I liiiive! So sorry it's taken me so very long to post this chapter. Been working on a couple of other stories and work's been beating me up. Lots of morning to night shifting they've done to me. 8am to 11pm! Suck! But I've come out the other side with this very overdue chapter. Unfortunately it is a little shorter than usual, but I promise next chapter's will be so much longer! In the mean time sit back and enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Remember That One Time

The cold winter air brushed her skin, tossed her hair and nipped at her fingers but she paid it all absolutely no attention. Jack watched her as she paced the length of the pond back and fourth slowly. Ever since Snow had seen Molly's picture she'd fallen completely silent. Her eyes became distant and she seemed deep in thought as she paced the ice back and fourth, twisting her fingers with agitation. Her face was as blank as a new canvas. It was impossible for him to know what was going through her mind. Jamie had left not long after showing her the picture, per Jack's suggestion. That picture had stirred something in her and whatever it was, she needed time to figure out what she wanted to do with the information she had received today. The excitement that had filled her before was now replaced with an infuriatingly uknowable something that made her uneasy. Molly Holloway knew Snow White. Evidently they'd been close. How well had they known each other? And was this Molly girl somehow connected with Snow's death? Jack sat on a boulder on the edge of his pond, one knee bent up to rest an arm on. He idly tapped his staff against the rock as he watched her walk aimlessly around on the frozen water.

Snow didn't know what to do now. She knew this girl. Molly was important to her-she knew that. But this strong feeling of foreboding refused to leave her. She knew Molly might be the key to unlocking her seemingly stubborn dormant memories. She was afraid. It wasn't a nervous kind of fear, but the kind that makes your body shake and your very bones turn cold. Borderline terror. Which was worse? A nameless fear or to know just how horrifyingly how valid it was? She wanted to know. She didn't want to know. She wanted to see Molly. She didn't want to scare her. What was she supposed to do? She looked to Jack. She just wanted to see his face. Those eyes that always seemed to shine with confidence-like he knew everything was going to be okay. She needed to see him. She couldn't see him! The world around her was dark, she couldn't feel the air, couldn't see Jack on the rocks, couldn't smell the tang of winter or the spice of pine. It was as if she wasn't there at all.

She looked behind her, around her. Nothing. A sound-a flash of light-! Nothing again. Nothing but the sound of her own breathing. Then she heard it. She saw what was happening around her as if she were seeing it from someone else's eyes.

She was waiting by the school gate, drumming her fingers absent-mindedly on the fence. How long was recital prep supposed to last? Not that she wasn't excited for Molly's piano recital, but she'd been waiting for nearly twenty minutes now and it was getting a little too cold for her liking. Maybe she should just go on in and find her. Molly was late after all. But even as she thought of taking a step the school doors opened and a small group of students began ebbing out, laughing and joking with each other along the way. She saw her immediately, standing out amongst the other students in their bundles of coats. Molly was wearing light blue jeans and a bright pink hoodie, her long brown hair being tossed lightly around her shoulders by the crisp early winter wind. She smiled and waved the girl over. Molly smiled wide and jogged over to her, holding on to the straps of her backpack which was nearly bulging at the seams it was so full.

" Hey. Miss Molly! What took you so long? And where is your coat?" Molly giggled sheepishly and shrugged.

" Sorry. I was working out next week's schedule with Mrs. Harper. She accidentally scheduled me, Jenna and Lauren to rehearse at the same time on Thursday. Well, that and I got caught up talking with Lauren so I lost track of time." She finished with a light laugh. Snow gave her a pointed look that said ' We're gonna be late because of you.' Molly bit her lips and grinned impishly. " Oops."

" Damn right, Oops." Snow grumbled, her tone though irritated was only half-hearted. " But what about your coat?"

" I lost it. I took it off in the music room, but I couldn't find it later." Typical. At twelve years old Molly was one of the smartest people she knew, but for all of her brains she couldn't keep track of her own stuff to save her life. Hell, she'd lose her own arm if it wasn't already attached. With an exasperated sigh Snow shook off her own coat and handed the jacket to Molly, who slipped it on gratefully. The cold slapped her as a hard gust of wind decided to show up now. But that was fine. Their destination wasn't far anyways. Together the girls began walking down the street, Snow hugging herself to fend off the cold. The black long-sleeved shirt currently covering her did little to help. Maybe talking might help to make the cold less noticeable.

" So Mol, the high school dance is coming up tomorrow. You gonna party crash?" Molly shook her head. Typical. Molly didn't usually go out anyways. She was always perfectly happy to be with her books or perfecting her already perfect talent on the piano. She couldn't count how many times she had tried to drag Molly away from her work. People always said Molly was very mature for her age, but sometimes Snow thought of it as a bad thing. Kids were made to mess up. That's how they grew. Molly's worst nightmare seemed to be along the lines of an 'F' or a detention. So what would be Molly's excuse today? ' Lemme guess: Too much work to do?'

