her, Snowy. She just… She wanted to protect you. She wanted to spare you… this. Ari loves you more than anything else in the world and she… she couldn’t bare to hurt you like this. She wanted to give you as much time as possible without… without having to carry this.”

“I know,” said Snow. She couldn't have stayed angry even if she had wanted to. She had no strength, no will to fuel anger. She had no will to do anything at all. There was nothing more to say. She knew why and she wasn’t angry, not really. It had just been an easy excuse to leap up from her chair and run from the room. The anger was easier to face than the pain.

“She wants to see you, but she’s afraid you’re angry with her,” said Kayla, nodding back toward the house where Ariana sat on the low stone wall surrounding their small garden, looking extremely anxious.

Snow didn’t say anything as she stood shakily to her feet. Kayla put her arm around her shoulders and together they made their way back toward their home. Ariana stood as they approached, watching nervously with tear-filled eyes. Snow began to sob again as she was drawn into Ariana’s embrace. Snow hadn’t thought she would have been able to cry any more that day, but she proved herself very wrong. They sat down on the stone wall, Ariana’s arms still tightly wrapped around her daughter. Snow noticed Ariana was trembling and it was only then that she realized how cold it was.

“You’re freezing,” Snow said thickly. “You… we should go inside.”

“I’m fine, baby,” said Ariana, shaking her head. “We’ll stay right here for as long as you want, sweetheart. All night if that’s what you want.” No more words were spoken as they sat there together, listening to the soft patter of snowfall landing all around them. Snow didn’t know what to say. Her emotions were such a tangled web of confusion that she was certain would never be unraveled. All she knew was that her entire world had just been torn apart. Again. And this time she knew she would never be able to put it back together.

41: Chapter XLI: Crash and Burn

Snow had spent an hour lying in her room just staring up at the ceiling, lost in her own thoughts. She knew she was in a lot of trouble. She saw it coming and knew how bad it would get, but she could find no way to stop it. She had started to spiral down deep into her own mind, trying to find a solution to a problem that had no solution. It was worse than trying to work out who JTG might be. With this, her mother's terminal illness, there was nothing she didn't know. There were no secrets or pieces of the puzzle she was missing, but that didn't stop her mind from focusing, laser-like, onto the problem.

Her mind was utterly consumed with Ariana's impending death and nothing seemed to be able to distract her. When Kayla told her that she and Ariana were going to go to the local animal cemetery to prepare for Fluffers' burial, Snow was left alone in her big, empty house. She wandered from room to room, too restless to lie in bed any longer. She wanted to run, to scream, to... she didn't know what she wanted to do. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to die. She wanted the pain to just stop. She didn't care how, it didn't matter how. She just wanted it to stop.

That was how she ended up in the basement, face to face with Kayla's liquor cabinet. Her parents were not big drinkers. In fact, Ariana didn't drink at all and Kayla very infrequently. Nevertheless, Kayla kept a fairly well stocked liquor cabinet for when she chose to drink. Snow knew she was making a mistake, that she would come to regret it later, but right then she didn't care. She had never taken a sip of alcohol in her life, but she knew what it could do. If nothing else, it would dull her pain. Maybe only for a short while, but while it was working her suffering might lessen just a little. Maybe, for a few minutes, she could forget.

She sat down on an upturned bucket in the cold, dark basement and opened a bottle of whiskey. She didn't bother with a glass, but instead raised the bottle to her lips and took a drink. It burned like fire all the way down her throat and she coughed painfully afterwards. It tasted terrible and her stomach burned too, but she raised the bottle again and took another sip. She sat there, all alone in the darkness, drinking until the bottle ran dry. She made the decision to stand up and the very next thing she remembered was standing on Michael's front porch with her hand raised to knock on his door.

She had driven there certainly, for she could see her car sitting in the driveway but she had no memory of the event. She knew that thought should worry her a great deal, but she found that it didn't worry her at all. Moments later, the door opened and Michael appeared. He grinned when he saw her, but his smile faded almost instantly.

"Hi... Mike... Mikey... Michael?" Snow said, her words slurring despite her best efforts. She also couldn't quite get her eyes to focus on his face. "You... you've got a lot of different names, you know that?"

"No, I... I didn't. Snow, are you drunk?" Michael asked her, taking her hand and guiding her down the hall.

"No..." Snow replied, shaking her head furiously. "No, I... I only had... like... maybe... one or two sips... but then the bottle was empty, so maybe I drank more? I don't remember. It burned though..."

"What were you drinking?" Michael asked, placing her on the sofa and sitting down beside her.

"Whis... whiskey? Vodka? My mom has a lot of different beers..." Snow muttered, poking Michael in the chest for emphasis. She wasn't entirely sure what it was she wanted to emphasize, but it seemed important.

"Snowy, what's going on?" Michael asked her worriedly. "This isn't like you. What happened?" Snow shook her head again. She didn't want to talk about it. She couldn't talk about it. She liked this feeling and she didn't want to ruin it. She felt numb to everything around her. It felt good. She felt good and she wasn't going to let Michael ruin that feeling. She wasn't going to let him take her back to that place. Her mind had finally stopped running at full speed. She had found a moment of peace and she wanted more. She never wanted to go back to the way she had felt before. She wanted to forget completely. Forget everything, forever.

"I don't want to talk about it," Snow said, shaking her head. "I don't ever want to talk about it."

"Snow, I know you," Michael said softly. "Something has to be very wrong for you to do this. What is it? Maybe I can help."

"You can't help," Snow said, her eyes filling with tears. "You can't... no one can. But I don't want to talk about that. I don't..." She leaned in suddenly and kissed him, pushing him back and straddling his hips.

"Snow..." Michael began, but Snow silenced him once again by pressing her lips against his so forcefully it hurt.

"Michael, I don't want to talk," she told him firmly. "I don't want to talk, I don't want to think, and I don't want to feel... I just want you to fuck me."

"Snow!" Michael exclaimed, gently pushing her back. He shook his head firmly. "No... No, Snowy. Not like this. I don't want to do it like this. You're so hammered you don't even know what you're saying. I'd be taking advantage..."

"I want you to take advantage," Snow insisted, tugging her shirt over her head and tossing it across the room. She smiled victoriously when Michael's eyes dropped from her face. "I want you to do whatever you want to do. I want you to hurt me, Michael."

"Snow, I love you," said Michael. "I'm never going to hurt you, and once you're sober you'd never forgive me if I went along with this. I want to be with you, Snow... but not like this." Snow glanced down, a sly grin on her lips.

"You can keep saying that, but it's pretty clear what you really want." Her hand slid across the waistband of Michael's jeans before dipping lower. Snow smiled wider. "Would you rather take care of that yourself, or...?"

"Our first time together can't be like this," Michael insisted, grabbing her hand firmly. "I want to help you, but if you won't tell me what's wrong..."

"Fine," Snow snapped, her anger flaring hotly. "You don't want me? Fine. I'm fucking hot, damn it! I'll find somebody else." She climbed off of Michael and staggered off toward the door. She made it a full three feet before she lost her balance and tumbled to the floor.

"You didn't make it very far," Michael commented, going over to help her up.

"Shut up," Snow grumbled as Michael sat her back on the couch. He sat down on the edge of the coffee table and took her hands in his.

"Snowy, what's going on?" He asked her. "Please, something has to be very wrong for you to do this. Talk to me, Snowy. Please... maybe I can help." Snow's anger, like all of her emotions, seemed to come and go in mere moments. She found she wasn't angry anymore. Instead, a grim misery had settled over her. She knew Michael would never let it go. She would have to tell him, no matter how badly she didn't want to relive it. Suddenly, she dissolved into tears once again.

"My mom... Ariana, she... she has cancer," Snow wailed, the agony of it all washing over her with the same intensity as it had the moment Ariana had told her. "She's dying and... and there's nothing anyone can do."

"God, Snow," Michael whispered, moving over to the couch and wrapping his arms securely around her. "Snow, I'm so sorry."

"It hurts so bad and it... it won't stop, Michael," Snow sobbed. "It's like someone's ripping out my heart. I can't even think... I just want it to stop, just for a little while. It has to stop... I can't keep going, I..."

"I'll make it stop," Michael promised, kissing her forehead reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll make it stop."

"You will?" Snow asked, barely daring to believe him.

"Yes," said Michael. He kissed her gently and although Snow instantly attempted to deepen their kiss, Michael placed his hand to the side of her head. He pressed two fingers to her temple and Snow immediately felt very sleepy. Michael's face swam in and out of focus for a moment before she fell asleep.

Michael gently lowered her back onto the couch and covered her in a blanket. He stared sadly down at her, chewing his lower lip uncertainly. Finally, he took out his phone and started dialing.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't call me unless there was an emergency," Zoe said sternly when she answered. "Is there an emergency?"

"Not the kind you'd want me to call for, but yes, there is," said Michael. "Snow's mom has cancer. She's dying and... is there anything you can do? Look, I normally wouldn't ask you, but... well... it's for Snow."

"Of course it is," said Zoe with a sigh. "Michael, you know the rules. It's one of the Basic Laws of Magic, Mike. If witches could heal the sick, raise the dead... if we could defy the design of the universe to that degree... imagine what might happen."

"I know the rules," said Michael quietly. "But if you could break them... just this once, I'd..."

"You misunderstand me," said Zoe. "I suppose rules is the wrong word here. It isn't as though I would get in trouble with the Coven if I attempted to heal someone. It's that magic cannot heal diseases. I could go to Snow's mother and unleash all the magic in the world at her and it would make no difference. If she has cancer, Coven magic cannot save her. Magic can't cure the sick or raise the dead. If she's dying of natural causes, there is no known magical source in the Coven's considerable library that will help her."

"No 'known' source?" Michael asked hopefully. Zoe sighed heavily.

"I am not so foolish as to suggest that nowhere out there in the vastness of time and space is a source of magic that can heal the sick. The Coven, however, cannot help. I know for a fact that the Twin Sisters, Fate and Destiny, could heal her, but their power is perhaps even more limited than ours. Well, I suppose I should say Destiny's power is more limited than ours, considering what happened to Fate. Still, Destiny can only save the lives of those with a destiny left to fulfill. If Snow's mother still has a task to accomplish, she'll be fine. If not then not even she can be of help. I'm sorry, Michael, but magic isn't the answer to everything."

"I'm well aware," said Michael dryly. "Obviously magic can't solve everyone's problems, but I thought maybe you would be able to help save Ariana. Snow's in so much pain, I... Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Zoe chewed her lower lip nervously, as though she were seriously considering what she was about to propose.

"There... is something, yes," Zoe admitted reluctantly. "I cannot save Ariana. There is nothing I can do about that. If Ariana survives, it will not be magic that saves her. But for Snow... I could strip her of her emotions. She would feel no pain over her mother's condition, but... well, removing someone's emotions is a dangerous endeavor. She would feel no pain or sorrow, but neither would she feel joy, happiness... love. She would become carefree and remorseless. She would feel no guilt. She would become the very worst version of herself. I can do this and it would spare her this pain... but you might be creating a monster."

"Can't you just remove her sadness?" Michael asked. "Leave everything else and just take away her sorrow?"

"It doesn't work that way," said Zoe. "I can't cherry pick her emotions. It's all or none."

"Okay... okay, fine. But... she wouldn't feel the pain anymore?" Michael asked tentatively. Zoe narrowed her eyes.

"No, she wouldn't." Zoe sighed heavily. "Witches are forbidden from performing this spell on themselves or other witches due to the danger it poses. A witch with our powers without a hint of remorse or guilt? That's a one-way ticket to becoming something... evil. Snow has no magic, so I can do the spell but... Michael, we will have to tell her everything. I will not perform this spell without the person knowing what is happening. To violate her in such a way, without her knowledge... I cannot do it. You will have to explain magic, witches, the Coven... perhaps even the Dawnguard to Snow before I will consent to performing this spell."

"Zoe, I can't tell Snow any of this, you know that," Michael said sharply. "The danger she's already in is bad enough. If she knew all the details, it would put her in that much more danger. You said yourself that evil had already touched her. He's tried to get to her already. If it weren't for the protection spell you put on her, she'd already be in his hands. She can't know... not right now."

"Then I cannot help her," Zoe said quietly. "In truth, it's for the best. The spell would spare her, but only for a time. Once I returned her emotions, she would feel it all just as powerfully as she does now. The only thing that will ever let her heal is, quite simply, time."

"That's... that's fine, Zoe," said Michael at last. "I'll figure something out then. Thanks anyway. I appreciate it."

"Of course," said Zoe gently. "And again, even if you change your mind I do not recommend this spell. The things it causes people to do... even the kindest of souls when stripped of everything that makes them kind... it isn't pretty. Speaking of things that aren't pretty, I got word from the Coven today. Our leaders are becoming concerned over the situation in Mistbrook Falls. I've been informed to tell you that if the Dawnguard cannot contain the situation, then the Coven will respond."

"Respond with what?" Michael asked, a sudden concern filling his voice.

"Michael... the Witches' Coven commands an army. Legions of soldiers are at its disposal..."

"I command an army too," Michael snapped. "The Dawnguard stands as a..."

"If you say an equal to the Coven, you are sorely mistaken," said Zoe. "Mike, you know I respect and support what the Dawnguard does, but... my friend, the Coven worries about rogue magic. The Dawnguard is independent of the Coven and that troubles them, it always has. Give the Coven any reason, legitimate or otherwise, and they will deploy the fleet to Mistbrook Falls. You'll have the entirety of the Coven armada breathing down your neck and not even the invulnerable Stonehaven can stand up to that kind of firepower."

"If the Coven launches an unprovoked attack on the Dawnguard, everyone in the Realms will rise up against you. God, you'd really risk retaliation from Divinity? Princess Sienna is one of our closest allies and she will support us. If Sienna stands with us, everyone else will as well. The Grand Enchanter must know that, he wouldn't dare send an army to my doorstep. Your world has known peace for a millennia, do you really think the Coven is willing to start a war?"

"The Grand Enchanter has become obsessed with eliminating all sources of magic outside of Coven control," said Zoe firmly. "Hell, I think he'd march on Princess Sienna herself if he thought he could break through her walls. I don't like it and I don't approve, but there's nothing I can do about it right now. I'm working on it, but I need time. For now, Michael, keep a low profile on the magical front. What you're working on... keep it quiet, and do whatever you can to deal with this threat you're facing. And whatever you do, keep your beast safely locked away. You might have gotten it from Sienna, but I'm not sure she would help you if you get caught. If the Coven got wind that you have a..."

"I know what the Coven would do," said Michael sharply. "I'll keep Stonehaven's doors well sealed, I promise."

"I'll do what I can to keep the Coven off your back," said Zoe. "Just... I won't be able to give you much warning if the Coven comes after you. If the Dawnguard has to go to ground, you'll have to do it in a hurry."

"Right," said Michael, shaking his head. "This... it's too much for today. I've got to take care of Snow right now. Just keep me updated on what happens with the Grand Enchanter. I'll make sure the Dawnguard stays in the shadows."

"The Coven are expert shadow hunters, Michael," said Zoe warningly. "Be sure to blend in." She hung up. Michael turned back to Snow, who still slept on the couch. It seemed even her dreams were troubled, and he had been sure she would not dream at all. Suddenly, a knock came at the door and when Michael answered it, Kayla stood on the porch looking both worried and irritated.

"Hey, Mrs. Austin," said Michael, eyeing her uncertainly.

"Hey, Michael," said Kayla. "I've been looking for Snow. I tried calling her, but she hasn't answered. Her car's outside, is she...?"

"She's here," Michael assured her. "She's sleeping. She showed up here earlier and she was really, really drunk. I finally got her to sleep, but I... I don't know what to do for her."

"Did she tell you...?"

"About Ariana?" Michael asked. "Yes, she did. And... I just want to say how sorry I am. I can't imagine what you must be going through. If you need anything, anything at all, just ask."  

"Thank you," said Kayla stiffly. It was clear from her tone that she was not at all interested in discussing Ariana's condition with him. "I'd like to see Snow now, if I may."

"Of course," said Michael, holding the door open and letting Kayla inside. He led her down the hall to where Snow lay sleeping. Kayla knelt down beside her and brushed her hair away from her face. She looked up at Michael suddenly, anger in her eyes.

"Where, exactly, has her shirt gone?" Kayla demanded.

"Snow was... adamant that she and I... that we... well, she was trying to seduce me," Michael said slowly. "She didn't know what she was doing, she was so out of it. Nothing happened, I promise you. I love Snow, I would never do anything like that to her. I'd never take advantage of her."

"You love her?" Kayla asked, standing up and staring at Michael as though she had never seen him properly.

"I... yes," Michael confessed. He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but there it was and there was no taking it back. Besides, it was true. "Yes, I love her. I... I'm in love with her. How could I not be? She's amazing, she..."

"Yes, she is," said Kayla. "Michael, I... I've never liked this. You and Snow, I mean. You're ten years older than she is. I can't help but wonder why someone your age is interested in a girl so young. She's still a kid, she's not... she's mature for her age, but she's still a high school girl. I've allowed you two to be together primarily because Ariana vouched for you. When you said you love her... I believe you. But if you ever hurt her..."

"I would never..."

"If you ever hurt her," Kayla repeated sharply. "I will hunt you down and make you wish you had never heard the name Snow Austin." Michael nodded slowly.

"She's a lucky girl," he told her. "To have someone like you in her corner, I mean. I fully believe you and... look, I'd be an idiot to ever do anything to mess this up even if I wasn't scared you were going to murder me in my sleep."

"Oh, if I ever kill you you'll be awake," Kayla told him, but there was a smile playing on her lips.

"I'd appreciate that," said Michael lightly. "But really, I don't ever want to lose what Snow and I have, it's... she's a special girl. I've never met anyone like her before, she... she's so..."

"Endearing," Kayla said fondly, as though the word had some nostalgic meaning to her. "Just like her mother." She sighed heavily and looked down at Snow. "I need to take her home. Thanks for keeping an eye on her, I..."

"She can stay," Michael offered kindly. "She's welcome and... I don't know, but maybe she needs to be somewhere other than home right now. She's really heartbroken  and I don't know if I can help her, but it might be good for her to have a little time before she has to go home and face what's happening." Kayla stared at him for a long moment, clearly deep in thought. He could tell she didn't like the idea of leaving her distraught daughter alone, but in the end she relented.

"Okay," she said at last. "She can stay for now. I... I appreciate it, Michael. Please, take care of her and tell her to call me when she wakes up."

"I will, I promise," said Michael. He walked Kayla to the door and watched as she drove away. He then walked back to the living room where Snow still slept fitfully on the sofa. He sat down on the coffee table and stared at his sleeping girlfriend, thinking of any and every way he could conceive of to help her. If, as Zoe said, magic wasn't the answer then he didn't know how to proceed. No matter what, he swore he would not rest until he helped Snow find peace.

42: Chapter XLII: She's Come Undone

"I've got a bad feeling," Clara said quietly, looking across the table at Jacob. They sat in Jacob's kitchen, playing a card game together. It was one of the many ways the two spent time together and Clara knew it was likely Jacob's favorite. He was very good at cards, no matter the game, and ever since his accident he so wanted to be good at something. If he hadn't been so good already, Clara would have been tempted to let him win.

"Oh? Why? Bad hand?" Jacob asked, grinning and bouncing his eyebrows.

"No..." Clara said thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It's... it's not... I don't know, I just feel like something really bad is happening. I should call my friends, check and make sure..."

"Clara, you're not psychic," said Jacob firmly. "You can't feel when your friends are in trouble. Relax and enjoy the game."

"Yeah... yeah, maybe," said Clara uncertainly. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had just taken place. It was subtle, floating in the background of her mind but nevertheless, it was there. She felt it as strongly as she had ever felt anything. She couldn't say how she knew, but despite what Jacob said she just knew that something was wrong.

She could feel it and the harder she focused on the feeling the stronger it became. It scared her, but she knew Jacob would think she was being silly if she brought it up again. Besides, he had a point. She wasn't psychic, so she couldn't really tell when her friends were in trouble. No, she wouldn't say anything more on the subject. She didn't want Jacob thinking she was losing her mind.

She found it strange how much she cared about what Jacob thought of her. She and Jacob had never been especially close. He had always just been one of Jackson’s friends, who in turn had been Snow’s boyfriend. If not for Snow and Jackson dating, Clara doubted she would have ever known Jacob or Steven either for that matter. Once Snow and Jackson had started dating, their separate groups of friends had merged and so she, Clara, and the girls had become friends with Jackson’s friends. But even so, they had never spent a lot of time together in the past. She had spent more time with the guys since JTG had appeared than she had ever had before.

Part of it, she knew, was the small flutter in her chest whenever their eyes met across the table. She hadn't really given the idea much thought before, but haven't spent so much time with Jacob recently the possibility took hold in her. She liked Jacob well enough and she couldn't deny that he was handsome. But no matter what flickering feelings might be forming, she could never tell him. Not with the terrible secret she carried. She felt so guilty for what she had done that she was drowning in it. She wished she could tell him the truth, to come clean about it all.

It was harder than she would have thought to spend so much time with him, helping him with his disability and all the while secretly knowing she was the one who had caused it. If not for JTG she would have told him long ago, but JTG would not have that. She knew if she told Jacob anything, even hinted at the topic, JTG would retaliate. She was trapped and there was nothing she could do about it. The best she could do was spend every moment she could helping Jacob in whatever way he needed and hope that if the day ever came when JTG was gone that Jacob would understand and perhaps find a way to forgive her. She doubted this, but it was the only hope she had at a time when she had little hope at all.

None of them had much hope, really. Clara could see it in their eyes; in her own when she looked in the mirror. Halloween had changed everything for the girls. It had broken them. It had shown them just how far JTG was willing to go and they had no defense against her. She was an omnipotent enigma and they had no idea how to find her or stop her. She, however, knew everything about them. She could turn them against each other, force them to work against each other.

What they needed, what they all needed, was a victory. Even a small victory would do, but they desperately needed a victory. They needed to come out on top against JTG just one time. They needed something to even the odds, but Clara had no idea what that might be. Sure, they planned on breaking into Miranda’s parent’s house in the hopes of finding something that linked them to their stalker, but they were just grasping at straws. In truth, grasping at straws was all they had ever done. They had moved from one suspect to the next, never having the slightest idea if their guess was right. They had always been wrong. What were the chances they would be right this time?

“Hey, are you still in there?” Jacob asked, waving his hand in front of Clara’s face. “You haven’t said anything in about five minutes.”

“Oh… right, yeah. Sorry,” Clara mumbled. “I was just… thinking." She returned her attention to the card game, but for the rest of the day her heart just wasn't in it. Her guilt about Jacob continued to eat at her, as did the glimmer of feelings she had begun to harbor for him. But worst of all was the feeling of dread that had settled over her. She knew something terrible had happened, and she could feel that something even worse, something that would shatter them all, would happen very soon.

-.-

"Uhhh...." Snow groaned weakly as she forced her eyes open. She lay unflatteringly on Michael's couch in semi-darkness. She lay there idly for a moment, wondering why it was she felt so miserable. Then it all came crashing back upon her. She remembered everything and that was when the pounding headache hit her and she realized that her mouth tasted like a latrine. She groaned again and she heard movement from across the room. Michael stood up from his seat and placed the book he'd been reading on the chair the table. Snow only caught a glimpse of the title, but she could have sworn she had seen the words 'Liber de vita et Mors' emblazoned upon its surface. The Book of Life and Death. When she looked again, however, she saw that Michael had simply been reading War and Peace. 

"Hey," Michael said concernedly, kneeling at her side. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a cargo ship," Snow muttered, holding a hand to her head. "A very large cargo ship. A very large cargo ship that is very full of cargo."

"Well, welcome to your first hangover," said Michael gently. "You'll love it, trust me. Luckily, Kayla came by and brought this." He held out a thermos and Snow grimaced.

"Damn," she groaned.

"Yeah," said Michael, grinning slightly. "Her patented hangover cure. She said to tell you not to look at it..."

"Or smell it, just down it in one and try not to throw up," Snow finished miserably. "Yeah... I know." She took the thermos from Michael and unscrewed the top. "Ugh... shit..." She raised the thermos to her lips and drank, holding her breath all the while. If her mouth tasted terrible before, it was nothing compared to the taste of Kayla's concoction. She grimaced and handed the thermos back to Michael.

"God, that's horrible," Snow whimpered. "Its so..." She retched suddenly and leapt to her feet, rushing toward the bathroom. She was on her knees in front of the toilet, clammy and trembling, when Michael caught up with her and peered through the doorway. 

"Are you okay?" He asked her, approaching cautiously as though uncertain his presence was welcome.

"No..." Snow muttered. "No... I'm not. I'm sorry for... for everything, I shouldn't have... I don't remember much about what I said or did before, but... but I know I must have been acting... well, not like myself. I want to apologize, I... I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Michael said softly. "You're heartbroken and you were really, really drunk. I can overlook anything someone does when they're that wasted. Although I've got to say, drunk Snow is surprisingly slutty." Snow stared at him for a long moment before a sudden flare of remembrance hit her.

"Oh, hell," she groaned. "Did I... did I really say I would go find somebody else to sleep with? God, Mike, you know I didn't..."

"Of course I know," said Michael reassuringly. "Technically your exact words were: I'm fucking hot, damn it. I'll find somebody else. But yeah, I know you didn't mean it. You're upset, I understand."

"That's no excuse for saying things like that, I... I'm really sorry, Mike," Snow said, tears welling in her eyes. "I know you must have some... reservations about me. After what I did to Jackson... cheating on him with Sara, I..." Michael knelt down beside her and pulled her close. She relaxed into him, her whole body going limp in his arms.

"Snow... I have never given a single second of thought to what happened with you and Jackson," Michael told her firmly. "You cheated on him, and yeah that was a bad thing, but that was Jackson. With me, you've been nothing but loyal and loving. We're good, Snow. Hell, we're great. I love you, so don't worry about..."

"You love me?" Snow asked incredulously, sitting up and staring at him as though he had suddenly grown an extra head. "You... you love me?"

"Why the hell do I keep saying that out loud?" Michael muttered. "But... yeah, Snow, I... I do. I love you. I've been in love with you for a while, I just haven't really admitted it to myself until now. I love you Snow, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to help you with everything you're going through. I promise."

"Don't ever make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it," Snow said sadly. She leaned in and kissed him, filled suddenly with a hunger she had never felt before. "And by the way... I love you too. I really do, Michael. I thought I loved Jackson, loved Sara, but I've never felt anything like I feel for you. I don't know what that means, or even really what love is, but... I just know how I feel."

They sat there for a while, neither of them speaking. Snow knew Michael probably didn't know what to say; she certainly didn't. In truth, there was nothing to say. Any other day the revelation that Michael loved her and that she, in turn, loved him would have made her happier than anything could have. Then, that day, she barely felt anything at all. Did it really matter? They wouldn't last anyway. They had no future together. She had no future at all. She saw nothing but darkness ahead and that darkness was rapidly consuming her. She knew in her heart that she would never escape it.

Her mind was utterly consumed with thoughts of her mother's impending death. She couldn't stop thinking and it was quickly destroying her. It was pain... no, it was agony beyond her understanding. She couldn't escape and her suffering would never end. There was no way out. Suddenly, Snow's phone chimed and she almost didn't bother checking it. She had a sinking feeling who the message was from and her dread turned out to be correct.

It looks like I didn't have to cut your heart out. Ariana did it for me. You're at the end of your rope, bitch. Why don't you go hang yourself with it? It'll be easier and much less painful than what I'll do to you --JTG

Michael took her phone from her and read the message himself. He shook his head and passed the phone back to her.

"Just ignore it, sweetheart," he whispered to her. "You don't have to worry about JTG today."

He was wrong. He was so wrong. She always had to worry about JTG. JTG was everywhere and she couldn't escape from her either. JTG was always there and Snow would never get away. She couldn't take it, couldn't handle the weight of it all anymore. She was broken; had come undone.

She lay in bed for the rest of the day and most of the night, her mind spiraling deeper and deeper into her own personal hell. It wouldn't stop. She couldn't make it stop. It kept getting worse and worse and she could feel herself beginning to lose pieces of her sanity. Michael tried talking to her, but she barely heard him. She talked to Kayla at one point, but what they spoke about she would never remember. She didn't care. It didn't matter. Nothing did.

Michael left the next morning, having offered to go and get some of Snow's things from her house to make her stay more comfortable. Snow told him he didn't have to, but he wanted to do something to help. He left and Snow felt if possible even worse. She was alone and being alone made her pain all the more prominent. At least when someone was there to talk to her it distracted her a little. All alone, Snow had nothing to focus on but her misery. It was quickly destroying her.  

It had to stop. She couldn't take it anymore. It had to stop. It was eating her alive. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't eat. She couldn't think. No... no, that was the problem. She could do nothing but think. It had to stop. No matter what she did, it wouldn't stop. She couldn't turn her brain off. She was consumed, obsessed with her mother's impending death. She couldn't make it stop. It had to stop. It was devouring her. Her every waking moment was agony and for the few moments she managed to fall asleep her dreams were filled with images of Ariana lying dead before her while she, Snow, was unable to look away. She was trapped in endless, infinite darkness.

She drank again. She found Michael's alcohol and drank until she could barely walk. It didn't matter. It wouldn't stop. It had to stop. She pounded her head with all the strength she had and beat her skull against the wall until she began to bleed. It didn't matter. It wouldn't stop. It had to stop. And then, suddenly, as she sat alone, drunk and bleeding on the bathroom floor, it came to her. You're at the end of your rope, bitch. Why don't you go hang yourself with it? It had to stop. It had to stop. It had to stop. Through her tears, she realized she knew how to make it stop. JTG, strangely enough, had given her the way. It seemed to be the only way. She wasn't sure, but she knew it would give her the peace she so desperately sought. Her pain would end and she would at last be free. She couldn't explain it. She didn't want to die... but she knew she didn't want to live either.

What did it matter anyway? Her life had been hell before she had learned about her mother's condition. She could see no future, no way out. JTG was forever an enigma. She couldn't fight her. She couldn't catch her. JTG was going to destroy them; burn their lives down around them. There was no hope, no chance at winning. JTG would ruin their lives and then kill them all. What was the point in trying to go on when life was so miserable? She was going to lose everything anyway. Why struggle and suffer when it would all end the same? She was exhausted from hurting so much. She was tired of hurting, tired of the pain.

She stood shakily to her feet and stared blankly into the mirror. She barely recognized herself. Her bloodshot eyes and pale cheeks were a sharp contrast to her frazzled red hair. She reached out and eased open the medicine cabinet. She took the instrument into her hand, the cold metal sending chills up her spine. She raised her hand, surprised at how steady her hand was, at how calm she was.

It wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to die, but she could see no other option. She was already dying, but her pain wouldn't kill her. She was trapped in unending hell and she could find no other means of escape. She closed her eyes, her heart pounding faster than it ever had.

'Just one cut,' she thought, summoning what courage she could. 'Just one... that's all it'll take.' She drew the razor along her arm from her wrist up toward her elbow, cutting as deeply as she could. The sudden lance of white-hot pain nearly caused her to pass out. The world seemed to drift in and out of focus and the pain in her arm throbbed so powerfully with the beat of her heart that each pulse pushed her closer and closer to losing consciousness.

'It'll be okay,' Snow thought as she slumped weakly to the bathroom floor. Blood ran from her wound, spreading steadily across the floor. It'll be okay. She felt so tired, so weak... and suddenly so scared. She had never been so scared. She was dying and she didn't know what that meant. It was only then that she thought of how badly what she had done would hurt those she loved. She hadn't considered their pain at all; hers was simply too great. But there, so close to the end, she thought about what it would surely do to them. It would leave them lost, devastated, forever without answers. Would their pain grow to be worse even than her own? Would her family and friends ever find a way to forgive her? Would they ever understand why?

Or would they be angry? Surely they would be. Would they perhaps think she didn't care about them since she was willing to hurt them so harshly. Would they blame themselves? Would they believe they could have prevented it? Would they sit alone, heartbroken, and imagine 'what if' scenarios, wondering what they missed? How they couldn't have seen something, anything that might have clued them in? It would surely seem as though they should have noticed something. They couldn't have, but that worry consumed Snow's thoughts as a heavy blanket of exhaustion settled upon her and she knew no more.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

If you are contemplating any type of self-harm or suicide, please talk to someone immediately. You are never alone. Everyone is worthwhile and your life is important. Please never forget that. Having these thoughts isn't something to keep to yourself. Seek help. There are many of us out there who care. 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 (800) 273-8255

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: http://www.dbsalliance.org/

International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/

43: Chapter XLIII: Plans and Portents

When the sun rose the next day, Clara was to be found standing in her room staring out of her window at her backyard with a grim bleakness. She had never been so sad and so scared before. Her worry from the previous day had stayed with her and after calling all of her friends, her concern settled firmly on Snow. She had been the only one who hadn't answered her half dozen calls and half again as many texts. No one had heard from her, and that combined with her bad feeling had made her all the more scared. That was when she called Kayla.

Kayla had told her everything that had happened and Clara had been shattered. She hadn't known what to say, how to respond. The shock of hearing about Ariana's disease had been a blindingly painful blow that Clara hadn't been expecting. It hurt in a way she had never expected it; as though it was her own mother that was dying. Clara knew if she was this upset about Ariana, Snow was surely devastated beyond imagining. Clara had tried again to call her, but Snow had refused to answer. She understood. Perhaps she just couldn't bring herself to face her friends or anything else right then. Clara couldn't blame her. If Noel were dying, she would likely behave the same way.

Clara hadn't had to heart to tell the others about Ariana yet. She planned to do so before school, but last night had been so painful that she hadn't felt like reliving the experience as she told the others. Ariana had always been a sort of second mother to Clara. Throughout so much of her life, Ariana was just there. Even before Sara had invited Clara, Nikki, and Mary into her group, Clara and Snow had known each other. They hadn’t exactly been close friends, but even that relationship had brought her into contact with Ariana. Everyone in town knew about Ariana. You couldn’t live in Mistbrook Falls for very long without hearing about the woman who owned half of the town. Even so, it wasn’t until she had gotten to know Ariana that Clara learned who she really was. Clara was always welcome at the Austin house. Day, night, whenever. She could stay as long as she liked and do pretty much whatever she liked inside those walls. That house, that family, it was everything Clara one day hoped her own family would be. Ariana was the kind of mother she wanted to be.

Clara felt bad that her own mother wasn’t her role model for being a mother, but there it was. Clara wouldn’t trade Noel for Ariana for any reason whatsoever. She would never wish for any other mother than her own. Noel had been through so much, and yes she had her problems, but she was still Clara’s best friend. That said, Noel still had her problems. The biggest was her drinking. She didn’t do it often, but those times when she did, when she made that mistake, it was devastating for Clara. It was exceptionally hard for a child to see her mother in such a state, and Clara had seen Noel that way many times. It never got any easier. It just got harder. Clara hoped she never put her own children through that same experience.

As Clara dressed for school and went downstairs for breakfast, she wondered how it was she had known something had happened the day before. She had been so sure, so utterly and completely sure that something terrible had happened. She had been thinking it had been something related to JTG, but she had never expected this. Nevertheless, it had happened and she was at a loss as to how she had known. There was no logical explanation to it at all. Unless she had suddenly become psychic overnight, and she was pretty sure she hadn’t, then she couldn’t figure out how she had known.

She didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on the matter, however. Moments after Clara descended the stairs and entered the kitchen, she heard Nikki honking her car’s horn outside.

“No time for breakfast?” Noel asked her as Clara seized her bag and paused to kiss her mother on the cheek.

“Not today, I’m late,” said Clara. "I'll grab something at school." She turned to leave, but paused and went back and kissed her mom again.

"What's up with you today?" Noel asked, eyeing her daughter suspiciously. Clara then remembered that she didn't know. "Did you do something bad?"

"What? No," said Clara quickly. "No, I just... I just wanted to... you know, show you I love you and that I appreciate you and stuff."

"Are you pregnant?"

"God, Mom. Really?" Clara said exasperatedly. "I was trying to be... Forget it. I don't care anymore."

"Love you too," Noel called after Clara as she set off toward the door. “Will you be home for dinner?”

“I should be,” Clara replied. “I don’t have any plans. I’ll see you tonight.” Clara launched herself out into the cold, dreary day. The heavy snowfall of the previous day was still lingering, covering the town in a thick blanket of snow. The sky was still as dark and the air as cold as the day before. According to weather reports, the snow that was already on the ground would likely remain for several weeks as more systems came through and dropped even more snow upon them.

Clara walked along the path out to the street where Nikki’s car sat with its owner and Mary waiting inside. Clara eased open the rear passenger door and got inside, relishing the sudden warmth.

“Good morning, Clara,” said Nikki, sounding far too cheerful in Clara’s opinion. Of course, she didn't know either...

“It’s not that good,” said Clara as Nikki began driving. “Listen, I’ve got some bad news. I found out why Snow’s gone silent on us. I talked to Kayla last night, and… It’s Ariana. She has terminal cervical cancer.”

“Oh, fuck…” Nikki breathed while Mary clapped a hand to her mouth.

“God, poor Ariana,” said Mary softly. “Is... I mean, she's dying?"

"Yeah," Clara said quietly. "Yeah, she is."

"How’s Snow dealing with this?” Nikki asked. "I can't even imagine..."

“I haven’t talked to her, but Kayla said she ran off to Michael’s,” Clara replied. “She’s devastated, but Michael's supposedly taking care of her. I think its safe to say she's going to be out of action for a while. We may have to go ahead with our plans without her."

"I'm not worried about breaking into Miranda's parents' house right now," said Mary. "I'm worried about Snow... and Ariana, she's so sweet. She doesn't deserve..."

"I know," said Clara, blinking and quickly turning to look out of the window. "I know and I can't... not right now, okay? I can't deal with that right now. Ariana's like family to me... to all of us, but I can't face that right now. I'm sorry."

Ariana's condition had affected Clara more deeply than she cared to admit. She couldn't sit there and talk about it with her friends. She had to focus on JTG. That, she could deal with. The sudden, harsh reality that Ariana was dying was more than she could bear.    

The drive to school took place in relative silence. Clara sank deeply into her own thoughts and Nikki and Mary seemed unwilling to disturb her. What could either of them say, anyway? They weren't going to have the answers she needed. When Nikki at last parked her car in the school's lot, Clara got out almost immediately. She had hoped for a quiet, simple walk to school where she could dwell on her dark thoughts in the back of a classroom. Jackson and Steven, however, had other plans. The guys intercepted the girls the moment approached the school and guided them to an abandoned courtyard outside the cafeteria.

"Here," said Steven, easing his laptop toward the girls across the table they had gathered around. "Take a look at this." The screen displayed the image of a home's entryway. Apart from a coat rack in the corner by the door, there was nothing of note in the image. All three girls looked up at Steven with confused expressions on their faces.

"What are we looking at?" Nikki asked. Steven smirked.

"That, love, is one of seven security cameras in the home of one Miranda Sinclair," Steven said proudly. "Looks like Miranda's parents bought themselves a security system, only they didn't exactly spend much money on it. Their system is shit. I got access to their cameras with just a couple of hours of work. All I had to do was tap their wifi signal that links those cameras to their computer and... well, it's pretty complicated, but suffice to say from this laptop I can access and control their entire alarm system."

"So you can get us into their house without setting off an alarm?" Mary asked curiously.

"And we can monitor them to make sure no one's lurking around inside before we go in with these cameras," said Steven. "I think we've got a good chance at this. Rachel and Tony both work late in the evening, so no one will be home. We can do this."

"Yeah, maybe," said Clara thoughtfully. "I mean... You're sure you can do this? Get us in without having the cops called? I'm not looking to get arrested." Steven nodded confidently.

"Oh yeah," he said firmly. "One hundred percent. We're set on that front. All we have to do it pick the time."

"You're weirdly confident about all this," said Jackson, eyeing Steven curiously. "You're completely sure you've got this? I trust you, buddy, but... I don't want to go to jail."

"Yeah, man, I've got this," said Steven. "Guys, trust me. I can shut their system down and we can be in and out before they even know we were there."

"I like this plan," said Nikki. "Should we run it past Snow first, or..."

"Snow's got enough going on right now," said Clara firmly. "We'll take care of this on our own. With any luck we'll find something that confirms our suspicions and end this and get Snow a little bit of peace."

"If we find something, I think we'll all have some peace," said Jackson.

"Right now, I think Snow needs it more than any of us," said Nikki. Jackson and Steven both looked at her, confused.

"She's dealing with a lot right now," said Clara quietly, dreading the words she had to say next. "It's about Ariana..."

-.-

Snow's eyes fluttered open slowly. She lay upon the cold tile of Michael's bathroom floor. She was so weak, so very weak. Her mind was clouded, confused. She couldn't remember anything. She had no idea how she had ended up there. She tried to move and a sudden lance of pain shot up her arm. Then she remembered everything. She looked down at her arm, expecting to see a long, deep cut. Instead, her arm had been tightly bandaged. Confused, Snow tried to sit up, but a hand on her chest stopped her.

"Stay right there, sweetie," Sara said gently, pushing her back to the floor. "You've lost a lot of blood and I'm not too sure how good that bandage is." Once she was sure Snow wasn't going to try to move again, she leaned back against the wall with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry, Snow," she said quietly. "About Ariana, I... I'm really sorry. I can't imagine how much pain you're in... but even so, what the hell, Snow? Suicide? That's your answer?" Snow looked up at Sara, the tears coming hard and fast.

"I... I can't make my brain stop," she sobbed. It was all back again, all of it. It was supposed to have stopped. She wasn't supposed to be alive. She had expected to die. She had been dying. "Why didn't you let me die?" Snow asked desperately. "Sara, I can't do this anymore. I... It's all so horrible. Everything's gone to hell. There's no point in fighting, in struggling and suffering anymore. I don't want to."

"What about Michael?" Sara wondered. She pursed her lips. "He loves you, right? You love him? What about your friends? What about Kayla? Hell, do you know how much this would have hurt Ariana? Snowflake, I know you're suffering and I'm so sorry. But suicide isn't the answer. It's never the answer. This can't go on forever. You just have to be strong enough to get through it. You'll..."

"I'm not strong enough," Snow interrupted in a sad voice. "I'm not strong enough to make it through this."    

"You are so much stronger than you think you are," Sara whispered to her. "You have an inner strength in you that you've never tapped into before. You need to find it, Snowy. You can survive this. I know you can. You've just got to get through it. I know it's hard, baby, but you can do it."

"I don't want to get through it," Snow cried. "I want it to end. I want to die." That, Snow knew, was a lie. She didn't want to die. She never had. She wanted to end her suffering by whatever means necessary. It had been her only way out, but not the choice she wished for.

"We both know that's a lie," said Sara firmly. "You don't want to die. You have so much left to live for, sweetie. This... it will get better. It'll take time, but it will get better."

"How?" Snow wondered, so desperate for whatever wisdom or foresight Sara might have. It was what she needed to most. It was the only way she thought she might be able to survive. If it was possible, if she could find a way to heal... but no, she could see no way. She could see no way to push forward and nothing to push forward for.

"Everything gets better with time, my love," said Sara softly. "It won't happen overnight, and you're going to have to endure, but soon enough it'll get better."

"I can't endure anything else," Snow cried. "I can't. It's not worth it."

"It's always worth it," Sara insisted. "Trust me, Snow. Life is worth it. You are worth it. You're one of the strongest people I know. You can do this, Snowy. You can. I know you can. The dawn will come, my love. I know the night is long and the road ahead is dark, but soon... Snow, soon enough the dawn will come."

Before Snow could reply, she heard footsteps approaching from the hallway and she glanced toward the door. Sara pressed her hand to Snow's forehead and she immediately felt extremely sleepy. Sara's other hand slipped from hers just a moment before the door opened and Michael appeared. Snow's eyes were so heavy, but she saw the look of horror on his face as he rushed over to her.

"My God, Snow!" He exclaimed, throwing himself onto the floor beside her. "No, no, no, no, no... What did you do? What happened?" She tried to respond, to tell Michael that she was sorry. Before she could, her exhaustion took over and she fell asleep.

-.-

An hour later, Clara, Mary, and Nikki burst through the front doors of St. Sebastian Hospital in a state of uncontrolled panic. They had all been together when Mary had answered a phone call that none of them had expected to get. Snow, alone at Michael’s house, had attempted suicide. When Mary had relayed that message, Clara knew all along she had been correct. She had felt something terrible on the horizon and this was it. This was the thing she had sensed all along. It wasn't about Ariana, not really. She was sensing this and she had been right; this would shatter all of them. It was Snow. She was their leader. She was the best, the brightest, the only shot they had at catching JTG. Without Snow, they were doomed.

That was the only part Clara dared let herself think about. She couldn't think about her friend, her sister, one of the three people she loved and trusted more than just about anyone else in the world. She couldn't think about Snow being in so much pain that she had tried to end her own life. That was just too much for her. She couldn't, she wouldn't. She did.

As though through a thick fog she heard Nikki asking for Snow's room number, but Clara barely acknowledged it. She stood there in the middle of the hospital lobby and began to cry. She sank to the floor, positively howling. She understood, without even talking to Snow, why she had done what she had. It was easy to understand. None of them had talked about it, but JTG was eating them all alive. Even without the terrible news about Ariana, Clara couldn't deny that even she, briefly, had thought about it. On Halloween, that long night at Snow's house, when they had at realized what JTG could do to them, she had thought about it. It would've been easier than the hell they found themselves in. If Clara imagined herself suddenly faced with her mother's death, she might have made the same choice.   

Nikki and Mary huddled around her and helped her into a chair. Clara, still sobbing, hardly realized they had moved. Everything was falling apart and she had lost all hope of ever putting it back together again. Sara, Snow, JTG... Their lives were over. Maybe Snow had just figured it out first. Maybe she knew it was their only way out. Clara herself had said it at the start. She had told them that the only way to win JTG's game was not to play it. She had tried not to play it. What she hadn't realized was blocking JTG's number wasn't the way to refuse to play her game. 

"Hey..." Mary said gently, wiping Clara's tears with the back of her hand. "Hey, it... it's okay. Snow... she'll be okay, we..."

"She won't," Clara wailed. "She won't be okay. She'll never be okay. None of us will. I can't do this anymore. Snow would be better off if she’d…”

“Don’t say that,” said Mary firmly. “You don’t mean that. You can’t mean it. Snow wouldn’t be better off if she had died. This… we’ll get through this. JTG can’t torture us forever. We’ll stop her eventually. We can’t give up now.” She looked to Nikki for support. “C’mon, Nikki, say something.”

“I think she’s got a point,” Nikki said tonelessly. “JTG’s never gonna stop. She’ll keep breaking us down bit by bit, taking pieces of our lives until she destroys us. We’re no closer to catching her than we’ve ever been. We can’t stop her.”

“All we’ve done is flail around in the dark,” said Clara sadly. “We don’t have the slightest idea who JTG is. She’s a ghost, Mary. You can’t kill a ghost.”

“But the ghost can kill us,” Nikki added.

“Guys…” Mary said in fretful tones. “We… we can’t give up now. We're..."

"We're... what?" Clara demanded. "We're in a worse position than we've ever been. We're not even..."

"Hey!" They all looked up and saw Kayla hurrying toward them from the direction of the elevators. Clara didn't finish her sentence. There was, as far as she was concerned, nothing else to say.

"Hey, have you seen Snow?" Nikki asked the second Kayla reached them. "How is she? Is she...?"

"She's... fine," Kayla said heavily. Clara instantly felt a wave of powerful sadness and concern for Kayla. She seemed to be only just holding herself together. "Physically, anyway. Michael found her and brought her here. She lost a lot of blood, but the doctor says she'll be okay. Um... about the rest, I...  I don't know. The way she's been acting, how all this with Ariana has affected her..." Kayla trailed off absently, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

"Can we see her?" Mary wanted to know.

"Soon," Kayla promised. "Ari and I are going to talk with her first, and then if she wants visitors..." Kayla trailed off again, her eyes darting toward the sliding glass doors. "Alana and Sophia are supposed to be on their way, I... I hoped they'd..."

"We can let you know when they get here," Clara offered. "You should be with Ariana now. How is she handling this?"

"About as well as you'd expect," said Kayla. "And thanks. Snow's in Room 416, so just... just let Sophie and Alana know..." Kayla gave them a weak smile and walked away.

-.-

Ariana sat in the waiting room on the fourth floor watching Michael pace back and forth restlessly. He'd been doing the same thing ever since they had arrived and Ariana could only imagine what was going on inside his head. He had been the one to find Snow, bleeding and near death on his bathroom floor. That, she knew, must certainly have been traumatizing.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep that up," she said, causing Michael to pause.

"I'm sorry," said Michael absently. "I... I just... I was just..."

"I know," Ariana said softly. "Believe me, I know. Just... relax, okay? She's going to be okay."

"I shouldn't have left her," Michael said hotly, dropping into a chair across from Ariana. "I... I should have been there. I knew how messed up she was, I knew she wasn't okay to be alone. I should have..."

"It's not your fault," Ariana said gently. "You didn't know. None of us knew she would do this. If you had known you wouldn't have left her side. It's okay..."

"It's not okay," Michael said sharply. "I promised to protect her..."

"From herself?" Ariana asked. "I'm her mother, Michael. There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect her. I will burn the world down to protect her if I have to, but Michael... even I can't protect her from herself. We can't... make her want to live. I'd do anything for her, but I can't do that. If I could, I would. Blaming yourself for this... just don't. You didn't know. You couldn't have known. It wasn't your fault."

"I don't... I've never seen anyone in that much pain before," Michael whispered. He looked up at Ariana, who was surprised to see tears shining in his eyes. "There were signs... there must have been. She was just so devastated. She... I should have been there with her. Maybe I could have done something."

"Maybe you could have," said Ariana. "But you didn't. You weren't there, so it doesn't matter. What matters now is helping her however we can. Blaming yourself isn't going to get us anywhere. You're being too hard on yourself. It's not your fault, Michael." Michael appeared to have something else to say, but when Kayla pushed open the door to the waiting room and made her way over Michael remained silent. Kayla sat down beside Ariana and took the redhead's hand.

"The girls are downstairs," said Kayla. "I asked them to let us know when Sophie and Alana get here, then they'll come up."

"Thanks, Kay-Kay," Ariana replied. She looked up at Michael, who sat staring off into space with his hands clenched into fists. She gave Kayla's hand a gentle squeeze and slid slowly out of her seat and sat down next to Michael.

"It's the worst feeling in the world," she said quietly. "Feeling like you failed her. But Michael, you didn't fail her. You saved her. She's still here and that's because of you. You rescued my baby girl and I am eternally grateful to you."

"I am too," said Kayla, coming over and sitting down on Michael's other side. "Obviously I wasn't all that keen on you and Snow dating, but... but if you hadn't... if she'd been at home by herself, she might have... What I'm trying to say is thank you."

"You have no idea how hard that was for her to say," said Ariana, patting Michael's arm gently. "You're her hero, Michael. You're ours too."

"I'm nobody's hero," Michael said softly. "I was almost too late... I'm always too late."

-.-

Snow woke abruptly to the sound of a door opening. She looked up and found herself lying in a hospital bed in a darkened room. It took a moment for her to realize what had happened and how she had ended up there. She remembered very little of what had happened. She recalled drinking heavily and finally reaching the decision to end her life. She had never expected to wake up again. She had been certain she would die. She wouldn't have to endure any of the hell she was in any longer. Now, suddenly, she had to face it all again. She didn't have long to dwell, however, as the person that had opened spoke up.

"Hi there," the young woman said evenly. Snow looked up at her and felt a sudden burst of remembrance, but she couldn't place where she had seen the woman before. The woman had long, straight, dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. She was smiling at Snow with a twinkle in her eyes. "Hello, I'm a psychiatric nurse here at the hospital and I'll be evaluating your mental health and condition. We can talk about absolutely anything you'd like. I'm completely at your disposal. I just want to help you through this however I can."

"Maybe start by telling me your name?" Snow asked, arching her eyebrows. The woman grinned.

"Oh... right, sorry," she said. "Sometimes I forget to introduce myself. I'm Claire." That name, too, reminded Snow of someone but at the time she couldn't remember who. "Claire Winters. As I said, I'm here to help you however I can. If you want to talk..."

"I don't," Snow said, suddenly quite angry. "I don't want to talk about anything. Thank you, but I don't need your help."

"If you knew the number of times I've been told that," Claire said lightly. "No one ever thinks they need my help, and maybe you don't. But you do need help, Snow. You need to talk to someone whether you think so or not. That cut on your arm? Its damn deep. That's the wound of someone who wanted to die. Snow, I see two types of people in this job. One of them is the type that doesn't really want to kill themselves. They'll make a half-hearted effort, but their heart really isn't in it. Then there's you. You're the type that put in the effort. You wanted to die, Snow. I can see it in your eyes right now. You want to die. That's the most terrifying thing for me. I can see it in you right now. You want to die. That's a hard thing to fight."

"Then don't fight it," Snow said wearily. "I didn't want to fight, I didn't... I didn't want to be here. I thought..."

"What?" Claire wondered. "What did you think?" Snow shook her head. No, she wasn't going to talk about it, not to some woman she didn't even know.

"Can you please just leave?" Snow grumbled. "I don't want to talk right now."

"Okay," Claire said quietly. "I'll leave, but we're still going to have that talk." Claire stood up and walked from the room. The door swung closed behind her moments before a shout arose from down the hallway.

"Claire?" Kayla asked, walking toward her with Ariana close behind. "What are you doing here? And what the hell did you do to your hair? You used to be blonde."

"I fancied a change," Claire replied. "Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I can't be fabulous, right? Don't answer that. Anyway, I'm here for Snow. I was checking on her, making sure she's okay."  

"Please don't tell me this has anything to do with her destiny or something," Ariana said pleadingly. "Please... not today, we don't..."

"No... no, it's not," said Claire quickly. "No, this is completely off book, I just... I had to make sure she was okay. I owe you guys that much."

"Well... thanks," said Kayla, pulling her oldest friend into a tight hug. "It's really good to see you again. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," said Claire. "It's... I mean, I can keep an eye on you from up there, but... yeah, it's not the same. I'm sorry I don't visit more, but... stuff's happened up there and things... We Guides aren't supposed to directly interact with the people we knew before. Coop and I have been allowed to considering what Fate did to you, but its against the rules and... look, it doesn't matter. You... you should go see Snow, she... she needs you guys." Claire shook her head nervously and turned to walk away.

"Hey... Claire," Kayla called after her. "Is everything okay?" Claire paused and glanced back over her shoulder at Kayla and Ariana.

"No," she said quietly. "No, it is not. I don't want to worry you, I... I shouldn't even say anything, but... but something's coming. Every Guide in the Upper Realms is working to stop it, but... we can't. Destiny can't. A world you can't see is about to go to war, and... and I wanted to see Snow because... because if this goes bad I may never get another chance. Fate... she changed the rules. Look, none of this concerns you. Go take care of your daughter. I love you guys." An instant later and Claire had vanished. Kayla turned to Ariana with wide, frightened eyes.

"Ari... I've never seen her look so scared," she whispered. "I don't get it. She doesn't even know Snow, why would she...?"

"I don't care," Ariana said firmly. She shook her head. "No, Kayla, I don't care right now. I know that's horrible. She's your friend, our friend and I... I can't worry about anything else but Snow right now. I just... I can't. Our daughter tried to end her own life, Kay-Kay. If the universe itself wants to go to war, I couldn't care less. All I'm worried about is Snow right now."

"Yeah... yeah, I know," said Kayla apologetically. "It's just... yeah, I know. C'mon, let's go see to our girl." Ariana gave her wife a sad smile and pushed open the door to Snow's room. Kayla made to follow her, but she couldn't help but glance down the corridor at the place where Claire had vanished.

-.-

Ariana and Kayla entered Snow's room and slowly approached her where she lay in bed. Snow heard them coming and tilted her head toward the window so they couldn't see her face. She didn't want them to see her like this. She didn't want to have to explain it all to them, to see the hurt and disappointment in their eyes. She hadn't imagined this part; having to face the people she loved. She was supposed to be dead. She wasn't supposed to have to deal with any of this. She wouldn't have if it hadn't been for Sara.  She would have been at peace. Instead, she was back in hell.

Snow felt a hand slip into her own and she knew it was Ariana's. Snow squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop herself from crying but it was no use. She felt the tears streaming down her face, but she refused to wipe them away. She didn't want to move, but it didn't matter. Kayla asked the question she had been dreading.

"Why, baby?" She asked. "Why did you do this, Snowy?" She didn't want to answer at all, but before she knew it she was rambling and sobbing at the same time.

"It... it wouldn't stop," she cried, turning to look at her parents with watery, bloodshot eyes. "It wouldn't stop, I... I couldn't think about anything else, and... and it hurt. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't... I was going crazy. I just kept spiraling and spiraling and... I just wanted it to stop, Momma. Please... make it stop. It hurts, and I can't bear it. Please, make it stop." Ariana released her hand almost instantly and walked quickly to the other side of the room. Kayla hurried after her and even though they were whispering, the room was so quiet Snow heard every word.

"God, Kayla... I don't know what to do," Ariana cried. "She's in so much pain, and we... we can't make it stop. She's begging us to help her, and we... we can't, we... What do we do, Kay-Kay?" It was then that she remembered those moments after she had committed to her course of action. She remembered thinking about what her family would think, about how they would feel. It was only then she realized how selfish she had been, and that revelation made her feel all the more miserable. She had hurt the people she loved so badly. Her parents, her friends, Michael... everyone.

"We help her however we can, love," Kayla replied softly. "Whatever she needs, we help her. We get her help, if it comes to that. The best in the world, kiddo. We'll help her through this, I promise. I don't know how, but we will. We always find a way."

"Not always," Ariana said sadly. "Not always, Kayla."

"We will this time," Kayla swore. "Now, c'mon. Put your mom face on and let's help our daughter." Ariana nodded, wiping her eyes as she did so.

"Okay," she said stuffily. "Okay."

Snow pretended she hadn't overheard them as they walked back over and joined her. She felt worse than she ever had and now she was the cause of so much of that misery. Instead of learning to deal with her own pain, she had simply spread it around to all the people she loved. She had done it without thought, without care, without any consideration to her friends and family. She had hurt them all and she wasn't sure how to apologize.

It didn't help that she still wished she had died in that bathroom, or at least a part of her did. She wanted to die to end her pain, and yet suddenly a new feeling had emerged. She wanted to live for the people she loved. They wanted her to live, so by extension she wanted to live. They wanted her to heal, to recover, to move on. She didn't know how and she wasn't sure she had the strength to fight that battle. She was so tired of fighting, so sick of suffering. If the people she loved loved her in return, they should want her to be free of that.

"What do you need?" Kayla asked her, circling the bed and taking her right hand while Ariana held her left. "What do you need, sweetheart?"

"We're here for you, Dove," Ariana said, and Snow could hear the pain in her voice struggling to break free. "Whatever you need, we're here."

What did she need? It was a shockingly simple question, and yet she didn't have the slightest idea how to answer it. What did she need? Her first thought was that she needed to die. It had been her plan and it was quickest, easiest answer. She realized, however, that it was the incorrect one. She didn't need to die. Death would end her pain, sure, but it wasn't what she needed. So then, what did she need?

Her next thought was infinitely more complex and it was something her parents could not give her: a reset button. She longed to go back, to reset her life to the days before Sara died. She wanted to go back to the time when she worried about nothing but what she was going to wear to school and whether or not her hair was on fleek. Her life had been so incredibly simple and she had been so happy. She hadn’t had a care in the world. If she could just go back, everything would be so much better. But she couldn’t do that. No one could give her that. Besides, that was not what she needed either. That was a wish, a dream, it wasn’t something tangible that she could attain.

And then, all at once, it hit her. She knew what she needed and she was instantly all the more heartbroken because the very thing she needed the most she knew no one could give her. She needed hope. She had lost every ounce of hope she had even before she had learned the truth about her mother. JTG had seen to that only too well. Snow found she couldn’t foresee any possibility of ever being happy again. Everything around her was dark and miserable. She saw no future; no way that she could ever get over losing her mother. The way ahead was filled with darkness and heartache and she wanted no part of it. How was she ever supposed to move forward if she knew there was no destination to be reached? If her pain would never ease, if she was meant to remain in this torment forever, what was the point?

Ariana and Kayla couldn’t tell her the reasons why. They couldn’t prove that she would ever find a way to be happy again. They couldn’t give her hope. She knew they would give her whatever she needed or wanted. They would go to the ends of the Earth and beyond for her, but what she needed was something they couldn’t provide. So, she didn’t bother telling them. Instead, she asked them to just lay there with her.

Her mothers climbed into bed with her and cradled her between them. Kayla lay behind her, her arms wrapped securely around her. Ariana pulled her close and let her daughter bury her face in her chest, holding her tightly all the way. For the first time in what felt like forever, Snow remembered what it felt like to be safe. She was sheltered by two women who would raze cities to the ground for her if need be. No one, not even JTG, could touch her then. She was safe. She was safe, but she wasn’t happy and she knew she would never be whole again. That was when she began to cry, lying in her mothers’ arms, watching a fresh blanket of snow fall onto Mistbrook Falls through the window.

They stayed like that for over an hour before Ariana finally asked her if she would like to see her friends or Michael. She decided she needed to speak to Michael first. She knew finding her like that must surely have hurt him and she wanted to apologize. She knew she would have a great deal of apologizing to do. She hadn’t had the courage or the will to apologize to her parents yet, but she knew she would have to eventually. She owed them that.

She was just thinking about what she would say to Michael when her phone chimed on the bedside table. She knew, as she and her friends always did, who the text was from before she reached over and picked up her phone. The text shocked her more than any before it. She had known JTG would have a response to her suicide attempt, but it was not at all the reaction she had been expecting. That, truly, scared her even more.

What the fuck were you thinking? Bitch, this is my goddamn game. I make the rules and only I decide when you get to stop playing. Put your big girl panties on and get ready, because you're in this game until the end. If you ever pull something like this again, I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands. Hurt yourself again, make any attempt to get out of our game, I'll start killing everyone you love. I'll start with Kayla. Your choice, bitch. Trust me, I've got no problem getting blood on my hands... well, more blood --JTG 

44: Chapter XLIV: The Night is Dark

Snow lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling; waiting. Her phone lay idle on her bedside table, the screen blank. JTG's text ran over and over again through her mind. It didn't matter really. She wasn't going to hurt herself again. But even if she wanted to, she couldn't. She knew JTG meant what she said. She would go after Kayla if she tried again and she wasn't going to let that happen.

More than anything, JTG had given Snow something very interesting to think about. Why did JTG care so much if she, Snow, died? It didn't make sense. It was confusing. She wasn't at all sure what it meant. She had never imagined that JTG would so vehemently fight to keep her alive. Snow wasn't sure what scared her the most; JTG the bitch who tortured them on Halloween, or JTG her new frenemy.

But the thing that haunted Snow the most was the final line of JTG's text. Well, more blood. If she hadn't already been confident that JTG had killed Sara, this would have proved it. JTG had all but admitted it, not that this knowledge helped them in the slightest. They were no closer to figuring out who JTG was than they ever were.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and Michael appearing in the doorway. Snow felt her heart drop into her stomach at the sight of him. Even from a distance, she could see the pain in his eyes. She had never seen him look so upset, and it was entirely her fault.

"Mike..." Snow said breathlessly as he slowly walked over to her. "Mike, I..."

"I'm sorry," Michael said quickly, his voice trembling. "I... I promised to keep you safe and I... I let you down, Snow. I failed you, I..."

"No you didn't," Snow said pointedly. Why did he think that? He hadn't even been there, he hadn't had any way to know what she was thinking. Even she hadn't known, not up until the moment she had gone into that bathroom had she known. "Michael, you didn't fail me. I... I would've found a way even if you had been there. I wanted to die and you wouldn't have stopped me. I'm the one who's sorry. I hurt you and I... I shouldn't have done that. I didn't stop to think about what I'd be doing to you, my parents, my friends... no one."

"It's just... If I had been there, I could have stopped you," Michael said forcefully. "But I left... turned my back for an instant and you... you almost..."

"Oh God," Snow whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Your sister." She had completely forgotten. How? How could she have forgotten? It had been one of their earliest conversations. Michael had told her how his sister had drowned in a pool on his watch. How could she have been so careless, so heartless, so stupid?

"I looked away for less than a minute and she was gone," Michael said tonelessly. "When I came into that bathroom and found you... There was so much blood, I... I really thought... I thought I lost you, Snowy. It was my sister all over again, only it was worse because... because it was you and you... you..."

"It wasn't like that," Snow said softly. "You didn't... It was me, my fault." She took his hand and clutched it desperately to her chest. "Mike, I'm so sorry. I never even thought about your sister, I... I should have realized. I'm sorry, please... please, don't blame yourself for this. I didn't think... I didn't... I love you, Michael. I never meant to hurt you, especially not like this."

"But you did," said Michael. He blinked furiously, but still a tear ran down his cheek. "Snow, my... my life was very different before I met you. You changed me for the better. You made me realize that I could be someone... better. If I lost you, if... If I didn't have you, Snowy, I'd be a shell of who I am now. If I didn't have you..." If it was possible, Snow clutched his hand even tighter.

"You have me," Snow told him with so much sincerity in her voice. She held his hand to her chest with both of hers, clinging tightly as though if she let go he might slip away forever. "You have me, okay? You always will have me. There's nothing you could say or do that would make me stop loving you, and... I promise, I'm not going to hurt myself again. I'm going through the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with, and I don't know if... I barely know who I am anymore, but I want to live. More to the point, I want to live with you. You might just be the one bright spot left in my life... and I hurt you. I'm..."

"It's okay," said Michael, clearing his throat loudly and leaning in the kiss her on her forehead. "I know how much you're hurting. It's not fair of me to be so... I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean to hurt any of us. You just wanted to stop your own pain. I can understand that."

"So... so we're okay?" Snow asked. The second it took him to answer felt like an eternity to Snow. She had been telling the truth before. He was the only thing in her life that brought her any happiness. She couldn't lose Michael. If that happened, she really would have lost everything. 

“We’re okay,” he told her softly. “I can’t be mad, I… Just promise me you won’t ever do this again. If you need to talk to someone, I know your parents will arrange it. We can get you help if you…”

“Maybe,” Snow said quickly. She wasn’t at all sure about that idea. She didn’t like the thought of having to go and chat with a therapist. Then again, she was getting nowhere on her own. Maybe talking to someone, a professional, might help. “I’m not sure if I want to talk to anyone, but… but maybe.”

“Whatever you need, love,” Michael assured her. “There are a lot of people out in the waiting room that are supporting you. We’re all here for you.”

“I know,” said Snow. She wasn’t sure who else she wanted to see or if she wanted to see anyone at all. She knew her friends would be worried, but all she really wanted was her parents. She suddenly felt she had to talk to them, to explain it all so much better than she had earlier. She knew they were confused and scared and she wanted to reassure them that she wasn’t going to hurt herself again.

