A/N: Hey everyone! I want to give a super big and warm shout out to Avril Lambert, Ribbon95, and my best friend Demi Brackensick. You three are the absolute best; I hope you guys realize that! I also want to thank my readers because this story would be nowhere without you guys! Enjoy chapter 8…

"Jim, please open up? Jim! Jim, please open the door?" Melody begged as she felt more tears begin to roll down her cheeks. She tried her best to wipe a few away but she knew it would be pointless, after all her cheeks were probably already tear stained, considering how much she had cried on the way to his house.

Immediately Jim opened up and the second he saw how distraught his girlfriend was he was going to speak up, but she before he knew it – she had her arms wrapped his torso in a tight hug. So instead of speaking he hugged her back, he could practically hear her heart – thump, thump, thump, thump…

It was fragile…

She was even more fragile…

Jim looked down into her eyes and in a soothing tone he whispered, "What happened? Did he touch you? Was it something he said to your mother? Did you see something bad again?"

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She didn't know where her voice had run off to or even if she still had one but the point is, it wasn't there anymore. No matter how hard she tried to speak or even whimper, she just couldn't. Perhaps she felt too safe in his arms? Maybe she didn't feel safe at all?

He took a mental note of the fear in his eyes. He also took a mental note of how horrified she looked, she might as well have been trembling "My mom's in the kitchen, she's probably wondering who I'm talking to. Why don't you quietly head upstairs and I'll meet you up there in a bit?"

Melody nodded her head as she let out a deep breath. She felt so cold – why on God's Earth was it so cold? Why was it that everyone around her felt or acted frigid? Except Jim, he always felt warm to her.

She placed a fragile kiss on his sensitive cheek and then started tip-toeing up the staircase, and then down the hallways towards his bedroom. Melody didn't feel safe in his home, no she didn't go to his house for the comfort of a home. She only felt safe in his arms, she only felt like she belonged when he kissed her. Only then did Melody feel loved, truly loved…

OoooooooooooooooooooooooO

Sixteen year old Megara sat upon a large, grass covered hill. Lurking above her was an enormous apple tree, and the wind couldn't have been offering her a better breeze.

She smiled at the sun as the wind playfully tugged on her hair. She loved the morning air, almost as much as she loved the morning sunrises "What do you think is beyond the horizon? What do you think waits for us out there?"

Adam, her boyfriend of three weeks immediately jumped out of the tree with an apple at hand. He then sat down, pretzel style and took a bite out of his cherry-red colored apple, "Who knows? Besides, since when have you cared about what's out there?"

"Since I got a stepfather," Meg told him bitterly with a bit of a harsh look in her eyes "it used to be just my mom and me. But now it's my mom, my stepsister, my stepdad, and then me. I'm last for everything now-a-days."

"At least you have a dad."

She felt a sense of guilt take over and suddenly silence began to impregnate the air. She shook her head, mentally scolding herself for ever bringing anything up. Family was a touchy subject for him and bringing it up had been a stupid mistake, "You're right…I'm sorry. It's just, I'm not used to having-"

"Having to share everything with an annoying stepsister?" Adam questioned as he tried to finish her sentence. Unfortunately, he had guessed wrong and instead of getting a playful annoyed look from Meg – he got a well-deserved punch in the shoulder.

Meg merely shook her head, "I was going to say that I'm not used to having a man in my house but that too. Anyways, the point is I don't want to stay here anymore. I don't trust him; something about him just spells trouble."

"Are you sure you're not just being your paranoid self?" he asked with a worried expression. He didn't want her jumping to conclusions – assumptions usually only got people in trouble.

She clenched her fists and with a fiery determination in her eyes, she nodded her head, "I'm sure of it Adam! Just watch – he's going to mess up and when he does…I'm going to do something about it."

Adam held back a chuckle as he placed a warm kiss on her cheek, "Just promise me you'll be careful."

Meg fought back a blush as the fiery determination in her eyes began to die down a bit, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine…"

"I kind of have to," he reminded her with a charismatic grin "I'm your boyfriend."

OoooooooooooooooooooooooO

"You can't honestly tell me you don't remember that?" Adam exclaimed as he clenched his fists in anger. For the past fifteen minutes Meg and him, had been going back and forth about what they used to have.

Meg rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms in frustration. She could not believe he was still fixed up on that. Her life in the village had been years ago, she had moved on – she had been forced to move on "I don't know what the big deal is? If I remember correctly, you are the one who broke up with me, right?"

He crossed his arms and looked away in shame. He couldn't look into her eyes; he wouldn't look into her eyes "I shouldn't have done that. It was a stupid mistake; you were the best thing that had ever happened to me. I thought if I found you, that you'd-"

"That I'd what? Go back to you! Fall head over heels for you! I'm sorry Adam but I'm not that girl anymore, I haven't been that girl for years! She's gone, she died e her mother," she screamed, she was beyond outrage. How dare he just pop into her life and expect her to love him again!

Adam tried his best to hug her but she unforgivingly pushed him away, "Meg I'm sorry! Please don't do this? At least let me, be your friend again? I thought you were dead, for years I thought you were dead!"

