panicked: Unfortunately, as I like to keep things neat, I don't want to post the "same" story twice. However, if you would like to see the marked differences, I guess I could post one of the old chapters with the ballroom scene on my livejournal since, in my opinion, it's one of the chapters with the most melodrama so you could go and compare them if you want. I don't know if I want to post more because it's so embarrassing. My livejournal is snowyskyes and it should be the first result you find on Google if you search it. It should be the first livejournal entry.

Stormchilde: Ack thank you! It always warms me whenever someone affirms that my writing improved! It means a lot!

Chapter 8: The Snow Queen, Part II

All it takes is a single rose.

The streets were as busy as it always was with the lively atmosphere of a bustling populace humming in the veins of the city.

He brought Shinichi to one of his favorite shops that served great chocolate cake and other superior baked goods. When he saw that all his companion was going to get was a cup of coffee, he urged him to get something else.

"Come on! This is one of the best bakery cafés in the capital! You can't come in here for just coffee and leave without even trying one of their goods! That's blasphemy!"

"I cannot commit blasphemy by not buying one of their products."

"Whatever! Just get something!"

"A lemon pie, then."

"Oh, so you like lemon pie too, huh?"

"I'm okay with it either way."

Kaito took the opportunity while they ate to try to find out more about Shinichi.

Besides being extremely observant to the point of almost psychic awareness and a sharp intellect, he also appeared to be highly dedicated to his work, solving the cases the Royal Investigators couldn't crack themselves. Rather, Kaito thought he should call it obsessive instead.

When he asked why he would voluntarily forgo sleep and food for twenty-four hours during one recount, Shinichi couldn't seem to answer him at first but then decided in the end that it must be because it was simply his duty.

But Kaito knew people who would go that far for their jobs, such as Akane, and they didn't do it merely because it was their duty.

Something else made the blue-eyed Head of Investigation successor tick and if nothing else, he liked a good riddle.

When he exited the shop, he spotted Akane and he called her over with a wide grin.

Akane turned to him with a joyful smile and went up to them.

"Kaito," she greeted serenely. "Were you having lunch?"

"Yeah, with Shinichi!" Kaito said with a broad grin.

She turned briefly to Shinichi in acknowledgement before returning her attention to him.

"Are you heading back to the castle? I was hoping we could spend some time together."

Her forwardness was unexpected. She didn't typically come up to him with requests like that when she knew there was something big going on. Even if there was nothing in particular, there weren't a lot of times when Akane would outright ask for his company, not because she didn't like to spend time with him, but because she was never willing to interrupt and pull him from his duties.

Akane seemed to be full of surprises today.

Actually, come to think of it…

"Akane, aren't you a part of this investigation as well?"

"Investigation?"

"Yeah. With the sorcerers. You're part of the Royal Investigators, right? Usually, you'd be completely immersed in something like this."

In fact, Akane should've been squirreled away in her home by now, forgetting everything except work and how to breathe so this sudden request to spend time together was… new and baffling.

"… Lately, I've been thinking that I'd better change my habits and try to take breaks," she replied with a smile that seemed a little too fixed around the edges that anyone else would've missed but didn't escape Kaito's expert eye.

He didn't think he'd ever hear Akane say those words. He could tell that she was lying but normally when that was the case, she would act evasive, not outright lie because she was terrible at it. Even if she did lie, she gave away blatant signs that were more than easy for Kaito to pick up, not something as subtle as this.

"So will you accompany me?" Akane asked, snapping him from his thoughts.

She looked so hopeful that Kaito wavered.

It wasn't often that she was selfish anyway so he might as well indulge her.

He glanced back to Shinichi with a questioning look but when he didn't seem to understand him, he sighed and asked verbally, "Are you okay with working by yourself?"

"I should manage."

"Okay, thanks," Kaito said with a relieved breath.

And then Shinichi simply turned and abruptly left without another word.

"He's a rather… strange fellow, isn't he?" Akane murmured from beside him.

Kaito hadn't even been aware he had muttered something in response until he felt Akane's eyes on him and he became aware of what he said.

"Not strange; different," he had reflexively corrected.

Where did that come from? But he supposed it was true. Shinichi might evoke a sense of unease and his mannerisms are unusual but it'd be too much to call him "strange." It'd be too much to call anyone strange when they all had their own definitions of normal.

