Hey all, Chapter 4! Possibly the longest one I've ever written!
One month after the destruction, the Kingdom of Grimm was finally repaired and everyone went about their lives. Our heroes were busy living their lives with the work they had.
James and Rapunzel had been working tirelessly in the bakery with Jack providing milk from his beloved Milky White. The heifer was now a picture of health now that she had a healthier environment. Jack even bought the hen that lays golden eggs and put her inside a barn in the backyard; her eggs are used for the baking as well, creating the fluffiest cakes and the best bread ever made.
Rapunzel was quite the decorator, it was the only activity she had in the tower which helped keep her sane all those years. However, Rapunzel's past kept creeping up on her every now and then and she became prone to freaking out at the smallest things that happened. James then took her to the town shrink and he told her that because she was sheltered for most of her life and the fact that she witnessed the death of her loved one, she has become paranoid of the real world and everything around her seems so different. With the doctors help, she started to become normal again and she continued to decorate the bakery with a smile on her face.
Scarlett tried helping out in the bakery, but her sweet tooth made it nearly impossible for James and Rapunzel to keep her around. Being she had experience with skinning animals, much to everyone's horror, she became employed as an apprentice at a taxidermist firm where she helped make animals into trophies or rugs. After work she'd normally bring home a sack of meat for dinner and even for meat pies if there's any left over.
With the money that the bakery was making, James bought the empty shop next door for Cinderella to start up her own dress making business. She had told James that she loved making dresses for her stepmother and stepsisters despite the fact that they would stain them up with wine later. When the shop was finally made up with help from Rapunzel, Cinderella immediately began working on her first set of dresses. She even had a crib built to put in the workshop so that she could watch little Sam when the bakery was too busy. Cinderella's first set of dresses took a while, but she managed to sell them all and get the next set ready to sell.
James was baking more bread from sourdough to rye and made more cakes with the eggs and milk, plus the meat pies became a popular confection. His business and Cinderella's business, made them the most popular spot in the village and business increased day by day.
Though they were all content with their lives at that point, it was James who was harboring some grief.
After dinner James was alone in his bedroom thinking about his wife Emily. James had a new family now, but it still wasn't much of a family without someone else to share it with. Try as he might, he couldn't forget his beloved Emily and the joy she brought to his life. With their child and the business he inherited from his family and all the ugliness they had to go through to get their child, it wasn't exactly perfect for them to begin with. First time they had met, she was the prettiest girl in the village and out of all the men she could've had, it was him she picked because he treated her more like a person instead of a trophy like the other men did. Now that he thinks back on it, he always liked her because she was smart as well, which was unappealing to the other men, but not him. Whenever they had problems, she would work them out and always find a solution. When she died that fateful day, it was like the best of him went with her and he couldn't get it back.
Suddenly James' thoughts were cut off by a knock at the door.
"James" it was Cinderella "may I come in" she asked politely.
"Yes" was all he could say.
Cinderella opened the door wearing one of the lovely dresses she made for herself; it was a blue dress with frilly lace on the collar, she practically looked like a vision.
"You look beautiful" James said as he looked at her.
"Thank you" Cinderella said blushing a bit.
Cinderella sat down next to James on the bed and everything was very silent for a minute.
"You were in quite a rush after dinner" Cinderella said.
"I was just thinking" James said.
"About Emily" Cinderella answered.
"Yes" James said somberly.
"I'm sorry James" Cinderella said giving him a hug.
"When I buried her a month ago, I thought...I couldn't live without her" he said almost sobbing "every day it gets...harder and harder to gasp for breath and..." He paused "it doesn't matter, I couldn't make her happy" he said "I wouldn't be surprised if she found some man in the woods and made love to him" he said, making Cinderella feel cold and queasy. "What's wrong" he asked looking at Cinderella as her face turned sad.
"Oh God I can't do it" Cinderella blurted out, taking James off guard.
"Can't do what" James asked curiously.
"Your wife kissed my prince, God like a bandage, ugh" Cinderella blurted out as she fell back on the bed exhausted.
"What" James asked surprised and slightly angry
"It was before we fought the giantess, the birds caught him and your wife kissing and they told me" she said.
James walked over to the window and rested his hands on the window sill, he was completely in shock that she never told him this.
"Why...why didn't you tell me this" James asked "you lied to me for a month" he asked again half shouting his question.
"I didn't want you to be heartbroken, you already lost her, I didn't want to do that to you after everything that happened that day" she explained "besides, she didn't want to do it but, he forced himself on her" she said.
James took a while to process all this; he walked back and forth, inhaling and exhaling over and over. Suddenly he stopped at his dresser and laid his hands down flat and then he walked over to Cinderella and sat next to her on the bed.
"I guess you not telling me wasn't a bad thing" he said holding Cinderella's hand "thank you...Ella" James finished.
No one had called her Ella since her father died and hearing her real name was just a real blessing.
"She loved you" Ella told James "right to the end" she said "your lucky you had someone faithful to you, I never had anyone feel that way towards me" Ella finished.
