Hello Everyone, rosy cheeked, wet-haired and dressed in pajamas, I come to you readers with a 11K worded one-shot about Flynn/Eugene and Rapunzel. I hope you'll all review and stuff, because. This is my first, (It was once on another account, but she deleted it and asked me to edit and repost it on mine.) So leave reviews, please… PLEASE. Okay, you asked for it… here comes the smolder…. *smolders*…

Enuf of that, here's the story…

A Birthday to Remember: A Tangled Fanfic

Description: It's Rapunzel's 20th birthday and Flynn… I mean, Eugene wants to give his girlfriend the best day ever including a surprise party. But what can you get from a bunch of bar thugs? I don't think the smolder will get Eugene out of this one.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney'sTangledor any of the characters involved. I also don't own Lewis Carroll's,Alice in Wonderland. I wish I did, but I don't. Sorry.

Rapunzel had grown used to her new wonderful life in the castle. It defiantly beat living in a tower. Ever since she had her father pardon Eugene and his punishment, he had been living with her in the castle, even though they weren't married. Or at least she hoped that they would be married soon. She loved the brunette that captured her heart with, believe it or not, all her being. She was glad that he was always around for her. She had even convinced her father to let them share a room. Flynn Rider, AKA Eugene Fitzherbert was well built, with dull brunette hair and a matching chin of fuzz. That same chin o' fuzz tickled her chin whenever they kissed. He had captivating chocolate brown eyes and a smile that made Rapunzel's heart skip a beat whenever she looked at him. Even two years of dating didn't change that. Although she still hated wearing shoes.

When she woke up on her 20th birthday, to her surprise Eugene wasn't there. That's strange, she thought to herself. Eugene is never up before noon… Rapunzel pulled back the thick goose-down comforter and searched for her boyfriend, maybe he had found his way into the warmth of the extra blankets. Throwing aside the covers on his side of the bed she only found a body shaped imprint in the mattress, but no Eugene. She sat up against the pillows and sighed, furrowing her brunette eyebrows. Where could Eugene have gone? Her eyes fell on the closed curtains over by the window. No… Eugene wouldn't end up over there… she thought. Her eyes searched the giant room, there was no place Eugene could have ended up… he had told her the first night they shared a bed that he would never wander, mostly because he's never had a real bed like hers, and a girlfriend so beautiful to share it with. Thinking about it made Rapunzel blush. She surveyed the room again, and then she sat back. Where could he be?

She thought long and hard about her boyfriend's whereabouts and didn't hear the doors creak open. Eugene crept across the room and he set the platter he was holding on the wooden nightstand next to Rapunzel's side of the bed. He leaned in and kissed her right temple, letting it linger for a while.

Rapunzel sat straight up at the sudden kiss. She could feel her body heating up, and she could see in the full body mirror on the wall adjacent to the bed that her face was turning a bright red. She also saw who was kissing her.

"Eugene!" she cried out of surprise. Eugene pulled back and gave a wide smile to his beautiful girlfriend.

"What? Can't I give a birthday kissto my beautiful, wonderful, perfect, girlfriend?" he asked, kissing her temple after each adjective. Rapunzel blushed even more and grabbed his red and white striped night shirt, pulling him down into her blanket covered lap. She wasn't going to let him get away with not giving her the morning kiss that he gave her every morning. She leaned down and kissed him right on the lips. They kissed for a long time, and both of them enjoyed immensely. Rapunzel ended her kiss when it got too heated for her taste, and pulled Eugene back to his position on the side of the bed. He immediately flushed a dark red color.

"Wow… you can really kiss, Blondie!" he said, surprised at Rapunzel's romantic episode. He sure loved it when she did that. Then he realized that he used his pet name for her.

"You aren't so bad yourself," she responded very simply. She smoothed her brunette hair. It had grown into a straight yet choppy pixie cut with ends half as long as other ends. Both Rapunzel and Eugene snapped out of their shock. Rapunzel pointed to the silver tray that Eugene had brought in.

"What's that?" she asked innocently. Eugene turned and took the tray from the table and set it on Rapunzel's lap.

"Breakfast in bed for the birthday princess," he said, taking the shiny silver lid off of the tray to reveal very appetizing food. Rapunzel clapped her hands together and gave a surprised gasp. There on the tray were all of her favorite foods to eat for breakfast, steaming hot oatmeal with cinnamon, two pieces of rye toast with hazelnut topping, a tall glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, and a napkin folded into the shape of a flower. Off to the side, there was a little card with Rapunzel scrawled on it in blue ink. She took the little card and opened it; inside there were a pair of golden earrings with little green gems lodged into each one of the earrings.

"Oh Eugene, these are so beautiful!" she gawked, taking the earrings out of the card and holding them in her palm

"Read the card, you'll love it," Eugene said with a toothy grin. Rapunzel took the white and gold card and reopened it.

Hey Blondie,

I wanted to be the first to say Happy 20thBirthday you know, before all your servants and especially your parents. Before you ask, yes… I made all the food, and I did not steal the earrings. In fact, I bought them with my own earned money. Enjoy!

Flynn (Eugene)

Rapunzel closed the card and gave Eugene a confused look. She looked down at all the food, and then she skimmed over the card once more. She took the earrings that were already in her ears, out, and replaced them with the new ones. She then wrapped her arms around Eugene's neck, careful not to spill all of the wonderful food that he madefor her.

"Thank you, Eugene!" she said, but it was muffled by his nightshirt so it came out something like "HmankoooOoene!" But he seemed to understand her, so he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close as he could. They ended their embrace and Rapunzel turned back to the wonderful tray of food before her.

"Well, I'll just let you eat; I have some things to take care of this morning. Again, happy birthday, Rapunzel," he said, backing up and opening the door. He slowly closed it so he could watch Rapunzel dig into the rye toast. She waved at him while taking a bite of the bread. The door clicked shut and Eugene was off down the hall.