"Let's not think on it any longer. Why don't we take a walk around?" Akane spoke up, breaking from the momentarily lapse of awkward silence.

Kaito agreed and they began down the road, merging with the throngs of people in their daily routines.

They conversed amiably for a little while until Akane paused in front of a boutique shop window as they passed and Kaito stopped with her.

This was unexpected. Akane had never been interested in clothing in the past. In fact, he or Ran or both of them were usually the ones to drag him to get new clothes.

"Why don't we go inside and take a look?" Kaito suggested with a smile, opening the door for her.

Akane smiled happily in answer and they entered whereupon a shopkeeper greeted them.

"It's rare of you to come look at clothes. Any special reasons why?" Kaito asked as he looked around at all the colorful and intricately decorated garments on display around them.

"Why, isn't becoming your lover not a special enough reason?" Akane teased, the curve of her smirk flirtatiously sly as she trailed her fingers down one of his arms.

Kaito hadn't expected that response. Akane was rather private and she kept her personal affairs, well, personal, but she announced their relationship so openly just now, not to mention that she was actually flirting with him.

It wasn't bad. In fact, it was kind of nice in a change-of-pace kind of way.

Kaito smiled in an equally charming manner and said, "If being your lover is special, then I suppose every day is special."

A navy dress on display caught his eye as they walked by and he came to a halt to examine it.

It was layered and ornate, the body made of sheer fabric flowered with lighter blue designs that swirled and flowed down into the dress proper.

In his mind, he saw another, similar dress inlaid with small pearls twinkling in the light adorned with detailed black butterfly patterns and he turned to Akane with a grin and said, "I think this dress would suit you."

Akane gave it a critical once-over, an unreadable expression on her face before turning away from it dismissively.

"Is that so?" she asked airily. "I think red suits me better."

Huh, red would actually suit Akane better given her coloring. He didn't know why he thought it might look good on her but something about it evoked a sense of comfort and contentedness.

"You're right," Kaito agreed and they spent a little bit longer in the shop before leaving.

"It's a shame you're not going to buy anything. I'd love seeing you in one of those beautiful outfits," he sighed.

"Hmm, none of them are to my standards of taste."

Kaito laughed. "I suppose that's true. You usually prefer simpler styles of dress that won't give you hassle when you're off on one of your cases."

Akane's answering smile was brief and strained and it had Kaito wondering if he said something wrong. But wasn't it true? Akane had said as much herself on multiple occasions and it was something Kaito had exploited multiple times before in his pranks or when he teased her in order to elicit a reaction from his favorite noble.

"I suppose," she said simply.

"Well, how're your investigations going? Did you find anything new?" he asked, putting the slightly peculiar behavior out of his mind for now as he opened the one topic that was a sure-fire way to get her to lighten up. She loved talking about her cases, after all.

"Good," Akane replied but her strangely tense mood didn't subside. If anything, it seemed to worsen.

Kaito waited for her to elaborate but when she didn't, he was baffled.

Akane never passed up an opportunity to talk his ears off about his investigations and observations. She liked having him as a sounding board. Mystery and cases were to Akane as magic and performance was to Kaito.

"Why don't we visit one of the bookstores?" Kaito proposed, still trying to figure her out.

Akane loved browsing through books, especially the mystery books, but she also liked books that might give her practical knowledge that might help in her cases such as biology and even geology, not to mention that she always gained that sense of delight when she happened on things that she thought were interesting, such as those studies on the human mind that had been cropping up lately.

Akane agreed and they entered the nearest bookstore but when they were passing the mystery section, Akane only gave it one cursory glance before abruptly turning her head away and continuing on, which had never happened. She would always browse through that section even if briefly. Always.

They didn't even stay long in the bookstore before they were leaving again.

Now Kaito was plain bewildered.

"Aka-chan, is there something wrong?" he finally decided to ask, at a loss with her for the first time he could remember.

She hadn't been upset before Kaito had said Akane preferred practical clothing but he couldn't think of a reason why she would've been upset by that and her mood just seemed to grow worse as Kaito brought up her favorite things.

Akane smiled, the pull of her lips a tad too tight, and said, "Perhaps we should do something you would prefer instead."

"Aka-chan—"

"It's nothing," Akane stressed forcefully, tone a bit clipped which had Kaito instantly falling silent.

Akane had never taken that tone of voice on him unless she was really and truly annoyed with Kaito. Akane had a good temper so usually when she lost it, it was for good or understandable reasons but this time, Kaito hadn't done anything wrong, which made it all the more perplexing.

