ONLY DEATH AWAITS...

A "Hansel and Gretel" fanfiction

Hansel centric

Genre: Angst, Tragedy, Hurt/ Comfort, Family

Warning: This is a DARK fanfiction that includes torture, suicidal thoughts and attempts, violence, psychological problems, abandonment, incest, etc.

Pairing: HanselGretel, (a little) BenGretel

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot of "Hansel and Gretel: witch hunters" or any of the characters in this film.

Do NOT attempt to read this if you dislike any/ all of the above.

You have been warned!

And for the rest who are staying, please enjoy.

Chapter 2:Stay

Hansel felt like he was floating in mid-air as the world around him shook, going up and down in a strange rhythm that seemed to blend everything together, turning all into a mess of blurred images. There was this voice that was calling, was it calling him? He couldn't focus his mind nor could he pinpoint whose voice that was. It was just familiar and... dear to him as his heart ached to reach out and ease the fear and pain that was welling up more and more as it called out a name repeatedly. The only things Hansel actually noticed quite clearly then was how his head was hurting fiercely and that the said voice was his only source of comfort to this blinding pain that was seeping into his every cell.

Then a name found its way to his lips, rolling down his tongue smoothly like silk.

" Gretel..."

His sister was calling for him.

" Hansel. Hansel, stay with me!" Gretel called out, looking every now and then over to her brother, who then was being carried by Edward. His blood was gradually soaking the troll's shirt and the thin blanket that was draped over him. All the bandages they had left wasn't helping either as they weren't enough to cover all the wounds he had, so Grete decided to control the bleeding gash behind his head first before anything else. Even so, she could slowly see that the blood was seeping through it, staining the fabric with red. Gretel felt like her heart was being twisted inside her chest.

After Ben and Edward arrived, she and Ben carefully lifted Hansel up and positioned him so that Edward could easily carry him on his back. Gretel had picked up her brother's blade and leather jacket then quickly disposed the corpse of the dead witch with malice and venom in her eyes. She had regretted not staying longer to see the rotten witch burn to ashes, but Hansel would always be her first priority.

Since then, she had been calling out his name on the whole way back to their stop, trying her best to keep him conscious, or at least to prevent his eyes from closing. They needed to get him to the next town as fast as possible and find the medicine man for him. With just a little bandages left, they would never be able to give Hansel the most effective and necessary treatment.

" Gretel..."

Snapping to her side, Gretel swore she just heard him calling out her name. It was just a faint whisper, but she heard it. And those eyes, those grey eyes then seemed so much clearer than a minute ago as they looked at her. A weak and shaky hand tried to reach out to her as Gretel caught it gently.

" Gretel..." She moved closer to be able to hear him better as his lips moved softly. " Why are you so sad...?"

Fighting back the overwhelming stabbing pain in her heart, Gretel blinked the tears away and squeezed his calloused hand gently. " I-I'm fine, Hansel. I'm fine." She tried to smile, but failed miserably in the process.

Hansel missed it though, he had missed her lop-sided smile because he was seeing yet not seeing at the same time. The fact just hurt her even more.

He smiled again, but it was very weak this time. " Good..." His voice was nowhere above a whisper as she had to train her ears to listen to his words. The wind wasn't really helping it either, but they couldn't afford to stop running, not now. " You just... tell me whoever- it is that's... hurting you and I'll... give him a good beating. All right?" His breathing was ragged as a soft chuckled escaped his cracked lips, Gretel couldn't help but laugh slightly.

" Yes. I'll hold you to that, Hansel."

And they talked, small talks about everything that popped up inside Gretel's mind just to keep her brother awake. However, as time stretched on, Edward's legs were growing slower, Ben was lagging behind, and Hansel's words were starting to become slurred and incoherent at some points, his grip was slowly loosening. The invisible daggers in her heart were being driven and twisted more and more.

Where was the next town?! They should have arrived there by now! Where was it?!

Then just as they made it through the bushes, the town was right there, just a little bit further and they would be there. Suddenly, Gretel made a sharp turned as they just ran along the edge of town without actually entering it. After another while of running with everything they had got left in them, they ended up in front of a seemingly rundown place in the woods as the sister knocked on the door urgently without letting go of her brother's hand.

