Okay…so…I guess no one had an opinion on the eighth chapter….

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I pounded at Gramma's door, my heart racing. If I thought my last escape was amazing…

Clearly walking right out the front of the palace was much more scandalous than dropping out a window in the dead of night.

The door jerked open, and for a moment Gramma's face was annoyed, but it broke into a kind of confused surprise smile.

"Genny?" She asked, and I nodded.

"I've come back." I said proudly like a four year old showing off a finger painting.

"I see that…but how did you get out? And in such a condition?" She questioned, looking past me to see if someone had followed me.

I felt the balloon of excitement fill up again, and I grinned. "What condition? The royal Physician saw to me, and healed me."

She put a hand over her heart.

"Bless him!" She stepped back, ushering me in. "We don't want you getting sick again…"

I stepped in, and inhaled deeply. I had missed the familiar smells, and it felt good to be home, even after just one day.

"So now, would you mind explaining just why it is that you showed up missing this morning? I figured you went back to the palace, but some forewarning as to when would be a blessing." She said as we sat down on the sofa.

"I had a dream…a strange one, and God spoke to me, saying that I had to go back to the Palace…and I am so glad I did! Oh Gramma, I have so much news! Firstly, I'm not going to die…secondly, I'm not married, and never was, and thirdly…Licorice has vanished, and I am not going to have to have a proper ceremony to be married!" I said in a rush, and I was smiling so wide my cheeks were hurting.

"Well as much as that is wonderful…what will the Royals say when they realize that you are back here?" She asked critically, and I dismissed the question with a wave of my hand.

"They've finally realized that I prefer living here." I said simply, and she just nodded.

"Well, Genny, as much as I am glad you're back…I was on my way out…" She said, and I noticed that she had her coat on, and clips pinning her hair back.

"Gramma, goodness! Do you have a date?" I teased, and I could see her blush a little. The first time I had ever seen her do so.

"Imprudent girl…no, I was going to visit Mistress Heath." She said, standing up and dusting off her dress.

I smiled, deciding not to tease her further. "Have fun, Gramma…I'll be fine here, just like always."

"I want to hear more of what happened at the Palace once I come back…" She said, half way out the door.

"Alright, I'll tell you all about it." I promised, and shut the door behind her.

I leaned against the door for a moment, thinking about how strange things had been lately. It all seemed so confusing and sudden. Things had been fine until Jujubes and the Winter Solstice…but hopefully I had settled things for a good long while…I didn't want any more change in life, unless I decide on them.

My knitting still sat in the little basket next to the fire, and I crossed over to get it, hoping to finally complete the scarf I had wanted for the winter.

Only just as I sat down was there a knock on the door. I set my poised needles back down and got up, sighing as I opened the door…and gasped.

"Y-you!?" I stuttered, stepping backward.

Jujubes stepped forward, grinning like a madman.

"I thought you moved away! After what happened last time...!" I said, my left eye twitching a little as I thought of the rude surprise.

"For a while, but I just had to come back and see you Lolly, or should I say…darling wife. I see my ring is absent, too caught up in your Lover-boy Jack to care for such a thing as holy matrimony?" he sneered, and I felt as though I had been slapped in the face.

"Licorice?" I managed, and knew that my mouth was open in astonishment.

Jujubes was Licorice? But…he couldn't be! Because, Licorice was…missing…

"Yes, darling…surprised? So was I when I first saw you here." He commented, as I stepped slowly back again, with him following my every step, matching it until I felt the sofa against my calves.

"But…why are you here?" I asked, trying to think of some way to get away from him.

"Why shouldn't I be? I think I deserve the wedding night that I never received…" He said, and took the last step, closing the distance between us.

He grabbed my arms right as I tried to side step him, and I could smell the disgusting scent of licorice about him, mixed with tainted body odor. His face leered close to mine, and I could smell alcohol on his breath.

My mind seized up, and I could think nothing else of the horror of his hands on my body, and my muscles revolted, and I tried to jerk away from him.

