"You know, there's a reason I never liked Hansel and Gretel when I was a kid," Audrey said. She nodded at Nathan when he pushed a branch out of their way and she stepped carefully over a root. "Watch your step."

Nathan grunted a bit when his shoe caught the root, and the look on his face dared her to say a word about it. She gave him an innocent smile. "Why didn't you like Hansel and Gretel?" he asked.

"Never been a huge fan of forests," she said. Then, after a minute, she added, "And with foster parents you were never sure if they were the kind of person who'd take you out in the middle of nowhere and just leave you."

"I don't suppose you went around with a bag of rocks in your pocket," Nathan said. Audrey gave him a look and he had to hide his smirk.

They continued on in relative silence but for the sounds of them struggling through the underbrush. A lead had led them out here, although truthfully they were starting to lose steam. Duke was more likely to turn up something solid back in town than they were to find anything, but they were both frustrated and more than a little stubborn. Audrey sighed a bit and checked her watch. They probably had another hour and a half until sundown, but it might take them at least as long to get back to civilization.

"Maybe it's time we start heading back," Nathan said. Audrey's eyebrows went up. He shrugged. "I'd really rather not traipse around in the dark. Especially here."

That was something she could agree with. Haven was not the place you should be lost in the dark, at night, in the woods. She nodded and they started to turn around—until a loud crash several yards away got their attention. Both immediately started towards it, guns drawn, their careful gait forgotten as their feet pounded the ground. It became obvious almost immediately what they were seeing, but neither fully comprehended it until they were directly in front of it. Chests heaving, they slowly lowered their guns.

"Okay, I take it back," Audrey said as her breathing started to even out. "About Hansel and Gretel. I take it back. Favorite fairy tale. Loved it to death."

Nathan glanced between her and the life-sized gingerbread bungalow in front of them—which, as it happened, was completely unaffected by her apparent change of heart. "Um, Parker… I don't think it works like that," he said slowly.

"Damn," she said. Her shoulders slumped and she tucked her gun back into its holster. "I could have used a break."

He shook his head a bit as he followed suit. Without moving, he attempted (unsuccessfully) to peer through the window. "Do you want to flip a coin to see who goes inside?"

The look she gave him in return was so venomous that he was surprised he was still standing. Instead of dropping dead, he chuckled a little and held out a hand. After a minute, and a shaky breath, Audrey shook her head. She smiled and slipped her hand in his and they walked toward the sugar-coated nightmare together.