“Could you get my moms, please?” She asked Michael. He nodded and leaned in to kiss her. There was so much more passion behind the kiss than Snow had been expecting. It was as though Michael wanted to impress upon her just how much he loved her, but then she realized the truth. He didn’t believe her. He still thought she might try to hurt herself again and the kiss was a silent plea for her to keep fighting. It broke her heart, but she knew she had brought it on herself. She wondered, though, would anyone believe her?

She seriously doubted anyone would. So, how to make them believe? She didn't want to hurt herself again. Although she hadn't wanted to hurt herself this time, she had simply done it. She had needed a way out and it was the only choice she could see. Now, she needed another one. There were people all around her that loved her and wanted her to be safe and happy, so that's what she would give them. That's what she would pour all of her energy into. She would convince them, every one of them, that she was okay.

It would be the greatest lie she had ever told and likely would ever tell. She would bury all of her pain so deep inside that no one but her would know it was there. She would hide it, all of it, from every living soul. She would make them believe that she was okay. Michael needed to believe that. Her parents and her friends all needed to believe that, so that's what she would give them. She had hurt them terribly, but she could make up for it. She could make them all believe she was doing just fine, even as she fell apart. It was a band-aid, she knew that, but it was all she had.

Moments after Michael left the room, Snow’s phone chimed. She struggled to keep tears from forming in her eyes as she reached for it, confident that it would be JTG threatening her again and she had no energy left for that right then. It was not, however, from JTG.

Snow… oh Snow, I’m so sorry for everything. I wish I could be there to help you through this, but I can’t. One day I hope you’ll understand why. Just… be strong. You are so strong, stronger than you know. Fight, Snow. Don’t ever give up. I’m going to include a snippet from one of my favorite songs. It has a special place in my heart now, a lot of meaning. I hope it gives you strength –S

‘Shadows fall and hope has fled.
Steel your heart, the dawn will come.
The night is long and the path is dark.
Look to the sky for one day soon,
The dawn will come.’

-.-

Mary sat in the waiting area between Nikki and Clara, both of whom had not spoken since Kayla had visited them. They had waited downstairs until Sophia, Alana, and Brad had arrived and then together they had gone upstairs and waited with Michael until Kayla and Ariana had come out of Snow’s room and sent Michael inside.

Since then, they had sat in relative silence. Kayla and Ariana talked quietly with Alana and Sophia in the row of seats across from them, while Brad lingered near the large windows that looked down upon the parking lot. Michael came out at one point and spoke quietly with Kayla and Ariana, who returned to Snow's room. Eventually, Mary found she could sit there no longer and went over to Brad. He smiled when he saw her coming and draped his arm securely around her shoulders the moment she reached him.

"Hey, Marilyn," said Brad, earning himself a sharp jab in the ribs.

"Don't ever call me Marilyn," Mary hissed hotly. "It's a horrible name. Not that Mary's much better, but it's not as bad as Marilyn."

"There's nothing wrong with Marilyn," said Brad pointedly. "It's a bit of an older name, but so is Brad."

"It's nice," said Mary, shaking her head. "It's nice that we can stand here, chatting about something as simple as our names when... when Snow's..."

"Hey, don't worry about Snow," said Brad gently. "She's a tough kid from what I've seen of her. She'll pull through."

"Yeah," Mary muttered. "I'm not worried about her living through this. Obviously, she's doing fine. I'm worried about... you know, next time. If she tries again and no one's there to... Or if she does something like... Brad, Kayla has guns. What if next time she..." She found she couldn't say the words. The image of Snow from Halloween, when she picked up JTG's gun and placed the barrel against her temple and pulled the trigger, flooded her mind.

"Look, I don't know what Snow's likely to do, but..." Brad was interrupted by a commotion across the room. At the other end of the waiting area, another set of doors opened and Jackson and Steven entered. Mary knew what was about to happen moments before it took place. It surprised her, and yet still she had known the second she had laid eyes on Jackson what he was about to do.

“You!” He screamed, pointing furiously at Michael. Jackson stormed over to Michael, his hand balling into a fist as he walked. “You… she almost died, you… you fucking fuck!” He walked right up to Michael and punched him squarely in the side of his head. To Michael’s credit, he only staggered backward slightly from the blow and he did not retaliate, much to Mary’s surprise. Pleased though she was to see Michael get punched in the face, she knew Jackson was in the wrong. Michael had done nothing to hurt Snow. What she had chosen to do wasn’t his fault.

“You were supposed to protect her, you son of a bitch!” Jackson yelled, his face scrunched up in rage. Steven leapt forward and seized Jackson’s arm and attempted to pull him back, but Jackson wrenched his arm from Steven’s grasp. “You almost let her die. She was in your fucking care and you left her alone. How could you? Couldn’t you see she needed you? You just walked away and left her there?”

“Jackson…” Clara said quietly, attempting to calm him. “Jackson, this isn’t Michael’s fault, he didn’t…”

“The fuck it isn’t,” Jackson growled, turning furiously to face her. For one wild moment Mary actually thought Jackson was going to punch her too. “It’s absolutely his fault. He was supposed to be watching her. She’s his fucking girlfriend, right? We almost lost her because you didn’t do your damn job.” Mary had been waiting for Michael to say something, to defend himself against Jackson’s attacks. To her great surprise, he said nothing.

“Or maybe she’s not as important to you as I thought,” Jackson said sagely. “Maybe there’s not much between you after all. She’s never even told you she loves you, has she? I’m pretty sure you haven’t slept together either. I guess I win in that category, huh?” That, it seemed, had struck a nerve.

“Snow told me about your one time together,” Michael snapped. “From what she says, all you managed to do was bend her over a table. So no, you’re right. We haven’t slept together. We’re waiting until we both feel its right. When it does, I promise I’ll be taking good care of her. It’ll be about what she wants and needs instead of treating her like a whore you picked up on the side of the road. Snow’s a lady, Jackson. Maybe try treating her like one.”

Mary couldn’t help but feel a sudden rush of appreciation for Michael, despite how much she hated it. He certainly sounded sincere to her and that… well, she wasn’t at all sure what it meant, but it meant something; It made her think that maybe there was some good in Michael after all. Then again, if Snow loved him there almost had to be, even if Mary herself couldn’t see it.

“What the hell is going on out here?” Kayla demanded, returning from Snow’s room, no doubt drawn by the sound of the fighting. When no one spoke, Kayla's eyes narrowed angrily. "Well? Everyone suddenly gone mute then? Jackson, I heard a lot of your voice a moment ago. You want to tell me why you're screaming at the top of your voice?" In Kayla's presence Jackson seemed to have calmed somewhat. Judging from the look of positive outrage on Kayla's face, Mary couldn't blame him.

"I was..." Jackson began, but Clara cut him off.

"He was accusing Michael of being responsible for Snow's... for Snow... for her trying to kill herself."

"He left her alone," Jackson said, his voice trembling with anger. "He left her when he knew she was devastated, he should have..."

"Did you see this coming?" Kayla asked him, crossing her arms. "I didn't and I'm her mother. I let her go stay with Michael because I thought that's where she needed to be. I never imagined she would do this and it's downright idiotic to say Michael should have either. Now, Jackson you're welcome to stay here if you shut the fuck up. But otherwise, you need to go. I don't need this today. My family doesn't need this today. Snow doesn't need this today. Hush and be supportive or get the hell out." Kayla didn't bother waiting for a reply. She turned on her heel and marched back toward Snow's room. Jackson had a quick, hushed conversation with Steven before the latter guided him rather insistently from the room. 

Mary, feeling suddenly quite claustrophobic in the confines of the waiting room, went to stand in the hallway. She leaned against the wall in the corridor outside of the waiting room. She had been so surprised by Jackson's reaction and even more surprised by Michael's calmness and his... she wasn't sure what to call it. His... classiness, she supposed was a good word. The way he had spoken about Snow, it had surprised her. If he was being honest, and she felt he was,  it had definitely given her something to think about.

The door to the waiting room opened across the hall and Michael stepped through it. He froze when he saw Mary standing alone in the hallway. His eyes widened and he glanced up and down the corridor as though he expected to be attacked at any moment. Mary, however, noticed something quite strange. The sudden jolt in her stomach that she usually felt whenever she saw Michael didn't happen then. In fact, she felt nothing upon seeing him, upon finding herself alone with him. He didn't scare her anymore. He couldn't hurt her any more than JTG could. Michael was the least of her worries.

She wasn't concerned with him. What he had done... it was in the past. There was nothing he could do to her now. From the look on his face, however, he seemed much more scared of her than she had ever been of him. He didn't seem to want to leave the safety of the waiting room doorway, but at last he eased his way out into the hallway.

"Hi," he said quietly, giving her a half wave.

"Hi," Mary replied, completely nonplussed by his discomfort. "Long day, huh?"

"Yeah," said Michael, nodding toward Snow's door. "She, uh... When I saw her, I thought... I mean, I thought she was... I thought I was too late to..." He broke off, shaking his head weakly. Mary stared at him, chewing her lower lip absently. She actually felt a degree of sadness for him. She wasn't sure why, but seeing him so upset, to actually see tears shining in his eyes, it tugged at her heart in ways she had never expected.

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly. He looked up at her and Mary noticed that he was actually crying.

"For what?" Mary asked him. Surely he wasn't apologizing for...

"You know for what," Michael replied. "I'm sorry. I can't... I wish I could explain why. I want to make you understand, but... It doesn't matter, I... I'm just really sorry, Mary."

"Why now?" Mary found she was suddenly quite angry. Why would he come to her with some cock and bull apology now? After threatening to kill her and Sara both if they ever said anything? It made no sense. "Seriously, why are you doing this now? Today?"

"It doesn't matter," said Michael, shaking his head. "It just... it doesn't matter." He turned and walked away without another word.

"Wait," Mary called after him. He paused, glancing back at her over his shoulder. "You told me you would kill me if I said anything. You said you'd kill Sara too. No one else knows about that but me. I'm not afraid of you anymore, Michael. I was, but not anymore. I'm afraid of JTG. I'm afraid that my best friend is so devastated that she's going to cut her wrist open again and actually kill herself this time. But you... I'm not afraid of you. There's nothing you can do to me. I don't know if you killed Sara or not, but...  but if you ever hurt Snow... if you ever hurt anyone ever again I'll make sure everyone knows what you did... and what you said." Mary turned on her heel and stormed off, but Michael's next words caused her to freeze in her tracks.

"I don't want you to be," he said softly. "Scared of me, I mean. I... I don't want you to be afraid of me. You don't need to be, I... Just... please, don't tell anyone. Not for me... for Snow. I don't know what that would do to her, but it would hurt her and I know you don't want that."

"I'll keep your secret," said Mary sharply. "I'm giving you a chance to earn it. You only get one shot." She turned again and left Michael standing there in the hallway alone. She rounded the corner at the end of the corridor and only then did she let out all the emotions she had been holding in. She leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. She hadn't been lying. She wasn't afraid of Michael, but the memories of what he had done, of how she had felt still haunted her. She suspected they always would.

"Mary?" A soft, concerned voice called out. Mary looked up and saw Snow standing in the doorway of her hospital room, watching her with eyes filled with worry. It was the first time she had seen Snow since her suicide attempt. In fact, it was the first time she had seen Snow since they had parted at school the day before. It seemed like a million years ago and Snow looked so drastically different. Her usually well maintained hair was a tangled mess and her skin was so pale she looked like a ghost. Her eyes were bloodshot and sleepy and although Snow was always small, she seemed if possible smaller somehow, as though the weight of everything she was dealing with had withered her.

"Hey... hey, Snowflake," Mary said, doing her best to shake off her meeting with Michael for Snow's benefit. She made to move toward her, but paused, unsure. "I... I... Are you okay? I... I don't really know what to say, I... You really scared us and I..."

"I'm okay," Snow said reassuringly, giving Mary a thin smile that looked extremely forced. "Well... no, I'm not okay. I'm a long way for being okay, but..." She held up her arm, showing her the bandages. "I'm not going to do this again, if that's what you wanted to know."

"I... Well, yeah, that's the main thing," said Mary nervously. Without any warning at all, Mary burst into tears and lunged forward, pulling Snow into a tight hug. She had held it together as long as she could. Every agonizing moment of the last few months flooded out of her all at once. Michael. Sara. JTG. Ariana. Snow. All of it had slowly, deliberately eaten away at her and she couldn't hold it back any longer.

“Hey… hey, shhh…. Shhh, it’s okay sweetie,” Snow said softly, hugging Mary just as tightly. The irony of the moment was not lost on Mary even as she stood there sobbing in Snow’s arms. Snow had just learned that her mother, her only blood relative in the entire world, was going to die and instead of comforting Snow, she, Mary, was being comforted by Snow. She felt immensely stupid but still she so desperately needed it.

“You’re really amazing,” Mary said stuffily when she drew away from Snow at last. “With everything you’re going through… here you are comforting me.”

“I can’t think about what I’m going through,” said Snow. Mary could see the flood of tears she was only just managing to hold back shining in her eyes. “I just… Mary, I can’t. I can’t let myself think about it, especially not like I was yesterday or I really will try to kill myself again. If I don’t focus my attention on something else, anything else… It’s the only way I’ll be able to keep going.” 

"That doesn't stop you from being amazing," said Mary firmly. "You've always been amazing. You're just... you're you. It makes me look up to you that much more. I mean, on top of being smart, beautiful..."

"You put way too much importance on beauty, Mary," Snow said pointedly. "Way too much. It doesn't get you anywhere, not really. Also, you're just as smart as I am. Hell, you might be smarter... and you need to get this through your head. You are beautiful, Mary. You just hide it." Snow reached up and pulled the elastic hair band out of Mary's hair, letting her black locks fall free.

"Those gray eyes, that black hair... You are beautiful, Mary. Striking. You've just got to let it show. You've got to be proud of who you are and how you look. If you want a makeover, I think we can do that... but I can't give you self-esteem."

Mary didn't quite know how to respond. She had to admit that she had practically no self-esteem. It wasn't hard to see why that was. Her family had never encouraged her or supported her. She had never learned to love herself and she had always been quite hard on herself as well. That and being surrounded by rich, popular, and gorgeous friends didn't help improve her self image. It was a difficult thing to overcome.

"I don't really... I don't want a makeover, I just..." Mary sighed and shook her head. "I don't want to think about any of this today. I'm too tired to worry about it."

"I'm too tired to do much of anything," Snow agreed. "But we're not done with this conversation." She gestured toward the door to her room and together they went inside. Snow hopped up onto the edge of the bed while Mary sank into a chair nearby. Mary suddenly found that she was rather uncomfortable. She wanted to talk to Snow about what had happened, about her suicide attempt, but she knew Snow didn't want to discuss it. Talking about anything else, as though nothing had happened, seemed even worse than addressing it. She was saved having to strike up a conversation when the door opened and Nikki and Clara came in.

"Hey," said Clara, as she and Nikki gathered around Snow's bed. They both seemed to want to hug her, but like Mary, they appeared unsure if they should. "Hey, how do you feel? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Snow and Mary could sense quite clearly that she was tired of people asking her that. She was sure her parents and Michael had asked her and she, Mary, had asked her as well. That was sure to be a hard question for her to answer, especially considering that the truth was she wasn't fine at all. "Well, at least I don't intend to do this again." She added, holding up her arm as she had done for Mary.

"You... you really scared us, Snow," said Nikki shakily. Snow nodded, looking quite embarrassed.

"I scared myself," she told them quietly. "I don't... I didn't want..."

"You don't have to explain anything, sweetie," Nikki said kindly, patting Snow gently on her forearm. "We get it."

"I'm glad, because I don't," said Snow. "It just... it had to stop." None of them had the heart to ask her what had to stop. Mary certainly had a good guess, however. She suspected the others could as well. "I thought if I... Well, it was the only way I could think of to make it all stop. But when I realized I was really dying, I... I've never been more scared. I don't want to die, guys. I don't know how I'm going to keep living, not with this... but I know I don't want to die. I just... I don't want to talk about it right now. I need to... to not think about it for a while."

"Well, that... that's good," said Clara, exchanging a nervous glance with Nikki and Mary. "We... well, we're all here for you. Just... if there's anything you need, we can... We'll help you through this..."

Mary thought Clara was doing about as good a job at making Snow feel better as she herself had. Snow however seemed oblivious to their discomfort. In fact, Snow seemed to be almost completely inside her own head, emerging only when spoken to and only long enough to make a reply then retreating back to some safe place none of them could see. It was in her eyes that Mary could see it. She seemed to come back from somewhere really far away, only to vanish again once silence fell. She suspected it was the method Snow was using to protect herself. Grieving, acting out, spiraling out of control, obviously none of that was working. Instead, Snow was retreating into her own mind and hiding there. For the time being it might work, but Mary was deeply troubled that before long Snow would implode once again.

"So... we have a plan," said Nikki slowly, seemingly unsure if she should even broach the topic. "To... to do that thing we're supposed to be doing. Steven's pretty sure he can get us in. He's confident..."

"Overconfident," said Clara dryly. "Very overconfident, actually. But we don't have any other options, so... so I guess we're going ahead with this. I don't suppose you want to come?"

"No, I think you can handle it just fine without me," said Snow plainly. "Especially now. I'm not exactly in the right state of mind for this. But you can do it. If Steven's that sure... I trust Steven. He wouldn't risk any of our safety. I just hope you find something we can use. Speaking of Steven, where is he? And Jackson too, did they...?"

"They..." Clara began before breaking off nervously. "They were here..."

"But?" Snow wondered, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Jackson... Okay, Jackson came in earlier and, well he's more than a little pissed," Nikki explained. "He confronted Michael, blamed him for what happened."

"He said Michael should have been watching you," Mary added, well aware that telling Snow this was only going to upset her that much more. "He was yelling and swearing and... and he... he punched Michael."

"Damn it," Snow groaned, holding her face in her hands. "Damn it, Jackson. I swear, I am going to kill him. It wasn't Michael's fault, he didn't... God, he's upset enough as it is."

"He really seemed to take all of this really hard," said Clara. Snow nodded sadly.

"Yeah... Look, can you promise what I'm about to tell you never leaves this room?" Snow asked. "I'm not sure Michael wants anyone to know." Her friends all nodded. "Okay... When Michael was a boy, his parents left him to watch his little sister while she swam. He took his eyes off of her for just a minute and she drowned. He's blamed himself ever since and this, finding me like he did... it hurt him. He's struggling with something he's blamed himself for all these years and what I did just brought all those feelings to the surface."

"That's horrible," said Mary quietly. "I... I don't know what to say." What could she say? Her first thought was one of vindictive pleasure that Michael had suffered and was continuing to do so. She almost immediately regretted that thought. It was awful to find joy in a little girl's death despite what it caused Michael to feel. Even then, it had happened so long ago, well before Michael had raped her. She wouldn't be happy about what had happened, she couldn't. It was wrong... it might even be cruel. Regardless, she was learning quite a lot about Michael that day. It had all given her a very great deal to think about. She wondered more and more who Michael really was. She wasn't sure either she or Snow had the full picture. 

"Yeah, that..." Snow began. She broke off, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. "He's carried all this guilt with him all of his life and when he found me it brought all of it back up and he's... he says he's okay, but..." She paused again, her eyes narrowing. "Is he still here?" She asked, climbing out of bed. "I need to see him."

-.-

Snow wandered the halls for nearly ten minutes before she finally found Michael sitting alone on a bench near a fountain outside. Snow walked slowly along the path through the small memorial garden toward the bubbling fountain. She reached him and moved to sit down before he noticed her.

"Oh... hey, what are you doing out here?" He asked in a very false cheery voice, hastily wiping his eyes but he couldn't hide the fact that he had been crying. His chocolate brown eyes were quite bloodshot.

"I talked to my friends and they told me what Jackson said," Snow told him quietly, gently taking his hand. "I... I'm really sorry, he... he had no right to do that."

"It's not your fault, Snow," said Michael dismissively. "You didn't do it, it's not you. It's... me. Jackson... he was right."

"No, he wasn't," Snow insisted. She slid off of the bench and knelt down on the ground in front of him, holding both of his hands in hers. She looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes.  "Michael, Jackson was wrong. He was so wrong. I made the choice to pick up that razor and cut my wrist open. Just because I was at your house doesn't mean you're responsible. If I was at home, I would have done the same thing. My parents would have had to leave me at some point and I would have done it. Hell, I could have done it at night when they were sleeping. I made a choice, Michael. I chose to end my life. You had nothing to do with that. What I did is not your fault, so don't you dare let Jackson get into your head and make you believe it is."

Michael stared down at her when she fell silent and Snow stared back just as hard. He had to understand, he just had to. Michael needed to believe she would be okay and that what had happened wasn't his fault. She couldn't let him blame himself. It wasn't fair. She couldn't let him believe that.

"Please, Michael," Snow whispered, positively begging him. "I can't let you do this to yourself. I don't want to see you torture yourself like this."

"I torture myself everyday already, Snow," said Michael quietly. "I just... don't let you see it. My sister, little Riley, she... everything I do is in service to her... to make up for that failure. I'll never make up for it, though. I'll never do enough good to pay for what I let happen to her."

"Mike..." Snow began sadly. It wasn't right what he was putting himself through. He didn't need to make up for his sister's death. It was an accident. He had just been a little boy, he shouldn't have to carry that. It wasn't fair.

"I get it, Snow," he interrupted her. "I know what you did... I don't think I could have stopped you, but... but it's hard not to see that as another failure. It's a step back, a big one. I've tried to make up for my failure, I've tried to protect everyone I care about but I let you get hurt and... and that's like a knife through my soul. I have to be able to protect you, Snowy. If I can't, then..."

"Hey," Snow said quickly, squeezing his hands firmly. "You can't protect me from everything. No one can." She reached up and ran her fingers through his dark hair, all of her energy to keep fighting this fight to convince Michael completely sapped. She would tackle that problem tomorrow. She leaned forward, arching her neck to kiss him. Michael hesitated for a long moment before finally kissing her back. When they broke apart, a thought had occurred to Snow.

"Hey... when I get out of here tomorrow do you want to see something? There's a piece of my life I've never taken you to see. I want to share it with you."

"What it is?" Michael asked, his eyes clouded with curiosity. Snow smiled serenely.

"My home."  

45: Chapter XLV: Pretty Little Burglars

Snow returned to her room, hand in hand with Michael. They had each silently resolved not to continue their conversation from earlier. It wasn’t doing either of them any good to keep going back and forth over it. Snow knew that this wasn’t about her, not really. It was about Riley, Michael’s sister. It would take a lot more than a few promises and happy words to ease Michael’s guilty conscience. She couldn’t fix that in a single afternoon. She wasn’t sure she could fix it at all. Some things, once broken, can never be repaired.

When Snow opened the door to her room, she found her parents sitting on the edge of her bed waiting for her. They looked up anxiously when she entered and Snow realized she would probably have to get used to seeing that expression on their faces. As bad as she had hurt Michael, what she had done to her parents was that much worse.

“Can we… have a minute?” Snow whispered to Michael who nodded and left, pausing only to kiss the top of her head.

“Is he okay?” Kayla asked when the door swung shut behind Michael. Snow shrugged, walking slowly over to sit between them.

“He’s… dealing with some stuff,” said Snow. “He’s dealing with a lot of stuff, but… yeah; I think he’ll be okay.”

“What about you?” Ariana asked. “Are you okay?”

“No,” Snow replied, but she remembered her earlier resolution and she forced a smile onto her face. “But… I will be.”  Kayla and Ariana exchanged a nervous glance, but otherwise said nothing. Snow knew she wasn’t going to convince them of anything so quickly, and therefore would have to keep her ruse going. It would be hard, probably far harder than she had imagined, but it was the only way forward. She had to shove all of her feelings, her pain, her emotions, her heartache, everything down so deep that it couldn’t hurt her. She had to stop feeling. She realized then that killing herself wasn’t the answer. She had to die inside.

“Wow, I’m really horrible,” Snow said suddenly, turning to Ariana. “After everything… I never even asked how you’re handling this. I’m sorry, I should have…”

“No, it’s okay,” said Ariana hurriedly. “Sweetie, I… I’ve had some time to, you know, think things through and I… I’m okay. I’m not afraid, not of what’s happening to me anyway. I never expected to have a life at all, so every day I’ve spent free of my father is a blessing. Each one is a day I never should have had. I guess I’ve found some peace in that.”

That too gave Snow a tiny speck of peace. Knowing that her mother wasn’t afraid, that she was handling this just as she had come to expect her to handle anything that came her way gave Snow a degree of comfort. She realized that Ariana could be lying for her benefit, as she, Snow, was doing for her parents. Regardless, Snow refused to acknowledge that possibility.

“Um… Snowy?” Kayla said softly. “Ari and I were talking and… well, we thought that maybe you might want to talk to someone? You know, a professional. Someone who could help you… process everything.”

Snow knew what that meant. It was exactly what Michael had suggested. They wanted to take her to a psychiatrist. They wanted to see if she was crazy. She didn’t like the idea, but if she refused she knew it would make them all the more uneasy around her. She had to agree to the plan, no matter how much the idea of sharing all of her pain and grief with a stranger made her want to cry.

“Okay,” Snow said after a moment, trying to sound upbeat about the idea. “I mean… yeah, that… that might be good for me. It might help.”

“Good,” said Ariana, sounding highly relieved. “I’ve actually already spoken to someone. He’s... an old friend. I think he’ll be able to help you.” Snow laid back across the bed, staring up at the ceiling. What she wanted more than anything, what she thought would make her feel better was to get out of the hospital. She hated hospitals when she was just visiting, but being trapped in there was making her feel claustrophobic.

“When can I go home?” She asked, looking back and forth between her mothers.

“Tomorrow morning,” Ariana promised. “I know you don’t like it here, baby, but the doctor wants to keep you overnight for observation and we both agree with them. But we’re going to stay here with you all night.”

“Thanks,” Snow said gratefully. She didn’t want to be alone, or at least she didn’t right then. It was strange, but she often found that when she was around people she wanted to be alone, but as soon as she was left to her own devices, she immediately wished she had someone to talk to. Still, she quickly realized that she needed someone around her. If she had company, she couldn’t as easily slip back into that spiraling trap that had led her to suicide. She had to fight against that, but if she lost herself to it again she wasn’t sure she would be able to escape. “Hey… I wanted to ask. I want to talk Michael to the warehouse once I’m released. He’s never been there and I… I want to do something special for him. All of this… I hurt him really bad and… and I need to show him that I’m not going to do it again. You guys know I don’t share the warehouse with just anybody. I want him to see that he’s… special.”

Kayla and Ariana both glanced at each other, and Snow recognized their way of silently communicating with each other. In an instant, they had just held a conversation with nothing but their eyes and facial expressions. They knew each other far better than Snow had ever known anyone. Still, Snow knew she wasn’t going to get a straight answer right then and her mother instantly proved her right.

“We’ll talk about it,” said Kayla.

-.-

“I have never in my life had less of an idea of what to say,” said Clara as she, Nikki, and Mary walked out of the hospital and toward Nikki’s car much later that evening. Seeing Snow like that, so broken and lost, it had shaken Clara deeply. No doubt, it had shaken all of them. Clara hadn’t known how to act around Snow. She felt as though whatever she said or did would be the wrong thing. She had never been around someone she knew was suicidal before. She wasn’t at all sure how she was expected to behave. She didn’t know what Snow wanted from them.

“I felt the same way,” said Nikki. “I was afraid that whatever I said would be the absolute wrong thing to say and I’d seem awful. I wanted to hug her and comfort her, but I wasn’t sure if she would even…” Nikki trailed off absently as they reached her car and got in. “What do we do now? I mean… really, what do we do? We’ve lost Sara, we’re losing Snow. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Jackson after what he did. What do we do?”

“We carry on,” said Mary from the backseat as Nikki started the car. “We do this thing with Miranda’s parents’ house and we get some answers. There’s nothing we can do for Snow about Ariana, that’s… that’s up to her. We can love her and support her, but she’s got to heal on her own. But I still believe we can take some of the weight off of her shoulders if we find JTG.”

“Will it, though?” Clara asked. “Just because we find out who JTG is… that doesn’t solve our problem. JTG will still be out there and if we try to expose her.”

“Mutually assured destruction,” Mary said quietly. “That’s what we’ll be looking at. M.A.D. We’ll be able to destroy JTG, but she’ll be able to do the same to us.”

“But maybe that will be enough,” said Nikki hopefully. “I mean, maybe if we have a bargaining chip as powerful as JTG’s identity, maybe we can convince her to leave us alone.” Clara didn’t think that was very likely at all. JTG didn’t seem the type to respond well to negotiations. In fact, she suspected that if they did discover JTG’s identity, everything would get much worse for all of them.

She didn’t voice this opinion, however. It would do them no good to wear down any hope they had. If Nikki wanted to believe that, Clara had to let her. It was certainly possible that JTG would back down at the threat of exposure, but Clara felt she knew JTG well enough to expect her to have a backup plan for that eventuality. One way or another, they would find out the truth the next afternoon.

Unfortunately for Clara, the next afternoon arrived far too soon for her liking. The morning had flown by, as had the early afternoon. The girls had meet up with Jackson and Steven before school to briefly go over the plan. Nothing had been said of Jackson’s behavior at the hospital the day before. That, the girls had all agreed, was Snow’s problem to deal with. After school, they had driven across town to the Sinclair’s home. Clara spent the entire ride over doing her best to keep her hands from shaking. She was terrified by what they were about to do, and yet still she knew that they had to do it.

"There's no way we're getting away with this," said Nikki as Steven eased his car to a stop across the street and a few doors down from the Sinclair's house.
Clara didn't say anything in response to Nikki’s comment, but she completely agreed with it. They didn't know the first thing about breaking and entering. Even with Steven and all of his hacking skills working for them, they still had no way to know when Tony or Rachel might return. They would have next to no advance warning with only Steven waiting in the car monitoring the security system to alert them.

"We have to try," said Mary firmly. "This is our only lead. We've got to try.” Clara wished she had Mary's enthusiasm for this plan. She doubted Mary had much more faith in it than she did, but she just seemed so... Clara couldn't find the word, but Mary had suddenly become a different, more confident person in a very short space of time.

“It’ll be fine,” said Steven, turning in his seat to face the three girls in the back of the car. Jackson, sitting in the passenger seat, arched his eyebrows questioningly but otherwise made no comment. “Trust me; I know what I’m doing. I’ll be right here on my computer and keeping watch.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out four small earpieces. “Here, put those on. I’ll be able to stay in contact with you. If I see anyone coming, I’ll let you know and you can get out. Meanwhile, I’m going to monitor the security system to make sure it stays off while you’re in there. They’ve got motion sensors in there, so I want to make sure everything stays offline while you’re inside.”

“Since you’re so confident in this plan, how about you come inside with us?” said Clara in a daring tone. “If we get caught, you can just drive away without any trouble if you’re sitting out here.”

“Because I’m the only one that can properly monitor the security system,” Steven explained. “I’ve got no problem going inside, but I’ll have to drag my computer with me and then sit at a table watching it the whole time. I won’t be much use searching the house and someone will still have to stay here to keep watch. It makes more sense for me to do both while the four of you search.”

“Is it bad that him being right has just made me even more pissed off?” Clara demanded.

“Let’s just go and get this over with,” said Nikki, snatching the earpieces out of Steven’s hand and passing them around to the others. “I want to be done with this as quickly as possible.”

“I’ll stay in contact with you the whole time,” said Steven reassuringly. “I’m monitoring MFPD alerts as well, so if they dispatch a car to this address, I’ll know about it. Oh, and here… take this.” He pressed a flash drive into Jackson’s hand. “JTG is sure to be using computers of some sort to do all of their spying on us. I haven’t quite figured out how, but she’s got to be. If you find any computers in there just stick that in one of the USB ports and press Enter. It’ll copy all the files on the hard drive for us to look through later. You won’t have time to do it while you’re in there, plus if there is evidence that they’re JTG we’ll need copies of it to show the police.” 

Clara, Mary, Nikki, and Jackson got out of the car and walked across the street, each of them doing there best not to seem suspicious. They made their way into a deserted alleyway between the Sinclair’s house and the house next door. The neighbor’s house had a large privacy fence around the yard, concealing them from view from anyone looking out of a window. The Sinclair house however wasn’t fenced in at all, although the backyard was partially obscured by a large row of hedges that ran along the path to the back door.

“Check one two,” said Steven through their earpieces. “Hey, you guys there?”

“Yeah, we’re here,” said Clara, glancing back in the direction of the car. “Do you have the security system shut off yet?”

“Yeah, almost there,” Steven replied. “Just want to make sure I don’t miss anything.”

“I’m sure we’d all appreciate that,” said Jackson. “But if you could make it quick… we look awfully suspicious just chilling down this alley.”

“You can’t rush perfection, my friend,” said Steven airily.

“I’m not rushing perfection, jackass, I’m rushing you,” Jackson shot back.

“Okay, okay,” said Steven wearily. “Relax, I’ve got you guys. Annnnnnnd… there! Got it. One security system deactivated. I swear, these whole home security systems are so stupid. Electronic locks? Really? One hacker good enough and… yep, there we go. Back door’s open, my friends. Happy hunting.”

“And you’re sure it’s off?” Nikki asked as they walked along the garden path to the door.

“Nikki, my love, you really must learn to trust me,” said Steven proudly. “We’re golden. Get in there and figure out if these bastards are JTG. I’ll keep watch and let you know if I see anything.”

“Meanwhile, we’ll be quick,” said Clara. “The less time we spend in here, the better.” The reached the backdoor and Clara placed her hand on the doorknob. She squeezed her eyes shut, said a quick, silent prayer that Steven was as good as he thought he was, and turned it. The door swung open onto a darkened laundry room. There were no alarms or anything to indicate that Steven had not been successful. All was quiet.

“Well done, buddy,” said Jackson proudly. “We’re in.”

“Good,” Steven replied. “Get to it.”

“Okay, we should probably split up,” said Clara thoughtfully. “It’s a big house and we’ll cover more ground that way.”

“Yeah, because splitting up never ends badly in the movies,” said Nikki nervously. She rolled her eyes. “Fine, let’s split up.” Mary and Nikki agreed to remain downstairs and search there, which left the upstairs to Clara and Jackson. They left the laundry room and passed through the kitchen, leaving the others at the foot of the stairs and started climbing. When they reached the landing, they were left facing a hallway they stretched off to the left and right.

“You go left, I go right?” Clara asked. Jackson nodded.

“Sure,” he agreed. “Yell if you find something.”

“Yeah… or if something tries to kill me,” said Clara quietly. “Jacks… we could be in JTG’s house.”

“I’m really trying not to think about that,” said Jackson just as quietly. Clara set off alone along the hallway until she reached one of three doors. Two of them, directly across the hall from each other, were closed. The farthest one at the end of the hall was open, revealing a bathroom. Deciding JTG wasn’t likely to keep evidence of her stalking activities in the shower, she decided to tackle the other rooms first.

She chose to start with the door on her left. She eased the door open and found herself in what was likely meant to be a bedroom, but had been converted into an office. There was a desk in front of the window and a row of file cabinets along the wall to her left. She walked over to the file cabinets and glanced at the label on one of the drawers.

"Case files..." Clara said quietly to herself. She knew Tony was a lawyer and clearly this was his home office. She pulled open one of the drawers and flipped through its contents. The files were sorted by date, but a quick check of the date of the first JTG texts, Sara's murder, and Miranda's death turned up nothing. She didn't have time to search all of the cabinets, so instead she turned her attention to Tony's computer.

She sat down in Tony's chair and powered on the computer. She was soon greeted with the welcome screen and found herself scrolling around the desktop. Surprised and somewhat suspicious that she hadn't been asked for a password, Clara suddenly felt something was wrong. This was Tony's work computer. There would doubtlessly be client information stored on it, so why wouldn't he protect it with a password?"

"Could be he figures no one's going to get into his house," said Steven when Clara voiced her concerns.

"Maybe, but it makes me feel like this is...  I don't know," Clara muttered grimly.

“Some people are just that lazy,” said Steven. “I don’t think its anything to worry about. Hey, Jackson? Drop what you’re doing and take that flash drive over to Clara and run that program. I want to sift through Tony’s stuff later, see what turns up.”

“I’m already here,” said Jackson, appearing at the doorway. He made his way over to the computer and inserted the flash drive. “Okay, I just have to press Enter, right?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Steven confirmed. “The program will run itself from there. One of you should keep an eye on it, though. It can be a little… finicky.”

“Finicky?” Jackson repeated dryly.

“Yeah,” said Steven. “You know, finicky. Fussy, picky, particular…”

“I know what it means,” Jackson snapped.

“Well, someone’s in a fine mood today,” said Steven. “Just for that, I’m gonna have you watch the program for us. Clara, you keep looking and see what else you can find. Mary? Nikki? How’re you doing?”

“Well, unless having an overabundance of potatoes in the pantry counts as suspicious, we haven’t found anything down here,” said Nikki. “The kitchen, living room, den… we even went through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. There’s nothing here, except… hey, Mary? Did you check that door there?”

“Which? That one? No, it’s locked,” Mary replied.

“There’s not much I can do about a locked door from out here,” said Steven. “Any of you know how to pick a lock?”
 
“Snow probably does,” Nikki commented. “She tends to know weird stuff like that. As for the rest of us…”

“Steve, it looks like the same kind of electronic lock that’s on the back door,” said Mary. “It’s got a keypad and everything.”

“Another lock?” Steven said curiously. They could hear him tapping away on his keyboard. “I don’t see any other… Okay, this may take a minute. Keep checking around and I’ll get back with you.”

“I’m going to go take a look in the room across the hall,” Clara told Jackson. He nodded, his attention firmly on the computer screen in front of him. Clara left him to it and went across the hall to the room opposite Tony’s office. What lay beyond the door was not at all what she had been expecting. It had clearly been Miranda’s bedroom. In fact, it appeared to still very much be Miranda’s bedroom. Clara slowly entered the room and ran her fingers across Miranda’s desk, drawing a line in the layer of dust that coated its surface.

"It's like a shrine..." Clara whispered to herself, forgetting the others could hear her.

"What is?" Jackson asked almost immediately.

"Oh... sorry," said Clara quickly. "I found Miranda's room. It doesn't look like anyone's been in here in... a long time. Maybe even since Miranda died, I can't be sure. There's dust everywhere and all of her stuff...  The room looks lived in, but... you know... not. It's almost frozen in time."

"Okay, Clara, don't go getting all sentimental on us," said Steven.

"I'm not, I just..." Clara broke off, shaking her head. She wasn't sure what it was she was feeling, but it wasn't good. She understood, in some small way, why Miranda's parents would do everything JTG had done to them if they knew the truth. Miranda had likely walked out of this room, leaving it exactly as Clara had found it, never to return. Whatever Miranda had been, she was still Tony and Rachel's daughter. They had loved her regardless.

Clara almost left the room without searching it, feeling that she had already violated this room and Miranda's memory too much already. But she knew she needed to at least take a look around no matter how uncomfortable it made her. She circled Miranda's bed, taking note of a smattering of expensive clothes lying upon it. She opened her closet and peered inside, but it was just filled with clothes and shoes. She went back to Miranda's desk and rifled through the drawers, but again she found nothing.

"If I wanted to keep something hidden..." Clara muttered quietly. "Think like Tony and Rachel... think like... no... think like Sara." That, she realized, was the best thing she could do. Sara had always been very good at hiding things. She needed to imagine where Sara might hide something. There was something there, she knew it. She wasn't sure how she knew, but somehow, some way, she knew she was close to finding something.

It was then that her gaze fell on Miranda's desk. She walked over to it and pulled out the drawers. She searched behind each one, stretching her fingers into the farthest corners and yet still she found nothing. It wasn't until she went to put the drawers back into their slots that it occurred to her. She lifted each drawer and looked beneath them. On the third drawer, she found it; a small flash drive taped to the bottom of the drawer.     

"Guys, I found something," said Clara, rushing back to Jackson where he was just finishing copying Tony's hard drive. "Plug this in," she told him, tossing the device to him.

"Where'd you find this?" He wondered, plugging the drive into the same USB port he had just taken Steven's drive out of.

"In Miranda's desk," said Clara. "It was..." She was interrupted by a video appearing on the screen. "Turn the volume up." She told Jackson as they both leaned closer to watch. It only took a moment for both of them to realize what they were seeing. Clara gasped in shock and stumbled back from the computer.

"What? What happened?" Mary asked, sounding quite frightened. "Is everything okay? Did you find something?"

"Oh, we found something," said Jackson darkly.

"Yeah," said Clara. "I... I found a flash drive in Miranda's room. There's a video on it... It's..."

"What?"

"It's of Miranda and Tony... having sex."

"I'm sorry?" Nikki exclaimed in surprise. "They're what now?"

"They seem to be enjoying themselves," Jackson observed, still watching the video with what Clara thought was an inappropriate amount of interest.

"Could you turn it off, please?" Clara asked him, determinedly avoiding looking at the screen.

"Hey, you guys?" Steven spoke up for the first time since starting to work on the lock downstairs. "This is interesting, but it doesn't have anything to do with JTG. We can figure out if Tony's a perverted child molester or if Miranda was a slut with the hots for her stepdad later. Right now, you all need to get downstairs. I think I've got this lock, but... listen, I'm a little concerned. This lock protected by a completely separate security system. It's a much beefier one than the one for the whole house. I think I've got the system disabled and I'm about to pop the lock."

Clara had to admit, Steven was right. As shocking and disturbing as she found this revelation, it wasn't a clue that would lead them to JTG. This door downstairs however seemed much more important. She took the flash drive back from Jackson and together they hurried downstairs just in time for Steven to unlock the door.

"At this point, I'm really terrified to see what's in here," said Mary fretfully. Clara nodded sincerely.

"Yeah, so am I," she said. "Steven, are we good to go in?"

"I think so," he replied. "This system is tough, but yeah... yeah, we're good."

"He's going to get us all killed," Nikki groaned as Jackson opened the door. The path beyond was shrouded in complete darkness. Jackson pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and slowly crept forward, the girls following closely behind him. Together, they descended into what they discovered was the basement. At the bottom of the small staircase Jackson found a light switch and flicked it on.

"Holy shit!" Nikki exclaimed as the lights blazed to life.

Holy shit, Clara thought, described the scene before her perfectly. Plastered on the walls around the room were hundreds of pictures. Pictures of Miranda, of Sara, of all of the girls. Each picture of Sara, Clara noticed, had a large red X drawn across it. On the far wall stood a row of shelves filled with long range hearing devices, tiny microphones and video cameras. There was a rack of black jumpsuits and ski masks in the left hand corner.

"It's them," Mary whispered, an expression of horror etched in her face. "It's... it's them. Guys, it's... Tony and Rachel... they're JTG."

"Those red X's on Sara's pictures..." said Nikki, sounding terrified. "They... My God..."

"Talk to me, people!" Steven exclaimed. "What the hell did you find?"

"Pictures," said Clara, finding her voice at last. "Pictures of Sara and Miranda and me and... and everyone. Everyone that was there the night Miranda died. They've got surveillance equipment and black outfits like the person who attacked Snow was wearing. It's them. They're the ones we've been looking for. They're JTG."

"Fuck..." Steven muttered. "I honestly didn’t think.. Oh, son of a bitch! Guys, do whatever else it is you need to do in there and do it fast. Take pictures of everything or... or whatever you want to do. I messed up. The security on that door was better than I thought. You've triggered an alarm and the police are being dispatched. You need to get the hell out of there now!"  

-.-

“Mmm, thank you,” said Sophia as Brad placed a steaming cup on coffee on the table in front of her. They were at the Mistbrook Barista, sitting together in a secluded corner by themselves. It was mid-afternoon and the Barista was relatively empty and quiet, a fact for which Sophia was immensely grateful.

The past twenty-four hours had been an emotion roller coaster for her. When Alana had told her what was happening with Ariana, she had been devastated. Ever since her father died, Sophia’s world had been very small. She had let very few people get close, for fear of losing them as she had her father. The only people she had truly invited into her close knit circle were Kayla, Ariana, Alana, and Snow. They were the people she needed and keeping only those four meant she could only be hurt in a limited number of ways.

Brad had managed to fight his way into that circle as well, but Sophia had reasoned that one more couldn’t possibly hurt. It hadn’t been until Kayla called and told her about Snow that she realized just how badly even one more could hurt. Snow was probably Sophia’s best friend in the world. While they hadn’t quite grown up together, Sophia could barely remember a time when Snow hadn’t been there. In fact, much of her life before meeting the Austins was a bit of a blur.

“I, uh… I’m not the best when it comes to… stuff like this,” said Brad, shaking Sophia from her thoughts. “I don’t want to say the wrong thing…”

“Don’t worry about that,” said Sophia, sipping her coffee. “It’s okay, I’m not very good at it either. I don’t handle this sort of thing very well. I never knew my mom, you know, and… and my dad, Mike, he… well, he died when I was just a little girl. Honestly, I barely remember him. I mean, I remember him, but I don’t… I remember his voice, the way he held me in his arms, just… I can’t remember his face.”

“I’m kind of that way with my mom,” said Brad. “Sometimes I have to really think before I can remember what she looked like. It’s the strangest thing.”

“I don’t want to be that way with Ariana,” said Sophia sadly. “I don’t want to forget her. She… she’s as much a mother to me as Alana is. Kayla too, they… all three of them raised me after my dad died. Ari, she… she’s been there for everything. I told you about the fire that burned down the apartment building I lived in with my dad when I was little, right? Well, I was standing there in the midst of all that destruction… I mean, we lost everything. The building was completely destroyed. Everything we owned, everything my dad had worked so hard for was gone and… and she was just there. She found my teddy bear and gave it back to me. I still have it, actually. It was all that survived the fire, and she… Ariana saved us that night. She gave us all a place to live and more importantly, she helped me find a new family. If we hadn’t met them that night… when my dad died, I could’ve ended up anywhere.”

“She’s a good person, Ariana,” said Brad, nodding. “I haven’t spent much time with her… any, actually, but the way people in this town talk about her? Everyone seems to love her.”

“Well, how can you not love Ariana?” Sophia wondered. “She’s the best. She… she deserves better. In my job, I see the worst people in the world. The lowest form of life around; people that deserve what’s happening to her. Most of them are fine. They’ll go to jail, serve their time, get out and go back to hurt others. But people like Ari? No… no, they have to die. The world needs more people like her, not less.”

"That is certainly true," said Brad. "We ought to..." He paused as Sophia's phone rang.

"Austin," she said as she answered. "Uh huh... yeah, I'm just a few blocks over. Yeah, I'll check it out."

"Was that the station?" Brad asked when Sophia ended the call.

"Yeah," said Sophia, standing to her feet. "Break in at the Sinclair's place. I've got to run over there."
"Shouldn't that be a beat cop's job?" Brad wondered. Sophia shrugged.

"It's a small town with an even smaller police force," said Sophia. "We all pitch in and help out when we need to. But anyway, I've got to run. I'll catch you later."

"Wait," Brad called after her. "Can I come along?"

"It's not protocol, but... alright, come on. You do have to stay in the car until I clear the house."

"My brave defender," Brad said airily.

"Shut up," Sophia shot back. "Now, come on if you're coming. I'd like to catch these people on the property if we can."

-.-

It was late that same evening and there was a hint of a storm in the air as the figure dressed all in black walked slowly up the pathway to the house at the end of Prescott Street. It was a nice, red brick structure with a well tended garden out front, although that night the garden was covered in a thick blanket of snow. The figure paid no mind and inside stalked up to the door and knocked briskly. A few moments passed in silence before the door opened and Dennis Roberts, manager of Geller and Greene National Bank, appeared in the doorway. He was half shaven and dressed in a bathrobe. In his arms he held a very fat white cat that was purring contentedly. The moment Dennis's eyes registered the figure's face, all be blood drained from his own.

"What do you want?" He demanded, although his voice trembled with fear. "I did everything you wanted. I did everything, all of it. We're done. You promised. What are you doing here?" A grim smile appeared on the figure's face. A sudden clap of thunder roared overhead and a cold rain began to fall.

"I'm sorry, Dennis," said the figure. "My little lairs are following the bread crumb trail just as I wanted them too. Our game is approaching its inevitable conclusion. It's time for me to tie up some loose ends."

46: Chapter XLVI: A Flicker of Hope

Sophia eased her car to a stop in front of the Sinclair's house shortly after receiving the report of the suspected break-in. She surveyed the front of the house through the window before turning to Brad in the passenger seat.

"I'm going to go and check things out," said Sophia. "Stay in the car until I get back."

"You expect me to just sit here while my girlfriend goes off to face a burglar?" Brad asked incredulously.

"Yes, I do," Sophia replied firmly. "I'm a police officer and I'm trained to handle situations like this."

"Well... I'm a highly skilled demon hunter that once did battle with and killed a wendigo," said Brad rather proudly. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Really?" She asked. "That's the story you come up with? Look, you're staying here whether you like it or not. I'm on the job right now."

"You are unbelievably hot when you get all... professional," said Brad in a deep voice.  

"Nice," said Sophia dryly. "Oh, and... since when am I your girlfriend? I thought we were just having fun."

"Don't you have a job to do?" Brad said hurriedly, pointing toward the house. "You should probably get on that, right? You know, catching the bad guys?"

"Uh huh," said Sophia, pushing open her car's door and stepping out. She made her way up to the front door through the thick snow, running through the standard procedures she should follow. She had to admit that she was scared. Every call, every stop, every single time she had to respond to a crime scene she was scared. She had no idea what she was walking into, what might be waiting for her beyond that closed door. She didn't believe in God, but in those moments when fear gripped her heart, she prayed.

She reached the front door and knocked. She peered through the living room window as she waited, hoping to catch sight of anyone approaching. All was quiet however and after a short amount of time, no one answered the door. She tried the doorknob, but it was locked. This was the part she hated. It was easy when it was just a neighbor or friend that was there keeping an eye on the family pet while the homeowners were out of town. When this happened, when no one answered the door, that fear set in even deeper.

She set out around the house, checking the windows for signs of a break in. Still, all was quiet. She slowly circled the house until she reached the back door, which was slightly ajar. She approached the door, slowly drawing her weapon.

"MFPD," She called, easing the door open and sweeping the room. The room was just as silent as the outside of the house had been. There was no sign of an intruder. She moved slowly through the kitchen and found herself at the foot of a staircase. Deciding to sweep the ground floor first, she turned left and surveyed the den directly ahead and the bathroom. She found nothing out of place. As she left the bathroom, she heard the sound of a floorboard creaking and she rushed back the way she'd come.

Four figures were just vanishing through the back door when she reached the kitchen. Forcing her fear down as deeply as she could, she gave chase. She crashed through the back door, her weapon at the ready. She saw the four figures at the end of the yard and called out to them.

"MFPD, freeze!" She shouted and to her great relief they all stopped running. "Hands up and turn around. Slowly." She commanded. She watched them carefully as they slowly rotated on the spot, realizing with a jolt of shock who they were the instant before she saw their faces.

Clara, Nikki, Mary, and Jackson stood before her, all three of them looking incredibly guilty. Sighing heavily, Sophia holstered her weapon and placed her hands on her hips.

"Would any of you care to explain to me what in the effing hell you four are doing here?" Sophia asked them, doing her very best to retain her composure.

"We... we were just..." Clara began uncertainly.

"What's going on here?" A harsh voice shouted from the end of the path that led out to the street. Sophia and the others all turned to see Tony Sinclair, a very tall and muscular man with dark brown eyes and jet black hair. His thin lips were turned down in a rather fierce frown and his eyes were narrowed suspiciously. He looked from Sophia, to Jackson and the girls, to open back door of his house, back to Jackson and the girls, and finally to Sophia.

"I got a call from your alarm company, Mr. Sinclair," said Sophia, wishing she there was something she could do to protect the kids she had known for so long. She knew she couldn't. She was a police officer and even though she would have given almost anything not to turn them in, she knew she had no choice. "I arrived on the scene and found..."

"What?" Tony said curiously, nodding toward the others. "You found them? Well, of course you did. I asked them to come here."

"You... Wait, you asked them?" Sophia asked, confused. "I thought..."

"Sometimes my alarm system is a little finicky," said Tony airily. "One of the motion sensors probably didn't deactivate properly when they went in. I asked young mister Binghamton here to look in on our cat during the afternoon. I work late this week and my wife does as well, so we needed someone to make sure she's fed. I wasn't aware he'd be bringing friends, but I don't mind."

"Right..." Sophia said slowly, glancing at Clara, Nikki, Mary, and Jackson, all of whom were standing as still as statues. Each of them seemed frozen to the spot, unwilling or unable to move. "So, is this true, Jackson?"

"Um... yeah," said Jackson, glancing hesitantly at Tony. "Yeah, I... I figured I didn't have much else to do, so I thought I'd help out."

"Uh huh," said Sophia. There was something very wrong here, but as Tony was the homeowner and he was insisting there was no crime, there was nothing she could do."Well, I guess there's no crime here then."

"Nope," said Tony rather impatiently. "No, none at all. Now, I really must get back to my office. Thank you, officer, for checking on my home."

"No problem," said Sophia. She glanced at the others once more before turning and slowly making her way back to her car.

"What happened?" Brad asked the instant she opened the door.

"I found some of Snow's friends inside the house," said Sophia quietly. "I chased them outside and was just about to question them when Tony Sinclair showed up. He gave me a reason why they were there, but... he was lying, I'm sure of it."

"Why would he lie about it?" Brad wondered. "I mean, if they really broke in why would Tony protect them?"

"I don't know," said Sophia as she started the car. "But I'm going to find out."

-.-

As Sophia walked away, Clara and the others all looked nervously at Tony Sinclair. JTG. They were standing less than five feet away from JTG himself. Clara instinctively moved toward her friends, all of whom seemed to have the same idea and drew closer together as Tony turned to face them once Sophia had disappeared around the row of hedges.

“So,” he said pleasantly, looking at each of them in turn. “Would one of you mind telling me what you were doing in my home?” What were they to say? What could they say? Clara had no idea whether to confront Tony or lie. She didn’t have a plan and she was far too frightened by the fact that she was staring JTG in the face to come up with one. Jackson, on the other hand, appeared to not only have a plan but also to be much braver than she was. He stepped forward, half shielding the girls from Tony.

“We were looking for proof and we damn sure found it,” he said hotly, holding up the flash drive with Miranda’s video on it.

“And what may I ask is that?” Tony asked. His voice was even, emotionless, but his eyes flickered toward the flash drive with a degree of fear.

“It’s a video,” said Jackson quietly. “Of you and Miranda fucking like porn stars. Looks like you two had a good time. I can’t really blame you, man, Miranda was hot. But seriously? Your step-daughter? You’ve got issues, dude.”

“Jackson, what are you doing?” Mary hissed in his ear. Clara couldn’t help but wonder the same thing. In her opinion, antagonizing JTG wasn’t the best idea. Where was that going to get them? But then it hit her. Even before Jackson said the words, she knew what he was going to do and it was absolutely brilliant. For the first time ever, they had a weapon to use against JTG. Not just any weapon either, but the mother of all weapons. Jackson was going to use the nuclear option. Then again, as Mary had said, going nuclear could only mean one thing if it all went wrong: mutually assured destruction.

“So you intend to blackmail me,” said Tony. It wasn’t a question. “You should know that I don’t respond well to threats. Threats are only made by enemies. I destroy my enemies. But we can plan this game if you like.”

“I don’t want to play any games,” said Jackson calmly. “I just want to put an end to this. Your little room down there? That stops right now. Today. Stop stalking us or whatever the hell it is you’re doing and this video goes away forever. If not… well, that officer that just left here would love to get her hands on this. Making sure a child molester goes away for a long time would make her very happy.”

“It would seem I have little choice but to agree,” said Tony, much too lightly in Clara’s opinion. “You’re holding all the cards, after all. But you might want to remember something, boy. One day, I’ll be the one holding the cards and on that day you may wish you had never threatened me.”

“I’m just trying to protect my friends,” said Jackson. “You threatened them first. You started this.”

“Yes…” said Tony softly. He turned abruptly and strode toward his house. He paused, however, and spoke back to them over his shoulder. “Although, it is interesting, boy, that you say I started this. Was it I that shoved Miranda to her death? Or… was that Sara? Hmm… that’s what I thought.” He pushed open the back door and vanished into the house. Clara let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Holy shit…” Nikki whispered, voicing what Clara was thinking.

“Jackson, are you sure pissing him off was a good idea?” Mary asked him. “That’s JT-frickin’-G you just threatened.”  

"What choice did I have?" Jackson demanded, leading the way across the Sinclair's backyard and out toward the street. "He's JTG, you just said it. What else was I supposed to do? Ask nicely for him to stop? We've got a weapon now and we're going to use it. If he doesn't stop, if he keeps coming after us, we've got evidence of a serious crime to use against him."

"What... what if we don't?" Mary asked, her voice trembling. Clara came to a halt so fast that Nikki walked into her. She turned toward Mary, a horrible realization occurring to her.

"My God," she whispered. She hadn't thought of it at the time, but suddenly after Mary's simple statement it all made so much more sense. "Guys... this is JTG we're talking about. Mary's got a point. What if we don't actually have anything?"

"We've got a video of Tony having sex with an underage girl," said Nikki incredulously. "What else do we need?"

"It's JTG," said Mary, voicing Clara's own thoughts. "What if this tape... what if JTG planted it for us to find?"

"Exactly," Clara agreed. "What if the tape is a fake? What if Tony edited it or... or made it somehow so it looks like its a video of him and Miranda? If we take it to the police, they'll have to make sure its real and hasn't been tampered with. What if that's what JTG wants us to do? We go to the police with fake evidence and..."

"It's not fake," Jackson said firmly. "It isn't... it can't be."

"We don't want it to be," said Mary quietly. "But... what if it is?" 

"It can't be," Jackson repeated, although Clara noticed a hint of hesitation in his voice. "It can't be."

"What if it is?" Mary repeated, looking around desperately at the others.

"While you idiots are standing around in JTG's backyard, chatting away, perhaps you've forgotten that I'm something of a computer whiz?" Steven said through their earpieces. Clara had completely forgotten that he could hear them. "No promises, but I ought to be able to tell with some degree of certainty that the video is real. Before that, how about you all get back in the car? Sophia's gone so the coast is clear. Hurry the hell up. I feel like a sitting duck out here.”

-.-

Much earlier that morning, long before her friends would being their break-in, Snow sat in her hospital room staring out at the parking lot far below. She knew at any moment her parents would be coming to take her home, but home was the last place she wanted to go. Going home meant having to face the real world and she wasn't at all prepared for that. There, secluded from everyone, she felt a degree of safety. She knew that would disappear the moment she came face to face with reality.

Just as Snow was contemplating that terrifying eventuality, a knock came at the door. A moment later, Kayla eased slowly into the room. She eyed Snow uncertainly in much the same way everyone did; as though she were mentally ill and the slightest disturbance might set her off. She knew it was unfair of her to be upset by this, and yet still it had begun to irritate her.

"Hey, Snowy," said Kayla slowly. "Mom's downstairs finishing up your paperwork. Are you ready?"

"No," Snow said immediately. "But I guess I don't have a choice, do I? I can't stay here forever."

"No, I suppose you can't," said Kayla. The older woman chewed her lower lip nervously. "But I can't blame you for wanting to. I wouldn't mind hiding out here myself, come to think of it. We could build a blanket fort over there in the corner and live here for awhile."

"That kind of sounds like fun, actually," said Snow thoughtfully. "We'll have to do that someday."

"But not today?" Kayla asked. "Does that mean you're coming home?"

"I already said I didn't have a choice," Snow replied. "I know I have to, but... I'm scared." Kayla walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. She patted the spot beside her and Snow joined her.

"And what are you scared of?" Snow hadn't wanted to tell anyone, to share her fears with anyone. She wanted to maintain her facade, to pretend she was okay. Somehow though she felt she could talk to Kayla. She couldn't tell Ariana and Michael was still so shaken that she knew he couldn't handle it either. Slowly, Snow held up her arm which was still wrapped in a thick bandage.

"I'm afraid of... this," Snow confessed. "I'm afraid that I'll... do this again. I don't want to. I didn't want to the first time, but I still did it. Out there... what if it all comes back and I..."

"I know what that feels like," said Kayla slowly. "To... to cross that line, I mean. Your mom and I, we... we both know what it feels like to not see any other way out. We've both... we've done things, we... When Ariana was shot, when she... when she died all those years ago, well..." Kayla held out her arm to Snow. There, shining faintly on her forearm was a very thin scar.

"The difference between us is that I wanted to die," said Kayla. "The idea of living without her, of facing the rest of my life without ever seeing her face again, hearing her laugh again... it was all just too much. If she hadn't come back, I would've... I wouldn't be here. I couldn't have done it. I had nothing left, and without her life wasn't worth living. But you? You said it yourself, you didn't want to do it. That's the difference."

"It just hurts so much," Snow whispered. "It... death is so much simpler. That's what scares me. I'm afraid I'll want to take the easy road and..."

"You're stronger than that, Snowflake," said Kayla. "You're not one to take the easy route. I know this is hard... this is the hardest thing I've ever been through, but... but I'm determined not to let it destroy me. It won't destroy you either. I won't let it. Ever. But I don't think you'll need me for that. You're too strong. You've seen what suicide is... what it does to the people you love. I don't believe for a second you'll ever do that again." Kayla stood up and squeezed her daughter's shoulder firmly. "And by the way, your mom and I decided that you and Michael could go to the warehouse today. I'm not going to say that I like this idea, but... we're going to let you go."

"Seriously?" Snow asked, unable to believe her luck. "We can go?"

"You can go," Kayla confirmed. "Meanwhile, I'll be spending the night deciding whether or not this makes Ari and I the worst parents in the world or not. I'm not quite sure about that right now." Kayla nodded toward the door. "C'mon, kiddo. Let's go."

Snow followed Kayla out of the room, pausing just long enough to turn off the light and glance back into the darkened room. She wanted to stay, but she knew she had to go. She had a life to get back to, what little was left of it. JTG and the cruelty of fate had taken almost everything from her, but she was determined not to allow the few precious joys she had left to be snatched away. She was scared to move forward, for she could see no future, no happiness entering her life ever again. But she would not lie down and die.

-.-

It was nearly noon the following day before Snow heard from her friends. Apart from a text from Mary informing her that everyone was safe, they had remained completely radio silent. Snow hadn't had the energy or the desire to pursue the matter. So long as they were all safe and sound, she knew she could find out what they had learned later. It was Clara who texted her the next morning, asking her to come to her house as soon as she could. All the others were there and waiting for her. After telling Kayla and Ariana that she was going to visit her friends for a little while, she set off. When Snow arrived at Clara's house, she met Noel coming outside just as she was about to knock on the door. She was dressed for work and judging by the speed at which she was moving she was in quite a hurry.

"Hey, Snow," said Noel, feeling in her pockets for her car keys. "Hey... I was really sorry to hear about Ariana and... and everything else. Are you okay?" 

"I... yeah, I... I'm okay," said Snow quietly. "I'm... figuring things out." 

"Good, that... that's good," said Noel. "I'm sorry, but I can't chat. I've got to get to work. We've had an emergency and I've got to head over there."

"Oh, what happened?" Snow asked in concerned tones. 

"I don't know if you knew Dennis, the manager?" Snow shook her head. She knew of him, but that was the extent of it. "Well, he didn't show up for work this morning. It turns out he died last night. He went into anaphylactic shock... He's always had a really serious nut allergy and somehow he was exposed and... and he had a fatal reaction."

"Wow, I... I'm really sorry," said Snow, surprised that the death of a man she had never met could touch her so strongly.

"Me too," said Noel sadly. "You can go on up, if you want. Everyone's in Clara's room. Sorry, but I've really got to run." Noel bade Snow goodbye and rushed to her car. Snow entered the house and made her way up to Clara's bedroom.   

"Hey, sorry to make you come over," said Clara as Snow entered her room where she, Mary, Nikki, Jackson, and Steven were all gathered. Snow's gaze paused on Jackson for only the briefest of moments before she settled herself down on the bed between Clara and Mary. She knew she would have to have a talk with her ex-boyfriend at some point, but until then she would act as though nothing had happened. She had much more important things to concern herself with. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," said Snow, giving the blonde a warm smile. She found it was getting easier to fake that smile each time she did it. Inside, she felt no different than she had all along. She simply found it easier to lie. "It's... it's fine, I... I'm not doing myself any good staying cooped up in the house. So, anyway... what did you find? Is it what we thought? Are they...?"

"We'll show you," said Steven, standing up and placing his laptop on her knees. "Scroll through those photos." Snow looked down at the computer and felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"Are... are these...?"

"This is a room in the Sinclair's house," said Mary. "They've got pictures of us everywhere... like they've been following us and photographing us in secret. They've got equipment for spying and black outfits..."

"And the red X's on the pictures of Sara..." Snow whispered. 

"We... we think they did that after they... killed her," said Clara softly.

"My God..." said Snow. She was horrified, but despite that her heart leapt. It could all end then and there. "We've got them. We... we've actually got them."

"Maybe," said Mary quietly. Snow looked up at her, surprised.

"I'm sorry, maybe?" Snow repeated breathlessly. "Maybe? Am I missing something, or is this not pretty clear evidence?"

"It's too clear," said Clara pointedly. "That's the problem. This is JTG we're talking about. Bitch is smart... too smart to let himself get caught unless he wanted to get caught."

“So, you think Tony left this video for you to find, hoping that we’d go to the police to…” Snow chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. She stood and began to pace the room, deep in thought.

“No, that… that doesn’t make sense,” said Snow quietly. “You said the video was hidden in Miranda’s room, so… so it stands to reason that Miranda likely hid it. If JTG did it, why make it that hard to find? Why not put the video on his own computer? We were looking for JTG, not Miranda. And even then, if we went to the police with fake evidence we wouldn’t really get in trouble. I mean, we’d have to explain where we got it, but there would be no proof that we faked the video… I… I don’t know.”

“So, you think the video is real then?” Jackson asked. Snow shrugged.

“I don’t know,” Snow repeated. “It could be, but we can’t risk going to the police just on the chance that it might not be. We… I think we have to wait. If the video is real, we’ve got a weapon to use against JTG if he doesn’t stop harassing us. If it’s real, surely Tony will back off. I mean, Miranda was probably fourteen or fifteen in this video so whether she consented or not, that’s statutory rape.”

“So we hold off and see if JTG messages us again?” Nikki wondered. “That’s… okay, let’s say she does. Then what? Do we go to the police if JTG tries to call our bluff? If the video’s fake, that’s what JTG will want us to do.”

“Exactly,” said Snow. “If the video is fake, JTG won’t care that we have it. Going to the police will just blow back on us. If it’s real, I can’t imagine JTG would risk us going to the cops with it.”

