Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING

Jack was moving as fast as he could; he was ignoring the pain that the branches that whipped at his arms and cheeks brought him. Small red cuts were appearing all over his body, and just as his hope began to fade and he thought he was too late another scream pierced through the very much controlled air of the arena and hit him like a pile of bricks in his ears. Along with the scream came a string of vowels and consonants that were too familiar to him, "JACK!" He ran with renewed energy. When people said that in a split second a rush of adrenaline could take over your body making you faster, stronger than you had ever been, he had not even considered believing them until now. Jack was flying. "JACK! HELP!" This third plea for help brought tears to his eyes, but he used his last amount of willpower to push them back.

He reached the clearing just as a slick metal spear slid through the air, and embedded itself into the stomach of the one he had ran so fast to help. The one he had volunteered to protect. The one he had fallen in love with long before this game.

"Rapunzel." He hardly had time to react before the large boy from District 2, Macintosh, was charging at him. Jack pulled a knife out of his boot and flung it at the boy, hitting him square in the chest; the blow killed him instantly, and he crumpled to the ground. Jack's breath was harsh and short, and his dirty, greasy white hair was flying up with every small rush of air. He had a rabid look to his glassy blue eyes, and his skin appeared paler than usual due to the dark circles at the top of his cheeks. He had grown thin, but he remained strong. There was no noise in the clearing. No noise except for that of his breath and one other. Although the other's was slowly fading, and all Jack could do was stare down at the always beautiful girl that lay before him.

"Jack?" Large green eyes darted towards him, and she looked panicked as her thin hands wrapped around the cold metal of the weapon that very obviously was going to be the end of her. "Jack!" She said his name in a quiet sort of yell this time. Jack stumbled towards her. His legs gave out on him as he reached the girl's nearly dead form. His hand reached out and cupped her too cold cheek; she had always been full of so much warmth.

"Oh, Punzie." This time Jack chose to let the tears come, and once he did they wouldn't stop. He dropped until his forehead rested against hers. "I'm so sorry Rapunzel. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." He squeezed his eyes shut; his tears were dripping on her face, and they were leaving clean stains down her lovely dirt covered cheeks.

"Jack." He opened his eyes, but just barely. "Jack, will… will you win? Will you win… for me, Jack?" Jack watched as a single tear escaped from her doe-like eyes that were always full of such childish wonder. Even now. Jack wondered if she was just as curious about death as she was about life. He rested both his hands on her rounded cheeks and pushed a lock of her golden hair behind her ear; they had tried to cut and dye it, but Rapunzel took too much pride in her hair for them to do that. Jack had always loved her hair. He leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth. He was cradling her head in his lap, and he rested his face lightly against hers.

"I love you Rapunzel." He felt her eyelashes flutter lightly against the crease of his eye, and his cheek was now wet with her tears.

"Jack… promise me… you'll try to win. Please…" Jack lightly kissed her next to her ear and brought his head up just enough so he could look into her green eyes, only to find them closed.

"I promise." Rapunzel opened her eyes, and jack let out a sigh. Their stylist had told her that her eyes were too large for her face and had tried to cover up the small span of freckles across her small aristocratic nose, but Jack had only ever seen her as perfect. "I love you, Punzie." A sob racked through his body, and he realized that he hadn't cried this hard since he had lost his sister. "I love you so much." Another sob shook his shoulders, along with her small frame.

"Will you… will you sing to me, Jack?" He knew what she wanted him to sing; he also knew he was on camera, but in that moment Jack swore he would do anything for her.

"Flower gleam and glow,

let your power shine."

The heart wrenching tears were coming faster now. It made it difficult for Jack to sing, but he knew he had to do it. For her.

"Make the clock reverse,

bring back what once was mine."

Rapunzel's eyes were closed and total bliss passed over her features. Her bloody hands came up, one rested on his chest gripping his shirt, while the other rested on his cheek. Her hand was shaking so bad that Jack had to clamp his hand down on top of hers to keep it on his cheek.

"I love you more, Jack." Rapunzel let out a shaky breath, and Jack waited for another to come, only to be disappointed. Her body became limp in his arms, and Jack let out a scream full of so much pain and remorse. He heard the familiar sound of the hover craft coming for her body, and he knew he was going to have to move; he was going to have to let her go.

"I love you most."