Jack's shoulders were practically aching. His chores were doubled, making him having to clean and tend to everything in one day. Every floor, counter, chicken coop, table-- everything had to be cleaned.

Jack sighed as he thought of what rediculous reason his stepmother would conjur. He almost wanted to scream that he had gone to the ball in her face. He got on his knees, beginning to scrub the tile floor. He gasped as he saw the image of his stepmother in front of him. She quickly laughed and tossed the bucket aside, then vanished.

Jack's wide eyes stared at the soapy water across the floor. This was very new. She was never the one to ruin his work. Jack's eyes narrowed as he felt something within him.

"Jackson." Jack's stepmother smiled as she walked down the stairs. "Have you ever had a wonderful night?"

Jack shrugged as he stood up. "I suppose last night was one."

She raised a brow, full of suspicion. "Why would you say that?"

Jack threw the brush to scrub the floors onto the spilled water. "Because it was just me here last night." He smirked almost wickedly.

"Don't you dare give me that smirk. Wipe it off your face." Her eyes narrowed.

"The boys are busy aren't they?" Jack continued to smirk. "That's why you had to get rid of the bucket yourself."

She smiled in confidence. "You don't think I can do anything on my own?" She instantly appeared in font of him, slapped him, and vanished to the stairs. "Do you think I need those tools?"

Jack slowly turned his head towards her. "You are a coward. You can't even stay in front of me and hurt me."

She stared long and hard at Jack. Her eyes narrowed at his change to fight back. Something had changed him last night, but what? "Hmph." She rolled her eyes and began looking at her nails. "You're beginning to want to fight back. You're no longer that little toy I threw around. You must have something to fight back for." She sighed. "But I wouldn't worry about that or me and my sons. In fact, I wouldn't worry at all, if I was you. One day this whole house will be yours."

"Will it?" Jack grinned as he stepped forward. He suddenly felt she was stalling for the boys to come. He would have strike her now.

"Of course. One day. One. Day. After that one day, you should worry." She narrowed her eyes at Jack.

"Why would that happen?"

"Kasper is going to marry one of your brothers."

"What?" Jack blinked. "How are you so sure?"

"I actually spoke with her last night. She told me of Prince Bunnymund and we walked until almost dawn. No doubt she was looking for Elenor or Henry." She smiled. "It's happening, Jack. We're going to leave you here ALONE."

Jack's eyes grew soft as he lowered his head. "There's no way you're telling the truth." He locked his gaze with hers, trying to stand strong. "There's no way," he whispered.

"Is there?" She grinned wickedly and stood right in front of Jack in a second. "IS there really no way? What do they not have to offer?" She laughed. "What could YOU offer?"

Jack glared at her.

She almost glared back. "One day, one of your brothers will be ruling this kingdom. How do you think YOUR FATE will be chosen?"

Wind formed around Jack. "Is that a threat?"

She grinned. "Careful."

Jack's back hit the wall, and he grunted as Elenor punched his core. Elenor slammed Jack onto the ground and slammed his foot on Jack's back. Jack was in too much pain to cry out.

She laughed. "Don't consider me a threat. The truth is I'm no threat at all. A threat is something you can deal with and run from. Now fate, that's what I am." She glared at Jack. "I am the decision maker of your life. You don't ever get a choice. Don't ever think different."

Elenor let out a small laugh.

His stepmother smiled and frowned as she turned to Henry. "And you." She appeared in front of Henry and slapped him. "Don't ever ask me about the filth on the floor again. He will never be your concern again. Understand? He's staying here... and you are going to be the prince."

Henry looked away.

She sighed happily and dramatically. "Oh, how much fun we will have soon. The carriage shall arrive at any moment." There was a knock at the door and she laughed. "There we are." She opened the door to a small man. "Come on, boys. Our carriage awaits."

The boys walked out. Elenor smiled as Henry frowned.

Jack barely managed to turn and see them.

His stepmother smiled. "Lie there. You've never looked better." She wickedly grinned at him.

Jack glared and cried out as he summoned all his power to shoot one giant ice burst at the door. But the door was closed and everything froze. Jack breathed heavily as he tried to stay awake. He grunted and sat up. He glared at the door as he continued trying to catch his breath.

Jack felt something grow inside him. He almost felt himself growl as he remembered everything. He was treated like he was nothing. He was told he had nothing. And for once, he believed it.