“That could just be lack of imagination on your part,” Steven muttered grimly.

“That… is a very good point,” Snow admitted. She looked uncertainly around at the others. “Look, I… I’m not exactly in the best position to be making any kind of decisions. I’m still not ready for much of anything, and I… I could be missing something. So, don’t put too much weight behind my opinions, I’m… not up to playing on JTG’s level right now.”

“We didn’t call you here to tell us what to do or to make any decisions,” said Nikki quickly. “We just wanted to let you know what we found and what happened.”

“Yeah, because there’s more,” said Clara, her eyes flickering to Jackson. “When we went into the JTG room, apparently we sent off an alarm. Sophia came to investigate and she caught us.”

“What?” Snow exclaimed, her head positively spinning with all of the possible ramifications of that revelation.

“It gets better,” said Mary darkly. “So, just as we’re trying to figure out how to get out of that mess, Tony Sinclair shows up and covers for us.”

“Why on Earth would JTG protect you?” Snow wondered, looking around at the others for ideas.

“It makes sense in a way,” said Steven thoughtfully. “I mean, think about it; Tony wants revenge for Sara killing Miranda and you guys helping her cover it up. Letting you get caught breaking and entering doesn’t really help him get what he wants.”

“Which is what?” Clara asked. “Us dead?”

“Seems that way,” said Steven pointedly. “It seems pretty clear that Tony killed Sara and now he’s going after the rest of you.”

“What about you and Jackson, though?” Snow asked, a sudden thought occurring to her. “If this is just about Miranda, why is Tony targeting you and Jackson? You guys weren’t there and you didn’t know until we told you.”  

"JTG didn't start messaging me until that day when we were all stuck in school during that storm," said Steven.

"Yeah, when we stood outside in the rain for two hours on the football field waiting for JTG to show up," Jackson said grumpily.

"Right," said Steven. "I'd already found out about JTG, so I figure she wanted to make sure I stayed out of the way and Jackson..."

"The first text," said Snow quietly. "It was about me and Sara, and Jackson and Emilia, so she... JTG must have known I'd tell Jackson or that Jackson would tell me, so maybe she decided since he'd be involved anyway to just go ahead and do it on her terms."

"The inner machinations of JTG's mind are an enigma," said Mary dryly. "Does it really matter why JTG's doing this? Look, we know Tony was sleeping with Miranda and we know he knows Sara pushed her, so..."

"Wait, how do we know he knows that?" Snow asked, turning toward Mary.

"Well, he said so," said Clara. She bit her lower lip nervously. "Jackson sort of... well, he threatened Tony with the video of him and Miranda and Tony said that Sara was the one that started all of this."

"You people really need to get better at relaying the pertinent information," Snow snapped, turning to Jackson with an incredulously look on her face. "You threatened him? Seriously? The psychopath that killed Sara? Really? That was your plan?"

"I thought it was the best course of action at the time," said Jackson with a shrug.

"Like you thought punching Michael was the best course of action yesterday?" Snow shot back. Absolute silence fell across the room as Jackson stared at Snow, mouthing wordlessly at her. Snow instantly regretted snapping at him, especially in front of their friends, but Snow was discovering that the longer she held in her grief, the more her other emotions seemed to be growing stronger. She was suddenly very angry and she wanted to lash out. Then, in a shockingly sudden turn, she was on the verge of tears and rushed from the room, down the stairs and out the front door. She was sitting on the front steps of Clara's house with her knees pulled up to her chin sobbing silently when Jackson found her and sat down beside her.  

"Snow..." Jackson said softly. Snow shook her head and refused to look at him.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, keeping her face buried in her arms. "That was... I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I shouldn't have..." She didn't know what to say. It was as though her brain didn't work properly anymore. She lived in a thick fog, the world around her was constantly a confusing blur. The simplest of interactions with other people were far too much for her to handle. Her brilliant plan to pretend to be okay was failing faster than she had ever imagined. She knew she needed to be dead inside. The only problem was that she wasn't. That realization terrified her more than anything else because she knew all too well what could happen. She didn't want to die and after having seen how much pain she had caused her friends and family the very idea of hurting herself again was impossible to imagine, yet still she knew she could do it again. She didn't want to. She wouldn't plan it, but if she sunk back to the place she had been the night before, if things got that bad again... she knew she would do whatever she had to do to make it stop.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Jackson said softly. "After everything you've been through, I can't blame you for having a short temper. It's not like I didn't deserve that. Hell, I deserve worse. I know I shouldn't have attacked Michael like that, but I was just so... I was just so angry."

"At Michael?" Snow asked, still not looking at him. She found it much easier to talk if she hid herself away behind her folded arms and her knees.

"At him," Jackson admitted. "At you, at... everyone. Snow, I... No, never mind. This... it's a horrible time for me to say this. I shouldn't..."

"You've already started so you might as well tell me," said Snow.

"Well... well, I... ugh... okay, I... well, I've got this picture of you on my phone." Snow managed to look up at him at that pronouncement. "Yeah," said Jackson nervously. "It's... almost as bad as it sounds. It was from last summer when we all went up to the lake, we... You were modeling that green bikini you bought and I... I found the picture right after we broke up and I figured I should probably delete it, but I've never been able to bring myself to do it."

"Are you... trying to tell you look at pictures of me while you, you know..."

"Oh God, no! That's not what I'm saying, I... What you're wearing wasn't the point, it's that... You've the biggest smile on your face. You were happy. I haven't seen you happy in a really long time, but in that picture you're happy. We were happy, and I... I can't let go of that. I see you with... with him and I just get so angry. It's not him, he's not... It's not that you're with him, Snow. It's that I'm not with you. Whatever happened between us, I still love you. I can't let you go. I want to because I know he makes you happy, but... I can't. So when you almost died and he wasn't there to stop you, I just lost it."

"Jacks..." Snow whispered. "I... I still love you too, that's never going to change. I'll always love you, but I... We were happy, you're right. We were, but things changed and we just didn't work out. I just... I... I can't do this today. I can't fight, I can't... do anything. I really hope you can find a way to let me go, because I want you to be happy. I want you to find someone else. You and I are never going to be together again. I'm with Michael now. I love him. I'm in love with him. I want you to find that too." Jackson nodded slowly, but he didn't reply.

"Hey, can you tell the others I went home?" Snow asked after a few minutes of silence. "I can't deal with anything else today. Whatever you all decide to do about Tony, I'll back you."

"Of course," said Jackson quietly. "I'll... I'll see you later."

"Yeah," said Snow. They stood, brushing the snow off of their clothes. Snow gave Jackson and brief hug and headed to her car while Jackson went back into the house. Snow pushed Jackson and JTG out of her mind as she started her car and drove away from Clara's house. She stopped at the store along the way, picking up a few things she thought she would need for her night at the warehouse. Once back home, she packed quickly and chatted with her parents until Michael arrived. After a heartfelt goodbye, they were on the road to Detroit.

An hour later, Michael's car rolled to a stop at the end of the old gravel road. He glanced across the center console at Snow, who produced a small remote and pressed one of the buttons on it. Before them, the cargo bay door of Warehouse 15 clanked open. Despite everything, Snow couldn't help but smile as Michael eased the car forward and she glanced left and right at those red brick walls that seemed to go on forever. She was home. Michael stopped the car once they were inside the building and Snow lowered the bay door behind them. She then got out of the car and flicked on the lights. The darkened warehouse was suddenly brightly illuminated. Snow turned to Michael, who stood near the driver's door of his car, staring around at the vast, empty warehouse.

"You lived here?" Michael asked her when she walked over to him. "You actually lived in a warehouse?"

"Yeah, this... this was home," Snow said happily. It amazed her how happy she suddenly felt. She hadn't been happy in so long, oh so long, but being back at the warehouse had somehow filled her with joy. "I'll never love another home half as much as I love this place. Welcome to Warehouse 15, Michael. C'mon, I want to show you the apartment."

"There's an apartment?" Michael asked as Snow led him toward the stairs.

"Of course," Snow replied. "What? Did you think we bought tents and camped out down here?"

"Well, there's plenty of room," Michael pointed out. Snow led the way upstairs and into the old apartment. No one had been there in quite a while and the place could have used a bit of dusting, but otherwise it remained as Snow remembered it. Her plan to use the warehouse as a hideout from JTG had long ago fallen flat what with JTG seeming to be everywhere. A hideout would do them no good if they weren't hidden.

"So, here we are," said Snow, turning slowly in a circle with her arms outstretched. "My old home. What do you think?"

"It's pretty cool," said Michael, walking slowly around the room. "You must have been pretty popular with your friends back then, huh? The girl that lives in the warehouse."

"It's quite the playground," Snow admitted, recalling the days when she and her friends would play hide-and-go-seek in their 400,000 square foot playing field. “I miss it,” she added quietly. “Living here… everything was perfect. We were always so happy here, and now… now everything’s fallen apart.”

“That’s not because you moved,” said Michael gently. “What’s happened with Ariana would have happened either way. Hell, even JTG might have happened. At least now you have this place to come to, a place that obviously makes you feel so much better. I mean, look at you! You’re glowing.” Snow had to agree with him as she sank down onto the sofa in the middle of the room. The warehouse made her feel warm, safe, and happy in a way nothing else had. She almost felt normal again. Almost.

“I know it’s got nothing to do with Mistbrook Falls,” said Snow. “It’s just a town, but… but everything just feels so heavy there. Here, it’s like everything is so much brighter… lighter.”

“Then we’ll stay here for as long as you like,” said Michael firmly. “I’ll drive you back and forth to school everyday if I have to, so long as you’re happy. You know, maybe one day we could move back in here. You know, make it a home again. It seems like a good, quiet place to start a family.” Snow, who had been relaxing into the soft couch sat up so abruptly that Michael leapt back in surprise.

“Start a what now?” Snow gasped, looking up at Michael with wide eyes. “A… a family? Do you… I mean, you… you think about that stuff? With… with me?”

“Of course,” said Michael, shrugging and sitting down on the couch next to her. “It’s not like I’m going around making plans or preparing for our future, but I do think about our future. I’m guessing you don’t?”

“I…” In truth, she hadn’t. Not in any real, meaningful way, at least. But in that moment, she took the time to consider it. She kept saying she could see no future, no way forward through her grief and pain. But if she thought about it, if she tried to imagine a future based on how she felt in the moment, filled with the happiness the warehouse had brought her, suddenly she could see it. It was a blurry image, fuzzy and distorted, but it was there. Maybe, with time, she could make it clear.

“No, I… I mean, I haven’t ever really thought about that stuff,” Snow told him. “I... I used to just think about making it to graduation, but now I… Now, I don’t know. I don’t really know what our future looks like, but… but it means a lot to me that you want a future with me. I’m much closer to fifteen than I am seventeen and you turn twenty-six next week, so… so we’re both in very different stages in our lives. I’ve never been completely sure that you would want to… you know, start a family with me when I’m still just a kid myself.”

“You’re not a kid, Snow,” said Michael gently. “And I don’t just say that to make myself look any less like the cradle-robbing pervert I appear to be. I’m more of a kid than you are. A kid would fall apart under all of the stress and heartache you’ve been through recently. You are the strongest, bravest, and easily one of the most mature people I’ve ever met. So yeah, I think about us. I think about our future because I want us to have one. I want to marry you, Snow. I want to raise children with you. I want to grow old with you, and yes I know I’ve got a bit of head start in that department. I want us to have a future together, so I think about it. Maybe you could start to think about it a little too?”

“I will,” Snow said quietly. “I… yeah, I… I want that too, it’s just… It’s hard to think about the future when the present is so messed up.”

“Nothing lasts forever, Snow,” said Michael firmly. “Everything that’s happening… it will pass. I can say that from experience. Your mom… it’s awful and I can’t imagine the pain you must be in, but… it will pass. Not completely, no, it won’t. But it will get easier. Nothing lasts forever.” Snow nodded slowly but she didn’t agree. She had lived her whole life hearing one word repeated many times a day. Forever. Her parents believed in forever. Some things, she had to believe, could last forever. Not her grief, not her pain, but she wanted to think that her parent’s love would last forever, even beyond death. She couldn’t know, but it was what she wanted to believe.

After sitting quietly together on the couch for a while watching TV, Snow decided she wanted to take a shower. She had bought something at the store earlier and was anxious to give it a try. While Michael set about making them dinner, Snow went downstairs and into the old showers. The tiled floor was icy cold as she entered the stall she had always used as a child. It had always been Ariana's favorite and still featured a few of her beloved cat themed shower decals on the walls.

Snow placed her towel on a bench and went to turn on the water. She fiddled with the knobs for a few moments, adjusting the water to the perfect temperature. Once satisfied, she shed her clothing and stepped under the warm spray, letting the hot water rain down upon her. She relaxed somewhat in the steamy shower. She found it quite soothing and she leaned against the shower wall, suddenly very sleepy and content. She planned on staying there for quite a while. At least she was until she heard the bathroom door open. Moments later, a girl roughly Snow's own age stuck her head into Snow's stall.

"Hi," she said brightly, causing Snow to scream and desperately attempt to cover herself while also adopting some form of defensive stance in case she were attacked.

"What the fu...? Who the hell are you?" Snow exclaimed, backing away slowly as the girl came fully into the stall. She surveyed the girl cautiously, noting that she seemed oddly familiar. Her bright blue eyes shone with excitement and her bouncy dark brown hair hung loosely around her face. She was fairly short, only slightly taller than Snow herself was, but otherwise they had a virtually identical body shape. Still, it was the eyes that she felt drawn to. There was something so familiar about her eyes.

"I'm here to help," said the girl pleasantly. "You need help right now, so I'm here. I like helping people."

"I am nude," Snow deadpanned. "I do not need the help of an intruder. Get the hell out of here before I call my boyfriend upstairs to come and throw you out."

"Oh right, I forgot Michael was here," said the girl excitedly. "I'd really like to see him, but I don't have the time. I can't stay long, and we've got a lot to talk about." Snow was completely bewildered. Who was this weird girl and how did she know Michael? What could they possibly have to talk about? Deciding at the very least that the girl didn't appear to be a threat, Snow lowered her guard somewhat.

"Seeing as you've already broken in and interrupted my shower, do you think you could pass me my towel? This is really uncomfortable."

"Sure," said the girl, retrieving Snow's towel and returning it to her. "Here you go." Snow took the towel and wrapped it around herself. She shut off the water and turned to face the girl with narrowed eyes.

"Okay," Snow said firmly. "Here's how this is going to go. You can either tell me who you are and what you're doing here and I won't call the police." The girl smiled cheekily.

"I'm not worried about the police," she said laughingly. "They couldn't do much to me anyway. But no, listen, I'm here to help you. I know what you're going through right now, and... and I know you need help. I know you tried to kill yourself and that you're scared you might do it again. I know you can't see any sort of future where you're ever happy again. I'm here to tell you that there is a future for you and in it you are unbelievably happy. You have the most amazing life, the fullest, richest life of anyone I know. I know it's hard right now, I can't imagine how much pain you're in. I just want you to know that it'll be so much better one day. You just have to believe that it will be... and if you don't, I can prove it to you."

"Uh... how do you know... any of that?" Snow asked her, more confused than she ever had been. "How do you... Who are you?"

"I know, because I was there," said the girl. She smiled. "Here... let me show you how happy you'll be one day. One day not too far in the future, in fact." She held out her hand for Snow to take. Snow stared at her, wide eyed and confused.

"C'mon, don't be scared," said the girl. "Trust me."

"Considering we just met and I kind of think you're crazy, I'm not so sure I should be, but... okay." Snow slipped her hand into the girl's and suddenly Snow felt her heart overwhelmed with a sudden burst of immeasurable love. Before she could begin to rationalize what that meant, the world around her went black. Either a moment or an eternity later, Snow couldn't be sure which, she found herself standing next to the girl in Michael's living room.

"How did we...?" Snow asked, looking around in shock. "How are we...? What did you...?"

"Shhh, you're missing it," said the girl, pointing towards the couch. Snow turned and gasped. While Snow was standing in the doorway with the girl, another Snow was sitting on the couch with Michael. They were talked quietly together and occasionally smiling at something in Snow's lap. They both had the brightest smiles on their faces. Snow didn't understand any of this. She had just been taking a shower and now she was back in Mistbrook Falls and there were suddenly two of her.

"What... what is this?" Snow asked the girl, walking slowly forward towards the couple sitting on the couch.

"This is your happy future," said the girl, leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded casually, appearing to be quite proud of herself. "Go take a look." Snow moved slowly towards the couch, half expecting the other Snow to notice her. She didn't, however, and Snow walked around the couch and finally saw what seemed to be making them smile. The other Snow held a baby in her arms. She was clearly born quite recently as she was very tiny, and also Snow knew she was a she based of the fluffy pink blanket she was bundled in.

"She's beautiful," Michael was saying, smiling down at the tiny baby in the other Snow's arms. "She's... absolutely perfect."

"Yes, she is," the other Snow replied, bouncing the quietly cooing little girl in her arms. She looked up at Michael, tears shining in her eyes. "I... I never thought... I never thought we'd be here. I thought... after everything that's happened, after all we've been through... after all we've lost, I never really dreamed I'd be this happy again. I didn't think I would ever have a future." Michael opened his mouth to say something, but Snow didn't hear him. She was too stunned by what she was looking at to take in much more of their conversation.

"This... this is me..." Snow muttered, her brain unable to properly form sentences.

"Yep," said the girl, walking over to join her. "That's you, that's Michael, and the baby..." It hit Snow all at once and she looked up at the girl. The eyes, she knew those eyes. They were her own eyes. They were Ariana's eyes. The baby was...

"You..." Snow whispered. "You... Michael and I have... we have a daughter?"

"You do," said the girl, a thin smile on her lips. "You're very happy where I'm from. Everything is... good. Well, not everything. Everyone has problems in life, but we like to make the very best of it all. You taught me that. You have a future, Mommy. You have an amazing future. There's so much about the world that you don't know yet. You will... one day... I promise. But for now, stay strong. It will all be worth it in the end. I promise."

"And let me guess," said Snow, grinning in spite of herself. "You always keep your promises?"

"That I do," said the girl. "Now, I think it's time for you to go home... and its definitely time for me to go."

"Wait!" Snow exclaimed. She had so many questions and she felt certain that if she didn't ask right then she would never be able to do so. She racked her brain and settled on the one thing in that moment she wanted to know more than anything else. She might later wonder why she didn't ask who JTG was or who killed Sara. This girl was from the future, so perhaps she knew. She didn't ask those questions however. "Wait, I... What's your name?" The girl smiled, her blue eyes shining brightly.

"Deep down, Mommy, I think you already know." Without another word, the girl reached up and pressed her hand to the side of Snow's head. The next thing she knew she was waking up in the shower, having fallen asleep against the stall's wall.

"It was a dream..." Snow whispered to herself. "It was all just a dream." And indeed that seemed to be the case. The girl was nowhere to be found and her towel still lay on the bench where she had left it. Everything was perfectly normal. While she had to admit that she was quite relieved that her future daughter had not, in fact, traveled back in time but still part of her was disappointed.

There was something about that girl that Snow had really liked. She had been bubbly and sweet and she had an infectious personality. She wished in a way that it all had been real. Still, that image, that moment there on the couch had been burned into her brain. She could recall it with absolute clarity. And perhaps most importantly, she wanted it. She wanted that future, or at least one like it. She wanted to be as happy and the Snow sitting on the couch with her baby and Michael. She wanted that and she was willing to fight to get it. She was far from okay, so far from okay, but her dream had given her a flicker of hope in her heart. It had given her a desire. If she gave up, if she didn't keep going, that future, that life, that little girl... none of it would ever happen. She wanted something and she would do whatever she had to do to make sure that dream became reality.

47: Chapter XLVII: A Hymn Called Faith and Misery

"Are we bad parents?" Ariana looked up from the book she had been reading and turned toward Kayla, who sat at the far end of the couch. They were sitting in the den relaxing in the early evening hours and the room was bathed in the warm golden glow of the setting sun.

"You wouldn't be asking unless you thought we might be," said Ariana pointedly, closing her book and placing it on the coffee table. "C'mon, Kay-Kay. Spill it."

"There was a time in our lives where had I told you to 'spill it' you would have either actually split something or complained that you didn't want to make a mess," Kayla replied, chewing her lower lip nervously. Ariana grinned.

"I'm pretty sure you're right about that," said Ariana. "But you've changed the subject. Spill it, sister." Kayla leaned forward, folding her hands in her lap.

"Okay," she said quietly. "We just let our underage daughter go off with her muscled Adonis of a boyfriend to spend the night together at the warehouse. Our distraught, unstable, potentially still suicidal, emotionally devastated underage daughter. That... Ari, they're going to have sex. I mean..."

"For all we know, they've already had sex," said Ariana. "It's not like she would come running to tell us if they have. If you're worried about them sleeping together... right now, that's the least of my worries. Snow may be a lot of things right now, but she's still smart and she's on birth control."

"That's still no reason to let her do whatever she wants," Kayla countered. "We're supposed to protect her."

"I think that's the problem," Ariana said, voicing something that had been burning within her for the last couple of days. "We... I wanted to keep her safe. After everything I went through... We sheltered her, Kayla. We gave her a perfect life. She never wanted for anything. She never suffered; she never felt real sadness or pain. She never lost anyone close to her. We kept her sheltered from the real world. But the real world is full of suffering, sadness, pain, and loss but Snow lived her whole life surrounded by sunshine and rainbows and light. So you know, maybe you're right. Maybe we are bad parents. We knew, we both knew what the world really is and yet we did nothing to prepare our daughter for the day she had to live in it. Now she's out there and she doesn't have the slightest idea how to survive the real world… and we did that to her.”

"Trying to keep her safe and protected from all the terrible things out there doesn't make us bad parents," said Kayla. "Any decent parent would do exactly that. We need to keep our children safe and innocent for as long as we can. They shouldn't have to face that stuff so soon. It's not fair to them."

"You're right, they shouldn't," Ariana agreed. "But Kayla, that doesn't change the fact that the world is what it is. Protecting Snow from that hasn't helped her at all. She never learned how to deal with heartache and pain because we never let her experience it. That's our fault, Kayla. People like my dad, people like Dwayne... that's the real world. We didn't protect Snow... all we did was hurt her, and we almost lost her. We need to help her get ready to face reality, not the happy little world we created for her. In this world, it's the only hope she has."

-.-

"Hey, Mike?" Snow called from the stairs outside the apartment. "Um... okay, so I bought something earlier and I tried it in the shower. I wanted to..."

"Snow, if you bought yourself a new toy you don't have to tell me," said Michael. "I mean, you can, but if you want to keep your vibrator to yourself..."

"It's nothing like that," Snow exclaimed, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "No, I... I did something to my hair and I'm afraid you won't like it."

"It's your hair," said Michael. "As long as you haven't shaved your head, I'm sure I'll like it."

"Oh, so you're saying I can't shave my head then?" Snow asked in mock outrage.

"No..." said Michael delicately, speaking in a tone that clearly indicated he believed himself to be standing on thin ice. "No, you can do whatever you want. I just wouldn't particularly like it all that much if you shaved your head."

"Don't be such a wimp," Snow admonished. "You're making it way too easy for me to be a modern, post-feminist."

"I'm not a wimp, I'm... Damn it, woman, show me your hair!"

"Oho, now look who's going all alpha-male," said Snow lightly.

"I'm not going to win this, am I?"

"Nope. Now, close your eyes," said Snow. "Close them and I'll... I'll come in."

"Okay, they're closed," said Michael. Snow eased open the door and went and stood in front of Michael where he sat on the sofa.

"Okay," she said breathlessly. "Open." Michael opened his eyes just as Snow shook back her hair. She had dyed her brilliantly red curls a dark brown, so dark it could easily be mistaken for black. She had left a single lock just to the side of her right eye its natural red.

"Whoa..." Michael breathed. Snow watched him, bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet.

"Well? You hate it, don't you?" She asked him, watching as his eyes traveled from the top of her head to where her hair ended at her waist. 

"I love it," Michael said sincerely, smiling up at her. "I think it's beautiful. It makes your eyes stand out and..." He reached out and ran his fingers through the red strand. "This bit is cool."

"You really like it?" Snow asked skeptically. Michael laughed.

"Yeah, babe, I like it," he insisted. "Why would I lie? You look great. If I can ask, though; why the change?"

"I don't know," she confessed. She really didn't know why she had decided to dye her hair. She just felt that she needed a change. “I wanted to try something different, but I didn’t want to cut it.”

“Well, I think you made a good call,” said Michael. “I like it.”

“Good," said Snow, quite relieved. She smiled brightly as she settled down on the couch. Michael was watching her closely with narrowed, suspicious eyes. "What?" She asked him when he kept staring.

"What the hell's gotten into you?" Michael asked, arching his eyebrows. "You're smiling and joking... I'd say you'd been drinking, but I've seen drunk Snow and she's much more of a slut that you are."

"Yeah, we're not ever doing that again," said Snow quickly. "No, I... you're going to think I'm crazy, but when I was in the shower, I... I fell asleep. I had a dream, and... it's silly, but I saw our future. I saw us and we were happy. We had a little baby girl and... I know it wasn't real, but I want that. That future you were talking about earlier, I... I can see it now. It might have just been a dream, but one day it could be reality. I want that... and I'm going to fight for it."

"I don't think you're crazy at all," said Michael gently. "I think... I think you're starting to come back to me... to all of us. I think you're starting to... heal."

"No," Snow said quietly. "No, I... I haven't started to heal. Not yet. It's just that now I think I might be able to. That dream, seeing myself so happy even after I lost my mom... It made me think that maybe I can survive this. Maybe I can lose her and... be okay. Maybe I'll be able to grieve and move on. I don't know, but I have to believe that it's true. I have to believe that what I saw in that dream can be real. If it is, if... if I can make that happen, then... I'll be okay."

She meant it. She wouldn't have imagined it when she woke up that morning, but she knew it was true. She would be okay. Somehow, some day, she would be okay again. She could learn to grieve and then... move on. She could find happiness again. There could be a future for her, she had seen it. Sure, she couldn't have that exact future that she had dreamed of, but she could instead create her own future and she would do it side by side with Michael.

-.-

Back in Mistbrook Falls, Mary, bundled up in a thick winter coat, trudged slowly through the thick snow across the wide open field toward her destination. She hated this place, despised it, yet still she kept coming back. She returned there each and every week with the same goal in mind. It was quite a long walk from the entrance, but at last she found herself face to face with Sara’s gravestone. She brushed the layer of snow off of the gravestone and placed the bundle of flowers she carried on top of it.

“I know how much you always hated the cold,” Mary said quietly, sitting down in the snow in front of Sara’s grave. “Then again, you loved the snow, so maybe you’re not too upset. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by so often, I… It’s therapeutic in a way, these little chats we have. I don’t know why, it just is. So much has happened this week, Sara. Ariana has cancer, Snow tried to commit suicide, and… and one good thing. We found JTG. It’s not over yet, but… I hope… maybe soon it will be. It’s Tony Sinclair. He’s JTG. He’s the one that’s been after us. He’s the one that… we think he’s the person that killed you. I don’t know if he’ll ever face justice, but… it’s not a mystery anymore. We know… and we’ll find a way to make him pay for what he did to you… and what he’s done to us.”

“I wish you were here,” said Mary after a few moments of thoughtful silence while the snow fell lightly all around her. “You always seemed to know what to do. You always had a plan. We might not have always agreed, you and I. Hell, I think we disagreed more than we ever agreed. But you… we were still friends. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why you picked us. Me, Clara, Nikki… we weren’t like you and Snow, but you wanted us to be your friends. There’s a part of me though that… after what you did to me on Labor Day, I think I might have started to piece it together. You didn’t want friends, Sara. You wanted dolls. You wanted pretty little dolls that you could play with… control. You did it to Snow without her ever realizing it. You had her wrapped around your little finger and you did the same thing to us. You controlled us. You… you knew how much I liked him and you knew he thought I was just an ugly, stupid girl. But you sent me a note pretending to be him, telling me to meet him by the lake just so he and his friends could make me look like a fool. I went there thinking he liked me, but... it was all just a sick joke that you helped him with.

"I just don't get it, Sara," Mary said quietly. "We were friends, all of us, but you... somehow you always found a way to keep us close, on a leash. You used to say that us sharing secrets kept us close. Thinking back, it's funny that you knew all of ours but we really didn't know many of yours. We're not your dolls anymore, Sara. The four of us, we... we survived without you. We're better, stronger, and closer than we've ever been before. Part of me hates you for... for so many things. Part of me will never understand who you really were and why you treated us the way you did. There's a part of me, a part I hate, that's glad you're gone. The other part? It would give anything to have you back."

She wasn't entirely sure what she expected to happen. She had seen Sara since her death, although she had no idea how that was possible. Still, each time she went to the cemetery she had the tiniest sliver of hope that she might appear again. She never had and still that day she didn't. The graveyard remained still and quiet as Mary stood to her feet and started back the way she had come. As she walked, she didn't notice the black sedan parked a good distance away from Sara's gravesite. But Tony Sinclair saw her. He watched in silence as Mary vanished beyond the gates of the cemetery, his eyes narrowed grimly.

Behind him, his wife Rachel brushed snow from her shoulder length blonde hair as she stared down at her daughter's grave. She stood, looking down at Miranda's gravestone with an icy cold expression on her face. Tony turned toward her after Mary passed out of sight.

"What do we do now?" He asked her. "They're on to us."

"So?" Rachel snapped, turning toward her husband and fixing him with a furious gaze. "It doesn't change anything. It doesn't matter. We know what they did." Rachel reached into her pocket and held out a crumpled photograph. Tony had seen it a hundred times. He knew it only too well. It was a picture taken at the exact moment Sara Blake had pushed Miranda from the top of Lookout Point.

"Yes, we know," said Tony calmly. "But we've been at this for a long time now and at the end of the day, what have we really accomplished?"

"Sara's dead," Rachel said pointedly.

"She is," Tony agreed. "Not that we had anything to do with it. But beyond that, everything we've done had amounted to very little. Sara's dead. She's the one that killed Miranda. She's been avenged, Rach. Maybe we should let this go."

"Miranda was my daughter," Rachel shouted, clenching her fists as though she were debating punching him. "I say when she's been avenged. That won't happen until all of those bitches pay for her death. Every. Single. One of them. We can do it, Tony. We have to. For her." Rachel turned on her heel and stalked off toward their car. Tony watched for go, a grim expression on his face. There would be no stopping Rachel, that was clear. He had known before he had even spoken that she would not be sated so easily, but still he had hoped. He had gone along with his wife's scheme of revenge since the beginning, but now it was becoming more and more dangerous.

The girls knew who was stalking them and more to the point they knew about his encounters with Miranda. That single video could destroy him. How had they found it? How had anyone? He had been certain, completely certain, that he had eradicated all the evidence that little bitch had collected. He had spent weeks searching the house for anything Miranda might have left, but somehow he had missed a crucial piece. He had recognized the flash drive instantly as one of Miranda's, but he had been sure he had destroyed them all. Somehow, one had remained and now it was in the hands of the people his wife sought to destroy. If they continued, he knew the video would come out. Rachel would learn the truth and even if Miranda had lied to him, had been blackmailing him, he had no proof of that and it wouldn't matter if he did. On the other hand, if Rachel's justice could be swift... if they could simply remove the girls and Jackson, all of them, from the equation... Well, it certainly introduced another option, and he needed as many different options as he could get.

 -.-

"What are you doing down here?" Michael called when he found Snow standing just beyond the cavernous warehouse cargo door. "I've almost got dinner ready." It took Snow a moment to turn around. She was much too happy standing there watching the snow fall lightly across the warehouse parking lot. She had always loved winter at the warehouse. Being such a cavernous building, the winters chilled the warehouse down to its iron bones. In winter, Warehouse 15 was cold. Despite the massive heaters in the building, they just couldn't compete with that much open volume. But that cold did lead to many an evening cuddled up on the couch under a blanket with her parents and a movie. Snow was just reminiscing those nights so long ago when Michael's shout shook her from her reverie.

"Oh... hey. Sorry, I was just... remembering the old days," said Snow. She smiled as Michael approached and slipped his arm around her waist.

"You really do love being here, don't you?" He asked her. Snow nodded emphatically.

"Even I didn't realize how much I missed this place," she admitted. "There's just so many memories here. Like... here." She pulled Michael along to a small gap in the side of the warehouse. "My parents met right here," she told him, squeezing into the gap and motioning for Michael to join her. Michael did his best to force himself into the gap, pressing himself so tightly between Snow and the warehouse wall that neither of them could move.

"They hid in here, just like this," Snow explained. "Kayla was running from the cops, and..."

"Kayla was running from the police?" Michael asked, surprised. "What did she do?" Snow bit her lower lip uncertainly.

"It's... a long story," said Snow after a moment. "Too long, actually. I can't even imagine how long it would take to write it all down. It doesn't matter anyway. It was a long time ago, I just... I like to think that their story started here. It did. It may not end anything like either of them ever imagined, but fourteen years of love and happiness started right here where we're standing. They couldn't have known it then, but that moment changed both of them forever. I wouldn't even be here with them, with you, if not for that one moment."

"It's easy to see why this place is so special to you," said Michael. "I'm really glad you brought me here... that you chose to share it with me."

"There's no one else I'd rather share it with," Snow told him, a smile appearing on her lips. It had gotten so easy to smile again. It surprised her how quickly that had returned to her. Less than twenty-four hours ago she had never imagined smiling again, yet now she was smiling all the time. It felt... good. She had never realized how good it felt to be able to smile. She would never forget to appreciate that.

"I want to share everything with you," Snow continued. "That life together you talked about before? The future I dreamed about? I want it. I do. I don't need to think about it like you said. I know now. I know what I want. Us."

"Snow, I don't want you to feel pressured," Michael said uncertainly. "I dropped all this on you at a very bad time for you and I'd hate to think that you just... that you're saying all this because you think you need me to have a future. I want the same things, but I want to know you genuinely do too. I don't want you to rush anything."

"I want to rush," Snow said thoughtfully. "My mom is barely thirty years old and she's dying. JTG could kill me tomorrow. Hell, I could die on the way home tomorrow. I want to live, Michael. I want to live while I can. So, I don't want to think things over. I want to... live a life with you. Whatever that means, whatever that entails, I want it." With great care, Snow extracted herself from the gap in the warehouse and took Michael's hand to guide him out with her.

"But right now," she said, her eyes sparkling as she led Michael back up to the apartment. "I want dinner. You said it was almost ready, right?"

"Yeah, it should just be a few more minutes," said Michael, allowing himself to be steered back into the warehouse.   

Much later that evening after a lovely dinner that Michael had prepared in the warehouse's small kitchen, he and Snow lay together on the sofa. Michael himself watched the news on TV while Snow snuggled against him. She had to admit that she was happier there, in that moment, than she had been at any point in recent memory. It was as though the world around her had faded away. It was just her and Michael and the warehouse. The rest of the world didn't exist. She wanted to stay there, right there with him, for the rest of time.

Michael had his arm wrapped around her, his hand pressing against her stomach. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She felt warm and safe and happy in a way she had never expected. She knew it wouldn't last, that they would have to go back to Mistbrook Falls and it would all come crashing back. Until then however, she was going to enjoy it. She had just decided to stop resisting the draw of sleep when the news ended and Michael squeezed her more firmly with his arm and pressed his lips to the back of her neck.

"I guess you are still awake," said Michael as Snow let out a soft whimper.

"Yeah," Snow breathed. "Yeah... I... I'm still awake." She knew, she knew the moment she rolled over to face him that she was starting something she wouldn't be able to stop. She wouldn't want to stop. They had talked, had agreed to wait. Michael had promised to wait until she was ready. She realized suddenly that she already was, that she had been for some time. She had always been scared of this moment, knowing that Michael was much more experienced. There were many things she simply didn't know and hadn't had the opportunity to learn. She wasn't sure what Michael would be expecting, and the thought that he wouldn't be happy terrified her. Still, she was fully aware of what she was about to do and she didn't care. She had meant what she had said earlier. She wanted to live. She was going to live. JTG had taken too much from her. Fate, or God, or the universe, or whatever was taking her mother from her. She wasn't going to lose anything else. She was going to live. She was going to be happy. Fuck the consequences.

She kissed him gently, meekly, inviting him to take control. She wanted him to take control. Michael, however, seemed hesitant. He knew, just as she did, what she was proposing. She could feel the cogs working in his brain even as he kissed her back,  processing the possibilities and potential outcomes, a few of which no doubt ended in Kayla murdering him.

"Snow..." He said softly drawing away from her, the concern and hesitation all too present in his voice. 

"Please," Snow whispered, unbidden tears welling suddenly in her eyes. If he pushed her away now... "Please..." Michael made a sound from somewhere deep in his throat, somewhere between a groan of frustration and some primal growl of desire. Snow sat there holding her breath, her heart pounding furiously in her chest; waiting. She waited for Michael to move, to say something, to do something. Her entire body was frozen with fear as Michael stared into her eyes, seeming to search for something. Whatever it was, he must have found it because at long last he leaned forward, closing the short distance between them and kissed her.

Within moments, Michael's hands began to slowly explore; seeking places he had never touched. At last, his fingers found the hem of her tank top and he began tugging upward. Snow's breath caught in her chest as he pulled her shirt free, tossing it somewhere over his shoulder. Snow didn't care. Michael swallowed visibly when Snow sat up suddenly, a playful smile on her face. She leaned in to kiss him, reaching behind herself to unclasp her bra as she did so. She broke their kiss only so long as to toss her bra in the same general direction that Michael had discarded her shirt. She felt Michael’s hands sliding down her back and she found herself marveling at how his arms, so toned and strong, could wrap themselves around her with nothing but the gentlest of touches. She looped her own arms around him, letting her fingers grasp at his dark, silky hair. Snow lost herself in their kiss, her mind going blissfully blank as their kiss grew tantalizingly deep. She felt alive, so abundantly alive it was painful. She became lost in his touch, letting him take control and guide her as he wanted.   

Michael gently pushed her back until she was laying against the couch cushions, all the while their lips never parted. His hands began to explore once again and Snow whimpered with pleasure as he touched her, moving, grasping; gently, powerfully, and then back again. He knew, somehow he just knew exactly what she wanted him to do. He knew almost before she herself knew and he did so with beautiful precision. Snow lost all track of time, lost herself to Michael. At some point, be it a minute or an eternity later, Michael broke their kiss as his hands came to rest on the waistband of her yoga pants.

He didn't ask for permission, Snow knew he had already realized she had already given it. He tugged, sliding the stretchy fabric down her legs with agonizing slowness. Snow felt a sudden jolt of immense shyness come over her, but it vanished almost immediately. It was Michael, after all. He kept his eyes locked with hers all the while and Snow knew he was teasing her on purpose. He loved teasing her, keeping her waiting until she was absolutely trembling with desperation.

"Michael..." She whimpered, gazing up at him with her lips parted slightly. He pressed a finger to her lips. She had wanted him to take control, she realized. She couldn't pressure him to do things her way now. He seemed to realize that she was positively brimming with anticipation because he didn't make her wait much longer. His hands pressed softly against her knees and she hesitated a moment before slowly allowing him to gently push her legs apart.

Snow gasped when Michael finally touched her, and oh, oh how he touched her. She didn’t have much experience, but in what little she had, she had ever experienced the likes of what Michael was doing to her. His hands moved with the confidence born of experience. She had been under no illusion that Michael was inexperienced, but she was beginning to realize that her much older boyfriend might have had even more experience than she thought. In that moment, however, she was exquisitely pleased by Michael’s skill. She arched her back, her body aching, screaming with pleasure. It was perfect, it couldn’t get better. This must surely be it. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be drawn away into the heat and passion that filled her… and then she felt Michael’s breath on her thigh. Her eyes snapped open and she watched him as he pressed fiery kisses into her skin, moving torturously slowly toward the place she so desperately needed to be touched.

And then he was there. Snow groaned and writhed, her body suddenly on fire. The heat spread from between her thighs, covering every inch of her body. She clawed at the cushions with one hand, while the other clung tightly to Michael’s hair, her nails digging into his scalp. She cried out, a desperate, despairing wail as her body suddenly convulsed and her world went black for the briefest of instances. When she finally forced her eyes open she looked up at Michael, her pulse pounding so forcefully she was surprised he couldn't hear it.

"That... that was..." She shook her head. The words weren't there. Michael was grinning slightly, looking down upon her with deep, beautiful love as she lay there trembling. With that same gentleness he had touched her with all night, he pulled her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom where he laid her delicately across the bed. Snow watched him as he went back and closed the door. He returned, his eyes clouded over with something Snow had never seen when he looked at her; lust.

What came next would be mostly a blur to Snow by the next morning. She would remember the heat, the smell of sweat and sex on the air around her. She remembered him. He knew, just as he had before, exactly what she wanted; what she needed. She remembered crying out as he entered her. She had felt as though all time had frozen for that moment, giving them a safe, protected bubble where they could be together without the rest of the world even existing; a place where none of the evils of the world could touch them.

Snow clutched him to her so tightly her arms ached as the end drew ever closer. He pushed her ever onward and she tried to tell him, for doing so seemed infinitely important, but she couldn't seem to make her mouth form words. And then an atom bomb exploded in the center of her body. There were no waves of ecstasy washing over her, no... no, a brutal, violent bolt of pure pleasure cut through her. She felt Michael stiffen and heard him moan her name from somewhere far away, but in that moment she could focus on nothing but the world dissolving all around her and then slowly, deliberately piecing itself back together. Snow's mind was a blur as she lay there, lost in the delirium of her post-orgasm haze. Michael lay on top of her, his head resting on her chest. She ran her fingers loosely through his sweaty, messy hair.

Without a word, Michael rose up and pressed his lips to hers for a moment before sliding slowly up beside her and wrapping his arms securely around her. He cradled her as they lay there together, their heartbeats slowly returning to normal. The heat that had filled the room began to dissipate, causing a chill to creep up Snow's sweat-soaked skin. She didn't care. She tilted her head just enough to kiss Michael's cheek.

"I love you," she whispered to him.

"I love you too, Snowflake," Michael whispered back. As Snow drifted off to sleep, the life she had left behind in Mistbrook Falls all but completely forgotten. She was much too happy, too satisfied, too in love with Michael to worry about anything.    

48: Chapter XLVIII: Band-Aids Don't Fix Bullet Holes

"Are you planning on spending the night here?" Brad asked, poking his head into Sophia's office. Sophia looked up and checked her watch. She was quite surprised to see that it was after midnight and the hallway past Brad was dark. The police station would likely be mostly empty by then, save for the night staff. She had been trying to piece together any link between Tony Sinclair and Snow's friends. There seemed to be nothing to find. Tony Sinclair, as far as she could tell, was a perfectly upstanding citizen. He had moved to Mistbrook Falls several years before, bringing with him a significant amount of money from his time as an attorney in Chicago. He had proceeded to marry Rachel and adopt her daughter, Miranda.

Miranda. That connection had given Sophia pause. Although the text she had received weeks earlier that had been signed JTG had led her nowhere, she had not forgotten it. I know who killed Sara and Miranda Sinclair. But Miranda hadn't been murdered. She had fallen into a ravine to her death. She had suffered extreme blunt force trauma, trauma which killed her. Someone could have pushed her, sure, but it seemed unlikely. Miranda hadn't had any defensive wounds, so if someone did push her it had been a surprise because she didn't fight back. It made much more sense that she had gone for a walk at night and slipped off of the cliff as the original investigation had determined.

Yet still, something about that gnawed at Sophia. Something about it seemed... off, somehow. She couldn't explain it, but it just felt wrong. At the end of the day, she supposed it didn't really matter. Miranda's death had nothing to do with Tony and his connection to Snow's friends. However, it might have a connection to Sara. If this JTG was correct and Sara and Miranda were killed by the same person... well, it was something. Something, sure, but what exactly? None of the people involved had any reason to kill Sara or Miranda, so as usual Sophia had reached a dead end. She knew, she just knew it somehow all fit together. She was just missing something, some crucial piece of information that would make it all make sense. Some... side story; another narrative she couldn't see that ran parallel to everything she already knew. That's what she felt she was missing. She just didn't know where to look to find it.

"I... no... no, I... I'm sorry," said Sophia apologetically. "Hell, we had plans to meet at the Underground, didn't we? I'm sorry, I just got so caught up in this case, I..."

"It's fine," said Brad, stepping into Sophia's office properly. "I know how obsessed you get over work. It's one of the things I like most about you. It's okay."

"Well... have you eaten? The Underground's still open for a few more hours. We could grab a bite if you want."

"Sure," said Brad. "The Underground's at its best after midnight, anyway."

"I'm sure your hooligan friends and the drunks hanging out there will be so happy you've brought your cop girlfriend along with you," said Sophia, standing and slipping the strap of her purse over her shoulder.

"I don't have any hooligan friends," said Brad firmly. "I don't keep friends. In times of war friends can be captured and tortured for information about me."

"Has anyone ever told you that you say some of the weirdest stuff?" Sophia asked as she followed him from her office and out into the hallway.

"Yes, you," Brad replied. "All the damn time."  

-.-

When Snow opened her eyes the following morning, a beautiful golden glow was shining in through the warehouse windows and falling across the bed. It was dawn and the sun had just begun to rise high enough to shine into the room. It was a weekday, Snow was certain of that, but which day it was she couldn't have begun to guess. The week had become quite a blur to her, so much so she could scarcely remember much of it. She thought for a while, however, and eventually came to realize that it was Friday, the fifth of November. It had been Monday afternoon that Snow had learned the truth about her mother. Not even a full week had passed since the events of Halloween. She had to rate those last five days since Halloween as the longest in all human history.

Snow sighed contentedly and rolled onto her back, shoving the blankets off of her as she did so. A sharp chill washed over her almost instantly as she exposed her bare skin to the icy cold air that filled the warehouse that morning. She debated going and turning the heater on, but she was much too comfortable to do so. Instead, she tugged her bathrobe off of the chair next to the bed and wrapped it around herself. She then looked to her right where Michael still lay sleeping. He lay on his side, facing her, a look of contentment on his face. Snow watched him for a while, a thin smile on her lips.

Her mind drifted back to the previous night and she smiled even wider at the memories. She hadn't planned it and she suspected neither had Michael. He had surprised her with his initial reluctance. She loved and respected his decision not to indulge her when she was distraught and incredibly drunk, but last night she had been neither and yet still he has hesitated. Still, once he relented... oh, he had relented. He had made her feel... no, it had been indescribable. He had shown her things she had never known before, made her beg for things she had never imagined she would want. She could only hope that her own inexperience had not soured the night for Michael.

After half an hour of lying there daydreaming, Snow gently poked Michael in the ribs in an attempt to wake him. He swatted sleepily at her, trying fruitlessly to drive off her relentless assault. Despite her best efforts, however, Michael refused to wake up. Finally Snow climbed on top of him and began furiously tickling him. Unfortunately for Snow, she had forgotten that Michael was not remotely ticklish. He looked up at her grumpily through narrowed, sleepy eyes.

"You wouldn't think being woken up in the morning by a beautiful, half naked woman could be annoying, but you've proven that it can be," said Michael grumpily while Snow smirked down at him.

"That's me, half naked and annoying," said Snow brightly, a mischievous grin on her lips. "You know... I could also be completely naked and annoying if you really wanted me to be."

"As wonderful as that would be, I'll be completely useless to you until I get some food," said Michael. "Well, at least if you want me to do anything except lay here. If you want to do all the work, I'm all for it."

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Snow asked him and he shamelessly nodded. She bit her lower lip nervously, unsure whether she should ask the question that lingered on her mind. "So... so last night was... I mean, you... This is weird, but... but you..."

"Enjoyed it?" Michael finished for her. Snow nodded rather shyly, not quite meeting his gaze. "Of course I did. Did you think I wouldn't?"

"Not exactly, I just thought... You're just so much older and you know more and you've been with girls that have so much more experience that I thought... maybe I wouldn't measure up." Michael sat up suddenly, causing Snow to fall back slightly, coming to rest on Michael's knees.

"Snow, I enjoyed last night because I got to spend it with you," Michael told her. "I wasn't making notes, comparing you to anyone else. I don't care. I was with you and that's all I needed, so don't you worry about that. But, in case you needed the extra reassurance; you were amazing."

"Well, I... thanks," Snow said shyly, Michael's words causing her cheeks to burn. His reassurance had meant so much. She had been genuinely scared that Michael wouldn't think she was good enough. His words had brought her more comfort than she had expected. Perhaps she was more worried than she had realized. "I... I'm glad."

Snow and Michael lay together for a long while, just chatting about nothing in particular. At long last, Snow decided to get up and go make breakfast. She climbed out of bed and padded into the kitchen where she set about cooking breakfast. Before long, the smell of sizzling sausage filled the warehouse. Snow was a perfectly pleasant mood as she retrieved a second skillet and placed it on the stove. As she cracked two eggs into the pan however, a sudden realization came over her and she crashed into the table in her haste to find her purse, knocking a pitcher of orange juice to the floor where it shattered. She knew, without even checking, she knew. She stood, hand held to her mouth in shock, when Michael came rushing out of the bedroom looking around for the source of the commotion.

"Snow?" He asked worriedly, hurrying over to her looking very concerned. "Snow, are you okay?" Snow shook her head, sinking slowly onto the sofa.

"Oh, Mike... Mike, I... I made a mistake, I... I never even thought about... I didn't..."

"Snow, whatever it is you can tell me, you know that," Michael insisted softly. "Talk to me." Snow looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. She sighed heavily and reached out to take his hand.

"Okay, so... so you know those birth control pills my moms made me get?" Snow began quietly.

"Oh, Snow... Snow, tell me you didn't..." Michael whispered.

"Oh, I didn't," Snow said firmly. "I definitely didn't, but not in the way you're hoping. I... I haven't taken one since Halloween, so..."

"And we just..." Michael began quietly.

"And we just," Snow repeated. "I should have realized, I... I should have..."

"It's not your fault," Michael interrupted suddenly. "No, it's... it's no more your responsibility to be sure we're being safe than it is mine. Look, until we know we have something to worry about, let's not worry. What else can we do?"

What else could they do? It was a good question and one that Snow had no answer to. Despite her dream and her deep desire for it to become reality, she hadn't wanted it to happen then and there. She was still a baby herself and was not at all prepared to be a mother. She didn't even know where to start. The very idea of it scared her out of her mind. Still, Michael was right; there was nothing they could do but wait. She had enough to be afraid of without worrying about something that might not happen.

"So... so wait and see," said Snow quietly. "We wait and see."

The rest of the morning and afternoon passed uneventfully. Snow and Michael lazed around the warehouse for hours doing nothing in particular. Snow did her best not to think about the possible ramifications of what they had done. If she was pregnant she had no idea what she would do. The sheer weight of that, on top of everything else, would be sure to crush her and yet... there was something warm and comforting about it.

With JTG lurking around every corner and her mother's disease, Snow's life had fallen apart. A baby would be... she hesitated to say it would be a good thing, but maybe it was exactly what she needed. No... no, she couldn't start thinking like that. She wasn't going to go down that road. She wasn't ready to be a mother and no matter how much she wanted the girl she had dreamed about to be real, it couldn't happen now. It would just be too much.

Much later that evening, Snow had decided to turn in early. She kissed Michael goodnight and retired to the bedroom, leaving Michael sitting alone watching TV. It was still early in the evening and Michael wasn't all that sleepy. However, after an hour he began to feel drowsy and decided to join his girlfriend. As he stood up a sudden burst of energy rippled through the apartment accompanied by a muffled crack like a suppressed gunshot. Michael turned and found Zoe standing in the kitchen with her hands on her hips.

"We've got a problem," she said sharply, causing Michael to instantly shush her.

"Would you keep your voice down?" Michael snapped. "Snow's right in there. She's sleeping, but if you wake her up..." Zoe waved her hand irritably toward the bedroom door. It swung closed with a snap and a greenish glow formed around it for a few moments before fading away.

"There," said Zoe grumpily. "Your little friend can't hear us now. The room is soundproof. Now, we need to talk. I'm doing everything I can to keep the Coven at bay, but they are becoming more and more concerned by your activities. The Dawnguard's uninhibited use of magic..."

"I'll show the Coven 'uninhibited magic'," Michael said hotly. "If the Dawnguard weren't here, can you imagine the world we'd live in? We protect the world from rogue magic, not the Coven. The Coven wants to be the only group in the world with magic. I know that's not ever going to be the case. Magic is out there and the Coven can't take it all away. I'm doing the job I know I have to do and if I have to use magic to do that job, I will."

"Michael, I understand your position, but the Coven..."

"No," Michael snapped. "No, you don't understand my position. Do you have any idea the extent of magic and supernatural artifacts we possess? Dangerous items and power sources that we keep out of the hands of individuals that would use them to bring chaos worldwide? No, you don't. I do and I intend to make sure all of that stays safe and I'll do it while going to war against the forces of darkness that seep up from the depths. I'll do it against the wishes of the Coven if I must, but I won't stop. The Dawnguard has existed since the discovery of magic, before the Coven was ever even envisioned. The Coven will not stop us."

"Don't get mad at me, Michael," said Zoe, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm on your side. I'm just telling you the Coven's viewpoint. They've never liked the Dawnguard and they likely never will. To them, you're dangerous. All that magic you just talked about... they don't think you can keep it safe and they know you'll use it in your battles if you have to. Like I said, I'm doing what I can to keep the Coven at bay, but it's difficult. The strength of their forces far outweighs your own. If the Coven came in force, you wouldn't win."

"One call to Sienna and I'll have more than enough strength to fight off the Coven," said Michael firmly. "Come on, Zoe, you know the Coven is afraid of Divinity. Sienna will back me if I ask and then it’s the Coven that wouldn't stand a chance."

"Yes, you always do like to drag your dear cousin the princess into everything," said Zoe. "Michael, Sienna has a kingdom to rule and her own battles to fight. She can't protect you forever.”

“I don't need forever," said Michael. "All I need is a single show of force. The power Sienna would bring against the Coven would make them... reconsider their position." Zoe shook her head and slowly sank onto the couch.

"Do you remember the old days?" She asked quietly. "Back at Newcastle?"

"Shit..." Michael said slowly. "I haven't thought about that in years, Zoe. Newcastle Academy of the Arcane... I loved that place, at least before the Coven shut the doors to everyone who wasn't a witch."

"The start of the Coven's elitist path," Zoe said sadly. "Used to be anyone could study at Newcastle as long as they had magic in their blood, but now unless you're born a witch you aren't welcome. I'm sorry you couldn't stay. I never said it, but..."

"It wasn't your fault you were a witch and I wasn't," said Michael quickly. "Besides, I was still able to learn. Zoe... I'm not going to stand down, you know that. The Coven, they... They're wrong. I wish I could change their minds, but I... I don't know if I ever can. I won't start a war, but if the Coven attack Stonehaven we will defend ourselves. I won't let them get to Alexandria."

"I'd expect nothing less," said Zoe. She chewed her lower lip nervously and stood to her feet. "Mike, you might want to go ahead and give Sienna a call. You're going to need her army sooner or later. I'll give you as much warning as I can, but one day soon they'll be coming. If Sienna has your back, I know you'll be safe. If she won't come..."

"She'll come," said Michael firmly. "She's family. She'll come. That girl's got a heart of gold. She'll come."

"I hope you're right," said Zoe. "God help us all if you're not." In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

-.-

Early on Sunday morning, after a positively wondrous breakfast that Michael prepared, he and Snow packed their bags and made the trip back home. Snow fell asleep on the drive back and woke as they were driving along the twisting road through the thick woods just outside of town. She raised her head just in time to see the town sign as they passed by; Welcome to Mistbrook Falls: A Little Slice of Paradise.

'Hmph, paradise,' Snow thought grimly. 'More like the seventh circle of hell.'

Within a few minutes, Michael was turning into Snow's driveway. He parked in front of the house and turned off the engine. He turned in his seat to face her, his expression impassive.

"I know you never wanted to come back," he began slowly. "I imagine everything will... Look, just... don't let go of what you felt at the warehouse. That's the important thing because... Now that you're back, I don't want you to start feeling... I don't want you to..."

"I won't," Snow said quickly, placing her hand on his forearm. She looked up at him and noticed tears threatening to form in his eyes, an unusual emotional response from Michael. "I won't." She insisted. "Never again, okay. I swear. I couldn't do that to you... you any of you. I'm not okay, but one day I think I will be. You don't have to worry about me."

"I always worry," said Michael quietly. "It's in my blood." Michael helped Snow unload her bag and walked her to the door. They kissed goodbye and soon the sound of Michael's car vanished into the distance. Once he was gone, Snow pushed open the door and went inside. Ariana and Kayla were both coming out of the kitchen when Snow reached the foot of the stairs. Both of them stared at her with expressions of complete shock on their faces.

"Snow? Is... is that you?" Kayla asked, exchanging a glance with Ariana. Snow, bewildered, stared back in confusion.

"I... of course it's me. Who else would I be?" Then she remembered. "Oh, right. My hair! I forgot. What do you think?"

"It's quite a change, that's for sure," said Kayla as she and Ariana walked over to their daughter. "What inspired it?"

"I... don't know exactly," Snow said slowly. "Michael asked the same thing and I didn't have an answer. I just wanted a change." Snow still couldn't completely explain why she had felt the need to dye her hair, nor why it had made her feel so much better. It simply had done so and there was nothing else she could say about the matter.

"Well, I like it," said Ariana, running her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Thanks," said Snow, managing a smile. "I don't know how long I'll keep it, but... for the moment, I like it."

"You seem... better," Kayla said delicately, glancing at Ariana again. "I mean, compared to when you left, you seem... yeah, better."

"I am," said Snow, nodding. "I mean, I'm... I'm getting there." She looked nervously at Ariana before dropping her gaze to the floor. "I'm not good... not right, but... but this weekend, it... it helped me a lot. I feel better."

"You have no idea how glad we are to hear you say that," said Ariana, brushing Snow's hair with her fingers again. "We were... we were both really scared for you. We called our friend Dr. Pinder while you were gone in case you still wanted to see him. He's the doctor that helped me after I escaped from Adrian, and we thought he'd be able to help you. He can see you whenever you're ready, so if you want we can schedule..."

"Could we go today?" Snow asked suddenly, surprising even herself. Like a lot of other things in her life, she wasn't sure why she wanted to go and see the doctor right away, but something in her said that she should go as soon as possible. Perhaps Michael was right. Maybe Mistbrook Falls was a dangerous place for her to be. Her belief in her dream might not be enough to keep her going much longer. With the additional fears brought on by JTG and the possibility that she might very well be pregnant, Snow knew that talking to a professional couldn't possibly do any harm.

"Well... yeah, I... I suppose," said Kayla slowly. "I mean, I can't see why not. It is a bit of a drive, though. We'll need to leave... well, now."

"Okay, just let me drop off my bag upstairs and freshen up a bit," said Snow, turning and hurrying up the stairs. As she vanished onto the second floor, Kayla turned to Ariana.

"So... do you think they slept together?" The brunette asked, arching her eyebrows. Ariana gave her wife an exasperated look before answering.

"What do you think?" Ariana asked. "Did you see her? She's glowing. Of course they slept together."

"Should we... you know... talk to her, or something?" Kayla wondered. "I mean... you know, should we try to... I don't know, I'm bad at this. Hell, my mom taught me about sex and condoms in a Taco Bell parking lot."

"Oh sweetie," said Ariana, shaking her head and grinning. "You are so damaged, but... how have we known each other this long and I haven't heard that story? Nevermind. We'll talk to her, but not today. I think Snow has enough to talk about today. If Dr. Bradley is anything like he used to be, he'll keep her talking for a long time."  

-.-

After over an hour on the road, Snow knew they would soon be reaching their destination; Harbor Bay Mental Health Institute. She had never been there, but she knew the importance it held to her family. It was where Ariana was taken after she was rescued from her father. She had lived there for quite some time before leaving and moving into the warehouse after her grandfather died. She had then returned almost two years later after she had suffered a near-fatal gunshot wound which resulted in her falling into a coma for months and losing her memories upon finally waking up. Neither she nor Kayla had returned to Harbor Bay since then.

Snowflakes continued to fall lightly as they drove, deepening the already thick snows that had been falling unceasingly over the last five days. As they pulled into the parking lot Snow noticed that Harbor Bay Institute, a large facility built almost completely out of glass, blended almost perfectly with the snowy environment. If Snow hadn't known it was there, she likely wouldn't have seen it.

As Snow and her parents got out of the car, she noticed how quiet and peaceful the area was. The Institute was built far beyond the bustling city of Detroit, far removed from all the noise. It was so quiet she could easily hear the snowflakes pattering onto the ground. Ariana and Kayla each took one of Snow's hands and together they made their way up to the building along what was known as the Path of Healing, a long path through a field made up of loose white stones. In summer, Snow imagined the dozens of fountains that lined the path would be bubbling and frothing, but given the intense cold and heavy snows the fountains appeared to have long ago frozen over.

They reached the building relatively quickly and, still hand-in-hand, they entered. Snow wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it certainly had not been a warm, tropical, spa-like atmosphere. The wide open lobby was warm and welcoming and the floors were made up of the same white stones as the path that had brought them there. There were palm trees and other tropical plants scattered about the lobby as well as a number of fountains.

Together, they crossed the lobby and made their way up to the receptionist's desk which was positioned just in front of a long wall made of bamboo. A young blonde woman sat in a chair behind the desk, typing away on her computer. She glanced up at them as they approached, and smiled.

"Hi there," she said brightly. "I'm Gwen. How can I help you?"     

"Hi, I'm Ariana," said Ariana. "This is my wife Kayla and our daughter, Snow. We're here to see Dr. Bradley... I mean, Dr. Pinder." Gwen nodded, typing once again on her computer. She paused, however, and looked up at Ariana once again with a curious expression on her face.

"Ariana... Ariana... wait, Ariana Laine?" Gwen asked. Ariana glanced at Kayla, who shrugged.

"Um... it used to be Laine, yes," she replied. "It's Austin now, but... do I know you? Have we met, or...?"

"Oh, no," said Gwen quickly. "No, we've never met. It's just that Dr. Pinder talks about you all the time. You're the reason he hasn't retired already. He always says that if there's ever another girl out there that needs help like you did, he wants to be there to help her. He's quite inspiring."

"I always liked him," Ariana said, nodding.

"Well then you could come and visit every now and again," said Dr. Pinder, stepping around the bamboo wall with the biggest smile on his face. Dr. Bradley Pinder was a rather tall man, if slightly stooped with age. He wore thin, wiry glasses and had thinning brown hair that was beginning to gray.

"You could always make the trip to Mistbrook Falls too, Dr. Bradley," said Ariana pointedly. "It's a nice little town." Dr. Pinder walked over and pulled Ariana into a hug. He did the same with Kayla soon after.

"So, how long has it been?" He asked them both. "Almost five years now?"

"That sounds about right," said Kayla. "Your daughter's wedding, wasn't it?"

"I believe it was," said Dr. Pinder. "Whenever it was, it's so good to see you both again... and you too, of course, little Snow." He smiled warmly at Snow, who frowned slightly. To her knowledge, she had never met Dr. Pinder in her life.

"Oh, you probably won't remember but we've met before," Dr. Pinder went on. "At your parent's wedding. You were so young then, I doubt you remember."

"I'm sorry, I don't," Snow admitted reluctantly. Dr. Pinder smiled again.

"I would've been surprised if you had," he said. "You were only four years old at the time."

"They grow up fast," said Kayla, nudging Ariana with her elbow.

"That they do," the redhead agreed. They spent a few moments longer reminiscing about the past before Dr. Pinder announced it was time he spoke with Snow alone. Dr. Pinder guided Snow around the bamboo wall and along the side of a large rectangular pool where fish swam lazily beneath the smooth surface of the water. Snow allowed herself to be steered down a corridor to the left and soon enough  they reached a polished door with Dr. Pinder's name emblazoned upon it. Dr. Pinder reached out and held the door open for her, ushering her inside.

Dr. Pinder closed the door and went around to sit in his chair behind his large oak desk. Snow surveyed the rather dark room briefly, taking in the shelves filled with books and a display of the doctor's awards. Dr. Pinder gently motioned for Snow to sit down in one of the armchairs in front of his desk. Snow obeyed, a suddenly jolt of fear and nervousness coursing through her.

"Obviously you're aware that your parents asked me to speak with you," Dr. Pinder began slowly. "I certainly intend to do that. But first I'd like you to talk to me. How do you feel?" It was possibly the simplest question he could have asked, and yet Snow struggled to answer it. How did she feel? She felt both good and bad, happy and yet sad... and part of her was very angry.

"I don't know," she answered at last. "I... one minute I'm fine and then the next, I... It all comes rushing back and I can't...  I mean, I'm better... you know, than I was, but I'm still not..."

"It's just not the same," said Dr. Pinder quietly. Snow nodded slowly.

"Yeah," she replied. "No matter what I do, I can't forget. I tried, I did everything I could think of, but... It's just always there. It's not at the front of my mind all the time, but its there."

"And it always will be," said Dr. Pinder. "Your mother is dying, there's no getting around that. That fact is, Snow, that you are never going to be okay with your mother's illness. Losing my mother was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. To this day, thinking about her causes me great pain. I miss her terribly. That said, time heals all wounds. You won't ever be okay with this, but I swear to you it will get better. You may not believe that now, but it really will."

"I... I do believe," Snow said softly. "I do, I... I believe. Okay, you may think I'm crazy... maybe I am crazy, but... Okay, so I had this dream. I, my boyfriend and I, we were... It was at some point in the future, not too far, but not right now. He and I had a baby and we were happy. My mom was gone, but I had found a way to be happy again."

"A favorite author of mine once wrote; 'It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live,'. I implore you not to put too much of your hope into a dream, Snow. That's just a band-aid. Band-aids, my dear, don't fix bullet holes."

"I know its not real," Snow said quickly. "I know that what I saw isn't really the future, but still I have to believe that some version of that can happen. I've felt better, been happier, actually believed I could survive this since I've had that dream. Beforehand, I was almost ready to do this again." She held out her arm which was still wrapped in bandages.

"Well, I've long been a believer in the idea that my patients truly know best what will help them heal," said Dr. Pinder thoughtfully. "If believing that you can make that dream reality is helping you, don't dare let me or anyone else take that away from you. If it's given you hope, that's certainly a start."

"It has," said Snow firmly. "It's just about the only thing that kept me going. I know I can't depend on it forever and eventually I have to learn how to process this, but... I can't do that right now."

"You know, when your mother was brought to be I fully believed when I saw her that she was beyond hope," Dr. Pinder confessed after a moment. "They hadn't brought me a person, but instead they had given me this broken, shattered wreck; a shell containing nothing but misery and terror. She couldn't speak when we first met, she... she was either too afraid or simply unwilling, I don't know. She was a fourteen year old girl that couldn't... do anything. She couldn't feed herself or go to the bathroom by herself. She couldn't read or hold a pencil or even... anything. My team and I had to not only help her heal from over a decade of physical and emotional abuse and trauma, but we also had to teach her an entire childhood's worth of basic things. It was six months before she spoke to anyone. The first question she ever asked, the first words I ever heard her speak were these; 'The day I woke up, what was on the ground outside?'"