"You deserve love Ella" James told her, still holding her hand "maybe you deserve a nice man" he said looking into her eyes.
"Yes" she said drawing close to him "someone kind, affectionate..." She continued.
"Yeah" James whispered.
"Strong, wise, independent" Ella whispered
"Yeah" James finished with a kiss on Ella's lips.
Both Ella and James pushed the kiss and then they immediately broke it off.
"Oh my God" Ella said.
"Oh God I'm sorry" James whimpered "I'm sorry" he said laying his head in her lap.
"It's okay" Cinderella said rubbing his head "I shouldn't have lead you on like that" she said.
"No, I lead you on" James said "I was just so lonely I...didn't know what" he said.
"James" Ella said raising the mans head up "you've done so much for me and I'm extremely thankful" she continued "I guess we both just felt like, because we were alone...we thought we were in love but...that'd be wrong wouldn't it" she asked.
"Yes it...it would be wrong of us to lie to each other" James said "you are a beautiful woman Ella and I'd be glad to have you as my wife, but not unless we both know if we love each other" James said.
"Agreed" Ella said with a half smile.
"And thank you for being honest" James said.
"You're welcome" she said getting up from the bed "and thank you for being so kind" she told him.
"I just..." he muttered "I wish I could bring Emily back" James said.
"Careful what you wish for" Cinderella warned him softly as she stood up, but then she was stopped by James' hand.
"Ella wait" James said and with that she sat beside him again. "I don't think we really..." James said as he kissed her once again, this time both of them pressing in.
Before either of them knew it, they were lying back on the bed slowly undressing each other. James cupped his hand around her left breast which caused the young woman to moan through their kiss. This was no longer the young princess he met in the woods, she was a woman and like every woman there's always someone, be it man or woman to bring her the pleasure that she deserved. They both breathed heavily as the baker thrusted inside the beautiful woman back and forth. James tried his best to make this as comfortable for her as possible, but when it came close to the climax he grew faster and faster until they shouted out their release. When it was done, both of them cuddled up against each other breathing heavily; then Cinderella looked at the heaving man and looked away almost in shock.
"Did we just..." Cinderella asked.
"We did" James answered "is that bad" he asked.
"Well it was...actually very satisfying" Cinderella said smiling a little.
"This is wrong isn't it" James asked.
"No, no, no" Cinderella said trying to reassure the man "the fact of the matter is..." she said "I think I did fall in love with you" Cinderella said softly.
"Since when" James asked curiously.
"Since you bought me my own shop" she said sitting up and smiling at the man.
"Well you had told me that your stepfamily took everything that belonged to your family, so I wanted you to have something that was yours" James said with sincerity "I just wanted you to be happy" James said with a smile.
"That's so sweet" Cinderella said as she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Suddenly they were both cut off when they heard crying from little Sam's nursery which was across the room secluded by a veil so he didn't see what his father and "mother" we're up to. Cinderella got up and put her blouse back on.
"Here let me take him" Cinderella said as she went to pick the little tyke up "oh there, there, it's okay" she said in a soothing voice.
James watched how Cinderella was with Sam, how she held him and shook him back and forth slowly. Then suddenly she opened her mouth and started singing a lullaby...
Dream by night,
wish by day
Love begins this way.
Loving starts
when open hearts
touch and stay.
Sleep for now,
dreaming's how
lovers' lives are planned.
Future songs and flying dreams,
hand in hand.
Love it seems
made flying dreams,
so hearts could soar.
Heaven sent
these dreams were meant
to prove once more,
that love is the key.
Love is the key.
You and I
touch the sky
the eagle and the dove.
Nightingales,
we keep our sails
filled with love.
And love it seems
made flying dreams
to bring you home to me.
Love it seems
made flying dreams,
so hearts could soar.
Heaven sent
these dreams were meant,
to prove once more
That love is the key.
Love is the key.
You and I
touch the sky
the eagle and the dove.
Nightingales
we keep our sails
filled with love
And love it seems
made flying dreams
to bring you home to me.
Ever strong
our future song
to sing it must be free.
And every part
is from the heart
and love is still the key.
And love it seems
made flying dreams
to bring you home to me.
When the lullaby finished, Sam fell asleep and was put back in his crib. Just listening to her silvery singing voice was almost intoxicating to James. He would thrill over listening to her singing songs like Lavenders Blue or Wind in the Willows when she works in the shop. James put his undershirt and his trousers on and walked over to the beautiful woman and put his hands on her shoulders.
"You're a terrific mother Ella" James whispered as he kissed the side of her neck.
"And you're a terrific father James" Ella said returning the kiss on the mans lips.
Suddenly they were cut off by a soft thump at the door.
"Did you hear that" Ella asked.
"Yeah I did, wait hear" James said as he walked to the door.
The door opened and a boy, a dark haired girl and a young blonde woman fell right through.
"Oh, it's not 'ere so..." Jack said.
"Yeah so we should..." Ruby said.
"Right well...good night" Rapunzel said and they all walked down the hallway.