" Arnold! Arnold, are you in there? It's me, Gretel."

The door slowly opened slightly with a loud creak, a middle aged man with short curly dirty blond hair and a pair of round glasses over his eyes appeared.

" Yes?" Low and scratchy voice spoke up as the man eyed the group warily.

" Please help Hansel." Was what Gretel immediately said with pure desperation. " Please help my brother, Arnold. He's in grave danger!"

" He ran out of medicine for his shots again?" The man asked skeptically. Gretel glared at him then lifted up the blanket that had been covering her brother up. Adjusting his glasses, the man frowned deeply before stepping aside. " Come in."

" What happened?" He asked, looking at the multiple wounds all over Hansel's body.

" A witch attacked when his guard was down." Gretel answered simply. " Help him."

" What can I do? This is not my specialty."

" Everything you can, Arnold."

Ben sighed and slumped down onto a wooden chair, his legs were starting to get numb from all the running. He had never felt so glad in his life to be able to just sit down in a strange, unfamiliar place and put all the stuff off his back. Edward must have been worn out as well, with Hansel on his back along with a blanket draping over him in this kind of heat. He knew that Hansel wasn't at all that light to begin with, judging from the size of his body that is. Ben just couldn't and would try to refrain from thinking about how back-breaking it would feel to be carrying that man.

" Are you okay?" He asked and the troll nodded with his signature grunt.

And who was this Arnold anyway? Why was Gretel asking the man to help Hansel? Was he even capable of doing that?

Personally, Ben saw the man as untrustworthy, especially when his rundown of a house was in the middle of nowhere and everything. He even seemed like he was annoyed to be seeing them at his doorstep just then. Therefore, Ben didn't like him. He just hoped that Gretel was right for bringing Hansel here...

Gretel bit down her lip and tried to swallow down the lump in her throat that was growing larger by the second as brother writhed in pain on the bed, her hands holding tightly onto him, doing everything she could to support. Arnold was stitching up the gash on his head, and the man hadn't allowed Hansel any sedatives. After cleaning up her brother's wound with warm water and disinfectant, Gretel had been asked to tie Hansel down, binding both legs and wrists then find him a rag to bite down onto so Arnold could began to work.

Hansel's chest heaved, muscles all tensed up as those grey eyes were watering but no tear spilt out. He was still trying hard to stay strong even under such circumstances.

" Arnold..." Gretel spoke up, desperately wanting to relief even the slightest of pain her brother was going through.

" No. If he takes any sedatives, there's a chance that he will never wake up again. Do you want that?"

Pursing her lips together into a thin line, Gretel found it best to keep quiet and averted her full attention back to Hansel, squeezing his hand, letting him know that she was still there. Brown eyes caught sight of the multiple drops of blood on the ground, her own brother's blood, she quickly turned away. She had seen blood, a lot of it actually, so Gretel could say for sure that she was no stranger to it, her profession required it to be so. However, seeing Hansel blood, spilling so very needlessly like that... hurt.

" Hang on, Hansel... Hang on..." She whispered, praying with all she might to the souls of their deceased parents to watch over him, protect him, and help him live.

The next time Gretel appeared, her hands, trousers and a part of that white shirt was splattered with blood, Ben refrained himself from throwing up at the sight.

" I-I need some help to carry Hansel over to another room." She sounded dried and scratchy.

Edward and Ben stood up and went over to her, Ben had no idea what the troll was thinking, but he could say that he himself dreaded what he was about to see in the room that Arnold had taken Hansel and Gretel in.

" Ben, I need you to go and buy me some milk and honey. Just go straight up ahead, and you'll be able to see the town." Her voice was nowhere above a whisper, quiet but demanding when she told him that then gave five silver coins to him before entering the room once again with Edward behind her. A few seconds later, the boy swung the door opened and rushed outside.

Bandages, Hansel's head was covered in bandages, from the top of his head to his jaw and around his forehead. Her heart ached agonizingly to see her brother lying so limply in Edward's arms like that as the troll carried him into the bedroom at the end of the hall way. Those grey eyes were still opened somewhat, staring blankly into space.

Seeing but not seeing...