"Let me go!" I cried, and he shook me.

"Not this time, darling wife of mine…" He snarled, his hands bruising my arms.

"I'm not your wife! I never consented!" I choked, and he let out a bark of laughter.

"Does it matter? The priest declared us husband and wife…which means that I deserve my wedding night!" He was almost yelling, and I let out a dry sob.

I pushed my shoulder against him, trying to drive him back, but he held onto me harder as I tried to pull away and push harder. I kicked his leg, and he let me go for a moment, just long enough to grab my knitting needles.

"Stay back!" I snapped, wielding them like a knife.

Licorice laughed cruelly and advanced, grabbing the needles out of my hand as I tried to make a stab.

He backed me against the plank wall, and I felt the needlepoint picture frame press against the back of my hair. Licorice was holding the needles loose in his hand, and dropped them on the ground and he threw both arms around my waist, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

"Let me down!" I shrieked, kicking and thrashing.

"Not until I've got what I deserve…" He shouted back, and I beat my fists on his back as my hair slipped free from the pins that had fallen to the ground.

"What you deserve?" I heard, and my heart stopped.

I felt Licorice turn, and then he stumbled backward, letting go of me.

My arms grabbed at Licorice's coat as I slipped from his shoulder, and wound up pulling him down to the floor with me.

His body fell on mine, and I felt all the air in my lungs expel at once.

"Get off of her!" Jack shouted, pulling Licorice by the shirt off of me.

In one swift move, he punched Licorice in the nose, and a crunch made me cringe as blood flowed from his face.

"You little…" Licorice screamed, and launched himself at Jack, but Jack was ready for him. He side-stepped out of the way, and Licorice fell into the door, falling again to the floor.

Jack again picked Licorice up off the floor, and pulled him outside after him.

There were curses and yells mixed with the muffled sound of fighting, and then it stopped all at once. There was a long stretch of silence, broken only by a sniffle from me.

I was still on the floor when Jack came back, and he was apprehensive as he extended a hand to help me up, but I surprised him by leaping to him and hugging him around the neck, holding him tight.

His body tensed, taken off guard, but he relaxed, and put his arm around me and stroked my hair, which was completely down by that point.

"Why is it that you always seem to be saving me from some horrible fate?" I mumbled into his chest.

"You know, there are ways to stay out of trouble…such as letting me know when you come back so that I can protect you." He noted, and I nodded.

"I'll let you know next time."

He said nothing, and I tried hard to keep back tears, but my body shook, betraying the sobs I fought to keep silent.

He led me to the sofa and let me cry on his shoulder, not minding that I soaked his shirt through and clutched him so tight that it was like I was clutching a pillow.

As he stroked my hair, I began to think about what would have happened if he hadn't rescued me and I sobbed harder, cringing while I imagined Licorice's fingers on my hair.

"Shhh, don't worry, Genny…It's alright, I'm here…" He whispered into my hair, and I scooted closer to him until I could feel his torso against mine, and could feel the difference as he breathed as my breath came in jerky gasps.

"But…but what if you hadn't come?" I asked, and he shifted me off his shoulder so I could see his face, and he could see my puffy and red face.

"Then I wouldn't ever be able to live with my self for the rest of my life if that… had laid a hand on you." He said, his face hard.

I closed my eyes and leaned back into him, closer than any well respectable woman should be, but I didn't care. The only thing that I cared about was that his arms were around me, and that I was safe.

"Jack…" I murmured, my breathing starting to even out.

"Yes?" He asked softly, tucking some hair behind my ear.

"I love you so much…"

And I fell asleep, lulled by his gentile rocking and caress, certain that no nightmares could haunt my dreams while in Jack's arms.

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sigh

Such fluff.

WHY CAN'T THIS HAPPEN TO ME???

I mean…not the whole Licorice thing…but the whole fluff part.

But I've been told that the guy I like might like me back…

butterflies in my stomach go nuts

Anyway, I didn't check it, so if something doesn't quite fix…Lemme know!

Please review!