Chapter 11 - Memories

'Die?' Zoe said quietly. 'What would that do?'

'Well I don't mean in the most literal sense. There's a way for me to come back, I basically inhibit your body and come back from limbo,' Daya says shrugging a shoulder as she watched Zoe play with the grass. 'You'd cease to exist apart as a fragment of me, like you were originally,' she adds hopefully not scaring Zoe too much. Admittedly she was desperate for her to choose the last option as she wanted nothing more than to find and help Jack, but she couldn't force her into doing it.

'That's... wow, that's quite heavy,' Zoe sighed leaning back and supporting herself on the grass with her hands. She let the wind blow through her hair and across her face. It's not like she was suicidal, but she had always felt that she was out of place and with her mental issues, it was a drain. 'Before I decide, can you answer one thing for me? I have a feeling you're going to know,' Zoe said looking at Daya who was watching the sun. She waited until the spirit turned to face her before speaking. 'This dream I've been having every night for pretty much my entire life-'

'It is a memory,' Daya cuts in. 'You remember more and more each year. It was your birthday in a while no? Well, to be honest the memory would have complete and you would have become the chronological age I was when I died as a spirit. So I don't know what would have happened but I have a feeling that one way or another I was going to come back, the Man in the Moon did say I was going to be reborn.' Zoe inhaled deeply and sat up properly resting her head on her hand which leant on her knee.

'So you think that you would have inhabited my body on my twenty-first anyway?' She clarifies.

'Possibly. You could wait to find out if you wanted,' Daya shrugs.

'Hmmm. No thanks, I'd rather have the choice. I don't like the idea that I was just a by-product of reincarnation gone wrong. I mean, I don't have much of a choice, I'm going to assume your hunch about this whole body possession thing is right, you seem to know a lot more about this than most.' Zoe stood up and brushed herself. 'One more thing before we do this. What was the memory?'

Daya grinned and joined her on the cliff. 'It's a simple one, there's nothing truly special about it. I mean, that was the moment that I just realised I wouldn't be able to live without Jack. It was after I had done the Duty, that always used to get me down, even if it was just a little. I was walking through the forest, it had begun to snow and then I caught the smell of him. I knew he was nearby, then this snowflake caught my eye, it was larger than usual and when I caught it, the ice didn't melt. That was Jack trying to cheer me up, I turned around and there he was in front of me reaching out. All I saw in his eyes was love, just this overwhelming wave of adoration and...' Daya paused wiping away a tear that threatened to fall down her cheek. She sniffed and rolled her shoulders, trying to get a hold of herself. 'I'm sorry, you probably don't want to hear that sort of stuff.'

'Could you show me?' Zoe asked shyly. 'If I'm never going to see the end of the dream can you please show me that moment?' Daya looked over at her and smiled genuinely, she understood what this young woman was saying. Without saying anything she changed the surroundings around them, a light blizzard began to whip around their feet, but it felt more comforting than cold. The scent of pine, fresh snow and cinnamon followed on the breeze, leaving flakes in their hair. Zoe watched as Daya reached out and caught the snowflake in her palm, she had clearly lost herself in the memory. Zoe turned to face Jack who she knew would be standing there and it hit her, he stood proud and tall reaching out. Her heart fluttered as he smiled at her, feeling her blood rush to her face as she blushed.

'Angel? Ready to go home?' Jack said as she paused. Zoe smiled and felt the wave that Daya was talking about, but it made her realise something else. Daya walked over to Jack and stroked his face, which made him cradle her cheek with his hand in reply before he vanished. The snow began to settle and the trees faded from view, leaving them back on the cliff.

'He really loves you doesn't he?' Zoe says smiling, she was becoming more used to the fact that she was in fact only a part of Daya. The Spirit smiles and wipes the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

'I am the luckiest person I know, and he is a bloody fool,' she laughs half heartedly. 'I will find a way to make Pitch suffer beyond belief. That I can promise you.'

'One more thing. Look after my dogs please, they won't understand I don't think. I don't want them to frighten you,' Zoe says looking sad. 'I'm really going to miss them. And Lauren, she's uh... my best friend and as I just discovered that apparently she's the Kitsune?' She said rubbing her eyes. 'I thought she was like me, but it turns out she was just keeping an eye on me so that the Guardians-'

'Look, whatever those guys did, they clearly thought it was for the best. They can be a little deluded in how they go about things but believe me, they really didn't mean to hurt you. Also, I can assure you that the Kitsune doesn't take things lightly, if I remember correctly she goes all in, all nine minds of her. If she was your friend Zoe, she truly was your friend and nothing will change that,' Daya comforted.

'Look after her please,' Zoe said with tears welling in her eyes. 'I don't want her to think I just gave up. I mean it's for the best right?'

…

'What's taking so long?' Tooth whispered to Bunny who shrugged his shoulders. Zoe was still in the middle of the circle, but she seemed to be suspended in the air as if underwater. Her dogs were waiting patiently with Lauren who was biting a nail nervously. The Samhain sisters had finished their chants and rituals and stood opposite each other their eyes glowing brightly, completely still. North shifted his weight from one foot to another and batted away an elf who was carrying a plate of biscuits. Only the jingling bells of the flying elf distracted the dogs enough for them to turn their heads and contemplate moving.

Rosie lifted her head sharply and tilts it, seconds later her sister does the same. 'That can't be good,' Bunny muttered under his breath and sharing a glance with North. A bright light begins to surround Zoe, filling the room quickly. The others had to cover their eyes or be blinded, the light lasted for a while and although the Guardians tried to take a peek at the situation it was just too painful to keep looking.

Eventually the light dispersed and they were all able to open their eyes and survey the situation. The dogs jumped up, looking around frantically. Rosie and Ashley were leaning on each other exhausted. Rosie's tail drooped and she panted heavily, 'fuck me, that... was something,' she said to her sister who simply gulped in air and nodded.

'Where is Zoe?' Tooth said zipping forward and asking the important question, everyone began to search, there was no sign of the young woman anywhere. Lauren jumped up and followed the dogs out the room as they stuck their noses to the floor.

'There was a massive surge of energy at the end there,' Ashley said through her heavy breathing. 'I have no idea what that was, it wasn't normal. Fuck me I felt like I was going to just break into pieces,' she winced. Rosie nodded and straightened up.

'Something went wrong, that shouldn't have happened. We need to find Zoe and fast, there's no saying what has affected her, body or mind. Or both, it might have just been too much,' she said alarmed. She sniffed the air in an attempt to try to locate the elusive woman.

'Rosie is right, we must search area until we find her, I get Yetis to look too,' North nodded ordering one of his Yetis to do just that. Tooth quickly zipped off, followed by Sandman. Bunny said he'd check the surrounding snow dunes and disappeared down one of his tunnels. 'What is worse to happen?' North asked with a concerned voice.

'Uh, I have no idea. But if I was to take a wild guess I would say... complete and utter insanity from a mental breakdown?' Ashley winced finally feeling normal again, she wiped her brow and checked that Rosie was okay. 'Any luck?' She asked.

'I don't think that she's here. Her scent is strong from where she was here, but it also has a trail. But the strange thing is, it just vanishes.' Rosie says pulling a face.

'What do you mean?' Ashley said.

'I mean it goes up into the air, and then just... poof, disappears. Like she literally vanished,' Rosie replies. 'Honestly, I think you're going to need to get the Tooth fairies on this one, because I don't think she's here any more.'