It rang inside her mind, leaving behind a chilling kind of echo that she couldn't at all shake off. Arnold opened the door for them as they stepped into an old and slightly dusty room with a fire place. Edward set Hansel down onto the bed near the window under Gretel's watch, and as the troll was done, she turned and asked Arnold for the kitchen. They needed some hot water prepared while waiting for Ben's return with the items she requested. The man stopped her and told the brunette that he would help her with that. All she had to do was to stay in the room with her brother and look after him.

They left, Edward and Arnold, after she had murmured a 'thank you' as the witch hunter sat down onto the bed next to Hansel and once again held his hand in hers, wanting to keep him awake until the boy returned. Her brother had lost too much blood during the time they ran here, so the risks and stress that he was going through were extremely enormous and dangerous. However, due to the fact that the pain was already excruciating and overwhelming on its own, the effects of all of this on him wouldn't be showing that clearly, not just yet. Even so, like they had always said, being careful was never something unnecessary.

" Hansel... Can you hear me?" She whispered, pressing his rough hand against her cheek, wanting to feel his warmth that she feared would somehow disappeared from her grasps. " Hansel." Her mouth was as dried as a desert as she squeezed his hand tightly, the pulse under his clammy skin was so very weak.

Those glazed grey eyes slowly turned to her as his fingers exhaustedly moved in response to her call as he breathed unevenly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his pale lips. How could he even be smiling at that moment when he life was right there on the line? It was supposed to be soothing, that smile, but it wasn't. It scared her, that smile made it seem like Hansel was really... dying. And she couldn't and wouldn't accept it.

" Miss Gretel!" It was Ben, his footsteps rang throughout the hall before the door to the room burst opened with him running in while holding a steamy cup in his hand, trying hard not to spill a single drop of its content in his urgent haste. Panting for a second of two, Ben finally walked over and handed her the wooden cup with a spoon. " Mr. Arnold told me to give this to you."

Quickly taking it in her hands, Gretel thanked the boy for his assistance before shifting her position somewhat and tasted the milk with a tiny amount of honey blended in it. Normally, anything sweet, like honey and milk, wouldn't be good for Hansel, but now that he had lost so much blood, the sugar level in his body would undoubtedly have dropped accordingly. Arnold had suggested that this should be the best way to help him get his internal balance back quicker without too many complications. Using any forms of drugs could do more harm than good in Hansel's current condition.

Blowing the milk somewhat, Gretel called out for her brother so that his eyes would be fully concentrated on her then spoke slowly and clearly enough for him to comprehend her words. " Hansel, this is milk and honey. Drink it. It will help you."

She nudged the spoon against his lips, tipping somewhat so that a little bit of milk could seep through the gap of his teeth. Even so, not a single drop made it into Hansel's mouth as they dripped down his chin. Gretel used her own sleeve to clean them away then tried again, fear rising rapidly like tides in her heart.

" Please, Hansel. Drink it. Can you hear me? Drink it, Hansel. Please..." Desperation was leaking out in her voice as the spoon was once again pressed again those lips. " Please..." She whispered brokenly, begging her brother to register in his mind what she was saying.

Half-lidded grey eyes stared at her, confusion coursing through them, but it seemed like Hansel's ears had caught up with the words that Gretel kept on repeating as he opened his mouth for her to spoon-feed him the warm milk. " That's right. That's right, Hansel. Drink it." Tears glittered in her bloodshot eyes as she looked at him with relief, happiness was obviously there in her voice, seeing that he was finally complying to what she told him.

Ben excused himself out then closed the door quietly.

Gretel rested Hansel's back down onto the pillow properly after he had finished drinking more than half of the cup. He had looked like he was about to throw up, so much to her dismay, they had to stop. Even so, more than half a cup was already exceeding her expectation, there was no complaining about it as she sat there beside him, rubbing his hand, praising him for what a good job he had done. His eyes were closing, so completely worn out that she couldn't but let those eyelids flutter closed.

Brown eyes stared at her brother, watching for any signs of changes as he was sound asleep, chest rising and falling evenly though his breaths were still quite shallow. It seemed that his condition was gradually stabilizing. Gretel was happy when she realized that, but it was not yet time to celebrate. His situation wasn't critical anymore, but it could very much slip back there at any given time.

