A/N: Prepare for a magical extravaganza of beautiful and epic proportions. By the way, there's been another time skip. (Like I said before, this story is going to go fast or at least the pacing will since my updates have been snail-like.)

Side note: My endless apologies for taking so long to update this story. For the longest time I had writer's block and honestly I just needed to take a long break away from fanfiction. However, with summer on the horizon, I'm ready to get back to work. Thanks to those who have continued to stick with this story despite my horrible update schedule. You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: Skipped for now.

Chapter 20

The Christmas Snowball Part 2

During the rest of that Thursday afternoon, romance blossomed between the two blonde teens. These tidbits of love were of little consequence to the two of them, nothing more than playful banter and wild goose chases across the banks of snow-covered hills. Mina was happy, blissfully unaware of the problems at hand. Joey was happy to see Mina in high spirits, but he was deeply concerned for her well-being and how she would take the news of the paperwork being stolen once he worked up the nerve to tell her.

Of course, he had no idea that the paperwork was in actuality, still inside the house.

At any rate, Joey Wheeler was in a state of anxiety. Mixed emotions clouded up his mind, made telling Mina the truth all the more difficult. There just never seemed to be a good time to tell her.

Artemis and Luna followed the two teens around, but as time passed the two of them became caught up in their own love story, thus forgetting all about the two blondes for the most part.

They watched the sunset together outside that evening. Mina was lying in the snow, making snow angels for no other reason but to be like a kid again while Joey stood next to her, staring up at the sky. For once the clouds had disappeared, leaving the horizon in hues of purple, red, and orange. Mina noticed his smile at the sight which brought a slow smile to her face too.

That smile widened when she decided to throw a snowball at his face.

The snowball battle that followed raged on until Bruce finally called them in for dinner. Even then, the two didn't want to end their game without a winner being decided. At the end of the five-minute round, Mina announced herself as the winner.

Dinner followed, which was full of laughter, smiles, and some anxious stares from the house guests, but Joey and Mina didn't pay attention to them. They were completely wrapped up in getting to know one another and ignoring the issues that needed to be addressed.

Kallen Kozuki, the tenacious red-headed ace pilot of the disbanded resistance group known simply as, The Black Knights, noted this. Nevertheless, deep down she was a hopeless romantic and like any hopeless romantic, she could clearly see when two people belonged together. She wasn't about to stick a fork in the heart of their romance...even if the two people in question were completely oblivious to it.

The night brought about worries for everyone in the house but Mina. The poor girl was so ecstatic about the upcoming ball that she didn't bother to check her nightstand for the papers. She was certain that the papers were within the confines of the drawer and that all was right in the world.

The following morning was a morning of grand preparation. Since the dance lesson had been rendered useless the day before, Bruce and Sameul took a more direct approach, making sure that the two teens didn't get lost in each other's eyes while learning the steps.

It took a few hours of practice for the two of them to get all the steps right due to distractions and hunger on Joey's part, but they executed the steps over and over until they were perfect.

After that, Joey led Mina in one final practice dance which consisted of him just twirling her around on the dance floor over and over. She giggled and yelled at him to stop being silly, but Joey continued twirling her around, pretending that he couldn't hear her half-hearted protests.

Then, before either of them knew it, they were dancing inside of the Ashford Academy ballroom, which had only moments ago began to fill up with people.

Mina wore an orange halter dress that spiraled out at the bottom. Her long blonde hair was pinned up in a halfbun with the Sakura pin Seto Kaiba had given her as well as her usual red ribbon holding it all in place. On her arms she wore white elbow-length gloves and a Tiger Lilly corsage on her right wrist. On her ears she wore dangling Tiger Lilly earrings that matched the corsage perfectly. She had painted her lips in a coral-red, her eyes barely trimmed in gold glitter and mascara.

Joey wore his black tuxedo with the orange vest and white dress shirt underneath the jacket. His hair was a little less mused than usual, making him look far more dashing than Mina was used to seeing him.

