It was dark when Marrin finally awoke. She was alone, there was a note from Danny clasped in her right hand and a muddied picture was starting to reform in her mind. She mentally picked up the broken pieces of her recent dream, and pieced them together.

The red-head girl shook her head and let her vision return. She held up the note to the light. It said;

Dear Marrin;

If your feeling well enough, give me a call—Do not get out of bed again. The doctor was right, you are much to weak after your situation.

He also told me you should be released in about three days if all goes well.

Rachel appreciated you talking to the doctor about Lillian. She's hurting, but she said she'd be okay. You may not realize it, but you helped her get through a very tough time. Lillian's DNR didn't go through yet. It will go through by 5:30 tonight.

She paused there. Marrin glanced at the clock. 7:00.
And just then, she saw a nurse pushing a cart down the hallway. A silver cart with bars that meet at the top. A crib.

A very thin white sheet covered who or whatever was beneath it. Marrin noticed a small alcove for the mouth, the eyes, and the nose—

She had been a victim... Lillian had been one of the pawns in the unfair game of life. Lillian, one of them…

Just a kid…

She didn't even care anymore. She tore her sheets off, then ran after the cart. "HEY!" She yelled. "HEY, HEY! STOP!" The man halted, turning to Marrin. She looked down on the little girls face, but found herself unable to lift the sheet itself from the fresh corpse. Only four…Only four years old…

"Oh, no..." Tears stung her eyes and she began to cry. Angrily she stood up. Marrin Travers was getting out of there-- Now. Christmas Eve or not.

"Are you okay, miss?" He asked gruffly, looking Marrin in the eyes.

"Yah…I'm…fine…"

She turned away.

"She's being buried in the cemetery by the park next Wednesday." The man had nearly read her thoughts. "If you would like to attend my niece's funeral, it is being held at 2:30 in the afternoon. I can tell you must feel something, if not sympathy or sadness for the girls passing, and I would appreciate your company at the funeral."

Marrin nodded eagerly, and watched for a moment as the cart wandered down the lonely hallway. Once again, the melody of earlier in the day haunted her ears.

If you want me to I will.

She turned and ran down the hallway, pushing through the front doors, sobbing uncontrollably. Marrin wandered out in the extreme cold, feeling her bare feet scream in icy cold pain as they went numb. She pulled her robe around her, shivering. No one would let her in anywhere... She'd have to go home somehow.
It was Christmas Eve. Snowdrifts fell silently, coating the ground in a delicate frosting. She found bench in the park, concealed by bushes. Marrin sat there, freezing cold and almost numb.
Happily.

Meanwhile, Danny looked down at the TV guide in his hands. "On at eight o'clock... Ugh. Nothing but 7th Heaven." The black haired boy sighed and switched to Channel 28. The only reason 7th Heaven was okay was Beverly Mitchell. Danny took a bite of his popcorn, then picked up a picture from the table. He blew some dust off of it. "Holy crap... This is old." It was Sam and Danny in their awkward tween stage. He nodded his head and smirked at the picture slightly.
Sam was whacking him with a newspaper from Mr. Wilson's driveway. He had done something to tick her off, he just didn't remember what. Wait... Didn't he try to kiss her? Yes, he tried to kiss her! The memory came flooding back to him and he closed his eyes. He could feel the sticky summer heat...

It was the hottest day in the history of Amity. Danny, Tucker and Sam were riding their scooters and laughing. Danny had a crush on a girl named Ayami at that point. She was Mr. Wilson's daughter. He was talking to her, and she was giggling. He looked into her lovely violet eyes, then figured it was now or never. Danny leaned in, so close he could count the specks of pink in her light, jolly violet eyes.
Then Sam burst in, shoving Shoshanna aside. The pink-haired girl stumbled and fell down into a creek. Danny planted his lips straight on Sam's, and she immediatly screamed. Her face grew red in fury and she snatched up Mr. Wilson's paper, then smacked Danny up the head with it.
And Tucker got it on camera.

Danny was transported back to the cool rush of winter inside the Fenton house. It was commercial break. He set the picture down, then stood up and turned the TV off. He threw the popcorn away, then put on his jacket. Danny rushed outside into the freezing cold.
He tried to start his scooter, but to no avail. It was too cold. The bells were ringing; it was almost Christmas, and Christmas mass was starting. He frusteratedly threw his scooter against the wall, then ran out into the snowy night. The ice made him slip, and he fell. Danny got up, dusted himself off, and looked around. Amity Park. He looked out on the lake. One person was skating, just one. He stared at her.
She was humming as she glided around gracefully. She had bright pink hair and violet eyes. She wore a glittery skating uniform in a shade of fuchsia. She jumped, and he watched her land. "A-A-Ayami?" He stuttered to himself.
Ayami became aware someone was watching her and skidded to a stop in front of him. "Who are you?"
"Danny Fenton, Ayami..." He smiled weakly.
"Oh!" She smiled. "Long, LONG time no see."
"How are you?" He asked.
Ayami stepped off the ice. "Cold," She joked.
"Ayami... I need help." He leaned against the fence that seperated them.
"What is it, Danny?" She leaned against it next to him.
God, her face hadn't changed. She still had her unusual eyes and unforgettable smile.

"Erm…Well, there's…There's this girl—" He started, stuttering.

Ayami grinnd. "Ah. Girl troubles."

"Okay. So anyway, there's this one girl...I've known her for a while..." He hoped she didn't catch who he was talking about. "And then there's this other girl I've just met....And...And things have..." He looked for a better way to phrase it.

Ayami picked her bag up, then set it back down again bluntly. She laned against the fence. "And?"

"Erm…I….can't decide which one I care about more…It's weird. Usually it wouldn't matter…But I have feelings for the girl I've known for a long time…And the one I just met likes me…And has a lot of issues."

He took a breath.

"The one I just met did something really stupid….And now the one I've known for a long time is acting really weird. I'm so confused its not even funny."

Ayami sighed and withdrew a thermoes from her bag, then some cups. She set them down and poured some steaming cocoa into them. "For afterpractce," She noted to him. He seemed puzzled. "But, Danny." She turned to him, while zipping her bag up. "If I were you, I'd let your heart decide. Listen to your heart, Daniel Fenton." She smiled lightly. "Thats what led me to Drake."

"My heart is confused. Now, I mean more confused than usual."

"Danny..." Her eyes softened slightly. "Your heart will lead you. Trust it."

Nodding, Danny stood up and began to walk away. He turned back to Ayami.

"I hope your right."

She smiled and waved as Danny faced the snow alone with his thoughts.