Pulling up the bed cover, Gretel sat there, determined to stay awake and keep an eye on Hansel, there was no room for error, not this time. As time passed by, Gretel found herself started humming the old song she had learnt from her mother, a song that she could only recall its gentle and soothing melody because all was distant memories now. Her mind just vaguely remembered the soft voice of her mother singing the tune every time before they went to bed to lull them to sleep. She had recalled how it would almost certain calm Hansel whenever it was sung, therefore, Gretel had made a mental note when they were still children that she would learn the song for her brother. In the end, the lyrics were gone with the wind, but Hansel kept on reassuring her that it was fine, that he himself didn't even remember the song, so there was nothing for her to fuss about.

Gretel had been skeptical, it used to be his favorite song, and she knew how people could hardly ever get over their favorite things. However, she let it slide, it belonged in their far, far childhood, so his words could may have been true. It was such a shame that she couldn't hear it again no matter how many towns they had gone through, no one sang the song that their mother had sung for them. Gradually, she realized that perhaps it was a song their mother had thought up and sung for them... The thought only served to sadden her more though Gretel had brushed it away as quickly as she could. Dwelling on the past had never been good, they had never been ones to look back on their lives, especially Hansel. Hansel had always been the one to avoid anything related to their parents, saying that they had taken a vow not to speak about that subject.

Though he might put on this tough-guy act and say it like he didn't really care, Gretel knew that Hansel thought about their parents all the time. At least she thought so... she hoped so because like she had said, they never talked about these things. However, sometimes, those grey eyes would stray outside the windows, looking far into the distance, deep in thoughts. Perhaps those were the times when Hansel would start thinking about the past, Gretel just hoped it was the case...

And so she continued to hum while holding on tightly to his large and still warm hand, rubbing it gently to, in a way, let him know that she was right there beside him.

Time stretched on and Gretel's mouth was turning dried as her voice began to sound scratchy, but in didn't matter to her as she kept on humming. Ever since the first note left her throat, the crease of his eyebrows and tension in his muscles were slowly loosening, fading away as he became more and more relaxed. That was enough, seeing that this was helping her brother even in the most insignificant of way was the only reward that she searched for.

Her eyes watched him as he drifted away in much needed rest, it had been such a long time since she last saw him in a bed, and it felt so very strange. It was comforting in a way because it bothered her much to see him lying on the harsh and cold floor, injured or not. They almost argued once about it, but Hansel managed to shut his mouth and things just sort of ended there. She kept telling him to sleep in a proper bed, it would have certainly been far better with the soft mattress and pillow, but no, he had never agreed then jumped to another subject altogether.

Soft knocks sounded against the door before it opened slightly to reveal Ben peeking in slowly, Gretel had stopped singing for a while already, she didn't want anyone else to be hearing it but her brother.

" What is it, Ben?" She asked after clearing her voice. The boy looked like he had been snapped out of a momentarily trance then stepped into the room with an awkward look.

" I-uh..." His eyes strayed down to the ground, finding a hard time stating his thoughts. Funny how that very same boy would seem to talk endlessly and so fluently whenever it involved witch hunting and anything that was related. Just like Hansel... Gretel thought to herself. Her brother was tough and harsh when a witch needed to be terminated, but when it came to talking strangers that weren't their employers, he didn't seem so tough and harsh anymore. " I came to see if you needed a rest or not, miss Gretel. You have been watching him for quite a long time already."

" Oh? How long exactly?" She asked, wondering skeptically if what he said was true because, apparently, it didn't seem that long, not to her.

" Three or four hours?" At this, Gretel raised an eyebrow. Thinking about the past and her brother while humming the song must have made her lose track of time.

" Oh, it's that so..." Her voice trailed away, she didn't even realize that so much time had gone by.

" Then... do you want me to take over so you can rest? Just for a while to, you know, do some washing up?"

Brown eyes stared at each other for a while as Gretel contemplate on what to do. She didn't want to leave Hansel's side, not now, not ever... but as her eyes looked down at her hand and his own intertwined then the image of all the dried blood and dirt on his body flashed before her eyes. They had only managed to clean the wounds so Arnold could patch them up, not the entire of his body. And she had to wash the clothes that they were using as bandages for Hansel also, they were running short on clean bandages.