The student council ballroom was brightly lit and decorated in the most brilliant Christmas decorations ever conceived. Greenery and lights of all colors lined the swooping balcony, the railings of the staircase at the back of the room, and the giant Christmas tree standing at the top of the staircase. Rainbow-colored tinsel covered the tree along with hundreds of different lights and ornaments that varied in shapes and colors. Streamers of gold and silver hung from the side balconies. The tables surrounding the dance floor were covered in red table cloths and poinsettia centerpieces. The chandelier above them had been polished, making each individual crystal on it shine ten times more brightly. The thin red carpet that usually led to the staircase had been removed from the ballroom, leaving the newly waxed white marble floor to glisten.

The music was bright, not exactly Christmas sounding in nature, but that would soon change.

At that particular moment Mina was slightly irritated because in all her excitement she'd forgotten to bring the paperwork, so now she'd have to wait until Samuel returned in order for Milly to sign it. She wasn't too concerned though because she'd told Samuel exactly where to find it.

Of course, Joey already knew that Samuel wouldn't find the paperwork.

And to make matters worse, there was about to be some major drama.

Earlier that evening

Artemis P.O.V.

5:31 p.m.

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing..."

I couldn't help but smile as Mina continued to sing from the bathroom, nearly succumbing to the temptation of singing along with her. The happiness she was exuding was not only infectious but a relief. For so long now, Mina has been in a state of depression from all the worries weighing down on her, mainly the state of her father's illness and the uncertainty of whether she could get the documents clearing him for surgery signed by her mentally disturbed mother.

Thankfully, through the links of a family she didn't know she possessed, Mina has cleared up that uncertainty. Tonight, at Ashford Academy's Christmas Snowball, the documents will be signed. From there, everything else will fall into place.

I'm grateful to Milly Ashford for her generosity as well as all the delicious cat treats she fed me with when I spent a night on the campus with Luna. Heck, I'm grateful for the time I've been able to spend with her. Who knew that four months could drag on for so long?

However, there are still some pressing issues that Mina is choosing not to think about right now. I don't blame her for wanting to be at ease for a solid minute, but deep down, despite the contagious happiness surrounding her and this event, I feel like something is off.

Extremely off.

Placing my paw on it is absolutely impossible, but for some reason there's a sick feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. I've mulled it over in mind for the last day and a half now, and I still can't figure out exactly what's wrong.

Luna, whose sitting next to me, commented that she felt the same, but had ruled out the strange feeling as an odd sense of paranoia. It isn't uncommon for us to worry about the Sailors we're responsible for. Earlier, Luna revealed she'd become increasingly worried over Serena's mental state.

When I asked why, she told me it was because Serena's father, Kenji Tsukino, had died during the Black Rebellion. To add insult to injury, her mother and younger brother were also missing in action and the inner scouts were having squabbles with the outer scouts. That development was another cause of worry for me because the Sailor Scouts can't work properly if they're at each other's throats.

And based on what Mina told me about her conversation with Rei two nights prior, the saying could be taken literally. I can see why when the conflict between them deals with a problem so personal for both of them.

I understand where Rei is coming from, voice or no voice from a vision. It is the duty of a Sailor Scout to eradicate evil, ensure the safety of civilians, and protect the world above all else. Rei has always taken this responsibility very seriously, and at certain times she has borne the most stress because of her ability to see the future. Back during the Death Buster fiasco, Rei continuously saw visions of Hotaru as Mistress 9, enacting her killing spree. Having to live through those visions over and over must have terrified her, yet she never once spoke about her fears, opting to keep them hidden to keep the others from worrying. In that regard, she's a lot like Mina.

However, the difference between them lies in how the senshi of fire handles stress. Though temperamental and reckless at times, Rei is the kind of person who will throw all of her insecurities and fears aside without question to complete her duty. Of course, based on Luna's revelations, confusion about her friendships with Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi have tested the boundaries of her morals. Luna didn't specify the reasons why these relationships make for so many complications, but I figure it's better for me not to know. In the end, it doesn't concern Mina, and I have faith that whatever Rei's confliction is, she'll do what she believes is right.

