The night wasn't too dark or cold that evening. In fact they didn't even need a fire. They just needed a suitable spot to stop and rest at. And when they found such a spot, and after everyone had cooled down like Niffty suggested, Alastor began to tell the story of the mouse queen and the shell of darkness from his point of view. How young he was when it happened, how he wasn't looking to become a great hero or marry a princess and then become a prince. How he was only trying to save his uncle's life. How he had spent so many years alone in the darkness of his own mind.

"You don't know how confusing, scary, and sad it is to lose consciousness in one moment and to then wake up to find that so much time has passed." Alastor finished. "Cracking that nut was the last thing I remember before everything went dark. It was also the very last time I ever saw my family. My aunt and uncle, I never saw them again."

The others looked at him with sympathy and kindness, the two fairies in particular felt awfully guilty for how they behaved earlier.

"Alastor, we're so sorry." Vagatha apologized. "We didn't know what you had been through."

"You poor thing." Niffty said gently. "Why you're hardly more than a baby, and you've had to face so much. Not to mention the heavy burden we put on you."

"We're sorry for making you feel pressured about this." Anthony said. "And for making you feel like you have to fix all our problems. We just don't know any other way to stop Vox. We've tried brute force and combat but that apparently doesn't work against evil magic. And fairy magic can't do anything harmful. Really all we could do was run, hide, and pray that someone would come save us."

"But it's not your responsibility to help us." Vagatha said. "And when Princess Mimzy changes you back, if you want, you can just leave. We would understand."

"Mimzy's love might be all he needs." Niffty said. "What if the Inventor was right? What if love is the only thing that can destroy Vox's power?"

"For our sake, I hope it is." Anthony said. "But if it isn't and you wanna leave when you change back. You can. We'd understand."

"Well I can't promise that I'll succeed in helping you all." Alastor said. "But I can at least try. If marrying Mimzy doesn't do it, I'll just fight him. I'll fight him the best I can and I give you my word that I won't stop until I can't fight anymore."

His words pleased the dolls but they worried and upset Charlotte.

Did he really have to marry this Mimzy? Now that she thought about it, it did seem very sudden. Especially considering that Alastor was still just a boy inside. What if they weren't happy together? What if they didn't love each other? Or worse, what if love wasn't the answer? What if Alastor did have to fight Vox man to man? Or rather man to mouse. What if Alastor failed? What if Vox killed him?

It's very funny how a person's perspective can change so quickly in certain situations. Charlotte had started this journey excited, believing she would witness a great adventure and a great romance like the ones in her books. Now, further along, she was terribly afraid for her nutcracker. Secretly wishing that someone else could have been the hero. That Alastor wasn't the one who may have to risk his life.

She knew it was selfish and she did not dare make her true feelings on the subject known. She knew that there was a greater good involved and it would be wrong to ask Alastor to run away and save himself, if he chose to stay in fight. But she could not help being afraid for him. Since they met, strange and new feelings had entered her heart. Emotions that frightened and confused her but had also made her feel so happy and free. Emotions that she would only feel for Alastor. Charlotte had come to care for him in a way that she had never cared for anyone else. He was so dear to her that she couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him. She didn't want to lose him.

"Are you alright honey?" Vagatha asked her. "You've been real quiet."

"I'm fine." She lied while giving them a very convincing smile. "Just getting hungry again. I think I'll go back to the sleigh and check the satchel for an apple and berries."

But just as Charlotte could see through Alastor's mask of false happiness, he could see through hers. To avoid any suspicion from the others, he waited a few minutes before getting up and going after her.

"Huh." He thought when he stood up. "Is it my imagination or is this body starting to become more stiff?"

He then brushed off the thought, excused himself to see if he could get a lantern from the satchel, and walked to the sleigh. There he found Charlotte sitting inside with her head resting on her knees, her face bearing subtle look of distress.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked her.

She lifted up her head.

"Yes. I just needed a moment to myself."

"Do you...Do you want to talk?"

"No. But thank you for asking. Don't worry about me, nothing is wrong."

"If you say so." He turned around. "But if you change your mind, I'm always open to any form of conversation."