Rapunzel wasn't the least bit suspicious of her boyfriend's activities; the food he made her was too delicious to worry about what he was doing at the moment. After finishing the oatmeal and orange juice, Rapunzel decided to go pick out an outfit for the day. After all, it was her birthday it had to be special. She walked over to hers and Eugene's closet. She flicked on the overhead lights in the closet and strolled along the several gowns, dresses, nightgowns, and shoes. What should she wear today? This was the fun in being a princess, so many clothes that she could pick and choose. Did she want her knee length purple dress, easy to run and play in? Did she want the ankle length gown that Eugene bought her the year before? It was so hard to choose. Her eyes fell on the side of the closet that Eugene kept his clothes in. White shirt, brown vest, white shirt, blue vest, white shirt, black vest, white shirt, violet jacket, brown pants, black pants, white pants, purple pants, and finally, aha, clothes that fit no longer. She removed a white dress shirt and a blue vest, similar to what Eugene wore usually. She took out a pair of brown pants and an old brown belt. I'm sure he won't mind if I wear his old clothes for one day, right? She thought stealthily to herself. She quickly removed her nightgown and slid on the white shirt in its place, a little big, but it fit well for a girl of her slenderness. Next came the brown pants that fit also surprisingly well for her. She took the vest and slid it on over the shirt. She took the belt and pulled it to the tightest loop. Then she took a pair of Eugene's old boots and a pair of her own socks. She was willing to wear his clothes, but his socks? No thank you! She slid the boots on her feet after the socks. The look was complete. Now all she had to do was hide from Eugene until he was dressed as well, easy enough. She stepped out of the closet and over to the full body mirror. She looked pretty good. Maybe I should wear Eugene's clothes more often! She thought to herself. Of course, princesses don't usually wear pants… Eh, who said I was a "princess"?Rapunzel thought. Well, I'm adifferentkind of princess at least… She thought to herself. Then it hit her, what did Eugene mean by "I have some things to take care of this morning." Rapunzel pondered this for a while. Then she skulked over to the door and opened it, she popped her head out, searching for maids or guards… if anyone caught her in these clothes, it would cause a riot! The coast clear, Rapunzel made her way out of the room and started running down the hall. "Wow!" she thought a loud to herself as soon as she stopped to hide, "I like these pants! It's much easier than running in a dress!"

-0o0-

Meanwhile, Eugene had returned to his room to get dressed. He donned his usual getup, the blue vest and white shirt with brown pants and a brown belt. Hmm, that's funny, he thought to himself as he pulled on his socks and boots. There is a pair of boots missing from my shelf… he brushed the thought aside as he finished dressing. Then he made his way out of the room. As he walked casually down the hall he had thought he saw a blue and white blur rushing past him. He stopped in his tracks and looked around for the blur. Once again, he brushed the thought aside and made his way into the large empty room where he had gotten permission to throw a party for Rapunzel. He closed and locked the door. Inside there was all of the people he had recruited to plan and decorate for the party; the bar thugs, Maximus the horse, Pascal the chameleon, and a few of the castle's servants.

"Ahem, I want to thank you all for coming at my request to help plan a surprise party for Rapunzel. Do I have anyone who would like to do anything in specific?" Flynn asked.

"I'll do music!" one of the thugs, hook-hand called out. "I can also help with setting up." Flynn smiled and gave a flick of his finger to hook hand.

"Excellent. Anyone else?" he asked hopefully. Two of the other bar thugs, Toll and Gunther raised their arms.

"Ve can do decorations!" Gunther said in his Russian accent. Toll nodded in agreement. Flynn nodded and said,

"Alright, Gunther and Toll, you two are on decorations, Hook-Hand over there is on music, who else would like to volunteer?" Urf, the mime thug smiled and did a little act for Flynn. "Urf will handle the entertainment, anyone else?" Attila raised his hand.

"I can do the food, I make a wonderful cake for the princess," he said in his deep, echoed tone. Flynn nodded at Attila as a sign to say, okay.

"So recap, Gunther and Toll, you two are in charge of decorations, Attila, take the chefs and get some food made, Urf, you'll mime at the party, Hook-Hand, you're doing music. Everyone else will help set up and then of course, enjoy the party. Max, you'll keep everyone in line!" Flynn said. Max whinnied almost as if he was saying, "you can count on me, boss!" Flynn put his hands on his hips in a satisfied motion. "Alright, everyone let's get to work!" he said. "Party starts promptly at 8:30PM tonight after the lantern show!" Flynn said. Hook-Hand came up to Flynn and put his hand (and hook) on his hips.

"And what exactly are you doing to help, Rider?" he asked. Flynn smiled.

"I thought you'd never ask! I am taking Princess Rapunzel out for the day while you guys set up," he explained. Hook-Hand gave a satisfied nod.

"Make sure that she has a lot of fun Rider, we'll handle things here," Hook-Hand said.

"Thank you Hooky, I will be sure to do that!" Flynn said. Hook-Hand's eyes narrowed.

"Don't call me that…" he said. Flynn leaned back and nodded; eyes wide with fear. "I'll just check in later…" he said, unlocking the door and stepping outside, closing it behind him. Next task, Find Rapunzel and take her out for the best day she's ever had.

-0o0-

Rapunzel felt free running about the castle in Eugene's clothes. Now she knew how it felt to run and be as free as her boyfriend. Hiding from guards and maids, taking in the view of the kingdom below through the many windows, it felt really good. Then she saw Eugene emerge from their room, dressed in his usual getup. She ran across the hall and hid behind some drapes to avoid being seen. He stopped right in front of the drapes and looked around. He shrugged and kept walking. Rapunzel decided to follow him, he seemed like he was doing something rather important. Rapunzel emerged from the drapes and followed him down the hall. She hid behind walls and curtains when he turned around. She peeked out of the current set of drapes that she was behind. Eugene made his way into a room that she knew personally was unused except for a window or two. What could Eugene be doing in an unused room?She thought to herself with a confused expression upon her face. Time for some eavesdropping,Rapunzel thought with an ear to ear grin, she emerged from the drapes and made her way over to the door. It had been locked tight… even more curious, she pressed her ear to the door. She heard several people chattering, and then she heard someone clearing their throat.

"I want to thank you all for coming at my request to plan a surprise party for Rapunzel," Eugene's voice said loudly and clearly. Rapunzel stepped back from the door. He was planning a party, for her? This was worth listening in on. She re-approached the door and prepared to hear more, but she heard footsteps coming down the hall, and her father's voice was attached to it. She quickly darted back into the drapes and waited for the voice to disappear from hearing distance. Knowing her father, this would take a few minutes. Rapunzel sat silently; maybe he was discussing her party. Eugene would have to have gotten permission for this party after all. He passed right in front of her and she heard nothing. He only discussed kingdom business that she really didn't care for. As soon as she couldn't hear him anymore she cautiously climbed out and pressed her ear to the door once again.