If Akane was just simply upset, she would've fallen into a broody or sulky kind of silence but this time, she snapped at him.

This mood of hers was new.

Maybe Kaito should stay away for a while. If he had somehow unwittingly angered or really upset her, she would want her space.

"Perhaps it's time for me to return to the castle," Kaito tried in a lighthearted voice.

Akane's eyes widened at that for a fraction of a second before she said quickly, "But there's still a bit of time. Surely it couldn't hurt to spend a little longer with me."

Kaito stared at her. She had been upset with him just seconds before but now she doesn't want him to leave? What was going on? Akane had never shown such lightning-fast inconsistency before.

"Okay," Kaito said slowly. "I'll stay longer then."

Akane smiled and they continued along and the hiccup was eventually put behind them but the shards of doubt weren't quite as easy to dislodge in Kaito's mind.

Three hours later, they decided it was best if they returned to their respective work but before he could leave, he was stopped by a grip on his wrist.

He turned back curiously towards her.

Akane's lips had a mischievous tilt to them as she said, "Before you leave, there's just one last thing…"

"Hoh? It's rare of you to forget anything," he smirked.

Throughout the day, their bantering had a rather decidedly flirtatious tinge to it.

Kaito had gone along with it but he could tell that their interaction was off. Once in a while was one thing but this was strange behavior for Akane.

Akane closed the distance between them in a few quick strides, grabbed the lapels of his coat, and pulled him down a second before he felt a pair of warm, plush lips covering his own.

The sweet aroma of roses and apple blossoms suffused his senses but for some reason, all he could think of was that he had been expecting the smell of musty books, coffee, and rain.

Still, the kiss was nice and it sent a little thrill of happiness through him.

When they parted, Akane's eyes were lit with what Kaito could only describe as satisfaction.

They made their last good-byes and Kaito promised to check on Akane the next day before he left to return to the library.

Shinichi was there, unsurprisingly, looking the same as he always did. It was as if he had never even left the library in the first place and if it weren't for the notes on the table that appeared to have multiplied since the last time Kaito saw them, he would've been inclined to believe nothing changed between now and four hours ago.

Before Kaito could even greet him, Shinichi asked, "Who found the message?"

A bit blindsided by the sudden question without even an introduction transitioning it, he replied nonetheless, "Hattori."

Shiinchi stood and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Kaito asked even as he followed him.

"To interview Hattori."

"Why?"

"There is insufficient information to determine whether this is a trap to divert our attention."

That was true. It was rather fortuitous that Hattori happened upon something like this. If this meeting message turned out to be fake, not only would they be wasting time but they'd be mobilizing resources better spent continuing to search for the sorcerers. They'll need to find out more about the circumstances around how Hattori found it in the first place.

"But Hakuba was the one who brought it to me. He wouldn't have done that unless he'd questioned Hattori," Kaito muttered almost to himself.

Extensively. Nosily. Probably to the want-to-magic-you-in-a-chicken-suit-and-parade-you-through-the-city levels of annoying persistence.

"We cannot know that for sure. It tells me nothing unless I know the details myself."

"You don't trust Hakuba?"

"Saguru's antagonism of Hattori means that while he is thorough, he would not ask him for details such as Hattori's own observations on the matter."

"You think Hattori might have something to add to this?" Kaito asked, intrigued. He didn't think Shinichi was the kind of person who would go ask a second opinion.

"Human perceptions and biases are easy to manipulate and feed. How you ask questions are just as important as how they are answered. Saguru's confrontational style would lead Hattori to turn defensive and answer the base minimum."

Kaito was impressed. It did make a lot of sense.

So Shinichi wasn't the kind of person to take things at face value, preferring to confirm facts for himself and form his own opinions.

Kaito liked that attitude, the kind which wouldn't get swept up by what everyone else thought and speculated.

"That's a pretty impressive mindset to have, going to Hattori to find out his side of things instead of just trusting Hakuba."

"It's not."

"No?" Kaito prompted.

"It is basic in investigation: assume nothing unless evidence says otherwise."

"What if all evidence points to one thing but it's really something else?" Kaito challenged.

"Then there should still be evidence that points to the truth."

"What if there are two truths?"

"Impossible. There can only be one."

The way he sounded so certain… Such straightforward faith in the truth… It reminded him of Akane.