"Snow," Snow said quietly. "She... she saw snow."

"That she did," said Dr. Pinder with a slight smile. "She was well into her pregnancy by then, of course. Despite her silence, she learned more quickly than I've ever seen anyone learn. She just... devoured knowledge. She loved books and as soon as she learned to read she tore through every book we could get for her. It didn't much matter what it was either, she just... loved to learn. She did have a preference, however, for books about cats."

"That sounds like Mom," said Snow, unable to keep herself from grinning.

"When Ariana finally gave birth to you she had improved drastically, but still in no shape to raise a baby," Dr. Pinder continued. "She wanted to keep you, begged myself and her grandfather to let her keep you, but... Well, she couldn't care for a child and her grandfather was... well, battling cancer himself, so it just couldn't work. Still, she wanted to name you. Naturally, she named you Snow. At the time, I found it to be quite an interesting and unusual name. You don't hear it very often, after all. Snow is... delicate, soft, and beautiful, but if you give it enough time to accumulate and grow stronger and maybe give it a little push, it will slid down the side of a mountain and obliterate anything that dares to lie in its path."

"If you're trying to use a metaphor to tell me I'm as strong as an avalanche..." Snow began. Dr. Pinder shrugged.

"Oh, I'm not nearly so creative as to come up with something like that," he said airily. His face grew suddenly serious, however, as Snow opened her mouth to reply. "Your mother is the strongest person I have ever had the great luck to meet. She survived her own living nightmare and out of that hell came you, a beautiful snowflake that I have no doubt rivals Ariana in her strength. Her strength lives in you." Dr. Pinder paused, choosing that moment to remove his glasses and clean them with a cloth he plucked from his coat pocket.

Snow knew she wasn't as strong as Ariana was. Nothing she had ever dealt with was half as bad as what her mother had gone through. She had it remarkably easy by comparison. She wasn't even facing her demons alone, for she had Clara, and Mary, and Nikki, and Michael, and Steven, and Jackson, and Ariana, and Kayla, and Alana, and Sophia, and many other people that loved her and would support her through it all. Only a select few knew about JTG, true enough, but those that did would stand with her in the fight against their tormentor. She wasn't alone. She didn't have to face the darkness that surrounded her on her own. She couldn't, she realized, face it alone. But the sudden realization that she didn't have to face it, any of it, alone gave her more comfort than anything else had. She had friends and family that loved her, that supported her, that would help her get through whatever darkness the future no doubt held.

"There are shadows behind your eyes, Snow," Dr. Pinder said suddenly, shocking Snow out of her thoughts. "I know there's something you're keeping to yourself, that you're struggling with on your own. I can see it in your eyes. I won't ask what it is, I know you're not ready to share it. When you are, please know that I will be here for you. Until then, don't let go of that inner strength. Any daughter of Ariana's is certainly a force to be reckoned with. You are stronger than you know. You will survive this, of that I have no doubt."

"We only just met," said Snow quietly. "How can you have so much faith in me?" Dr. Pinder smiled.

"I just told you," he said lightly. "You are Ariana Laine's daughter. If she instilled even a fraction of her strength in you, and knowing Ariana she did so much more than that, you will be just fine. Not right away, no. It will take time and it will be painful, but... you will survive. You are far stronger than you give yourself credit for. Trust me, Snow, you will survive, and if I may be so bold, emerge stronger for having done so."   

-.-

On the drive back out to the highway an hour later, Snow found she was infinitely happier than she had been on the way up to Harbor Bay. She wasn't at all sure if that was simply because she had been nervous about the meeting or not, but she felt as though her time with Dr. Pinder had helped. She felt... better, as though a certain weight had been lifted from her. She couldn't quite explain it. She felt free. She knew she shouldn't, but somehow, she did.

They drove for a while along the winding road that led to Harbor Bay. Snow sat in the back as they drove in silence, listening to the radio playing quietly as they went. Just before they reached the highway, Kayla pulled off the road and into a gas station. When Kayla got out to fill up the car's tank, Snow slid from the backseat and into the driver's seat. Ariana gave her a smile as she maneuvered herself into the seat.

"Want to drive us home?" She asked. Snow nodded.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, changing the station on the radio to one of her favorites and beginning to hum along to the song that was playing. At that moment, the thick cloud cover broke and the blazing sun appeared on the horizon. The last remaining snowflakes fell onto the windshield and then, suddenly, for the first time in over a week, the skies were clear.

"Would you look at that?" Ariana said, pointing out of the window. "The snow's stopped falling." Snow nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, and it's about time too. I feel like it's been snowing for a year," she replied, adjusting the volume on the radio. "Mmm mmm mmm on the ocean, sending big waves into motion. Like how a single word can make a heart open. I might only have one match, but I can make an explosion. This is my fight song, take back my life song, prove I'm alright song..."         

Ariana turned in her seat to watch her daughter idly singing along with the radio. Snow hadn't even noticed, Ariana realized, but she most certainly had. She sat there, swaying slowly in her seat to the music, a contented smile on her face. Perhaps it would all work out after all. Maybe, just maybe, Snow would be okay. Maybe she hadn't done as terrible a job at parenting as she believed. Either that, or Snow was simply far stronger than Ariana had given her credit for. Either way, there was a piece of the old Snow shining through and Ariana was elated. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, listening contentedly to her daughter's singing. Suddenly Snow reached over and gently laced her fingers through her mother's, drawing Ariana's attention.

"And I don't really care if nobody else believes. 'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me," Snow sang softly. She gave her mother a reassuring nod. "I've still got a lot of fight left in me." Absolutely no words where shared between mother and daughter as Kayla finished fueling the car and took Snow's place in the back. Snow simply smiled at her mother, who squeezed her hand as Snow started the car.

As they drove out onto the road, Snow found she felt happier and more free than she had in a long time. Nothing had changed, not really. JTG was still lurking and her mother was still dying, but somehow she had found a tiny speck of peace in the midst of the storm. She felt that she had reached the end of a long, arduous journey, and even though she knew there was still so much more left to face, she couldn't help but feel that they were nearing the end.

What Snow couldn't see, couldn't know, was that she was not at the end of her journey, but instead it was only the beginning. She still had a long way to go and a dark, dangerous path to tread. For that evening, however, Snow was at peace. The rest of the drive home was quite pleasant. Kayla fell asleep roughly halfway back to Mistbrook Falls, leaving Snow and Ariana alone to talk. They hadn't had much time to just talk since Snow had been told the truth about her mother's condition. They talked about nothing in particular, just idle chit-chat. It was the most pleasant conversation Snow had had in months.

When they at long last arrived back home, having driven down the long winding road from the highway through the thick forest that surrounded Mistbrook Falls on all sides, Snow parked the car in the driveway while Ariana shook Kayla awake. After finally managing to rouse the sleepy brunette, the three of them made their way up to the house. Kayla unlocked the front door and went inside. Snow followed her, but noticed that Ariana wasn't behind her. Instead, she was crouched near the rosebushes that lined the front porch. She stood up suddenly, clutching a fat white cat in her arms.

"Isn't he adorable?" Ariana cooed, nuzzling the cat with her nose. "He's just the sweetest! Aw, you're so precious, aren't you, Pookie McWhiskerson? Can we keep him, Kay-Kay? Can we keep him?"

"He doesn't have a collar, so I guess he's a stray," Kayla observed. "Although with the way he's letting you hold him, he's obviously comfortable around people. Eh... hell, since you've already named him I suppose we have to." She was grinning wider than Snow had ever seen.

"We have to," Snow agreed. "You can't just put something out on the street after you've named it." Kayla smirked.

"You're in for quite a surprise when you turn eighteen." Snow rolled her eyes at her.

"Seriously, he is adorable," said Snow. "The house hasn't been the same since... well... I mean, I miss having a cat."

"Me too," said Kayla as Ariana made her way over. She held the cat up so Kayla and Snow could pet him and he purred contentedly. Snow was much more interested in Ariana than the cat. She was smiling so brightly it was infectious. Seeing her mother happy, seeing her smile... it made her day. In fact, it made her week, her month, and her entire year. She hadn't realized how much she needed to see Ariana happy, but now that she had she understood just how important it was.

Snow watched as Kayla and Ariana took their new cat inside, her own smile plastered on her face. She was happy and for that night, just one night, she wasn't going to let anyone or anything take that away from her. And then her phone chimed. She knew before she even took out her phone who the message was from. It couldn't possibly be from anyone else.

This message, however, was different from the ones in the past. This one included a photograph. It was a photo of Dennis Roberts, who Snow recognized from the bank. He was sitting in an armchair holding a very familiar fat white cat. As she stood there, staring at the picture, all the pieces fit perfectly into place. She watched through the open doorway as her mothers got to know their new cat. All the while, Snow stood outside coming to grips with the sudden realization of exactly where that cat had come from and what had befallen his previous owner.

49: Chapter XLIX: There'll Be Peace When You Are Done

Snow had always considered herself to be rather smart. She got good grades and her wit was typically unmatched by her peers. She had even successfully passed a Mensa test once. Therefore, she felt quite foolish that she hadn't considered the possibility of an emergency contraception pill immediately. It was a testament to her damaged mental state that she had completely overlooked the possibility. In fact, had it not been for a commercial on TV, she might not have thought of it until much later at which point there would have been nothing she could do to fix her mistake. Why Michael hadn’t considered it was something she would have to ask him later. Fortunately, she still had plenty of time. It had only been two days and a quick web search told her that emergency contraception, while less effective the longer she waited, should still be effective for a couple of days at least. It was better than the alternative, she supposed.

While lying to her parents wasn’t something she particularly wanted to do, she couldn’t tell them the truth. They had trusted her and she had completely let them down. The idea of telling them this, of worrying them over something that might never happen seemed almost cruel after everything else that had happened. She didn’t want to get in trouble, but even more so she didn’t want to add anything more to their plate. They had enough to worry about. As such, she told them she had forgotten something in Michael’s car when he dropped her off and then set off to a nearby pharmacy.

The store wasn't very busy as Snow entered through the sliding glass doors and smiled meekly at the elderly lady behind the checkout counter. She wandered the aisles for a few minutes before locating the section she was looking for. She paused, surveying her options. She wasn't all that familiar with emergency contraception and she wasn't exactly sure what she needed to buy. She picked up a box and read the information on the back, noticing the judgmental look a middle aged woman gave her as she walked past.

She supposed she should have expected that. There she was, barely sixteen years old and standing in pharmacy aisle desperately shopping for emergency contraception. How had her life gone so wrong? How had she gotten to this place? A few months ago, she had been on top of the world. She had the perfect family and incredible friends. She was pretty, popular, and wealthy. She made straight A's and never would she have ever believed that before the year ended, this was where she would have ended up.

"You don't need that," said a familiar voice from behind her. Snow spun around and the very same girl from her dream stood there with a knowing smile on her lips. "You're not pregnant, Mom. Trust me, I'd know if I had an older brother or sister and it's a bit too early for it to be me, so don't waste your money." Snow didn't immediately respond. She looked up and down the aisle, hoping another customer might be nearby and could help her verify the other girl's existence.

"I can't possibly be dreaming," Snow said, more to herself than to the girl. "You..."

"Are real?" The girl finished helpfully. "Yep, I'm real as can be."

"But... but... but... how?" Snow babbled. "How can you...? Yep, that's it. I've finally cracked. I'm seeing people who aren't there."

"Whatever's easier for you to believe," said the girl. "It won't make me any less real. Anyway, that's not the point, Mommy. The point is that you're not pregnant so you don't really need that."

"So... so I'm supposed to not take a pill based upon my hallucination telling me that I shouldn't?" Snow asked, realizing that she was asking herself a question and expecting an answer. Perhaps that wasn't the best idea either.

"I'm not a hallucination," said the girl, frowning slightly. "I had a hallucination once." She smiled suddenly. "There were bunnies. Anyway, I'm real and I'm here. I shouldn’t be, but… well, I wanted to see you again. I was only supposed to come back once, but… but I…” Much to Snow’s surprise, the girl looked to be on the verge of tears. “I needed to come back, just for a little while.”

“Why?” Snow asked, realizing with a start that she was beginning to fall deeper into her hallucination. She was asking her vision what was wrong. She really was losing her mind.

“Some things have happened,” she said idly. “I know it’s only been a couple of days for you, but… it’s been much longer for me. I just… needed a moment.” She looked at Snow nervously, chewing her lower lip. “Can… can I hug you?” Snow knew it couldn’t be real. Time travel wasn’t possible. There was no logical way this was actually happening and yet something rose up inside her as this girl, her supposed daughter, asked for a hug. She looked so sad that Snow couldn’t help but agree.

Snow couldn’t imagine what she must look like, hugging thin air in the middle of the store. In that moment, however, she didn’t much care. She felt… something. At the time she wasn’t at all sure what and only later would she realize it had been a mother’s instinct to protect and care for her child. There was a great pain within this girl, a pain Snow could feel radiating out of her. It was a pain Snow knew only too well.

“What happened, Ari?” She asked, peering into the girl’s watery blue eyes. The girl gave Snow a thin smile and shook her head.

“You’re the only person who ever calls me Ari,” said the girl. She sighed. “I can’t tell you what happened, it… I just can’t. It wouldn’t change anything anyway. I just… I needed to see my mom.”

“Did something happen to me?” Snow asked, forgetting for a moment that none of this was real. The girl shook her head.

“No… no, not to you,” she answered. “Like I said, I can’t tell you. I shouldn’t have told you this much. Just forget I said anything. Let’s focus on your problem… or your lack of a problem I should say. Like I said, you’re not pregnant.”

“You know, what if the only reason you don’t have an older sibling is because I took this pill?” Snow asked, causing the girl to pause.

“Hmm…” she said thoughtfully, doing some quick math on her fingers. “That’s… on second thought, maybe taking that pill wouldn’t be such a bad idea.” Snow smirked and returned to her shopping.

“See, this is why time travel is so strictly regulated,” said the girl, reading the information on the back of a box of condoms. Without thinking, Snow snatched the box from her hands.

"No," she said sharply. “You don’t need those.”

“Hey, you can’t mother me here,” said the girl. “I haven’t even been born yet.” Snow shook her head wearily and snatched a box from the shelf.

“I… I don’t even know what to say to that,” she said wearily, marching off toward the checkouts counter.

“Time travel can boggle the mind,” the girl said, nodding her agreement. “Like I was saying, it’s not supposed to be used… well, at all really. It’s dangerous. You know, paradoxes and butterfly effects, things like that. You don’t want to go mucking about with the past and end up wrecking the future. Like… don’t go back in time to murder Hitler or something. It won’t work and you’ll just make things worse.”

“Has anyone tried?” Snow asked as she reached the checkout counter and handed her purchase to the elderly woman waiting there.

“Probably,” said the girl, investigating a colorful pack of candies which she passed to Snow with a hopeful expression on her face. Snow arched her eyebrows, but handed the candy over to the clerk regardless. “I mean, time travel wasn’t always banned so I’m sure people have tried everything. It just… what’s meant to be will be. I hate that, but… going back to change the past won’t fix anything. If someone is meant to die, for example, you can’t change it. You might change the circumstances of their death, but they’re still going to die anyway. Trust me. I know.”

“You’re making my head hurt,” Snow said wearily.

“We have a number of headache medicines available,” said the lady behind the counter. “If you’d like, I could…”

“No thanks,” said Snow, reading the clerk’s nametag and learning that her name was Rose. “Thank you, Rose, but I’ve got something at home I can take for it.”

“Very well, then,” said Rose. “Your total is $48.15.” Snow handed over her credit card and turned back to the girl, who had her nose buried in a women’s magazine.

“I’ve never understood these things,” she said thoughtfully. “I mean, on page 4 it’s telling me how I can lose twenty pounds in two weeks. Then on page 6 it there’s an article on accepting myself as I am… and on page 15 there’s a new cake recipe. What are they trying to tell me?"  

“You really shouldn’t pay any attention to those, dear,” said Rose gently. “Anything they’re trying to tell you ain’t worth listening to. You start listening to what the world wants to tell you and it’ll take you places you never want to go.” The girl nodded in understanding, but Snow looked back and forth between them in shock and disbelief.

“Umm… you… you can see her?” Snow asked Rose incredulously. Rose nodded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Of course I can, she’s hardly invisible,” said Rose, passing Snow’s credit card back to her.

“I… right,” said Snow, glancing at the girl who was watching her with an amused grin on her face.

“Who should we listen to?” The girl asked, breaking the awkward silence and drawing Rose’s attention. “You said the world will take us to places we don’t want to go. How do we know where we should go?”

“Destiny often takes us to places we’d never thought of going,” said Rose. “Perhaps give that a try.”

“I don’t believe in destiny,” said Snow, although she was starting to wonder how much longer she was going to be able to say that. She had always believed in the natural order of the world. She believed in what she could see and feel and touch… and yet here she was standing in a store with her future daughter than the checkout lady could see and speak to. Sara was appearing and disappearing at will and she had been seen by her friends. Maybe she was going to have to start admitting the science didn’t provide all the answers. Maybe, just maybe, there was something more.

“You’ll believe,” said Rose softly, patting Snow gently on her arm as she handed over her purchase and receipt. “One day soon my dear, you will.”

“Yeah,” said Snow dryly. “This afternoon has been decidedly… unique. I’m gonna… yeah. Thanks.” She turned and set off toward the entrance, the girl hurrying along behind her.

“Thanks,” said the girl as they walked across the parking lot and Snow dug around in the bottom of the bag and retrieved the candy she had bought.

“Sure,” said Snow offhandedly. “Either I’ve just bought candy for my time traveling daughter or I’ve completely lost my mind. Actually, that last one is probably true either way.”

“You don’t lose your mind until 2042,” said the girl. Snow glanced over and when their eyes met they both dissolved into fits of laughter.

“Can you stay?” Snow asked when she at last regain control of herself. “Whether you’re real or a hallucination, I… I like you. Right now, I could really use a new friend.”

“I wish I could, Mommy,” the girl said sadly. “Really, I wish I could. I like it here and I like this you… but I’m a girl out of time and I have to go home. There’s so much to do and I have to get back.”

“Then… then tell me it’ll all be okay,” Snow pleaded. She could no longer tell reality from her own delusions, but in that moment she didn’t care. She craved reassurance, comfort, and a promise that one day everything would be right again. “Tell me that and I’ll… I’ll be okay.”

“There’s something you taught me, ingrained into me from a very young age,” said the girl. “Don’t ever make a promise if you know you can’t keep it. Things go wrong, Mommy. They always will. But you’ll make it… and I’m living proof of that.” The girl moved closer, wrapping her arms around Snow in a tight hug. Snow returned the hug, squeezing the girl tightly as though if she held on firmly she might not leave.

“I love you, Mommy,” she whispered. Snow squeezed her eyes closed as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

“I love you, Ari,” she replied. When Snow opened her eyes, the girl was gone. She stood alone in the empty parking lot. Snow leaned back against the side of her car, feeling more confused than she ever had in her life. She had no idea what was real anymore. This girl, Sara... was JTG even real or was it all part of an elaborate hallucination her mind had concocted? Perhaps not. Perhaps everything that had happened was all some crazy dream and at any moment she would wake up. She didn't and soon enough she got into her car and set off for home, wishing she could time travel herself so she could go back to a time before her entire life had fallen apart.

-.-

Much later that night, Snow was to be found alone down in the basement, staring at Kayla’s liquor collection in silence. She dusted the bottles and arranged them properly so their labels faced outwards. As she worked, she lost herself deeply in her own thoughts. JTG, she was her primary concern at the moment. Despite everything else that she had to face, right then JTG was her biggest and most dangerous obstacle.

JTG had killed Dennis; there was no doubt in her mind about that. Yet although she was convinced of the outcome, she was far less sure about the motive behind it. Snow could think of no reason for JTG to murder Dennis. He was, as far as she knew, not involved with anything that had happened. Surely JTG wasn’t so callous as to kill a man just to steal his cat. No, that didn’t make any sense. She spent over an hour in the basement, deep in thought. It took longer than she would like to admit for her to put the pieces together. Eventually, however, it clicked: Noel.

Dennis was the manager at Geller and Greene National Bank where Noel worked. He had been the one that had fired her after she had been reported for sexual harassment. She knew JTG was obviously behind the report, but she had never considered the possibility that the report had never actually existed in the first place. She realized then that JTG hadn’t simply called in and reported Noel to Dennis. No, what JTG had done instead was much more of a JTG way to do it. JTG must have coerced Dennis into firing Noel. Perhaps JTG had something on Dennis, just as she did Snow and her friends. Perhaps she had used whatever it was that Dennis wanted to keep secret against him, forcing him to fire Noel in response to Clara’s failed attempt to block JTG’s number from her phone.

But even if all of this were true, it didn’t completely explain why JTG saw fit to kill Dennis. What did Dennis’s death achieve other than one less person that knew the name JTG? Unless that was the reason in and of itself, Snow considered. Maybe, and it was a big maybe, but maybe JTG had decided to clean house. If Tony and Rachel really were JTG, and in Snow’s opinion they had considerable evidence of that being the case, then perhaps her friend’s burglary of their home had caused the couple to react in a way they had not foreseen. If Tony and Rachel knew they had been discovered, and obviously they knew they had been discovered, then maybe they were preparing some sort of endgame and they first needed to eliminate any loose ends. In that case, Dennis would certainly qualify as a loose end. However, if JTG really was tying up loose ends and accelerating her plans toward the end of her game, what did that mean for Snow and her friends? Would that mean…

“Snow?” Having spiraled so deeply into the twisted web of conspiracy created by JTG, Snow hadn’t heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and only realized she wasn’t alone when a voice called out to her. Startled, she spun around quickly, the bottle of rum she held nearly slipping from her hands. Sophia stood before her, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What… are you doing down here?”

“I was just… it’s not what it looks like,” said Snow, holding up the bottle of rum. “Well, actually it’s exactly what it looks like. I’m just standing here holding this bottle. I made a mess down here before and I thought I should clean up. I’m not drinking. After what happened the last time, I don’t think I’ll ever drink again."

"Good," said Sophia, sounding incredibly relieved. "Good, that... that's good." Then, much to Snow's surprise, Sophia dissolved into tears. She rushed forward and engulfed Snow in a tight hug, sobbing all the while.

"Sophie..." Snow said breathlessly. "Sophie, what's wrong? Did...?" Sophia drew away slowly, staring at Snow with a fear in her eyes that Snow had never seen there before. Sophia had always been so strong, so steady. Thinking back, Snow wasn’t sure she had ever seen her cousin cry. The blonde stepped back, wringing her hands and wiping her eyes.

"You weren't there," Sophia said at last. "You... you never met him, but... but my dad... his name was Mike, coincidentally, he... He died when he decided it was a good idea to drink himself stupid and then get behind the wheel of a car. When Kayla told me that you had driven to Michael's drunk, I... Snowy, I thought... If you... if that had happened to you..."

"It didn't," Snow said hurriedly. She had known, of course, how Sophia's father had died. It had happened shortly before she had been reunited with her mother. Mike had been drinking heavily in the wake of Sophia's mother's death and that drinking had eventually killed him. Sophia had been left orphaned and if not for Alana choosing to adopt her, she could have ended up anywhere. She hadn't thought, hadn't even considered for a moment what her actions would do to Sophia. She hadn't considered anyone for that matter. The only person she had been thinking about was herself. Sophia was technically her adoptive cousin, but they had grown up as close as sisters. Sophia had been her best friend and her big sister and she hadn't even given her feelings a second thought.

Snow had never considered herself to be an uncaring person. She had always been nice, kind, and caring. Sara had been the cruel one, hadn't she? Hadn't Sara been the one that had hurt people? Hadn't she been the self-obsessed one? Snow had always been the gentle one that cared about people... hadn't she? Or was she wrong? Was she really that blind? Well, of course she was. Stephen had said so himself on Founder's Day. She was rich, beautiful, powerful. She preyed on the lower class without even meaning to. She had followed Sara around like a lost puppy and had never stood up to her. She was as bad as Sara. Maybe she was even worse. At least Sara had been smart enough to realize what she was. Snow hadn't even understood just how selfish she was. She hadn't cared. That revelation crushed her.

"Sophia, I... I am so sorry," Snow said, tears welling in her eyes. "I never even thought... about a lot of things, honestly. I all cared about was myself and how much pain I was in. I didn't care about anyone else, just what I was dealing with. That was wrong, I... I should have realized that my choices were hurting the people I love, but I... I didn't and I'm sorry."

"It's okay," said Sophia quickly, cupping Snow's face in her hands and wiping the tear away that had rolled down her cheek. "I don't blame you for doing what you did. If anything happened to Alana, I'd... I don't know what I'd do. This just... it reminded me of my dad and I..."

"You should blame me," Snow said miserably. "I've been horrible to everyone." She held up her arm, showing Sophia the deep cut that still ran along her arm. "All I thought about was my pain, not about what I was doing to my family or my friends. I knew what I was feeling and I willing forced that on everyone I love. I hurt a lot of people, so… so you should blame me. I deserve it.”

“No, you don’t,” said Sophia, staring at Snow as though she couldn’t quite understand where all of this was coming from. “Snow, you… you just learned that your mother is dying. That would devastate anyone. What you did… it’s more than understandable. You were drunk and in pain. No one blames you for wanting to spare yourself what I can only imagine was agony. I didn’t come here to tell you that I’m mad at you, Snow. I just want to make sure you’re okay and that you aren’t going to hurt yourself again or drive drunk again.”

“I’m not, I promise,” said Snow, knowing that the word promise held as much meaning to Sophia as it did to her. A promise in the Austin family, once made, was to always be kept. Snow had grown up hearing her mother say that if she made a promise she would keep it. That had given the word so much weight in Snow’s mind. She didn’t throw the word around carelessly and neither did Sophia.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” said Sophia, smiling slightly.

“I hope so,” Snow replied. “I mean it, Sophie. Never again. It was dumb, I know that. I’ve been doing a lot of dumb things recently and being in pain isn’t an excuse. Starting right now, I have to make it right.”

Sophia left not long after that, leaving Snow alone with her thoughts. Snow had come to realize that being alone was the last thing she needed. She thought too much when she was alone, and yet alone she was. It was already very late and her parents had gone to bed. Sleep no longer came to Snow easily. Some nights, it didn’t come at all. She simply had too much on her mind. Her mother, JTG, Sara… it all just swirled around in her mind keeping her wide awake even into the early hours of the morning. If she wasn’t thinking about her mother’s illness, she was contemplating JTG’s next move or considering Sara and how she had appeared to her and her friends after her death. Who was S and why had they seemingly disappeared only to reappear on the night she had tried to kill herself and send her a message of hope? And then there was her daughter from the future, or more likely the large scale hallucinations she had begun having.

It was all too much to allow for a good night’s sleep, so at roughly three in the morning on Monday, Snow was to be found in the kitchen sitting at the bar and drinking a glass of orange juice. She wasn’t thirsty, but it gave her something to do with her hands. She couldn’t focus her mind enough to read and she had little interest in scrolling through Facebook on her phone, so instead she drank just to give herself something to do.

She had sat there for over an hour, just staring off into space, thinking. Snow thought a lot, too much in fact. Shutting her brain off and letting herself relax had become harder and harder ever since JTG had come into their lives. She was starting to crack under the pressure of everything that had happened, she knew that. They were all starting to crack. The constant pressure of a mysterious, dangerous stalker watching their every move was enough to break anyone. Despite knowing who JTG was, they were still no closer to finding a way to stop him.

How were they to stop Tony without destroying themselves in the process? Tony wanted the dead, she felt fairly sure of that, but did he care what happened to himself? That was the million dollar question. Was Tony willing to go down with them? They had the tape showing his affair with Miranda, a perfect snapshot of what was at best statutory rape. They could release it whenever they wanted, to whoever they wanted. They could destroy Tony in one swift stroke… if he cared.

But did he? Had he prepared for the possibility that they would learn his identity? Or had he planned on remaining anonymous, perhaps only revealing himself as he shoved a knife through their hearts? It was impossible to know and yet Snow felt certain Tony didn’t want to go to prison. He had a career and a wife to think about. Surely he wasn’t prepared to throw all of that away on revenge. And what about Rachel? Was she involved? Did she know anything about, well… anything? Considering there was a fairly large room in their house filled with all sorts of suspicious items, Snow felt it was highly unlikely that Rachel knew nothing of what was going on. She was likely working right alongside Tony, but she couldn’t prove it.

The more Snow thought, however, the more she realized that they had to strike back. They were constantly on the defensive and if they kept going like that, they were going to lose. They had the video and the needed to find a way to use that to retaliate. Otherwise, Tony was going to win and she couldn’t let that happen. Tony had to be stopped and she had to come up with a plan to stop him. She knew she couldn’t plan for every outcome. Her plan was going to be the absolute definition of a Hail Mary, but there was no way to be certain about anything. She had to make a decision on a course of action whether she wanted to or not. She was about to cross the Rubicon and she knew once she did, there would be no going back.

-.-

Clara awoke very early on Monday morning. She had been having a hard time sleeping over the last several months, not that she was surprised. She fell asleep easily enough, but she was regularly awoken by terrible nightmares. She rarely remembered what happened in her dreams, she simply woke up screaming in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat with her heart racing. She was afraid to sleep because she knew what would happen and it terrified her.

Whenever she woke up like that, all she wanted was someone to comfort her. She hold her in their arms and tell her everything would be okay. Maybe it was silly, but that was what she wanted. She thought about her mother, but that would mean telling her about her nightmares and she didn't want to worry her. She could hardly go to her friends, for they were doubtlessly struggling in their own ways. Instead, Clara found herself calling Jacob. The first time she had called, she had been surprised that he answered at such an early hour, but answer he had. They had spent hours talking afterwards and told him of her nightmares even if she couldn't share the reason for them.

That particular morning, Clara had awoken as she normally did crying out into the silence of her bedroom as her night terrors drove her back to consciousness. Trembling, Clara crawled out of bed and went to her window. She shivered as she pushed it open and cool night air rushed over her sweat soaked skin. She was starting to understand what Snow meant when she said it had to stop. She, of course, had been talking about her mind running wild with thoughts of her mother's impending death, but Clara could easily apply the phrase to her own issue. Her night terrors, even though she could not remember them, were driving her insane. The sheer weight of the last couple of months was going to crush her, she was becoming ever more certain of that fact with each passing day. This game... it had to come to an end... soon.

Clara dialed Jacob's number without really even meaning to. Her fingers pressed the buttons almost automatically and before she knew what was happening, the phone was ringing. It rang once, twice, and by the third ring Clara was contemplating hanging up so she would not once again have to relive her nightmares for Jacob. By the fourth ring, however, he answered.

"Hey," he said, not at all sounding as though she had just roused him from a deep sleep as she had been expecting.

"Hey, Jacob," Clara said quietly. "I, uh... I'm sorry for calling you in the middle of the night, I... It's just that I..."

"Nightmares again?" asked Jacob. Clara sighed. Of course he knew why she was calling. What else would she call him at such a ridiculously early hour for?

"Yeah," she replied, hoping against hope he wouldn't ask her for details. She couldn't give them anyway. "It was... I never remember, I just know it was awful."

"They're just dreams, Clara," Jacob said gently. "They can't hurt you. None of it is real. I know that doesn't help, but... that's the thing you have to remember. As long as you're afraid of them, they have power over you. The second you let go of your fear, you have power over them."

"Since when are you so philosophical?" Clara wondered. She could almost hear Jacob smiling through the phone.

"It's... the chair," he said quietly. Clara eyes immediately filled with tears and she struggled to hold back a sob. "I've started to see the world... differently. I have to because I'm forced to interact with it differently. I'm limited, I acknowledge that. I can't walk. Maybe I will again someday, I mean the physical therapy is progressing, but for right now I'm bound to that chair."

"I'm so sorry," Clara choked out. She couldn't confess, she knew that. She couldn't. If she did she had no idea what JTG might do, but it would not be good. She wanted to, but she had to hold it back. She had to.

"It's not your fault," said Jacob softly. "But it is my reality. My body doesn't work, but my mind... my mind, Clara, is still as sharp as ever. I may never be a football player but I could be an offensive coordinator. I'm not going to be on the front lines, but I can make the strategy and that's just as important. Suffice to say, I've been spending much more time thinking recently. It's led me to realize that I can be pretty smart if I put my mind to it."

"You're the most upbeat person I know," Clara murmured. Jacob laughed heartily.

"I'm not saying I'm glad this happened, but in a way it's been good for me," he explained. "I've learned so much about myself. I'm stronger than I ever thought I was. So are you, by the way. You're stronger than you know and you'll overcome these dreams. I know it."

"How do you know?"

"Oh, I have faith in you," said Jacob, a note of confidence in his voice. "Do you want to come over?"

"What... now?" Clara asked, perplexed. "It's four in the morning."

"I meant later, once you get out of school," said Jacob in hopeful tones. "I'd... like to see you."

"Yeah," said Clara quietly. "I'd like to see you too. It's been a little while. I'll stop by after school."

"Good," said Jacob brightly. "I'll be waiting."

"Okay," said Clara. She paused, wondering. Should she say something? Should she ask him? He seemed much more flirtatious than he usually did. Did he mean to say...? "Jacob..."

"Yeah?"

"Have a good night, Jacob."

"You too, Clara. Bye."

"Bye."

Clara wasn't at all sure if she ever went back to sleep for the rest of the night. All she knew was that at long last the sun was blazing through her bedroom window and she knew it was time to get up and get ready for school. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she knew she had to. She showered and dressed quickly and hurried downstairs where her mother was rushing around the kitchen, half dressed and nibbling on a slice of buttered toast while talking to someone on the phone.

"Yes... yes, I know about the Hastings account," she was saying irritably. "Well of course we're going to... No, that's not... Yes, the... Yes, I've already prepared the presentation for... Fine, I'll see you when I get there." Noel rolled her eyes and tossed her phone onto the counter.

"You look happy," said Clara, pouring herself a bowl of cereal. Noel tossed the remains of her toast into the trash and finished buttoning her blouse.

"I'm thrilled," she replied grumpily. "I swear, it's like they expect me to do everything. I've been covering for Dennis since his death and... it's a lot of hard work."

"Well, all that hard work will pay off one day," said Clara, leaning against the kitchen counter and stirring her cereal with her spoon.

"True, but laziness pays off right now," said Noel with a grin. Clara shook her head.

"You're a terrible role model."

"I don't recall ever claiming to be a good one," Noel retorted. "I know it'll pay off, and to be honest I'm kind of enjoying it. I want to make things better for us, and as much as I hate to say it... there's a potential promotion on the table for me."

"What's wrong with saying that?" Clara wondered. "It's true. Not saying it won't bring Dennis back and besides, you deserve that promotion. You've worked at the bank for years and it's time they started appreciating you."

"Yeah, it's just... it feels wrong, you know? Taking a dead man's job? I don't know. Oh, hell..." Noel's phone started ringing again and within moments she was talking animatedly with whoever had called her from the bank. Clara ate her cereal in silence, listening to one side of her mother's phone conversation. Soon enough she saw Nikki's car pull up in front of the house and she rushed outside, pausing only to kiss her mother goodbye and hurried to Nikki's car. 

Clara didn't tell Nikki or Mary anything about her nightmares or her conversation with Jacob on the drive to school. Instead, Clara listened to Nikki as she talked about her latest swim team meet. Clara had too much on her mind to pay much attention, but she at least pretended to be interested. Mary, too, was oddly silent. Then again, Mary had been quieter than she usually was in the days since Snow's suicide attempt. That event had done something to them, to all of them. Almost losing another friend, their sister, to her own hand... it was just too much for them.

Within a few minutes, Nikki had parked her car outside Mistbrook High and together the girls got out of the car and made their way up to the school. As they walked, they heard the unmistakable sound of a powerful car engine growling along the road. They watched the bright yellow Lamborghini, which they recognized as Michael's, ease to a stop along the sidewalk just in front of the school. A girl with dark hair got out of the passenger side. She walked around the car and leaned in through the driver's side window to chat with Michael for a moment. Without warning, she kissed him.

"Who the hell is this?" Clara said hotly, watching the girl through narrowed eyes. "If Michael's cheating on Snow, I'm going to kill him."

"And his slut bucket skank," Nikki put in helpfully, glaring right along with Clara. Clara was just working up exactly what she was going to say to this bitch when she stood up and made her way toward them. It was only as she approached them, her high heeled boots clacking along the sidewalk, that the girls realized that the new arrival was Snow.

"What the hell did you do to your hair?" Nikki gasped as Snow reached them and together they started off toward the school.

"I dyed it, obviously," said Snow. "You don't like it?"

"I think Nikki's just surprised," said Mary. "You've always been a redhead. We barely recognized you. Clara and Nikki thought Michael was cheating on you. What brought on the change?"

"People keep asking me that," said Snow with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't know. I just thought it might be good for me. So far it has been."

"Well, that's good," said Nikki. "I mean, whatever helps. I didn't expect to see you here today."

"Sitting around the house wasn't helping me," said Snow idly. "Hiding from the world won't make it go away. I've got to at least try to get back to normal."

"You look happier than I've seen you in a while," Nikki commented, drawing a sudden revelation to Clara's mind.

"Almost too happy," she said, her eyes narrowing. "You and Michael had sex, didn't you?" Snow turned toward her, a surprised expression on her face.

"How did you...?"

"It's pretty obvious," said Clara airily. "So, details Missy! Was he good? Is he... you know?" She held her hands about a foot apart for emphasis. Snow rolled her eyes, but eventually grinned and nodded.

"Well of course he is," said Nikki, smirking. "I mean, just look at him. Okay, but did you... I mean, did he make you... you know?" Snow held up three fingers with a sly smile on her face, causing Clara and Nikki to let out small whimpers.

"I need a boyfriend," Nikki grumbled as they entered the bustling halls of Mistbrook High. "Why don't the rest of us have boyfriends, anyway? We're the hottest, most popular girls in school and Snow's the only one of us that's managed to snag herself a man?"

"I'm just guilty by association," said Mary, shaking her head.

"If you still want that makeover, we can do it," Snow offered, but the look on her face was one of displeasure at the idea. "But not today. There's something important I need to tell you all."

"Sure, sure, but seriously; why don't the rest of us have boyfriends?" Nikki repeated irritably.

"Because we really don't need any more characters in our lives at the moment," said Snow dryly. "We've got enough people to worry about without adding anyone else that could be trying to kill us. Now, have any of you seen Jackson and Steven?" As if on cue, Jackson and Steven appeared from the mass of students around them.

"Morning, ladies," said Steven brightly. "How are we today?"

"Not great," said Snow before the others could reply. "I think... I think something terrible has happened. We need to talk."

-.-

"Okay, here it is," said Snow when she and the others were all safely out of earshot and gathered around one of the picnic tables on the edge of the woods near the school. "I think JTG killed Dennis." The pronouncement was met with looks of shock, surprise, and disbelief from her friends. They all stared at her as though they weren't quite sure what to do with that information.

"Um... what makes you say that?" Jackson said nervously.

"Because she sent me this," said Snow, holding up her phone and showing them the picture JTG had sent. "That same cat was lurking outside my house last night. Ariana found him and now he's her new pet. Right as she took him into the house, I got this picture. It just all suddenly fit together and it made sense."

"JTG's just screwing with you," said Nikki quickly. "I... I mean, Dennis died from an allergic reaction. He wasn't murdered. And even if he was, why would JTG kill him? He didn't..."

"He's the one that fired my mom," said Clara quietly. "If he... if he knew who JTG was... if he even so much as heard JTG's voice..."

"But to kill him though?" Nikki wondered. "That's a big deal. Are we seriously suggesting that Tony murdered a man and stole his cat?"

"It makes it seem even more likely that he killed Sara," said Mary. "I mean, if he killed Dennis because he knew his identity, he'd be even more likely to kill the person responsible for his step-daughter's death."

"Speaking of Sara," said Steven, reaching into his backpack. "I've got something that might help us." He took Sara's laptop out and placed it on the table. Snow's eyes lit up instantly when she saw it. He'd done it at last. He had managed to unlock the files on Sara's computer.

"You're in?" Clara asked breathlessly. "You... you got in?" Steven smirked.

"Oh, I'm in," said Steven, winking. "All I've got to do is type in one command and we're good."

"Then do it," Snow insisted. "It's time we knew what Sara knew. Maybe she can give us what we need to put Tony away for good." She and the others gathered around behind Steven as he opened Sara's laptop and started typing. A sudden chill ran through Snow as she waited and watched. They were about to see all the secrets Sara had been keeping from them. Within seconds, they would know everything and maybe, just maybe, they could end the game once and for all.

A moment later, Steven finished typing and pressed 'enter'. The folder on Sara's desktop that had remained sealed since they had discovered it on Founder's Day opened. There were dozens of folders and files. There were videos, text documents, and audio files. They suddenly had access to hundreds of gigabytes of data. Surely there was something within those files that they could use.

"Well... let's take a look," said Snow, urging Steven to start opening files. Before he could begin, the screen went black and when it came back up a second later the files began to rapidly erase themselves. One after another they were being deleted. With a strangled cry, Steven tore into his bag and retrieved a USB drive. He shoved it into one of the ports on the side of the computer and managed to copy the first row of files over to it before everything, all of Sara's secrets, were gone. With a sudden grinding sound and a burst of smoke from laptop, the computer itself winked off.

"Fuck!" Steven shouted, pounding his fist onto the table. "Damn it, that was months of work! That was..." Steven continued to lament what had happened, but Snow was no longer listening. She tugged the USB drive free of Sara's destroyed laptop, something she was sure JTG was somehow responsible for, and inserted it into her own. Soon enough, she was looking at the few secrets of Sara's Steven had managed to secure. She only had to look at the very first one before she was smiling the widest smile she'd smiled in months.

"Guys," she said quietly. "Guys, we... we've got him."

"What?" Steven asked, circling the table and going to stand behind Snow. His eyes widened and he smiled too. "Holy shit..." Snow turned the laptop around to show the others. The video was shot in Miranda's bedroom and based on the angle of the shot, Snow imagined it had been filmed from her computer's webcam.

"You don't get to say no," Miranda was saying hotly to Tony, who sat on her bed while Miranda stood in front of him in nothing but her underwear. "You don't ever get to say no to me, Daddy."

"You can't do this, Miranda," Tony replied, and they could hear the desperation in his voice. "You'd really ruin me? My life, my career, my marriage... Just to get what you want?"

"Just because my mom married a perv that would screw his stepdaughter doesn't mean we're family. It doesn't mean I give a damn about you," Miranda hissed. "You fucked me. It was fun, sure. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.. Now, I've got a lovely little video of our time together that I can show mom or the police. Cross me, even once, and I can destroy you." Snow paused the video and looked up at the others.

"The video we found is real," said Snow softly. "It's real, this proves it. Sara knew... she knew all along and we never... For all we know, this could be what got her killed. Either way, we have a weapon now and we're going to use it."

"This is great and all," said Mary, looking around at her friends uncertainly. "But... all this proves is that Tony and Miranda had an affair. Tony still knows everything we've done. If he wants to destroy us, he still can."

"You want to know what we're going to do?" Snow asked, a confidence she hadn't realized she possessed swelling suddenly within her. She had proof, evidence, and a damn good shot at winning the game. She was going to take it. "We're going to use it these videos. We aren't going to the police, we're going straight to Tony himself. We show him the video, prove to him that we've got him by the damn balls. Literally. If he doesn't back the hell off and leave us alone, we'll go to the police with everything. All the texts, the video, even my mom's new cat and the picture of Dennis with said cat."

"Snow, if this... if this goes sideways..." Jackson began slowly. "I mean, we have to be sure this is the right play. Hell, we've actually already tried this. I told Tony that we'd go to the police if this didn't stop and he still killed Dennis and sent you that picture."

"I'm done with this," Snow said firmly. "My mother is dying and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend what little time I have left with her looking over my shoulder for this bastard. If Tony wants a war, I'm damn well going to give him one. This has to end and I'm going to end it. I'm throwing everything we've got at him. It's the only choice we have. I've been thinking recently... we're going about this all wrong. We've known all along that this is a game, but we haven't been playing it. It's time we start to play." She paused, turning her gaze upon Steven. "Steve, how long would it take you to compile everything we've got on JTG into one file? All the texts on our phones, the picture, the videos... everything."

"Uh... well, not all that long," said Steven uncertainly. "I mean, I'd have to download all the texts and whatnot, but not long. A couple of hours at most. Why?"

"Because I want copies of everything saved on your computer," Snow said defiantly. She looked around at them all, noticing that they were all looking at her warily as they were worried she had lost her mind. "Look, Tony only has power over us because he knows our secrets. What if we don't care if our secrets get out?"

"But we do care," Nikki said wearily. Snow grinned.

"Of course we do, but Tony doesn't need to know that," said Snow. "What if we decided we were done? What if we decided that we'd rather face the police than continue this game? What if we decide to end the game on our terms?"

"I don't think Tony would be too happy about that," said Clara nervously.

"Exactly," said Snow, grinning "JTG has always said that this is his game. I don't know how he intends to end this, but somehow I don't think he'd want us to take matters into our own hands. I don't think he wants to take us down if it means he goes down with us. If we take Tony down, he'll torpedo us. But that's not what we're going to do. We're going to torpedo ourselves."

"How is that a plan?" Clara demanded, her expression one of complete incredulity. "How is telling the police what we've done a good plan?"

"The plan isn't to tell the police what we've done," Snow said slowly. "We're going to make Tony believe we're willing to do just that. At the same time, we'll be telling them about Tony and Miranda's affair and Dennis's murder. We're going to drive this bitch into a stalemate."

"I'm still not convinced how this helps us," said Jackson slowly. "Look, I get what you're trying to do, but I don't see what confronting Tony with this gets us. I already tried that and obviously it didn't work."

"The way I see it, we've got two options," Snow said quietly. "Either we find a way to force an end to this game... or we put a bullet through Tony's skull. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it, but unless one of you wants to pull the trigger..."

"I'll pull it," Jackson said darkly. He shook his head. "You're right. Tony isn't going to stop on his own, I think we can all agree on that."

"Oh, he'll stop," said Snow. "Once he gets what he wants from us, he'll stop. The only thing we don't know is what he wants. I can only assume that its revenge for Miranda's death and if that's the case then this probably ends with us dead. Guys... I have no idea if this will work. If Tony wants us dead badly enough maybe he won't care what we tell the police." She paused, looking around at her friends with a thin smile on her lips. "But judging by the video we just found, I get the feeling he might care what we tell Rachel."

-.-

Mistbrook Falls was, for the most part, a surprisingly quiet town, especially at night. Some people had even been known to describe it as eerily quiet. Even Zoe had to agree that the silence was oddly creepy as she went about the few tasks she had left to complete in order to close her jewelry store for the evening. It had been a fairly typical day, but she was still quite tired and was looking forward to going home and relaxing. Her mind was completely focused on doing just that up until the point that she went to the front of the store to turn off the open sign.

The parking lot outside was dark, quiet, and empty. It looked as it always did and yet somehow Zoe felt that something was off. The air was heavy and thick and felt unsettled. There was an unnatural chill in the air, one that was unable to be explained away even with the cold temperatures outside. This was different. This was wrong. Zoe turned and went back behind the counter, tugging a silver bangle onto her left wrist as she went. Behind her, the door swung open. Zoe turned toward the door to find a tall, slender girl dressed in shiny leather. Her dark skin seemed to radiate something, although Zoe couldn't quite put her finger on what that might be. Her black hair was tied up in a tight bun behind her head while her eyes were hidden behind a pair of designer sunglasses despite the fact that it was already after dark.

"Can I help you?" Zoe asked, twisting her bangle idly. A smile appeared on the girl's lips.

"I think you might," she said. "I'm looking for something special. Magical, you might say. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"I really couldn't say that I do," said Zoe, her eyes narrowing. "I'm sorry, but we're closed. Maybe you could come back tomorrow."

"I don't think so," said the girl. "I'm quite busy you see... hunting witches!" With speed that seemed to defy logic, the girl raised her arms as her body was wrapped in some sort of black clouds of dark energy. Crackles of electricity arced within the clouds as they swirled around her body. With a vicious grin on her face, she gestured violently toward Zoe and a bolt of that same black energy shot toward her. Zoe, however, was ready. With a flick of her wrist, a wall of fire rose up and blazed before her like a shield which dissipated the dark energy bolt with ease. Zoe blinked and vanished, reappearing an instant later on the far side of the store. The girl was shocked by Zoe's sudden disappearance, giving the witch an opening. The blast of pure white energy Zoe hurled toward the girl missed by less than an inch as the girl dodged away. The energy bolt struck the far wall and blew a hole the size of a minivan through it.

The girl spun away, leaping catlike onto the store's front counter, lobbing blasts of swirling dark energy toward Zoe in rapid succession as she ran along the length of the counter. Zoe raised another wall of fire, shielding her from the blasts. Safe behind her shield of fire, Zoe gestured toward the section of counter the girl was running across. It shot upward violently, slamming the girl into the ceiling and sending her crashing to the floor. Slowly, Zoe allowed the wall of fire to flicker out as she stepped through it, toward the spot where the girl had fallen. She stepped around the edge of the counter and had only just realized that the girl was gone when a beam of deadly black energy arced across the room toward her. Somehow, the girl had scuttled behind a row of display cases to her right and ambushed Zoe.

Zoe only just managed to counter the beam with a blast of blindingly white energy. The two beams intersected and the resulting blast blew out all of the glass in the display cases throughout the store and sent both Zoe and the girl flying to opposite ends of the store where they landed hard and painfully. Zoe scrambled to her feet, looking around frantically for her adversary who had disappeared once again.

'Who is this bitch?' Zoe thought as she scanned the room carefully. 'She's powerful... well trained, but... untested. One of his, no doubt... but who?'

Zoe didn't have much longer to dwell on the topic. A blast of dark energy struck the ground at her feet, cracking the floor tiles and scalding her legs. She howled with pain, but had no choice but to keep moving. She flung herself behind a display case, her heart pounding in her chest. Zoe closed her eyes, breathing deeply to calm herself. Overhead, a sudden clap of thunder rumbled. She stood, a wall of fire rising in front of her. Across the room, the girl hovered in the air on a swirling column of dark energy.

"You face a Cardinal Witch of the Coven," Zoe declared in a powerful voice. "You have no idea what you've done." Zoe raised her arms over her head and the air seemed to instantly electrify. The girl's column of energy winked out and she tumbled to the ground in a heap. The ground beneath her cracked and shattered, the pieces of broken floor rising into the air along with the girl to drift almost lazily above the remains of the jewelry store. Thunder cracked once again and a bolt of lightning struck the building, blasting much of the roof away. It arced down and struck the girl and she screamed; an earth-shattering, bloodcurdling scream. What happened next even Zoe hadn't expected. Thinking back on it, all she could assume was that the girl herself exploded with the force of a small bomb.

Zoe was blown off of her feet and through the stained glass window at the front of the store. She landed hard in the parking lot. Delicately, Zoe stood to her feet and looked back at her store. Both it and the entire strip mall that housed it were in flames. The store itself was nothing but shattered wood and steel. There was no sign of the mysterious girl. Bleeding from a myriad of cuts and scrapes from the battle, Zoe hobbled over to a nearby car and leaned against it. She tugged her phone out of her pocket and began to dial.

"Hello?"

"Michael," she said wearily, resting her back against the cold steel of the car. "We have a problem. Where's the Andromeda?"

"At Stonehaven where she always is," said Michael. "Why? Zoe, what's going on?"

"I was just attacked by a powerful... something," said Zoe quickly. "I think it was a thrall, although it's easily the most powerful thrall I've ever encountered. She gave me a run for my money. He's onto me now, Michael. I'm going to need a place to hide out for a while."

"Of course," Michael said swiftly. "Just hang on, Zoe. I'll have Andromeda overhead in five minutes and we'll pull you out of there. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Zoe dismissively. "A little banged up, but I'm fine."

"And the girl?" Michael asked. "Did you kill her?"

"I... don't know what happened," Zoe admitted rather reluctantly. "All I know is that she was damned powerful and I have no idea what happened to her. All I know is if he has thralls this powerful, you're in a lot of trouble. That's going to be true anyway because I'm not going to be able to stop the Coven now. Once they discover that a Cardinal Witch has been attacked on your watch, they'll come and investigate. I can buy you some time, but that's all I can promise."

"I can't expect more than that," said Michael, sounding resigned. "Andromeda's enroute. I'll see you in a few minutes." Michael hung up. Zoe shoved her phone into her pocket, resting against the car as the sounds of sirens from emergency vehicles grew louder and louder, drowning out the constant thrumming of the massive object that drifted through the air toward her.

"Oh, Michael," Zoe whispered sadly. "When the Coven learns of this... the game is up. I hope Sienna will help you, because I'm not sure anyone else will be able to."

50: Chapter L: If We Go Down, Then We Go Down Together

"You know we're screwed, right?" Brad demanded, shouting to Michael over the roar of the powerful winds blowing all around them where they stood in Michael's backyard. It was late at night and the area was illuminated only by the dozen floodlights shining down from above them. "One of his thralls attacked a Cardinal Witch on our watch. We've got to wrap this shit up and get out of town. We move Alexandria somewhere else and go to ground. It's the safest bet."

"I'm not afraid of the Coven, Brad," Michael shot back. "They love to saber rattle, but at the end of the day they don't want a war."

"What part of 'attacked a Cardinal Witch on our watch' did you not understand?" Brad asked hotly. "We were supposed to have this situation under control. We obviously don't. He's getting stronger and the one chance we have to stop him is something you won't even consider. If Snow had died when she tried to kill herself we'd all be better off."

“For your continued wellbeing, I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” Michael growled. Brad shrugged.

“It’s just the truth,” he said firmly. “If this is as bad as Zoe claims, then Snow needs to be taken care of.”

“She’s your fucking girlfriend’s cousin,” Michael snapped, rounding on Brad so quickly that he felt sure Michael was about to attack him. “Jesus, do you even… You would really put the woman you at least claim to care about through that much pain?”

“To save the world?” Brad asked as a brilliant beam of light shown down suddenly from overhead. “In a heartbeat.” A moment later, Zoe stepped out from the beam and the light faded away. The roaring of the wind slowly died down and the floodlights winked off, shrouding the three of them in darkness.

“How are you?” Michael asked as he led the way into the house and got Zoe settled onto the sofa in the living room. Zoe shrugged, seeming to Brad to be none the worse for wear. Then again, she was a witch.

“Just a few scrapes and bruises,” she said dismissively. “I’ve healed the worst of it. Thanks for getting me out of there so quickly. There's no way I could have blinked here after using so much power.”

“Of course,” said Michael. “This… it’s our fault anyway. If you weren’t helping us, you wouldn’t have been attacked.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” said Zoe grimly. “The girl… she said she was hunting witches. If that’s the case, she may very well have attacked me regardless.”

“Well, at least she’s dead now,” said Brad. “You did kill her, right?”

“She… exploded,” Zoe said slowly. “Or at least she seemed to. I’m not entirely sure it wasn’t some elaborate escape measure. She was very powerful and I didn’t hit her that hard, not nearly as hard as I could have.” Michael chuckled.

“Just my luck to have befriended an elemental witch,” he said lightly. “If you lose control and summon a tornado, you’ll destroy us all and I won’t have to worry about the Coven.”

“It’s no laughing matter, Michael,” said Zoe sharply. “This girl is… something new.”

“Michael said you told him she was one of his. A thrall,” said Brad. “Thralls… don’t have magic of their own. That’s not… they’ve never been able to use magic, particularly not magic powerful enough to give a Coven witch a run for her money.”

“Like I said, she’s something new,” Zoe replied. “I can’t begin to guess exactly what she was, but… if he’s figured out how to imbue his thralls with magic… Michael, he may have a new way to build his army.’

“Even without his precious ‘one’,” said Michael, glaring at Brad. “Killing Snow wouldn’t help then, would it?”

“He’d just find another one eventually,” said Zoe, rolling her eyes at Brad. “You must know that. You would only slow him down, but now… now, I’m not sure even slowing him down will help. Not after tonight.” She turned to Michael. “If that girl is still alive, do you think you could track her down?”

“I’ve got Ops running a sweep of the town now, but I can’t say how much good it’ll do,” said Michael with a heavy sigh. “He’s always been good at hiding, so his thralls will be too. Andromeda dropped off a team while she was picking you up. They’re mainly going to work on covering up the magical disaster area that used to be a strip mall, probably make it look like a gas line explosion or something. Anyway, I tasked them with investigating any signs of the girl, but with all the mortal emergency responders there they’ll be hard pressed to find anything.”

“Right,” said Zoe thoughtfully. “Well, while they’re looking we need to talk about the elephant in the room. The Coven.”

“Michael claims he’s not worried about the Coven,” said Brad. “Apparently they love to saber rattle.”

“That they do,” said Zoe. “But this is a bit bigger than anything you’ve done in the past. He’s getting stronger and you’re no closer to stopping him than you were. With this girl appearing, the Coven are going to be even more concerned with what’s going on here. They’ll send an investigation team at least. Hell, this might well give them cause to attack outright. If you can’t protect the witch under your charge and do the job you say you’ll do…”

“I’m doing my job, Zoe,” said Michael hotly. “It’s just… more difficult than I’d originally imagined.”

“I know that, but you’ll have a hard time convincing the Grand Enchanter of it,” Zoe replied. “He’s looking for any reason to shut you down, and he’ll do it violently if necessary. Thralls with magic and an attack on a Cardinal Witch gives him all the ammunition he needs to come to Mistbrook Falls in force.”

“Fine,” Michael said with another sigh. “Fuck. Fine, I’ll put in a call to Sienna and make sure she’s ready when the Coven show up. If you could avoid telling the Grand Enchanter about that when you report the attack, I’d appreciate it, Zoe.”

“All I intend to do is report the attack and tell the Coven what I know about who attacked me,” said Zoe. “Trust me; you don’t want them to find out about the attack from anyone else. I have no intention of telling anyone about Sienna, although I feel certain they’ll expect you to go to her for assistance. They just don’t believe she’ll get involved.”

“And she will, right?” Brad asked. “I mean… everything hinges on this chick backing us up. If she tells you to go screw yourself, Mike…”

“First of all, she’s not ‘this chick’. She’s the Queen of Divinity, so show her a little respect,” Michael snapped. “Secondly, yes, she’ll help us. She has nothing to fear from the Coven. She’ll help us.”

“Then call her,” said Zoe. “We’re going to need her. I’m going to make my report to the Coven and then hopefully find something to eat. I’m starving.”

“Of course,” said Michael. “You can stay at Stonehaven for as long as you’d like.”

“Well, I would hope so,” said Zoe with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “Because of you, my livelihood has been destroyed. I can hardly pay rent on my home now, can I?”

“You’re a witch,” said Michael dryly. “A Cardinal Witch on the Council of Witches, I might add. Don’t they pay you for sitting through all the witchy council meetings?”

“Not enough for all the bureaucratic bullshit I have to put up with,” said Zoe. With that, she stood and disappeared into the kitchen. From his pocket, Michael tugged what looked like a cell phone only it was paper thin and completely transparent except for a thin, black frame. He tapped the surface, causing one of a dozen strange symbols to glow and held the device up to his ear.

“Hey, Phoebe,” he said. “Can you get me a secure line to Divinity? I need to speak to Sienna. Tell her it’s urgent... tell her... tell her Michael Ravenswood and the Dawnguard need her help.”  

-.-

Snow Juliet Austin. She’s as naïve as they come. She’s sheltered and doesn’t know how the real world works. She doesn’t suspect anything and she’s gullible enough to buy into my bullshit. She believes every word I say. She's the very epitome of a lost little puppy, practically glued to my heels. She’s clever, but not clever enough for this. She doesn’t have the… balls, I suppose, to be JTG. She’s too damn innocent, anyway. It’s not her.

Clara Francesca Mackenzie. Unlikely. She might, and I must stress the word might, have the guts to threaten me, but she’s not nearly smart enough to pull this off. JTG is too well organized and Clara is anything but. The best she can pull off is copying me, pretending she’s of the same class. She isn’t, but she’s good at convincing people she is. She can lie and lie well, but JTG is more than just a good liar. JTG is much more than that. It can’t be Clara.

Nicola Isabella Sorrento. Where do I start with Nikki? Of the group, she's the one I'm least certain about. She's a church girl, but she hates it. Her parents force her to go and keep her on a tight leash. Regardless, she was stupid enough to go and get herself knocked up. She doesn't know that I know, but I do. She's interesting and that worries me. She tries to act as though she belongs, like Clara, but not to the same extreme. She knows where she stands in the rankings. Still, she doesn't have any reason to do this and she's neither smart enough or resourceful enough to pull it off.

Marilyn June Sheppard. Sweet little Mary isn't JTG. I don't even know why I'm bothering to create a file for her. Mary is too sweet, too reserved, and too naive for this sort of thing. She doesn't have the self-confidence to tell a guy she likes him, much less attack me. No, Mary needs protecting and I've protected her. She wouldn't believe it if I told her, but I have. I hurt her, but I only did it to protect her... to make her stronger. I hope one day she understands that.

Snow closed the last of the files they had saved from Sara's computer. Other than the video, all they had managed to save were dossiers Sara had written about the four of them. It appeared that she had been considering each of them as JTG suspects but in the end had written them off. Who else she had considered and her thoughts on them were lost to the ether. She would never know what other secrets might have lain hidden in Sara's computer.

"It's nice to see what Sara really thought of us," said Nikki, sinking down into a seat on the opposite side of the picnic table. "She didn't think too highly of us, did she?"

"Were we even her friends?" Clara asked, seeming to Snow to be on the verge of tears. "Were we... anything to her?"

"We were something," said Snow quietly. "What we were, I couldn't tell you. I'm beginning to think we were just her dolls; playthings she took out when she felt like playing."

"We knew Sara wasn't exactly the nicest person around," said Mary diplomatically. "But... she wasn't all bad. She was our friend, she... She hurt us, all of us, but she... Hell, why am I defending her? We all know what she was. I'm not surprised this is what she thought of us."

"Look," said Jackson delicately. "I... okay, I know finding out Sara's innermost thoughts about you has to hurt, but right now we've got more important issues to deal with."

"Jackson's right," said Snow, closing her laptop and drumming her fingers on top of it. "Sara's gone and what she thought of us doesn't matter. All that matters is putting an end to JTG's game and now we've got the means to do it."

"Right... right, you're right," said Nikki, standing to her feet and hitching her bag more securely over her shoulder. "JTG's our focus."

"So, what's the plan, Snow?" Clara asked, fixing her with a serious stare. "How do we take Tony down?"

"By laying all our cards on the table," Snow said slowly. She turned to Steven, who was standing nearby leaning against a tree. He wasn't taking the destruction of Sara's files very well. He had spent weeks working on them and at the moment of his triumph, all of his work proved all but fruitless.

"Steve, you said you could put everything we've got on JTG onto a computer?" Steven shrugged.

"Yeah... yeah, I can," he replied. Snow smiled.

"Good," she said, nodding. "That's good. Without you, this plan won't even get off of the ground. Once you get all of the files and texts together, can you program something that will email them to... everyone?"

"Everyone?" Steven repeated.

"Everyone," Snow confirmed. "Every news stations law enforcement agency... hell, send it to the CIA and the Queen of England for all I care."

"I can put something together, sure," said Steven, his eyes narrowing. Snow could almost see the cogs working in his brain as he thought through how he might go about all of this. "It might take me all night, but I can get it done."

"Great," said Snow. "That's..."

"I'm still not clear on this plan," said Mary slowly. "What are we doing?"

"I'm going to go to Tony's place and confront him directly with the evidence," said Snow plainly. "If he stops harassing us, permanently, we'll never speak of what we've seen. But if we get so much as a hint of a JTG text, we release everything. The police will arrest him, Rachel will divorce him and if she's in on all this she might be happy we revealed Tony was having sex with her daughter. Regardless, the media will have a field day and Tony's reputation will never recover. He'll be going to jail for a good long time. It's just... if that happens and everything comes out.... we all go down too. If we take this shot and Tony calls our bluff..."

"We aren't bluffing," said Mary quietly, drawing every eye to her. "Everything that happened... everything JTG has on us... we're guilty. At the end of the day, JTG's right. We've hurt people... we covered up a murder. Accident or not, Sara pushed Miranda off of that cliff and we helped her keep that secret. Maybe... maybe the only way out of this nightmare is to pay for our sins."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think Mary's right," said Clara slowly. "JTG... Tony... he's right. He's trying to punish us for what we did and... and maybe we deserve to pay for it." 

"Be that as it may, Tony killed a man to keep his secret and he had sex with a fifteen-year-old," said Nikki. "We may be guilty, but Tony's no white knight here."

"Right now, I don't care if we're guilty or not," said Snow. "All I care about is ending this game. Once Steven finishes, I'm going to Tony's to confront him and... we'll see what happens."

"Don't you mean we're going to Tony's?" Mary asked uncertainly. Snow shook her head.

"No, I'm going alone," she replied. "I want all of you safe in case Tony decides he wants to play hardball. If he kills me or tries to hold me hostage, you release the video. The less potential hostages we give him, the better."

"If we release the video while you're in his house, Tony might kill you out of spite," Clara pointed out. Snow shrugged.

"It's a risk I have to take."

"That we have to take," said Jackson sharply. "I'm coming with you. No, don't argue with me, Snow. I'm coming. Like it or not, I'm not letting you walk into the house of a man who has done all the things we know Tony's done all by yourself."

"Jackson..."

"No, Snow, I'm coming with you," Jackson insisted. "If you're going, I'm going. Don't waste time fighting with me." Snow wanted to argue, but she knew Jackson far too well to try. It was pointless anyway. If Jackson wanted to come, she couldn't stop him.

"Fine," she relented, shrugging. "The rest of you will stay away and make sure to release the information if anything happens to us. Hopefully we can talk Tony down, but if not then… then we hit the button and burn the world down around us.”     

There wasn't much more that needed to be said and classes would be starting very soon, so the group put an end to their meeting and made their way back to the school. As they walked, Steven pulled Snow back to walk with him as the others went ahead.

"I know what you're doing," he said quietly. "Going to Tony's by yourself, I mean. You're sacrificing yourself for us. It's sweet, but volunteering as tribute isn't going to help us all that much if Tony murders you."

"I have to, Steve," Snow replied softly. "I've made a lot of mistakes, I... I'm guilty of a lot of things. I have to make it right. Me. I have to. It's time I start putting my friends first. If I can keep them out of danger, I'm going to. It's the right thing to do."