He walked away slowly, expecting her to tell him to stop or wait, any second. Instead she surprised him by suddenly running after him and embracing him from behind.

"You will be careful, won't you?" She asked with her head resting on his back. "I know I can't ask you not to fight if it comes to that, but I'm asking you to please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

Alastor stood still for a moment. Letting his mind and his heart comprehend her words and what they meant. Then he turned around, took her hands into his own, and looked at her longingly.

"I'll do my best to be very careful. I swear."

He sealed his oath by softly kissing the fronts of her hands.

Charlotte almost said something but stopped upon noticing something small and white falling on to her hand. It was a snowflake. A perfect snowflake that didn't feel cold or melt away when it landed in her warm palm. She and Alastor looked upward to see a shower of snowflakes lightly falling down upon them.

Charlotte's distress was instantly forgotten and once again she was in awe of the beauty surrounding her. Stretching her arms out to catch the falling snowflakes like she did in the the forest, only this time she chose to move with the flurries. Her hands reached for the night sky and on her toes, she swayed in the moonlight. Spinning between the snowfall and her own dreams, even her shadow had grace. With each step she took, her cheeks became more rosy and the sparkling white flecks adorned her hair. She was hearing her own music, a song in her heart which guided her in the ballet.

She was so beautiful and passionate. Alastor found himself unable to just stand and watch her like before. Somehow he could hear the same music Charlotte heard and the rhythm of his beating heart was urging him to follow her. So he did.

Alastor slowly approached Charlotte and put his arms around her. Before she could ask him what he was doing, he already answered by interlocking their fingers and raising their arms up. Without words, Charlotte performed elegant and sustained movements while Alastor supported her by maintaining a display of poise and seemingly effortless strength. Looking into each other's eyes, they danced a romantic Pas de deux together.

"You can dance ballet?" She whispered, awed by his magnificent poise.

"Auntie wanted to move more gracefully on stage when she performed. So she took ballet lessons and insisted that I learn a little." He explained.

He steadied her carefully when she spun.

"You dance wonderfully." She said leaning into a arabesque with him assisting her.

"Not nearly as wonderful as you." He lifted her up and made her glide. "You're the most wonderful, beautiful, kind, clever, and talented girl in the world."

"Do you really mean that?" She asked as he lowered her down.

"With all my heart."

She draped her arm around his neck and he held her tenderly.

"When this is over." Charlotte said. "When Vox is defeated, what do you think will happen? To us, I mean."

"I'm not sure." He answered. "I suppose I'll be human again and you'll be a girl again."

"Do you think we'll ever see each other again? I...I like being with you."

"I like being with you too."

"When I'm with you I don't feel like such a disappointment. I feel like I can actually do something right."

Charlotte smiled sadly.

"But we'll probably never see each other again. I have to go home, you will become prince of a great kingdom, and you'll be married."

"Maybe." Alastor said.

"Maybe?" She repeated confused.

"I don't know if I can marry Mimzy." He confessed.

"Why? It's the only way you'll change back."

"But I don't love her."

"You could learn to."

"No. I don't think I can. Because I..." He paused. "I love another."

Charlotte looked at him astonished. She started to pull away, but he stopped her with an embrace. His firm and warm arms holding her like a silent plea for her not to go.

"I can't Alastor." She sighed, accepting his touch despite her words. "You belong with the princess."

"How do you know?" He asked her.

"Because I'm only thirteen." She reminded him. "In the end I'll be a child and you'll be an adult."

She heard Alastor release a disappointed sigh.

"You're right. Logically, Mimzy is the better choice. For the good of everyone." His hold on her became more secure but not constricting. It was gentle and protective. "But please, can we just stay like this for just a little longer? One moment is all I ask."

So for one moment the nutcracker and the maiden were together. For one moment Charlotte stayed in Alastor's arms and he knew the tender touch of love. For one moment she wished that she didn't have to turn back into a little girl and could stay a woman. To live happily ever after with him like in her stories. Unfortunately this wasn't a story. This was reality.

"Kiss me." She requested.

Alastor drew back, looking very confused.

"Kiss you?" He said, not sure if he heard right.

"Just one kiss. So I'll never forget."

She drew closer to him, and he to her. Their lips were just inches apart