Maybe Shinichi was actually like her in more than work habits but it just didn't show easily, after all, his off-putting behavior and manner of speech would be the first thing people would notice.

Today, Heiji should be drilling new recruits and as such, they went to the training grounds near the barracks in the west side of the castle.

From a distance, they could hear the clang of metal striking metal above the din of the young recruits' cries as they practiced their proper stances and basic sword-fighting techniques by dueling each other. As they drew closer, however, the recruits began to notice the presence of their prince making his way over and panicked, they clumsily moved to bow while sneaking looks of awe at Kaito, who happily basked in it.

"Oi! Why're you guys over there stoppin'?" demanded a heavily-accented voice the owner of which was the very person they've been searching for.

Heiji pushed his way through the recruits, who seemed awkwardly uncertain about what to do, and spotting them, made a beeline over and stood in front of Kaito to bar him from making it any further, crossing his arms with a scowl.

Kaito grinned, the motion full of mischief as he greeted, "Yo! How're the new sprouts?"

"Oh no you don't, Kuroba! You ain't chasin' away these recruits! Not this time!" Heiji said hotly, ready to wrestle Kaito away if he had to, not that he'd ever catch him to be able to do so, but it was a rather heroic idea.

Kaito shrugged unconcernedly. "Hey, if that last batch couldn't handle a little smoke, they shouldn't have signed up with the Royal Army."

"A lil smoke?" Heiji repeated incredulously. "That smoke gave 'em weird-ass symptoms for weeks! One of 'em was belchin' bubbles left n' right! More n' half of 'em quit!"

"Like I said, if they couldn't handle that then they shouldn't have joined the Army," Kaito said, directing a sharp grin full of teeth over at the new recruits, who squeaked and cowered back a bit, behind Heiji.

Haha, new meat was always fun to play with. Heiji called it sabotage but Kaito called it mental strength and alertness training and he thought he was doing Heiji, and by extension his kingdom, a mighty big favor by rooting out the ones unfit for the job. Every bunch of new recruits went through Kaito's hazing, no exceptions. If these people were here just to look for some glory, they better look elsewhere because there's no glory in the Royal Army. Just blood and sacrifice. If they're going to join, they better as hell be joining because they wanted to protect the kingdom and its people.

Heiji's gaze managed to catch sight of Shinichi behind him and some of the tension left but he didn't relax completely. Letting down his guard around Kaito was like inviting him to do something and it was just about as disastrous as that sounded.

"Oh, Kudou. You guys must want somethin' then. Hang on."

Heiji turned back to the recruits and barked at them to continue their training, which was hastily obeyed with "Yes sir!"s.

"So, what're you guys comin' to interrupt trainin' for?" Heiji asked, not quite irritated but not quite pleased to see them either.

"Where did you find the sorcery message?" Shinichi asked cutting to the chase in that flat, blunt way of his that Kaito was starting to grow accustomed to. He sure didn't waste breath with pleasantries.

Heiji blinked at how sudden the question was shot at him but answered, "I found it in the south side o' town in Artisan's District way back in one o' the alleyway off o' Campanula Lane. It was written real tiny at the bottom of one o' the buildings behind a crate."

"Which alleyway?"

"The fifth one…"

"How did you find the message?"

"Um, I was chasin' some thief who stole a lady's purse. I tossed him into the crate and knocked it aside. We scuffled n' I ended up on the floor where I spotted the marks. I knocked the bastard unconscious n' copied it down before dragging him away." His eyebrows scrunched together as he talked, staring at Shinichi in apparent befuddlement.

"Were the symbols roughly carved?"

"No…" Heiji denied, beginning to look a bit disturbed. "They were carved smooth as if a pro chiseled it in and that's how I knew those sorcerers did it… Kudou, why're you talkin' and actin' like that?"

The question instantly caught Kaito's attention.

"I don't understand."

"All like… blank and mechanical. It's kinda creepin' me out," Heiji said, directing Shinichi with an odd look.

"Wait, you mean he isn't supposed to be like that?" Kaito interrupted, gaze sharp as he addressed Heiji.

A brief flash of disbelief crossed Heiji's expression before it was replaced with one of dawning comprehension and he started to laugh.

"Good one, Kuroba!" he guffawed.