"Why?"

He looked dumb-founded; what did she mean why? It had been her plan, right? Hadn't that been what she had told the other girl to do? He tilted his head to the side and began to explain, "Isn't that what you had told Aurora? You told her to tell everyone that you girls were dead! And since you're alive, I'm assuming so is your stepsister."

"Sister," she corrected with an icy glare "she's my sister. She stopped being my stepsister when we ran away."

Adam felt his eyes widen a bit. Who was this girl? Who was she and what had she done with his best friend? Why was she so…so… emotionless! She seemed unsympathetic, and aloof almost distant and it killed him. He wanted his friend back, he wanted his girlfriend back "Meg this isn't you! I thought you hated your stepsister!"

"Yeah well, you also thought I was dead! You also thought I'd actually have romantic feelings for you! I have a boyfriend Adam, and we're perfectly happy together. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find him. You're more than welcomed to follow me back to town but once we get there," Meg was fuming with anger and confusion and perhaps a bit of anger "get out of my way."

She then stood up from where she was standing and started walking back into the forest. However she was forced to stop mid-way because she started hearing…growling? Meg felt her eyes widen in fear, she instantly spun around to warn Adam about the creature but to her surprise – in his place, was the wolf. Her jaw dropped from the…the…shock?

Meg instantly placed her hand over her opened mouth as she tried her best to stop shaking. She could barely stand straight. He was the wolf…Adam was the wolf! She nervously took a few steps back but this only made the creature roar, "Please don't hurt me? A-Adam I'm sorry!"

But it was too late, for Adam was no longer there. Instead, in his place stood a creature that was gigantic, with thick brown fur, hauntingly clear blue eyes, devilish dark brown bull-like horns, and dangerously sharp fangs. The wolf…this beast, had huge paws with claws so sharp it put daggers themselves to shame.

Without any hesitation she turned and ran for the woods. Meg wanted nothing more but to have Hercules by her side, "I-I screwed up…"

OoooooooooooooooooooooooO

Ariel shot Eugene a bit of a hopeful expression, "So you feel it to? You feel…trapped?"

Although Eugene wanted to tell her no – he couldn't lie to her. Not because he'd be lying to her specifically but because he knew if there were anyone he could be honest with about such a touchy topic – it was someone who could relate, "I used to be the kingdom's most wanted thief. My life as Flynn Rider was a breeze, and now I'm a prince."

She could somewhat understand. But she had been a princess under the sea, so being a princess on land wasn't too different, "I used to be a mermaid. I actually still am in fact."

"What?"

Ariel faintly smiled as she took a few steps back, and then started darting towards the wave. Feeling the water against her feet felt like heaven, she knew what she was doing was dangerous but she had to show him. Without any hesitation she dove into the water with a bright smile on her face.

Eugene tried running after her, considering how strong the current was but what he saw next completely and utterly amazed him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, "Ariel?"

The young red-head princess now wore a purple seashell bikini top, with a beautifully scaly green tail. She still looked the same from the waist up, well he assumed she did – he hadn't ever seen her unclothed – but everything from the waist down was breathtakingly different. The shocked expression on his face made her smile and then when his jaw dropped, she couldn't help but laugh as she gently swished her tail in the water.

He crouched down to the ground and put his hand out for hers, "You're a mermaid…you're a mermaid…you're actually a mermaid."

Ariel nodded her head in agreement, she finally felt free but she knew that if she didn't get away now – they'd get her, "Now you know! Rapunzel knows as well but I didn't actually show her. I only transform when I touch seawater."

"Good to know…" Eugene chuckled; she was one of the most beautiful sea creatures he had ever seen. Not more gorgeous than blondie, but still she was pretty stunning…

She threw hair back as she took a minute to enjoy the refreshing, cold water. Sometimes it was hard to believe that these waters were the same waters she had grown up in, "I have to go. Tell Rapunzel that I'll be back by nightfall but if I'm not back, I'll be back first thing in the morning."

"Wait – what? Ariel what's wrong? Why do you look so scared?" He inquired as he softly grabbed ahold of her hand. It was an odd sensation – she felt so normal and yet she couldn't have looked more majestic.

Ariel looked up at the sky, the clouds were coming together and they were getting darker by the minute. It would be here soon, it would come to claim her. She shook her head as she tried her best to lie with ease, "No, everything is fine. Just make sure you tell her what I just told you. Promise me you'll pass on the message?"

Eugene nodded his head as he felt a shiver go up his spine. The wind was picking up and the he had a feeling a storm was coming. He took a minute to study the ocean, the waves seemed to be moving faster and he had a feeling they were going to start to violently crash against the shore, "I promise. But you need to promise me you'll be careful? There's something out there, isn't it?"

She simply ignored his question, he had already promised to keep her secret and that was all she needed to know. She turned around and began to swam deeper into the sea. The current was picking up and Ariel was terrified that she devil was going to get to her.

Ariel's tail might as well have been going at the speed light, considering how fast she was swimming. In a blink of an eye she was already a mile or so away from the shore, away from Eugene – away from the kingdom!

