Not so happily ever after after all....

((@plotting: I was thinking malificent or the evil queen from snow white, but who says it's even one person? It could be many.
@ socks: yesh yew may.))

Red looked up. "Was there an old woman who never told the same story about herself twice there?"

((Oooh, insterestante thinking...))

Chip smirked a little bit. "Yeah. She was fun to listen to, though."

"Gretel was my little sister." Hansel paused "She doesn't let anyone boss her around, not even her older brother. That can't be her."

Red shrugged. "Sounds like my Grandma..."

Chip chuckled a little at Red and then looked over to Hansel. "Like I said, she could have gone once everyone went to sleep or something. You can do anything you want once everyone's passed out in that cave."

"You're sure you're remembering Hansel's sister, and not just any little girl?" Belle asked.

"I...I think so..." Chip looked back down, looking the slightest bit guilty.

Red quietly finished her dinner and wished she could find some topic to talk about with the others.

Hansel got up and left. He didn't want the group to see him cry. He sat outside the cottage and leaned his back against a tree.

"Ohh," Belle groaned. "There he goes again. Chip, stay here, alright?" And Belle, despite the voice in the back of her head telling her to leave him be, ran outside.

Chip bit his lip. He didn't know what to do...he was her brother, after all. Maybe he should tell them?

Hansel watched his hot tears sink into the dirt; resting his elbows on his knees and supporting his head with his hands. He hoped no one would come after him.

"H-hello," Belle said, for lack of a better greeting. She got down on her knees. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have come. I...I don't like to leave people alone, though." She gulped, and hoped that he wouldn't snap at her again. ((And neither of their hopes/wishes are granted in this selection, if he replies to her as I THINK he will... ))

"I'm a tuh-terrible uh-older bruh-bruh-brother." Hansel stuttered through his tears.

((Whoah...he didn't tell her to go away...I owe Zach my 30HF pin now... ))

"No," Belle whispered. She wasn't sure what to do next at this point.

Chip, meanwhile, was still inside. "I feel terrible," he said to himself in a low voice.

"I let them take her. She was all I had left..."

"No one could control this! You can't blame yourself!" Belle said. She rested her hands on the sides of his shoulders. "You didn't 'let' them take her any more than I 'let' them take Chip. We're going to find her. And we're going to get back at whoever's behind this."

"Uh... I'm sorry lady but I don't know who "everyone else" is... You see- I'm lost. I have no idea where I'm going and really don't care either. I just needed to get out of that... place." Carehm replyed coldly.

"I should've known better. I shouldn't've left her alone." Hansel looked up at Belle, his cheeks pink and tear-stained.

Aurora made an 'ooh' sound "We should find them then!" She grabbed his hand and ran in a circle.

Belle looked him straight in the eye - she didn't know (or didn't want to know) why her stomach felt fluttery as she did so. "None of us knew any better. And soon, it won't matter, because we're going to find her," she said slowly. "I just need you to trust me on this. Alright?"

with this she promptly fell from the rafter onto Hansel.

LOL. I'm kidding, forget I said that.

Hansel stared blankly at Belle for a minute, then his face inched closer to hers and....Aurora blindly lead Carehm towards the cottage.

((This way if Hansel and Belle end up kissing, Carehm walks in on them!!))

(LOL, Special.)

"Uh... Okay. Who exactly are we looking for?.."

Aurora giggled "The peoples!" she said, as if it was obvious.

'No, Belle, you've been through this,' she thought, as she followed Hansel's lead, 'these sort of things end in disaster. Go, now, while you've still got your dignity!' Her dignity left her as the ineveitable happened. ((Basically meaning that they kissed. ))

Chip sighed. "I wonder what's going on out there," he said.

Red smiled shyly at Chip. "So umm....do you like pork?"

((lol, don't go, Chip! Don't go!))

"I'm...sorry...that was probably uncalled for." Hansel whispered "You most likely not being over your fiancee an-" Hansel's eyes widened, he grabbed his rifle and jumped to his feet, expertly aiming it at Carehm, who, lead by Aurora, had just been lead out of the forest. Aurora dropped the beast's hand and skipped into the cottage.

Mr. Wolf stopped her at the door. "Excuse me.....Why do you think it's acceptable to just walk into this house uninvited?"

"Y-you don't like me?" Aurora's lip quivered and with that she burst into tears.