Damn, why did everyone think he was joking? Guess it was an unintended side effect of being a trickster. He wasn't about to stop his hobbies anytime soon but it was definitely not helpful in this situation. Would anyone even believe him if he said he genuinely didn't know Shinichi when he was supposed to like everyone's implying?

Still, this told him that Shinichi wasn't actually supposed to be like this. If that was the case then what happened to him?

Kaito was starting to get an inkling of what could've happened and it wasn't a good feeling.

"When did you find them?"

The question had both men returning their attention on Shinichi, who continued to gaze back at them as empty as ever.

"This mornin' 'round maybe eight-thirty? Gave 'em to Hakuba at 'bout nine and the bastard gave me a real hard time 'bout it jus' 'cause it was a lil wrinkled." He scowled briefly at the memory before it smoothed back into an amused look. "Seriously though Kudou. You could drop the act now. What'd he offer ya this time? You don't join in Kuroba's pranks often."

So they were quite close if Kaito was (or was it had been?) comfortable enough to share in his schemes with someone else. Things were turning grimmer and grimmer.

"Did you return everything as they were?"

"Yeah. Figured it won't be good if those sorcerers caught wind we're onto 'em and changed their plans or cancelled or somethin'."

Heiji was starting to look less and less amused and more and more doubtful.

"Kudou, you okay?"

Heiji seemed close to Shinichi, if the way he acted around him the first few minutes of their conversation was anything to go by, and seeing his reaction to the emotionless Shinichi, Kaito could safely say that this was definitely not normal behavior.

Should he tell him? No, not yet. He still wanted to confirm something.

"Yes," Shinichi replied. "Was there anything else that you noticed in particular?"

"Not… specially," Heiji muttered giving Shinichi a long stare.

The moment those words left Heiji's mouth, Shinichi began to walk away.

"Oi! Kudou!" Heiji called after him, not knowing what to make of his friend's weird behavior but unable to leave his post training the recruits to chase after him, he turned to Kaito instead with a frown. "What is goin' on here, Kuroba? And don't say it's a joke 'cause I know it's not."

"Sorry, can't explain right now," Kaito told him hastily, already moving to follow Shinichi. "I'll see you later, Hattori!"

He left Heiji yelling for an explanation behind him as he caught up to Shinichi, who didn't appear to be returning to the castle. In fact, he was making his way to the west gate.

"So where are we going now?" Kaito asked casually as he summoned some juggling balls to give his hands something to do as his mind raced furiously with the new facts about Shinichi the meeting with Heiji had given him.

"Artisan's District, Campanula Lane, the alleyway."

"And why're we going there?"

"To look for clues."

"What kind of clues? Hattori said he didn't notice anything strange," Kaito pointed out.

"You might as a magic-user."

Kaito grinned, nice and easy. "Why Shinichi, are you using me to do your dirty work?"

"I cannot use you if you come freely."

"What if I'm not here freely? What if I don't want to help?" he teased.

"Then at least don't be a hindrance."

Kaito couldn't help it. He laughed out loud.

The blank expression and the deadpan way with which he delivered that made him seem snarky and sarcastic rather than serious like Shinichi always appeared to be. If he didn't know any better, he'd say they were bantering rather than exchanging information.

Something like this was so wonderfully familiar and it didn't take long for Kaito to remember that he and Akane bantered like this with sarcastic jibes and playful teasing. Well, their bantering before today at least.

The reminder of the uncharacteristic way with which Akane flirted and the atypical way she acted all day subdued his mirth.

He knew something was definitely wrong when he felt more comfortable laughing around the expressionless and emotionless Shinichi rather than his childhood best friend turn lover Akane.

They managed to find the site Heiji had described he found the carvings as well as the crate which hid them.

Shinichi moved the wooden box aside and knelt down with Kaito leaning over his shoulder curiously.

There didn't seem to be anything there. Were they in the wrong location? But no, it would be extremely difficult for them to get the directions mixed up considering Kaito knew the city like the back of his hand.

But then Shinichi stood up, forcing Kaito to move away lest he be unceremoniously headbutted in the chin, which was not a graceful way for him to get injured.

"Please check the wall for magical residue," Shinichi stated rather than asked.

"Oh? Ordering a prince around? You're pretty brave," Kaito joked even as he moved to do just that, replacing Shinichi's place in front of the wall.

He knelt and ran a hand slowly along the bottom where, just as Shinichi probably suspected, there was evidence that magic had been used here quite recently.