"So recap, Gunther and Toll, you two are in charge of decorations, Attila, take the chefs and get some food made, Urf, you'll mime at the party, Hook-Hand, you're doing music. Everyone else will help set up and then of course, enjoy the party. Max, you'll keep everyone in line!" Eugene said from the other side of the door. Her father made her miss the inner details, but she knew the pub thugs and Maximus were involved. She heard Eugene and Hook-Hand talking. She only knew it was hook hand when Eugene called him "Hooky" which was typical Eugene. Rapunzel heard the lock click and she took off down the hall. Being caught eavesdropping by Eugene was not a smart move. She stopped to hide in the art room which, to her advantage was currently empty. She picked up a brush and some paint so if Eugene came looking for her, he'd have no idea whatsoever that she knew all of his plans. Next, she had to explain to him why she was wearing his outgrown clothing.

-0o0-

Eugene ran thorough the castle, opening each and every door he saw. In a good deal of them Rapunzel was no-where to be seen. He stopped and thought for a moment, if he were Blondie where would he go? Then it hit him, the art room! But which one, she had painted every little visible inch of wall in about five of them. Her parents had just opened up another empty room for her which was just down the hall from where he was now. Eugene took off running down the hall. He stopped at the door that had an elaborate kingdom crest painted on it. He knew this was the room because he had helped Rapunzel paint it only days before. That is, if "helping" meant handing her paint and then hand washing the paint from her hair after she had finished was considered "helping". He heard Rapunzel's strong beautiful voice from the other side of the door.

"I'm painting the roses red, painting the roses red, I dare not stop, or waste a drop, so let the paint be spread, and I'm painting the roses red, painting the roses red…" Eugene decided to mess with Rapunzel and he swung open the door, joining in on her solo.

"Oh pardon me but dear Blondie why must you paint them red?" he sang in his wonderful tenor voice, arms open wide. Rapunzel turned with a yelp, sending a splatter of paint onto one of the roses she had painted, filling it in almost perfectly. She turned the same color as her paint and to both hers and Eugene's surprise she began laughing.

"Well you see sir," she began while inching her way closer to Eugene. "The fact is I painted white roses by mistake, and…" she began to sing again. "The queen, she likes them red, If she saw white instead, she'd raise a fuss, and each of us, would quickly lose his head… so I must paint the roses red!" she sang, making her way into Eugene's open arms. Eugene embraced his girlfriend. They pulled apart and Eugene took Rapunzel's hands.

"My dear, then let me help you," Eugene joked. He knew the ending to this song very well. Rapunzel let out a loud laugh.

"There is no need for that now, that paint splatter filled in the very last rose," Rapunzel said with a smile. "So I guess you did help after all." Eugene laughed, Rapunzel turned around in Eugene's arms and he wrapped his arms around her waist, they swayed back and forth. "Do you think my mother will like it?" Rapunzel asked suddenly. "This is her new garden room. She'll plant indoor plants here. And it has a wonderful view of the outdoor maze." Eugene surveyed the room.

"I believe she'll like it, because you painted it for her… white or red roses…" Eugene said. Rapunzel stepped away from Eugene and took a step forward. That's when he noticed what she was wearing. "Are those… my clothes?" he asked suddenly. Rapunzel turned around and put her hands into armpits nervously like Eugene did so often.

"You look good on me, huh?" she asked with a toothy grin. Eugene cocked an eyebrow at his girlfriend. Well, at least her getup explained his missing boots. She did look good dressed like him. He gave a grin.

"Please tell me that your parents haven't seen you like that," he said jokingly. Rapunzel's toothy grin became a full-fledged grin ear to ear.

"I've done well so far," Rapunzel said. Eugene laughed out loud.

"Well it's your birthday, you wear what you want," he said. The next thing Rapunzel was in Eugene's arms. He kissed her forehead, and then he lifted her chin so their eyes met. "I personally think you make an exceptional me," he whispered romantically. Rapunzel smiled at Eugene.

"You really think so?" she asked hopefully. Eugene kissed her before answering.

"I hope that answers your question," he said. They broke their embrace and Eugene crossed his arms over his chest. "So, since it's your birthday and all, I am spending the entire day with you. We're going out on the town, doing whatever your princess-y heart desires. Everything we do will be your choice. And when it all ends, I am taking you out in a boat, and we are going to see the lanterns," Eugene explained. Rapunzel displayed a look of happiness.

"Absolutely everything?" she asked. Eugene nodded.

"Everything we can fit in," he said. "Therefore, we should get going, if you're the Blondie that I know and love, we have to get started." Rapunzel's smile disappeared. "What's wrong Rapunzel?" Eugene asked.

"I have to change my clothes, don't I?" Rapunzel complained.

"Absolutely not, I like the new you, which happens to be dressed like me," Eugene said. Rapunzel's smile returned immediately.

"You mean it?" Rapunzel asked. Eugene nodded.

"Yep, now let's get out of here; we have a lot to do and very little time to do it all," Eugene said. Rapunzel nodded and took his outstretched hand. "Where to first my dear?" he asked. Rapunzel put her free hand to her chin and pondered Eugene's question. Where should they go? Town square? The beach? The gardens? The tower? It was so hard to decide…

"I want to go to… town square, shopping sounds really fun right now!" Rapunzel said. Eugene smiled at Rapunzel.

"Then to town square it is, I will buy whatever her highness desires," he said. "If I can afford it, of course." He added as soon as they had left the room.

-0o0-

The bustle of the market place never ceased to amaze Rapunzel, even though she had been there several times before. New stands and goods caught her interest every time Eugene brought her through. She was quick to point out the various stands and shops that she noticed. A particularly new stand brought interest to Rapunzel and she was quick to rush over to the booth where a skinny man with black hair a striped shirt and tan apron with black pants and black shoes stood in the back, banging on a piece of hot metal.