"I thought we were in this together," Steven countered. "JTG's after all of us. If he kills you, he'll just come after us."

"And you'll have released the information by then," said Snow. "Tony won't have any reason to go after anyone else. It won't do him any good."

"I still don't like it," Steven said nervously. "We should all go. Whatever happens, if we go down..."

"Then we all go down together, I know," Snow said wearily. "I don't want that to happen. Maybe it's poetic and that's how it would happen in a movie, but this is real life and real lives are at stake. You told me once that I was no better than Sara. You were right. I haven't been better than Sara, but I can be. Sara wouldn't sacrifice herself for us."

"So this is you making a statement?" Steven asked incredulously. "You're trying to make a point?"

"I'm trying to save my friends, the people that I love," Snow snapped, suddenly rather angry. "I'm trying to give the people that I care about a future. I'm trying to save them from JTG. I would kill for them, Steven, for you. And yes, I'd die for them too. Those girls are my sisters, my family, and I'll happily put myself in danger to keep them safe. I may be a tiny, five foot nothing little girl, but if you go after my family I will fuck you up."

"Damn, Snow," said Steven, holding up his hands. "I get it."

"Sorry, that... that's the Kayla in me," Snow said apologetically. "I get a little feisty sometimes."

"That's good," said Steven, nodding understandingly. "Hell, I like feisty. For what you're about to do, we may need some feistiness."

The girls lost track of Jackson and Steven in the hustle and bustle of the hallways of Mistbrook High as they headed for their first class of the day. As they walked along the corridor, Snow couldn't help but notice the looks she was attracting. She should have realized that would happen once she returned to school. What happened at Michael's house and her attempt on her life was almost a complete secret. Therefore, it shouldn't have come to her as a surprise that the whole town knew.

The perfect little rich girl had tried to kill herself. Snow could imagine what they must be thinking, what they were surely whispering about behind her back. She thought that fact should bother her in some way, but she found she didn't care all that much. She had never wanted Sara's title, but she had made the decision to take it following Sara's death. It had never mattered to her really, being popular, being the queen. She didn't care what her classmates thought. They had no idea what she was going through. Could any of them have been any stronger?

Snow was shocked from her thoughts when the door to the English classroom swung open ahead of them and Emilia limped out into the hallway. She looked thoroughly exhausted and she had a rather deep cut on her cheek. She walking with a limp and she seemed not entirely sure of where she was.

"Hey, Emilia," said Snow, drawing the girl's attention. Emilia looked up at the sound of her name and gave Snow and her friends what Snow felt was a rather forced smile.

"Hi," she said awkwardly. She didn't seem to have anything else to say, which surprised Snow a lot. She had always been the type to ramble if no one stopped her.

"Where have you been?" Snow asked. "I haven't seen you since... well, Founder's Day." Snow neglected to mention that the last time she had seen Emilia, the girl had kissed her quite passionate in the forest.

"My dad got called out of town on business," Emilia said quickly. "I went with him. We just got back last night."

"And... what happened to your face?" Nikki asked, motioning on her own face in the same location as Emilia's cut.

"Oh, I fell down a flight of stairs at the airport," she said hurriedly. She shrugged. "I know. It's not as exciting as if I'd been in a battle with a witch or something, but that's me. I'm horribly clumsy."

"Right," said Clara, exchanging glances with the other girls. "Well... we need to get to class."

"Yeah, we're running late," said Snow, and as if to make her point for her, the bell rang. "We'll see you later. I hope you start feeling better soon."

"I will," said Emilia. "I heal fast." She turned on her heel and walked away. The girls watched her until she vanished around the corner at the end of the hallway.

"That girl is completely off her nut," said Clara, shaking her head.

"Do you believe what she said?" Mary asked, a concerned look on her face. "That she fell? I mean... do you think someone did that to her?"

"Who would want to hurt Emilia?" Snow asked, surprised by Mary's suggestion. "She's probably the sweetest person I know. A little weird... okay, a lot weird... and she has a not quite stalkerish obsession with us, but still."

"Maybe her dad?" Nikki suggested with a shrug. "He's kind of strange. I only met him once, but he gave me bad vibes." Snow bit her lower lip nervously as she remembered feeling quite uncomfortable around Emilia's father. It had been quite a long time ago, back on the very first day she had gotten a text from JTG. She had gone to the hospital to visit Jacob and she had met Alfonso Banks in an elevator. The way he had looked at her, almost as though he wanted to... she couldn't finish the thought. Was it possible that Alfonso was abusing Emilia? She hated to think it was possible, but... it was.

"If that was happening, someone would surely have noticed something before now," said Clara thoughtfully. Snow felt a sudden wave of sadness wash over her and she shook her head.

"That's not true," Snow said very quietly. "There's no guarantee that anyone would know. It happens all the time." She had never told them, any of them, who her father was. She had explained early on that what happened with her father was painful and extremely personal. Her friends had never pried any further. It wasn't necessarily a secret, but it wasn't a topic she enjoyed talking about. The idea that some version of what happened to Ariana could be happening to Emilia deeply disturbed her.

Still, she had no proof. Her and Nikki's bad vibes about Alfonso could hardly be considered evidence. If she reported it to the local police, she would likely be ignored. But maybe, just maybe, Sophia would listen. Snow decided to ask her the first chance she got. If she was wrong, then great. If not, and Emilia really did need help then it would all be worth it.

-.-

After school that afternoon, the four friends went their separate ways. Snow was going to Michael's as usual. Nikki had to be home for dinner with her parents, and Mary wanted an evening alone to think about the events of the next day. Clara, meanwhile, had promised to visit Jacob after school. Although there was still snow on the ground and it was rather cold, it was the first clear, sunny day in a long time. As such, she turned down Nikki’s offer to drive her and instead she rode her bike. It was a pleasant ride across town to Jacob’s apartment. It was a crisp, cold day and the air had a certain bite to it, but the fresh air felt good to Clara as she rode. She wanted to be outside, free and unhindered by… everything. She felt trapped. She was trapped. With JTG looming over her shoulder and the mounting guilt of what she had done to Jacob, Clara would have given almost anything to just disappear. She would have loved to just drop everything and leave Mistbrook Falls for good.

A block away from Jacob’s place, her thoughts were interrupted as she rode passed a large dumpster at the entrance to a deserted alley. A pair of legs dangled from inside the dumpster, swaying idly as their owner rummaged about in the trash below. Clara almost kept going, but her curiosity overwhelmed her and she stopped.

“Need some help?” She called, parking her bike and approaching the dumpster. The legs froze and a frightened yelp resounded from inside the dumpster. Suddenly, the legs were withdrawn into the dumpster and a moment later, a girl’s head appeared. She was smiling rather guiltily as she scrambled down from the dumpster. She wasn’t at all what Clara had been expecting. She was cute in a way. Not beautiful, but cute. Almost like a puppy. Adorable was perhaps the proper word. She had wide brown eyes and long, wild black hair that flowed around her down to her knees. She wore a low cut blouse and very baggy sweat pants that must have been at least three sizes too big for her.

“Hi,” the girl said breathlessly, surveying Clara with those wide eyes. “Um… no, no I don’t need help. Thanks, though. I… Oh, wow, you’re one of them, aren’t you?”

“Uh… one of who?” Clara asked, utterly perplexed. She was quickly beginning to wish she had just kept riding.

Oh… oh, you don’t… never mind. Mistaken identity,” the girl said quickly. “I’m Gwen, by the by.”

“My name’s Clara. So you… did you lose something in there, or…?”

“Hmm? No, I haven’t lost anything,” said Gwen. “I was just exploring. I like to explore. There’s always new smells to discover. I have a really good sense of smell."

“New… smells?” Clara asked. She was quite confused by this point and was becoming convinced that perhaps this girl was simply insane. What sort of person dug around in dumpsters to find new smells?

“Oh yes,” said Gwen excitedly. “You never know what kinds of smells you’ll find. I was just… ohh, squirrel!” Clara turned to look in the direction Gwen was looking and sure enough, a fluffy squirrel was sitting on the sidewalk chewing on something it had found.

“Okaaay…” Clara said, the last of her interest in this conversation withering away. “Well, I really must be going. I’m meeting a friend down the street and I’m running late. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh, okay,” said Gwen, sounding slightly disappointed. “Thanks for stopping to check on me, Clara. I don’t have many friends, so… thanks.” That certainly made Clara feel bad. She hadn’t meant to hurt Gwen’s feelings, but considering everything else that was happening in her life, she didn’t need any more weirdness. Hearing that she didn’t have many friends, however, made Clara rethink her decision to leave so quickly. Snow and Sara had befriended her when she was nothing like them. Maybe she ought to give Gwen that same courtesy.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” said Clara slowly. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, I’ve just already made plans with someone today and he’s really happy I’m going to visit him. Maybe we could meet up again sometime soon? I could introduce you to my friends. You go to Mistbrook High, right?” Although Clara couldn’t recall ever seeing Gwen at school, she assumed based on her age that she must attend.

“No, I’m home-schooled,” said Gwen. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, those oversized pants swaying as she moved. “But that would be great, meeting your friends. I’d like that.”

“Okay,” said Clara, a warm feeling filling her chest as Gwen smiled brightly. They exchanged phone numbers and soon enough Clara was once again on her way to Jacob’s.

Before long, Clara arrived at Jacob’s apartment building. She parked her bike and unlocked the door with the key Jacob had given her. She went inside and closed the door behind her, noticing as she did so that the apartment was quite dark. The sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard from the living room and Clara realized that Jacob was in the middle of one of his all-afternoon gaming sessions.

She found him relaxing on the couch, headset in place and controller in hand. He was yelling loudly at someone over the headset until he looked up and noticed her standing in the doorway, watching him.

“Hey, I gotta go,” he said quickly. “I’ve got company.” He pulled off the headset and motioned Clara over.

“You look like you’ve had a rough day,” he said when she sat down next to him.

“It’s just been a long day,” Clara replied, leaning back into the sofa. “It’s been a long few months.”

“Tell me about it.” It wasn’t a sarcastic response. He didn’t mean it as though he too had been having a hard time. He actually wanted her to tell him what was wrong. She would have loved to. She would have given almost anything to tell him the truth, but she knew she couldn’t.

“It’s just between Sara, and then Ariana, and Snow… It’s just too much,” Clara said quietly. It wasn’t a lie, not really. Those things weighed heavily on her, but they weren’t the worst of her problems.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t miss the hell out of that girl,” said Jacob. Clara noted that he didn’t sound sad, just… she couldn’t find the word.

“Me too,” Clara admitted. It was true. Despite everything she knew about Sara, including her innermost thoughts of her best friends, if she could wish for almost anything it would be for Sara to come back to them. “She… she was really something.”

“That she was,” said Jacob with a heavy sigh. “She certainly had spirit, I’ll give her that. She had a big heart, too. She didn’t let it show all that much and I guess she must have had her reasons.” He grinned. “She could be a little bitch,” he added, causing Clara to chuckle. “But she had a big heart. I wish she would have used it more… been who she could have been instead of who she was.” He shrugged. "But I didn't invite you here to talk about Sara."

"Oh, then why did you invite me?" Clara asked him. He'd been so flirtatious on the phone that morning. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe...

"I told you, I wanted to see you," he replied. "I like having you around. Your visits actually make me feel better, unlike when my mom stops by. She's... well, you know what she's like. But when you're here... I almost forget what happened. I feel normal when you're here."

"I... I'm glad, I... I mean, anything I can do to help, I..." Clara was rambling. She didn't know what to say. No, that was a lie. She knew what she should say. She should tell him the truth. She should confess everything. It was the right thing to do. He deserved to know that she was the reason he might never walk again. It was her. It was entirely her fault.

"Just being here is a huge help, Clara," said Jacob warmly. "You turn my whole day around just walking through the door." He reached out suddenly and took her hand. Clara jumped as though she had been shocked when he touched her. "Clara, I... I don't know if you've ever thought of me as anything more than Sara's brother." He paused, looking up at her and seeming more nervous than she had ever seen him. Somehow, she suspected he had been planning to do this for some time but that obviously hadn't calmed his nerves. "But, if you haven't then I just hope that maybe..."

"There's something I have to tell you," Clara blurted out, causing Jacob to stop mid-sentence. She couldn't let him keep going. She couldn't, not if he was about to say what she thought he was going to say. She couldn't let him keep going. She had to be honest. She had to tell him what she had done.

"Jacob, I..." Her phone chimed. Clara froze for a moment, her eyes locked on Jacob's face. He was staring at her, seeming slightly confused. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and took out her phone. It couldn't be from JTG, it just... it couldn't be.

"I'm sorry, just... once sec," Clara apologized. She had to work very hard to hide the terror that cut through her like a knife when she read the message.

If Jacob learns the truth before I say it's time, your mother dies. Decisions, decisions. Your call, bitch --JTG

"So... what did you want to tell me?" Jacob asked after a few moments during which Clara stared blankly at her phone. Clara blinked. She couldn't tell the truth, but now that she had opened the door she had to tell him something. It broke her heart to do it, fearing it would surely make it all that much worse when he finally learned the truth. Nevertheless, it was the only thing she could come up with in the few seconds she had to think.

"I like you," she said, shoving her phone back into her pocket. "I like you... a lot, actually. I have for a while... and I've absolutely thought of you as more than just Sara's brother." The smile that formed on Jacob's face ripped Clara's heart to shreds.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that, Clara," he said breathlessly. "I... I wasn't sure if you... especially now, with... with my condition, I didn't think..."

"That doesn't matter," said Clara quietly. She should have been happy. She wanted this. She really did like Jacob and he liked her. She should have been thrilled, but if this was the beginning of their new relationship then it would all be built upon her lie. Even if Jacob recovered and one day walked again, for the rest of her life Clara would be wracked with guilt over what she had done. "None of that matters, Jacob. I like you for you."

"And I like you for you," Jacob replied, giving her hand a firm squeeze. "So... what should we do about that?" Clara forced a smile onto her face and leaned toward him, pressing her lips gently against his. Clara couldn't find the proper words, but it was all the answer Jacob needed. It was an answer Clara would never forgive herself for giving.

-.-

Snow shivered and tensed in Michael’s arms. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she was suddenly and shockingly overcome with feeling. Her nails dug into his skin so hard that somewhere in her mind she knew she must be hurting him. Her head drooped onto Michael’s shoulder and her body went limp, her skin shining with sweat in the late afternoon sun that blazed through Michael’s bedroom windows. It took some time, but Snow eventually regained her ability to move and she lifted her head enough to smile down at Michael where he lay beneath her. He smiled back and raised his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. 

”You are amazing,” Michael whispered as he broke their kiss. His arms snaked their way around her back, his palms settling on an area just beneath her waist. He squeezed, causing her to giggle. “Every inch of you is just so fucking perfect.”

“Mmm, I am pretty great,” Snow said sleepily, earning yet another playful squeeze from Michael.

Snow rolled off of Michael and snuggled up beside him as sleep threatened to overtake her. She was conflicted over whether or not she should tell Michael about her plan to confront Tony the following day. Up until that point, she had done a rather thorough job of keeping Michael out of the JTG situation. Despite the fact that he said he wasn’t concerned with JTG targeting him, Snow didn’t want to take the chance. She hadn’t even told him that they knew who JTG was. Considering how badly her suicide attempt had hurt him, she hadn’t wanted to add anything else to his plate. She wanted to keep things as quiet and peaceful as possible.

Quite unfortunately for Snow, Michael was notoriously observant and he knew very well that something was bothering her. Snow knew that he suspected something was going on, but as of yet he hadn't mentioned it. She should have known she would have to face his questions sooner rather than later.

"Snowy?" Michael said quietly, pulling Snow back from the edge of drifting off. "Snow, can we talk?"

"Shh. Snow is sleeping," she replied sleepily. "Please leave a message after the beep."

"Snow, I'm serious," Michael insisted. "I want to ask you about JTG." Snow's eyes opened instantly and she sat up, pulling the blankets around her.

"Mike, you know I..." Snow began, but Michael interrupted her.

"You don't want me involved, I know, but you know that I can't just sit back and ignore what's been happening," he said firmly. "I know you too well. I know when you're trying to figure it all out and I've seen that look on your face a lot over the last couple of days. Did something happen?" She couldn't lie to him. She so wanted to, but she knew she couldn't. He would know, anyway. He could read her like a book.

"We know who JTG is," Snow confessed, earning a gasp from Michael. "It's Tony Sinclair, Miranda's step-father."

"Seriously?" Michael asked. "Why didn't you tell me? Why is he doing this?" Snow launched into the whole story. She told him everything from the events of Labor Day, to her friends' search of Tony's home and the subsequent plan to confront him the following day.

"If I volunteer to come with you..."

"I'll say no," said Snow firmly. "I've already got Jackson to worry about, I don't need you too. If something happened to you, Mike... No, this has nothing to do with you. Please, promise me you'll stay away."

"Like hell," said Michael, sitting up and taking Snow's hands in his. "There's no way I'm letting my girlfriend go into the house of a murder, a child molester, and a stalker without me. If you're going, I'm going to be right there beside you."

"We've got this," Snow insisted, knowing full well it was a lie. She had nothing but a vague plan. Nothing was certain. "I just need to know that you're safe. If this works then it'll be over and we won't have to worry about JTG anymore. Please, Mike."

"I... damn it, Snow! If that's what you want. Fuck, fine," Michael said in frustrated tones. "I hate the thought of you going in there without me. I can protect you, but not if I'm not there."

"As much fun as I would have watching you beat Tony into a paste in my honor, I don't need you to protect me," Snow told him. "I want everyone that's important to me to be safe. That definitely includes you. I don't know what Tony will do, but if you're not there he can't do it to you. That's the same reason I don't want the girls to be there. If they stay away, they're safe. If anything goes wrong, they release the video and Tony spends the rest of his life in prison."

"You're crazy, you know that right?" Michael asked her, ruffling her dark hair. "If he killed Dennis and Sara, he could kill you too."  

"I know," Snow said softly. "Believe me, I know. I'm not saying I'm not scared, but this has to be done and the fewer people in the line of fire, the better."

"Maybe one day I'll figure out why I fell in love with a strong, brilliant, selfless, and completely insane girl," said Michael. "Snow... promise me you'll be careful."

"You're really not going to fight me on this?" Snow asked, surprised. She had expected much more disagreement from him.

"If I do, will I be able to change your mind?" Michael asked, arching his eyebrows knowingly. Snow smiled.

"No," she said slowly.

"Of course not. Like I said before, I know you too well," Michael told her. "I'm not going to fight you because I know I'll lose. If this is what you're set on doing, you're going to do it and no one's going to be able to talk you out of it. Just be careful... and you know I'm still going to want that promise."

"I promise," Snow swore, hoping he didn't ask for more. She planned on coming back, she really did. Despite her attempt on her life a week earlier, Snow firmly wanted to keep living. But she knew the risks of what she planned to do. Tony was a murderer, and if he wasn't then his wife certainly was. She was walking into JTG's home with an ultimatum and that was a dangerous game she chose to play. JTG had killed before and could certainly kill again. She could promise to be careful, and she would be, but she couldn't promise to survive. She couldn't make a promise if she didn't know she could keep it.

Luckily for Snow, Michael asked for no such promise. Despite his statement that he wouldn't fight her, for the rest of the day he occasionally tried to convince her to let him come with her. She refused each time. She loved that he wanted to protect her, she truly did, but if anything happened to him, if JTG took Michael from her on top of everything else... no, she couldn't survive that. Michael had kept her going and if she lost him, she would fall apart all over again.

Much later that evening, Michael dropped Snow off at home. Like a true gentleman, he walked her to the door and saw her safely inside before returning to his car and driving away. Snow watched his taillights vanish down the street before turning and heading upstairs. She paused on the way when she noticed her parents in the den watching TV. She went and squeezed herself onto the sofa between them.

"How you doing, Peaches?" Kayla asked, snaking her arms around her daughter.  

"Good," she said lightly as Ariana too snuggled against her. "Just happy to be home." It was such a perfect moment that Snow didn't want to ruin it. She wanted to say something, to somehow stress to both of them just how much she loved them. As much as she tried not to think about it, the following day could very well be her last. She wanted her parents to know, if it really was the last time she saw them, that she loved them dearly. She kissed Ariana on the check and followed suit with Kayla immediately after.

"I love you guys so much," she whispered. "I hope you know that."

"Of course we do," said Ariana softly. "And we love you, Dove."

"More than anything," Kayla added, squeezing her tightly. Nothing more needed to be said in Snow's opinion. The three of them lay together on the couch for quite some time, watching whatever movie was on the TV. Snow didn't pay much attention to it. She was much to happy and peaceful lying there in her parents' arms. She felt so safe with them. They were her sword and shield. If only she could unleash them against JTG, she thought with a savage smile. God Himself wouldn't be able to help him then. It didn't take long, given how comfortable and happy she was for Snow to finally drift off to sleep.

-.-

"So... what do we do if you don't come back out?" Clara asked as Steven eased his car to a stop outside of Tony and Rachel's house the following afternoon. She turned as best she could in the confined space of the back seat of the car where she and the other three girls were squeezed together. 

"If we don't come out, then we're either being held hostage and being tortured... or we're dead," Jackson said quietly. "So if we don't come out, you all get in this car and you come back and you rescue us."

"We're not going to die," said Snow pointedly, pulling her gaze away from her phone. "Well... probably. Admittedly, this whole plan hinges on the idea that Tony doesn't want all of his secrets coming out. If he does, we'll be fine and maybe we can come to an agreement to end this. If not..."

"I'd rather you not finish that sentence," Mary said breathlessly.

"I'd rather not finish it," said Snow dryly. She sighed heavily. "Okay, we're going to go in. Steve, everything is set, right?"

"We're good to go," Steven reassured her. "If we don't hear from you in one hour, everything we've got will be sent to the police. Oh, and that video of Tony and Miranda will be texted to Rachel. She should love that one."

"Good," said Snow, shoving her door open. "And despite what Jackson said, if we don't come out of that house, do not come back for us. Go to the police and tell them what happened." Snow climbed out of the car to the calls of good luck from her friends. Jackson circled the car and joined her. Snow led the way across the street and up to Tony and Rachel's front door. To say she wasn't scared out of her mind would be a lie, but despite this Snow felt confident. This was going to end right there, on that day, one way or another.

"Snow, if this goes bad..." Jackson began, seeming quite uncertain if he should finish. "I just want you to know that there's no one else I'd rather walk into this with." Snow smiled and took Jackson's hand.

"You know what?" She asked. "Me neither." She reached out and knocked on the Sinclair's door. She felt a sudden shiver run down her spine. "Mmm..." she whimpered. "I think I just crossed the Rubicon."

"Uh... what?" Jackson asked, arching his eyebrows curiously.

"You really don't pay any attention in history class, do you?" Snow asked. Jackson shrugged.

"I passed," he said slowly. "Mostly." Snow shook her head.

"Julius Caesar once entered Italy at the head of an army, which was illegal. Doing so would start a war. He did it anyway and took his army across the Rubicon river and into Italy. It was a course of action there could be no turning back from. Once he began, he had to see it through. The expression 'cross the Rubicon' essentially means..."

"The point of no return," said Jackson dryly. "Yeah, I think I got it. But... what happened? To Caesar, I mean. What ended up happening to him? Did he win the war?"

"He did," said Snow as someone inside the house slid back a heavy sounding lock. "Then, a few years later, he was assassinated."

"Great," Jackson mumbled as the door opened and he and Snow found themselves face to face with Tony Sinclair. Snow couldn't quite tell if Tony was surprised, nervous, or pleased to see them. He had a face that was shockingly hard to read.

"Well, well," he said evenly. "Snow Austin and Jackson Binghamton on my doorstep. To what do I owe the pleasure."

"We need to talk," Snow said swiftly, choosing to be direct. She had no desire to play any more games.

"What could we possibly need to discuss?" Tony asked airily.

"I think you know," said Jackson sharply. "I thought we had a deal."

"We did," said Tony, eying Jackson with suspicion. "And I've honored it. So... what are you doing here?"

"Maybe you should reconsider what honoring the deal means," Snow told him. "Murdering Dennis Roberts and putting his cat on my doorstep doesn't sound like you're keeping up your end." Tony stared at her for a long moment. Snow could see the cogs working in his mind and she felt a sudden jolt of fear. There was confusion in his eyes and that scared her. Why would he be confused?

"I have never laid a hand on Dennis Roberts," said Tony slowly. "I've never even met the man. I certainly didn't kill him. The last I heard, Dennis died due to an allergic reaction."

"Then maybe Rachel did it," said Jackson. "We've seen your hidden room. We know you know what happened on Labor Day... but don't forget what we know."

"Get inside," Tony snapped, jerking the door wide open and ushering them inside. He closed the door behind them and led the way to the living room where he motioned that they should sit down on the couch. They did so, a wave of apprehension settling over Snow as she sat. This all felt so... wrong.

"Rachel has never killed anyone," said Tony firmly. "I didn't kill Dennis Roberts. I wasn't even in town the night he died. I was meeting with a client in the city and I have paperwork that proves it. Rachel was at home. I can't prove that, but my wife wouldn't murder an innocent man. What reason would we have to do that, anyway?"

"Why ask us?" Jackson demanded. "We don't know why JTG does anything. That's why we're asking you." Tony stared at him with a stunned expression for a moment and Snow knew, even before he opened his mouth to speak, she knew. She knew and she felt a piece of herself die inside.

"You... you think I'm JTG?" He asked curiously. "You think... oh, it all makes so much sense now. That's why you broke in here, you... you think... wow." He began to laugh out loud as he stood and left the room. He returned a moment later with an envelope. He held it out to Snow, who took it and removed the contents. A photo and a note fell into her lap. She picked up the picture and gasped. It was a picture of the night Miranda had fallen to her death. It was taken at the exact moment the Miranda had fallen and Snow knew that to an outside observer it would look very much as though Sara had pushed Miranda on purpose instead of defending herself while her friends stood watching.

Snow put the photo down and unfolded the note. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she read. They had been so wrong... so unbelievably wrong.

The police say your daughter fell. I've got proof she didn't. Now, so do you. These bitches murdered her and they're going to get away with it. Don't let them. Make them pay for what they've done. If you don't, I sure intend to --JTG

"You're not JTG," Snow whispered, doing her level best to keep tears from forming in her eyes. "You... you just got a letter... just like us."

"I wanted to go to the police, but Rachel... Rachel wanted revenge," said Tony. "Miranda was her pride and joy and she wanted all of you to suffer for killing her. She wanted all of you to pay. She bought all of the equipment you found and I helped her design the hidden room. We tried keeping an eye on all of you, to see if we could find anything we could use to tear you down. Rachel didn't want to kill you. She wanted you to suffer for the rest of your lives.

"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find much of anything. Surveilling people, shockingly, is a lot harder than it looks. It's especially difficult when you both have full time jobs, and your targets are a group of teenagers that never stay in one place for very long and are secretive as all hell. I guess it makes sense seeing as you're being hunted by JTG."

It had all been for nothing. All of their planning, everything... it had all been a waste of time. They were right back where they started. Tony and Rachel were essentially non-factors. Nothing that had been done to them had happened because of them. Snow held her face in her hands, her mind going wild. She was darting between everything she thought she knew about JTG and quickly came to realize that she knew nothing.

"Do you... do you know who sent you that picture?" Snow asked, hoping against hope that Tony had the answer. He didn't.

"I haven't the slightest idea," said Tony firmly. Snow believed him. "This picture and the note was the first and last time I heard from JTG."

"Why should we believe any of this?" Jackson demanded suddenly. "All the evidence points to you being JTG. Obviously, you'd have a plan to throw us off the scent. This sounds exactly like something JTG would do."

"That's fair," said Tony thoughtfully. "I don't have any way to prove to you that I'm not JTG except for my word. Truth be told, I've got nothing against any of you. Hell, Sara did me quite a favor by killing Miranda. She got the stupid cunt off my back." Snow and Jackson's eyes went wide at that pronouncement.

"You wanted Miranda dead," Snow said quietly. "She was blackmailing you and you wanted her gone."

"I wanted her silenced, true," said Tony idly. "Sara pushing her off of that cliff gave me the perfect opportunity to be rid of her. Miranda was gone and the whole thing looked like a tragic accident. It was perfect. Hell, even if Sara was caught, who cares? I'm free and clear."

"You really are a sick fuck," said Jackson hotly, an anger Snow had never seen in him rising suddenly. "She was fifteen! She was a kid and you..."

"She was no kid," Tony shot back. "That bitch was as manipulative as all hell. What can I say, she was hot. She was a virgin. Who wouldn't want a piece of that? Problem was, I thought she wanted it too. Instead, she wanted the whole damn world. She would have taken everything from me if I'd let her. She used me..."

"She used you?" Jackson asked incredulously. "It sounds to me like you used each other. You're a bastard and you deserve to rot in jail for what you've done." He stood to his feet and Snow, surprised by Jackson’s brashness, did the same. Tony smiled rather serenely.

"Sit. The fuck. Down." Tony reached into his waistband and drew a handgun. He stood to his feet and raised the weapon. “Sit down. Now. You came to my home to end this, right? Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

51: Chapter LI: Two Can Keep a Secret if One of Them is Dead

Jackson immediately stepped to his right, shielding Snow with his body. That act earned a grin from Tony as he raised his pistol.

“How sweet,” he said lightly. “Unfortunately for you, Mr. Binghamton, I have more than one bullet in this gun. I can shoot you and then still manage to shoot her as well. So stop being so damn noble and sit down.”

Snow watched the events unfold as though through a dense fog. This had all been her plan. She had led them here and it had all been for naught. She had to think of a way to get them out of this. Jackson didn’t deserve to die for her foolish plan.

“If you kill us, our friends will tell everyone what we know about you,” Snow said quickly as Jackson sank into his seat. Snow, however, remained standing. In a flash, Tony seized Snow by her hair and dragged her toward him, causing her to cry out in surprise and pain. Jackson leapt to his feet, but paused when Tony brandished the gun.

“No need to be a hero, boy,” said Tony crossly. “It’ll only get you killed.” He pulled sharply on Snow’s hair, jerking her body back against him and forced her head backwards, exposing her neck. Snow half expected him to cut her throat then and there. He didn’t, however, and instead just held her like that while keeping a close eye on Jackson.

“Now,” said Tony, giving Snow’s hair an even firmer tug, causing her to whimper and tilt her head as far back as she could to relieve the pain. “At what point did I ever say I was going to kill you?”

“You pulled a gun on us, so it seemed to be the likely outcome,” Snow choked out. Tony smirked.

“Well, you would be right,” he said pointedly. “I am going to kill you. I don’t want to. I’ll take no pleasure from it, but you know too much so I can’t let you leave here alive.”

“We have Miranda’s video,” Snow said quickly. She was thinking fast, desperately trying to conceive of some way out of this. “If we’re still in here after an hour, our friends are going to send the video to the police and to your wife. We’ve been here almost twenty minutes already, so even if you kill us right now you’ll have about a half hour to track down our friends and stop them." She neglected to mention that it wouldn't just be the video they would be releasing. If she or Jackson couldn't contact their friends before an hour elapsed, they would send everything they had to the police and land themselves in serious trouble for no reason. Still, the threat to Tony was just as real as ever. If the video got out, his life would be ruined. She could use that.

"Killing us gets you nowhere; only murder charges when the police come to arrest you for statutory rape," Snow went on, doing her best to keep calm despite her pounding heart and the pain from Tony's grip on her hair. "So... why don't we all sit down and come up with a plan that benefits us both?"

"Snow's right, we need to..." Jackson began, but Tony spoke over him.

"Shut the fuck up!" Tony bellowed furiously, jamming the gun more forcefully into Snow's back. "You shut up. If you say one more word, I'm going to shoot her. If you want to watch her drown in her own blood, keep talking. Shut. Your. Mouth. Understand?"

Jackson didn't answer, a fact for which Snow was thankful. Tony fully intended to kill her, but she also believed him when he said he didn't want to. She could talk him down. She had to. Tony, however, now seemed more interested in taunting Jackson than he did talking to her.

"There, that's a good boy," Tony said snidely. "Hmm, it pisses you off, doesn't it? You don't like being told what to do. You don't like that I've got my hands on your girlfriend either, I imagine." Snow shivered as Tony slowly drug the barrel of his gun across her stomach, up between her breasts and back again. "Oh, I'm sorry. Your ex-girlfriend." Jackson sat firmly in his seat, staring straight ahead and appearing to block out everything Tony was staying. His hands were clenched into fits, however, and Snow knew if she didn't stop Tony soon that Jackson was going to snap.

"Tony," she said breathlessly. "I don't want to die and I know you don't want to kill me. You don't have to. You're not JTG and that's all we care about. You haven't done anything to hurt us and we're not concerned with whatever was happening between you and Miranda, so we don't have any reason to release the video. If you let us go, we can still stop it."

"If I let you go, I have no reason to believe you won't simply release the video anyway," said Tony. "So, what we're going to do instead is this. You're going to take out your phone and call your little friends. You're going to tell them not to release the video and bring any copies of it here to my home in twenty minutes. Tell them I have a gun pressed into your back and if they do not do as I ask, I'm going to kill you... and then we'll start again with Jackson."

“You’re not our enemy,” Snow pleaded. “We want to stop JTG, that’s all. If you want the video, you can have it. I’ll bring it to you myself. You can go on about your life and we’ll never bother you again. Please, just…” Tony jerked her hair so hard she could feel a number of hairs being ripped from her scalp. She yelped in pain and tears welled in her eyes. She couldn’t see him, but she felt Jackson move across the room. He jumped, reacting to her cry. He restrained himself, however, and Tony seemed to not have noticed.

“Did you like that?” He hissed into her ear. “I bet you make the most wonderful sounds, don’t you? Miranda certainly did.”

“You’re sick,” Snow snapped. Tony smirked.

“I never said I wasn’t, little one,” he replied. He shook his head. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to force you into my bed. I’ve never been a fan of girls with a lot of fight in them. Something tells me you’ve got more than even you know.” He paused, clicking his tongue.

“You ever been raped?”

“No…”

“It’s quite a thing, though, isn’t it?” Tony wondered, his voice suddenly taking a much softer tone. “To have all of your control stripped away. To be completely, utterly powerless and forced to commit an act meant to be pleasurable. To have your own body betray you in that way. I mean, your brain knows what’s happening, but your body has no idea. That kind of confliction must be… disconcerting.”

“I can’t imagine,” said Snow quietly. “I hope I never have to find out.”

“Nor do I,” said Tony, snapping back to his harsh tone of voice. “I believe you have a call to make. Start dialing.”

Snow did as she was told; dialing Clara's number with trembling fingers. They would give in, she knew they would. She would, if it were Clara or Nikki or Mary. They would bring the video and Snow didn't trust Tony not to kill them all in the end. She had to do whatever she could to keep her friends away.

"Hey, Snow," said Clara breathlessly when she answered. "We're at my house waiting in the backyard and you're on speaker. Are you done already? How did it go?"

"We were wrong," said Snow, her voice cracking. "Tony isn't JTG. We..."

"What?" Clara exclaimed. Snow could hear the others gasp in the background.

"That doesn't matter right now," said Snow, fighting to keep her voice steady. "Tony... has a gun pressed to my back. He wants the video we have and he wants you to bring it here in twenty minutes or he'll kill me. Afterwards, if you still refuse, he'll kill Jackson. If you..." Tony snatched the phone from her hand and switched to speaker. 

"I assume I have your attention?" He said, placing the phone on the coffee table.

"We're listening," Snow heard Steven say. "What do you want us to do?"

"I want all four of you to bring the video you found here to this house," Tony said plainly. "It really is that simple."

"And what proof do we have that you won't just kill our friends, and us, the second we turn over that video?" Nikki demanded.

"None," said Tony airily. "But you have my word that if I don't have that video in my hand in what is now eighteen minutes, Snow dies." Tony reached down and ended the call. "Now, we'll see how loyal your friends are."

"It doesn't have to be like this," Snow said softly. "Tony, it... it doesn't. You're going to have to trust us. No matter how this ends, it ends with you trusting us."

"How do you figure that?" Tony asked.

"Well, because... think about it, Tony," said Snow pointedly. "You have to trust that we're being honest with you. You want my friends to bring you the video, but you'll have to trust that we don't have any other copies. Even if you kill all of us you'll have to trust that we haven't told someone else, someone you aren't aware of, about all of this. That person would also likely have a copy of the video, so... so you're going to have to trust us to some degree no matter what. Since that's true, just let us go. I'll bring you exactly what you want and no one gets hurt."

"You make a good case," said Tony, nodding his head in agreement. "You really do, kid. I just can't take the risk. I'm sorry, but the fact is that the only way for two people to keep a secret is if one of them is dead. I have to be sure... and that means you have to die. As do your friends when they arrive with the video." With more force than was necessary for such a small girl, Tony wrenched Snow around so she was facing him. Tony's gun was suddenly pressing quite noticeably against her belly.

"There's really no sense in putting it off, is there?" He asked with a shrug. "We both know your friends are coming. I really am sorry, Snow. I really am." Before Snow could even begin to process the fact that Tony was going to shoot her dead then and there, Tony's phone began to chime in his pocket.

"You... you might want to take a look at that," said Snow wisely. "If that's from who I think it is, you might want to read it before you make any decisions." At long last, Tony released Snow's hair and reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone. Snow, now free, still didn't move. In fact, she had hardly noticed that Tony had released her. She was much too focused trying to catch a glimpse of Tony's phone. It just had to be... it had to be.

Tony powered on the screen and spent a moment reading the message. Snow studied his expression with extreme care as he read, but he had no discernable reaction to the message. It was only due to a good amount of luck that when Tony lowered the phone she caught the briefest of glimpses at the screen where the text still shone brightly.

Touch a hair on their heads and your wife dies. Also, all your secrets will be laid bare. Do you know what they do to child molesters in prison? Don't drop the soap, bitch --JTG

Snow couldn't stop the smile from forming on her lips. She didn't have time to think about the irony that she and JTG were, for the moment at least, on the same side. She had to take advantage of the opportunity JTG had provided her.

"I'd listen to her if I were you," said Snow hurriedly. "She'll do exactly what she says she'll do if you cross her. 'Touch a hair on their heads', Tony. The way you were holding me? She knows. She knows everything. I don't know how, but she's everywhere. If you cross her or refuse to play her game, she'll destroy you. She's killed before... twice. She'll kill Rachel and she'll tell the whole world about Miranda."

"I'm not afraid of..." Tony began, but Snow cut him off even as he pressed his gun deeper against her skin.

"You should be," said Snow grimly. "You should be afraid of JTG. You think JTG sent you that picture of Sara pushing Miranda off the top of Lookout Point because she's your friend? She's not. She's using you. She used you as a red herring to take us off of her trail. We've spent weeks focusing on you and all the while JTG's just been watching us and laughing. This is exactly what JTG wanted."

-.-

"We have to go," said Mary, almost immediately beginning to panic. "Get... get the video, we have to go!" Mary turned imploringly to her friends, none of whom were moving. They were all standing there with shocked expressions on their faces. Hadn't they understood what Tony and Snow had said? Hadn't they heard that Snow had a gun jammed into her back? Why weren't they moving?

"Mary, we can't just go charging in there," said Nikki slowly. "We need a plan, not just..."

"He's going to kill Snow in less than twenty minutes," Mary said hotly. Why were they hesitating? Didn't they understand? "Who cares about a damn plan? This is Snow's life we're talking about. Let's go!"

"Going in blind could just get all of us killed," said Clara delicately. "I want to save them too, but we need to think this through. We can't go in blind."

"We don't have time," Mary shouted. "To hell with this! Just give me the video and I'll go myself." She snatched her purse from the couch.

"Steven, what do you think?" Clara asked. Steven, who had up until this point remained silent while leaning against a nearby tree, shrugged uncertainly.

"It's a trap," he said pointedly, looking around at them all. "I mean, it's obviously a trap. I think you and Nikki are right. We can’t just yolo in there and hope for the best. We could get ourselves killed or them killed or both. We need to make a plan.”

“Jackson’s in there too, you know,” Mary shot back, unable to believe she was the only person there with any sense. “He’s your best friend, are you really going to say…”

“I know he’s there,” said Steven gently. “I know and I’m terrified that something is going to happen to him, but going off half cocked isn’t going to help him. We need to take time and think this through.”

“She put a gun to her head and pulled the goddamn trigger!” Mary screamed, lashing out so suddenly it surprised even her. Her shock didn’t last long, however. She was angry and they were damn well going to listen. “She was willing to kill herself for me. She was willing to die for me and she didn’t even hesitate. She knew what she had to do, that’s what she told me. She knew the moment JTG laid out the rules that she didn’t have a choice. She never thought of not doing it… and now I’m in that same place.”

“Once you’re there, in that place, being told to make that choice… you could do it, Mary.” They were Snow’s words from Halloween night and Mary remembered them so clearly in that moment. She didn’t believe it at the time, but right then she knew Snow had been right. She was being asked to make a choice. Stay safe or save her friend. What kind of choice was that? It wasn’t a choice, Mary knew. Doing anything but rushing to her friend’s aid wasn’t even an option.

“It doesn’t matter that there was never a bullet in that gun,” Mary went on, no longer caring if her friends agreed with her or not. She was going regardless. “What matters is that she thought there was and she did it anyway. If there had been a bullet in that gun, if Snow really had shot herself, she would have killed me too. She’s my sister. You… you guys are my family. Sara’s death was so… so horrible and… and I can’t lose another sister. So, I’m going. If you all want to stay behind and make plans, go right ahead. I’m going to rescue our friends.”

“None of you are going anywhere,” said Michael, appearing so suddenly Mary would have sworn he had teleported there if she hadn’t known such things were impossible. 

“Michael?” Clara asked, staring at him as though he had grown an extra head. “How did you find us?”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Michael quickly. “Snow’s in trouble and I’m going to help her. I want all of you to stay here where it’s safe. I’ll deal with this. I mean it. Stay.” He turned on his heel and stalked away. Mary gave him a few moments before reaching over and snatching the flash drive that contained the video Tony wanted from Steven’s laptop and hurried after him, ignoring the calls of her friends behind her. Michael had just started the engine of his yellow Lamborghini when Mary wrenched open the passenger side door.

“I’m coming with you,” she said, sliding into the passenger seat. Michael opened his mouth to protest, but Mary silenced him with a look. “We’re wasting time, let’s go.” Michael sighed, but he put the car into Drive and they were off.

“I hope you know what you’re getting into,” Michael said as they sped across town. “From what I know about Tony, he’s dangerous.”

“I don’t care,” said Mary firmly. “He’s got Snow and Jackson. That’s all I care about.”

“From the snippet of conversation I overheard, it doesn’t sound like the others agree with you,” Michael commented.

“They want to make a plan,” Mary said grumpily. “Michael… Tony has Snow and Jackson at gunpoint. If we don’t stop him in about fifteen minutes, he’s going to kill Snow. He wants this,” she held up the flash drive. “The video we have of him and Miranda. I hope you have a plan.”

“I do,” Michael said quickly. “Get to Tony’s house, subdue the son of a bitch, and rescue my girlfriend.”

“Well, at least you’re a man of action,” Mary said quietly. “I suppose I’ve got to give you that.”  

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” said Michael. Mary smiled.

“It was meant as one,” she replied. She sighed heavily, only just realizing what she had done. She had gotten into a car, quite willingly and without an ounce of trepidation, with the man who had raped her. “Look, Michael, I… I told you before that I’m not afraid of you and that your secret is safe with me so long as you honor the promise you made to never hurt Snow. I see you two together and… and I see how much she loves you. You’re not all bad, not if Snow loves you that much. No matter what secrets you’re hiding, there has to be good in you for her to love you like that. What you did to me… it’s in the past, so… so we’re good. I just… I want to know why. Why did you and Emily do that to me?”

“Have you asked your sister?” Michael asked evenly.

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” Mary asked. “Emily left town. She’s been gone for weeks. She won’t return my calls, but my parents say she’s okay. Anyway, since she’s gone you’re all I’ve got. I want answers.”

“And I’m sorry, but I can’t give them to you,” said Michael quietly. “I… I just can’t, Mary. I can’t say that you don’t deserve answers, but… I just can’t. You wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

“Try me,” said Mary sharply. “I’ve done a lot of thinking since that night in that motel room, Michael. I’ve done a lot of thinking and it’s never made sense to me. You’re Michael Comstock. You could have any woman in town that you wanted with minimal effort. Gorgeous girls just seem to cling to you, right? You were with my sister who always was the pretty one, and… well, have you seen Snow? So I never understood why you picked me. It can’t be because of my glowing beauty, so what? You’re not some serial rapist and Emily… there was a reason. There must have been.”

“Mary…” Michael said warningly.

“Don’t try to scare me, Michael,” Mary said sternly. “You can’t. You know, for the longest time I tried not to think about what happened. I didn’t want to bring it up… but then Snow fell in love with you. When that happened, I thought I needed to protect her from you, but I’ve come to realize that I was wrong. I don’t need to protect Snow from you because you don’t want to hurt her. She loves you and if that’s true, then there’s good in you. That surprised me quite a bit, honestly. Snow might not be the best at reading people, but if you were really the guy you pretended to be that night, she’d see it. She’d feel it. But after you and Snow happened, after Halloween, I started to think about what you did and I let myself remember it. The thing that keeps coming back to me is that you didn’t hurt me. You tried to be tough, but… you were gentle. It didn't click at the time, I was too... Thinking back... none of it makes sense."

"Mary, it's... it's complicated," Michael said nervously. "There's so much you don't understand, and I... I can't tell you why. I'm sorry, but I just can't. I wanted to... then, I mean at the time I thought... Emily didn't want to... Now, it's too late and I can't risk... It doesn't matter. I'll tell you. I will, I promise, one day I'll tell you. Just... not right now. Please, just... just know that you're right. I didn't want to hurt you, I never wanted to hurt you. Emily didn't want to hurt you, we... we never wanted to hurt you."

Mary nodded slowly, knowing she would get no more out of Michael right then. It was enough, however. Her suspicions were confirmed, regardless of not getting a straight answer. Michael confounded her, that was certain. Still, even if she didn't know his motive, she had learned more about the man and perhaps her sister as well. As bad as Snow might be at reading people, Mary was the complete opposite. She was good at it and Michael... well, Michael was telling her the truth.

She glanced over at Michael as silence fell and suddenly she remembered. She hadn't thought of the conversation she had overheard between Emilia's father, Alfonso, and their English teacher, Alexander Winston. They had mentioned words like 'Dawnguard', 'Stonehaven', 'dragons', and 'grandmasters'. She had known she had heard the word Stonehaven somewhere before, but it wasn't until that moment in Michael's car that she remembered exactly where.

"Stonehaven..." she said quietly, looking at Michael with an expression of dawning comprehension. "Your estate... Stonehaven, it... it's engraved into the pillars at the entrance. I remember seeing it there before. Michael... what is the Dawnguard?"

"Where did you hear about that?" Michael asked, his grip on the steering wheel suddenly very tight.

"The night of the storm," Mary replied. "My English teacher was talking about it with someone and I overheard them. They were saying things, I... They mentioned the Dawnguard and Stonehaven and... and dragons and knights and... I can't remember, but I know they seemed like they were up to something. I forgot all about it, but now... now I remember and I know that Stonehaven is your estate. Do you know anything about any of this? Have you heard of the Dawnguard before?"

They paused at a stop sign and Michael, despite the rush they were in, turned to look at Mary. He studied her for a long moment before biting his lower lip uncertainly.

"You were right before," he said quietly. "You deserve the truth, so I'll tell you. You likely won't believe me, but I'm going to tell you. There's one thing you have to promise me first, though. You have to swear not to breathe a word of what I say to anyone. I'm trusting you with a secret so important that the lives of every living person in this world depends on it staying secret. Can I trust you?" Mary nodded, completely surprised by Michael's reaction. Whatever she had expected Michael to say, it wasn't this.

"Okay," said Michael, taking a steep breath and pressing on the accelerator. "We're only a few minutes away from Tony's so I'm going to have to make this quick. Please don't interrupt with questions, Mary. I'm going to tell you everything."

-.-

"How does she know?" Tony asked, still gripping Snow tightly as they waited. "You... you said she knew everything. How? How did she know about me holding you like that? And for that matter, how do you know JTG is a she?"

"We don't know she's a she," said Snow slowly. "I mean, obviously we don't know. We thought she was you. It's just... the tone of her texts, the things she says... it's just always felt like a girl. So we chose to start calling JTG she to simplify things. How she knows what she knows? I have no idea. It's like she's everywhere and she knows absolutely everything. It feels like she's watching us at all times. She's always listening, and if you have a secret it's safe to assume she knows it."

"I'm sure that's a terrifying feeling," Tony said, a hint of sympathy in his voice. Had she just found a way in? She only had seconds to reply without seeming odd, so she ran through the possibilities as quickly as she could. Tony wasn't a good guy, she knew that. He had slept with an underage girl and was prepared to murder two teens in his living room. That said, from what she knew Tony hadn't necessarily forced Miranda to do anything she didn't want to do. It didn't make a difference, but yet in a way it did. She had to determine who Tony really was. There was a difference between a violent rapist and two people making a choice to do something. Tony was deeply wrong either way, but it affected Snow's method of approaching him.

Tony wasn't going to respond well to an aggressive approach and Snow seriously doubted she could seduce him. She wasn't intimidating enough to scare him and he would surely see through any sexual advances she made. No, she needed to get inside his head. Even then, it might not work, but... it was her only shot.

"Yeah," she said sadly, bowing her head slightly. "Yeah, it... it is. To feel like you're never safe, that you're always being watched? It's scary. I just want it all to end... to go back to the way things were before Sara died and JTG came into our lives. I'm tired of being scared." She let a single tear fall from her eye in an attempt to make her emotions seem that much more real. To her very great surprise, Tony reached up to wipe it away. As he did so, Snow noticed a long scar that ran along his arm, a scar that closely matched her own. She had to work very hard not to smile. It might just be the hook she needed.

She reached out and caught his hand as he pulled it away. She drew his arm closer and gazed down at the scar shining on his wrist. She ran her finger along the cut and she felt Tony shiver. She looked up at him with watery eyes, still clutching his hand.

"Can I ask...?"

"It was a long time ago," Tony said stiffly. "It... it doesn't matter anymore."

"Yes, it does," said Snow, holding out her own arm. "This scar will matter to me for the rest of my life. The reasons why I chose to end my life will matter because I have to remember that I never want to do it again. No matter how much it hurts, I can't go back to that place. It matters, Tony. It matters."

"Maybe," said Tony with a shrug. "But I'm long past what happened. I was even younger than you at the time, so trust me when I say that what caused this no longer troubles me."

"I hope that's true," said Snow quietly. "I can't ever imagine a time when what drove me to this won't trouble me. My mother is dying... she... How do you ever get over that? JTG doesn't scare me half as bad as losing my mom. Right now, I... I'm okay, but... when it happens, I'm afraid I'll fall apart again."

"You strike me as a strong young woman," said Tony. "You're certainly brave, coming here like you did. Losing a parent, and I've lost both of mine, is never an easy thing. But even so, you can survive it. It's hard... one of the hardest things you'll ever experience... but you can survive it."

"Thanks," said Snow, her lips curving into a sad smile. "Really, I mean it. Thank you. I hope you're right." Tony suddenly reached out and took Snow's arm, turning it over to stare at her scar. Snow watched him closely, studying his face. She was building something with him based on their separate dark pasts. They had both tried to kill themselves and that allowed her to begin to forge a connection with Tony. She had to keep using that.

"I didn't think I could do it," she said, causing Tony's brown eyes to dart up to meet her own blue ones. "Cut that deep, I mean. I thought I'd back out, realize that I didn't really want to do it. I didn't, honestly, but I felt that I didn't have any other way out."

"I knew I could," said Tony, his eyes now locked with hers. "I wanted it... more than anything, I wanted it. I would have done anything, anything to never..." He broke off, clearing his throat uncertainly and glancing across the room at Jackson. He had remained firmly in his seat the entire time, a fact for which Snow was immensely thankful. Jackson had a temper, especially if he was being taunted.

"I'm glad you're better now," said Snow. She really meant it. She might loathe Tony as a human being, but she couldn't wish a pain like her own on anyone. "I'm glad that you decided to live. Whatever happened, whatever drove you to that place... I'm glad you came back from it."

"Me too," said Tony, nodding. He smiled at her and she smiled back. It was working.

"Listen," Snow said quietly, seizing her moment. "This whole thing with the video... I don't want anyone to get hurt. No one has to. We'll give you the video and that'll be it. Then, maybe we could keep talking? It's... nice, you know, talking to someone who's been there. We don't have to be enemies, Tony. We could be friends."

"I'd like that," said Tony quietly. "There's... something about you, Snow. I don't know what it is, but... I like you."

"I like you, too," said Snow, her heart swelling with joy. She smiled up at him and he smiled back down at her. He grinned widely and then began to laugh. He laughed and laughed until tears ran down his face. Without warning, he slapped Snow so hard across her face that she saw stars. The force of the blow knocked her to the floor. She landed hard and cried out in pain. Across the room, Jackson bellowed a curse Snow barely heard and launched himself at Tony.

The older man didn't have time to raise his gun before Jackson was on him, using every ounce of his body weight to pummel him. They crashed to the floor in a blur of fists; the sound of a violent struggle ringing through the house. Tony's sudden strike had nearly knocked Snow unconscious. She was only vaguely aware of what was happening. The only thing that stuck in her mind was the clatter of Tony's gun on the cold tile floor.

Get the gun, Snow. Get to the gun. It was the only thought that filled her mind as she crawled across the floor in a daze toward the blurry image of Tony's gun lying a few feet away. She stretched out her arm, trying to reach for it but it seemed to just get further and further away. Nearby, she heard a crash, a shout of pain, and then silence fell. At that same moment, Snow's fingers finally closed around the grip of the gun. She yelped when a heavy weight descended onto her arm and she cried out as a powerful kick was delivered to her stomach. The gun was wrenched out of her hand and she was dragged to her feet by her hair.

She saw Jackson lying on the floor nearby, clearly out cold. Tony, still gripping her by her hair, pressed the barrel of his gun to her back. He shook his head at her, a disappointed look on his face.

"Fucking cunt," he muttered. "Are you really that damn stupid? You actually bought that? You're easier to play than I thought. God damn idiot... and here I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. 'We can be friends and dance and sing!' Stupid little..." Whatever else Tony was going to call her, Snow never found out. Tony's front door was blown off its hinges and landed somewhere in the hallway. Out of the cloud of dust and debris stepped Michael. He was holding a high tech looking rifle that was shockingly white in color. He swept the room, taking in the scene before him in what seemed to be an instant. 

 "Put the gun down!" Michael shouted, gripping his rifle tightly. "Put it down and let Snow go." Tony responded by digging the gun deeper into Snow's back.

"You can't shoot," said Tony with a sly smile. "You'd hit her and we both know you don't want that. So you put your gun down. You won't risk hitting her."

"I'm not aiming at her," Michael said grimly. Thinking back, Snow realized she never heard the rifle fire. There was a flash of light and Tony recoiled, falling back with a cry of pain. His gun clattered to the floor as he clutched at the wound in his shoulder. Despite his injury, he lunged for his fallen weapon almost immediately. Snow, however, was faster and her high heeled boot came to rest on Tony's wrist as he reached for his gun, trapping his arm to the floor. Snow bent down and picked up the gun. She ejected the magazine, racked the slide to expel the loaded round and tossed the empty pistol onto the couch.

"Are you okay, Snow?" Michael asked, rushing to her and checking her for injuries.

"I'm fine," Snow insisted, motioning toward Tony. "What do we do with him?"

"I ought to kill you," said Michael, glaring down at Tony while Snow removed her heel from his arm and rushed to check on Jackson. Tony scrambled away, pressing his hand firmly against his wound which didn't seem to be bleeding much at all. "I really should, but I'm not in the mood for all the paperwork, so here's the deal. You do not ever, ever touch my girlfriend again. You do not look at her, you do not come near her. If you see her walking down the street, you cross to the other side and be on your way. You do not say her name, you do not even breathe the same air that she does. If you do, if you so much as enter the same room as her ever again, I will kill you." Michael turned away and knelt beside Snow.

"He'll be okay," said Snow. Her heart was pounding blisteringly fast and her hands were shaking. "We... we just need to get him somewhere safe, and... and...

"Snow!" Mary had rushed through hole in the wall that had once been a door and shouted when she saw her friend. She ran over and nearly knocked Snow to the floor with the force of her hug. "You're okay," she cried, squeezing Snow so tightly she could barely breathe. "Snow... Snow, I thought... when you called, I thought... Oh, no... oh, Jackson, is he... is he..."

"He'll be fine," said Snow breathlessly. "We're both okay, Mary. Can you let me go? I can't breathe."

"Oh, right. Sorry," said Mary, releasing the other girl reluctantly.

"Uhhhh...." Jackson groaned. Snow looked down and Michael was helping Jackson sit up slowly. She was surprised to see that he had come to so quickly. He had been out cold mere moments before.

"Hey," said Snow, kneeling next to him and gripping his hand tightly. "Hey there. How do you feel?"

"Like I got my ass kicked," Jackson grumbled weakly. "But what... what happened? Michael? Mary? What...?"

"Michael saved us," said Snow, beaming at her boyfriend. "He... he... We're okay."

"And I'll happily accept your glowing praise later," said Michael quickly. "We should get out of here." No one could disagree with that and soon Snow and Mary were helping Jackson to his feet and guiding him outside. They had escaped from her foolish scheme, but now... now she had to face a new reality. They were back at square one. Tony was not JTG, that much seemed clear. She had no idea who was or how to find them. She had nothing. No clues, no way forward. Game over. She had been so sure, had firmly believed that they were about to win. She had never imagined that they weren't even playing to begin with. What were they supposed to do now?

As she, Mary, and Jackson left the house, Michael hung back. He turned to Tony, who was still whimpering pathetically on the floor.

"I meant what I said," Michael told him harshly. "I will kill you if you so much as touch a hair on her head. I don't want to hear anything else about you. Disappear from her life or I'll make you disappear." Michael turned on his heel and followed the others outside.

Across the room, Tony's phone chimed. Grunting in pain and still clutching his wound, Tony dragged himself to his feet and he staggered to the spot on the floor where it had fallen during his fight with Jackson. He picked it up and turned on the screen, revealing a text waiting for him.

You're trouble. I don't need trouble. My little game is coming to an end and I can't have anyone disrupting what I've got planned. You'd do well to listen to Michael, because what he'll do to you will seem like a spa day compared to what I'll do if you screw up my game. Don't forget, bitch. I know everything. Even what really happened that night at Lookout Point. Kisses, Bitch --JTG   

52: Chapter LII: Oh, We Gotta Turn Up The Crazy

As Snow and Mary staggered out of the front door of Tony's house they saw Steven's car slowing to a stop at the curb. Clara, Nikki, and Steven all got out and rushed across the lawn toward them. Snow barely noticed them. She wanted to run, she wanted to run as far and as fast as she could. She had never wanted to be so far from where she was before in her entire life. There was no way out, she knew it now. JTG was a specter that could never be found. The game was over. They had lost. They had never been close to uncovering JTG's identity. JTG had let them spiral off into a wild goose chase that had almost led them to their deaths. It had all been for nothing... all of it.

Steven relieved Snow and Mary of Jackson and helped him into the car while the girls gathered around Snow. She tried so hard not to cry, to hold it all back until she was alone. She couldn't. The moment Nikki and Clara reached her, Snow's knees buckled and she fell to the ground. The other three knelt around her, clinging to her as closely as they could. Snow knew they all felt it too... that feeling of complete despair. They'd been beaten. Their one victory, their single shining moment that had given them hope was gone.

But as the four girls cried together, huddled on the Sinclair's lawn, Snow realized something. She understood how important Steven's words from the day before were. He had been right, she just hadn't seen it. Even if they lost, even if JTG destroyed their lives, they would all go down together. Her three best friends would be there right alongside her, facing whatever hell JTG threw at them. JTG could try to turn them against each other if she wanted. She could torture them and make them hurt each other, but she could never tear them apart. JTG might win the game, sure, but she would never beat them.

Snow moved first, shifting and pulling away from the others. She looked at each of them in turn, noticing the tears running down their cheeks and the expressions of hopelessness on their faces. Michael stood nearby watching, clearly unsure if he should interrupt. She noticed Steven and Jackson in the car, they too were watching nervously as though they were debating coming over. She stood slowly, the others rising with her. Michael seemed to take that as his cue to approach because he took several cautious steps forward.

"We should really get out of here," he said gently. "We can go back to my place. It'll be safe there."

"We're not safe anywhere," said Nikki tonelessly. Snow found she couldn't disagree, but it was still a place where they could regroup. She would have given anything to go to the warehouse, but the city was an hour away and such a long drive alone with her thoughts was too much to bear. Instead, they drove to Michael's estate. Snow rode with Michael while Steven drove the others. Snow glanced across the center console at Michael as they drove. He hadn't spoken since they got into the car and he seemed different... distant.

"Thank you," she said, breaking the silence. "For saving us, I mean. I know I told you to stay away, but... thank you. Tony was seconds away from killing me, so if you hadn't..."

"You don't need to thank me, Snow," said Michael quickly. "I love you. There was no way I was letting you go in there without being damn sure there was a way to get you out. I'm just glad I got there in time."

"One of these days I'm going to have to save your life," said Snow with a wry smile. Michael didn't reply and Snow didn't press the issue. Michael didn't seem to be in the mood for her attempt at humor, and in truth neither was she. She simply didn't want to think about anything else.

Once they arrived Snow climbed out of Michael's car, shivering in the cold afternoon air. Although the snows of recent days had stopped, the thick blanket that had fallen on the town had yet to completely melt away. Several inches were still frozen to the ground, crunching beneath her feet as she watched Steven's car ease to a stop behind Michael's. The others all got out of Steven's car and made their way over. Mary, Snow noticed, gazed at the stone pillars flanking the entrance to the estate with a look on her face she couldn't explain.

"Hey, are you okay?" Snow called to her, walking over and taking her hand. Mary turned to look at her, her gray eyes filled with... something. Snow couldn't place what. Wonder? Understanding? She didn't know.

"Yeah," she said lightly, a thin smile on her lips. "Yeah, I'm okay." She looked up at Michael's house, that same look of something approaching wonder on her face. "We should get in there. It sounds like we've got a lot to talk about."

That, Snow knew, was very true. She allowed Mary to guide her up to the house where Michael stood waiting for them. Snow missed the look Mary and Michael shared as they passed him. Michael closed the door behind them and led the way into the living room where the others were all gathered. The room was shockingly quiet and no one was talking. Steven and Jackson sat on the couch together while Clara and Nikki stood by the fireplace. Mary and Snow went over to join them while vanished into the kitchen.

"This... I just realized, I haven't been back here since... since that night," Nikki said quietly. It took a moment for Snow to realize what she was talking about. She had spent so much time at Michael's house over the recent months that she had almost forgotten the first time she had ever been there. It hit her like a punch to the gut and she felt her eyes burn.

"This spot, right here," said Clara, indicating the place she was standing. "This is the last place I saw Sara alive." Indeed, it was. It was right there where it had all begun. It was there that all of their lives had started to fall apart. That night when Sara had been murdered, had been ripped away from them so suddenly, it wasn't the first move of JTG's game. No, it was a move that had taken place well within a game was already being played, they just hadn't realized it.

"She told me to wait for her," said Snow quietly. "We... the party was moving outside and she... she wanted me to wait for her while she went to the bathroom. She walked away and... and the next time I saw her, she... she..." Snow found she couldn't finish. She didn't think about Sara all that much anymore. She hadn't forgotten, far from it, there was just so much that had happened that Sara's death had somehow taken a backseat to everything else. It hadn't even been that long ago, yet it seemed like a lifetime. August, the end of summer, only a few months earlier and yet it felt as though it had happened years before. Sara couldn't have only been gone a few months, could she? Then again, a full two weeks had not yet passed since Halloween and even that felt farther in the past than that.

"What do we do now?" Mary asked in a voice barely above a whisper, sinking slowly onto the couch with Steven and Jackson. "I mean... what do we do?"

"What can we do?" Nikki asked, sitting down on the floor with Clara following suit a moment later. "It's over. We lost."

"Not yet," said Snow suddenly, drawing every eye in the room toward her. She sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table from the couch before continuing. "Look, I know it's stupid but it hit me after... after what happened today. Steven, you were right before. Whatever JTG does to us, we face it together. That's the one thing that JTG can't take away from us. She can't tear us apart, no matter what she does. Whatever happens, we're in it together and if we do go down, we go down together. JTG can't take that away."

"That's a nice sentiment, Snow," said Jackson dubiously. "Really, it is. I just... the power of friendship isn't enough here."

"I hate to say it seeing as I'm the one who told you that, but Jackson's got a good point," said Steven slowly. "I said what I said before because I didn't want you going to Tony's alone and getting yourself killed, Snow. I didn't mean it as a rallying cry. Friendship isn't going to help us beat JTG. Now, figuring out who this bitch is? That's going to help us and that's what we need to do."

"How?" Clara asked. "Seriously, we've been here before. We have nothing. We don't have the slightest clue who JTG is. We don't even know where to start looking. If this isn't about Miranda, then... then what the hell is it about?"

"There's no way to know," said Snow quietly. "This... it made sense. The Miranda thing, it... it fit, you know? It made sense that Tony or Rachel would be JTG, but now..."

"What about Rachel?" Steven wondered. "Are we sure she's not JTG?"

"Tony says she's not and based on the text Tony got from JTG... I don't think so," Snow replied. "I mean, she could be and today was just a ruse to take us off the trail, but I don't think so. At this point, I don't think JTG has anything to do with Miranda. I think all of this was just part of JTG's game."

"So... what?" Mary asked. "JTG just so happened to know about the Miranda thing and used it for... what, exactly? She never threatened us with it, she just sent that picture to Tony and Rachel. I don't get it."

"That's the thing though," said Snow thoughtfully. "JTG never even mentioned Miranda to us. Hell, she's never even told us what she wants. That's why I don't think it’s revenge for Miranda. I think JTG wants something else... I just don't know what. Why do all this? Why kill Sara? Why send Tony and Rachel after us? What's the point? We're missing something... we've been missing something since the beginning. I think Sara might have known what it was... maybe, but I don't have a clue. JTG could be sitting right across the room from me and I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to look for."

"That's a scary thought," said Jackson nervously. Steven nodded his agreement, chewing his lower lip thoughtfully.

"I've been thinking," he said slowly. "JTG's number is blocked, but those messages are coming from somewhere. I doubt I'd be able to get far, but I might be able to backtrack JTG's texts and... maybe find something useful. Chances are JTG's already planned for something like this, I mean she's surely too smart to overlook it but I think it's worth a shot."

"Just don't piss her off any more than you have to," said Snow. "You know what she does to anyone that doesn't play by the rules. I doubt tracking her phone is playing by the rules."