"Someone magically erased that message," Kaito reported, gaze narrowed. "I'd say it was erased about an hour ago."

Shinichi nodded. "Then it confirms the message isn't fake."

Kaito twisted to look up at Shinichi. "How can you tell?"

"If it were fake, the sorcerers would have simply left the message there. There would be no need to erase it if its purpose was for it to be deliberately found."

"But if it was erased, then that meant someone didn't want anyone else to chance upon it," Kaito finished. "Well, at least we're not wasting our time with this. Guess we better crack that location quick. When is this meeting supposed to be anyway?"

"Tomorrow, nine-thirty at night."

Damn, that was pretty soon.

They returned swiftly to the library and Kaito delivered a message by dove to have the Alchemist Division on standby as well as another message to his father to update him while they figured out the rest of the coded message.

By the time midnight crept around, they were just close to cracking it but not quite, Kaito could feel it. But it was best to sleep on it so he could think straight for tomorrow. It couldn't hurt if they were so close. Besides, he had to wake Akane tomorrow and see how she was…

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Kaito asked when Shinichi didn't get up like he did when he announced he was going to bed.

"I am not sleepy."

"Nonsense," Kaito huffed. "You've been at this since morning. You need your sleep. Come on, I'll show you to one of the guest rooms."

He magically cleaned their work area and tugged Shinichi up by the wrist, leading him down the stairs and out the large library doors.

In the dead of night, there was no one around except them, footsteps muffled by the long red carpet laid out beneath them. It was dark with the lights out so late and with the clouds obscuring moon and stars outside the windows.

Kaito could see perfectly fine but aware Shinichi didn't have his magically enhanced eyesight, he kept his hand wrapped firmly around his wrist to lead him through the halls.

They moved silently and Kaito began to hum to fill the stillness.

Once they arrived in front of the chosen door, Kaito presented the guest room with a flourish but ha, as he expected, no reaction from Shinichi.

He wondered how far he would need to go to get a reaction from him, which was an interesting thought he would have to try out. But not now, so late at night when they both needed sleep and maybe not the next day either, when they had a possible threat before them. When things have calmed, Kaito would show him his full arsenal of tricks to dazzle something into those eyes. It would be a challenge.

Kaito hadn't even known he was holding hands with Shinichi until his slipped out of his grip.

Surprised, he wondered when that had happened and why he hadn't even noticed. It felt so natural, like Shinichi's hand belonged there, which was weird because the only one he felt that way towards was Akane…

But he didn't allow any of his doubts to show as he moved to ask one more thing.

"Ah, Shinichi, before I go, I would like to ask you a question."

Taking Shinichi's lack of motion as an indication to continue, he did so.

"About five days ago, at the Clover Ball, do you remember meeting someone… suspicious or maybe magical?"

Shinichi regarded him for a moment with his empty eyes like lifeless oceans and answered, "I remember a meeting with the witch Akako Koizumi."

Everything inside his chest froze even as outwardly, Kaito smiled and said, "I see. That's all I wanted to know. Good-night, Shinichi. Hope you enjoy your stay! Tell me if the potpourri's too strong!"

With one last cheery smile, he strode away with a brewing tempest awakening in his body.

On the way, he summoned Shinichi's letter into his hand in a wisp of plain white smoke, his eyes reading over the words he had already memorized.

Just as he suspected. Shinichi had made a deal with a witch and not just any witch, but the Crimson Witch. He had probably exchanged his emotions and memories in the trade that had gone downhill mentioned in the letter. Because the Shinichi of before had loved him to the point of despair. He knew because this letter wouldn't have been written to him if it didn't relate to him in some way. And Koizumi, who happened upon him, took complete advantage of it.

The paper underneath his fingers crinkled slightly under his grip as he unconsciously grasped it tighter, mouth set in a grim line that rarely ever visited his visage, indigos now a deep violet that foreboded storms.

He'll never forgive Koizumi for taking advantage of someone's feelings like that. Never.

A/N: To anyone interested, just as I told panicked, the old version of the chapter "Cinderella" is up on my livejournal for comparison purposes if you really want to see it but I'm just so embarrassed about the old version that I'm not sure if I want to post the rest of the chapters. I think one chapter's enough to compare quality though. My livejournal is snowyskyes and it should be the first result you find on Google if you search it. It should be the first entry.

Edit: If you can't find it on Google, type snowyskyes dot livejournal dot com on your address bar.