"Excuse me sir?" Rapunzel called out. The man appeared to ignore her. "Excuse me sir?" Rapunzel said a little bit louder. Eugene made his way over to the booth. "EXCUSE ME SIR!" Rapunzel said much louder than before. Once again, the man ignored her, but his banging ended, he moved the metal to a bucket where he dipped it in and it hissed loudly. He then turned to face the couple.

"I'm very sorry about that, I had to finish my piece of jewelry. How may I help you this fine morning… oh my, your highness! And Sir Eugene! What a pleasant surprise! How may I be of service?" the man asked. Eugene beamed with pride; no one had ever called him "Sir Eugene" before. It felt good.

"We're just browsing for now," Eugene said. Rapunzel nodded.

"Very well, tell me if you are interested in anything," the man said. Rapunzel had already set off around the booth, staring a gold necklace behind a case of glass. It had the same green gem as her new earrings. She felt it calling to her.

"Eugene?" she asked, looking up at her boyfriend, who had struck up a conversation with the man running the booth.

"Yes, love?" he asked with a smile. Rapunzel pointed to the glass case.

"I want this necklace," she said. Rapunzel bit her lower lip; she realized how childish she must have sounded.

Eugene walked up to the case. He was taken by its beauty; it would look good on her, especially with her new earrings and her beautiful green eyes.

"How much for the necklace, kind sir?" he asked. The booth owner looked at the necklace.

"That? It costs 340 gold," he said simply. Eugene's eyes widened; it was such an expensive gift. He longed to make Rapunzel happy, and he certainly would. He knew that he had the money. But he wanted to buy it later, as a gift to give her at the party.

"I'm sorry Rapunzel, but I can't afford it… I wish I could buy it for you," Eugene lied. Rapunzel's face took on a downcast expression.

"Oh, well… maybe some other time then, come on Eugene, let's go," she said sadly. Eugene smiled down at Rapunzel and gave her two gold coins.

"You go, buy us a couple of cupcakes, I'll catch up in a minute," Eugene said. Rapunzel nodded and ran off to the baker's shop. As soon as he was sure that she was out of earshot, Eugene turned to the man running the booth. "You said that necklace was 340 gold?" he asked. The shopkeeper nodded.

"That's correct sir."

"I'll take it," Eugene said, full of pride. He pulled out all the money he had from his pocket. He had 448 gold coins, since he had given Rapunzel two for the cupcakes. He gave the money to the keeper who took the necklace from its case and handed it to Eugene.

"Thank you very much sir, please come again," the man said. Eugene took his pouch of money and the necklace and took off running to catch up with Rapunzel. She would love this necklace, he knew it.

-0o0-

"Two vanilla cupcakes please," Rapunzel said, handing the two gold coins to the baker. He bowed his head as a sign of respect and went to get them. As Rapunzel was waiting, a couple of villagers came through. As they left, she heard them mumbling things like, what on earth is she wearing?And I didn't think that princesses were even allowed to wear that. Rapunzel ignored their comments. She happened to be very comfortable in Eugene's clothes. The baker returned with a brown paper bag.

"Here you are, your highness," he said. As Rapunzel was leaving the shop, she could tell that the baker was also examining her strange clothes. She made her way outside to find Eugene looking especially happy, sitting on the wooden bench outside the shop.

"One vanilla cupcake for Sir Eugene," Rapunzel said, taking a cupcake from the bag and handing it to her boyfriend. Eugene took it and patted the spot next to him, signifying that he wanted her to sit down next to him. Rapunzel did so and soon found Eugene's arm around her shoulder. The two enjoyed their cupcakes in silence for a while.

"So where would you like to go next?" Eugene asked suddenly. Rapunzel continued to eat, pondering his question. Where should they go next?

"I don't know," Rapunzel said, taking another bite of her cupcake.

"Well I'm sure you'll think of something," Eugene said. Rapunzel nodded in response. The truth was, she knew where she wanted to go, in fact, she knew very well where she wanted to go. But Eugene would hate the idea.

"Yes, it'll come to me eventually," Rapunzel said. The town clock struck 1 o'clock behind them. Rapunzel took notice of the activity in the square. There were the village musicians, playing away as usual. She took notice that Eugene had begun tapping his foot. Some people were throwing coins into a metal cup, while others danced merrily. Rapunzel nudged Eugene and pointed to the people dancing.

"Do you want to go dance?" she asked eagerly. Eugene nodded.

"That sounds like fun," he said. He took notice of the icing on the corner of Rapunzel's mouth. "But you've got a bit of icing…" he said gesturing to where the icing was on her face. Rapunzel wiped it away, but Eugene saw this as a romantic opportunity. "You missed it, here let me get it for you," he said, planting a warm kiss on her lips. Rapunzel's face took on a look of sudden shock.

"Is it still there?" she asked. Eugene gave her a sneaky grin.

"Oh, you got it the first time; I just wanted to kiss you." Before Rapunzel could react to this, Eugene was up and off to the main square. She blinked once, then twice before completely realizing what had just happened. She got up and chased after him. He was too quick for her though, and by the time she made it to the square, Eugene was dancing away. She rested her elbow in her left hand, and put her right hand to her chin. She found herself laughing at her boyfriend's dancing. He flashed a smile at her and gestured his hand as if to say, come dance with me.Actually, he mouthed this. Rapunzel joined in and found herself doing an energetic dance with Eugene. It reminded her of the first time she was ever here with Eugene. The only difference was that this time, she was dancing with her boyfriend, not a wanted thief.

-0o0-

They danced for what felt like hours. More and more villagers joined in over time, and Eugene could swear everyone in the village was doing the dance with them. Rapunzel seemed to be enjoying herself, and to Eugene that's all that truly mattered. When the clock struck three, Eugene and Rapunzel left the dancing area. Eugene was sure to generously tip the musicians. Rapunzel did the same. The musicians tipped each one of their hats in thanks as they made their way out of town. They walked up through town, saying hello to stray villagers on the way. As they got close to the fork in the path, Rapunzel stopped. Eugene noticed shortly after.

"What's wrong Rapunzel? Something on your mind?" he asked, making his way back over to her. She ignored Eugene and approached the sign that signified what landmarks were along each of the paths. One of them read, Castle, the other read Orphanage.Rapunzel turned to Eugene with a saddened look on her face. Eugene narrowed one eye and opened the other; his girlfriend had been just fine only moments before. "What's wrong, Blondie?" he asked, trying to make her laugh. "You know you can tell me anything." Rapunzel pointed in the direction of the orphanage.

