Tori shivered as she walked into town. The cool breeze blew across the snow, making it even colder. She waved to several people as she went. Some of them knew her from when her father had still been alive.

The townspeople stood back and watched as she trudged through the snow.

They all wanted to help her, but they couldn't. When she had first been forced into the situation, they had reached out to help her. But Francesca had heard of it, and punished the girl thoroughly. The welts up and down the girl's arms made them cringe... especially when they'd seen them on the five year old. So, they had all stepped back and left her alone, not wanting to cause her any more sorrow, and she knew that. She never told anyone how many times her stepmother pulled out the whip, or her step-siblings grabbed a fire iron from a nearby fireplace to swing at her. She kept her smile in place and waved to the people as she passed.

"Cinderella." The town's baker whispered "Here." he handed her a hot buttery roll "It's on me."

"Thank you." Tori smiled as she took the bread.

"I wish we could do more." He said quietly, looking down at the snow.

Tori quickly kissed his heat-tanned cheek "You do enough." then she continued down the road. She pulled a piece of the roll off and stuck it into her mouth. It was so good! It basically melted in her mouth. She was about to pull off another piece when she suddenly stopped.

Standing beside a building was a girl about seven years old her clothes were tattered and dusty, and she clung to a thin shawl that was around her shoulders. Her shoes were wore and had several holes.

Beside sat an older lady, whom Tori assumed was the mother, holding an infant.

She looked down at the roll in her hand, then walked over to the child "Here."

The girl took the bread and smiled brightly "Thank you." then she saw Tori's clothes and held the roll back out to her "But you need it."

Tori smiled and patted the child's head "I already ate. Enjoy." then she walked the next few blocks to the dress shop.

"Good Morning, Cinderella." Mrs. Lacely, the shop owner, said "I have your orders all ready."

"Thank you." Tori glanced out of the nearby window, then turned back to the lady " Mrs. Lacely." she said as she took the packages "Could you do me a favor?"

"Of course, child!" Mrs. Lacely said immediately "Just name it."

"You live in a large house, right?" Tori nodded down the street "Siting in an all is a lady with two kids. Would... Could you take them home with you?"

Lacely stared at the girl for a long moment "Child." she said slowly "Do you ever think of yourself?"

Tori chuckled softly "More times than I should." she walked over to the door and glanced down the street "I could be like them. No home, no food." she looked back at the lady "I really need to go." then she left.

Mrs. Lacely shook her head "Yeah. Being a homeless girl would be a step up from the life you live right now." then she grabbed three coats from a coat hanger, put one on and slung the other two over her arm. Then she headed down the road.

Ethan buttoned up his coat as he walked. There were a few people out, walking up and down the road. Some shopping, and some just out. He always loved his trips into town. Especially because no one knew he was the prince.

He walked around the back of one of the buildings. And just as he was passing the back door, it swing open and a whole bucket of soot came flying out.

"Whoa!" Ethan yelped as he tried to jump out of the way, to no avil.

"Oh, Ethan!" Mrs. Lacely squealed "I am so sorry!"

Ethan laughed as he wiped his face on his sleeve "It's okay, Ma'am."

"I really need to be more careful." The woman said as she disappeared, then reapeared with a towel "I just took in a family, and I was trying to get the room in the back of the shop warmed up so they could get warmed before I take them to my house."

Ethan nodded as he took the damp towel that was offered to him "That's nice of you."

"Well, you run along." Lacely said "And keep the towel. You may need it."

"Yes, Ma'am." Ethan continued scrubbing the soot of of his face, not quite watching where he was going, when he suddenly bumped into something with just enough force that it sent both of them falling to the ground. The packages that the girl had been carrying landed in the snow all around them.

"I am so sorry!" Ethan said as he got to his knees.

"It's alright." the girl said as she quickly grabbed several of the smaller ones "It happens to everyone."

Ethan reached for one of the packages about the same time he looked up at the girl, and froze. He noticed her shake uncontrollably as she reached for the packages. Her bare arms had snow on them from the fall, and her feet were bare.

Ethan quickly undid the buttons on his coat, then put it across her shoulders "Are you alright?"

Tori looked up in shock as she felt the sudden weight and warmth around her. Right in front of her was a pair of eyes that were the color of the sky on a cloudless summer day.

Ethan couldn't move as he stared at the icy eyes in front of him. So clear and... troubled.

Tori's gaze suddenly moved from his eyes to the side of his face, where a lone streak of soot was across his cheek. She wasn't sure how, but her hand moved up to his face to dust off the soot.

As soon as her icy fingers touched his face, his hand was over her's "You're freezing." he said softly.

She quickly pulled her hand away from his face. She could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks. She quickly stood to her feet and started retrieving her packages.

Ethan grabbed several of them and stood up, his eyebrows raising when he saw how many there were "No wonder you didn't see me coming. You were moving Mount-o-parcels."

Tori laughed "Well, generally, people move out of my way."

"Can I help you get these to..."

"No." she said so quick that he stepped back shocked "I'm sorry." she said as she shook her head "I'm not allowed to bring people to the house."

"Oh."

"You okay, Cinderella?" a person in the candy shop called.

"Yes, Mr. Beasley." Tori answered "I'm fine."

"Cinderella?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.

Tori shrugged "It's a nickname I acquired."

"So what's your real one?"

She simply took the packages from him and turned around "I have to go." she glanced back at him "Thank you for your help." then she hurried away as fast as her mountain of packages would allow.

Ethan stared after her. What was a girl, that had a job and a home, doing walking around town in a tattered dress like that and no shoes... in the snow!

He shook his head, then headed back for the castle.

"Let's see. Five hundred red roses." Queen Clarabelle said to a man that was making a list "Seven hundred yellow roses." she heard the front door of the castle open. Then it slammed back closed "Oh, Dear. That's my son!" she jumped up off her throne and pushed the man out onto a nearby balcony, closed the doors and the curtains. Then she ran back to her throne and sat down just as Ethan stormed into the room "Helloooooo, Son." she said, leisurely picking at the invisible lint on her skirt "How was your trip."

"It was... awful!" Ethan exclaimed "But wonderful too."

"Oi." Clarabelle rubbed her forehead "I hate Cliches."

"There was this girl..."

"Keep talking."

"I ran into her." Ethan shook his head "She was carrying a mountain of packages."

"Yeah?"

"She was in the worst dress you have ever seen in your life!" the prince continued "She didn't have a coat or shoes." he turned to face his mother "But, she does have a job and a family."

"So..." Clarabelle scratched her head "What made you so mad?"

"That girl!" Ethan shook his head "She was standing barefooted in the snow, Mom! And for some reason, everyone's afraid to help her. They just stand by and watch." he raked a hand through his hair. He could still feel the spot where she touched his face. Her icy fingers had sent an electric shock through his whole body, leaving an unexplained feeling in the pit of his chest "I'm going to my room."\

Clarabelle listened as his steps went up the stairs, then his bedroom door shut "Dun dun duuuun!" she sang "Yes! He finally found her! And he doesn't even know it!" she laughed "Those are the best kind!" then she got up form her throne and left the room singing to herself "He's in lo-ve. He's in lo-ve/ Plain to see. No mistake..."

"Um, excuse me." the man with the clipboard called into the now empty room "Can I come back in? It's cold out here."

(A/N: Hi everybody! Thank you for reading and reviewing. Please let me know what you think of this story. It would mean so much! Laterz!)