"Frankly, my dear, I do not give even one single damn," said Steven hotly. "I'm going to hunt this bitch down if I can. If this works, we can't put an end to this."

"That's what we thought this morning," Nikki said dryly. "We were so sure, and now we're back where we started."

-.-

Michael served all of them dinner and invited everyone to stay as long as they liked, given the events of the day. Snow wanted nothing more than a nice, long, relaxing shower and left the others to their own devices to indulge herself. Minutes later she stood in Michael's shower, leaning against the marble wall as the warm water cascaded down over her. Normally, this would be where she would do some of her best thinking. It was where she was the most relaxed, but on that evening Snow managed to shut her mind off and relish the tranquility she felt.

Michael was sitting on the edge of the bed when Snow left the bathroom. He watched her with that same distant expression on his face as she tossed her towel over the back of a chair and pulled on one of his oversized t-shirts. The shirt was so large on her petite form that it fell almost to her knees. Picking up her towel again to dry the last bit of moisture from her hair, Snow turned to Michael.

"Okay, what's going on?" She asked him pointedly. "You've been acting weird ever since... oh." It hit her so suddenly she almost recoiled. She dropped her towel and sat down beside him, taking his hand in hers. "Oh, Mike... You almost lost me again today. That's it, isn't it? You..."

"I was almost too late again," Michael whispered. "He was going to kill you and I... If I'd been a second later getting there..."

"You weren't," Snow said gently. "Mike, you saved me. You've saved me twice now, three times if we count the night that JTG broke in and tried to murder me. You weren't too late, you were right on time. Don't beat yourself up because I was in danger, Mike. What matters is you got there right when I needed you."

"I just keep almost losing you," said Michael, his voice filling with emotion. He rarely showed much emotion, Snow knew, and seemingly only ever around her. She seemed to be the only person he felt comfortable opening up to. "You... you've become my world, Snow. You've changed me. When we met I was a different person, but being with you... Snow, can I tell you something?"

"Of course you can," Snow said encouragingly. "Anything, you know that."

"I had never been in love before I fell in love with you," Michael confessed, causing Snow's grip on his hand to tighten. "You came into my life and changed everything. I fell for you hard and fast. I didn't mean to, I just... did. After that, you became the most important thing in my life and I can't lose you."

"You had never been in love before... me?" Snow asked disbelievingly. "I... I didn't know that. I mean, I thought... Emily..."

"Emily is a great girl," Michael replied, nodding. "I loved her, sure, but I wasn't in love with her. There's a difference. I never imagined my future with her. I never found myself making plans or thinking about where we might get married... or when."

"And you... you've thought about that stuff... with me?" Snow asked. "I mean, back at the warehouse you said you hadn't been making any plans. So... have you started to?" Michael nodded.

"Yeah," he told her. "After we talked and you said you wanted a future with me, I started to really think about things. I don't know if any of it would be what you would want, but I couldn't help it. It was... subconscious. I just started thinking without really meaning to."

"And what did you come up with?" Snow wondered, looking up at him with interest. Michael shook his head.

"It's silly," he said nervously. Snow, however, thought it was anything but.

"No," she said firmly. "It's not. Michael, I love that you think about us. I'm glad you're making plans. I'm glad you want to make plans. So tell me about them. What does our future look like to you?"

"Well, we'd be married, obviously," Michael said, still sounding uncertain. "Somewhere warm, I think, for the wedding. Not here, not in town. Perhaps Tuscany or maybe on the beach in the Caymans. It'd be a small ceremony with just family and friends, the people we love the most. We'd honeymoon... everywhere. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. Then, we'll come home. Maybe we'll move into the warehouse, I know how much you love it there."

"Then what?" Snow pressed when Michael trailed off.

"One day, we'd start a family," he continued. "We'd have kids. A boy and a girl... then another boy and another girl."

"Four?" Snow asked, her eyes widening.

"Too many?"

"No, just... you know, I'm the one doing all the work here," Snow commented playfully.

"Hey, I would have helped," Michael replied. Snow smirked.

"Yeah, with the fun part," she shot back, grinning. "Okay, four kids. I can live with that. What else?"

"We grow old together," said Michael. "We see the world and I finally make you believe in magic." 

"That last one might be easier than you think," said Snow lightly. She sighed. "I want that life, Michael. Everything you said, I want it. We'll have it. I know you're scared of losing me, but nothing is going to take me away from you. I love you and nothing is going to change that. There is nothing too big that we can't overcome it, JTG included. We'll beat her, Michael. I promise." Michael chose to reply by snaking his arms around her waist and kissing her. She lost herself in the embrace for a moment, relishing the warmth and safety she felt. She pulled away, however, when Michael's hand began to trail along her inner thigh.

"We can't," she whispered hastily. "My friends are right down the hall."

"So?" Michael asked in a dismissive tone.

"So... what if one of them comes in here and catches us?" Snow pointed out.

"I don't care if you don't," said Michael lightly.

"I do care," said Snow just as a knock came at the door. Michael drew away looking disappointed while Snow smirked victoriously at him.

"Come in," she called, ignoring Michael's groan of frustration. The door was eased open and Jackson stuck his head into the room.

"Hey... do you two have a minute?" He asked. He sounded more nervous than Snow had ever heard him. He looked as though he would love nothing more than to turn and bolt from the room.

"Yeah, sure," said Snow, motioning him inside. He entered and closed the door behind him. He remained near the doorway, however, seemingly unwilling to move any further into the room.

"Um... right, okay," he said reluctantly. "Yeah, so... look, Michael, I... I wanted to apologize to you. What I did before, the things I said... I was wrong. It was stupid of me to blame you for what happened. You saved us today and... well, I owe you my life, so... I'm sorry." Snow looked from Jackson to Michael and back again, realizing just how awkward it was to be alone with both of them. Michael, too, seemed quite uncomfortable by the situation. He seemed to suddenly realize that his hand was still resting on Snow's thigh because he pulled away quickly before responding.

"It's cool," he said stoically. "Really, Jackson, I get it. You were pissed. You care about Snow and honestly I'm really glad you're looking out for her. We're good."

"Cool," said Jackson, nodding far more vigorously than Snow thought was necessary. "Cool, that... that's cool. So... yeah, all that stuff I said... I didn't..."

"We're cool, Jackson," Michael repeated firmly. "Seriously, don't worry about it."

"Right. Cool. Thanks, man," said Jackson.

"Well," said Snow, glancing between the two of them. "This has been fun and wonderfully awkward."

"Right..." Jackson muttered, chewing his lower lip nervously. "Yeah, I'm gonna... go. Yeah, see you." He turned on his heel and left the room. Snow looked up at Michael with raised eyebrows.

"Are you really okay with him?" She asked. "He did punch you in the face, after all." Michael shrugged.

"It's not the first time I've been punched in the face," he replied. "It probably won't be the last. We're fine. Besides, the poor guy lost you. I can't help but feel bad for him."

"Well, like I said you don't have to worry about losing me," Snow insisted. "I'm right here and nothing is ever going to take me away from you. Nothing ever could." She leaned in to hug him reassuringly. If she could have seen his face, she would have known he was not at all reassured.

-.-

Much later that night, Mary sat alone in the living room. Snow and Michael had retired first, soon followed by Nikki and Clara. Steven had gone home to start working on his plan to trace JTG's phone, and Jackson had left for his evening shift at work. Mary had then been left alone. She was much too wired to sleep, in fact she wasn't sure she would ever sleep again. Michael had shaken the very foundations of her world apart and she wasn't sure what to do now. In a way, it all seemed so trivial. Now that she knew... now that she could see it all... JTG seemed insignificant. She wasn't, Mary knew, but in comparison it felt that way.

"Can't sleep?" Michael asked, appearing in the doorway. Mary looked up at him and nodded.

"Could you?" She wondered, arching her eyebrows. "If you had the day I did?" Michael smirked.

"Why do you think I'm out here?" He asked her. "Snow's sound asleep, although I'm pretty sure it was from sheer exhaustion that she's sleeping, but regardless. Me though? After almost losing her again, I'm still wide awake."

"Right," said Mary. "So, add to that the revelation of the century and you're about where I am. I mean, God, Michael... You... you're... I've seen it and I barely believe it." Michael nodded understandingly, sitting down on the far end of the couch.

"When I first learned about what my parents did and what I would one day do, I had roughly the same reaction," said Michael gently. "Being shown the real evils of the world... it changes you. It sure changed me."

"I still wish you'd told me," said Mary softly. "I mean... I understand why you didn't, but... I wish you had. It would have changed everything."

"Like I said, at the time I wanted to but Emily was afraid you would refuse and she wasn't willing to take the risk," Michael replied. "It was the wrong call, I know that, but... given what was at stake..."

"I know," she said quietly. "I get it. I understand, and if what you told me is true then... well, compared to what could have happened otherwise I'll take this any day of the week. I just... still wish you had told me." Mary paused, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. "Michael, I... I know I promised not to tell anyone, Snow included, but I really think you should tell her." Michael bowed his head wearily.

"She'd never forgive me," Michael said sadly. "If I tell her, if she finds out she'll never... I'll lose her forever if that happens. It doesn't matter why, all that matters is what I did to you. She'll never be able to forgive that and I can't blame her."

"I'm not saying it would be easy, but Snow loves you," Mary countered. "If you tell her now, before she finds out another way..."

"What other way?" Michael asked, sounding surprised.

"As you know, Sara filmed what happened that night on her phone," Mary reminded him. "I begged her to erase the video, but knowing Sara she would have kept it anyway. After she died, her phone disappeared. Who do you imagine has the phone now?"

"JTG," Michael breathed. "She knows, doesn't she? She has the video."

"She has to," said Mary. "She sent me a text once... it said something like if Snow finds out what you did to me, the police would find out about the jewelry store robbery. She knows and I'd bet she has the video too. You're one text away from being outed, Michael. If JTG tells her instead of you coming clean, it'll break her heart. It's going to do that anyway, but once you explain what happened and why... it won't be easy but I think she'll find a way to forgive you. I know Snow. I've known her a lot longer than you. She's got a big heart and a forgiving spirit. If you own up to what you did now, I think there's still a chance. If you keep hiding it..."

"I know... I know, you're right, but... but what if she... What if you're wrong? What if I tell her and I lose her? I can't lose her, Mary. I can't. Besides, Sara might not have even kept the video. JTG might not have anything at all."

"Maybe, but if she does and decides to use it against you..." Mary sighed heavily. "Look, Michael, it's your call. I promised not to say a word and I'm going to keep that promise. I just know that honesty is always the best policy. If we hadn't lied, if we hadn't tried to cover up all the stuff we've done then we wouldn't be in this mess. You've got a chance to take the right path. I think you should do it." Mary stood, intending to head to bed and try to get a few hours of sleep. She paused, however, turning back and placing her hand on Michael's shoulder over the back of the couch.

"I made you a promise, but I placed conditions on it," she reminded him. "Do not hurt Snow, that's the rule. What you do and the reasons for what you did to me won't matter if you hurt Snow. You have a way to minimize Snow's pain. Use it."

Mary returned to her room and closed the door behind her. It was a large, luxurious space and on a normal day she would be happy to be there. As it was, the comforts of the room were lost on her. Instead, she walked to the window and drew back the curtains. As her eyes took in the wondrous sight before her, she found it hard to believe that she hadn't seen it before. She knew, of course, why she hadn't been able to but still she marveled that something so vast could exist right before her eyes and she hadn't been able to see it.

"Stonehaven..." Mary breathed to herself. "Alexandria... it really is beautiful."     

“What’s beautiful?” Snow asked from behind her. Mary turned and found her friend standing near the bed, her head cocked to one side in curiosity.

“Oh… the moon,” said Mary, reaching back and drawing the curtains before Snow could look and realize that the moon was not visible through that particular window, a fact which Mary was sure would lead to awkward questions.

“It is almost a full moon tonight,” Snow said quietly. “It’ll be full on the 13^th, I think.”

“Hmm,” said Mary. “Maybe we should get a rocket and fly to the moon. Maybe JTG wouldn’t be able to reach us there.”

“I think SpaceX is still planning to build a colony on Mars in the early 2030s,” said Snow dryly. “If we can hold out long enough, maybe we can escape by becoming Martian pioneers.”

“If it would get us away from JTG, I’d join a expedition to another galaxy,” Mary deadpanned. “Anything to get away from… this.” It was all said in jest, but Mary couldn’t discount the underlying truth to it all. JTG could reach them anywhere. For all Mary knew, the bitch could even follow them into space. There was no escaping her in Mistbrook Falls, that was certain.

"Do you really think Steven could track JTG's phone?" Mary wondered, sitting down on the edge of her bed and looking up nervously at Snow.

"Like he said, JTG's too smart for that," Snow replied, shaking her head. "She'll have prepared for something like that, but... I guess he has to try something."

"Sounds like Steven," said Mary fondly. "He never gives up, does he?"

"Not once he gets started on something, no," Snow agreed. "He keeps trying, even in the face of impossible odds. He has a lot more faith than I do."

"Snow, I... I understand if you've given up, but.... please don't." Mary reached out and took Snow's hands in her own. "I need you. I need you to keep fighting, to keep believing. If we fall apart now..."

"I know, Mary," Snow said softly. "And I haven't given up. I just... really don't see  a way out now. JTG's got us. She's won. I can't fight an enemy I can't see. I can't play a game if I don't know the rules. I tried to play, Mary. I really did try, but I'm not... smart enough to beat her."

"You're the smartest person I know," said Mary firmly. "Trust me, Snowflake. JTG's got nothing on you. We'll take this bitch together. We'll figure it out, but we need you." She paused, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. "I need you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Mary," Snow insisted as Mary gently pressed her thumb against the bandage covering the wound on her wrist. "I mean it. I'll never do that again, I swear."

"I never thought you'd do it in the first place," said Mary quietly. "And then today... Snow, I really thought... I was so sure something terrible was going to happen and I just couldn't... The thought of losing you... any of you..."

"Aww, that's sweet," said Clara, appearing in the doorway. She entered the room with Nikki right behind her. They sat down on the side of the bed and Mary and Snow joined them. "We love you too."

"You know, I've been thinking," said Snow quietly. "Mary's right. The thought of losing any one of you is too much for me to deal with. I'm so afraid that JTG will... that she'll... I've been thinking about what Steven said. He said that we all go down together. What if... what if that's what do? What if we go to the police and confess?"

"Game over," Clara whispered, shaking her head. "It's... Snow, we'd go to prison."

"We'd be alive," Snow replied desperately. "If this keeps going, I'm not sure all of us will be."

"I hate to say it, but maybe... maybe she's got a point," said Nikki quietly. "I mean, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. We didn't actually kill Miranda, so maybe..."

"We wouldn't get the death penalty and we wouldn't be sent away for life," Snow said quietly. "And at the end of the day, we are guilty. It doesn't matter who started it, Sara pushed that girl to her death and we didn't tell the truth."

"No," Mary said suddenly, standing to her feet. "We're not doing this."

"Mary," Snow said delicately. "Mary, we..."

"No," she repeated hotly. "We're not letting this bitch win. Snow, you just said you weren't giving up. That's exactly what this is, Snow. This is giving up."

"No, it's not," Snow replied. "This is how we end the game. We end it on our terms."

"We win," said Clara slowly. "I mean... we lose, but... we win the game. JTG doesn't get to finish it how she wants. We take control."

"This isn't what I want to do," Snow said gently. "But... I don't know what else to do. This is our way out." Mary stared at them all disbelievingly and shrugged.

"Can we at least wait and see what Steven comes up with before we do this?" She pleaded. "If Steven can't track her, then... then okay, I'm with you. But please, let's at least give Steven a chance. Please?"

"Of course, Mary," said Snow softly. "I wasn't saying we do this right now, I just meant that... well... it's an option." Mary smiled, inwardly praying that Steven came through.

"Thank you," she breathed. "And on that note, I think I'm going to go to bed." Mary climbed into bed as the others stood and made to leave the room. Snow, however, turned back and got into bed with Mary. Mary grinned as Snow cuddled up with her beneath the blankets. Clara joined them a moment later right behind Snow. Nikki, meanwhile, circled the bed and climbed in behind Mary.

Mary reached out and took Snow's hand where it rested on her hip. Nikki reached over and laced her fingers through theirs, only to be joined by Clara seconds later. No words were spoken between the four friends as they lay there, each of them lost in their own thoughts. The one thing each of them knew so clearly was that they were, all four of them, in this together. They would win or die together. They would beat JTG or they would go to prison together. They really would go down together if they must. Win or lose, life or death, they were sisters through and through and JTG would never take that from them.                                                                           

  -.-

Long after the girls had fallen asleep, Snow was still wide awake. She had slept for a while before going to Mary's room, but since then she was too wired to sleep again. Instead of joining Michael and trying to get a few hours of rest, Snow decided to take a walk outside and hope that the crisp night air would help clear her mind.

Indeed, it was quite chilly when Snow eased open the front door and stepped outside. Her feet crunched through the thin layer of snow that was yet to melt away as she walked out to the wrought iron fence that surrounded the property. She felt she would have started spiraling deep into her thoughts again if she weren't so completely overwhelmed with things to think about. The one thing she knew for certain was that they were, all of them, reaching the end of their endurance.

"What if we just give up?" Snow asked the night. "What if we just... tell the truth?" It was a simple solution, Snow had to admit as she was surprised she hadn't considered it earlier. She couldn't deny that Mary had a point. In a way, they really would be giving up. They would be potentially sacrificing decades of their lives without knowing for sure if there was another way. But it was also true that if they didn't find a way to end the game soon, and on their terms, JTG might just kill them all.

She hated the thought of watching her friends go to prison, and of going with them, but at least they would be alive. JTG surely couldn't hurt them in jail. She would have nothing to hold over them anyway. The game would be over. It wasn't what she wanted, but she was quickly realizing that it might be the only way to escape the game.

Suddenly Snow was hit sharply in the back of her head. She staggered forward and fell to the ground, whimpering softly. A bag was placed over her head and her hands were jerked painfully behind her back and tied together. She was dragged a short distance, struggling weakly against her assailant. She was tossed haphazardly into the trunk of a car and the lid was slammed down, locking her inside. With her head covered and her hands bound, she couldn't pull the emergency release latch even if she had been able to locate it. Moments later, the car was started and began to drive away. Snow wasn't sure how long she was painfully bounced around in the trunk, but after a long while trapped in the darkness the car eased to a stop. The trunk was once again opened and Snow was hauled from the car and placed on her feet. The bindings around her wrists were cut and the bag ripped from her head and Snow got the first look at her abductor.

Rachel Sinclair stood before her, holding what looked to be the very same handgun that Tony had nearly shot her with hours before. A light snow was falling around them and it was only then that Snow realized where they were. Snow turned to look behind her and felt a jolt of fear course through her. Less than three feet behind her was a cliff that dropped off into inky blackness. She didn't need to turn to look at the wooden sign behind Rachel's car to know where she had been taken. She was standing on the edge of Lookout Point.

"It's almost poetic, isn't it?" Rachel asked, her voice shaking slightly. "I would have loved for you to be Sara instead, that was my plan for her. Someone else got there first, unfortunately. I wasn't going to kill you, you know? I didn't want that for you and the others. Sara, she deserved it, but you... I wanted you all to suffer much longer. I wanted you to pay for your sins. I guess technically you still are, just not in the way I'd intended."

"So, what?" Snow asked quietly, carefully considering her options. Her last attempt to diffuse the situation with the other Sinclair had gone horribly wrong. She couldn't allow that to happen again. This time, she had to win... but how? "You're going to shoot me? Throw me over the cliff? Both? What's your plan?"

"You're going to die just like my baby girl did," said Rachel hotly. "The gun is just in case you try to get away. You just stood there and watched as my daughter was murdered. You covered it up. Sara got to walk away, you all did. Not anymore. Tonight, you're going to pay. After that, I'm going to take down your friends. All of them." A smile appeared on Snow's lips quite suddenly. A dark, nasty smile that didn't suit her delicate features.

"You've got it all wrong, Rae-Rae," said Snow snidely, that smile still lingering on her face. "I didn't cover up Miranda's murder. I wanted it exposed. I wanted Sara to confess, but she didn't. It was then that I realized who she really was and I planned to make sure she could never hurt anyone again."

"Yeah, right," Rachel snapped. "Do you really think I'm going to believe that?"

"I don't care what you believe, but it is the truth," said Snow. "I wanted Sara to pay for what she did, for how she treated people. She was a twisted, vicious bitch and I wanted her to pay." Snow smirked. "And I made damn sure she did. You want to know who got to Sara before you could? It was me. I killed her and it was the best decision I've ever made."

"You killed Sara?" Rachel asked, a look of complete disbelief on her face. "I thought JTG..."

"You still don't get it, do you?" Snow asked, that vicious smile shining through the darkness. "I am JTG."  

53: Chapter LIII: And I'm Free, Free Fallin'

‘Please believe me, please believe me, please believe me,’ Snow chanted over and over in her mind as the weight of her pronouncement settled on Rachel. It was a complete lie, but in the moment it was the only plan she could come up with. Rachel was a mother, perhaps the most dangerous adversary one could face. She could imagine what her own mothers would do if someone murdered her. She could only guess at what Rachel was capable of.

"Bullshit," said Rachel hotly, causing Snow's heart to sink. She tried very hard to keep her face impassive. She couldn't let her emotions show through. Watching closely, she could see a hint of doubt in Rachel's eyes. She knew there was a part of Rachel that just couldn't be sure if she was telling the truth or not. "If you're JTG then why did you confront my husband today?"

"Why do you think?" Snow asked, rolling her eyes. 'Make it good, Snow. Seem uncaring. Make her believe you're crazy enough to do all this.' "Rae-Rae, let me ask you a question. Where, in your opinion, is the best place to hide something? That's rhetorical, the answer is in plain sight. It does, however, occasionally require a bit of diversion. It's easy to keep a secret if no one thinks you have one. No one ever suspected that I was behind everything and I've made sure it stays that way. Tony was a simple distraction, keeping my friends well and truly off my trail."

"So, let's pretend for a minute that I actually believe you," said Rachel, a note of hesitation in her voice. "What's your endgame? You killed Sara, but what about the others? What are you going to do with them?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Snow asked airily. "I'm going to set their world on fire. I'm going to burn their lives down around them and watch as they choke on the ashes. Those bitches are no better than Sara and someone needs to teach them a lesson. That person just so happens to be me. Like you, I have no intention of killing them. No, that's too easy. Death is simple, you see. Death is the end, and this is far from the end. I want them to live with what they've done. They aren't sorry, Rachel. That's the problem. They don't regret it. None of them. If they did, they would come forward. I can't allow that to go unpunished."

"And how do you intend to punish them?" Rachel asked, her eyes narrowed. Well, that was certainly an interesting question. How was she going to punish them? She didn't have a master plan and she didn't have time to create one on the spot. That thought made her wonder just how JTG intended to punish them. Did JTG intend to punish them? Or was the game itself their punishment? She couldn't know. 

"Secrets are a currency in this town, Rae-Rae," said Snow snidely. "I won't be sharing mine. We aren't in this together. This is my work. If you want vengeance, just sit back and watch. I'll give it to you, but on my terms. This is my game. I started it and I intend to finish it. I'm going to destroy the people who murdered your daughter... and anyone else that hurt her."

"As far as I know, you didn't give a damn about Miranda," said Rachel sharply "Why would you care enough to do all of this for her?"

"Oh, I'm not doing it for her," said Snow quickly, wondering if this was the right course. It made sense in her mind that JTG would be after more than just vengeance for Miranda, especially now. She needed a grander plan. "No, no, not at all. Truth be told, I hated Miranda. She was a hateful bitch and I'm not all that surprised someone pushed her off a cliff. But still, murder is murder no matter the victim. Miranda's death deserves to be avenged." Suddenly, Rachel’s phone chimed and Snow felt her heart skip a beat. She knew who the text was from. After all, who else could it be from? The timing was simply too convenient. It seemed for a moment that she wasn’t going to check her phone at all, but eventually she tugged the device from her pocket and read the message.

“You lied to me,” Rachel said quietly. “You lied. If you’re JTG, how did you just send me this?” She held out the phone so Snow could read the message.

I think it’s about time we change our game. You played your part well, but now it’s time I sent you on the right path. Say, Rach, have you ever asked Tony what really happened that night at Lookout Point? No? Maybe you should… just saying --JTG

"It was a nice try. It's just too bad JTG decided to screw it up for you."

"I didn't lie," Snow replied, doing her level best to stay calm. Why... why right now? "Do you think I could do all of this on my own? Of course not, Rach. There are... others. Let's just say I've recruited a couple of people who weren't all that enchanted by Sara. Before you kidnapped me, the next stage of our plan was to begin tonight. Like I said, I'm going to destroy anyone that hurt Miranda. Sara wasn't the only person. Rachel, I know everything." She hesitated for a moment, thinking hard. Did she dare? If she did this there would be no going back, no changing course. If she did this, she had no idea what the consequences might be... but it was exactly what JTG would do. Perhaps it's what JTG wanted her to do. JTG's message had left her with no other choice. She dared. "The girls aren't the only ones who need to pay. Maybe you should talk to your husband."

"What does he have to do with any of this?" Rachel demanded. Snow smirked.

"Tony was screwing your daughter," she deadpanned. "I don't know for how long, but it was certainly happening."

"You're lying," Rachel snapped, but once again Snow could see a flicker of doubt in her eyes. She found that incredibly interesting. Could Rachel have suspected something was going on between Tony and Miranda? Surely not, but if she had...

"My phone is in my pocket," said Snow idly. "Take it and scroll through the videos. You'll find one that should prove interesting to you."

"I don't need your damn phone to know you're full of shit," Rachel replied. "You're lying. Tony wouldn't do that. I don't believe you."

"So why haven't you shot me yet?" Snow asked, cocking her head to one side curiously. When Rachel didn't answer, Snow took her phone out of her pocket and found the video in question. She held the phone out to Rachel and pressed play. "Take a look. If you really want revenge, look no further."

If she had ever been asked, Snow would never quite have been able to properly describe the emotions she saw playing on Rachel's face for the seventeen seconds she stared at the screen. It was, in a word, indescribable.

"I... I don't... He... she... Snow, what is this?" Rachel babbled. "I don't understand, he wouldn't..."

"He did," said Snow gently, forgetting for a moment that she was supposed to be JTG. She had just told a woman that her husband had raped her daughter. She didn't have the heart to be cruel. "I'm sorry, Rachel, but Tony and Miranda were having an affair. Don't get me wrong, Miranda was well aware of what she was doing but she was still only fifteen. Tony raped your daughter, Rachel."

Rachel looked as though she were about to explode. Snow had no idea what she intended to do as she reached out and took the phone from her hand and watched the rest of the video. Snow considered darting away into the forest, but Rachel was still clutching her gun. If she ran, Rachel would doubtlessly shoot her. When the video ended she calmly placed the phone on the ground and crushed it into the gravel with her foot. She turned to Snow, raising her gun again.

"Jump," she said tonelessly, staring at Snow with tear-filled eyes. "Jump, you fucking bitch or I swear to God I'll shoot you." Snow shrugged.

"If those are my options, then I'm dead either way," she said quietly, doing her best not to let the terror running through her veins show on her face. "If you're going to kill me, you're going to have to work for it." Rachel's gun recoiled and a bullet raced toward Snow on a column of fire. It passed so close that Snow felt it ruffle her hair. It took every ounce strength she had not to scream as the echoing boom of the gunshot reverberated through the canyon behind her.

"Jump," Rachel repeated. "Who knows? You could survive the fall. It's what? Fifty feet down? Just because my Miranda didn't doesn't mean you couldn't. My gun or the cliff. Your call."

Snow turned slowly to peer into the blackness, remembering the moment she saw Miranda vanish over the edge. It was an impossible choice, and yet she had to make one. If she ran, Rachel would shoot her. If she didn't jump, Rachel would shoot her. If she jumped she would almost certainly die. Snow hesitated for a moment, doing some quick math. Given a fifty foot drop, negligible air resistance, and gravitational acceleration of 9.807 m/s² she would hit the ground in roughly 1.76 seconds. In that time, her body would reach a maximum velocity of something just shy of 40 miles per hour.

Assuming she didn't impale herself on a limb or bash her skull open against a rock, she still didn't rate her chances of survival being very high. Even if she did survive, she would break bones and very likely die a slow, painful death. If she had to choose, she would pick Rachel's gun.

"I'm not jumping," said Snow, although she couldn't stop her voice from trembling. "You're just going to have to shoot me." Rachel stared at her for the longest moment, her expression quite blank. She finally lowered her weapon and tossed the pistol to the ground. Snow breathed a sigh of relief for the briefest of seconds before Rachel launched herself toward her. Rachel collided with Snow, knocking the breath out of the younger woman's lungs. The struggle took them to the ground, sending puffs of powdery snow in all directions.

Thinking back, Snow didn't remember much from that fast, furious fight on the edge of Lookout Point. She would only recall Rachel crashing into her at one point in the struggle. The force of the collision dragged them backwards, toward the edge of the cliff. Momentum carried them over it.

Snow felt the sudden, sickening sensation of falling. Her hands flailed wildly until her back slammed into something hard. She only had an instant to realize that she had landed on a thick tree limb before a heavy weight on her leg began to drag her off of it. Starting to fall, she clung to the limb with off of her might. She looked down and saw Rachel dangling from her right leg, her arms wrapped tightly around her thigh. Snow wasn't necessarily weak, but she was small and did not possess an overabundance of upper body strength. She knew she couldn't hold on to the limb for long, not with Rachel's added weight.  

"I can't hold us!" Snow called down to Rachel. "Try to climb up me and grab the branch."

"I... I can't," Rachel whimpered, absolute terror filling her voice. "I... I... I..."

"Rachel, are you afraid of heights?" Snow asked, her arms aching with the effort to keep them from falling to their deaths. Below her, Rachel nodded fearfully.

"Okay," Snow choked out desperately. If she couldn't get Rachel moving soon, they were going to fall. "Listen, I know you're scared. I'm scared too. I don't want to die tonight and I know you don't either. If we work together we can get out of this, but I need your help. I need you to start climbing now, can you do that?"

"I... I think so..." Rachel gasped. With incredible slowness, Rachel began to shimmy up Snow's body until she could reach out and grasp the tree limb. She carefully swung herself on top of it and reached down to help pull Snow up as well, much to Snow's surprise.

"Thank you," said Snow, massaging her aching arms. Rachel nodded, trembling from head to toe. Taking a moment to collect herself, Snow surveyed their surroundings and took stock of their situation. They appeared to have fallen roughly fifteen feet before landing in the tree, which put the edge of the cliff out of reach. The rock wall was solid and smooth and impossible to climb without rope. The only way down was a thirty-five foot drop into the darkness. They were trapped in their tree.

"It looks like we're stuck here, doesn't it?" Rachel said, appearing to have regained control of herself somewhat although she was still trembling.

"Yeah, I'd say so," Snow muttered. "Well, I guess we should get comfortable. We're trapped." Snow did her best to get comfortable on their limb, leaning against the trunk of the tree and drawing her knees up to her chest. She kept a close eye on Rachel, who stayed where she was and simply stared down into the blackness beneath them, seemingly lost in thought. 

"Do you have your phone on you?" Snow asked, shocking Rachel out of her thoughts. "Seeing as you broke mine...?" Rachel searched her pockets and shook her head.

"No, I... I must have dropped it... or maybe it fell... down there." She pointed into the endless darkness beneath them.

It was a cold night and Snow was dressed only in one of Michael's t-shirts and a pair of lace panties. She was absolutely freezing and she knew they would likely be there all night. It was impossible to say when someone would find them. Michael and her friends would no doubt start searching for her at some point, but likely not before dawn. Michael knew she was sleeping with the girls and wouldn't be expecting her to come to bed. The girls, if they woke and noticed she was gone, might well assume that she had gone back to Michael's room instead. Even when they did realize she was gone, they would have no idea who had taken her or where they had gone. There was no one to come looking for them.

Rachel seemed to notice that Snow was cold, because after glancing nervously at her a few times she shrugged out of her heavy jacket and held it out for her to take.

“Here,” she said shakily. “You’re going to freeze to death otherwise. I’ve got a sweater, I’ll be fine.” Snow wanted to refuse the jacket as a point of pride and her general dislike for the woman who kidnapped her, held her at gunpoint, and threw her off a cliff. But it was Mistbrook Falls in the dead of winter. Cold didn’t quite sum up just how frigid the air was outside. If she had planned to be outside this long, she would have bundled up before she left Michael’s. And so, quite begrudgingly, Snow accepted Rachel’s jacket and draped it over herself. It wasn’t much, but the warmth it provided was welcome.

“Thanks,” Snow muttered. Rachel nodded but didn’t say anything further.

"I don't suppose you told Tony what you were planning, did you?" Snow wondered after twenty minutes of silence. Rachel, who hadn't uttered a word or moved at all since giving her the jacket, turned to look at Snow with bloodshot eyes.

"Why didn't you let me fall?" She asked, ignoring Snow's question completely.

"I... I didn't want you to die," Snow said uncertainly. In truth, she had no answer. It would have been easier to let her fall, to be done with her altogether. She just hadn't been able to do it. Her decree had been simple; be better. Sara might well have let Rachel fall, she couldn't know. She, however, could not. "There was a way for us both to live, so..."

"I tried to kill you," said Rachel. "I shot at you, threatened to kill you... I got us into this and you... you saved me. I don't get it." She shook her head wearily. "You're not JTG, are you?"

"No," Snow replied, seeing no point in continuing her ruse. "No, I only said that hoping that you'd be scared of me or maybe I could earn your trust. So much for that idea."

"I never really thought you were," said Rachel. "When you said you killed Sara, I... it just didn't fit." She sighed heavily, fidgeting uncomfortably. "So... so Tony, he... he really...?"

"Yeah, he really," said Snow quietly. "Look, I don't know all the details. All we have is that video... and another one."

"There are two?"

"Yeah," said Snow. "The second one... We found the first one in Miranda's room. If Tony didn't tell you, my friends broke into your house looking for proof you two were JTG. We found the video hidden in Miranda's room. The second one we found on Sara's laptop. It was of Miranda... threatening to out Tony for sleeping with her if she didn't 'give her what she wanted'. How Sara got the video... I have no idea, but she knew the truth. I know you want justice for Miranda, Rachel. But... she did some pretty messed up things. Tony did some pretty messed up things. If you want to punish everyone who wronged her... if you want to punish us..."

"I don't," said Rachel thickly. She appeared to be working hard to keep herself from crying. "I... I don't want to punish you, Snow. You've done two things for me tonight. You saved my life when you didn't have to and you told me the truth about Tony. I owe you a debt, so... this... is over."

"And my friends?" Snow asked quickly, wanting to be sure Rachel meant for all of them.

"Them too," Rachel confirmed. "I... I have other things to focus on now." She hesitated for a moment, opening and closing her mouth as though she weren't quite sure she should give voice to her thoughts. "Snow... do you think Tony could have killed Miranda?" Snow stared at Rachel, dumbfounded. 

"Um... well, Sara pushed Miranda off of the cliff... that cliff up there, actually, so... How could Tony have done it? Unless he has shapeshifting powers that no one's told me about, it's not possible. He wasn't even here."

"That's the thing, Snow," said Rachel softly. "He was here. I, uh... I don't know all of the details, but... okay, let me start at the beginning. Obviously you know about the attempt to strip mine the town a few years ago. What you might not know is everyone that was involved in that plan and what happened after your parents bought half the town. Tony was the lawyer who worked with the mining companies and also with one Rick Winslow."

"Sara's stepdad?" Snow asked curiously. "Michelle's husband?"

"The very same," Rachel replied. "From what I understand, Rick owns one of the mining companies that wanted to destroy the town. After Michelle's first husband died in that mining accident, she married Rick and I... I married Tony. He moved here at Rick's request to help with taking over the town and we just... That doesn't matter now. After the plan to strip mine the town fell through, things went quiet for a while up until a couple of months before Miranda's death. It turns out that there's an abundance of coal under the falls. Rick wanted to ascertain if a mining attempt was viable. He and Tony were up here with a survey team on Labor Day... and Snow... I'm not sure what he was doing the night Miranda died."

"Okay," Snow said delicately. "Even if Tony was here, Sara still pushed Miranda off of that cliff. She fell fifty feet. As much as I'd love for Sara to be innocent, I saw her do it. She fell off of that cliff to her death. No one could survive that fall."

"And yet, here we are," said Rachel quietly, gesturing around them.

"You think she got stuck in a tree too?" Snow asked. She had to admit, it was possible. If Miranda had landed in a tree, perhaps this very tree, she could have survived. But she knew the coroner had confirmed Miranda had died from blunt force trauma, so that would have meant…

"Don't forget JTG's message, Snow," Rachel reminded her. "Have you ever asked Tony what really happened at Lookout Point? That's what she said. The only thing that happened here was Miranda falling to her death. If JTG's saying that Tony somehow was involved then... then maybe Tony..."

"Okay, so... so Miranda falls," said Snow, thinking hard. "Miranda falls off of the ledge and somehow survives. They found her body at the base of the cliff, so... so she falls and survives somehow. She would have been badly injured regardless, so... okay, the Falls are just over there," Snow gestured behind her where, roughly seventy-five yards away, the mostly frozen waterfall trickled down into the lake. "So maybe, and Rachel I'm really stressing the maybe here, but maybe Tony could have happened upon Miranda while she was still alive. If he did, then maybe... maybe he killed her or left her there to die."

"So, you think it's possible?" Rachel asked desperately. "If... if he's capable of murder..."

"It's possible... theoretically," Snow said slowly. "In the same way time travel and the Alcubierre warp drive are theoretically possible, anyway. It's not... it's not probable. I mean, it depends on Miranda having survived the fall and Tony just happening upon her in the forest in the middle of the night." Rachel nodded but didn't reply. Silence fell between them again and Snow retreated into her own thoughts for the next several hours.

If, and she had to remember how unlikely it was, but if Miranda really had survived the fall and Tony had killed her, then... what did that mean for her and her friends? She wasn't completely sure of the legality of it all, but somehow she felt that even if Tony had killed Miranda, she and the girls were still in just as much trouble. There was no proof, that she knew of, that Tony had killed Miranda. Just as she thought it, however, she realized something. Something happened with Tony at Lookout Point because JTG knew about it. Tony was involved somehow with something that happened that night. That thought gave Snow pause and made her think.

There was something Snow had never been entirely certain about. Why had Miranda been at the top of Lookout Point that night? She had never questioned it before, but suddenly she was immensely curious about the reason why. She surely hadn't just been going for a midnight stroll all alone, so... why? It occurred to her then that maybe, just maybe, someone had summoned her there. Then she remembered what Tony had said that morning and she felt a chill run up her spine.

"I wanted her silenced, true. Sara pushing her off of that cliff gave me the perfect opportunity to be rid of her. Miranda was gone and the whole thing looked like a tragic accident. It was perfect. Hell, even if Sara was caught, who cares? I'm free and clear."

"Son of a bitch," Snow whispered to herself. He had all but admitted it and she hadn't connected the dots. The perfect opportunity to be rid of her. Looked like a tragic accident. I'm free and clear. "Rachel, I think..." But before she could finish her thought, a rope dropped from above to dangle invitingly between them. Snow and Rachel looked up, trying to see their savior, but the ridgeline was clear. Rachel seized the rope and gave it a couple of tugs. It seemed to be properly secured for them to climb.

"Who do you think...?" Rachel began, drawing an incredulous look from Snow.

"Who do you think?" She replied, pulling on the rope herself. "That bitch really does know everything."

Rachel went up the rope first, climbing quickly and scrambling over the edge of the cliff to safety. Snow still didn't trust Rachel and she half expected her to cut the rope once she was halfway up it. She climbed up all the way, however, and joined Rachel on the cliffside moments later. Rachel was examining a small box sitting on the ground nearby with a large red bow on top of it.

"It's for you," she said, indicating a name tag attached to the box.

"Is it ticking?" Snow asked, kneeling down with Rachel next to the box. With a large degree of trepidation, Snow lifted the lid. A brand new phone wrapped in a bright pink protective case lay on a small cushion inside. Snow picked it up with trembling hands and powered on the screen. There was already a text message waiting for her.

A gift from me to you, Snowy. We can't finish our game if I can't contact you. You do want to end the game, right? We're oh so close to the end now and I'd really hate for you to miss it. You have no idea how this is going to end, but trust me, it will be glorious. And there will be blood. Kisses, bitch --JTG

"Snow, if... if there's anything I can do..." Rachel began, but Snow shook her head.

"You can take me home... back to Michael's," said Snow, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. The cold outside was no longer the sole reason for her shivering. "Just take me back there. While we're going, there's something I need to tell you."

-.-

“What are you going to do?” Snow asked as Rachel eased her car to a stop just outside the gates of Michael’s estate twenty minutes later. “About Tony, I mean?” Rachel shrugged and shook her head.

“I don’t know, Snow,” she said sadly. “I don’t know that he did it, but after everything you just told me and the message from JTG, I… I don’t know what to think.  I don’t know what to do.”

“If you want my opinion, you need to pack up everything you can’t live without and get as far away from Mistbrook Falls as you can,” said Snow gently. “JTG is about to finish this game of hers and… I can’t help but think that JTG plans on killing anyone who has ever heard her name. You know too much, Rachel… you need to go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” said Rachel defiantly, crossing her arms. “Even if Tony didn’t kill Miranda, he did rape her. I’m going to see he pays for that.”

“Right,” said Snow quietly. “Rachel, just… just remember that Tony wasn’t alone in this. Miranda was a willing participant. She wasn’t innocent, don’t forget that. I’m not saying Tony doesn’t deserve to be punished, but if you’re going to tell the truth, tell the whole truth.”

“The truth is I always knew Miranda could be… manipulative,” said Rachel. “As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not too surprised that she would do something like this. Well, not like this, but… the fact that she would use it to her advantage is… unsurprising. The thing is, I’m not going to tell the truth. You see, Snow, I’m Tony’s wife. I can do so much more to him than just having him arrested. But just in case, do you have additional copies of those videos? I’d like to have them if you do. I might need them… someday.”

“Yeah, we do,” said Snow, choosing not to ask what she meant by ‘someday’. “I can text them to you in the morning. I don’t think we’ll be needing them anymore.” Snow pushed open her door and made to climb out of the car. She stopped, however, and sat back down. “Rachel, I just wanted to say… I’m sorry. We are sorry. When Miranda fell, we… It was an accident. We never meant to… Sara never meant to, it… they got into a fight and it just happened. We were scared and we… we were wrong. I don’t blame you for wanting to punish us. I wouldn’t blame you if you still came after us. I wouldn’t blame you if you told the police everything about us if you tell them about Tony. We should have told the truth. We should have confessed when it happened. I just want you to know how sorry I am that your daughter was taken from you. It isn’t fair and… and I’m sorry.”

Snow failed to keep herself from crying. She tried, but her emotions hovered so close to the surface recently that she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Much to Snow’s surprise, Rachel reached out and squeezed her hand.

“Losing my daughter was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” she said softly. “I’ll never truly be over it. That said, though, I believe you when you say it was an accident. I took the word of an anonymous stranger and I went after four teenage girls with a vengeance. That was wrong. I didn’t ask any questions, I didn’t even bother to verify that the picture wasn’t edited or faked. I lashed out because it was my daughter and I had a target to take out my rage on. That, too, was wrong. I know it was an accident. I believe you. It’s easy to forget that you girls… you’re just kids. And kids, they… sometimes they make really stupid mistakes. Something they do the wrong thing, but that doesn’t make them evil. Miranda’s fall was an accident and I don’t want to see four more lives ruined because of it. Also, you saved my life tonight. In exchange, I’ll keep your secret.”

“You know, Rachel,” said Snow thickly, wiping her eyes. “You’re pretty amazing. Thank you.”

“And also,” Rachel added. “If you ever need any help dealing with JTG, just give me a call. I don’t know how much I can do for you, but… well, I’ve got a room full of surveillance equipment and I know how to use it. Just let me know.”

“We will,” said Snow, pushing open the car door once again. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Rachel replied. “Also… sorry for kidnapping you, shooting at you, throwing you off of a cliff. That wasn’t cool.”

“To be honest, I’m more pissed about my phone,” Snow replied with a thin smile. “I loved that phone.” Rachel laughed and Snow did too. Not long later, Rachel was driving away and Snow was walking along the driveway up to the house. That night had been one for the record books and she still wasn’t sure exactly where things stood or what tomorrow would bring. But perhaps something good had come of it all. Perhaps she had made a new friend, or at least made peace with an enemy. At that moment, she’d take either one.

It was nearly five thirty in the morning before Snow finally fell into bed. She didn’t go back into the room with her friends, but instead she felt she wanted to be with Michael. When she slid into bed, he woke and looked up at her. He smiled warmly.

“Hey,” he said sleepily. “Decided to join me, huh? Is Clara snoring?” 

“No, I… I just wanted to be here with you,” Snow replied. Michael reached out and snaked his arms around her, pulling her close. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her tightly, causing her to truly relax for the first time since Tony had pulled a gun on her that afternoon. She was in Michael’s arms and it was there that she knew she was safe. She briefly considered waking him and the girls and telling them what had transpired that night, but she was much too tired and far too comfortable to bother. After all, there was always tomorrow.

54: Chapter LIV: The End Begins

"...and then I came inside and went to bed." Snow finished her story and leaned back in her seat. She looked at her friends where they sat across from her in the living room. Clara, Nikki, Mary, and Michael were all watching her with their mouths slightly open. Nikki spoke up first.

"So... Rachel kidnapped you. She held you at gunpoint. You then fell off of a cliff and ended up trapped in a tree for hours. Then JTG rescues you, buys you a new phone with a message that basically confirms she's going to kill us... and you just come back here and go to bed?!"

"I was tired," Snow said evasively. "Besides, I'm fine and there was no point in waking everyone up." It was mostly true. She was exhausted both mentally and physically. Her back throbbed painfully from her impact with the tree branch and her arms ached from the effort of keeping herself and Rachel from falling. She had a handful of scrapes on her arms and legs, and she was sure the same was true of her back, but overall she was none the worse for wear. Michael, however, didn’t seem to be as sure of that fact as she was, not that it came as a great surprise. He went over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace before drawing back and checking her over for injuries. She just let him get on with it, knowing no amount of reassurance would calm him until he checked for himself.

“I can’t believe you told Rachel about Tony,” said Clara. “That must have been… weird.”

“JTG didn’t really give me much choice,” said Snow, wincing as Michael’s fingers brushed across a cut on her forearm. “When she sent that text, I knew I had to do something. Besides, Tony didn’t agree to our deal. He might not have been JTG, but he was about to kill us. I don’t feel too bad about whatever Rachel decides to do to him.”

“He raped her daughter,” said Nikki dryly. “She ought to cut his balls off in his sleep.”

“I would,” Snow agreed. Michael jumped as though stung and hastily retreated to the bathroom, claiming he needed antibacterial ointment. Snow completely missed the smug look Mary gave Michael as he passed her.

“Okay, so to recap all this…” Mary said slowly. “Tony isn’t JTG. Rachel isn’t JTG and she’s off our backs and focusing her vindictive energies onto Tony instead. We have no idea who JTG is, but we do know that she’s planning on ending the game at some point soon. And based on the text you were sent she’s probably going to kill us all. That about sum it up?”

“Something like that, yeah,” said Snow wearily. “If JTG really is about to end the game, I’m worried we may not have time to wait for Steven to trace JTG’s phone. We may have to end the game ourselves before that happens.”

“Um… yeah, about that,” said Clara uncertainly. “I’ve been thinking about that, and… maybe it’s not such a good idea after all.”

“I thought we agreed last night that it was our only choice if Steven couldn’t do anything with the trace?” Nikki said, glancing between each of them in turn. “Why the sudden change?”

“Because JTG has been in control of this game since day one,” Clara said sharply. “She’s always had the upper hand, even when we thought we did. When I blocked her number, she got my mom fired and that in turn got Dennis killed. Play the game and obey the rules, that what she’s always told us. If we go against her... if we don’t do what she says… Guys, she threatened to kill my mom.”

“Wait, what?” Snow exclaimed while Mary and Nikki gaped at Clara, horrified. “When did this happen?”

“Before you went to Tony’s,” said Clara quietly. “I… I went to see Jacob and I… I almost told him the truth. I wanted to. He was saying all these things, and he… he asked me if I ever thought of him as more than just Sara’s brother and I… I was going to tell him what I’d done to him. JTG sent me a text saying that if he finds out before she’s ready for him to, she’ll kill my mom.”

“Shit…” Nikki breathed.

“It gets worse,” said Clara sadly. “The text came in just as I had started to tell him the truth, so I had to lie. I told him… I said I liked him.”

“But you do like him,” said Mary uncertainly. “I mean, you do like him, right? So, you didn’t lie.”

“Okay, sure, but I never wanted it to be like this,” said Clara exasperatedly. “Yeah, I like him, but… but I’m lying to him. I put him in that chair. Me. I'm to blame and when he finds out, and you know JTG is going to make sure he finds out, he's going to hate me. It'll break his heart and I... I don't know what to do."

"If I didn't believe JTG really would kill your mom, I'd say tell him before he finds out from JTG," said Mary just as Michael reentered the room with his first aid supplies. “It’d be easier on him than if JTG tells him. Don’t you think, Michael?” Michael stared at Mary looking not unlike a deer caught in a very rapidly approaching set of headlights. He recovered quite quickly, however, and knelt back down in front of Snow with his supplies.

“I missed too much of the conversation to have much of an opinion,” he said crisply. “What happened, exactly?”

“Oh, nothing,” said Clara lightly. “JTG has just been threatening my mom if I tell Jacob the truth.”

“The truth about what?” Michael asked, applying some ointment to Snow’s cuts. The girls all exchanged glances over his head before the other girls’ gazes all settled on Snow.

“You didn’t tell him?” Clara wondered.

“I haven’t told him any of your secrets,” said Snow slowly. “I mean… it didn’t seem right, sharing what wasn’t mine to share.”

“I know JTG has something on all of you, but Snow’s never told me what it is,” said Michael without looking up from his work. “I know about Miranda, obviously, but that’s about it."

"Oh, I... I thought you knew," Clara said shakily. "I... I'm the reason Jacob is paralyzed. It was supposed to be a prank on Jackson. I mixed up their bikes in the dark and.... and..." She broke off, dropping her gaze to her toes to hide the tears shining in her eyes.

"That's... that's a tough thing, Clara," said Michael gently. "That's a hard situation to be in, I... I wouldn't know what to do either."

“There’s nothing to do,” said Clara sadly. “I can’t tell him. I have to play the game. We all do.”

“That’s the thing, though,” Snow said thoughtfully. “We’re not playing the game. We never were. I used to think of this like a game of chess. I thought I had to outthink JTG to beat her. But I was never playing the game. JTG is playing the game. We’re just pawns… pieces on the board.”

“So… what do we do?” Nikki asked, looking around at the others. “I mean… yeah, what do we do?”

“We go to school,” said Snow with a heavy sigh. “We go to school and get on with what may be the last few days of our lives.” Snow stood abruptly; brushing off Michael’s attempts to bandage her wounds, and went to find something to wear to school. She knew she should have been more upbeat, that she should have tried to encourage her friends. But those days, she feared, were long over. She couldn’t encourage them, for she had no encouragement to give them. What was she supposed to do? She could lie to them, but they would see right through that. She wasn’t going to give them false hope. A big ugly truth was always preferable to a pretty little lie and lies were all she could give them.

She reached Michael’s bedroom and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against it, breathing deeply. Her fingers trailed over the deep cut in her wrist that had only just begun to heal. How oh so easy it would be for her to open it once again… She yelped the second the thought crossed her mind. The unbidden thought had risen up before she could even begin to prepare herself for it.

No, she reminded herself firmly. It’s not the way. It’s never the way. Don’t even think it. You don’t want that.

She couldn’t help but wonder, though, what sort of life would she really ever have? JTG had won. She was going to destroy them, one way or another. There was no escaping it now. There never really had been. So, with a certain weary determination, Snow walked across the room and opened the drawer in Michael’s dresser that held some of her clothes. She quickly put together an outfit, not at all concerned with whether or not she looked her best that day. She had just finished dressing when Michael eased open the door.

“Hey,” he said softly, peering into the room. “You okay?”

“Yes,” Snow snapped, but she almost instantly felt horrible. “No… I’m sorry, Mike. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay,” said Michael, walking over and taking Snow into his arms. “I know you’re going through hell, babe. I can’t blame you for getting snippy with anyone right now.”

“I just don’t know what to do,” Snow confessed, feeling the tears trailing down her cheeks. She was both unwilling and unable to stop them. “I feel like I need to do something but I don’t know what.”

“It doesn’t sound like there’s anything you can do,” said Michael. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but… maybe waiting for Steven to work his magic is the only option now. If he can find this bitch, then we can stop her. I’ll tear her apart myself.”

“Mike…”

“I’m serious, Snow,” Michael interrupted. “When we find her… I’m going to kill her. The only way I’ll ever know you’re safe is if that bitch is in the ground. That’s where I’m going to put her.”

 “You can’t just kill her,” Snow argued, pulling away from him and sitting down at the foot of the bed. “Not in cold blood. I hate her too, but there are other ways.”

“What other way, Snow?” Michael countered. “She knows all of your secrets. As long as she’s alive she can reveal them. She’s armed with the truth, Snow, the most dangerous weapon there is. My only concern is for you, not her. JTG started this; I don’t much care what happens to her in order to finish it.”

“It’s all academic, anyway,” Snow said with a shrug. “Steven said the chances of tracking her down are very slim. Even if it does work, there’s no guarantee he won’t just have stumbled into JTG’s trap. She’s ready for us, Mike. She always is.”

-.-

While the others showered and dressed for school, Mary paced around the backyard. She wanted to get closer, to truly explore everything she could see. She wanted to learn the truth behind all of the mysteries, but she felt certain Michael wouldn’t allow it. She hadn’t asked, but she was certain he would say no. She couldn’t blame him if he did, but she wished he would say yes. To open her eyes to a whole new world only to keep it locked away from her was almost cruel.

“It’s pretty impressive, isn’t it?” Michael asked, walking out of the back door and coming to stand beside her. “When we began all this two thousand years ago it was tiny by comparison to what it’s become since. We’ve… expanded a bit.”

“What’s in there?” Mary asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. “You told me what you do, so I’m just curious. What do you have in there?”

“It’d be easier to tell you what we don’t have,” Michael said with a smirk. “Two millennia is a long time, enough to build quite the collection… and it was pretty impressive to begin with.”

“It’s still just so hard to believe,” Mary said quietly. “Will you show me around one day?”

“One day,” Michael agreed, nodding slowly. “Not now, but… but someday soon, I promise.”

“Snow would love this,” Mary said offhandedly. “I mean, just think about it. Someone scholarly like her, to see this… it would blow her mind. The history alone is amazing and I don’t care much for stuff like that.”

“I know that was a subtle hint that I should tell Snow the truth,” said Michael darkly. “I know, Mary. I will, I’ll tell her. I just can’t right now. She’s so beaten down, I… I can’t break her heart right now. She needs me. She needs to believe I’m a good guy… the guy she fell in love with, not… not…”

“You are a good man, Michael,” said Mary, realizing just how ridiculous it was that she was consoling him. “No, you are. You’ve done some bad things, but that doesn’t make you a bad person. The things we do don’t define us. Just because someone does something bad, it doesn’t mean… If you change, if you feel remorse and guilt, then that means you truly regret your actions. That, to me at least, makes a difference. It doesn’t matter if you’ve hurt people, even people you love. What matters is what you do now. What happened happened and there’s nothing you can do about that. Do the right thing now. Make it right. She’ll be mad, of course, but I know she’ll forgive you. She’s so in love with you. She’s yours. You have her heart. This’ll hurt her, but she’ll forgive you. I’ll talk to her and make sure she knows that I’m okay. That will help.”

“She’s still going to hate me,” said Michael quietly. “This is going to ruin us. I’ll lose her and you know it.”

“For a while, yeah, probably,” said Mary gently. “I never said she’d forgive you right then and there. She’s going to be pissed, but she will forgive you. If it weren’t for JTG I’d just say we keep it a secret. She wouldn’t need to know and there’s no one else to tell her. But JTG knows and she will tell Snow. I don’t know when, but if she’s really about to end the game, then it’ll be sooner than later. Like I said before, you’ll be much better off if you come clean. If she finds out from anyone else… Just tell her, Michael. She’ll come back to you, I promise.”

“Yeah, I hope so.” Behind them, the back door opened and Clara, Nikki, and Snow came outside.

“Ready, Mary?” Nikki asked when the girls joined Mary and Michael. “Another fun day at school lies ahead, after all.”

“Whenever you are,” said Mary idly, glancing back over her shoulder. She wished her friends could see it too. It really was beautiful. Maybe one day they would be able to.

-.-

Snow was very deep in thought when she got into the car. She was thinking through the same thing she always was; JTG. Clara, however, barely gave her a chance to start before shaking her out of her thoughts with a pronouncement.

“So, I got us roped into something the other day,” Clara said in a tone of voice that indicated she was attempting to make whatever this was seem far more exciting than it really was. “When I was going to Jacob’s I met this girl. Her name is Gwen and she’s… really nice. She said she doesn’t have many friends, so I promised her that I would introduce her to you guys.”

“I’m not really in the market for new friends,” said Nikki airily as she drove. “I’m not sure I’m completely satisfied with the current crop.”

“Thanks,” said Clara dryly. “C’mon, she was really sweet and she could use a friend. I thought we could go to the Underground after school. I’m sure she would love it and you’ll like her, I promise.”

“Where, exactly, did you meet this girl?” Snow wondered, feeling as though Clara weren’t being completely forthcoming with something.

“I… she was just… She was in an alley right behind Stark Outfitting and Winter Gear,” Clara muttered evasively.

“She was just standing in an alley?” Mary asked, exchanging a confused glance with Snow.

“Um… no. She was looking for something… in a dumpster.”

“In a dumpster?” Nikki repeated slowly. “Clara, I’m all for helping the homeless, but…”

“She’s not homeless… I don’t think,” said Clara dismissively. “Look, she’s nice, okay? Just give her a chance. Please?” Perhaps it went against their better judgment, but the girls at last agreed to go with Clara to the Underground after school to meet Gwen.

School itself passed in a blur for Snow. She was still trying to process everything that had happened since the night of Sara’s death, hoping there was something there that she had missed. She had done this countless times and had never come up with anything, but she found she couldn’t stop. There had to be something.

She put her thoughts aside, however, as they arrived at the Underground. The hangout was mostly empty so early in the afternoon so they had no problems finding a table. The four friends sat down around a small table in a quiet corner to wait for Gwen. They sat there for roughly ten minutes, chatting about nothing in particular. Snow was just about to ask Clara if she had gotten the time wrong when the door opened and a short girl with messy black hair that fell to her knees came inside. She looked around uncertainly for a few moments before spotting Clara, who had stood and was waving to her, and bounded over.

“Hi!” She said excitedly when she reached them. She hugged Clara and then turned her attention to the others, who had all stood to greet her. “I’m Gwen. You must be Clara’s friends.” She turned to Snow, who was closest to Clara, and hurriedly hugged her too. She pressed her nose firmly into Snow’s neck and breathed deeply.

“Wow!” Gwen exclaimed as she pulled away. “You smell amazing. Is that perfume or do you just smell like that?”

“I… I don’t…” Snow muttered, taken aback. “I’m not really…”

“Gwen, this is Snow,” said Clara, interjecting quickly. “This is Mary and this is Nikki. Everyone, this is Gwen.”

“Hi,” Gwen said once again, waving energetically at them.

“Well, let’s sit down then,” said Clara, motioning to their table. The five girls took their seats, Gwen choosing to sit cross-legged in her chair.

“So, how about some drinks?” Nikki inquired, looking around at the rest of the group.

“Oh, yes,” said Gwen brightly. “I’ll get them!” Once the other four had told her what they wanted, she bounded off to place their order. They watched her for a moment as she stood on line, bouncing on the balls of her feet with her hands clasped behind her hand, mostly hidden by her long hair.

“Okay, I know she’s a little…” Clara began nervously.

“I love her,” said Snow, a smile playing on her lips.

“What? Really?” Clara asked, sounding both surprised and relieved.

“She’s adorable,” said Snow, glancing back at Gwen as she spoke excitedly to the man taking her order.

“She really is,” said Mary, watching the small girl with interest. “You were right, Clara, she’s sweet.”

“She’s weird as all hell,” said Nikki, but she grinned. “She’s like a breath of fresh air after… well, everything.”

“She’s probably JTG,” said Mary dryly. “I mean, it’d be our luck.”

“I just hope JTG doesn’t go after her just because she’s here with us,” said Clara quietly. “Associating with us isn’t exactly a winning prospect right now.”

“What secrets could someone like Gwen possibly have?” Nikki asked. Snow turned to look at Gwen as she extracted some money from her bra to pay with, examining the bills curiously before handing them over. It was a nice thought, Snow felt, but this was Mistbrook Falls. Everyone had secrets. She couldn’t help but wonder what Gwen’s might be.

The rest of the afternoon passed quite pleasantly. Gwen was a little ball of joy and excitement and she brightened all of their spirits as they chatted at their table, played a few rounds of pool, and went shopping at Mistbrook Mall. After enjoying some excellent pastries at Game of Scones, the girls parted ways with Gwen who said she needed to go home. They promised to meet up again soon and the four friends watched her walk away, each of them feeling surprisingly happier than they had in weeks.

Snow knew the feeling wouldn’t last and that all too soon another JTG text could come through and bring it all back into stark relief. Until then, though, she was going to enjoy it. She was going to enjoy being friends with Gwen. She was going to think back and remember just how wonderful it had been when she and her friends had just been ordinary high school students. She wasn’t sure if they would ever get to be so ever again.

-.-

A full week passed before Steven uncovered anything of use in his efforts to trace JTG’s phone. He was looking rather pleased with himself when he met up with the others at the picnic tables on the edge of the woods near Mistbrook High.

“Success!” He exclaimed, grinning broadly. “Well… partially.”

“And what exactly does that mean?” Nikki asked, glancing around at the rest of the group.

“It means he’s been less successful than he’d like you to believe,” said Jackson with a knowing smile.

“Give him a chance to explain,” said Snow, who was just happy that some progress had been made. “Go on, Steve. What did you find? Do you know where she is?”

“No,” said Steven firmly. “But I know where she was. Well… not exactly where she was. It’s… okay, so I traced her phone and a majority of her messages bounced off the same cell tower. It’s the one outside of town, on the road up to Riverdale.”

“There’s nothing up that way except the old coal mines,” said Mary thoughtfully. “Surely she’s not hiding out there.”

“Just because the mines are in that direction doesn’t mean that’s where she is,” said Steven. “I don’t have a location, just… a direction. It’s like a submarine’s sonar. All I have is a bearing. I don’t have the range, so… yeah.”

“So how does any of this help us?” Clara asked uncertainly. “I mean, if all we know is the general direction that JTG sent some of her messages from… Well, that doesn’t seem very useful.”

“It’s… well, it’s a start,” said Snow thoughtfully. “JTG would have to have some sort of hideout, right? Maybe it’s in the old mines. No one ever goes up there anymore, so no one would accidentally stumble across her lair.”

“Are you seriously suggesting that we go crawling through abandoned mining tunnels?” Steven asked incredulously, the look on his face suggesting he wished he hadn’t mentioned anything at all. “That’s… you know, really dangerous.”

“Is there another choice?” Snow asked, hoping he would have one. While searching the mines was her idea, it was the last thing she wanted to do. After the accident that had killed Sara’s father, the mines had been shut down and new tunnels had been dug further to the north. No one had ever returned to the original site to continue working so it was likely in a state of complete disrepair.

“Well… maybe,” said Steven thoughtfully. “If I were to go up there, not into the mines, but just up to that area, I might be able to more accurately trace JTG’s phone. I mean, it’s unlikely but we ought to give it a shot before we start digging through old mines.”

“I’m with Steven,” said Nikki nervously. “I mean… those mines are dangerous. If we knew for sure she was in there, then okay sure, fine. But to just go wandering through the old mines seems like a bad idea.”

“It sounds like it’s worth a try,” said Snow, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t want to go into those mines either, so if there’s a chance this could work then we should try it.”

“I’ll head up to the mines tomorrow afternoon,” Steven volunteered. “Like I said, I’m not promising anything, but it’s worth a try.”

“We’ll all come,” said Clara. “We aren’t letting you go up there by yourself.”

“There’s not a lot you can do to help,” said Steven, shaking his head. “I mean, by all means tag along if you want. There’s just not much you’ll be able to do to help. On the other hand, if JTG is there and catches me I wouldn’t mind having some backup.”

“I’ll go with you,” Jackson volunteered, speaking for the very first time since Steven announced his discovery. “There’s no reason for a big group of us to go traipsing up to the mines. If it’s just us, we’re less likely to attract attention and if JTG is there then there are less of us for her to hurt.”

“Just be sure you’re ready to fight if JTG catches us,” said Steven darkly.

“Oh, I will be,” said Jackson firmly. “I’ve… borrowed one of my dad’s pistols.”

“Geez, Jackson. Seriously?” Clara exclaimed exasperatedly. Snow, however, felt she understood Jackson’s way of thinking. She didn’t want to kill anyone or for any of her friends to have to either. She had told Michael not to kill JTG and she meant it. On the other hand, if JTG attacked them, tried to kill them, well that was another story. She didn’t think she would feel bad in the least if JTG was killed in that way. She would be able to live with that.

The plan for the next day at last settled upon, the group of friends made their way to across the parking lot to the school. Snow lagged slightly behind the group, lost in thought as she so often was. She wasn’t sure why, for she had no proof of the fact, but she felt as though the end of everything was looming like a dark cloud on the horizon. The game was about to end. Before long they would have their answer. They would know who JTG was and perhaps they would know why she had done so many terrible things. What she didn’t know was whether or not she and her friends would live through the revelation. That was another feeling she couldn’t shake and it terrified her. Somehow, she felt certain that when the game was over, even if they somehow won, not all of them would be there to celebrate.

-.-

Later that evening, Snow was lying on her bed painting her toenails and chatting idly on the phone with Michael. She had told him all about Steven and Jackson’s plan to go up to the mines the following day to try to trace JTG’s phone. Michael only cared that Snow wasn’t going with them. After that, their conversation had shifted to otherwise completely meaningless topics. It was nearly midnight when Snow heard the doorbell ring in the background over the phone.

“Oh, is your mistress coming to visit?” Snow asked playfully, causing Michael to chuckle.

“No, I make sure she only comes over when I’m not talking to you,” he replied airily.

“Well, you better never let me meet her,” Snow said, feigning anger. “Kayla raised me, Mike. Don’t forget that. I can take that bitch.”

