Elaine sighed as the light died down. She looked down at herself. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress.

She was older, perhaps eighteen, and her dark curls were done up in a bun, and she could feel her face was heavy with make-up.

She looked over as the blue light danced around a pumpkin and some mice and transformed them into a carriage.

"You must hurry, Cinderella." Fairy Godmother said. "The magic will only last until midnight."

"But I—"

She turned and saw an eighteen-year old Jack Frost running towards her.

A hand grabbed her wrist, and knocked the fairy out with a blow to the head.

Elaine was pulled into the living room of Tremaine manor.

She chanced a look back, staring hopelessly at Jack as the fairy tale began to fall out of balance.

Xxx

Jack found himself standing in the mud.

He was very irritable, and his memories were a bit muddled as he had become aware of his entire story and that Elaine had saved him.

The window was open slightly and he watched an eerily familiar scene.

"Drizella, I want you to watch this very carefully," Lady Tremaine said.

The Fairy was bound on the couch, and Lady Tremaine took her wand.

"Magic is not true power." Lady Tremaine said. "Because it can be taken. Fear is true power. It lasts forever."

The fairy quailed under the gaze of the Lady as she pointed the wand at her.

"Ah..." She waved the wand and the fairy turned to ash. "So that is how you use that."

Lady Tremaine took a knife from her belt and handed it to Elaine. "Now, Cinderella, you will go to the ball, and murder the prince."

"Murder?!" Elaine said. "I-I can't—"

"Oh but you will." Lady Tremaine said, twirling the wand in her hand. "If the turned a fairy to ash, imagine what it could do to—your friend?"

Lady Tremaine pointed the wand at Jack.

Jack stayed very still, not wanting to make things worse.

"Fine. I'm going." Elaine said. "But Jack comes with me."

"Of course." Lady Tremaine said. "Come, Drizella."

Xxx

Elaine had endured the gasps from all the fancy noble people as she entered the ball.

The prince approached her, and Elaine's heart leapt into her throat as the knife clattered to the floor.

Her...father?!

Xxx

Jack managed to wedge his way in between them.

He gathered the knife himself and put it in his belt.

"I know what you are thinking, Ella," Jack used the nickname in case someone heard them. "But that is not who you think it is."

"Ernest Shalott." Elaine choked out. "My father. Give me the knife. I'll kill him myself."

Jack pulled back in the steps of the dance, confused. "You hate your father?"

A long pause.

"I don't know." Elaine said finally. "He fought a lot with my Grams. Maybe...I just remember the anger...the fighting."

Jack released her, and Ernest took her hand to dance with her.

"I'm sorry. I-I can't..." Elaine looked up at the man who had her father's face.

Ernest touched her cheek. A shred of recognition. "Thank you."

Elaine turned to run—

—Right into Lady Tremaine's arms.

"Stupid girl." Lady Tremaine said. "Can't you do one thing right?"

She stabbed the prince.

"Well. You can do one thing." Lady Tremaine thrust the bloodied knife at her. "GET HER! She murdered the prince!"

Xxx

Jack and Elaine made it back to Tremaine manor only to find Drizella in the barn kissing Jacob, the prince's servant.

Jack pressed a key into Elaine's hands.

"Think about it. You got your father back today." Jack said to her. "Even a small part of him. Give this girl her life back."

"I can't, Jack. She's a villain. Villains don't get happy endings." Elaine recited the words her Grams had taught her.

Jack just looked at her, and gave her a sad smile.

"Then why did you save me, Elaine? I'm an antihero, remember?"

A tear rolled down Elaine's cheek and she knew what she had to do.

Xxx

"This key, it will really give us passage to another world?" Drizella said.

She and Jacob stood at the now glowing barn door.

"You have to hurry. Mother will be back any minute." Elaine said.

"What about you?" Drizella said. "I won't leave you under her tyranny. I know I haven't been a good sister but—"

Elaine threw the door open. "I won't let her walk free."

"Won't let who walk free!" Lady Tremaine entered and lunged for Drizella and Jacob.

Elaine pushed them into the maelstrom and they disappeared.

"Then I'll take your heart to save my Anastasia, as you've become quite the Hero, Cinderella." Lady Tremaine said.

She reached for Elaine's chest, but Jack leapt in between them, and his heart was taken.

Jack slumped to the ground.

"Jack!" Elaine grabbed the knife. "Put him right you witch!"

"I'm no witch..." Lady Tremaine said. "Though I'm starting to think you might be, Cinderella."

Lady Tremaine went to the hay bales and cleared them away. There was a glass coffin, and a young girl perfectly preserved.

"I—Won't—Let—You!" Elaine said ferociously, each word punctuated by her slamming her fist on the woman's back.

A red glow emanated from her hands and a tear coursed down Lady Tremaine's cheek.

The Lady collapsed, and pushed the coffin open, caressing her daughter's cheek.

"Anastasia..." Lady Tremaine kissed the girl on the forehead. "I love you..."

There was a pulse, the girl's eyes opened.

Elaine grabbed Jack' heart and returned it to him, shuffling away as the scenery began to bleed away like watercolor.

They had broken the fairy tale.