Mina on the other hand has less of a moral compass. Ultimately she wants to do the right thing but when someone she loves is in danger she'll do whatever it takes to protect/save them, not caring for whether the actions she takes are right or wrong. Her emotions and connections to people dictate how she responds to those high pressure situations. Based on what I've seen and what Mina has told me herself, those reactions have become increasingly unstable and violent. It's difficult for me to anticipate how she'll adapt to any given situation, whether good or bad.

That's part of why I'm worried for Mina now. Even though she's acting bubbly and carefree, deep down I know that ANYTHING could set her off to a point of no return, especially in regard to both of her parents and maybe even Joey.

Speaking of Joey, he's another reason I'm concerned. There's, of course, the idea that he'll try something with Mina...again, but more than that...he's just...The kid seems normal enough outwardly. I mean, he's acting like his usual, slighty dumb self, and his interactions with Mina are the same as normal and yet...

Something in his eyes screams that he's hiding something.

Luna turned her head towards me, her orange eyes twinkling slightly in concern. "Artemis, you mustn't worry so much. You'll make yourself cough up a hairball." Yawning she stretched out in front of me, claws digging into the cushions of the canary yellow chaise lounge we were sitting on. "Nothing is going to go wrong tonight. The girls will all have some fun, Mina and Rei will most likely bury the hatchet, and then we'll move on to the next problem like any other day."

Nodding I answered, "In my mind I believe that but..." trailing off verbally, I continued inwardly, "I can't put aside what I'm feeling. I'm worried for Mina...that she'll..."

"Okay! I'm ready!" Mina's boisterous shout cut in, forcing me to snap my gaze toward the bathroom as she stepped out, pulling the elbow-length white gloves she'd bought up on her arms. She wore a sparkling, orange halter dress that spiraled out at the bottom, covering up the orange pumps she wore. Her long blonde hair was pinned up in a halfbun with the pin Kaiba had given her and her trademark red ribbon. Her ears were adorned dangling Tiger Lilly earrings that matched the Tidger Lilly corsage she was slipping over her right wrist.

Smacking her newly painted coral-red lips, she twirled around a few times. "So, how do I look you two?"

Luna's soft smile was immediate. "You look gorgeous Mina."

"Thank you," Mina answered, grinning in excitement before shifting her gaze toward me. "What about you Artemis?" She twirled again, winking her sapphire eyes at me. "What do you think?"

Pushing my worries aside, I smiled up at her. "Do you even need to ask? You'll always look beautiful to me Mina."

With a bright smile, Mina knelt down, wrapping her arms around us. "Aww, you guys are the best." After hugging us for a moment she pulled away, walking toward the bed. For a second her gaze traveled to the broken bay window leading to the balcony. "I still can't believe Joey and Urabe broke my window playing baseball...honestly." She shook her head in slight annoyance. "Who plays baseball in the middle of winter next to what has to be a five billion dollar house?"

I narrowed my gaze on the window as she grabbed her purse. "Is that what really happened? Somehow I doubt it."

"I overheard Bruce saying he called someone to come fix it," Luna stated. "They should be coming in on Monday."

"That will be a welcome visit," Mina commented, locking her gaze on us again. "Thanks to this I've had to sleep on the third floor for the last two nights. The room is nice and all but it's nothing compared to this." Folding her arms across her chest she sighed, "Well, hopefully Joey will be a less clumsy date."

Luna smirked. "You're referring to him as your date now? Hmm, sounds like you have a crush on Mr. Wheeler."

Groaning inwardly I watched Mina's face flush. "Oh, no...you've got it all wrong. We're just...really good friends Luna. Honest."

"Sure, sure," Luna pressed, smirking a Cheshire Cat grin. "That's what Serena used to say about Darien and you know that the two of them are practically engaged now."