After one or two moments of reluctance, Gretel bent down and whispered into her brother's ear. " I'll be back in a short while, alright?" It didn't matter if he had heard it or not, so long as she had said it... like she was reassuring Hansel and herself included.

As she stood up from the bed and slowly let go of her brother's hand, uneasiness was rising in her chest, worried that something might happen should she leave him now. Her eyebrows creased, but the witch hunter soon shook it off and walked away. With one last glance, the door was closed behind her.

It was dark and cold, a distant sound was echoing. Hansel's body was numb as he tried hard to move his limbs, but who was he kidding? He couldn't even make himself open his eyes. Breathing in and out deeply after a while, he gathered all his strength and willed his eyelids to open up. The soft eerie golden glow filled his blurry vision, that sound was much closer now, and it seemed so very much like a voice... an extremely familiar voice.

Where was he? Why was he in this dark space? The smell and everything else just screamed at his tingling senses. He had been here before. Eyes focusing on a point up there at what he supposed to be the ceiling, Hansel finally had it in him to realize something that was very terrifying... This was the gingerbread house... and he was in that damned witch's cage! Rolling over with great effort, he felt ever so small and defenseless as he saw his own tiny fingers touched the steel bars then held on tightly to it. Weak eyes searched around in the dimly lit room... He needed, no, had to find Gretel. This place wasn't safe, that was undoubtly the case. He didn't know why or how they had ended up here, or whether this was real or not, but his only priority then was to find his precious little sister.

How did this come about? They weren't supposed to be affected by spells, then how had they been thrown back into the past like this?! They had definitely killed and burnt her already! His vision was shaky and blurry as there was this dull throbbing behind his head. Did something happen?!

It took a couple of moments for his eyes to focus as he desperately looked around to find the familiar figure of the little girl he cared so much for. What was that sound that kept on ringing in his ears?

"HANSEL!"

Turning sharply over to where the voice was coming from, Hansel for the first time realized that it was his sister who had been calling for him. That Godforsaken witch had her by the arm as she was trying to pull her over to the only source of light in this smelly and dingy old place, the oven.

The little girl was trying to free herself from the grasps of the witch, writhing in vain to get away, tears spilling from her large round brown eyes that were stained with fear, the fear that should have never made it there.

" Hansel! Please, help me!"

She was screaming for help, small hand and fragile arm reached out toward him, her soft and wavy chocolate here was all tangled up. How did they ended up turning back into these children that they used to be?!

Hansel practically threw himself at the steel bars, trying fight his way out and rescue his sister but to no avail. Sorrow, desperation, and this numbing sensation was spreading throughout his whole body, shaking in this helplessness. He screamed, frail arm flung out, calling for his sister but no sound came out of his dried throat.

" Help me, Hansel!" Her innocent and soft voice shouldn't have been filled with pain and fear like this. He wanted to break free, run out there and tell her that everything was going to be okay, and that he was there, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. But he couldn't.

No... No... No. No. No. NO! NO! NO!

Where was his gun when he needed it? Where was his strength when his sister was in danger? Where was HE when his sister called?!

Why was he so useless?!

Gretel. Gretel, no!

The witch was pulling her closer and closer to the fiercely burning oven, the sound of her screechy laugh filled the thick and chilly air, it sickened him.

Tears were falling out from those orbs nonstop as those pink lips kept on screaming out his name hoarsely. Oh, no... no...

Then she was thrown in.

Everything stopped as his grey eyes widened, staring with this wild and raging disbelief at what he had just seen. Droplets and droplets of this salty substance spilt out, body trembled violently as realization hit him head on.

His sister had just been thrown into the fire. That high-pitched noise he was hearing was her screaming in pain as the flames burnt her skin, flesh and bones.

His sister had just been thrown into the fire. The ROTTEN witch that did so was still cackling with her head thrown back.

His sister had just been thrown into the fire. She was screaming for him to help her, but he didn't. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't even save himself.

And it hurt, it hurt a thousand time more than being stabbed repeatedly and mercilessly with a big, sharp and shiny blade.

It was his fault. Everything was his fault... She DIED because of HIM.

No... no... she couldn't have been dead. She couldn't have died! No, she couldn't! She COULDN'T!

GRETEL!

