We packed up our stuff as soon as possible. That town was fucked and though a lot of their problems were dead, they had a long way to go to fixing the rest of them. And we didn't want to stick around and have them looking to us.

We were nomads, wanderers, and this could not be our home.

So we packed, and my horse came back, ready to carry me to the next place, yet I wasn't sure if that place would include the witch hunters.

My back sat against a tree trunk outside of the cottage of my best friend, and I watched it, knew that she was gone but that this remained, and I vowed to keep it intact because I could not do the same for her.

I felt Gretel sit down next to me, felt the softness of her liberated hair brush my shoulder. "New look?"

She nodded, smiling, free. "For today." She gazed off to Ben, who was loading things into their wagon.

"I like it."

She squeezed my hand in thanks, not hiding her staring so I asked, "Is that happening?

Gretel sighed, finally looking away. "I don't know. It could go bad."

"Or it could go good. Everything about that could be good."

"Like you and my brother were supposed to?" She scoffed. "You two were supposed to live happily ever after and the fact that it didn't happen...seeing how perfect you were for each other…" Her eyes strayed to Ben and hardened. "That's not going to happen to me."

"You are not that stupid, Gretel. That kid," I pointed a finger to Benjamin, "adores you. He is not Hansel, and you are not me. Your story will turn out differently. Stop making excuses and go talk to the guy."

"But you and Hansel—"

"Are idiotic. We're not anywhere near good examples of what love is. We walked away from each other. We denied our love for each other and we were miserable apart." My eyes wandered off to Hansel who sat brooding in the grass, leaning back against a tree trunk, the same as me. "So just, go talk to him."

I watched them for a second, young and on their way to love, and I made the decision to follow my own advice.

"Want some company?" I tried my best to put on a brave smile.

"Depends on what you're gonna say."

I laughed and sat down. He was awfully serious for us to already have been reunited. After our victory, it was just him and me again with all of our insecurities and fears, and, for once, I wanted to deal with them without it breaking us apart.

"Hansel I—"

"If you're going to say what I think you're going to say, you can save your breath. I really don't want to hear your excuses."

"What are you talking about?"

"Actually I'm glad you won't be coming with us, that means you'll stay here and grow old without any pain."

This old argument only angered me. Did he still see me as fragile? As weak?

"Wow, Hansel. Just forget it, forget everything I was going to say to you. Then and now you've thought me weak, but I'm strong. I've made it years without you, and I can do it for the rest of my life. So leave. See if I care!"

I turned away from him, but his voice brought me back. "I never thought you were weak Charlotte. Never. You were the strongest person I've ever known. And I couldn't leave you. Not again. Not for all the money in the world."

"How's this going to work, Hansel?" I crossed my arms over my chest, facing him with love, strength, and fear. "I don't want you leaving when you're afraid I'll get hurt. You can't. We could all get hurt. It comes with the job."

"I know."

"And I need to know that you trust me. Without a shadow of doubt because we can't fight, we can't be together, without trust."

"I do. With all my heart." His arms reached out bringing me to him, his lips to mine, taking my breath away, making me lose my mind, so much so that I almost missed the words he whispered after, "How did I deserve you when you deserve the world?"

"I deserve to have all my dreams come true. And you, Hansel, are my biggest and brightest dream."

We smiled stupidly at each other, so lost and what we used to be and what we had just become.

"Oh, you two! So fucking annoying!" Gretel exclaimed.

And we laughed together. As one.

In the end, we rode off into the sunset a girl and a boy in love, another girl and boy on their way to love, and a troll named Edward, the glue that held us altogether, remembering the wise words of my best friend, making it our mission.

To kill the fucking witch.