"Yeah..." Mina said nothing more, the light blush on her face fading as the embarrassed expression she was sporting fell into a soft grimace. Clearly her mind had drifted into darker places.

It's that sort of shift in attitude that worries me so.

"Mina! Are you ready!?"

The girl in question blinked out of her reverie, the smile returning to her face at the sound of Joey's voice. "Sounds like Joey is ready to get this show on the road." Bending down she patted our heads. "Are you guys sure you don't want to tag along? The ball is going to be one grand event you know."

"We'll be fine," I told her, returning her smile as she turned away. "Just have a nice time and be careful."

Mina nodded, scrambling across the room to check her reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Don't worry. Tonight will be the best night ever! I'm sure of it."

"Have fun!" Luna called.

"I definitely will," Mina called back, dashing across the wooden floor without looking back. "You guys have a nice night too!" Glancing back she winked at us before turning away to open the door. Seconds later she disappeared, the sound of her heels barely resonating through the air as she made her way downstairs.

Luna sighed after a long moment, opting to lean her weight against me. "Artemis, truthfully, I'm having trouble taking my own advice."

"I know," I told her, staring at the floor. "The two of us have grown so attached to all the girls, Mina and Serena especially. It's difficult not to worry, especially with someone like E.E. running about."

Luna nodded in understanding. "Well, at least Mina will finally have the signatures she needs to legally pay for the operation. She can put that to rest tonight."

I stayed silent for a moment mulling over Luna's words until a harsh realization hit me.

"Oh no, Mina left in such a rush that she didn't take the documents from out of the drawer," I stated, leaping off the chaise lounge. After sprinting across the floor I jumped up on the bed, making my way to the nightstand drawer as I did.

"You've got to be joking Artemis," Luna called in exasperation, following behind me as I leaped from the bed to the top of the nightstand. "Certainly Mina wouldn't forget something so important."

Leaning over the edge of the nightstand, I extended my paw, reaching for the handle to pull the thing open. "Mina has a tendency to be scatter brained when she's really excited. Still, her forgetting the documents isn't a huge deal in hindsight. I'm sure Mina will realize she left them behind and come back for them." Despite saying those words I kept reaching for the handle, hoping to get a firm grip so I could pull the thing open.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, I almost got it," I told her, finally managing to grasp the handle with my claws. After a few seconds I leaned forward a bit more, allowing for the rest of my paw to grip the handle. Then, with deliberate slowness I pulled it open, expecting the unsigned hospital documents to meet my line of sight.

My breath hitched in my throat, shock wracking through my system immediately upon seeing that the documents were no longer in the drawer where Mina had placed them.

"What's wrong?" Luna questioned.

Shifting my gaze so it met hers, I answered, "The documents are gone."

Her amber eyes widened as she stepped forward on the bed. "Gone? Are you certain?"

"Take a look," I offered, scooting to my right so she could hop on the nightstand. She did so without hesitation, looking into the drawer from my vantage point before a sharp groan slipped from her mouth.

"Is it possible that Mina moved the documents into the third story bedroom she's been occupying?" she asked.

"Honestly I'm not sure."

She groaned again, jumping from off the top of the nightstand to land on the polished wooden floor. "I'll go check the room downstairs. In the meantime you should see if Mina could have placed the documents anywhere else in this room. Of course, it's possible that Mina actually has the documents with her. We won't know unless she comes back whether she has them or not."

I nodded, choosing not to answer. In response, Luna left the room the same way Mina had minutes earlier. For a few minutes I stayed rooted in place, praying that Luna would be right and that this was a simple misunderstanding or a mistake in organization on Mina's part.

But more likely than not, the documents were stolen.

That's the real reason why the bay window in this room is broken, why Joey's smiles over the last day or so haven't reached his eyes.

This is what he's been hiding all along.

Outside the Student Council Clubhouse

Fernando P.O.V.

5:51 p.m.