Jack let out a yell of agony and anger as he felt somesort of power flow out of him and freeze everything. small ice spikes formed on the walls and floor. He looked around with narrow eyes at his ice covered home. He began freezing another layer onto the ice, freezing everything and anything. All sorts of spikes formed. The animals began to panic as he continued to freeze the plants within the house and the candle lights.

Jack began to laugh as he made ice sculptures and torn them apart. The spikes grew bigger and sharper. He gained scratches as he flew around his home, freezing everything again. He tried to catch his breath and collapsed as he overlooked his work. His eyes grew heavy and he fell back into slumber.

                                                            ~~~~~~~

Toothiana looked around for Kasper as she entered the ballroom. Her wings continued to flutter rapidly like a hummingbird as she looked around with bird-like speed. Her green-rainbow feathers ruffled as she looked around the whole room once, and she didn't find Kasper. She paused and smoothed her beautiful green dress. She smiled widely as she spotted Kasper. "Hi!" She waved vigorously.

"Hi, Queen Toothiana." Kasper smiled.

Toothiana let out a small laugh. "Oh. You can just call me Tooth." She smiled. "I know I got here late, but I hoped I wasn't too far behind on what was happening throughout the kingdoms. Have you found anyone yet?" 

Kasper paused, too unsure of how to answer the question. "I'm working on it." 

Toothiana tilted her head much like a bird. Her purple eyes looked around with the quickness of a bird. "Well, do you at least have an idea?" She looked at Kasper. "There are quite a few men here." 

Kasper shrugged. "I'm..." 

Toothiana smiled and Kasper and gasped. She turned Kasper around and began to whisper. "See that guy over there?" She pointed. "He's pretty cute. Why don't you talk to him?" She gasped again. "Or that one over there!" 

Kasper smiled but paused. She thought of how Cupid would do this sort of thing when they first knew each other. What made it to where Cupid stopped all that?

Toothiana paused and cleared her thoat. "Or better yet. Take your time." She grinned nervously. "I shouldn't have rushed you." 

Kasper smiled. "Thank you. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?" 

Toothiana sighed as she looked at the dancefloor as if looking at a daydream. "Like most girls, I want to find a suitor. For so long, I've been alone. I mean it hasn't driven me crazy or anything." She laughed lightly and looked back at the dancefloor. "But... I do want to have someone I can share my whole world with." 

Kasper lowered her eyes in thought. She nodded. "I can understand that. Tooth, may I ask a favor?"

"What is it?" Toothiana turned to Kasper.

"My friend Cupid has been missing."

"Cupid? She's here?"

Kasper blinked. "You know her?"

Toothiana nodded. "Of course. She asked me to come here. Well, she said I should be here."

Kasper smiled. "Oh. Okay. Then you can find her."

Toothiana paused and nodded. "Yeah."

"When she gets here, could you tell me? That's all I really want."

Toothiana smiled. "I'll tell you."

                                                          ~~~~~~~

 "What has happened?!" MiM looked around with awe and horror as he walked down the stairs. He gasped as he saw a bleeding Jack. "Are you alright?"

Jack tried to open his heavy eyes. "M-MiM?" He felt sore as he tried to sit up, but he only managed to lie on his side. Jack's brows furrowed as he heard Cupid's voice.

"Are you in here, MiM?" Cupid stepped into the room, carefully avoiding the spikes. She gasped as she saw Jack lying on the floor. She placed a hand over her mouth as she looked Jack over. She spawned an arrow of green light. She knelt beside Jack, gently pushing him onto his back. The arrow made patterns of roots of a flower as it began to spread through Jack's body and heal him. Her eyes glowed a bit as she looked into Jack's eyes. "This is going to sting a bit."

"What," Jack bare breathed with furrowed brows. His eyes widened as he cried out. Cupid's arrow in his shoulder was a powerful sting, but he felt it go away instantly as she pushed it quickly and forcefully. The glowing green roots then became floral patterns throughout his entire body. He felt himself breathe easier as the arrow healed every wound. He sat up with ease and disbelief as a rose of red aura and light came out of his chest and disappeared.

Cupid smiled and walked to MiM. "I suggest we quickly move along. It's been an hour since sunset."

MiM frowned as he looked at Jack. "I sense something of important matters has happened here," he whispered to Cupid. "Can I count on you to watch him?"

Cupid blushed as she looked at Jack with a pause. "I... yeah."

MiM smiled and turned to Jack. "Let's get you to the ball."

Jack paused, feeling ice and fire grow inside him. He smiled and turned to Cupid. "Will there be a way to talk to Kasper?"

Cupid nodded. "Of course."