A/N: So I'm not dead. To my dearest readers of Always, be reassured that it will be back up and running, this time with regular updates, very soon. I'm posting this oneshot because I want you all to know that I love Inez and Matt as much as always and I hope that you won't give up on Always.

This fic is dedicated to every single reader of Always, past, present, and future. I'm not naming specific names because I'll end up missing someone. However, I read every single review and it means so much to me. So here's to you!

Snowflake

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake…" –Francis Bacon Sr.

Inez tilted her head upwards, letting snowflakes nestle into her dark hair. She allowed her eyes to flutter closed and soft tiny sparkles of snow landed on her long eyelashes. Sighing when the cold proved to be too much, she got up and was about to go inside when she saw him.

Matt.

He flashed her a grin and she ignored the butterflies that erupted in her stomach before sitting back on the swing. He walked around behind her and twisted the swing chains so she would look at him. "What're you doing out here? There's a party going on inside the Cybrary you know. Almost midnight and all."

"Yeah, I know. New years." Inez tightened the pink scarf around her neck and let her boots scuff at the snow on the ground.

He didn't comment on the obvious dullness in her voice, choosing to study the snow falling from the sky. "Never knew it could snow here. By the way, since when was there a swing behind the Cybrary?"

"It's not really supposed to snow. Doctor Marbles did something all scientific so we could have a more wintery atmosphere and I found the swing in the basement so I went ahead and hooked it up. The party's not really for me."

He grasped the chains of the swing from behind and pushed her, just as he had done when they were kids. "You don't sound very excited, Nezzie."

"Don't call me Nezzie!" She snapped instinctively before she peered over her shoulder to see him stifling laughter. She giggled as well. How many times had they done this? She couldn't even count. The funny thing was that she never really reacted this way with someone else. She was never so emotional, so crazy, so…

So alive.

"Seriously, though, what's going on? I get that Jackie's the party girl and all but you're all depressed."

"Nothing."

"You can't lie to me."

Inez had to snort at that. It was sadly true. Matt and Jackie were too close to her to believe anything other than the truth that spilled from her mouth. "I don't know…it's just…it's new years."

"Yeah, I know." His hands were now on her waist, pushing her forward and she fought the tingles along her spine. "Another year of fighting and winning against Hacker, another year of Jackie's dramatics, another year of annoying you, another year of adventures, and another year of watching Jackie and Slider dance around their own feelings."

"We might not have to see that any longer," Inez slowly said, peering as two shadowy figures danced in the Cybrary window, looking suspiciously like the aforementioned friends. As they watched, the outlines of Slider and Jackie embraced and then he dipped her into a kiss.

"Whoa…" Matt trailed off and the two of them looked away, blushing.

"At least it finally happened," Inez laughed, finding it absolutely adorable (wait, what?) that Matt's cheeks were tinged cherry red. "I mean, it's good that we won't have to watch them tiptoe around each other anymore."

Matt looked up, his eyes boring into hers. "Are you jealous?"

"W-what?" Inez choked out. Why in the world would he think that?

"I thought…I thought you liked Slider."

"No!" Inez nearly shrieked, lowering her voice when Matt looked at her in alarm. "He's always been Jackie's!"

"But-" He cut off suddenly, running his fingers through his messy ginger hair.

"But what?" Inez persisted doggedly, determined to know whatever could bring him to that idea.

"You let him call you Nezzie." Matt's tone was accusing, yet there was a distinctively childish tone to it, making him sound more like a petulant three year old than anything else.

Inez gazed at him for a moment before erupting in laughter, twirling in the swing as she fought desperately to stop her giggles. "Oh, Matt." She couldn't help but sigh.

"It's true." He muttered this, his ears turning bright red. "And yet you get mad when I do it."

"You're silly," Inez murmured almost affectionately. Oh, this wintery atmosphere was really getting to her.

"Humph," he harrumphed and let the subject slide, going back to pushing her on the swing. "Jeez, Nezzie. You're really getting heavy." He mock wheezed to prove his point.