James stood there dumbfounded and then he found himself bursting into laughter with Ella laughing along with him.
"No privacy" James said still laughing.
"I think I should go" Ella said, also laughing a little.
"No wait" James said grabbing her hand "stay with me" he said almost pleading like.
Cinderella consented to James feelings and pulled up the covers up on the bed. They both held each other through the night and come morning they would start this new adventure to starting a new family, something they both always wanted.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the forest, four hooded figures were walking to a bubbling pool of tar. The first removed her hood to reveal a rather large woman with a bakers apron on and a red dress with candy prints on the bottom. The second removed his hood to reveal an ethereal flamboyant man with pointy ears, white hair, puffy clothes, golden skin and a wicked smile upon his face. The third removed her hood to reveal a regal queen-like woman in black with a sour look on her face. Finally, the fourth removed hers to reveal a woman with bat-like wings, a gold dress and horns upon her head which had blonde locks. Together they raised their hands and began to chant...
Pool of ooze
Black as night
Return dear sister
to our sight
The tar began bubbling more and more until it began forming a woman who's shrill scream shouted out the word "CRUUUUUUUUUUNCH!" Before the people appeared the witch known as Gothel gasping for airing and then coughing afterwards. Gothel raised her head up to see the people before her and then sighed with annoyance.
"Fuck me" was all she said.
"Is that any way to greet your siblings" the queen looking woman said.
"My siblings riiight" Gothel said standing up and brushing herself off "Grimhilde, Maleficent, Bathsheba & Rumplestiltskin" she said with spite in her voice.
"In the flesh darling" said Rumplestiltkin in a hedonistic tone.
"I'm a little surprised to see you though Sheba" Gothel refered to the heavy woman.
"kids may have gotten away but I got feckin' thick skin, couldn't burn me if ya tried" Bathsheba said feeling proud "feckin' hot in that oven though" she said.
"What about the rest of you, last I heard Mal you had an issue with what's her name Amora" Gothel asked her oldest sister inquisitively.
"Three hundred goddamn years and then a prince actually comes along and wakes the bitch" Maleficent said in a huff "yet, I digress" she said more calmly.
"Don't we all dear" Rumplestiltskin said and then proceeded to laugh afterwards.
"Cut the crap and tell me what you all want" Gothel asked.
"We heard about your mishap with mother dear's garden and all the disaster that followed" Grimhilde said slyly.
"So we came back to put things right" Maleficent said with a smile on her face.
"By that you mean...what" Gothel asked raising an eyebrow.
"What are you dense" Bathsheba asked rhetorically "we're here to put the goody two shoes in their place" she said cackling.
"Think of it as the 'happily ever after' we always wanted" Rumplestiltkin said with a snicker.
Gothel didn't know what to think, all she could think about is the lives she might have ruined because of her last actions. James losing his wife, Jack and Ruby losing their families, Cinderella losing her mother for good.
"Forget it, I can't do this anymore, I'm done with magic forever" Gothel said firmly "not like I have anymore anyway" she said walking away.
"Oh no" asked Rumplestiltkin who appeared in front of her "then I dare you to turn that rock into a likeness of me" he said pointing to a shoddy looking stone.
Though Gothel didn't think she could do it, she did as she was told and just like that the stone became a statue of Rumplestiltskin himself. Bathsheba and Rumplestiltskin laughed with glee.
"Oh my god" Gothel said in shock, while staring at her palms.
"We did that as a favor, so now you owe us one in return" Grimhilde said "you will help us" she demanded.
"No, magic has done me more harm then good" Gothel sneered at her sister.
"Let's make this more clear" Maleficent said while creeping over her sisters shoulder "you will do this or else" she said venomously.
"Or else what" Gothel asked defiantly.
"Or you ain't never gonna see your dearest Rapunzel again" Bathsheba said with a snaggletoothed smile.
"What" Gothel shouted "what did you do to her, where is she" she demanded.
"With those ruddy bumpkins darling, all nice comfy cozy" Rumplestiltskin said with a giggle.
"Unless of course you comply with us of course" Grimhilde said.
Though it took her a minute to decide, she chose the lesser of two evils.
"I'll do it, but not for you...for her" Gothel said "I've always did it for her" she insisted.
"Done" Maleficent said with a smile.
Tonight, the most diabolical plan known to humanity was being concocted by the most evil minds in the world and there were only a handful of people who could stop them.
Dun, dun, DUN! I summoned all the Grimm villains to make one all powerful supergroup to destroy the world muahahahahahaha! Sorry, geeking out a bit there hehe ;n.n. BTW the lullaby Cinderella sings is from the movie The Secret of Nimh which is owned by Don Bluth, not me. I had my ideas of who could play the villains if they were in a movie; Cate Blanchett as the Evil Queen because of the growl in her voice, Nicole Kidman as Maleficent because of her intimidating height and stare, Rebel Wilson as Bathsheba because she's funny and Alan Cumming as Rumplestiltkin because of his flamboyancy and he's just awesome! See you guys next time! Please read and review!