At this point there's no point in pretending that I'm any sort of saint, nor is there any room for excuses. I am a sinner, an abomination against all that is good and a slave to a woman whose cruelty knows no bounds. Despite my best intentions, my initial plan to simply take revenge on the woman who stripped my dear Kaguya from her parents all those years ago has been lost to the folds of carnage and woe. The blood I'd wished to stain my hands with is not the blood staining them now.

Instead of destroying E.E., I've inadvertently killed scores of innocents.

There's no one I can blame but myself for what has happened now and what is to come next. As much as I'd hoped to spare Mina of the suffering dealt to me throughout the years thanks to E.E.'s madness, the only thing I have managed to do is cause more problems. And thanks to my too intuitive partner, Kara Fennette, the situation has become even more dire.

Chaos will ensue. The setup is too perfect for E.E. not to jump on it. Using Cecelia as bait, she's going to enlist her own revenge against Rei Hino, Sailor Mars, for squashing her plans in the past and for killing her cousin K3 on Kaname island a few months ago.

Still, even amongst the chaos, there's a chance for justice to win the night.

However, the operation Kara has planned is a very risky one. Every student attending this ball tonight is in serious danger, but to end the festivities is to cause panic and that is the last thing we need at this point. Besides that, because of Kara's personal attachments to this school, we're left with no choice but to use the targets of E.E.'s plans as bait to lure her into a trap.

Unfortunately, pulling it off is next to impossible, especially when E.E. has nearly all the different forms of Geass at her disposal. What's worse is that the power she holds now isn't even her full strength and she already reminds me of one of those overpowered video game characters. Recent events have led me to discover that a teen named Ryou Bakura once sealed off a portion of E.E.'s power within the Millennium Ring. These powers allowed him to increase his strength as well as gain the ability to kill her despite her immortal state. Clearly he didn't take advantage of his newfound knowledge, instead choosing to work with E.E. because they had a common goal in mind.

Having only learned this recently, I don't know the full extent of how E.E.'s powers were absorbed by him, but to find out would be beneficial for me.

Of course, then I had the bright idea to let Cecelia loose, thus playing a role in furthering E.E.'s sick goals.

I can't even blame her for the deaths at this point. My actions are what put this into motion. If anyone else should die, their blood is on my hands and I will be the one to carry the burden of the sins committed.

Kara will make sure of that.

She's far too intuitive for her own good or for the good of her cousin Shirley, but I don't doubt her abilities. While I think this plan is probably doomed to fail as far as trapping E.E. goes, I'm absolutely certain that Cecelia will be stopped tonight.

"Green."

Snapping out of my thoughts I turn my gaze toward the red-head as she approaches. There's a stern scowl on her face along with a fearsome gleam in her emerald-green eyes. Her attire is simple but elegant, a black strapeless ball-gown and elbow length silk black gloves. Her hair is pulled up into a neat bun with only a few strands left to hang over her face.

Her eyes narrow as she continues to speak. "We have some time before the ball. I need you to tell me everything you can about this E.E. and the power you used on that woman the other night."

"Is it really necessary for you to know everything?" It was a stupid question for me to ask. For Kara, any information is necessary.

"Out with it. We only have about an hour before the ball officially starts. We're going to need at least twenty minutes to make sure all our on-scene operatives are in place. That includes the Knights of the Round and the Knight Police." Letting out a small sigh she added, "Personally, I need to know exactly what we're dealing with. I don't trust you Fernando, but you're my only link to the information. If you cooperate, I can promise a slap on the wrist instead of the death penalty for your involvement in the murder of hundreds."

My eyes widened slightly at her usage of my name, but decided not to mention it. Teasing her in an attempt to lighten up the situation isn't really the best thing right now.

Letting out a sigh of my own, I focused my gaze so that it was squarely on hers. "I'll tell you everything you want to know Kara, but I cannot in good conscious allow you spare me from the consequences of my actions, that I can't." I turned my gaze away from her, closing my eyes as a small chuckle fell from my lips. "In the end, I deserve a fate far worse than death. For being an ally to E.E., even as a means of revenge...it was despicable of me."

