It felt like they had been walking forever, but in truth, they had walked for twenty minutes since they found Rapunzel and buried her prince. They finally reached town and what our heroes saw was worse than what the Witch had described. Their were forty foot footprints everywhere, roofs were caved in, and people had already begun trying to rebuild their homes. Cinderella's heart broke whenever she saw little children clinging to their families in front of their broken houses.

"Moth- I mean the Witch used to tell me that bad things happen in the world" Rapunzel said "I'm starting think she wasn't lying this time" she finished.

When they came to James' house, only a few windows were broken open and the door was bent. Once James reached for the door knob, the entire door fell apart. Inside, their were pastries and bread strewn about from the quake brought on by the Giantess' landing.

"Well honestly I thought it'd be worse" said James in a calm tone "but I've had terrible days like this" he finished.

Scarlett gazed across the street and saw a house with a crushed fence and the garden on the other side, a garden which has been crushed into mulch.

"Hey Mr. Baker, who's house is that" she asked curiously.

James looked back at the house of the woman who changed his life in just three days.

"That belonged to the Witch" he said solemnly.

Rapunzel turned to look at her mothers house and just stared in a sort of trance like state. Since she was twelve she had been sealed up in that tower, all because she was caught talking with a boy. Of course she was patient with her mother and forgave her for locking her up, but when she was abandoned out on an island in the middle of a swamp and her prince was blinded by mystic thorns, she snapped. Rapunzel walked slowly to the house and then immediately started picking up rocks and started throwing them at the windows.

"How could you" she shouted while throwing "you wicked..." she said while collapsing on her knees and breaking into to tears once more.

James handed his son to Cinderella and then walked over to his sister. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him with tears on her face.

"Was she ever horrible to you" James asked "you know, besides locking you up and all" he finished.

"Not really" Rapunzel answered "in fact for the most part she was very caring and affectionate" she remembered fondly "but she could never stand for me to leave" she said with a frown "she kept telling me how horrid it was out in the world and if I left that tower I'd die" she finished.

James nodded his head, he knew somehow living with a witch would be a bit...unorthodox.

"I was raised by my aunt who grew up in this town with your moth- er Witch" said James "she was no Witch, but she had a right cross she did" he said chuckling, Rapunzel laughed with him a little.

"But she could bake the best bread in the whole village" he said "she said that The Witch grew up in a sad existence" he continued now more somberly "her mother cared more for her garden than her daughter and always threatened to curse her if she ever came near her magic beans" he said "She was even married once, but he left when she couldn't bear...children" James said, while also thinking that might've been the reason she took Rapunzel in the first place. "Not that I'm saying what she did was any better, but...you can't help but feel sorry for her" he said solemnly "come on let's get back to the others" he finished while grabbing her hand.

The two siblings walked back to the house where everyone was trying to figure out where they were sleeping.

"Alright, the girls take the room upstairs, Jack and I will sleep down here on the mats in the closet" James said "and if there isn't enough room on the bed, there's a mat and some blankets and pillows in the closet" he finished.

"I'll sleep on the floor" Cinderella volunteered "I'm used to sleeping on the ground anyway" she finished with a smile.

"Okay yeah you and blondie take the bed" said Scarlett wittingly "you had the horrible step-family, it's only fair" she finished, trying to sound fair.

"Scarlett" James said eyeing her.

"No, you two take the bed and that's that" Cinderella insisted as she walked up the stairs with a blanket over her shoulder.

"Well that's settled" Scarlett said with a smile and with that she and Rapunzel walked upstairs after Cinderella.

"Well I guess we should set up too" James said opening the closet and reaching for a couple of mats "just lay out wherever you'd like and-" James paused when he turned around to see Jack crying "hey, you okay what's wrong" he asked.

"Why did she have to die...*sniff*...why wasn't I there to help her" Jack said, weeping.

James came over and hugged the boy "hey, hey, it's okay" he said "you know, the last thing she told me was to take care of you and not let anything happen to you" he told Jack while wiping the boys face off "and I never go back on my word...all magic beans aside that is" James said, hoping that his deception of Jack from days ago wouldn't be a factor.

After Jack was at ease, both of them laid out their mats on the ground, grabbed some pillows and blankets, and went straight to sleep.

Meanwhile upstairs, the girls were getting ready for bed. Scarlett was unbraiding her hair, Cinderella was washing her face and Rapunzel was putting her clothes down for bed. Scarlett pulled up the blanket and laid down, Rapunzel of course followed her example. Cinderella laid out the mat on the floor and grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet.

"Really wish you'd reconsider" said Scarlett "it's only fair" she remarked.

"Look I'm fine" said Cinderella "besides Rapunzel needs it while she's expecting" she finished.

With that, the girls went to sleep, except for Rapunzel who was lying awake. She thought about what her mother told her, about never being safe, but with these people she felt safe and secure.

"Look at me now mother" she thought to herself "I'm safe and I have a family, and what's more, I haven't even died yet" she continued "I will survive mother, you'll see" she finished before going to sleep.

Starting tomorrow, a new day awaits our heroes and who knows what's in store for them, only time will tell.

Woohoo, chapter 2! Please read and review! Hey that rhymes.