"I lied when I said I didn't know where I wanted to go. I knew exactly where I wanted to go… but I'm afraid that it'll bring back too many bad memories for you…" Rapunzel explained. She ran her fingers through her hair while looked past Eugene down at the town below. She let out a sigh and looked at Eugene. "I would like to see where my true love spent his childhood… but if it will hurt too much then we can go back home. I think I need to get out of these clothes, people keep staring at me," Rapunzel said. Eugene pondered Rapunzel's wish. He remembered all of the bad childhood memories that caused him to become the man he was today. But he also remembered the good ones, the friends he had made, and the times that he would read The Tales of Flynnigan Rider to all of the younger kids. It brought good memories and bad. But if he hadn't done what he did, if he hadn't spent his childhood there, then he would never have fallen in love with Rapunzel. He wouldn't be where he was today without that old place. Eugene sighed and looked at the path that curved downwards. Then he looked at the path that curved up towards the castle. Rapunzel gave him a hopeful look. He sighed again and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sure that an hour down there couldn't hurt," he said. Rapunzel gave a wide smile and ran up to Eugene, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his vest. Eugene wrapped his arms around her. This transformed to his arm around her shoulder as they began walking on the path downwards to the orphanage. With the building in sight, Eugene let out a sigh that it hadn't burnt down after all these years.

"Hey, Eugene?" Rapunzel asked. Eugene turned his head.

"Yes, Blondie?" he asked. Rapunzel gave a jokingly sour look at the sound of her pet name. Eugene laughed, and then he reconsidered his statement. "Yes, Rapunzel?" he asked, putting emphasis on her real name. Rapunzel looked ahead at the orphanage, then at Eugene.

"If you feel sad, or hurt by being here, don't hesitate to tell me right away. We can leave as fast as Pascal can change color," she said seriously. Eugene laughed and pressed his lips to Rapunzel's forehead.

"Don't you worry about that, I'll be just fine. Besides, it's yourbirthday, and I said that you could go anywhere you wanted to go. If that includes the orphanage, then to the orphanage we shall go. It doesn't matter if I had a pleasurable past or not," he assured her. Rapunzel's face took on the sour look again, this time it was serious unlike the time before.

"Eugene, I'm serious. If you feel…" Rapunzel began. Eugene shushed her with his index finger. Rapunzel tried to continue what she was saying but Eugene did the same for each time. Finally she gave up just as they approached the building.

"Listen to me… and listen to me very closely," Eugene began, making sure that Rapunzel was listening before continuing. She was so he continued. "We are here for you not me. This is your birthday, not mine. And, I promise that if I feel the least bit disturbed, that I will tell you, and we can leave, okay?" Eugene said. "And I never… ever… break a promise… ever," he added. Rapunzel wrapped her arms around Eugene's neck and he lifted her in the air, holding her close. Eugene put his hands into her hair and they held each other for a little while. Eugene took in Rapunzel's scent and let her down. He had a smile on his face, as did she. "Ready to see where I grew up?" he asked, reaching out his fist to knock on the rotting wooden door. Rapunzel nodded quickly and Eugene rapped on the door. It was quickly opened by a stout woman with gray hair, wearing an apron and round glasses. She wore a blue and white striped dress under the apron, but the white appeared to be much more of a tan color because it was so dirty.

"I'm sorry, but we are…" she began, and then she looked at who was standing at the door. Eugene smiled a big white smile.

"Mumma Robinson?" he asked hopefully. The woman at the door's eyes opened and she realized who it was.

"Eugene? Eugene Fitzherbert? Is that you?" she asked. "Or should I call you Flynn Rider?" she asked. Eugene laughed.

"Eugene is just fine with me," he said. Mumma Robinson beckoned the couple inside.

"And to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" Mumma Robinson asked. "You even brought the Princess!"

"Mumma, this is Rapunzel… you know her as the Princess of Corona. I know her as my girlfriend," Eugene explained. Mumma Robinson's eyes widened in disbelief. Rapunzel giggled and reached out her hand to shake Mumma Robinson's hand. Mumma Robinson shook it eagerly.

"It's nice to meet the person who aided in raising my Eugene," Rapunzel said. Eugene laughed loudly. Another man with gray hair, dressed in ratty black pants, a striped shirt, and blacksmith's apron that was obviously older than Mumma Robinson came out from the kitchen.

"A deep laugh? It sounds like Genie Fitzherbert has returned!" the man said. Rapunzel giggled.

"Genie?" she questioned while laughing. Eugene blushed and chuckled a little bit.

"Rapunzel, this is Papa Robinson. He owns the orphanage with Mumma," Eugene explained. Rapunzel shook the man's hand.

"It's very nice to meet you," Rapunzel said. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Eugene. She raised an eyebrow at him. "So… Genie Fitzherbert, huh?" she asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, well…" Eugene began to explain. Papa Robinson smiled.

"We called him Genie because he was like a genie to the other kids, he always read to them, took care of them while we made supper, tucked them in at night, he was like our own son," Papa Robinson said. Eugene nodded at the retelling of his past. Rapunzel nuzzled under one of Eugene's arms and put her hand to his chest, patting it a couple of times.

"Maybe I should start calling you Genie…" she joked. Eugene chuckled.

"Please don't…" he said. "Blondie…" he added as a joke. Rapunzel took on a face of fake offense.

"Fine, I won't call you Genie…" she said in surrender. Both Momma and Papa Robinson began laughing.

"So, are any of the tykes still around?" Eugene asked. Mumma took on a sad expression.

"Well, most of them were adopted at an early age… a couple of them stayed around. But there's only one left. Brice Thompson," Mumma said. "He should be in the older kids' room. You can go see him if you would like." Eugene smiled and nodded. He knew exactly which room she spoke of. Eugene and Rapunzel walked into the room adjacent to the front hall, little kids were playing and having a good time. At the end of the room there was a door. Eugene opened it and found only three boys and a girl sitting on their beds, reading books or taking a nap. On the bed against the wall, there was a particularly slender boy with dirty blonde hair, dressed in ratty pants and a brown shirt that he had torn the sleeves off of, sitting on the edge, fingering a shiny object. Eugene made his way over to the bed, tapping the boy on the shoulder.