Inez scowled and skidded to a halt upon the swing. Matt, suddenly looking afraid, began to back away but Inez was much too quick for him. With a jump, she was upon him, tickling him as he squirmed. "Say that you're sorry," she threatened.

"Never," he gasped out in between chuckles and with an enormous amount of effort, reached out and pushed her away. He managed to pull himself up to a sitting position while Inez was content to lie there.

"It's almost midnight," he whispered and she shivered under his gaze. She could hear shouts from the library as the occupants counted off until the new year.

"TEN!"

Matt could drive her crazy sometimes, she mused. With his teasing remarks and overall carelessness. He didn't think before he acted; he was impulsive, instinctive. It was a wonder they were such good friends, what with the way he made her go nuts.

"NINE!"

Although it wasn't too much of a surprise, she thought, for he really was a caring guy. He was truly one of a kind, always wanting to make others laugh. He was a true friend and always was there for her.

"EIGHT!"

So even though he drove her crazy, she couldn't live without him. It was cheesy but undoubtedly true. Without him, she wouldn't be the same Inez. If something ever happened to him, she had no doubt that she would withdraw into a shell, unable to see a world without Matt the same way.

"SEVEN!"

She would do anything to protect him. It may be a morbid thought, but if danger was hurtling towards them, she would have absolutely no hesitation to step in front of him. Deep down, she knew he would do the same. Their friendship, though they were quite young, ran deep. It was like an unbreakable chain that bonded the two, woven with threads of the memories they had shared. She had a similar bond with Jackie, of course, but Matt's was different.

Matt was different.

"SIX!"

Why, she wondered suddenly, did she become so frustrated when some other girl, especially Shari Spotter, showed an interest in Matt? Why was she filled with indignation? They didn't know Matt, she reasoned.

Even though she knew that wasn't the real reason.

"FIVE!"

On the other hand, why was Matt so irritated by her allowing Slider to call her Nezzie? He claimed it was his nickname. He said that he was the only one allowed to call her it. He even went so far as to assume that Inez liked Slider for this act, clearly because the "Nezzie" incident was too difficult to let go. Alright, so maybe Inez acted a bit different around Slider. Still…he had always been Jackie's. It was evident in the way they were around each other. So how could Matt possibly think that she liked him? Could it be that…?

"FOUR!"

What was she thinking? This was Matt, her best friend. She couldn't think such things about him!

"THREE!"

How long could she deny it? She battled with herself, unsure of how to solve this inner dilemma.

"TWO!"

No…no…no! She didn't like him!

"ONE!"

Inez couldn't lie to herself. Matt. Joking, laughing, happy Matt had filled her heart with his carefree smiles and loving teasing. Matt, who was willing to leave a party and come out into the cold to look for her. Matt, who pushed her on the swing just as he had done when they were five years old. Matt, who knew her inside and out. Matt, who she could never lie to. Matt, who could tell her every feeling with a single glance. Matt, who made her absolutely mad. Matt, who had always been there for her, every step of the way. Matt, who would never willingly leave her. Matt, who wiped her tears and shared in her laughter.

Matt, who she loved.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Brought out of her epiphany by the sudden shout, she began to sit up, only to be distracted by Matt's lips upon hers. Her eyes fluttered closed instinctively and she found her arms winding around his neck while his wrapped around her waist.

It was impulsive. It was natural. It was right.

Matt pulled away and Inez stared at him with wide eyes. What had just happened? "D-did you kiss me because o-of the whole new year thing?"

"No," he smirked. "There was a snowflake on your lips, Nezzie."

Inez smiled before lifting her head upwards, allowing another snowflake to land on her mouth. She raised her eyebrows at Matt and shrieked with delight when he pounced upon her. They laughed and Inez knew one thing…

This was going to be the best year yet.

A/N: I know it's early but I wanted to go ahead and get it out. Hope you love 2012!