"Yes it was," Kara answered immediately, her tone neutral. "Now, let's cut to the chase shall we? I want to know everything."

"Very well," I agreed. "I'm not sure if you'll believe everything I tell you, but I want you to know that what I"m about to reveal is the absolute truth."

Kara nodded. "I'll be watching your expressions and body language very carefully. I'll know instantly if you lie to me." She paused for a long moment, causing me to turn my gaze back toward hers. Involuntarily I shuddered at the sly smirk plastered on her face.

"Believe me Green, you don't want to know what I do to filthy liars," she continued, sweet venom dripping from her words. "You best be honest and to the point."

I knew without a doubt that the threat she gave was a legitimate one. Kara Fennette isn't just an intuitive detective but the head of Prince Odysseus' royal guard in Britannia and has been for nearly two years. I've heard many stories of her in the past and know that she's a capable pilot and assassin when a situation calls for it.

She is a woman of the battlefield. Her hands are sullied from the blood she's had to spill just as mine are now.

I suppose that's why she called me by my name and told me she'd try to bail me out all in one breath. On the one hand she's a ruthless distributer of justice and on the other she's an empathetic and kind young woman whose only trying to protect someone dear to her.

Telling Kara about E.E. and Geass is going to be a difficult task to manage in the time limit set up by her, but...if telling her the truth allows for E.E.'s horrendous schemes to come to an end I'll...

"Well?" Kara questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you going to start talking or what?

Taking a deep breath, I begin the sordid tale.

Back to the present time

6:50 p.m.

Joey P.O.V.

"You gotta tell her."

"This is nice isn't it?" Mina asked, moving toward the punch table with me a few steps behind her. Inwardly I prayed that she wouldn't spike the punch again. The last thing we need is a room full of drunk students...and I especially don't want to see Rei drunk or hungover again. That lady was just plain psychotic.

"Come on man, just say it!"

"Yeah," I replied while another mental rant went rampant inside my head. "This set-up is really cool. The Ashford's must be loaded to be able to throw this big of a shindig."

Mina raised an eyebrow at me as she filled a glass goblet with strawberry punch. "Shindig? Joey, I think your slang is outdated."

I laughed at that. "Maybe. Guess you can call me old-fashioned..."

"Yeah, an old-fashioned liar!" my conscious interrupted. "Seriously, you can't put this off any longer. Mina deserves to know what's really going on. There's no right time to break bad news to someone, so just spit it out already!"

My heart beat against my ribcage painfully. I'm not sure how, but Mina noted my changing expression almost immediately.

"Joey, is something wrong?"

The music rose in volume to reflect the knots twisting in my stomach. Even though the melody was real bubbly and had that general Christmas feel to it, for me it spelled DOOM in big bold capital letters.

"It's now or never stupid. Tell her now!"

My mouth started moving, but before I could get any words out...

"GOOD EVENING!"

Milly showed up.

Mina turned away from me, her gaze shifting toward the bottom of the elaborately decorated staircase Milly was practically running past. She wore a white, long yet sheer sleeved ball gown that sparkled and shimmered when she moved. There was a long split on one side of it, revealing a good deal of Milly's left leg. I kept my gaze away. No doubt Mina would slap me silly if she caught me staring at that bared skin.

Mina smiled broadly as Milly slammed into her at full speed. The two of them giggled as they exchanged greetings while I stood awkwardly to the side watching as they immediately started gossiping.

Yep, those two are definitely family.

"Well, well, well," Milly was saying, reaching her hand up to pinch Mina's cheek. "Looks like my innocent looking cousin isn't as innocent as she claims." A vindictive chuckle slipped from her lips as she wrapped an arm around Mina's shoulders. "I heard all about what you did at Rei's place the other night."

Mina rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. "Was it Rei that told you? She has a tendency to overreact you know..."