" Nah, too much practice and homework. Besides, I wouldn't know anybody there." Thought so. Snow bumped Molly on the shoulder playfully and smiled down at her.

" I'd be there." The younger girl rolled her eyes.

" Yeah, as if I don't get enough of you as it is." Snow let out an indignant gasp and shoved Molly to the side. Her arms flailing Molly grabbed her by her sleeve as she tipped to the side and together the girls fell in to the snow. Cold and wet was what registered, followed by the weight on her legs where Molly had landed. She looked up at her, and Molly stared back. A veil of snow covered the younger girl's hair and a large chunk clung to her right shoulder, almost making her look like a hunch-back. She snorted out her laughter as Molly giggled at the girl she was practically sitting on. And even as the snow seeped in to her clothes and in to her hair she couldn't stop laughing with Molly as they lay together on the ground.

A ringing. The laughing girls covered in snow vanished. Dimmed away as if someone had turned off the sunshine and the bright white snow and she felt no cold nor saw anything around her. The darkness was back. Snow turned to the ringing sound still in her ears and focused. What was that sound? A murmur of words that made no sense-as if someone was speaking to her underwater. She strained her senses so hard her head was beginning to hurt. Who...? "...ow...now...Snow!" Jack was calling her name. Suddenly the world rushed back to her and she gasped as her body jumped as if she had been electrocuted. Jack was holding her. She was on the ground in his arms, his face tight with worry. The winter breeze ghosted over her like a welcoming embrace. Wait...she was with Jack? Where was Molly, she was just here-! Show looked around the space searchingly. They were not at the school gates anymore. They were back at Jack's pond. Oh. That's right. Jamie was just here a little while ago...showing them Molly's picture. A light shake brought her back and she sat up slowly, Jack's arms supporting her where she sat.

"...Jack?" He sighed heavily and nodded.

" Yeah, It's me. Are you okay?" She blinked dazedly in the sunlight and shook her head.

" I'm not...sure. What happened?" He stared at her for a long time. So long she was almost afraid he wouldn't answer her.

" You were pacing the ice and then you just, kinda fainted. I couldn't bring you out of it." Had she? When did she fall out? And how long?

" How long was I out for?"

" About ten minutes. I was about to take you back to the North Pole if you didn't come to."

"...Oh." She closed her eyes against the world around her. The snow suddenly seemed too white, the sun too bright. Snow pressed a hand to her head as she struggled to hold on to the memory of what she just saw. Even as it was already fading in to the recesses of her mind like falling sand. She had to hurry up and tell him what she saw. " Jack I saw something again. I think it was another memory." His eyes widened in surprise and his grip on her shoulders tightened ever so slightly.

" Did you remember who you are?" He asked hopefully. Snow White shook her head and struggled to recall what she had just seen.

" No, but Jamie was right. I know that girl Molly Holloway. I remembered...I saw something. I was waiting for her outside of her school. I was a little irritated that she was late, and it was getting cold. I was taking her home from her piano lesson. Her recital was coming up so she was practicing. She came out with no coat. She forgot so I just gave her mine." She smiled absent-mindedly as she spoke. " She's always forgetting her stuff. Even her homework. The only reason she doesn't get in to too much trouble for it is because she's a straight A student. Her own harshest perfectionist." The memories were fading faster now. Get it out get it out! " We started talking about the prom. I asked if she wanted to come too. But she said she would rather practice and do homework than go to a party where she barely knew anyone. I told her she knew me and," Snow laughed softly at the memory. " She said she got enough of me as it was. I pushed her in to the snow and she dragged me down with her. We both looked like living snow people we were so covered up in snow. And we just started laughing, we couldn't stop. " Her smile faded as she recalled the loss of sight and sensation. " And then everything went dark. Next thing I know I'm back here with you."

Snow finally opened her eyes as her headache eased as the burden of holding on to the memory was finally let go, and she looked up at Jack. He hadn't interrupted her, but listened to her as she told him what she had seen. There was concern in his eyes and something else she couldn't quite place. Finally Jack nodded once and took hold of her hand. " Are you okay now? Can you stand up?" She took his hand, feeling the strength and gentleness in his touch like a soothing balm to her troubled mind.

" Yeah, I think so." Jack stood up, then taking both of her hands in his he pulled her to her feet. She staggered a little as her legs struggled to find balance with the ground. She leaned against his chest and stayed still. The world felt like it was on tilt and Jack felt like the only safe harbor she had to ground her. His arms wrapped around her and she in turn wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder as the world around her slowly gained stability. If she was dead, then how could she feel so weak and disoriented? But more than what she saw around her now Snow thought of what she had seen before. The first memory she had was of being at prom then leaving. Alone. Now her second memory was about Molly Holloway, and again, the subject of prom had come up. She was dressed in what she had worn to the event. Prom kept coming back like a bad song on the radio. And now a connection with Molly. Why?