"Brice?" he asked. The boy looked up. He examined the couple, and then he looked down at the object again.

"Whaddya want?" he mumbled. Eugene stepped closer to the boy, and noticed that he was holding a silver piece of jewelry. Eugene sat down next to Brice.

"What, you don't remember good old Eugene?" he asked. Brice stared straight forward, then at Eugene.

"Flynn?" he asked. Eugene nodded. Brice wrapped his arms around Eugene's waist and Rapunzel noticed that he was tearing up. "I thought I'd never see you again!" Brice cried. "Where'd you go? You just... left! Everyone was so upset!" Eugene sighed.

"I grew up Brice, I left here, but I've had adventures. Lots and lots of adventures. See that girl over there?" he asked, pointing to Rapunzel, who wiggled her fingers. Brice nodded and looked back at Eugene.

"Yeah, that's the princess?" he said. "What's she doing here?"

"She wanted to come here, we're together you know," Eugene said. Brice gave an impressed look to Eugene.

"Wow… that's so incredible," Brice gawked. "How'd you score her?"

"It's kind of a long story. We went on own own little adventure to the town a couple years back. But to keep it short and simple, let's just say that she's my new dream…" Eugene said. Brice's mouth dropped.

"You mean that you aren't a thief anymore?" Brice asked. Eugene shook his head.

"I gave that up two years ago when I met Rapunzel," Eugene said. "I'm sure you've had lots of adventures yourself, right?" Brice shook his head.

"Ever since Francis left I haven't left the orphanage. He was my best friend," Brice said.

"Francis? You mean Francis Reed, short, silent, always coming up with little quests for you and the kids? That Francis?"

"The very same," Brice said. "I miss him so much... but he got adopted when he turned nine. Haven't seen him since." Eugene put his arm around Brice and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"Do you have a dream of your own?" Eugene asked. Brice shook his head again.

"I don't have a lot of things that you have Flynn..." Brice said. "Just my fake reputation." Eugene laughed.

"Hey, a fake reputation is all a man has, right?" he said. Brice nodded. The clock struck four in the distance.

"Oh geez, it's already been an hour. I should get going," Eugene said. Brice grabbed onto Eugene's waist.

"Please don't leave Eugene… I'll miss you again!" Brice complained. Eugene chuckled.

"It's okay to miss me, but I am only a fork in the path away. I'm sure that Mumma with let you visit the castle anytime…I sure will," he told the boy. Brice nodded sadly, and then he hugged Eugene once more.

"Bye Flynn, I'll miss you…" he said. Eugene grinned.

"I'll miss you too, mini Flynn…" he said. Brice flushed red at the sound of his old nickname. Rapunzel walked over and put her hands on Eugene's shoulders.

"Ready to split?" she asked. Eugene looked up at her.

"Yeah, let me say goodbye to Mumma and Papa first," he said. Rapunzel nodded. Eugene then got up and exited the room, closing the door and making his way back to the front hall. Mumma Robinson came out with a package wrapped in brown paper. She handed it to Eugene with a smile.

"A little something you forgot the last time you were here," she said. Eugene eyed the package, then his "Mumma".

"Thank you for everything Mumma," Eugene said. Mumma Robinson held out her arms as a sign that she wanted a hug. Eugene filled her arms eagerly.

"You are welcome here anytime," Mumma said. Eugene stepped back and took Rapunzel's hand. Then they left the orphanage.

As soon as they were on the path with the orphanage out of sight Eugene held the package out. What could this be? It was heavier, and hardcover… a book? A box? Rapunzel was the one, who said something,

"What do you think it is?" she asked, confused. Eugene began to tear the paper.

"I don't know, but I'm about to find out," he said. Eugene tore the thick paper from the package. He felt like the child on that Christmas morning when he had turned seven years old, throwing the paper aside. Eugene bit his lower lip and held the object up for Rapunzel to see. In his hands was his old copy of The Tales of Flynnigan Rider.

-0o0-

Rapunzel sensed that Eugene was a little bit taken back by Mumma Robinson's gift. She could sense it the moment he held the book up for her to see. That was the book that technically brought them together. If he hadn't read that book every night, he never would have donned the reputation of Flynn Rider. If he hadn't become a thief, they never would have met. Rapunzel sensed the sadness in Eugene's eyes as they made their way back to the castle.

"Eugene, are you alright?" Rapunzel asked as they approached the castle doors. Eugene looked at her and nodded. She knew he wasn't actually okay, she knew that this book was the cause. She had to get it away from him, but how? They walked into the front hall of the castle and reached the split staircase. "Hey, Eugene? I'm going to go change; and then head to the sewing room for a bit. Do you want me to take that book to our room?" she asked.

"Yes please. I have a couple things to do myself. Do you want to meet up with me right here at six o'clock?" Eugene asked. Rapunzel gave a toothless smile and nodded. Eugene handed off the book and headed up the staircase on the right. Rapunzel opened the front cover of the book and made her way up the left staircase. Her eyes scanned the names in the front cover. In poor childlike handwriting she could make out the words, Eugene Fitzherbert. It had been scribbled out in ink and underneath it Flynn Rider had been scrawled in. As she entered the bedroom, she looked at the title page where just Flynn out ofFlynnigan Rider had been squared out. She sat down on the edge of the bed, and flipped through the pages. There were notes in the margins, words circled and entire paragraphs surrounded in ink boxes. Eugene had been making notes. She reached the back of the book and out fell several pieces of worn parchment. Rapunzel picked them up and flipped through them, her face displaying a look of amazement. On the paper were stories, and not just one, there were at least twenty or thirty there. Each one marked with a name and the age that Eugene had been when he wrote it. The earliest she tracked was when he had been just eleven years old. She read the first one, and these weren't Flynniganthey were Flynn. These were his plans for the future as a young boy. As Rapunzel returned the parchment to the back of the book, she noticed a piece of paper taped onto the inside back cover. It was falling out, but it was intact. The Adventures of Flynn Rider; Flynn Finds the Lost Princess. Under the title was the name Brice Thompson and Eugene Fitzherbert.Their ages were scrawled under their names. Eugene was 15, and Brice was 5. Rapunzel found herself tearing up. No wonder this book brought him back. He had found the lost princess, and he didn't know it until she told him. Rapunzel closed the book and set it on Eugene's side of the bed. Maybe he could read it to her later. She was sure that he had become the best of storytellers.

