Two

First, she stopped at the sheriff's station, making sure to apologize to Emma for storming out like she did back at Granny's, gaining Emma's trust back just long enough to swipe a gun while she'd run off to the washroom. No, Casey didn't know how to use a gun, but if she was going to waltz up to the Snow Queen's hideout, she needed to be safe.

What was she thinking anyway? Why didn't she just tell Emma, or Regina, or even Elsa, just so she'd have someone along for protection? They all had magic, Casey didn't. How was she supposed to be any sort of match against a woman Storybrooke had deemed a villain? A gun was probably no match against a Snow Queen with magical ice powers, but Casey tried not to think about it. All she cared about were these strange flashes that felt dangerously close to a memory. Why would the Snow Queen target her with all those nonsensical flashes?

If Regina knew I was doing this, she'd kill me…

Well, no turning back now; Casey was already to the town limits, hiking through the woods.

Whatever these flashes were, they were leading her straight to the Snow Queen's lair, that much she knew. No, she wasn't sure she could trust these flashes; for all she knew, she was being lured into a trap. Or maybe this was all psychological; her mind creating images based on what she'd been hearing from everyone else. Didn't they say they first confronted the Snow Queen in the forest? Maybe Casey had just formed some kind of a hypothesis based on that.

Then why does it feel so…alive?

A chill snaked down her spine as she verged deeper into the woods. Was it nerves, or was it because she was nearing the Snow Queen? She didn't know, but shaking, she yanked the gun out from her pants, held it up. The thing was, she wouldn't be able to shoot anybody. She didn't even know how to use it! Something about a safety you had to click off before you could do anything, and Casey didn't know where that was. But at least she had an element of a threat; she couldn't exactly appear helpless, if this queen was really dangerous.

The air was getting colder and before she knew it, Casey was on ice. A blast of mist escaped her lips and she knew she had to be close. She shivered; why hadn't she brought a jacket? Did she think the Snow Queen's lair would be hot? She was going to freeze to death out here. Soon, she could barely hold the gun up, her fingers were so cold.

Idiot!

And then, she saw it. The same cave opening she'd seen earlier. Exactly like she'd seen it in her mind. Casey could only stare at it, numb. How…how could she have known? All those details: the pine tree beside the opening with just a touch of snow on its branches, the dainty footprints in the snow surrounding the cave, even the red cardinal singing from the highest pine branch. How could Casey have seen all of this, when she'd never been here? How-

"You're a long way from home, little girl."

Casey gasped and whirled around, holding her gun up with shaking, blue fingers. Awestruck, she could only stare with wide eyes. There she was, the Snow Queen, the woman Casey had heard so much about but never laid eyes on. And yet, she was familiar, exactly as she had looked in Casey's mind, down to the finest detail on her dress. Casey swallowed, as the Queen's piercing blue eyes gazed upon her.

"W-what…" Casey was shivering so hard now, it was hard to form words. "W-Who are you?"

The Snow Queen smiled, smiled as she took a step toward Casey. Casey backed up a step and held the gun higher. There was no fear in the Snow Queen's eyes, and that made Casey nervous. It was like she knew Casey wouldn't fire the gun.

Or maybe…a bullet couldn't hurt her….

"I would think by now all of Storybrooke is talking about me. Haven't you heard of me, my dear?" the Snow Queen practically cooed, her face a solid rock of no emotion.

"T-that's not what I…" Casey swallowed. How much could she give away? Did the Snow Queen know about these flashes in Casey's head? Had she put them there? Or was it the only advantage Casey had?

She didn't know, and that scared her.

"I know, that's not what you meant, is it?" The Snow Queen stepped forward again. Casey raised her gun, shaking hard. The Snow Queen only shook her head.

"Oh come now, you and I both know you won't be needing that." With a swipe of the Snow Queen's hand, an icy blast knocked the gun from Casey's hands and turned to ice before it hit the ground. Casey's heart leapt into her throat.

The Snow Queen was approaching, eyes dead set on Casey. Casey stumbled backward and slipped on a patch of ice, crashing hard to her knees. Before she could pick herself up, the Snow Queen waved her hand again, and ice-cold chains appeared around Casey's wrists, holding her down.

Casey's fear got the better of her. "Look, I'm sorry. I'll leave, I won't t-tell anyone I was here, just let me go."

But the Snow Queen was having none of it. She simply stopped, inches away from where Casey was bound, and kneeled down in front of her.

"Now, I simply can't do that." The Snow Queen spoke softly. "Not until you tell me why you came here."

The chains burned against her skin, cold as ice. "P-please, it's s-so cold."

"Oh sweetheart," the Snow Queen mocked. "You really should have thought about that before you came looking for me. Now then, tell me why you came here, and maybe I'll consider letting you go."

Casey swallowed hard, her lips trembling from the cold. Her head was swimming and she could barely concentrate with this frigid air slowing her heart-rate.

But the Snow Queen just watched her with unrelenting eyes. Casey knew she had no choice; she'd have to say something.

"I s-saw you here," Casey said quietly, every word an effort now that the cold was settling upon her more with every passing second. "I s-saw you, and your c-cave, and o-other things, s-so I-"

"Where did you see these things?" The Snow Queen collected Casey's chin in her hand, lifting her face so they were eye to eye. A gasp erupted from Casey's mouth – another flash…those same long cool fingers hanging over the cradle…the ones on her face now. It was her…

"Where?" The Snow Queen's voice rose an octave as she squeezed Casey's chin. She met the Snow Queen's eyes.

"In…in my mind," she admitted. "I d-don't know how, I just…knew. I c-could see it…"

Casey, even with her body starting to shut down, noticed the Snow Queen's demeanor change entirely. Her cold numbness was replaced with curiosity. The Snow Queen couldn't have planted those images in her head; they were news to her. So, what did that mean?

"Tell me what else you're seeing," the Snow Queen demanded, drawing closer. "You said there were other things."

"I-I-I-" Casey's breath caught in her throat; it was so cold, and she could feel herself slipping from consciousness.

"Casey! You out here?"

A voice. Not the Snow Queen's. Casey lifted her head long enough to see the Snow Queen turn toward the sound of the voice. Emma, it was Emma. She must have noticed the gun was missing and had put two and two together. Now, she was looking for her.

"Em...Emma," Casey tried to shout for help, but her voice felt frozen too. It didn't matter anyway, because the Snow Queen was a step ahead of her. She sidled in behind Casey, knelt down and pressed her hand over Casey's mouth.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I'm not quite ready to say goodbye yet." Casey felt the Snow Queen's hand gently touch the top of her head, and that was the last thing she remembered, because she quickly fell into a deep sleep.