Water spilt on the floor as the basin Gretel had borrowed from Arnold slipped out of her wet hands, the girl had spun and ran as fast as she could as soon as she heard her brother's voice shouting out her name from his room. The desperation, urgency and pain in his voice was something she couldn't and would never miss.

" GRETEL!" He was practically screaming her name from the top of his lungs now as her heart thumped loudly in her chest, what happened?!

The door swung opened as Gretel rushed in, trying hard to keep calm since one boy ( Ben ) panicking in the room was enough as it is. Hansel was awake, struggling weakly to move his battered body, undoubtedly trying to sit up, mouth still calling out for her. Immediately, Gretel was at his side, hands clasping on his clammy cheeks.

" Hansel?! Hansel! Hansel, I'm here! I'm here, Hansel." His eyes were wide, staring at her with dilated pupils and pure disbelief, breathing in and out harshly and shallowly. Lips quivering slightly, Hansel seemed to have been shaken up pretty badly, undeniably due to something he must have dreamt about, for those grey eyes were glinting with thin layers of water... For the first time in years, her brother looked like he was on the verge of bursting into tears.

" You're here..." His voice sounded so airy, hoarse and worn out that had the room not been so quiet, she didn't think she would have quite caught it. To think it was the very same voice that had been calling out so loudly for her just moments ago.

" Yes, I'm here." She nodded quickly, swallowed back the enlarging lump in her throat and forced her voice to speak up properly. To see him like this, so very vulnerable and in such pain hurt her deeply, Hansel had always been acting so tough and strong... Gretel knew that wasn't always the case, deep down Hansel had and would remain a soft and gentle brother with a warm heart. Even so...

" I-... I thought you... died..." His voice broke as he then bit down onto his lip, preventing himself from uttering anything else, scared that if might somehow come true if he were to say it aloud. Gretel shook her head, taking one of his hands into her grasps and kissed it tenderly, blinking her eyes repeatedly to push the tears away.

" No, no. I'm right here, see?" She pressed his rough hand against her cheek. " Whatever it is that you have just seen was all a bad dream... This is real, I am real, Hansel. It's alright now. You're alright."

His calloused hand moved slowly, brushing her skin before pulling her into his gentle embrace. She could hear him breathing in her scent, burying his face into the locks of her hair, hands holding on tightly with all the strength he could manage to muster right that second. It was as if he was checking just to be sure whether she was actually unharmed or not, protecting her, caring for her, not the other way around. So similar to that time when she accidentally jumped at him from behind, attacking him, mistaking him for one of those witches. They fell down hard with him landing on his back with her full weight crushing down on his body, and yet when they came to it, he was the one who held her face in the palms of his hands, checking her, staring with pain at the bruises and cuts on her as though he wasn't at all injured. It wasn't his fault to begin with and yet, he kept on apologizing while hugging her tightly, just like this... enveloping her in his arms of protection even though she could fully defend herself now.

She returned it as her hands rubbed circles on his back in an attempt to sooth him. It seemed to have done its purpose because Gretel could feel his strained muscles relaxing, inhaling and exhaling deeper and more evenly. A sigh escaped her lips silently as relief washed over her like waves. Much as she liked for them to stay like this for a little longer, Hansel needed rest, and Gretel had to softly push him away on the chest before gently laying him back down onto the pillow.

" Rest now, Hansel. You need it." She whispered, pulling up the bed covers and smiled weakly at him, reassuring them both that everything was going to be fine. Gretel had no intention of leaving Hansel's side again, especially not after this, but as though fearful that she might somehow disappear from his sight once more, Hansel's hand came up to hold onto her arm.

" Stay."

Her smile widened somewhat then nodded. " I'm not going anywhere, Hansel." Was her reply before being unexpectedly pulled down so that she found herself lying next to her brother seconds later, her back against his board chest. With his arm over her waist, edging her closer to him, she could feel the heat of his body as well as his beating heart in that ribcage as it rose and fell with each breath.

There was no way she could get out of his grasps in this kind of position, and neither did she have the heart to. Sighing once more, Gretel rested her arm on his own then closed her eyes, enjoying this closeness while it lasted. It had been too long since she last felt this, they had always been either on separated bed or on a single bed with him on the floor.

" Don't go..." His voice was growing sluggish again as sleep was creeping in, making his eyelids feel so very heavy.

" Never."

To be continued...