“You probably could,” Michael sighed. “Well, it’s getting late babe, and whoever this is at my door isn’t going to let up until I go chase them away. I’ll call you in the morning?”

“You better,” Snow told him. “I love you, Mike.”

“I love you too, Snowflake,” Michael replied. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow. Have a good night.”

“You too, Snowy. I love you.” Snow placed her phone on her bedside table and slid off her bed. She went into her closet to find something to wear to bed. She selected a shirt of Michael’s that she had left in her room and slipped it on. It was several sizes too big, but it was comfortable and it still smelled like him.

She was in love, so in love. Sometimes she wondered how it had happened, but it still had. She loved Michael so much and it gave her a little bit of hope for the future. She had something to live for, something to fight to protect. He made her happier than anyone ever had and she could never thank him enough for it. She had even found herself planning their future together just as Michael had. It scared her a little at first, but now she knew it was exactly what she wanted. Across the room, Snow’s phone chimed. She went over and powered on the screen. It was a video file with a short message attached.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, angel, but here you go. Kisses, bitch –JTG

Before Snow could open the attachment, a knock came at the door and she quickly cleared the message from the screen and slid her phone back onto her bedside table. She had just closed the drawer when Ariana eased open the door.

“Hey, Dove,” she said, sliding into the room. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure,” said Snow, plopping down on the side of her bed. Ariana went over to join her, a strange look on her face.

“I… I just wanted to… Your mother and I have noticed that you’ve seemed a little… off… these last few days,” Ariana said slowly. “We’ve been trying to give you space, since… since what happened. You’ve seemed better since we went to see Dr. Pinder, but we couldn’t help but notice how down you’ve been lately. I just wanted to make sure that everything is… that you’re…”

“I’m not,” said Snow quietly. “Okay, if that’s what you’re asking. I will be, though. You don’t have to worry, Mom. I’ll be fine.”

“I hate that I’m the one doing this to you,” Ariana whispered, her voice breaking with emotion. “I… I never imagined…”

“You’re not doing anything to me,” Snow said quietly. “This isn’t your fault, it’s… It’s just the way things are. I hate it and it sucks, but there’s no one to blame. It just… is.”

“Yeah…” Ariana breathed. “I guess so.”

“How are you handling all this?” Snow asked softly. “You’re worrying about me, but you’re the one who’s sick. Are you…?”

“I’m…”

“The truth, Mom,” Snow cut her off. “Don’t hide anything to spare me. I want to know.” Ariana sighed heavily.

“I have bad days… and then I have days that aren’t quite so bad,” Ariana replied. “But I can feel it. I… I can feel it, Snowy.” Snow understood. She wished so fiercely that she didn’t, but she understood. Her mother was dying and she could feel the disease eating away at her. She had to wake up every day knowing that there was nothing that could stop it.

“And… and how’s Momma doing?” Snow asked. Ariana laughed lightly.

“Hiding everything to spare me,” she said with a small smile.

“That’s what she does best,” said Snow knowingly. Ariana bit her lower lip uncertainly.

“Sweetie… can I ask you something? For… for a favor?”

“Of course, anything,” Snow promised.

“Will you… would you keep your mother from falling apart? After, you know… I don’t know what she’ll do. She says she’ll be okay, but I know her too well. It’s an awful thing to ask, but… but if you could take care of her, if I knew that she would be okay, I…”

“Of course I will,” Snow swore, reaching out and taking her mother’s hand. “I will be there for her, Mom; just like you’ve both been there for me. It’ll be my turn. I can do that.” Ariana didn’t say anything. Instead, she pulled her daughter into a tight embrace and refused to let go.

A few months earlier and Snow would never have imagined that this would be her life. She never would have thought of life without her mother. Now, she knew she had to. Ariana would not be there to see her get married. She wouldn’t meet her grandchildren. She wouldn’t even see Snow graduate. Instead, she was going to be ripped away before Snow was ready to let her go and she could do nothing to prevent it.

 A few months earlier, Snow’s life had been perfect. She and her friends and family had been happy and whole. That entire beautiful image had long since fallen apart. She knew that no matter what happened with JTG, she would never be able to put that picture back together again. Sara would still be gone and Ariana would still be dying. And she and her friends would still have to live with the memories of the nightmare JTG had put them through.

Snow and Ariana fell asleep there on Snow’s bed. Snow had completely forgotten about JTG’s message, a fact with perhaps contributed to her sleeping surprisingly peacefully that night, despite everything. She couldn’t know that in less than twenty-four hours her entire world would be rocked once again. What was left of her life would be torn apart, shocking secrets she had never expected would come to light, and the deadly game that had started the night of Sara’s death would finally come to an end.

-.-

Michael said goodbye to Snow and hung up the phone. He rolled off of his bed and ambled down the hall, wondering who could possibly be ringing his doorbell at such a late hour. He could think of no one offhand. He reached the door and tugged it open. He only just registered the short girl with long wild hair launched herself toward him. She leapt into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, grinning from ear to ear.

“Mikey!” Gwen shrieked, kissing him all over his face. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Gwen?” Michael asked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to come home,” she said, leaning back and pouting cutely. “I wanted to come home and see my big brother.”

“And I’m thrilled to see my baby sister, but Gwen… you can’t  be here right now,” Michael said gently. Gwen released her grip on him and slowly came to rest on her feet looking quite disappointed.

“I… I thought maybe… Maybe since you’re in charge now that… I thought maybe you missed me and…”

“I do miss you, Munchkin,” Michael said softly, wrapping his arm around his sister and guiding her to the sofa in the living room. “I’ve missed you since Mom took you away, but it was for your own good. The Coven… Does Mom know you’re here?”

“No,” Gwen said guiltily. “She thinks I’m in France.”

“Right,” said Michael wearily. “Gwen, sweetie, I know you hate her and you hate being kept away like this, but if the Coven find you…If the Coven find out I’m harboring a… a Lycan…”

“You know I don’t like that word,” said Gwen, shifting irritably and causing her long mane of hair to fall across her face. “I prefer moonlight intolerant.”

“Well, the Coven would prefer to tag you and send you to The Farm,” Michael said grimly. “That’s what they do to werewol… uh… the moonlight intolerant.”

“I know that, Mikey,” said Gwen softly. “I’ve lived my entire life almost knowing that if I’m ever caught, the Coven would send me there to live. But I love you, Mikey, and I want to be part of your life. I want to join the Dawnguard. It’s our family’s legacy, Mike. I want to be part of it. Riley never got the chance, but I want to.”

“Riley… what happened to your twin sister…” Michael began thickly, but Gwen shook her head.

“Don’t start,” she said swiftly. “Riley’s death wasn’t your fault. I’ve never blamed you, you know that.”

“No, I… I know,” Michael muttered. “It’s just that losing her… it was so hard and I don’t… I can’t lose you too, Gwen. It’s not worth it.”

“Michael, I lost Riley too,” said Gwen, tears suddenly shining in her wide brown eyes. “She was my twin sister. The bond between magical siblings is already so powerful, so add sharing a womb to that and you might realize what I still feel everyday. Losing you would feel like having my arms torn off. Losing Riley feels like having my soul ripped out. I know how much it hurts and I know you’re scared of losing me, but Mikey, I want to come home. I miss Stonehaven… and yeah, you too a little bit. I don’t care what you say, but I’m coming home and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” Michael sighed heavily, holding his face in his hands. He knew he couldn’t refuse her. If he did, she would still stay in Mistbrook Falls and that was bad enough as far as the Coven were concerned. At the very least he could keep her safe in Stonehaven.

“Mom’s not going to be happy about this,” Michael said darkly. Gwen shrugged unconcernedly. “Is she ever happy? She hates me or at the very least she resents me. She left Dad for me, gave up being a member of the Dawnguard for me…”

“She left Dad because that bastard wanted to kill you,” Michael snapped hotly. “He was twisted like that. He’d fit right in with the Coven. Just because you were bitten, he wanted to kill a six-year-old… his own daughter. Suffice to say I’m not too broken up that he’s dead.”

“Mike…” Gwen admonished. “Don’t…” But before she could truly tell him off, Brad stuck his head through the door leading to the kitchen, looking worried.

"Hey, Mike!" He called nervously. "We just got... oh, hi." He trailed off uncertainly when he spotted Gwen. "Um... who's this?"

"Gwen, this is Brad," said Michael, gesturing toward him. "Brad, this is Gwen... my little sister." Brad's mouth fell open.

"I thought your sister died?" Michael nodded slowly.

"She did. Gwen is Riley's twin sister," Michael explained. "She’s… she’s a Lycan.”

“I’m moonlight-intolerant,” Gwen insisted, flashing Michael a frustrated glance.

“Well, I’m glad that we’re finally taking a stand on the Coven’s treatment of Halfers, but now’s not really the best time to push for social change.” Brad paused, looking as though he really wished he didn’t have to be the one to share this news. "Mike, Zoe just got word from the Coven. The Grand Enchanter has made a... decision. He's dispatching an airship to Mistbrook Falls."

"Just one?" Michael asked, his eyes darkening slightly. "Andromeda can hold her own against one, but if they send a flotilla..."

"Zoe says it’s just the one for now," said Brad. "Apparently the Coven are adopting a wait and see approach, but from a relatively close range. They aren't coming to attack, nor do they intend to land or meet with us. That said, it's not a good sign. They’re coming to observe, but if they don’t like what they see… Did you ever hear back from Sienna?"

"She's agreed to back us in the event that we're attacked," said Michael. "But she can only send so many airships. Divinity is the power in her realm, but Sienna can't send the bulk of her fleet to this side and leave her kingdom unprotected." Brad actually laughed.

"Have you seen Divinity's walls recently?" He asked. "Name an army anywhere in the Nine Realms that could effectively lay siege to Divinity, airships or no airships."

"It doesn't really matter," Michael snapped. "The point us, she'll help us if we need it." Gwen smiled, swaying idly from side to side.

"If you've pissed off the Coven," she said with a smirk. "You'll need it."  

55: Chapter LV: Another Cold November Day

That late November Saturday dawned very bright and icy cold. Clara awoke with a start, sitting up in bed and breathing heavily. She was drenched in sweat and trembling. She kicked off the covers and stood shakily to her feet. She had been dreaming, but she couldn’t recall many of the details, just that she had been absolutely terrified. Something dark, something evil had lurked in the shadows, hunting, stalking, filled with… an insatiable desire for something.

Despite the cold outside, her room was blisteringly hot no doubt caused by her mother turning the heat up far too high that morning. Clara padded across her room and pushed open her bedroom window. An icy blast of winter air rushed into the room, causing her to shiver. She had a bad feeling, and it had nothing to do with her unnerving dream. She felt as though something terrible was about to happen. She didn’t know what, or even how she knew it, but she was certain that everything was about to change and not for the better.

She wasn’t completely sure why this feeling surprised her. With everything going on in her life, it should come as no surprise that she felt so much darkness looming on the horizon. JTG was an enigma on the verge of ending their game, and no good would come from ending the game the way JTG wanted. She had fallen for Jacob and he, too, had fallen for her. Her secret, doubtlessly, would come out when the game came to an end and he would know what she had done. He would never forgive her, not that she could blame him. To top it all off, Steven and Jackson were going up to the mines that afternoon to see if JTG’s lair might really be up there. That would be putting both of them in a great deal of danger. She had plenty to feel nervous about that day.

Clara had nothing in particular to do that day, but still she dressed and went downstairs where her mother sat at the table, spooning cereal into her mouth and reading the morning paper. Clara popped a bagel into the toaster on the counter across the room before going over sitting down across from Noel.

“Good morning,” Noel said, lowering the paper in order to see her daughter more clearly. “You’re up early for a Saturday? Got big plans?”

“No, I just couldn’t sleep,” said Clara quietly. “Bad dreams.”

“Were they about anything in particular, or…?”

“No, no, just… I don’t really remember,” said Clara evasively. It wasn’t a lie, for she couldn’t remember the dream. She didn’t really want to talk about it. She didn’t want to risk recalling the dream. She knew that it had been terrifying.

“Clara, are… are you sure there’s nothing going on?” Noel asked delicately, folding up her paper and setting it aside. “You’ve been different recently. You’re quiet, keeping to yourself a lot. You used to talk to me about everything and lately you’ve just been so closed off. I know everything with Ariana and Snow trying to kill herself, but even before that you were different. Is something wrong, sweetie?”

What could she say? What wasn’t wrong? Her entire life had fallen apart and at any moment she and her friends were either going to be arrested or murdered. Everything was wrong.

“No,” Clara said as offhandedly as she could manage. “No, nothing’s wrong. It really is just everything with Snow… and Sara, of course. Snow’s just been so upset recently, and Sara… well, she’s only been gone a few months. Sometimes I… I forget, you know? I forget that she’s gone. I’ll think of something, see something I know she’d laugh at and make a mental note to tell her. That’s when I remember that she’s dead. Almost losing Snow too, I… I’m fine, it’s just really hard sometimes.” Noel reached out and took her daughter’s hand. 

“I know how hard losing someone you love can be,” Noel said gently. “You girls are all so close, so it’s not like I don’t understand. It just seems like… there’s more to it.”

“There’s not,” Clara insisted, giving her mother’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m serious, Mom. That’s all there is.”

“Okay,” said Noel, shrugging her shoulders. “If you say so, Claire-Bear. Just remember that you can always talk to me about anything. It doesn’t matter what it is, you can tell me. I’m always here for you.”

“And I’m always here for you,” Clara promised firmly. “Oh, except for right now. I kind of forgot that I promised to stop by Jacob’s this morning.”

“Mmm, right,” said Noel with a sly smile. “Jacob. You’re spending a lot of time with him, aren’t you? Anything going on there?”

“You’re awfully nosy this morning,” said Clara, going back to the toaster to retrieve her bagel. “But… well, yeah, actually. We’ve started seeing each other.”

“Well, not that you asked my opinion or anything, but I must say that I approve,” said Noel, grinning. “Jacob’s a really good guy.”

“Too good,” said Clara quietly. She didn’t elaborate. Instead, she ate her bagel as quickly as she could and hurried from the house, promising Noel that she would be home in plenty of time for dinner. She hopped on her bike and set off across town.

It was late in November and Christmas was in the air. Decorations for the holiday were going up all over town and as usual their snowy little town turned into something out of a Christmas card. Clara biked her way across town and before long she arrived at Jacob’s apartment.

Jacob was always so happy to see her when she visited. Even before their relationship had changed to something more than friendship, he had always seemed so much more upbeat whenever she was there. That thought made Clara both glad and miserable as she opened the door to Jacob’s apartment and went inside.

As usual, Jacob sat on the couch playing video games. Based upon his joyous shouts, he was enjoying himself. He smiled and waved when he saw her and patted the couch cushion next to him. He paused his game and set the controller aside as Clara sank onto the sofa. He leaned in to kiss her and she let him, gently kissing him in return. Waves of guilt washed over her, but she pushed them down deep. She knew what she had to do, she hated it but she couldn’t put her mother’s life at risk. She wouldn’t, even if it meant that the price she paid was her own soul.

“You need to learn to smile more,” said Jacob when they broke apart. “With that look on your face, you’d think I was the worst kisser ever. Oh hell, I’m not, am I? No, don’t tell me. My ego couldn’t take the hit if you said I was. You know what? Forget I said anything.”

“You’re far from the worst kisser,” said Clara gently, her hand coming to rest on Jacob’s knee. She squeezed her reassuringly. “I’ve just had a really, really bad week… weeks… the last few months, really. First Sara, then Ariana, then Snow trying to kill her herself, and of course what happened to you, I… It’s… it’s just a lot and I’m… It’s nothing to do with you, okay? Please don’t think that it is, but it’s not and I don’t want you to… Hey? Are you even listening to me?” Jacob hadn’t met her eyes once since she started talking. Instead, his eyes were glued to her hand on his knee.

“No,” he whispered. “I’m not. Clara, I… I can feel you. I can feel your hand… on my knee, I… I can feel it.” Clara’s eyes filled with tears when she saw his doing the same. She squeezed again and Jacob began to cry in earnest. He nodded at her questioning look.

“I can feel that,” he said, covering her hand with his. Clara’s face broke into a smile and Jacob laughed. “So, that’s what it takes to get you to smile.” He reached up, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“Should I… should we call someone? Your physical therapist, or… or your mom?” Clara wondered. Jacob shook his head.

“Right now, no one,” he said quietly. “Just… sit here with me.” Clara nodded and did just that. She sighed deeply, a smile plastered to her face. It was a victory. A small victory, but just seeing Jacob so happy was enough for her. He deserved this. She didn’t know what it meant, if he would ever walk again, but it was a start. It was something. It was the best news Clara had gotten in a long time. Little did she know that the worst news was lingering just on the horizon.

She and Jacob spent several hours on the couch, just enjoying each other’s company. In the early afternoon Jacob called his physical therapist, who came to Jacob’s apartment to evaluate him. Clara hovered nearby, waiting and watching. The results could hardly have been more positive, news that caused Clara’s heart to soar. It was still so early, so much was uncertain, his therapist said. He could make no promises, but Jacob’s condition had taken a turn for the better. This was a massive step towards recovery. There was a chance, a good one, that Jacob would one day walk again.

Clara and Jacob wiled away the afternoon, relaxing on the couch. Neither of them were interested in doing much more. Jacob didn’t want to share the news with anyone else just yet in case nothing came of it. Clara had promised to keep it to herself. She was just happy that he had finally gotten some good news. He had earned it. It was late in the afternoon when Clara’s phone rang and she excused herself to answer it.

“Hey, Jackson,” she said, having checked the caller ID before answering. “What’s up? Have you guys made it to the mines? Did you find…”

“Clara!” Jackson gasped, causing her to fall silent as a wave of terror gripped her heart. “Clara, I don’t know what happened but we need help. Steven’s… something happened to him. He was working and then he… I think someone grabbed him. He screamed and… I heard him screaming from the entrance to the mines. Someone took him… JTG has him and he… HEY! What the hell have you done with Steven?! Where the fuck is he? You’re… Oh God… I… I never thought it would be you. Clara, it’s …” There was a sudden thud, grunt of pain, and what sounded like the phone falling to the ground. Suddenly another voice spoke over the phone. It was deep, but muffled. If it belonged to anyone she knew, she didn’t recognize who it was.

“I have your friends, Clara,” said JTG. “Steven and Jackson are here in the old mines. They are alive and mostly well, for now. If you want them to stay that way, gather the others and come here in one hour. You, Nikki, Mary, and Snow. If anyone else is with you, Steven and Jackson die. One hour. If you don’t show, they die. Then so does everyone you love. One hour. Be here. The game ends tonight.” The line went dead. 

-.-

Earlier that morning, Michael stood outside staring out at the horizon. He was lost in thought and didn’t hear Zoe approaching from behind him. He had no idea he was no longer alone until she spoke.

“Are you here to see the show?” Zoe asked, startling Michael from his thoughts.

“I’ve never thought of the arrival of a heavily armed Coven airship to be a ‘show’,” Michael said dryly. “The Grand Enchanter is warmongering, Zoe. You know he is.”

“Of course he is, Michael,” said Zoe. “He’s looking for any reason to attack Stonehaven. He’ll find one, I promise you that. Legitimate or not, he’ll find one.”

“I still can’t believe he would risk war with Divinity,” said Michael. Zoe shrugged.

“Sienna is young and she only recently rose to power,” said Zoe slowly. “Personally, I don’t think he believes she’ll help you. She’s the power in the Nine Realms, certainly, but she’s only just come into that power. Divinity has been at war for years and only now has found peace. The Grand Enchanter doesn’t think Sienna would dare involve her people in another war… someone else’s war.”

“What the Enchanter thinks and what’s true are two very different things,” said Michael sharply. “Sienna has already promised her support. If there’s one thing I know about my little cousin it’s that she keeps her word. She’ll come, we only need to call.”

“Then Michael,” said Zoe, staring at the sky over his shoulder with an expression of shock on her face. “You might want to call her… now.” A point in the sky above them had begun to ripple like the surface of a pond after a stone had been thrown into it. It rippled and twisted and pulsed and cracked, convulsing violently as a hole was torn through the sky. With a crack like thunder, the sky grew dark as a massive object blinked into existence above them.

It looked like a zeppelin of old, only much larger and made of a shiny metallic material. The air beneath the silver tube-shaped craft rippled; an effect of the massive spinning turboprops that kept the vessel aloft. Moments later, a second airship appeared in the same fashion as the first and then a third, a fourth, and a fifth. The five airships drifted northward, to hover low in the sky beyond the property line.

“You said there would be only one ship,” Michael said quietly, turning to look at Zoe with a displeased expression. “You said they were coming to observe. That’s a flotilla, a heavily armed invasion force. This isn’t what we prepared for, Zoe.”

“That’s what I was told,” said Zoe defensively. “I was assured that there would only be one ship. I… I need to contact the Witches Council. Excuse me.” Zoe turned and hurried away, leaving Michael alone. He stared up at the fleet of airships, his heart thumping painfully in his chest.

“Please, Sienna,” he whispered. “Don’t let me down.”

-.-

Snow eased her Mustang to a stop outside Michael’s house. It was early in the afternoon in the sun blazing high in the sky overhead. Snow got out of her car and hurried up the steps to the front door. She knocked and waited only a moment before Michael answered. He smiled widely when he saw her.

“Hey, Snowflake,” he said brightly. “C’mon in. I’ve just started making lunch so I hope you’re hungry.”

“A little,” said Snow, following him into the kitchen and dropping her purse and phone off on the counter. “I’m more tired than anything. It’s been such a crazy week and I can’t make my mind shut off. I need to sleep for a really long time… and hope I wake up from this nightmare.”

“We’ll figure this out, babe,” Michael said softly, leaning in to kiss her. “We will. It’s not over, we still have time.” Snow looked up at him, her eyes tired and sad.

“I’m not so sure we do,” she sighed sadly. “What are you cooking?”

“Chicken fried steak,” Michael said uncertainly. Snow smirked, recalling the first meal Michael had ever cooked for her. It seemed like a lifetime ago. That terrible storm had swept through town, stranding her there with Michael. He had dropped the meat into boiling oil and it splattered, burning him. She hadn’t had any idea of where that one night would take them. She had thoughts, ideas, theories of what might happen. It hadn't been this.

“Just don’t burn yourself again,” she warned him. Michael did not burn himself and instead prepared a lovely dinner, which he and Snow shared in the dining room. Michael did his best to cheer Snow up, but he had little success. Snow knew he was trying as hard as he could, but her depression was far too deep. After dinner, Snow and Michael cuddled on the couch to watch TV. They sat together under a blanket, Snow tucking her head under Michael’s chin. Michael turned on a movie, but Snow paid it little attention. Her emotions were so fragile and hovered so close to the surface these days that within moments of settling down on the couch, held so securely by Michael, she began to cry.

“Hey,” Michael said quietly, smoothing her dark hair gently. “Babe, hey… hey, don’t cry. It’ll all be okay. I promise, it’ll be fine. We’ll get through this together.”

“Yeah…” Snow whispered, sniffling into Michael’s chest. “Yeah, I know. It’s just been so hard and… and now, after finding out Tony isn’t JTG, I keep feeling like…”

“Like?” Michael pressed when Snow trailed off.

“Like anyone could be JTG,” Snow finished quietly. “I mean, I’ve known that all along, but now it feels so real. She’s everywhere… everyone. The group of people I know I can trust is so small. I feel like I can’t trust anyone anymore. My friends, my parents…” She squeezed his hand tightly. “You. I know I can trust you. You’d never hurt me, Michael. Right?”

“Of course not,” Michael insisted, squeezing her hand just as tightly. “You know that, Snow. Never.” Snow breathed deeply, sighing into his chest. She willed the tears not to come, but they did anyway. She should have known she wouldn’t be able to stop them. Not then, not on that afternoon when her entire world had fallen apart. She took another deep breath, knowing she could wait no longer. She wanted to, but she knew she had no choice.

“Then why did you rape Mary?”

-.-

The City of Divinity sat on the western coast of the continent of Idris, at the edge of the Crystal Sea. The sprawling city, perfectly circular in it's design, was surrounded on by massive walls that were all but impregnable. Standing a hundred feet high, half again as thick, and constructed from a special mineral that the lands around Divinity were rich with, no army had ever breached the city’s defenses. The city had only come under siege once since it’s construction and Divinity’s armies had broken the assault within days.

Divinity was the shining beacon of civilization, as well as a fortress beyond the capabilities of any army to breach. In the center of the bustling city stood the Seraph Palace, a beautiful citadel complete with a central tower that rose high above even the city’s walls. Known as The Spire, the very top of this tower held the private rooms of Divinity’s monarch.

Tristan Tayle, a man in his mid thirties, strode quickly though the Spire’s marble corridors with an urgent message. Tristan’s armor clinked as he rushed through the palace, his war withered face tight with concern. His dark green eyes at last caught sight of his destination, the glimmering golden doors of the monarch’s chambers. The guards standing on either side of the entrance opened the doors for him as he approached. He strode inside, pausing when he noticed she wasn’t seated at her desk. Instead, she stood outside on her balcony, enjoying the warm summer air.

She was short for a monarch, Tristan thought. Then again, he still thought of her as the young girl he had protected since the day she was born a mere nineteen years earlier. She would always be small to him. She seemed to visibly sigh, the silky white gown she wore shifting as she turned away from the view of her kingdom. She stepped inside, her elbow length hair, as white as new fallen snow, bouncing around her bare shoulders.    

“Tristan,” she said, her voice as soft and quiet as it ever was. “Don’t you ever just come to visit me without bringing bad news? I’m a fun person to talk to, you know? You could just stop by for a chat or something occasionally without ruining my day. I know that look.What’s happened now?”

“It’s Michael Ravenswood, Your Grace,” said Tristan, his crisp voice echoing through the room. “The Witches Coven have deployed in force and it appears evident, Michael’s words, that an attack is imminent. He requests your aid.” Princess Sienna Varona sighed and sat down on the edge of her canopy bed. She chewed her lower lip uncertainly, but after a moment she nodded and looked up at Tristan through a pair of bright blue eyes.

“Ready my ship, Tristan,” Sienna said quietly. “We’re going to Stonehaven.”

56: Chapter LVI: Be All My Sins Remember'd

“Then why did you rape Mary?”

Snow’s words hung in the air like a storm cloud, hovering over both of them with a ringing silence. Snow had forgotten about the video for a short while, but she had remembered and watched it that morning. She hadn’t been sure what it was she would be watching and she was quite surprised to see that the video started with the camera being dropped to the ground. She had gasped when she saw Sara pick up the camera and wipe the lens clear. Then she had turned the camera towards the window and Snow had witnessed something she never could have imagined. It was impossible, unthinkable, and yet she had proof right before her eyes.

She had been outraged. Her blood caught fire and she was halfway to the basement to seize one of Kayla’s guns, planning to march to Michael’s house before she thought about it and paused. It was JTG. JTG had sent the message, so… so was it even true? Did she believe it? Perhaps JTG had fabricated the video just as they had once suspected she might have done to the video of Miranda and Tony. It was possible, wasn’t it? She thought about that for most of the morning, and in that time she began to calm down. In the end, she came to a heartbreaking realization; JTG never lied to them. Whatever she was, she wasn’t a liar. JTG used the truth to destroy them. The video was real. Michael had raped Mary. There was no way around it.

That was when all of her anger had left her. Her rage, her burning hatred of Michael had fled in an instant and she had broken down and cried. She had sobbed her heart out there in her bedroom, the weight of the terrible truth breaking her. It was selfish, she knew, that one of her earliest thoughts was not about Mary but instead about herself. She couldn’t help but think about how she truly had lost everything. That day she had lost the last good thing in her life. She had lost the only thing that had given her hope. She had lost Michael. She had lost Michael and that wonderful image of that beautiful baby girl she had held so close to her heart since the day she had seen it. She hadn’t been real, Snow realized. Her daughter from the future had just been a hallucination or… something. She wasn’t real. She never would be.

There was nothing to keep her going now, nothing worth living for. The darkness of weeks past had settled on her again and as the last of her hope fell away, she knew what she had to do. If her life was going down in flames, she was going to burn the world down around her. Michael would pay for what he had done to her friend and the game she played with JTG was over. She was going to the police with everything. Game. Fucking. Over.

But first, before she went down with her ship, she was going to get answers. She was going to find out exactly why Michael, the man she trusted more than practically anyone else, who she loved so deeply that she now wanted to die, had raped her best friend. He was going to tell her the truth, no matter what she had to do.

“Well?” Snow asked, her anger suddenly flaring. She stood to her feet and stared down at Michael, who looked up at her with a blank expression on his face. “Talk! Tell me why. Tell me why you did that to her. Why? You’re Michael Comstock! You can have any girl you damn well please and you force yourself on Mary? And Emily just let you? Talk!”

It seemed as though Michael didn’t know what to say. It was one of the only times she had ever seen Michael truly scared. He fidgeted in his seat and Snow could almost see the cogs working in his mind, thinking of how to respond.

“Snow, I… Listen, if… if JTG sent you that video, you have to know that it… there’s more to it. You don’t have the full story, I…”

“Full story?” Snow repeated, her voice deathly quiet. “F… full story? What piece of wondrous information could you possibly have that would ever explain this? What could you possibly say to me that would make this okay? Sara, she… she knew about this. She knew what you did to Mary. Did you know she knew? Did she tell you? Did you know?”

“Snow, what are you trying to ask me?” Michael queried, sounding suddenly quite hurt. “Are you asking me if…”

“If you killed Sara?” Snow snapped. “Yes, I am. She died in your house, after all. It would’ve been easy for you to kill her that night. Brad works for you, right? How hard would it have been for you to steal his knife and frame him for it? You killed her to keep her quiet, but JTG sees everything. Even you.”

“Snow, I know you have no reason to believe me,” said Michael quietly. “But please, Snow… I didn’t kill Sara. I would never. I promise you, it wasn’t me. I can prove it, but… but first there’s so much I have to tell you. You want the truth about what I did to Mary, so I’m going to tell you. I’ll tell you everything, just… please sit down and let me explain. I swear, every word I say is the truth.”

She had no reason to believe him. She shouldn’t believe him. She knew she should dismiss everything he said on principle, but for some reason she couldn’t begin to explain, she believed him. Slowly, she sank into the chair opposite the sofa. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. She gave him a curt nod and he sighed gratefully.  

“Right,” said Michael, folding his hands nervously in his lap. “Well, first of all let me say that this is going to be hard for you to grasp. You don’t believe in magic, so…” Despite the situation, Snow burst into laughter at that statement.

“Really?” She asked in a disbelieving tone. “Really? Magic? You’re going to talk to me about magic right now? That’s your excuse? Do you really, truly expect me… to…” She broke off as Michael slowly raised his hand and her chair rose just as slowly into the air. He raised his other hand and the window swung open. A flurry of snow flew into the room and slowly circled around her head. The flakes danced through her hair, refusing to melt. Her chair revolved slowly on the spot as the snowflakes drifted back outside and the window swung closed. Her chair lowered back to the floor and Michael rested his hands in his lap.

“What… what… how… how did you…?” Every other thought left her mind in that moment. Snow had a scientific mind. She believed in proven, scientific fact. She believed in what she could see, and feel, and touch. What she had just experienced was unexplainable and she couldn’t make her mind comprehend what she had happened.

“Magic,” Michael said gently. “It’s magic, Snow. Magic is real… and I can use it.” Snow stared at him with wide eyes, her heart racing and her lips slightly parted.

“You… What are you?” Snow asked him breathlessly. “And what does any of this have to do with Mary?”

“Please just listen and I’ll tell you,” said Michael. “It’s kind of a long story, but it all ties together, I promise. Okay, so the first thing you need to know is who I am and what it is that I do. Firstly, my name isn’t Michael Comstock. It’s Michael Ravenswood. Officially, I am Michael Ravenswood, Prince of Stonehaven, Grandmaster and current Knight-Commander of the Dawnguard.”

“The Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons?” Snow asked sardonically. “What the hell is this, Michael? I mean, really. Are you just…”

“Please let me finish, Snow,” Michael said gently. “Please, just let me tell you the story. It will make sense when I’m done. Okay, the Dawnguard was founded thousands of years ago, back in the times before recorded history. Armies of demons once roamed the Earth and the Dawnguard fought against them. Eventually, the Dawnguard succeeded in sealing the Gates of Hell, a portal to the Underworld, and ending the daedric threat… for the most part. Many demons still existed in this world and the Dawnguard continues to battle the few that remain to this day. It wasn’t until 48BC that the Dawnguard began on the path to what it is today.”

“What happened in 48BC?” Snow asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. This, all of this, was fascinating. It shouldn’t be possible, yet she had seen it. If Michael was telling the truth, she wanted to know everything.

“Well, a lot of things,” said Michael. “Most importantly, it was the year that scholars in Egypt came exceedingly close to unleashing an extremely powerful source of magic. The scholars in question were conducting their research in a library that at the time held the greatest single collection of knowledge in the known world.”

“The Library of Alexandria,” Snow whispered. “The Dawnguard burned it down?”

“No,” said Michael, shaking his head. “We stole it. The Library of Alexandria never burned. The Dawnguard just made the world believe it did. Using magic, we moved the Library and everything in it to a secure location. With more magic, we created an illusion that made it appear as though the Library had burned. No one was ever the wiser. The Library of Alexandria was kept safe, its knowledge and research protected from those that would use it for ill. That’s what the Dawnguard began to do after that. That is what we continue to do today. We protect the world from magic and we protect magic from the world. Now, the Library is used a storage facility for powerful magical artifacts, relics, and creatures that we secure and contain.”

“So… so you stole a building and… did what with it?” Snow asked incredulously. “Where is it now?”

“About a mile in that direction,” said Michael, pointing in the direction of the back door of the house. “With the Library safe, the Dawnguard knew they had to protect it. At the time we had no base of operations, no place to rest, plan, or train. As such, the city of Stonehaven was built around the Library. It’s a fortress and our base of operations. It’s where members of the Dawnguard live and train. It’s where we plan our missions and protect the world. With magic, Stonehaven can be moved if we need it to. That’s exactly what we did for centuries. We would move the city to wherever it was most needed. If we needed to secure a powerful magical artifact, or eliminate a dangerous magical threat, Stonehaven would arrive and deal with it.

“Just before the American Civil War, Stonehaven arrived in Mistbrook Falls to contain the worst kind of threat; a demon. It is one of the last surviving demons on Earth. At the time, the Dawnguard was unable to kill the demon, but they were able to trap it in deep in the caves beneath the Falls. This, Snow, is where Mary comes in. The demon escaped from its prison about a year ago. He’s weak, very weak, but he’ll be gaining strength. He can already use his powers to control the minds of mortals. We call the people under his spell thralls. They do his bidding, but they aren’t responsible for their actions. They’re completely innocent. Unfortunately we don’t have a way of determining who is under his control and who isn’t. Anyway, this demon… he is looking for something. This demon is searching for a person he calls the one. He’s looking for the human woman that is gifted with the ability to give birth to his offspring. He wants to breed a new army of demons that he can use to breach the defenses the Dawnguard have put into place over the Gates of Hell. He wants to shatter the seals placed upon the portal and unleash another demon invasion on the world. It would mean the end of humankind. The world would burn and the Dawnguard could do nothing to stop it.”

“I… I don’t even…” Snow let out a long breath, shaking her head. She felt completely overwhelmed. Magic? Demons? Hell? Was it even possible? Could such things really exist right there in her tiny, boring little town? “Wait,” Snow said suddenly. “You still haven’t explained what this has to do with Mary. Is she this one person?”

“No,” said Michael slowly. “Well, we don’t think so. We don’t exactly have a way to be completely sure. The thing to remember when you’re dealing with a demon is that they don’t age. Time is meaningless to them, so… well, this demon in particular enjoys… Snow, you’ve heard the stories about what happened a hundred years ago, right? The series of vicious murders of young, virgin girls in this town? It wasn’t a serial killer, it was our demon. He relishes in taking untouched virgins and… The things he does to them, Snow… You haven’t seen it, you don’t… you can’t understand. He… He has sex with them, but… it’s not just that. It’s… it really is a fate far worse than death. Death would be a mercy, Snow, compared to what he does to these girls.”

“So… so you raped Mary… so this demon wouldn’t?” Snow asked incredulously. Slowly, Michael nodded.

“It’s a temporary measure, to be sure,” said Michael sadly. “The demon, he has a demonic name that’s much too hard to pronounce, but in his human form he’s called Sebastian.”

“Human form?”

“Right… so, demons have the ability to appear as normal people,” Michael explained. “It’s how they blend in and operate in our world. Anyway, Sebastian has some pretty twisted fetishes, so while he’s indulging himself with virgins, he won’t likely target anyone else. The problem comes once he gets bored and starts focusing on his real goal, finding the woman that can carry his children. The truth is that it could be anyone. There aren’t any particular criteria, just a very, very close natural attunement to magic. Magic lives in the blood, Snow. Very few outside the Witches Coven are born with it in their blood. Even members of the Dawnguard have to undergo a ritual to gain their powers. There are some, however, that are more naturally attuned to magic. They can’t outright use magic on their own, but if they were to undergo the Dawnguard’s ritual or somehow gain access to magic some other way… Their power would be significantly greater than someone who doesn’t have that same natural attunement.”

“This… this is just so much to take in,” said Snow weakly. There was so much that she didn’t understand. She was scared, no, terrified. If this was true, if there really were demons in the world and… no, it was just too much. Demons, magic, ancient relics, witches, rituals… it was so much more than she had ever expected. This wasn’t how she had planned any of this to go. She had planned on extracting the truth from Michael and going to the police, but now… Could she even still do that? Michael had magic, whatever that meant. She had no idea what he was capable of. Could he stop her? Could he even erase her memories of the event? She couldn’t know and that thought terrified her even more than the thought of demons.

“Even if I believe this,” she said quietly. “Even if I believe all of this insanity, none of this excuses what you did to Mary. You could have talked to her. You could have told her everything, just like you told me. You could have asked her what she wanted. Do you have any idea how awful, how evil what you did was? To do that to someone, it’s… and Emily just sat there and watched? I don’t…”

“Snow, Emily is the one that asked me to do it,” Michael said delicately.

“She…”

“Emily knew everything,” said Michael. “She saw things she shouldn’t have seen and so I told her. Once she found out what Sebastian does, she begged me to protect Mary. It… it was the wrong choice, I know that. I’m not making excuses. Emily didn’t care if Mary hated us afterwards, but at least she would be alive. If we talked to her, asked her… she could have said no.”

“That was her choice to make, Michael!” Snow exploded, her anger boiling over so quickly it surprised even her. “You should have let her choose. Instead, you… you… You raped my best friend, Michael. God, it… it was Mary. She’s… she never… she didn’t… She didn’t want me to date you and she… I brought you around her all the time. I made her see her rapist daily. I made her… I made her…  God, what she must be feeling, it’s… I have to talk to her, but I don’t know how to even start.”

“Snow, Mary knows everything,” Michael said softly. “I… I told her everything. I told her that day we came to rescue you from Tony. She asked, said she deserved to know why. I told her and she… she’s okay. I don’t know if she’s forgiven me. If so, I don’t deserve it, but she knows and she’s okay. She keeps asking me to show her more about my world. She kept telling me that I should tell you the truth, too. She was right. I should have confessed everything to you. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough,” Snow snapped hotly. “Not for this, Michael. You raped Mary, you lied to me, and you kept secrets from me. I don’t even know who you are anymore. I never thought you could ever, ever do something like this. You… you’re not the man I fell in love with. He doesn’t exist, he… he never did. Not if you could force yourself on someone like that. Reasons be damned, motives be damned. I don’t give a shit if you were doing it for the greater good or not, it was a terrible thing to do. It’s unforgivable, Michael. It’s too much. It’s just… it’s too much.”

“Snow, I… I can’t expect you to be okay with this right away, but… please don’t just give up on me, on us, I…”

“There is no us,” Snow shot back, tears welling in her eyes. “There’s no us anymore, Michael. You saw to that. You ruined us. You ruined us before there ever even was an us. There’s no us. There’s no us and there will never be an us again, I can promise you that. We are done. I can’t look at you the same way again. I can barely look at you at all.”

“A very short time ago you told me there was nothing was too big that we couldn’t overcome it. You said you loved me and nothing was going to change that,” Michael reminded her quietly.

“Yeah, well, what the hell did I know?” Snow muttered, rolling her eyes. But as soon as she said it, she knew he was right. She was still in love with him, loathe as she was to admit it. Her feelings hadn’t changed. She was still so in love with him, with who she thought he was. She couldn’t forgive him, she wouldn’t, but she was still in love. She wished she wasn’t. She would have given anything in that moment to just not love him anymore, but she couldn’t stop.

“Snow, we… we can figure out a way through this,” Michael pleaded. “Please, I… I know what I’ve done is terrible, but… but…”

“There’s nothing else to say, Michael,” Snow said quietly. “I said we’re done and I meant it.” Michael nodded. He held his face in his hands for a moment, seeming to take time to collect himself.   

“If that’s the case then I need to tell you the rest,” He said after a minute of silence between them. He was crying and that made Snow cry even harder. It shouldn’t hurt her to see him in pain, but it did. She couldn’t explain it, but it was true. Seeing him cry caused an ache inside her than she couldn’t relieve. “It seems increasingly likely that the one Sebastian is searching for, the one who can give birth to his demonic offspring… is you.”

“M… me?” Snow asked, that fear returning in an instant. “Why me? I’m not ‘attuned to magic’ or whatever you said.”

“Except you are,” said Michael softly. “We’ve done tests. Not just on you, but on many people in town. Out of thousands of tests, you are the strongest we’ve found. There’s no magic in your blood, but if you’ll let me I can share my magic with you. If you have no natural attunement then it won’t work. If you do…” Snow stared at him for a long moment, unsure if she even wanted to know. She certainly didn’t want to know what sort of tests Michael was running on the townsfolk. The curious part of her, however, won out and she nodded.

Michael stood and went to her. He knelt in front of her and took hold of her arm. She shivered at his touch. If he noticed, he made no comment. He held out her hand, palm up, and told her to hold it there. She obeyed and Michael raised his own hand, forming a glowing ball of golden light in his palm. Snow stared at it, completely stunned by what she was seeing. It was counter to everything she believed, yet she was staring right at the proof that magic was indeed very real.

“Now, hold still,” said Michael. “Don’t worry, this won’t hurt. I’m going to place this orb in your hand. Without magical attunement, it would simply vanish once I let go and you certainly wouldn’t be able to hold it or manipulate it.” He reached out and placed the glowing orb into her hand. It hovered in her palm, feeling warm and airy. She stared at it with wide eyes as she slowly raised her hand to eye level, the ball of light floating silently in her hand.

“This… is…” Snow breathed, slowly shifting the light to her other hand. “I don’t even…” She placed her other hand on top of the ball of light and it dimmed slightly, she squeezed it tightly between her hands and instead of winking out as she expected, it burst sending a bolt a lightning arcing into the ceiling. Snow leapt back in surprise, looking at Michael who had the same shocked expression on his face that she was certain she had on hers.

“You shouldn’t have been able to do that,” Michael whispered, his eyes wide. “You… you shouldn’t have been able to amplify that into something else.”

“What did I just do?” Snow asked, her heart beating much faster than it ever should. “Michael…?”

“You just did something that I have never seen before,” said Michael nervously. “You’re a mortal girl, not an ounce of magic in your blood… but you just took a simple illumination spell and enhanced it with enough energy to blast a hole in my ceiling. Snow, that’s… that’s new, even for the Dawnguard and we’ve seen everything. You’re something different, and that terrifies me. If Sebastian gets his hands on you, I have no idea what he would be capable of.”

“This… this is a dream, this… this has to be a dream, I can’t… I can’t be a… whatever the hell you think I am!” Snow exclaimed, leaping to her feet. She was overwhelmed, scared, and so very confused. She had used magic and she wasn't supposed to be able to. She was capable of something that even Michael couldn't explain. She was the person this Sebastian was looking for. She was the one he wanted to carry his children. She felt sick. “I can’t… I can’t deal with this. I’m… I have to go see Mary. I need to check on Steven and Jackson, I… No, this is crazy. This is crazy, I’m… I’m leaving.” She started off toward the kitchen where she had left her purse and phone, but Michael called her back.

“Wait,” he said quietly. “Wait, there’s… there’s one more thing.” Snow stopped, took a deep, calming breath, and turned around.

“What?” She demanded, her chest heaving.

“I told you earlier that I could prove to you that I didn’t kill Sara,” Michael reminded her. “Before you leave, I need to give you that proof.”

Michael guided Snow to the door that led to the basement. He opened it and flicked on the light. Snow had expected to find a staircase that dropped off into a dark, damp basement but instead she was met with a brightly lit staircase that ended in a finely carpeted corridor. Snow's curiosity had already gotten the better of her. Despite everything that had happened that day, the insane revelations that she couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around and the aching pain in her heart of Michael's betrayal, she had to know what Michael was talking about. She had to see it for herself.

She followed Michael down the staircase and into the corridor beyond. It occurred to her that most people would think her crazy for going down into a basement with a man who had only minutes earlier admitted to raping her friend, but if Snow knew anything at that point it was that Michael would never hurt her. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, there had been plenty of opportunities for him to do so if that was what he wanted. Somehow, despite everything, she still felt safe with him. It sickened her.

They walked along the corridor which was paneled in highly polished oak and carpeted with thick, deep red carpet. There were no doors or any other identifying features as they walked for what felt like at least five minutes. Snow was on the verge of asking where they were, as they certainly could no longer be inside Michael's house, when the hallway dead ended at a door that reminded Snow of a bank vault.

"What... what is this?" Snow asked, more confused than ever. Michael sighed heavily.

"It's my last secret," Michael told her sadly. "It's... it started everything and I... Snow, when I open this door everything is going to change. Please just know that I kept this a secret for a very good reason." He then reached out and entered an eight digit code into the keypad beside the door. There was a sudden clanking of machinery as the heavy duty lock released and the door swung open. Michael indicated that Snow should go in and she did so. 

Inside, Snow found a rather luxurious apartment. There was a seating area off to her left and a gleaming kitchen to her right, but Snow didn't care. She was staring straight ahead at the figure standing just beyond the doorway to a darkened bedroom. She would recognize that silhouette anywhere, but... it was impossible.

"It's okay," Michael called. "You can come out." With what Snow thought was a great deal of nervousness, the figure stepped out of the bedroom and into the light. Snow stared, disbelieving. Her heart was pounding and her mind was reeling. It couldn't be, and yet it was.

"Hey, Snow," said Sara, giving the other girl a nervous little wave. "Guess who's not dead."   

57: Chapter LVII: What Sara Knows

It couldn’t be. No, it simply could not be. Sara was dead. She had seen her body. She had seen her bleeding on the floor, had heard the paramedics confirming her death. She had attended her funeral and stood beside her casket. She had looked down at her face as the lid had been closed. Sara was dead and buried. That, she knew, was fact. So, how was it then that Sara Blake was standing in front of her looking very much alive?

“How?” Snow breathed, staring at Sara with tears streaming down her face. “How is this possible?”

“What? No hug?” Sara asked, smirking. She stepped forward and pulled Snow into a tight hug. Snow wrapped her arms around her friend, so utterly confused she couldn’t form words to explain just how confused she was. She felt so real, so there. She felt just like Sara always had. Sara was still smiling when they broke apart. She lifted a strand of Snow’s dark hair. “I like this, Snowy, but you’re supposed to be a redhead.”

“I… I don’t… Sara, how are you alive?” Snow asked again. She was so confused and sad, but in that moment her heart was soaring. Sara was alive. That terrible night all those months ago might as well have never happened. Sara was alive. Sara was back and everything could go back to the way it was. “Look, I’m thrilled to see you. Really, I am, but you’re supposed to be dead. So, how did you survive?”

“Well, you have Michael to thank for that,” said Sara, nodding toward him where he stood near the doorway. Snow glanced back at him for a moment. He didn’t seem eager to involve himself in the conversation, and in fact was avoiding eye contact altogether. “How much did you tell her, Mike?”

“Everything,” he said dully. Sara whistled, obviously impressed.

“Damn, didn’t see that coming,” she said idly. “Snowy, I know it’s a lot to take in all at once. Believe me, I’ve had months to process this and sometimes I still can’t believe it’s real.” She gestured toward the small seating area. “C’mon, let’s sit down. This is kind of a long story.” Sara guided her over to a small, soft couch and the two girls sat down while Michael continued to lurk in the shadows by the door.

“Hmm… geez, where to start?” said Sara thoughtfully. “Okay, well, I guess first with how I survived. This guy here found me right after I was stabbed. The wounds were terrible, fatal with only mortal medicine. But Michael used magic to heal me.”

“If he healed you, then… then why did you…? We buried someone, so I don’t understand why…?” Snow muttered uncertainly.

“Her wounds were too severe for immediate healing,” said Michael from his place by the door. “Not even my witch friend Zoe could have done that, so I had to resort to more unusual measures. It took days of intensive magic to save her life, as I knew it would, so I had to make a choice. I used a similar method that the Dawnguard used to steal the Library of Alexandria. I moved the real Sara to Stonehaven and created a copy to leave behind. It wasn’t ideal, but at the time I didn’t have another choice. I could either let her die or fake her death and save her.”

“And you couldn’t tell me this?” Snow snapped hotly. “She’s my best friend and you couldn’t tell me that she was still alive?”

“At the time I had no idea who had tried to kill her,” said Michael quietly. “For all I knew, you were the one that had done it. You did find her, after all. I couldn’t be sure who to trust, so I kept it a secret. By the time I was sure you hadn’t done it, both you and Sara had told me about JTG. Sara and I were both certain that JTG was the one who had tried to kill her, so I did the only logical thing. I decided we had to keep Sara’s survival a secret from everyone outside of the Dawnguard. For her safety, she was to remain here in Stonehaven where she would be safe until JTG could be dealt with.”

“But you didn’t stay here, did you?” Snow asked, turning back to Sara. “You came to visit me. You came to visit all of us. You… you really did find me here. You saved me that day that I…” She held up her arm. The cut had healed quite well, but there was still a deep scar running along her forearm.

“Yeah,” said Sara quietly. “I did. When Michael left, he asked me to keep an eye on you. He was worried, and rightfully so. I found you bleeding out on the bathroom floor, so I used magic to stop you from bleeding to death and bandaged your wound. When Michael came back, and used magic again to knock you out hoping that you’d either forget our little chat or perhaps you’d just think you had dreamed the whole thing.”

“Wait, you can use magic?” Snow asked, surprised by this pronouncement. “You’re not…”

“I joined the Dawnguard,” said Sara idly. She smiled when Snow’s jaw dropped. “Yeah, okay, I understand why you’re surprised. I know you’ve learned some… less than flattering things about me, Snow. I’m sure you’re not… I know I did some terrible things to you and the girls, but… well, almost dying changes you. I’m not that person anymore. At least I’m trying not to be. When Michael told me what the Dawnguard did, I felt… Snow, I felt like I’d found my calling. I never knew what I was supposed to do with my life. I never cared. Now, though? I know what I’m meant to be doing. It’s this, it’s… protecting the world.”

“If you’re so happy here, why did you tell me to stay away from Michael?” Snow asked. “I mean, you came all the way to my house to tell me not to see him. You… oh, you’re S, aren’t you? You warned me to stay away from Michael. You lied to me when you said you didn’t know about JTG… And then you said that you didn’t… Well, ‘S’ said she didn’t kill you, but she was the reason you were gone. What did you mean?”

“Right, S,” said Sara uncertainly. “Not my best idea, I’ll admit. Michael got mad at me for sneaking out and forbade me to leave again. It was fair; if anyone saw me leaving or returning to the house it would obviously lead to some pretty awkward questions. People tend to become somewhat curious when they see a supposed dead girl lurking around the property, you see? So anyway, I managed to get my hands on a phone and tried to keep you well clear of all of this. I never wanted you involved and I certainly didn’t want you falling for Michael.” Snow almost said that she wished she had listened, but she held the comment back. There was no reason to lash out at Michael, no matter how angry she was with him. It would be being cruel just to be cruel.

“Obviously, you ignored me completely,” Sara continued. “I mean, you were right to do so. I didn’t exactly give you much information. I was just trying to keep you safe, Snow. This world, it… it’s dangerous and I knew if you got close to Michael, you might be dragged in too deep. When I lied about JTG, it was to get information. I couldn’t be too direct, so I was hoping you would give me something if I pretended to know nothing. Unfortunately for me, you were too smart for that. I can’t blame you for holding onto your secrets. I said so at the time. As for that last part… well, it’ll make more sense if I explain how I ended up at Michael’s party that night. And no, it’s not just because we were invited.”

“Okay,” said Snow, leaning back in her chair. “Why don’t you start at the beginning?”

“Well, it all started when my father died,” Sara began with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “So much was going on back then that just felt… wrong. Tony Sinclair had come to town and got pretty cozy with my mom, my soon-to-be-stepfather Rick, and Randy Sorrento.”

“Randy Sorrento?” Snow exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. As far as she knew, the Sorrentos had no connection to the Sinclairs, the Blakes, or Rick. “Nikki’s dad? What does he have to do with Tony?”

“Coal,” said Sara firmly. “You know Randy Sorrento was a major investor in one of the mining companies that wanted to strip mine the town, right? There was a lot more to what happened back then than I thought. Tony, Rick, my mom, and Randy apparently all wanted to buy up the town, bulldoze it, and mine the coal. My father, however, didn’t want to do so. I thought he was in on the deal, but I was wrong. He was opposed to it, for reasons I only recently discovered. My father knew about the demon that had been trapped deep in the caves beneath the Falls. He knew… because he was a member of the Dawnguard.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” said Snow, turning to Michael with wide eyes. Michael simply nodded.

“He was one of the best we had,” said Michael. “He and my parents worked harder than anyone to strengthen the Dawnguard. They’re responsible for making sure many of our previously abandoned outposts all around the world are now manned. The Dawnguard had fallen into obscurity for a time. It’s easy to recruit when you tell people they’ll be hunting demons and battling evil. It’s a bit harder when you tell them all they’ll be is glorified librarians like we mostly are today. Times have changed and there aren’t that many demons left in the world to fight.”

“My dad actively worked against them, trying to make sure the deal wouldn’t go through,” said Sara. “He knew if the town was strip mined then it was very likely that the demon would escape. When he ran out of options he went to your parents, Snow, and asked for their help. With their finances, buying the town wouldn’t be slightly difficult for them. It was the only way. He didn’t tell them about the demon, of course. He just asked for their help saving the town. They were only too happy to agree. A short time later, there was an explosion in one of my dad’s mines and he was killed. Does that not seem suspicious to you?”

“So you… you think Tony and everyone killed him?” Snow asked uncertainly. She had been wrong. She had so many questions, but she hadn’t known just how many questions she had. This was something altogether new. How did it all connect? Did it all connect?

“I know he did… I know they all did,” Sara said grimly. “After he died, my mom almost immediately married Rick. I’m still not sure why. There must be a reason, but I don’t know for sure. It’s probably that she just wanted the comfort. Rick was extremely rich and, well, Mom’s always loved the finer things in life. But I just couldn’t get over my father’s death. I knew something was wrong, so I took… pretty drastic action. As you may or may not know by this point, Steven is gay.”

“Yeah… I know, Sara,” Snow said darkly, a sudden anger boiling up inside her. A flood of memories washed over her and she recalled the terrible things Sara had done. She was happy Sara was alive, ecstatic even, but she realized then that everything would never go back to the way it was. Things had changed and she saw Sara differently now. The girl she had known, much like Michael, was just an illusion. She couldn’t forget what Sara had done. “That was really, really messed up. What you did to him…”

“I didn’t feel good about it, but I was desperate,” said Sara quietly. “I had nowhere else to turn, so… so I got the money from Steven. I used it to pay the best private investigator I could find. I asked him to find out if there was anything suspicious about my father’s death. Two days later he met me, returned the money, and told me that he would not be continuing his investigation and that if I knew what was good for me, I wouldn’t look into it any further either. He was scared and I hadn’t gotten any answers, but I did know one thing. I knew that something was wrong. For him to be that scared… I knew that my father had been murdered.”

“So, did JTG have anything to do with it?” Snow asked curiously. “I mean, it sounds like JTG considering how scared your P.I. was.”

“No, I don’t think so,” said Sara thoughtfully. “This was before JTG appeared. I don’t think JTG had anything to do with it. Afterwards, I began a very slow investigation into my father’s affairs. I had to find something, but I knew I had to be careful. I discovered that my dad had dealings with Michael’s parents. Obviously I didn’t know anything about the Dawnguard, but I was very suspicious of their connection. Not long after that, Miranda and I got into the fight on the top of Lookout Point and she fell to her death. A few months later was when I was first contacted by JTG. ‘I know what you did last summer. You won't live through the next one. Feliz Navidad, Bitch’. It was the first message, but it wouldn’t be the last.”

-.-

“I’ve been calling Snow all this time and she’s not picking up,” Clara exclaimed when she climbed into the back seat of Nikki’s car. “I’ve called Michael and he’s not answering either. I talked to Kayla and she thought she went out to Michael’s, but I can’t get either of them to answer.”

“JTG wanted all of us,” said Mary nervously. “If we don’t all show up…”

“We can go to Michael’s house and get her,” Nikki suggested, but Clara shook her head and pointed at the clock on the dash.

“We’ve got half an hour until our time is up and Jackson and Steven die,” said Clara. She had already considered Nikki’s suggestion and she knew it was out of the question. “We don’t have time to go all the way out to his place and then get to the mines in time. We’ll have to go without her. For all we know, JTG already has her. Maybe he’s taken her too.”

“JTG said all of us, though,” Mary reminded her. “If Snow’s not there…”

“Three is better than none,” said Nikki pointedly. “We have to do something. We can’t just let Steven and Jackson die. As if to emphasize her point, their phones all chimed. With great trepidation, the three girls took out their phones.

Half an hour, bitches. Tick tock --JTG

A picture accompanied the message. It was of Steven and Jackson, their faces were bloodied and they were clearly unconscious. They were slumped against a stone wall, clearly arranged there by JTG.

“Go,” said Clara, staring in horror at the picture. She could feel it. JTG’s threat was real. “Go!” She shouted, beating the back of Nikki’s seat with her hand. Nikki jumped as though stung and threw the car into gear.

Twenty minutes later Nikki’s car skidded to a stop at the gates to the old mines outside of town. Clara, Mary, and Nikki got out of the car and surveyed the area. It was clear that the mining site had been abandoned for years. The area was overgrown and what little equipment that remained was rusted near to uselessness. Directly ahead of them, near the wide tunnel dug into the side of the mountain, sat Steven’s car. Pieces of computer equipment were scattered around the inside of the open trunk, but otherwise there was no sign of Jackson or Steven.

“Where are they?” Mary asked fretfully, peering around nervously. “Do you… do you think they… that JTG took them in there?” She pointed toward the entrance to the mine.

“Jackson said he heard Steven screaming inside the mine,” said Clara quietly. “I… I guess JTG could have knocked them both out and dragged them inside. Should we… you know, go in?”

“We came all this way, didn’t we?” Nikki asked, stalking off toward the entrance. “Let’s go do this thing.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Clara, hurrying after her while Mary brought up the rear. Using the flashlights on their phones, they walked through the gaping maw of the mine entrance and into the terrifying darkness beyond. Without the lights from their phones, Clara could see nothing as they slowly pressed on into the drilled out tunnel.

They passed nothing but rocks and dirt for five minutes until at last they arrived at a T-junction. Lying slumped against the stone wall were Jackson and Steven. Their faces were bloodied and beaten, but they could see from the movement in their chests that they were still breathing. The three girls rushed forward and knelt beside them.

“Jackson,” Mary called, gently shaking him in an effort to wake him. “Jacks… Jacks, come on. Wake up!” Nikki did the same to Steven, but got no response. Clara however turned, shining her light down both tunnels for anyone approaching them.

“This is where JTG took that picture she sent us, but… but where is she?” Nikki asked, looking around as though she expected to see a signpost pointing her in the right direction. Clara squinted, trying to see details through the oppressive darkness. It didn’t help. Her attention was drawn back to the others when a groan rose up from Steven.

-.-

“I remember that box,” said Snow quietly, remembering that day after Halloween when they had found the box in her attic. “We found that box. It’s how we knew you were part of JTG’s game too. We didn’t know it was the first message, but it made it pretty clear that JTG was the one who killed… who tried to kill you.”

“Yes,” Sara muttered darkly. “See, this is where things started to go wrong. Well… even more wrong. JTG started sending me messages, guiding me down a particular path. Whoever the hell this is had me convinced that Michael here was JTG. By the time Michael’s party was approaching, I was certain Michael was JTG… I just needed to find proof. That’s when I tracked Michael to the Mystic Motel and… and saw what he did to Mary.”

“What happened?” Snow asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know. “That night, I mean? When Michael… when Mary… After you filmed the video, what happened?”

“Well, I barged into the room like a badass and told Michael that he was well and truly screwed,” said Sara. “I had him by the balls and I was thrilled. I had a way to send the bastard to prison and get JTG off my back… or so I thought. I took Mary home and begged her let me take her to the hospital. She refused. She even refused to report what happened to the police. She didn’t want anyone to know. I had the video, but… if I took it to the police myself, I… I couldn’t do that to Mary, so… so I came up with another plan.”

“A positively brilliant plan, if you ask me,” said Michael, shaking his head. “Snow, just… just wait until you hear this one. If you think I’m twisted, just listen to this.”

“Sara, what did you do?” Snow asked, a cold knot settling in her stomach. She knew. She knew what Sara was going to say before she said it. All the pieces suddenly fell into place and she just knew.

“I drugged you,” Sara confessed, her gaze dropping to the floor. She looked nervous, perhaps more scared than Snow had ever seen her. “I had your drink in my hand, it… it was easy. I had a two stage plan. I was never going to have that much unfettered access to Michael’s house, so… so I did the unthinkable. I thought Michael was a rapist. If I couldn’t use the video of Mary…”

“You thought you could trick Michael into molesting me while I was unconscious, film it, and use that instead,” Snow finished her sentence for her, her eyes flashing dangerously. “Michael’s right, you are twisted. You… you gave me to someone you thought was a rapist. You put me, your best friend, you… you…” Snow was so angry that her words failed her. Her blood was boiling. How many times was she going to be betrayed by people she trusted? By people she loved?

“Snow, I was just…”

“I don’t give a damn what you were trying to do,” Snow snapped, leaping to her feet. “To hell with you, Sara. You know what? To hell with both of you. You deserve each other, so I hope you enjoy staying here. You’re both sick and twisted and… and… God, you’re disgusting. Hell, at least Michael was trying to keep Mary safe, but you… you just used me. You used me as bait for a rapist.”

“Snow…”

“No!” Snow shouted, tears shining in her blue eyes. “No, Sara. There’s no explaining this. There’s no making this okay. You… God, you’re… I never saw it before. Everyone else did, but I was so damn blind. Everyone else knew what you really are, but I couldn’t see it. I see it now, though. We’re all just dolls to you, aren’t we? You dress us up and you play with us. Are we even people to you? Do you even care about us at all? See, we’ve changed in the months since you’ve been away, Sara. When you ‘died’, we changed. Me and the girls, we’re free of you. Right after it happened, we weren’t even sure if we would stay friends without you, but what we realized was that we weren’t friends because of you. Hell, maybe we’re friends in spite of you. Those girls are my family, my whole world. They are my everything. I’d die for them. I’d kill for them. They would do the same for me in a heartbeat. We would never use each other like that. Clearly, you would.”

“Snow, I’m sorry,” said Sara, and she truly looked it. “I was desperate and scared, I… I wasn’t going to let him hurt you, I just… I needed something. You’ve been fighting JTG for months. Are you really telling me you wouldn’t do whatever you had to do to catch this psychopath?”

“I would never turn on my friends,” Snow snapped. “Never. Not to stop JTG. Not for anything.” Snow shook her head. “Like I said, you two enjoy your time together. You’re a perfect match. I’m leaving. I should have expected this after Steven hacked his way into your laptop and we read those little dossiers you wrote on us. Clearly you didn’t think very highly of us.”

“My laptop?” Sara asked, arching her eyebrows curiously. “Steven hacked into it?”

“Yeah, we took it after Rick asked us to help clear out some of your stuff,” Snow explained. “We thought there might be something about JTG on it. Once Steven got into it, JTG must have done something because before he could save any of the files, the computer erased its hard drive. We think JTG didn’t want us learning whatever it was you knew.”

“Ugh… fuck,” Steven whimpered, holding a hand to his head. “Nikki, what… what happened? What are you doing here?”

“Well, there was a lot on there and I’m sure there were things you didn’t know,” said Sara, her eyes narrowing. “But the thing I’m wondering about is why Steven had to hack into the computer.”

“Jackson called me,” Clara told him. “He said you had disappeared and he heard you scream. After that JTG must have attacked him and taken his phone because JTG came on the line and told us to come here if we wanted to see either of you alive again.”

“How else would he get into the computer?” Snow asked, quite confused. She felt certain that Steven didn’t have magic and therefore couldn’t wave his hand and magically access the computer.

“You’re so stupid,” said Steven, trying to force himself to his feet. He pressed his hands against the wall behind him to help him stand.   

“It might not have been the best idea, but what choice did we have?” Nikki asked him. “JTG would have killed you otherwise. We had to come, stupid or not.”

“Snow, Steven was the one who put those security measures in place to begin with,” said Sara slowly. “There was no need for him to hack into it. He knew the passwords to everything. He was helping me, he… he helped me for months. I told him everything about JTG. I called him right after I got that first message from JTG and he worked with me up until JTG tried to kill me. He was even at Michael’s party to watch my back. But he must have told you all that… right?”

“That’s not why you’re stupid,” said Steven quietly. He stood up fully, clearly not needing the wall to support him. “You’re stupid because you never saw what was right in front of your faces all along.”

“No,” said Snow, her mind reeling. Why? Why would Steven lie about that? Why wouldn’t he tell them he knew about JTG and that he had been helping Sara? “No, he never said a word, he…”

“Steven, what…” Mary began, but Clara interrupted her. She did so because a sudden, crushing realization had struck her and she knew. She felt it in her soul and she knew. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t realized it before.

But then Snow remembered. She remembered Steven sitting across a crowded coffee shop, watching her with a smile on his face moments after JTG had sent her a text. It had been there all along, since the very beginning, but she had dismissed it. He’d lied to her… he had lied to all of them. She let out a shuddering gasp.

“Oh, God…”

“No…” Clara whispered, an icy chill running down her spine. “That’s why Jackson said he never thought it was you when he called. You’re JTG.” Steven smiled, a dark, twisted smile that Clara had never seen on his face before. He raised a handgun and aimed it at Clara, still grinning widely.  

“Congratulations, Clara,” he said gravely. “You figured it out. Game over, bitches.” 