Rapunzel returned to the closet for the second time that day. She decided to go a little bit more casual, without the pants. She picked the purple gown that she wore the first time Eugene had taken her to see the lights in. It was a little bit snug, so she removed it and picked a similar one, but in a different size. She put on a pair of matching dance shoes and a purple headband atop her head. After examining her look in the full body mirror, she looked back into the closet and retrieved the shirt she had worn. She picked out a brown knee length skirt and held the two together. The skirt was ugly anyway. She put the skirt back and picked another one, this time in a chocolate brown. She looked at it again and smiled with satisfaction. This was the outfit. She'd sew belt loops on the shirt and wear and old belt of Eugene's. Some brown dancing shoes and a little belt pouch would complete it. She took everything she needed and set off down the hall to begin on her project.

-0o0-

Eugene made his way down the hall towards the party room. He thought about Mumma Robinson's gift. That book brought back so many memories of staying up late, reading under the covers with a little candle. It was miraculous that he never set the sheets on fire. Well, he did once, but that's a completely different story. He felt bad about lying to Rapunzel about being okay. He knew that he wasn't okay… that book made him so, relaxed. Like he was that kid again. Then he realized that he willingly handed off his personal treasure to her as if it had been nothing. She's probably read everything by now. Eugene thought to himself. It shouldn't matter so much, considering that he trusted her with his life. He approached the door that he had left only five hours earlier. He could hear chattering behind it. Eugene swung open the door and his mouth dropped. Everything was in ruins. Food splattered the walls and floors; Max was looking around, trying to decide who to knock some sense into. Ulf was doing whatever Ulf did, that didn't matter. Eugene slammed the door behind him loud enough to silence the people in the room. It was quiet for all of ten seconds, and then the fighting began again. Eugene's attention fell on Gunther and Toll who were having it out by the piano. Eugene made his way over to try breaking up the fight.

"Hey, hey, break it up over here!" he yelled. Gunther and Toll turned to face Eugene and blinked. "Now what is going on?" he asked.

"I can not verk with zis… zis… lump!" Gunther yelled. "I have an image, and he is ruining it!"

"Can't you work together?" Eugene asked. Gunther's face turned south and his nose flicked into the air.

"No!" they said together. Eugene sighed and moved over to the piano where Hook-Hand was trying to practice, but instead was banging his head on the piano.

"What's wrong Hook-Hand?" Eugene asked. Hook-Hand looked up from the piano.

"All this fighting is making it impossible for me to work!" he yelled. "If they don't stop soon I'm gonna take my hook to their necks!" Eugene's eyes widened.

"There's no need for that Hook-Hand, I'll get this all figured out, I promise," Eugene said. Hook-Hand nodded as a sign of trust.

"I'll hold you to that, Rider!" he said. Eugene began to clap his hand, trying to get people's attention. Finally he did a loud two finger whistle and got the attention of everyone. It got dead silent, waiting for what Eugene had to say.

"I leave you all alone for a few hours and this is what I come back to? You all need to remember that this is for Rapunzel. Not for me! You're doing this to show we care about her! Rapunzel's party is in two hours, people! I'm bringing her here as soon as the lanterns are finished. I want this room ready to party by then! And if you don't care, then fine. You're free to leave…" Eugene said. No one budged. It was so silent that you could hear a hair touch the floor. "I want you to know how much she means to me. Her happiness is my happiness, and right now I guarantee that she wouldn't be pleased by all of your behavior." He turned and left the room still as dead silent as when he had their attention.

-0o0-

Rapunzel worked diligently on her latest project. It wasn't like painting, but she felt the similarity while cutting and stitching and looking for bits and pieces that she could use in her outfit. She found herself humming little tunes here and there, just for fun. She only wished that Eugene was here to keep her company. Oh well she thought to herself. It'll just be a surprise. This was the only nice thing about having lived in a tower for 18 years of her life. She had all the time in the world. Maybe too much time now that she thought about it. She made all of her own clothing, she had become independent. After Gothel's death and Eugene's resurrection, they had personally burnt or threw out everything that Gothel had ever made, brought, passed down, or even touched. In the end this was just about everything, even her prized seashell paints. Rapunzel looked out the window at the town clock; 5:45 is what it read. She set the dress aside and stretched her arms above her head. Letting them fall into her lap she let out a yawn. She'd been working for a good hour and a half now. She missed Eugene, even if he was only in the castle. There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Rapunzel called out.

"It's Eugene, can I come in?" Eugene asked from the other side of the door. Rapunzel grinned to herself.

"Yeah, come on in," she said, getting up to meet him as soon as he entered. Eugene swung the door open and stood in the doorway.

"You ready to head out? I have to change my shirt first, but then we can go," Eugene said. Rapunzel nodded.

"Yeah, you get changed, I'll wait out by the back entrance," she said. Eugene held out his arms as a sign that he wanted a hug. Rapunzel filled his open arms and they stood in the doorway for a little while. Eugene ran his hand down the back of her head repeatedly. Rapunzel let out a pleased sigh every once in a while. "I missed you while you were wandering you know," she said after a minute or two.

"I've heard that's a sign of true love. You can't stand to be apart…" Eugene explained. Rapunzel smiled up at her boyfriend.

"Please tell me that you missed me too," she said. Eugene gave a confused look.

"Of course I did, if I had the choice I would be attached to you every single minute…" Rapunzel let out a laugh and broke their embrace.

"Then go get changed so we can go see the lanterns!" she said. Eugene gave a fake pout.

"I'll miss you," he whined. Rapunzel gave him a look, and then she kissed him.

"That should hold you off, now go," Rapunzel said. Eugene stepped out and began to walk down the hall. Rapunzel walked in the opposite direction. And the truth was, she already missed him.

-0o0-

"One gondola please," Eugene said to the man at the rental booth. The man took the money from Eugene and pointed to the one remaining boat tied up to the docks.

"You can take that one. Have a wonderful evening your highness and Sir Eugene," he said. Eugene beamed; this was the second time someone had called him Sir Eugenethat day. Rapunzel smiled at the man and took the oars from the side of the rotting hut, handing them to Eugene. He took them in one hand, taking Rapunzel's hand in the other.