"Yes that's true," Milly cut in, still smiling broadly at Mina, "but Rei wasn't the one that spilled the beans to me. It was Serena who told me all the dirty details of how you spiked the punch and caused everyone to get drunk. I didn't imagine you could sink so low." She laughed again.

Mina glanced at me as I grabbed a cup and began pouring punch into it. "You should have, after all we are part of the same family aren't we?" She was smirking now. "I'm willing to bet that you've planned and carried out some underhanded schemes before or am I wrong?"

The two of them were giggling after a few more seconds, but by that point I had tuned them out, instead choosing to focus on the music playing and the decorations all around the elaborate ballroom.

As the music plays I find myself drifting into my own world, thinking about all the places I could have been or where I would have been now if Mina hadn't been around to help me that night. Maybe I'd be at the hospital still, or lying in a street, dead. I certainly wouldn't be in Japan, standing in such a beautiful place with one of the most beautiful girls I've ever known.

She'll probably hate me after tonight, but I owe it to her to tell her the truth.

Still, before I can do that I...

After a few seconds of contemplation, I down my cup of punch in one gulp and begin a slow trek towards her. She and Milly have wandered a few feet away, closer to the staircase. Glancing about the room I noted that some of the other students had arrived, all wearing formal attire. Many of the student council members and Rei's friends were out on the dance floor with some chatting lightly as they danced while others glared at the two dancers near the center of the ballroom. I couldn't make out who they were from the crowd, not that it really matters.

After what felt like an hour I finally strode across the room and tapped Mina's back. She turned, her smile wide.

"Yes?"

Stepping back I cleared my throat, hoping that I didn't stutter.

"Mina," I began, holding my hand out toward her. "Would you um..." well there goes the non-stuttering part of the plan. "Would you like to...dance?"

She nodded and took my hand without hesitation. "Sure." Quickly turning back toward Milly she said, "We'll deal with the paperwork after the ball."

Those words were almost the death of me right then and there.

Only five minutes stand between our heroes and the beginning of the Christmas Snowball.

Only five minutes stand between what should be a fabulous event and the reality of what it will become.

In five minutes, lives will be permanently altered. For some, the alterations will reveal the truth behind closed feelings, will bring light to a darkening hope to repair a broken friendship. Others will see how foolish they have been, listening to everyone elses voices yet never hearing their own. They will fight and they will be victorious over the demons that lurk in the depths of their hearts.

However, the unfortunate reality is that most of them will feel true despair and taste blood. Eyes will witness horrors that no soul can ever truly recover from.

One won't recover at all.

But Joey and Mina had no clue of any of this as they traveled toward the dance floor.

Milly sent the two of them an approving nod. Her brows knitted together slightly when she noted the uncomfortable smile on Joey's face, but thought little of it as she turned to make her way to the small makeshift stage that had been built in the corner of the ballroom. She still had a job to do.

As the Ashford Private Academy Student Council President marched up the stairs, a woman padded through the entrance to the ballroom with an escort. She wore a black strapless ball gown with her long black tresses hanging in an elaborate braid. The glare of the chandelier's light against her thinly framed glasses hid the color of her eyes.

She smiled, baring her teeth as her escort, a man with shaggy blonde hair and bright orange eyes, glanced around the room in barely contained excitement. He wore a black suit with a red rose sticking out of the breast pocket.

"We've arrived mother," the man stated, grinning a Cheshire cat grin. "It's quite the grand affair isn't it?"

"Quite," the woman replied, lifting her gaze. The glare of the chandelier shifted on the glasses, revealing two leaf green irises.

From her place on the stage, Milly Ashford smiled, her sapphire eyes glowing as the clock finally struck seven.

"WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SNOWBALL!"

A/N: And this is where we're gonna end this chapter. Big action and drama is coming up next! Prepare yourselves! It's gonna be EPIC! Thanks for reading and for putting up with the long hiatus. Be sure to review! I'll get the new chapter out as soon as possible. Have a great day everybody!