" Jack. What happened to me at the prom? Why does it keep coming up?" She felt him rest his face against her hair, his hand coming up to stroke the ebony tresses. They simply stood there for a time, holding each other in the middle of his pond. Then slowly Jack drew away to look at her. She looked back at him with a questioning, that unfortunately he couldn't answer.

" Whatever's happening we'll figure it out, ok? It's gonna be okay." And she could actually believe him as he smiled down at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. His smile was such an infectious thing. So she gave him a simple nod and a smile.

" I believe it when you say it." And she rested her head against him again, not knowing that his mind was already working fast nourishing a thought that made him smile wider.

" Come on. Let's go back."

Not long after coming back to the North Pole, Jack had suggested that Snow White lay down for a while. Because whatever had happened to her seemed to have sapped her energy. She complied, after giving her permission to inform the other guardian what she had remembered and then Jack had taken off to the main deck where he found the other guardians at work. Tooth was barking out orders to her fairies, Nicholas was pouring over a large book, a pair of glasses resting on his nose. Bunnymund was sitting in a chair, his paws holding on to a thick volume much like Nicholas's. One foot tapped the ground impatiently. Sandy was sitting on a stool near the world's map of children who still believed, sipping a cup of coco, lost in thought. Jack lightly jogged to them all, holding up a hand in general welcome.

" Hey." North looked up from his book, removing his glasses to focus better on Jack. Toothiana paused mid-order and quickly fluttered to his side.

" Oh, Jack you're back! What took you so long?" Bunny let the heavy volume he was holding fall with a dull thud on to a nearby table and hopped out of his seat.

" What did Jamie have to tell ya, Mate? Everythi'n all good?" He blew the air from his lungs in a heavy breath and ran a hand through his hair.

" I'm not sure. Jamie remembered where he'd seen Snow before. He said she was with this girl, Molly Holloway. He even brought over a school yearbook for us to see what she looked like. Snow got real quiet after that. Jamie had to go so Snow and I hung around the pond for a bit. One minute she's pacing the ice, next thing I know she faints. She was out cold for a good ten minutes before she finally came out of it." Tooth gasped and her hands flew to her heart.

" Oh my gosh! Is she okay?" Jack shrugged hopelessly and shouldered his staff.

" I don't know. When she came to, she said she'd had another vision... Or memory. She said she was taking Molly home from piano practice. Molly forgot her coat so Snow gave the girl hers. It's kinda weird. This time when she had a memory she remembered not just Molly, but certain personality traits, like that Molly's a straight A student and that she forgets stuff all the time..." Last time Snow had had a memory she could only recall faces and pieces of a conversation. This time the memory seemed more distinct to him. " Anyway, they talked about prom a little. She asked Molly if she wanted to go with but she said she got enough of Snow as it was. So she pushed Molly in to the snow and Molly took her down with her. She said they were laughing. And the she woke up." He searched their faces, as if any of them might have any ideas about what was happening. Instead they stared back at him as if expecting more of an explanation or something. Finally it was North who spoke up.

" Jack, where is Snow White now?" He asked quietly. Oh yeah, that.

" She was really tired and a little unsteady. So I just sent her to rest in my room." Bunnymund shrugged off the explanation. Tooth's mouth formed a silent ' O' of understanding and she nodded acceptingly. Sandy was watching him with his arms crossed, a series of pictured flashing so fast over his head it was nearly impossible to keep up with whatever thought process he was having. Jack was however able to make out what looked like an angel, a skull and a tornado amongst the torrent of golden images. (?) Nicholas St. North however, looked grim. But why? Jack knew he'd have to get the older guardian alone and ask him later. But first, there was something he needed to do. The ide had come to him some time ago, but now he needed their help to make it happen. Bunny seemed to sense the change in Jack before any of the others. He hopped over to Jack with an air of the utmost suspicion around him as he eyed the winter spirit skeptically.

" Oi, what are ya up to, Frostbite?" Jack arched a brow at the pooka and smirked.

" Me?" Bunny's eyes narrowed challengingly. In his experience any idea of Jack's was a bad one or a dangerous one. All in all: Never good.

" Yeah, you. I know mischief when I smell it, an' righ' now ya reek of it. Just what are you on about?" Jack was glad he asked! He leaped up in to the air and landed on the banister and tapped his staff against his shoulder. His smirk now transformed in to a smile that had Tooth's fairies swooning.

" Guys, I've got an idea."

Done! So what do you think Is Jack's idea? A lead on the case? Snow days? World domination? Tune in next time to find out! Please R&R and as always bless your happy happiness!