"So would you consider this a tradition?" Rapunzel asked as she stepped into the boat. Eugene didn't respond right away. He stepped into the boat and untied the rope using an oar to push the boat into the water.

"The lanterns are, so going out in a boat to watch them from the kingdom is also," he said as soon as they were in the water. Rapunzel looked up at the night sky, the stars were very bright that evening. Eugene rowed slowly, humming along the way. Rapunzel couldn't help but laugh at his romantic attempt. Finally her curiosity broke when he started humming a tune that she didn't recognize.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Eugene ignored her while trying not to smile. He just kept humming and rowing, humming and rowing. Finally, they reached the lake's center. Rapunzel gave him a jokingly angry face. "What was that humming about?" she asked. Eugene smiled at her in the darkness.

"That was me, enjoying life," he said. Rapunzel crossed her arms over her chest and gave a pout. She saw this as an opportunity to pry info from Eugene.

"So… what are we going to do after this?" she asked. Eugene raised an eyebrow.

"I have a little something for you back at the castle. Don't you worry about that," Eugene said. Rapunzel smiled. In the distance she could see the first of thousands of lanterns floating upwards. Eugene turned and watched as the sky above the kingdom lit up. Eugene rested his hands on his thighs and sighed, he could feel the necklace in his pocket, but when would be a good time? Rapunzel seemed captured by the lanterns, her big green eyes lit up in amazement. Eugene took her hands in his to bring her back to reality.

"I have a gift for you," he said, reaching into his pocket. Rapunzel gave a confused look to Eugene. He couldn't find the necklace, maybe the other pocket. As he shifted, the boat did too, and Rapunzel held onto the sides. Eugene got hold of the gift and clasped it in his closed palm. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands," he said. Rapunzel did as told. Eugene opened his hand and dropped the necklace into her hands. Rapunzel opened her eyes and looked at the gift.

"Eugene…" she said in amazement. "This is…" Rapunzel couldn't find the words. Eugene took the necklace and opened the latch, putting it around her neck. Rapunzel fingered the green jewel in its center.

"The necklace you wanted?" he asked. Rapunzel nodded.

"But you said… you couldn't afford this…" she said in disbelief. Eugene grinned.

"I wanted to surprise you. It was expensive, but you are worth it." Rapunzel clamped her lips together and tried to hold in tears. Eugene opened his arms and she flew into them as fast as she could, holding Eugene close.

"Thank you… Thank you so, so, so, much for everything. It was defiantly the best day I've had in a long time," Rapunzel said, choosing her words very carefully.

"You're welcome, Blondie," he said jokingly. Rapunzel broke off and they linked arms.

"Keep that up and I'll be forced to call you Genie," she threatened. Eugene groaned before putting his right hand under her chin, preparing for a kiss. Rapunzel smiled a toothless smile as they closed their eyes and leaned in for the kiss.

-0o0-

Rapunzel and Eugene returned the boat to the docks at 8:00. The lanterns had passed by, extinguishing in the lake around them. The guards would come collect them the next morning as always. Rapunzel kept fingering the gem around her neck. It wasn't okay that Eugene had lied about not being financially able to purchase the item, but his intentions were good. Eugene had his hand locked in hers as they made their way through the silent village. Everyone had returned home for the evening after releasing their lanterns into the sky. It was nearly pitch black except for a street lamp on the corner. They entered the castle and Eugene blindfolded her at the top of the stairs, claiming that he'd lead her to where they were going.

"Okay Rapunzel, take off your blindfold," Eugene said. They were outside of the room she had seen him in that morning. "I thought we'd take one last stop before the day ends." Rapunzel nodded as Eugene opened the door. The lights flicked on and a loud SURPRISE was heard from everyone. Rapunzel gasped. Never had she imagined what Eugene was up to. There were all of her favorite foods on a table by the window, purple and blue and green streamers hung from the walls and ceiling.

Eugene was in shock as well, never had he imagined that the bar thugs would get their act together. The next thing he knew, Rapunzel was hanging off of his neck and he was swinging her around. She seemed like she was happy.

"Oh Eugene!" she cried. "This is wonderful!" Eugene smiled at his girlfriend. He looked around hoping that no one had heard her call him Eugene. The king and queen, all of the bar thugs, a few of the servants, and even Maximus were there.

"Happy Birthday Darling," the queen said happily, hugging her daughter. Rapunzel hugged her mother and father. Eugene stood to the side of this, he looked around happily at the product that he had put together. Overall everything had been a complete success.

They danced and ate and socialized. The rest of the night was a blur for everyone. It seemed to go so much faster once 11:00 rolled around.

-0o0-

At the end of the night, Rapunzel and Eugene headed back to their room. Rapunzel bathed while Eugene waited, and then Eugene bathed while Rapunzel changed into her nightgown. She climbed under the covers and waited for Eugene to finish changing. He came out of the washroom; rosy cheeked and wet haired wearing his favorite red and white striped night clothes.

"Did you enjoy today?" he asked, getting under the covers. He picked up the book Rapunzel had placed there earlier and set it in the center of the bed. Rapunzel nodded and they snuggled up together. She rested her head on his shoulder. They were silent for a minute.

"Hey Eugene?" she asked. Eugene turned his head.

"Yes Rapunzel?" he responded. Rapunzel took the book from the center of the bed, holding it out to Eugene.

"Can you fulfill one last birthday wish?" she asked. Eugene looked at her. It was still her birthday after all.

"And what wish is that?" he asked. Rapunzel set the book in his hands.

"Will you read me some of Flynnigans's tales?" she asked. Eugene's eyes widened.

"You mean?" he asked. Rapunzel nodded her head.

"Yes. Will you read me that book?" she insisted. Eugene bit his lower lip. Then he opened the book and flipped to the first story, Flynnigan and the Gang of Thieves. Rapunzel snuggled up next to Eugene. He put his arm around her and held the book in his lap. Rapunzel looked down at the detailed image on the back of the title page. It showed a depiction of Flynnigan fighting a thief.

"Alright," Eugene said. He cleared his throat and began…"Once upon a time there was a rich man… his name was Flynnigan Rider…"

My new fanfiction; Waiting for the Lights, will be out soon. Thanks for reading and remember to review!