58: Chapter LVIII: Apotheosis

“Snow, you can’t just run off to an abandoned mine by yourself!” Sara exclaimed while she and Michael raced after Snow as she marched toward her car. Snow turned on the spot, slamming her hand down on the hood. Snow’s emotions were a horrific, twisted mess. She was happy, sad, angry, hopeless, heartbroken, betrayed, and terrified all at the same time.

After Sara’s revelation that Steven had known about JTG all along and her own realization that he was, in fact, the psychopath that had stalked them for months, Snow had rushed upstairs to the kitchen to retrieve her phone and tell Jackson that he had gone to the mines with a killer. It was then that she had seen the dozen missed calls and half again as many text messages from her friends. Steven was initiating his endgame, she knew that. Her friends had no idea what they were walking into. She had no idea what Steven was going to do to them, but if this really was the end of the game then she felt certain it would involve a great degree of finality.

“I have to go,” Snow shot back at the other girl. “The girls and Jackson are in danger and they have no idea that Steven’s behind all of this. They aren’t answering their phones, so JTG… so Steven probably already has them. I’ve got to go right now.”

“Then we’re coming with you,” Sara insisted, but Snow shook her head.

“No,” she snapped. “Neither of you are coming anywhere with me.” Her gaze flicked over to Michael. “Stay here. No, I mean it this time. Do not show up at that mine, either of you. If you do then I swear to God, Michael, the whole world will find out what you did to Mary. Reasons be damned, you raped her and I will put you away for the rest of your life if you cross me. I’ll tell everyone about you too, Sara. The whole town will find out you’re still alive and then they’ll come asking questions. I mean it. Both of you; stay here.” She was being unfair, she knew that. Sara and Michael were trying to help, and given that both of them had some sort of magical powers they might well be able to help quite a lot. She was just so angry with both of them that she didn’t want them to go with her. She wanted to be as far away from them as she could get.

She wrenched open her car door, but Michael reached out and seized it before she could get inside and close it. For one wild moment she thought he was going to try and stop her from leaving. Instead, he took her hand in his and she immediately felt a sense of calmness flow through her. Her fear, her anger, everything just melted away.

“What… what did you do to me?” Snow asked, looking up at him uncertainly. “Did you use magic on me?”

“Just to calm you down,” said Michael gently. “If you’re intent on doing this, I don’t want you running off half cocked with your emotions running wild. If you’re going to face JTG alone, I want you thinking clearly. I’m terrified to let you go alone, but I’m at least going to do what I can to make sure you’re in the best shape you can be in.”

“I… well, thanks, I…”

“And also, before you go… I want to show you something. If you’ll let me, that is?” Snow hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded. Michael raised his hand and pressed it to the side of her head, his fingers pressing against her temple. Snow felt a sudden wave of intense nausea wash over her and she stumbled. Michael caught her and held her upright as her vision blurred. After a few moments her sight cleared and the nausea passed. Michael released her once she was sure she could stand on her own and took a step back.

“If you were trying to show me that you have to power to make me feel like throwing up, you really didn’t have… to…” Her sentence died in her throat when she caught sight of something over Michael’s shoulder, something she knew had never been there before.

The walls of vast castle rose up in the distance. Shaped like a pentagon, the walls were modeled after medieval castles however they were clearly not made of stone, but instead a shimmering white metallic material. The structure sat atop a nearby hill which provided excellent lines of sight from the five towers that stood at the five points of the pentagon. In the center was what Snow immediately knew, even from that distance, could be nothing but the Great Library of Alexandria. A wide, circular tower rose high above the walls, its many stained glass windows shimmering in the sunlight. She wished she could get closer, to see more, but she knew she had to go. JTG was waiting for her. Still, she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from the sight.

“Welcome to Stonehaven, Snow,” Michael said gently.

“It’s… That’s… that’s really the Library of Alexandria, isn’t it?” Snow breathed, her heart once again racing. “That’s… Michael, that building is two thousand years old. What’s in there?”

“So many things, Snow,” Michael told her. Snow’s curiosity was overwhelming everything else, but she knew she mustn’t let it do so. So much was at stake, but she was face to face with every intellectual’s wet dream. An absolute treasure trove of history and knowledge thought to be lost forever, and she was looking right at it. She had to have answers. She had to see it all.

“We’ll show you everything,” Sara promised. Snow turned to look at her and saw that she was crying. She had to think long and hard before she could recall another time she had seen Sara cry. It had been when her father died years before. “We’ll show you everything, you… you just have to come back to us. Please. Snow, what you’re about to go do… facing off with Steven, just… Snowy, promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I will,” Snow swore, giving her friend a reassuring smile. “I’ll be careful.” It was a subconscious reaction, for she certainly hadn’t meant to do it but she reached out and squeezed Michael’s forearm tightly. “I promise.” Michael looked down at her, his expression unreadable. 

“Snow…” He began, his voice tight.

“I promise,” Snow repeated as firmly as she could. “I’ll be back, I promise.” She took once last glance up at Stonehaven, looming in the distance in a steadily increasing bank of fog, before getting into her car and firing up the engine. As she drove away, she glanced into the rear view mirror and watched Michael and Sara standing there together, watching her. There was so much, so much that she didn’t understand. She was angry and confused, but her problems with Michael and Sara could be dealt with tomorrow. For that night, she had bigger issues to confront. Steven was JTG and he was ending their game. That night, no matter the outcome, the game would be over.

On her way to the mines, Snow dialed Steven’s number. There was no sense in playing anymore games. The secrets were out. There was no reason to beat around the bush any longer. If Steven wanted to play, they would play.

“Hey, Snow,” said Steven nonchalantly when he answered. “What’s up?”

“Cut the bullshit, Steven,” Snow snapped. “I know you’re JTG. What have you done with my friends?”

“Well now, aren’t you just the feisty little vixen tonight?” Steven asked, his tone darkening. “Fine, if you want it to go that way. Your friends are alive. I have them here, in the old mines. Perhaps you should join us. I must ask, though, how did you figure it all out? I know you were at Michael’s tonight. I assume you told him all about my little video? What did he tell you? Did he tell you the truth? Oh my, he told you about Sara, didn’t he?”

“You knew?” Snow asked, shocked. She had thought he would be clueless about Sara’s survival. How could he possibly have known that?

“Oh Snow, don’t you know by now? I know everything,” said Steven idly. “I must admit, she eluded me for a while. I thought she was really dead and in the ground, but sadly I was mistaken. She came to visit you, after all. That little trip told me everything I needed to know. Somehow, Sara was still alive. I’d really hate to be the person who tried to kill her. That poor bastard couldn’t even kill a defenseless teenager.”

“Wait, you… you tried to kill Sara,” Snow said, surprised by Steven’s words. “You said she wouldn’t survive the summer, it… it was you. It had to be you.” It just had to be Steven. He was JTG and JTG had killed Sara, she had been sure of it. If he hadn’t, if he was telling the truth then that meant there was another killer in town. It meant that someone that even the all-knowing JTG hadn’t been able to identify had tried to kill her best friend. Snow hadn’t thought she was capable of being more afraid. She was wrong.

“Oh yeah?” Steven asked. “Well, how is it then that I didn’t do it? Sorry, but I never got to lay a hand on Sara. I wanted to, though. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted Sara very dead. I fully intended to kill her, but not that night. It took me some time to discover just what had happened and how she survived, but eventually I learned the truth. Oh, to be part of the Dawnguard and have magic. All this would be so much easier if I could just snap my fingers and make things happen. Do you realize how long it took to arrange our little game on Halloween? Ah, but we can discuss all of this in person.”

“Why are you doing this?” Snow asked desperately. “We were friends, I… I don’t understand. I thought…”

“Oh yes, I’m sure you thought,” said Steven dryly. “We are not friends, Snow. We’ve never been friends. Come to the mines, alone, and I’ll tell you everything. Our game is ending and you’ll want to be here to see it all come to its glorious conclusion.” The line went dead.

Call the police, Snow told herself as she drove. Call your parents, call someone, call anyone. Don’t go up to this mine by yourself. Steven is going to kill you. He’s going to kill your friends, if he hasn’t already. If you go, you’re going to be murdered. You’re defenseless. You have no weapons and no ability to protect yourself. You will die. She knew it, she accepted it, and she did exactly as JTG… as Steven had instructed.

She stopped her car near the entrance to the old abandoned mine fifteen minutes later. Nikki and Steven’s cars were parked nearby, but there were no sign of their owners or any of her friends. She got out of her car, phone in hand, and made her way toward the mine entrance. She realized as she walked that she was the perfect image of the stupid teenager from pretty much any horror movie. She would yell at the screen for the character to not go into the dark room by herself and point out how stupid it was to wear high heels when running through the woods. Her own five inch stilettos clattered along the rocky path as she held the flashlight on her phone out in front of her, lighting the way ahead. As she walked toward the entrance, a sudden burst of static from the overhead loudspeakers that had once been used to make announcements throughout the mining site startled her so badly that she very nearly fell down. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she calmed down enough to hear what had followed the static.

I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart
In my heart I have but one desire
And that one is you
No other will do

I've lost all ambition for worldly acclaim
I just want to be the one you love
And with your admission that you feel the same
I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of

Believe me

I don't want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart

Steven stepped out of the shadows surrounding the mine entrance as that terrible song filled Snow’s ears. He smirked, shaking his head in a manner that seemed to say he was disappointed to see her there.

“You actually came,” he said, sounding surprised. “And here I thought you were smarter than that. I guess I shouldn’t ever underestimate your dedication to your friends.” Before she could move, before she could even think of defending herself, he was upon her. His hands encircled her throat, squeezing with all of his might. He forced her to the ground, unfazed by her weak attempts to fight him off. He was much bigger and far stronger than she was. As her body hit the cold stone floor of the mining tunnel, she realized that she was about to die. Steven was going to strangle her to death right there on the ground and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes and he stared back with a vindictive smile on his face. He wasn’t even going to speak He wasn’t going to give her any answers. He was going to kill her and she would never know why. Once again, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing. What did she really have to live for? Even her happy future with Michael had been ripped away from her. Maybe it had never been real, had never even been possible since Michael had destroyed them before they had ever started dating, but she had still believed in it. That beautiful image had given her hope and now… now it was gone.

Her mother was dying. Her friends might already be dead. Michael was a rapist. Sara had betrayed her and used her, and now Steven, someone she had thought was a friend… Why keep fighting? It would just be so simple. She could just let go. She was tired, so tired. It had been the worst year of her life and she couldn’t stop thinking about how pleasant it would be to… just fade away. That was exactly what she did.

-.-

Snow jerked awake with a gasp, her heart racing. It took her quite a few moments to remember where she was and what was happening. She lay on the couch in Michael’s living room. The TV on the wall was playing a movie, but she paid it no attention. Behind her, Michael wrapped his arm tightly around her.

“Are you okay, baby?” He asked her, propping himself up on his elbow so he could see her face.

“Yeah, I…”

“She fell asleep on Family Movie Night again,” said a male voice from across the room. Snow looked and saw the girl she had seen in her visions sitting on a loveseat next to a boy that had to be about the same age as she was. He looked like a younger version of Michael, with his dark flyaway hair. Still, much like the girl he had his mother’s blue eyes. It was he, her son, who had spoken. The girl, her daughter, nudged him with her elbow.

“Leave her alone, Ryan,” she said grumpily. “She’s tired. What have you done today other than lounge around the house?”

“I work hard all the time, baby sister,” Ryan said pointedly. The girl frowned.

“We are twins,” she said fiercely. Ryan smirked.

“I was born first,” he reminded her. “I was here five whole minutes before you, Riley.” It took Snow’s foggy brain a moment to associate the name Riley with the girl from her visions. Of course, Michael’s sister Riley that had drowned. She felt silly for forgetting that her eldest daughter had been named for the two women whose deaths had completely altered her parents’ lives. Ariana’s death had changed Snow and Riley’s had shaped Michael’s entire life. Their daughter had then been named in honor of both of them: Ariana Riley Ravenswood. Almost everyone called the girl Riley. How had she forgotten?

Her children were everything to her and it surprised her that falling asleep on the couch and dreaming that awful dream had shaken her so harshly. She tore her eyes away from the twins, who had both turned their attention back to the movie, and looked to the right where a twelve-year-old boy with brown hair sat on the floor with a girl of ten with bright red hair fighting over a bowl of popcorn; Luke and Olivia. Both of them had been surprises, but they were wonderful surprises. They had also met Michael’s wishes. He’d always wanted a boy and a girl, then another boy and another girl. He had gotten just what he wanted and Snow had quickly realized that it was what she wanted too.

Clarissa, the tiny six-year-old who sat on the floor in front of the couch her parents lay on, had been the biggest surprise of all. Snow remembered that day well, right after Olivia was born. She had been told by her doctor that she would be unable to have any more children. Despite the fact that she and Michael already had a large family, something inside of Snow died at that revelation. But then, six years ago, Snow had discovered that she was pregnant with her fifth child. The joy in the Ravenswood household had risen to levels unlikely to be rivaled again. Little Clarissa had been a miracle in a home that desperately needed one. As Snow lay there, watching the little girl playing with her doll while her dark red hair bounced around her shoulders, Michael tightened his arm around her again.

“Hey,” he said softly so their children wouldn’t hear. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Snow nodded, settling back against him.

“Yeah, I… I just had that dream again,” she confessed, closing her eyes tightly.

“Oh,” said Michael uncertainly. “The one about JTG?”

“Yeah, that one,” said Snow. “I just… I can’t shake it, Mike. It’s like JTG is haunting me. Hell, maybe he is.”

“It’s just a dream, Snowflake,” Michael said reassuringly. “Dreams can’t hurt you. They can’t hurt our family. You don’t have to worry about JTG. You’re safe, my love, I promise.”

“Yeah, no… no, I know,” Snow said quietly. “It just gets to me. That dream, it’s just so real. I feel like it’s happening, really happening.”

“It’s not,” Michael said firmly. “It’s not happening. It will never happen, Snow. Our family is safe.”

Safe. It was a good word. She found it brought her a good deal of comfort as she let herself sink into Michael’s embrace. Her family was safe. Her children were safe. She could sleep without fear. Even if she dreamed that terrible dream, she could wake knowing that her family was safe. That, she felt, was more than enough.

“Wake up, Snow,” she heard a voice whisper in her ear. It must be Michael. Perhaps the movie had ended and it was time to put the kids to bed.

“Wake up, Snow!” A sharp blow to her head caused her eyes to snap open. Steven hovered above her, his hand raised to strike her again if she did not wake. She was instantly filled with terror. She had been sure she was going to die. Steven had seized her throat, but it appeared he had only held her long enough to make her pass out. The last thing she remembered was that feeling of slipping away.

“Good, it’s about time you woke up,” said Steven. He turned and busied himself for a moment off to Snow’s left, giving her time to take stock of her surroundings. They must certainly still be in the mines because the room they were in appeared to have been carved out of solid rock. It was very dark outside of cone of light from the single spotlight that had been wheeled into the room. Snow had been stripped to her underthings and tied to a metal frame that had been placed upon some sort of rolling cart. No matter how much she struggled against her bonds, she couldn’t move an inch other than to lift her head up from the frame.

Steven stood off to her left, busying himself with something she couldn’t see. There were a number of disturbing sounds coming from that direction and none of them did she like. After a few minutes, Steven turned back around holding a rather demonic looking dagger in his hand. Snow’s eyes widened as she stared at the shining silver blade before she switched gaze to Steven’s face. He was glaring at her, clearly watching her reaction.

“We, little Snow, have reached the end of our game,” said Steven, walking over to her and tracing the blade of his dagger along the metal frame mere inches from her skin. The screeching sound the blade made as it scratched the metal would be sure to give Snow nightmares for the rest of her days assuming she had any days left. “I spent a long time preparing all of this, getting us to this moment,” Steven continued. “Not everything went exactly to plan, of course, but it was easier than I had anticipated. Now, let’s begin.”

“Begin what?” Snow asked pleadingly. “Why are you doing this? What… what do you want from us?”

“Oh, Snow,” said Steven, laughing and shaking his head. “Oh, Snow, Snow, Snow. I don’t want anything from you. Why do you think I never issued any demands? I’m not doing this because I want something from you. I’m doing this, Snow, to punish you. You are the true evil in this town. You and your perfect, precious, pretty little friends are what’s wrong with this town. You believe because you’re rich and beautiful that you can get away with anything. You think you can use people and abuse people and never pay the price. You think you can get away with murder. Newsflash, bitch! You can’t.”

“We didn’t want to,” Snow said quietly. “We want to be better, we… we’re trying. We never meant to do that stuff, we just… We aren’t like Sara, we never did the things she did, we…”

“You stood by and let it happen!” Steven hissed furiously. “You all knew what Sara was really like. You saw the way she treated people and yet you stood by and let her do whatever she wanted. Inaction in the face of abuse is as bad as doing it yourself. You’re guilty. You’re all guilty. You’ve already been judged, Snow. I’m just the executioner.”

“So you really are going to kill us then,” Snow said, unable to keep her voice from trembling. “My friends… are they…?”

“Still alive,” said Steven grimly. “For now. I wanted to start with you. It seemed fitting, you know? You’re their leader, right? You’re the queen bee. The Queen of Mistbrook High. The arrogance… The unbelievable, conceited arrogance of you people is sickening. So yes, I’m going to kill you. Before that, I’m going to punish you. I’m going to teach you a harsh lesson. I’m going to hurt you. Then, only then, once you’ve learned… only then will I kill you.” He turned and began to slowly circle Snow, occasionally dragging the dagger along the frame to frighten her. It was unnecessary as she was already more afraid than she had ever been in her life.

“How does it feel?” Steven asked suddenly from somewhere above her head. “How does it feel to know that you’re going to die on this table? To know, with certainty, that your feet will never hold your weight again? Is it scary? Are you scared, Snow? Answer!” He shouted the last word, slamming the dagger point down into the metal she laid upon less than an inch from her left hand.

“Are. You. Scared?”

“Yes,” Snow breathed out, her heart feeling as though it would soon burst from her chest. Her entire body with trembling in terror and her chest was heaving. Did he really have to ask if she was scared? “Yes, I’m scared.”

“Mmm… that little crack in that sweet voice,” Steven said quietly. “Has anyone ever told you the sexiest thing about you is your voice? I mean, you’re beautiful don’t get me wrong, but that voice though. You do some amazing things with it when you and Michael are going at it.” He shrugged and shook his head again. He began to circle her once again before he spoke. “I’ve thought long and hard about how we were going to play today. I considered all sorts of options. Have you ever heard of white torture? You’re locked in a room devoid of any color but white. Your meals consist of white rice on white paper plates and pin-drop silence is maintained around the cell so the only sounds you hear are sounds you make. Eventually, the sensory deprivation drives you insane. It might be fun, but I really don’t feel like sitting around waiting while you slowly lose your mind.

“No, I think something a bit more… physical is in order for you. Sexual torture might be interesting. Something… hmm…” He slid his hand across the lace fabric of her panties and her entire body tensed and contracted. He couldn’t… he wouldn’t…

“Steve, please…” Snow whispered, tears suddenly shining in her eyes. “Please, don’t do this.” Steven looked down at her with a mock look of concern on his face.

“Oh, Snowy, don’t you want to play?” Steven asked her, seeming genuinely hurt. “This could be fun. Just imagine it, Snowy. It would even feel good for a while and then, right when you’re seconds away from that oh so wondrous release, I won’t let you have it. We could go on for hours. Days, perhaps, if we’re lucky. No? No. No, that doesn’t quite fit. No, I want the punishment to fit. I’ve already arranged for the others, but you always gave me trouble. So, I think what we’ll do is something much more direct. I’m just going to hurt you. I’m going to make you scream.”

Steven plunged the blade into Snow’s thigh. Snow’s anguished cry echoed through the stone passageways, reverberating throughout the mine. She barely heard it. For a moment, she hadn’t even realized she was screaming; the pain was that great. The blade had cut to the bone, she was sure of it. Steven wrenched the dagger from her thigh and watched as her blood began to pool on the stone floor.

“This won’t last nearly long enough,” said Steven with a heavy sigh. “It’s painful, certainly, but I’d hate for you to bleed to death before we’re done. No, I think the perfect method is an oldie but a goodie.” Steven turned away for a moment and returned with what appeared to be a small remote control. “You might recognize this little metal construct you’re strapped to. It’s the very same one we used on Halloween for our game. Tonight, we’re going to play another game. I’m going to ask you questions and you’re going to answer. If I like your answer, nothing happens. If I don’t, well…” He pressed the button and lightning arced across Snow’s body. She remembered it well. It was pain beyond description, pain that shouldn’t be survivable and yet still she lived. Then, suddenly, the pain was gone and she was left trembling. She had done her very best not to cry, but she could hold back her tears no longer.

“Steve… Steve, please don’t do this,” she begged. She couldn’t face this again. That terrible night still haunted her dreams. She couldn’t go through it again. “You don’t have to do this, Steve. Please, I… I know you hate me. I know you hate all of us and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything we did. I know we hurt you, I know we hurt a lot of people, but we didn’t mean to. Maybe Sara did, but the rest of us didn’t. Please, just let us go. We… we won’t tell anyone about any of this. We’ll be better, I swear. I don’t want to die, please…”

“You wanted to die when you did this,” Steven snapped, seizing her arm and pressing his thumb painfully to the scar that still shone on her wrist. “You wanted to die that night. You tried to end our game early. No one gets to stop playing early. Not you, not Jackson, not...”

“What about Jackson?” Snow asked, changing directions quickly. The pain in her leg was unbearable, so agonizing that she was having trouble keeping her thoughts straight. But he was talking to her. She had to keep him talking. If she could keep him talking, then maybe… just maybe… “I understand why you hate the rest of us. We were Sara’s friends. We’re guilty by association, but Jackson? What did he do to make you hate him enough to do this to him? I thought he was your best friend?”

“He was… once,” said Steven quietly. “But he’s been a very bad boy indeed, so I had to punish him too. I value trust and honesty, Snow, and our dear Jackson has been anything but trustworthy and honest with you. He cheated on you, Snow, he…”

“Shockingly, I know that,” said Snow abruptly. “I know he slept with Emilia, that’s hardly…” Snow trailed off as Steven burst out laughing.

“Emilia, you… you think she’s the worst of his sins?” Steven chuckled. “Oh, Snow… Yes, Jackson cheated with Emilia. He also cheated with Hannah Morris, Aria Welch, Spencer Montgomery... and maybe a few others as well. I'll leave it to your own wild imagination. The scummy bastard was cheating on you for over a year because you refused to sleep with him. I doubt he even remembers their names; the girls he screwed while pretending to be faithful to you. I do, though. I remember them all. I watched as he lied to your face and at the same time stabbed you in the back.” Somewhere in the back of Snow’s mind, she felt the betrayal. She knew it should hurt. She knew Steven was telling the truth and that Jackson had been unfaithful to her just as he said. Buried in some deep section of her mind, she stored that feeling away. It didn’t matter, really. She already knew Jackson had cheated on her. Did it really matter if it had happened once or one hundred times? 

“He was hurting me,” said Snow. “I’d have thought that would make you happy. Why didn’t you two get together and stalk us. I’m sure you’d have made a great team.”

“Jackson doesn’t have the stomach for what needs to be done,” said Steven haughtily. “Thankfully, I do. I know the right course. You have to be made to pay. You have to be punished. See, you and your friends have everything. Even so, all you do is take. Some people would kill just to get you to say good morning to them in the hallway, but you can’t even do that. You have to be on top. No one could ever threaten that. Miranda tried and look what happened to her. Your little clique killed her.”

“That was an accident and you know it,” Snow shot back. “Sara didn’t mean to push her, she…”

“She murdered the only person who actually gave a fuck about me!” Steven roared. He pressed the button again, only he held it down longer this time. Snow truly thought she was going to die. It felt like her blood was on fire. Her bones were surely melting. And then, again, it was gone. She was so tired she could barely hold her eyes open, her energy was sapped. Steven, however, had more to say and the slap across her face made sure she was awake to hear it.

“Miranda was my friend! She knew about me. She was the only person who accepted me for who I was. She was my friend and you murdered her.”

“Miranda was a sick, manipulative bitch,” Snow snapped, gathering what little strength she had and throwing it into her retort. “You must have known what she was doing to Tony. Do you really think she was a good person? She was vicious…”

“She cared about me,” Steven hissed. “She was the only person who loved me for who I am. My parents… those fuckers would disown me if they knew. They would hate me. Sara used me. Miranda, she… she understood. She cared.”

“We cared,” Snow said softly. “Steve, I cared. We were your friends, we… we can still be your friends. You never told us. You never gave us the chance. You trusted Miranda over us.”

“Because you killed her. Why should I have ever trusted you? You stood there and watched Sara push her and then helped her cover it up. Any one of you could have come forward. You could have owned up to what you did, but you all agreed to cover it up to protect Sara. You might not have pushed her, but you may as well have.”

“What about you?” Snow replied hotly. “You were there, weren’t you? You’re the one who took the picture. Why didn’t you leap into the fight and save Miranda instead of hiding in the bushes?”

“Just because I know what you did last summer doesn’t mean I was there to see it,” said Steven pointedly. “I didn’t take that picture, Snow. I wasn’t there. Believe me, I’ve had a talk with the person who chose not to step in. Still, at least he was willing to tell me the truth.”

“He? It… it was a 'he' that took the picture?” Snow asked. “Who was it? Tony?” Steven laughed loudly at that.

“Tony? No, Tony was somewhere else that night. Somewhere nearby, but he didn’t take that picture. Fun fact for you, Snow: Tony’s just as guilty as you are. Here’s a little morsel that you’ve already thought of before. Miranda didn’t die when she fell off that cliff. Oh, she was mortally wounded, to be sure. She would have died without help, help that could have come in the form of Tony. He was there that night, surveying the area with Rick and a few others to see if a mining venture would be profitable. He heard Miranda’s scream. He saw her fall and found her lying on the ground. He could have helped her. Instead, he pressed his hands over her mouth and suffocated her.”

“Jesus…” Snow breathed. She had felt in her heart that Tony had planned to murder Miranda that night, but she hadn’t thought he’d had a hand in it. Now that she knew that Tony had been the one to finish Miranda off… she wasn’t sure what to think.

“So… so Tony, he… he…”

“Yes, he did,” said Steven. “Don’t worry, he’ll get what’s coming to him. I had plans for him, but thanks to you spilling the beans to Rachel, well… Mmm, the things a mother will do to avenge her children. Somehow, I imagine Tony will be facing a form of justice far worse than anything I could envision. So, that just leaves you and your friends.”

Steven smiled and pressed the button once again.

-.-

Clara awoke to the sound of an agonized scream coming from somewhere within the mine. She sat up, peering around in the dark for any sign of her friends. Nikki, Mary, and Jackson all lay scattered around the room. All of them were still unconscious. They were clearly still in the mine as the room they were in was less of a room and more of a hollowed out section of the stone tunnel.

Weak and with her mind foggy, she dragged herself over to Mary and Nikki and roused them. It took several minutes, but eventually the girls came to. As they were trying to gather themselves, Clara went to Jackson and woke him as well. He sat up with a gasp, flailing around wildly until he met Clara’s gaze and he calmed.

“Clara! Clara, it’s Steven! It’s Steven, he… he’s JTG, he…”

“We know,” said Clara gently, gesturing over her shoulder at Nikki and Mary. “He told us to come up here and then he ambushed us.”

“I can’t believe he would do this,” Jackson lamented, standing shakily to his feet. Clara stood with him. “Damn it, Snow suspected him ages ago but we never… I trusted that son of a bitch!”

“We all did,” said Nikki sadly. “But he’s JTG. We know it now. He killed Dennis, he killed Sara, he… God knows what all he’s done. We have to stop him right now, tonight.”

“What about Snow?” Mary asked, looking at each of the others in turn. “We have no idea where she is. We should…”

“I… think I might know,” said Clara nervously. “I heard someone screaming when I woke up. I think it was Snow. I think he’s torturing her, or… or killing her, I… I don’t know.”

“Why didn’t you say something before?” Jackson snapped, turning around and searching for the way out of the room. “We need to find her! Where… where’s the way out?” A short search of the room revealed only a single way out, a narrow doorway that had been filled from floor to ceiling with large rocks. There was no way to slip through. If they were to leave, the rocks would have to be removed.

“Okay,” said Jackson swiftly, taking charge of the situation. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We have to get out of this room and try to rescue Snow. Even if she’s dead, we can’t just abandon her. We have to try, so we’re going to move these rocks. We don’t have to move them all; just enough make a gap at the top that we can crawl through.” The girls weren’t able to come up with a better plan, so they all set to work lifting the rocks and moving them out of the doorway. It was very hard work and it took over an hour, but at very long last they managed to move enough rocks to clear a gap that even Jackson, the largest of them, could fit through.

“So, once we climb out of here, then what?” Nikki asked, glancing uncertainly at the others. “What do we do then?” Clara thought that was an excellent question indeed. They had no idea where they were or where Steven was holding Snow, assuming he was holding Snow at all. She had heard a scream, but she couldn’t swear it was Snow. No, that was a lie. Somehow, she knew it was Snow who had been screaming. She felt it in her soul.  

“We rescue Snow,” Clara said firmly. “We find our friend, that’s what we do.”

“No, I’ll go after Snow,” said Jackson, shaking his head. “You three go find your way out and get help. Just get back to town and bring help.”

“You can’t go after JTG alone,” Mary exclaimed. “He’s got a gun. He could kill you.”

“If he’s got a gun, he could kill all four of us,” Jackson countered. “At least this way the three of you can escape. I’ll see if I can find my own gun. Steven took it and my phone. Clearly he took all of your phones as well, not that they would work under all this rock. Before Steven attacked me, we found a storage area. Maybe that’s where he’s keeping our stuff. I’ll try to find it and maybe my gun will be there.”

Clara didn’t like the idea of splitting up, but Jackson had made up his mind. Whether he was doing it to protect her and the others, or simply because Steven was his friend and he wanted to be the one to face him, she couldn’t say. Regardless, the decision was made. Jackson climbed up first and slid himself through the gap at the top of the rock pile. The moment he crossed the threshold, a loud alarm began to wail throughout the mine.

“Fuck!” The girls heard Jackson groan. “Hurry up! Steven will be listening for that. He’ll be coming!” Clara, Mary, and Nikki scrambled through the gap one after the other and emerged into the dark tunnel beyond.

“Go,” Jackson insisted as the girls, dirty, sweaty, and exhausted, met up with him at the base of the rock pile. I mean it, go back to town. Tell the police what happened and send help. We’ll probably need it.”  

-.-

The pain in Snow’s sweat soaked, trembling body was so great that she had lost all track of time. She barely remembered where she was. All she knew was pain. It was all she could feel, all she could think about. If only her bindings weren’t so tight. Perhaps she could shimmy loose and run. It was a foolish plan, she knew. Her leg was injured and was unlikely to support her weight. Even if she could walk, Steven would easily catch up to her. Not that it mattered, for the zip ties that held her in place were still too tight.

She wished with all of her might that they weren’t, but it would make no difference. They were as tight as ever. At least until Steven released the button and she shifted in her bindings. She wasn’t sure if it was because she had thrashed around so much in agony or not, but somehow the zip ties holding her to the frame had loosened.

They had loosened so much, in fact, that she could almost slip her hands free. Steven, it seemed, had not noticed. He was too preoccupied with a sudden alarm wailing throughout the mine. His face tightened and he looked horribly angry.

“Those bitches,” he grumbled. “Can’t they just wait their turn? I mean, shit!” He slammed the remote down and stormed off, leaving Snow alone. After a few moments the alarm stopped and silence fell. A minute passed and Steven had not returned. She had a chance, but she was so scared and in so much pain that she couldn’t summon the will to move.

She had to move. She knew she had to move. It was her only chance. Clearly her friends had done something to upset Steven. Perhaps they had escaped and were trying to flee the mine. If they had then surely Steven wouldn’t be back quickly. She began to shift, struggling, practically willing her hands to slip through the zip ties. To her immense surprise, her wrists slid almost effortlessly from her bindings.

Not bothering to take even a second to celebrate her tremendous good fortune, Snow tore at the ties on her ankles. It took some time, but she managed to free herself. She rolled off the metal frame and tested the condition of her injured leg. She could walk but not without a great deal of pain. She was still bleeding heavily and there was no way she could run. She noticed her clothing lying on the floor, having been haphazardly discarded. She seized her pants and tore a long strip of fabric from them and tied it tightly around her leg. It was a stopgap measure, certainly, but it would be a start. She pulled her t-shirt over her head slumped against the wall, what little strength she had left drained from her. Still, she knew she had to keep going. She had to try. Clinging to the stone wall for support, she fled the room as quickly as she could.

The mining tunnels were dark and very difficult to navigate. Snow kept stumbling over rocks and debris as she felt her way through the darkness. The mine was eerily quiet and the darkness was pressing in all around her, threatening to consume her. Her body ached and she could feel the blood running down her leg as she limped along the dark tunnel. The mine could go on for miles and she knew if she didn’t find her way out quickly she could easily get lost and bleed to death.

She would never get the chance to find out. As she rounded a corner, a bright light blazed to life in her eyes and Steven’s hand closed around her throat. He forced her backwards, slamming her against the tunnel wall.   

“Can’t any of you just stay in one goddamned place?” Steven lamented, pressed her as hard as he could into the stone. “Shit, you’re making this harder than it needs to be. Just…” But what else Steven wanted her to do, she didn’t find out. A dark figure leapt from the shadows and tackled Steven to the ground.

“Run, Snow!” She heard Jackson shout from somewhere nearby. She could only see shadows moving, cast by the narrow beam of light from Steven’s dropped flashlight. She could hear the sounds of a struggle as Jackson tried to subdue Steven. She stood for a moment, frozen in fear and pain. At last, she turned and hurried away. She was no help in a fight in her condition. She had to find the way out or at the very least a place to hide.

She hobbled away in desperate search for an exit, but found nothing. The tunnels were pitch black and seemingly endless. She would never escape like this. After ten minutes she came across a large piece of excavation equipment and hid herself between it and the wall to rest her leg. She sat there for a few minutes, breathing hard and listening. Soon, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She had to stop herself from calling out. It could be her friends, but it could also be Steven. She had no way to be sure. If she revealed her location and she was wrong…

She peered out from her hiding place just in time to see the beam of Steven’s flashlight appear around the corner of the tunnel. She ducked back behind the machine and waited, trembling from terror and cold, as the footsteps drew nearer. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she was sure Steven would hear it in the eerie silence of the dark mine. The footsteps came to a stop a little further down the tunnel and she heard Steven clicking his tongue.

“I know you’re there, Snow,” he called out to her. Tears welled in her eyes as she clutched a hand to her mouth to force herself to breath through her nose. If she kept taking deep gasping breaths, she knew Steven would hear. “Come on out, Snowy. We aren’t done playing yet. Don’t you want to finish our game? We’re so close to the end, little Snow. So close now. Don’t ruin it.” His voice was getting closer. He would have seen the machine she hid behind. He would look there, no doubt, and when he did there was no way she could outrun him. She had just decided to make a run for it when the overhead light flashed to life, illuminating the dark mining tunnel. Without warning, a hand seized her hair and jerked her to her feet.

“Sneaky little bitch!” Steven screamed in her face. “Running away? Hiding? No, no, no, that just won’t do. If you don’t want to play, why didn’t you say so?” He drew his dagger from the waistband of his jeans. “All you had to do was ask.” He raised the dagger, clearly preparing to end her life then and there, when a shout rang out from the end of the tunnel.

“Stop!” Jackson yelled, running toward them with a pistol clutched in his hand. “Let her go, Steve. This is over.”

“It’s only just begun,” said Steven sharply, pressing his dagger against Snow’s neck. Jackson raised the gun and Steven smirked.

“Really, Jackson?” He asked disbelievingly. “This is what it’s come to? Come on, you’re not going to shoot me. After everything we’ve been through together over the years?”

“We used to be friends, true,” said Jackson. Despite her fear, Snow couldn’t help but notice that he sounded heartbroken. “That was before this. What you’ve done… it’s too much. Let her go, Steven. Let her go right now and this ends. If you don’t… if you leave me no choice…”

“Fuck you, Jackson!” Steven shouted, drawing his own gun and taking aim back at Jackson. “You’re full of shit. You’re not going to shoot me. You’re going to let me get on with this. You’re not going to pick her over me. You’re going to stand there while I cut her throat and that’ll be that. You may think I’m evil. You may think I’ve gone too far. You may hate me, but you’re not going to shoot me. See, this is my game, Jackson. This is my game, and I’m going to win.” He pressed the dagger deeper into her neck, drawing blood.

Snow truly thought Jackson was going to let him do it. He stood there, staring, unmoving, seemingly allowing Steven to do as he pleased. It was then that Snow realized that this was killing him. JTG or not, Steven was Jackson’s best friend. She imagined how she would feel if Clara, Nikki, Mary, or Sara was in Steven’s place and she in Jackson’s. It was too horrible to think about. Jackson was fighting an internal battle with himself and in that moment Snow wasn’t completely sure which side was winning.

“Jackson, please…” She cried out to him in desperation as a searing pain pierced the skin of her neck. “Please.”

Snow would never be able to forget the horrific sound of the gunshot echoing and reverberating off the tunnel walls for the rest of her life.

          

 

 

59: Chapter LIX: Game Over

"Snow seems to be doing better," said Kayla, sinking down into the sofa in the den beside her wife. Ariana looked up from the book she was reading and nodded. Kayla immediately saw how tired she looked. Ariana always seemed more tired, but that day she appeared to be even more so than usual.

'She's fading away,' Kayla thought, struggling to keep tears from fallings. 'She's slipping away right in front of me and there's nothing I can do. I can't save her.'

"Yeah," Ariana replied, closing her book and placing it on the coffee table. "She's... tougher than she looks. I think she'll be okay... eventually."

"Right, yeah... no, I know, I'm just really..." Kayla shook her head wearily. "I just never thought we'd be here, you know? I knew the perfect world we built couldn't last. Nothing good in my life has ever really lasted, but I thought that we'd... I thought when it all started falling apart that we would find a way to put some of the pieces back together. I thought you'd be there with me and we'd face it together the same way we've faced everything else. The thing is... when this falls apart you won't be here to help me fix it."

"Losing someone you love isn't something you fix, Kayla," said Ariana gently.

"I know that," said Kayla. "I just... I'm going to lose you, I've accepted that. I don't have a choice. It's what happens after you're gone that I'm afraid of."

"That might not be as much of a problem as you think." Kayla and Ariana both spun around and found Cooper standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame with his hands in his pockets.

"Coop!" Ariana shouted, leaping to her feet and rushing over to him. He engulfed her in a tight hug, but his eyes were focused over her shoulder where Kayla stood watching them.

"How are you doing, Red?" Coop asked, holding Ariana out at arms length.

"Shouldn't you already know that?" Ariana asked, arching her eyebrows. "Aren't you like an angel or something?"

"Right," said Coop. He looked quite upset about something. "You two should sit down. There's... something important I need to tell you. Something happened."

"I saw Claire recently," said Kayla, remembering the brief encounter at the hospital. "She seemed off, like something really bad was going on. She wouldn't tell me what it was, but..."

"That's because we aren't supposed to tell people what's going on," said Coop quietly. "That said, to hell with the rules. If we can't fix this, none of it will matter anyway." He sighed heavily. "Okay, you both remember Fate and Destiny, right?"

"We'll be hard pressed to forget the creepy twin girls that screwed with our lives anytime soon," said Kayla. "What about them?"

"Well, you know how Fate liked to play games with people... changing the narrative, as it were, in order to force people to complete their destinies. She wanted to put as much of her own story into it all just for her own amusement. She writes the story and forces people to play her characters. She went on like this for centuries, never breaking the grand design... until now."

"What did Fate do?" Ariana asked.

"We don't know," said Coop. "But someone died. Someone died before they were supposed to and Destiny couldn't bring them back. Fate somehow altered the way the universe works. She fractured the grand design and in doing so she has made it possible for people to die without completing their destiny. Fate changed the rules and Destiny can't fix it. How and why don't really matter now. What matters is finding a way to fix it."

"And... if you can't?" Kayla asked, glancing nervously at Ariana, who peered just as nervously back.

"It would mean the end of everything," Coop said quietly. "The world has become unbalanced. The way things are meant to be is no longer guaranteed. Balance is necessary for the continuance of the universe. Without that balance, everything will collapse."

"But what does that mean?" Kayla pressed urgently. This was all so far beyond her, it always had been. She knew of the supernatural, she had witnessed things she could never explain and hardly believed, but still it was very nearly beyond her comprehension. The idea of 'the end of everything' was a bit much for her.

"It means, quite simply, that if we cannot fix this then you and everyone you love are going to die. Stars will wink out of existence, galaxies will tear themselves apart. The universe itself will be destroyed and nothing will be left behind. Not a single atom will survive. That's what's at stake here... and no, before you ask; there's nothing you can do. If we cannot resolve this soon we may seek help from others, but mere mortals, no offense, can't help us. I just... I may not get another chance to come see you, at least for a really long time so... so I wanted... I felt you deserved to know what was happening."

"But you're working on it, right?" Ariana asked him. "I mean, with all the power Destiny has, surely she can..."

"She's trying," said Coop wearily. "She's trying, but this has never happened before. This is something new so we don't know what to do, but yes we're working. The problem is that panic is starting to set in. Order is beginning to break down and factions are forming. Guides, other powerful beings, they... they're starting to break away. If there's no grand design to protect, then what's the point? We're on the verge of a war in heaven and if that happens, things are going to change down here. Not significantly perhaps at first, but if all out war occurs it will get bad down here."

"How bad, exactly?" Kayla asked. "Seriously Coop, if you're going to tell us this stuff then be a bit more forthcoming with the details." Cooper chewed his lower lip thoughtfully.

“If a war breaks out in heaven then it won’t matter if we figure out a way to fix this mess or not,” said Coop quietly. “A war up there… nothing down here would survive. It would mean the end of the world, Kayla. Game over.”

-.-

It had been a long day at work and Sophia was looking forward to going home, pouring herself a glass of wine, and sinking into a relaxing bath. She hadn’t expected being a detective in a small town like Mistbrook Falls could be so exhausting, but it was. She was dead tired and wanted to sleep for the rest of the year. She dropped by her office to pick up her things before heading home and was surprised to find a manila folder lying on her desk.

Curious, she went to her desk and sat down in her chair. She opened the folder, expecting to find notes about a case or something similar. Instead, a coroner’s report slid out of the folder accompanied by a note. She picked up the note first and began to read.

Okay, perhaps I need to be a bit more direct. Let’s try again and maybe you’ll finally figure it out. Good luck, Sophie! –JTG

Perplexed, she picked up the coroner’s report. She was surprised to see that the report was for Miranda Sinclair. She had looked at the report a dozen times, so she had no idea why anyone would bother sending her something she had checked and rechecked for months. She didn’t understand until she happened to glance at the cause of death: suffocation. Suddenly, it clicked.

Sophia leapt to her feet, seized the copy of Miranda’s coroner’s report that she had in her file drawer, and raced down to Chief Terrence Mendez’s office. Chief Mendez sat at his desk, scribbling something into a notebook. He looked up at her as she entered, his dark brown eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“What are you up to, Austin?” He asked as she crossed his office and placed both reports on the desk in front of him.

“Do you remember a couple of months ago when I got that anonymous text from someone claiming that they knew who killed Sara Blake and Miranda Sinclair?” Sophia asked. Mendez nodded. “Well, it never led to anything… until now. That same person, JTG, they sent me this.” She tapped the new report. “Here, look at this one. This is the one that’s on record. It says that Miranda died of blunt force trauma…”

“Much like what would happen if a girl fell fifty feet off of a cliff,” said Mendez gruffly.

“Yes sir, but take a look at this. This is the one JTG sent me. It says that Miranda was suffocated.” Mendez picked up the folder and studied it for a moment before clicking his tongue and handing it back to her.

“Someone’s screwing with you, Austin,” he said firmly. “Look, this report is the official report. It’s been the official report since day one. Miranda wasn’t suffocated.”

“Miranda’s autopsy was done by Cory Atkinson; the same Cory Atkinson that quit his job with the department a week after this report was filed and left town overnight. Are you seriously telling me that isn’t suspicious as all hell? Here’s my thought on this. Miranda fell off of that cliff, but she didn’t die. Maybe she was badly hurt, but she survived. I’m thinking someone found her and instead of helping her, finished her off. Then I’m thinking that same person paid off Cory Atkinson to change his autopsy report. How JTG got his hands on the original, I couldn’t say, but that’s what my intuition is telling me. Sir, I believe Miranda Sinclair was murdered. I have no idea by who, but someone killed her and someone else knows who did it.”

“Then find out who,” said Mendez. He sighed, taking off his glasses and cleaning them on his shirt. “Austin… Sophia… you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. If you think there’s truth to this, look into it. Find the truth, if it’s out there. If Miranda was murdered, find out who killed her and bring them to justice. Just one thing; get it right. We need a win, Sophia.”

“Yes sir,” said Sophia with a smile. She turned and left Mendez’s office, a new purpose filling her. She had a mystery to solve and she knew just where to start; with Tony and Rachel Sinclair.

-.-

The sun was already beginning to set when Jacob heard his front door opened and his mother, Michelle, announced herself. Jacob rolled his eyes at the sound of her voice. Michelle annoyed him to no end. He’d gotten his own place to get away from her, not to have her barge into his home whenever she pleased.

Much like Sara, Jacob had loathed Rick Winslow from the second he had entered their lives. There was something off about the man, but precisely what that was he had never been sure. He wondered if Sara had known. She had always seemed to know a lot of things that others didn’t. Perhaps she had, but if so then the answers were buried with her.

It was after Rick’s appearance and Michelle’s marriage to him that things in the Blake-Winslow household had taken a sudden turn and Jacob knew he wanted out. Michelle had always been… well, he hated to call his mother a bitch, but if the shoe fits she would just have to wear it. Still, after she and Rick had gotten married, Michelle had grown even colder. It was, quite literally, her way or the highway. Jacob had chosen the highway. Then he had fallen from his bike and now he could never seem to escape her.

“Jacob, your physical therapist called me,” Michelle snapped, rushing into his living room and standing in front of him where he sat on the couch. Her green eyes were flashing. “She told me about your progress! Why didn’t you call me?”

‘Because I didn’t want to talk to you,’ was what he wanted to say. Instead, he said; “Because I wanted to wait until I had a better idea of exactly was happening. It’s still early and I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

“Well, I am your mother and you’ll give me regular updates anytime anything like this happens,” Michelle insisted, bustling around the apartment and straightening up as though she owned the place. “Jesus, Jacob, this place is a mess.”

“Yeah, it’s a little hard for me to clean regularly. You know, with the lack of usable legs and all. I…”

“What happened to that lovely maid I hired to help you?” Michelle asked, interrupting him.

“Oh, Eliza?” Jacob asked curtly. “Yeah, I fired her. I don’t need or want a maid. Clara’s been coming by and helping me out.”

“Clara… Clara… the little Italian one?” Jacob shook his head. Of course she wouldn’t know the first thing about Sara’s friends.

“First of all, you’re thinking about Nikki,” said Jacob stiffly. “And she’s Hispanic, not Italian. Clara is the sweet blonde one who’s done a lot for me recently. She’s been a huge help.”

“Well, she could do a better job cleaning up,” Michelle muttered. Jacob tensed, wondering if he should say anything more.

“She’s doing just fine,” Jacob said defensively. “I, uh… I really like her, Mom.”

“Oh, I’m sure she’s wonderful, but she’s obviously not…”

“No, Mom,” Jacob cut in. “I really like her.”

“You… oh,” Michelle paused, a look of dawning comprehension appearing on her face. “Well, that’s hardly… I doubt she’s good enough for my son. What is she? Some girl from across the river in Bridgewater? I doubt she’s from Briarwood Heights, so…”

“Mom, shut up,” Jacob snapped. He was absolutely furious. He didn’t want to explode, he didn’t want to scream and rage. He was usually so good at keeping his cool, but that afternoon he simply lost it. “To be quite honest, I don’t give one single good hard fuck what you think of Clara. Until two minutes ago, you didn’t even know who she was and even now you couldn’t pick her out of a lineup. You didn’t ask me and Sara what we thought of Rick, because if you had we would have told you we thought he was a goddamn prick. So don’t you dare come into my home and spout your opinions on the girl I like. In fact, you can take your opinions and shove them up your snooty, pretentious ass.”

Much to Jacob’s great surprise, Michelle didn’t seem to be at all effected by his outburst. She was staring blankly at her cell phone, her eyes wide. She looked frightened and in his entire life, Jacob could never remember his mother being afraid. That scared him and his anger fizzled out.

“Mom? What… what’s wrong?” He asked uncertainly. “What happened?”

“N… nothing,” said Michelle, although her voice betrayed her. “I need to go. I’ll call you later.” She rushed from the house without another word, leaving a very confused Jacob behind. He never got the chance to read the text that had arrived on Michelle’s phone and chilled her down to her bones.

I know what you did last summer, Michelle. You’ve been a very bad girl. I’ve given you time, long enough to get comfortable. Time to think you had gotten away with it. Time’s up. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, bitch. It tolls for thee –JTG   

-.-

The mining tunnels were an endless maze of darkness and terror. To Clara, it was something out of a nightmare. She kept expecting Steven to leap out at her from the shadows with an axe, ready to slaughter them all. Despite her fear, nothing lurched at her out of the darkness. All that she saw was more and more dark stone tunnels.

“I can’t believe it,” Nikki muttered after a while of aimless wandering. “Steven, I… I just can’t believe it.”

“Neither can I,” said Clara softly. “I mean… God, he was right there all along. He’s the one that tortured us on Halloween. I always wondered why he was the only one of the guys that was knocked out. It was all done just so his absence wasn’t questioned. He’s been planning all of this for a long time.”

“I’m worried about Jackson,” said Mary. Clara could tell by the sound of her voice that she had been crying. “Steven’s his best friend. This is hard enough on me, I… I can’t imagine how hard it is for him.”

Clara knew Mary was right, but she couldn’t worry about it right then. Steven had betrayed them, true, but all she was worried about that night was escaping the mine and rescuing Snow. She would feel tomorrow, if they all lived long enough to see it. It was terrible and she hated that their stalker was one of their own, but it was true and she had to face it. There was no other way.

“It sucks, Mary,” Clara said quietly. “I know it does, but right now we need to get out of this mine and get help. Steven’s lost it. He could hurt Snow and Jackson… kill them, even. We have to go get help, or…” Clara trailed off as the overhead lights flickered to life, illuminating the tunnel around them.

“Do… do you think… maybe Jackson found the light switch?” Nikki wondered, peering around nervously with her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

“Maybe,” said Clara uncertainly. “I hope so. At least it’ll help us find our way out.” They set off along the now lit tunnel. They had barely been walking for a minute when the unmistakable sound of gunfire echoed through the mine.

-.-

Up in the mountains outside Mistbrook Falls, the Blake family owned a ski lodge. It was old and rarely did anyone go up there, but still the family kept it. On this particular night, four prominent figures in the town had gathered there, out of range of listening ears and prying eyes.

Tony Sinclair sat at the head of a long dining table. A fire blazed in the fireplace behind him, warming the frigid, snow covered lodge. Rick Winslow and Randy and Julia Sorrento were all gathered around the table with him. No one was speaking.

“Did she say what she wanted?” Tony asked Rick, turning toward him with a frustrated glare. Rick shook his head, chewing his lower lip.

“She just said to have everyone meet at the lodge and that it was important,” Rick replied. “She didn’t give any details.”

“Honestly, I don’t care,” said Julia sharply. “Whatever Michelle has gotten herself into is her problem, not ours.”

“If it has to do with Miranda Sinclair or Ryan Blake, it damn well is your problem,” said Rick. “It’s all of our problem. We’re all in this together.”

“We didn’t start any of this,” Randy snapped. “We didn’t want anything to do with it! You…”

“You knew what you were agreeing to,” said Tony. “You all knew. There’s no backing out now.”

“You mean what we were coerced into doing,” said Randy. “What we were blackmailed into doing to protect our daughter, not what we agreed to do. Don’t forget that.”

“Perhaps, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re as guilty as the rest of us,” said Rick. “You’re just as responsible for Ryan Blake’s death and you’re culpable in Miranda’s death.”

“At least we had nothing to do with Sara,” Julia hissed. Rick smirked.

“No… no, you didn’t.”

At that moment, the door swung open and Michelle stormed inside. She rushed over to the table, her eyes wide and filled with fear. She slammed her phone down on the table in front of Tony.

“This JTG of yours has just crossed a line,” she snapped. “Now he’s threatening me? I thought you said this person was a friend!”

“Heh… ‘ask not for whom the bell tolls’,” said Tony, reading the message. “It sounds like JTG’s pissed about something. I wonder what that could be?”

“Don’t be a smart ass, Tony,” Michelle growled. “This is serious. JTG knows.”

“Did you really think he wouldn’t?” Tony asked. “Son of a bitch seems to know a lot, considering what Snow and Jackson told me.”

“I don’t care,” Michelle snapped. “What do we do?”

“We don’t do anything,” Randy told her firmly. “You can do whatever the hell you want, but we had no part in this. My wife and I, we… we didn’t know what you planned to do. If we had…”

“Could you people quit fighting amongst yourselves for a second?” The group turned toward the door, which had just swung open. Alana Austin crossed the room and sank down into a chair at the far end of the table.

“Well?” She asked, looking around at them all. “You called us all here, Michelle. Would you mind starting from the beginning?”   

-.-

For Snow, it all happened in slow motion. Jackson’s gun recoiled just as Steven’s did the same. She could almost see the bullets riding along the tunnel on columns of fire. Steven’s jerked, his head snapping backward and his body followed it. He fell, his dagger falling away from her neck, slipping from his hand and clattering to the stone floor. Jackson screamed in pain and fell to the ground. No… no, it couldn’t be. Jackson couldn’t be…

Snow scrambled away from Steven and rushed to Jackson’s side. She felt a wave of instant relief flood through her when she saw he was still alive. He was clutching his arm and groaning in agony, but he was still alive. The wound wasn’t fatal. He would recover. A glance back at Steven told her that he, on the other hand, would not. Jackson’s bullet had struck him dead center in his forehead. She stared for a moment in horror while Steven’s blank eyes stared back. She should feel terrible, but the only thought in her head as she placed her hands over Jackson’s wound was simply that it was over. JTG was dead. Game over.

“Snow… Snow…” Jackson whimpered, shaking his head back and forth.

“It’s okay,” she told her gently. “It’s okay, we… we’re okay. We’re safe and you… you’re going to be fine.”

“Is Steven… is he…?”

“He’s dead, Jacks,” Snow told him. “He’s gone, I… I’m sorry. Listen, we need to get out of here and find the girls. Do you think you can walk?”

“I got shot in the arm, not my legs,” said Jackson, although he voice was broken and weak. “I can walk, just… just help me up.” Snow helped him to his feet and he leaned on her as together they set off through the mine.

“Oh, by the way,” said Jackson, reaching into his pocket with his good arm. “I found your phone.” Snow almost laughed as he passed it to her along with her friend’s phones. She wanted to say how happy she was that she no longer had to fear her own phone. She wanted to relish in that beautiful feeling of peace she had found, but she didn’t. Jackson had been forced to kill his best friend and he had done it to save her. That decision, she knew, would weigh on both of them for a long time.

Despite the fact that the mine was now fully illuminated, there were no signs pointing them toward the exit. They wandered for a long time, Jackson whimpering and groaning in pain as they went. He was still bleeding profusely, she noticed, and in fact so was she. The wound in her leg was serious and she was beginning to feel somewhat lightheaded. If they couldn’t find the way out soon she knew they might not find it at all. As luck would have it, they didn’t have to.

They rounded what seemed to be the millionth corner only to be confronted by what Snow thought must be a SWAT team. There were police officers armed with rifles and flashlights sweeping through the tunnel ahead of them. The moment the officers saw them, they rushed over. Snow’s strength left her then and, knowing she was safe, she slumped to the ground on her knees still clutching Jackson to her side. It was over. They were safe.

“How… how did you know we were here?” Snow asked the officer that knelt down in front of her. “Did my friends, did they get out? Did they call…?”

“Your friends are safe, Ms. Austin,” the officer reassured her. “But they didn’t call us. We got an anonymous tip that someone had taken hostages in here. It was just a text message from someone calling themselves ‘S’.” Snow smiled as the officer helped her to her feet and led her from the mine.  

“Thank you, Sara.”

-.-

Snow and Jackson were checked over by paramedics in an ambulance just outside the mine entrance. The area had rapidly been converted into a crime scene around them. What looked like the entire Mistbrook Falls police department had arrived and cordoned off the area with police tape. They would all be questioned, Snow was certain about that. She wasn’t at all sure what she would say when they were. Right then, on that night, she didn’t care. It was over. JTG was gone and they would never have to worry about him again.

They would all be taken to the hospital soon. She and Jackson would need stitches for their injuries and the other girls would need to see a doctor as well just to ensure they were okay. In the meantime, Snow’s wounds had been bandaged and she didn’t feel like sitting there waiting any longer. Her friends stood off in the distance, waiting under a tree on the opposite side of the mining site. While Jackson was still being attended to, Snow eased herself to her feet and made her way over to her friends. The other girls turned to look at her as she approached.

“Hey,” she said, giving them a small wave. “Hell of a night, huh?”

“Yeah,” said Mary quietly. “Are you…?”

“Okay?” Snow asked, arching her eyebrows. “No.  Not after today, no. I will be, though. We all will be now.”

“So Jackson really shot Steven?” Clara asked. “The police said, but we weren’t sure if…”

“He did,” said Snow softly. “He did it to save me. Steven was going to kill me. If Jackson hadn’t done what he did…  I hate it, but…”

“I don’t,” said Nikki fiercely. “Steven did this to us. He killed Dennis. He killed Sara, he…"

“Steven didn’t kill Sara,” said Snow firmly. She had forgotten that they didn’t know. “Trust me on that one.” She would tell them everything else tomorrow. They still had a lot of things to do that night before they could finally rest and she didn’t want to add anything more that night. She would let them have their victory. After all, they had all earned it. Tomorrow, she would tell them everything, but for that night all she cared about was that JTG was gone forever. She could at least try to live some semblance of a normal life again. Even with everything else going on in her life and the new struggles that Michael, magic, and the Dawnguard were sure to bring, at the very least she no longer had to worry about JTG. It could all just fade away into the past. It would be like a dream, just a long, bad dream that had never really happened. Even so, she knew they would likely all bear the scars of the last few months for the rest of their lives.

"Snow, if JTG didn't kill Sara... then who did?" Clara asked, her eyes wide with fear. Snow shook her head.

"I don't know who stabbed Sara, but Steven swore it wasn't him. He never lied to us, so I believe him. It wasn't him."

"But then that means... there's another killer in Mistbrook Falls," said Mary, stunned. "Who? ​Why?"

"A question for tomorrow, I think. There are still too many secrets left in this town. Too many mysteries.. too many lies," said Snow, glancing furtively at Mary. Mary stared back and somehow the information was communicated. Mary understood what Snow wasn't saying, but she seemed unsure if she should bring it up.

"Snow, I..." Mary began, but Snow shook her head.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "We can talk about it all tomorrow." Mary nodded, but she was clearly upset. Snow could only wonder what she was thinking, but she knew that Mary had understood that she knew everything about Michael. She had seen it in Mary's eyes and she had known. All Snow could hope was that Mary would forgive her for bringing Michael into their lives. If only she had known beforehand...

“It’s really over, isn’t it?” Nikki said, interrupting Snow's thoughts. Nikki's voice broke as she began to cry. “I mean, it’s really over? He’s gone, I… I never really thought…”

“It’s over, Nik,” said Snow as she and the others gathered around Nikki in a many armed hug. The four girls cried together out there on that cold night as the lights of police cars flashed all around them. They had never before felt such a feeling of relief. The emotional toll of the last few months had broken them, but they would survive. After all, they had beaten JTG. What could possibly stand up to them now?

“I just can’t believe it’s over,” said Clara, smiling around at the others as they broke apart. “I mean… JTG really is gone. I can’t believe it. We… actually survived the game.” Snow couldn’t agree more. It was over. JTG was gone, truly gone. They would never have to fear a text message again. They didn’t have to look over their shoulders or worry about their secrets getting out. The game, at long last, was over. They had won.

Then Snow’s phone chimed. So did Clara’s, then Nikki’s, and then Mary’s. They looked around at each other in shock and dismay. No, it was just a coincidence. It would be their parents or a concerned friend. Steven was dead. His body had been taken by the coroner. There was no way it could be…

“Oh my God,” Clara gasped as she and the others took out their phones.

“It can’t be,” Nikki whispered desperately. “It can’t be.”

“Does this mean…” Mary trailed off aimlessly, her ability to speak seemingly taken by the words on her screen.

“The game’s not over until I say it is,” Snow read aloud, her heart sinking as she read the words that made her blood run cold. “I’m still here, bitches, and I know everything. JTG.”

60: Chapter LX: A Dangerous Game - Epilogue

The motorcycle roared down the open highway, the only vehicle around for miles. Its headlight cut through the black night, carving a path down the winding pavement. Up ahead, the glow of lights from a gas station perched near the edge of a cliff reached out, drawing the motorcycle in. The vehicle left the highway and eased into the gas station’s parking lot.

Its rider lowered the kickstand and reached up to remove their helmet. Carmel Williams shook her long black hair free from her helmet. She ran her fingers through her hair, smoothing her silky locks. She stood from the bike and placed her helmet on the seat. She knelt down, looking into one of the rear view mirrors to survey her messy hair. Carmel was a decidedly average girl with nothing particularly outstanding about her appearance save for her eyes. Her right was a deep chocolate brown while the left was black. It was the only thing about herself that she genuinely liked. It made her feel unique.

Carmel hesitated as she made her way toward the gas station. She stopped before she went inside and moved instead toward the railing that ran along the edge of the cliff. It was a cold, blustery night and the wind whipped around her as she peered down into the valley where the small town of Mistbrook Falls lay in sleepy silence. Carmel had only been there once before, although in a way it was her home. She would have grown up there, but it hadn't been meant to be. Life had interfered.

Moments later her phone rang, shocking her from her thoughts. She reached into her pocket and dug the device out. She didn't recognize the number, but when her phone kept ringing she decided to answer it.

"Hello?" She said curiously.

"Hello, Carmel," said the strangest voice she had ever heard. It was deep, but distorted; as though it were being electronically disguised. "You don't know me, but I know all about you. Your brother told me so many things."

"My brother?"  Carmel asked, surprised. "You... you know Steven? Did he ask you to call?"

"No," said the strange voice. "As to that, I have some bad news for you. Steven is dead."

"What....?" Carmel choked out, tears welling in her eyes. Steven had been her closest friend for so many years. They had never met in person, but they had remained in constant contact ever since he had called her years before and introduced himself. She had driven all the way from Tallahassee to see him and now...

"What happened? Who are you? I... I don't understand."

"All in good time," said the voice. "Has Steven... did he tell you anything about what he was doing? About what we were doing?"

"He... he told me about the girls," said Carmel nervously. "About how he was treated just because he was gay. He told me back when it happened, and... he said he was going to make them pay, but he never..."

"He and I have been working tirelessly to make those bitches pay," said the voice. "We were united in a common goal, if for different reasons. We wanted to destroy them. Steven was their friend, or so they thought. He was able to get close to them, earn their trust. Tonight was supposed to be our grand finale. It was to be the night we made them suffer for their sins. Instead, those bitches killed him. They'll claim self-defense, worm their way out of punishment. It will be up to me to see to their punishment... but I will need help. I need someone who can operate like Steven did, close to them. I need someone who can help me destroy them."

"And you want that person to be me?" Carmel wondered. "Why? Because they killed him? Because you claim they killed him? How am I supposed to know any of this is true?"

"It's true," said the voice. "Every word is true. You're on your way into town, after all. Come on down, spend some time in town and see. Meet my pretty little liars and see them for who they really are. These people... they think because they're pretty and popular and rich that they run this town. They think they can do whatever they like and no one will stop them. They think they can ruin lives, break hearts, destroy relationships and no one will ever make them pay. I'm going to make all of them pay. I've got a new plan, Carmel. A way to ruin them, but I'll need help."

"I... I'll come to town," said Carmel slowly. "I'll meet these people and... and I'll find the truth. If you're being honest, if they really did kill Steven... I'll help you."

"Fantastic," said the voice. "That's good."

"How will I get in contact with you?" Carmel asked. "Whatever I decide, how will I tell you?"

"I already know what you'll decide, Carmel," said the voice. "But don't worry... I'll text you. Goodbye, Ms. Williams." The line went dead. Carmel glared down at the town of Mistbrook Falls. As a light snow began to fall upon the sleepy town, tears began to fall down Carmel’s cheeks. Her happiness at finally being there was completely gone. Her brother was dead and if this mysterious partner of his was telling the truth then his killers were going to go unpunished.

No, she wouldn't allow that. She would go into town and uncover the truth. If she didn't like what she found, she would see to it Steven's killers paid the price. Mistbrook Falls would run red with blood in Steven's name. She swore it. She turned away from the view of the town bathed in moonlight and headed for her bike. As she walked, her phone chimed. It was a simple text message from a private number, but she knew exactly who it was from.

We're playing a dangerous game and it’s our move. Welcome to the team, Carmel --JTG

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I hate endings, and even though this isn't really an ending, at the same time it is. Regardless, I wanted to take a minute here to say a very earnest thank you to anyone and everyone who bothered to read so much as a single chapter of this... whatever this is :P A hot mess, perhaps? Sometimes it felt that way, for sure. Anyway, I really appreciate it. And to those who have been with me since the beginning (you all know who you are), and even bigger and more heartfelt thanks goes out to you. I hope I managed to bring some degree of entertainment to you. A special thanks to a few special people as well. First, to Bryan Hailey who sent me a frantic email telling me that the word 'liars' could be spelled out of the five girls' names. I must also thank him for making the revamped cover for me because my own lack of creativity is shocking. Next, to Genevieve Middleton for not only sticking with me to the end of this story, but also for helping me through some very difficult times over the last couple of years. Sometimes a listening ear and a kind word are worth more than we know. Yours certainly have been. And lastly, to you, Claire. When I finished The Girl and the Warehouse, I called you my best friend in the world. Now, a few years later, you've become so much more than that. Thank you, my love, for everything. I want to say so much more, but none of it seems good enough. I love you to the moon and back and I can't wait to see where we'll be when I do one of these again :)

Speaking of doing one of these again, here's where the shameless self-promotion part comes along. The sequel (Yes, another one. Shut up, Claire :P) dubbed 'A Dangerous Game' should be available soon for anyone interested. So, that's that and I think we're done here. So, I'll say again; from New York, my friends, good night and good luck.