"Oh if I don't swim fast enough, she's going to catch on. I just hope she didn't see me with Eugene, I really hope she didn't see me," she thought to herself with tears in her eyes. She knew that if she didn't go away fast enough, that awful witch would go after her loved ones. There was no questioning that – that demon was the devil in the flesh.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooO

"Vanessa dear, are you okay?"

Vanessa flinched a bit – he had caught her off guard but she wasn't afraid of him. She knew now that she was pregnant; he wouldn't lay a hand on her. She stared into his eyes, her own eyes were both red and puffy, "Melody…she's r-run away. She stormed out of here furious at me for being pregnant."

She looked down into the mug which was in her hands. At the moment she was drinking tea, she thought the tea would calm her nerves but so far it had done her no good whatsoever.

Gaston immediately sat down next to her and he lovingly wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He placed a warm kiss on her tender cheek as he tried his best to console her, "Don't worry Vanessa, she'll be back soon. She's been an only child for years. We can't just expect her to right away warm up with the idea of having a sibling, can we?"

"No," Vanessa sighed as an ill-fated frown graced her features "I suppose we can't. But still she – she shouldn't have just run off like that. I tried talking to her but she was so livid. It was near to impossible; you should've seen her Gaston."

He rapidly took note of the tears which were streaming down her cheek and he caressingly wiped them from her face, "Please don't cry dear? A lovely woman, like you shouldn't be crying. Please perk up, I'm sure the last thing the baby wants to hear is his mother crying?"

She nodded her head as a faint smile replaced the frown. She loved seeing him like this. She loved it when he was actually considerate of her feelings, "I love you Gaston. You do know that…don't you?"

"Of course do. Just like you're aware of how much I love you, right?" Gaston questioned and being the good wife she is – she nodded in response.

Vanessa looked up into his eyes and she immediately allowed herself to fall for the façade. Without any hesitation she wrapped arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionately loving kiss. A few moments passed but she didn't stop kissing him until his tongue found hers. Once that happened, she finally parted "I will always love you Gaston."

"I have always loved you," he whispered as he firmly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a loving kiss. Now these two kisses were very special, for these two kisses specifically were not only gentle but they were also affectionate. Two things Gaston hadn't been for the past twelve years…

OoooooooooooooooooooooooO

"I hate you!" Jim barked as he walked into his room and slammed the door. He then turned around and locked it, wondering why he even bothered with his mother anymore. He was boiling with anger but the second he turned around and saw Melody sitting on the edge of his bed, looking more helpless then ever – his anger subsided.

Melody let out another painfully sharp breath. She had flinched a bit when the door slammed and when she noticed how upset her boyfriend looked, she tried her best to sympathize even though she herself was a mess of nerves "W-what did your m-mother do this time?"

He shook his head, not wanting to talk nor think about it. Besides he had bigger – more important things to worry about, "It doesn't matter. What does, matter though is you. You are the only thing that matters to me Melody. Now tell me, what happened to you? I've never seen you so hurt before."

She looked away from him as she tried her best to fight back more tears. She placed her hand on her cheek, wondering why the pain had yet to decrease "She's pregnant Jim. She's pregnant and she's happy about it. It's like she's completely forgotten about what he's done to her…what he's done to me…"

Jim sat down next to her and amorously wrapped his arms around her shoulder. He pulled her into a warm hug and placed a comforting kiss on her head, "It's going to be okay Melody. You're never going to have to go back there again."

Melody shook her head at thought of never returning. She'd have to go back; it wasn't like she could just not show up again, "Jim I know the plan is to run away but right now isn't a good time. They need to think everything is fine, then one random night…I'll leave and never come back."

"No. I care about you too much to let you go back there, Melody. I'm not stupid, it'll only get worse from here on out," he explained as he tried her best to coax her back into her comfort zone.

She once again shook her head, usually she'd push him away but right now she needed this. She needed to know he was on her side; she needed to know that not everyone in the world was against her, "I'll be more than glad to spend the night with you but I can't run away with you. Not yet at least…I promise I will eventually, but not yet."

Jim let out a tired sigh, for now he'd have to settle with her rules. After all, the last thing he wanted was for her to pull away for good, "Fine. I suppose just knowing you'll be spending the night with me, well, it'll help me sleep a little easier tonight."

Melody perked up a bit and she instantly kissed his cheek, "I think you mean: you suppose just knowing I'll be spending the night with you, well, it'll help us sleep a little easier tonight. We will be sharing a bed together, won't we?"

His ears perked up a bit and he blushed a bit. He was usually a shy guy but he guessed that's another reason why he loved her so much – she was so much more outgoing and headstrong then he was, "S-sure thing Melody, whatever makes you more comfortable."

She couldn't help but giggle and blush in return, "I love you."

"I will always love you…"

Overall she was much spunkier, and in their case opposites truly attracted. However at the end of the day, they really weren't that different after all…

A/N: And that my dears – is what I call a wrap! Anyways thank you so much for taking the time to read this! By the time you guys read this Christmas will probably be over but if it isn't – then, well, Merry Christmas! And for those who don't celebrate it – Happy Holidays! Until next chapter everyone…