You

by Whytegriffin

This is another account of my favorite chapter, told in Eugene's perspective more or less. It was a little different, considering he isn't alive for part of it, but I think it worked :) This is a companion story to "My New Dream" if not as good. I'm wondering if I should have posted this as chapters, though :/

It seemed strange to Eugene that the sky in Corona should have been bright and clear for a hanging while it seemed to grow darker the deeper they got into the forest. Good thing that between Eugene and Maximus they had payed enough attention to their surroundings to know where they were going. He ducked under the vines that had hidden the tower for so many years and he and Max thundered into the canyon. There was a sudden thought in the back of his mind that they should have slowed down and snuck in, but it was too late now. Three days ago that would have been his pervading thought. Three days ago he was nothing more than a self-serving thief. Not this time. Right at the moment the only thing he could think of was Rapunzel. Was she alright? If those brothers had touched her - if that woman had done anything to her - he would fix it. He could fix it. The canyon was still quiet, maybe he was lucky and the woman had left her alone again. Maybe she would have her frying pan ready like she had that first time. The thought that anything could happen to him didn't cross his mind. She was up there. She is what mattered. The thief was gone.

"Rapunzel?" He called. There was no answer. He cupped his hands around his mouth in case she hadn't heard and called again. "Rapunzel, let down your hair!" If she was there alone she would already have come, wouldn't she have? After two seconds, nothing. He threw himself at the tower, finding finger holds and starting to scale it alone. He had done it before. How difficult would it be if he had to encounter Rapunzel's 'mother'? At this point he didn't care anymore. There was something about the whole story that sat wrong with Eugene, something in everything Rapunzel had done - that wasn't her real mother up there. Rapunzel had both parents, at home at this moment in the palace of Corona, and Eugene knew that he was right. Suddenly the shutters above him creaked open, and as he looked up Rapunzel's golden hair tumbled to the ground. His heart skipped a beat. Rapunzel was there! And alone if she was tossing him her hair. He grabbed it eagerly, not realizing that there were usually several more feet trailing on the ground. There should have been something nagging at the back of his mind - there probably was - but he didn't notice it. Rapunzel was up there and she was waiting for him and that was all that mattered. He climbed as quickly as he could. Rapunzel couldn't be all that strong. The minute that he could reach the window sill he grabbed it and let go of her hair, pulling himself over the threshold, undoing half of the buckles on his vest. "Rapunzel, I thought I'd never see you again!" He exclaimed as he stumbled into the room. But as he looked up the smile dropped from his face. It was dark, but he was able to see that Rapunzel was huddled in the corner across from him - with her hands chained behind her back. A chill went down his spine as he realized that she was chained to the wall - and her mouth was covered with a gag. Her eyes met his and went wild with fear as she tried to speak through it. Eugene was frozen in shock, his mind just translating "Look out!" when he barely caught a shadow out of the corner of his eye, and before he could react he felt a sharp pain; first in his right side and now shooting through his chest reaching in toward his heart until he could feel the hand guard press hard against him. As suddenly as it had ripped through his chest it was gone, but the pain was worse now. His hand clutched his side where the dagger had cut into him and he fell to the ground on one knee before the pain made him crumble, the whole while strangling his cries of pain for Rapunzel, who was calling his name and screaming through that gag. What kind of twisted person would do that to her? He landed on his right side and lay there, trying to reconcile it, trying to find some way to get up, some way to free her from those chains. He had to get her out. He couldn't see her chained like an animal; or worse see her enslaved. For what? Her hair. A gift like that had to be protected? Perhaps, but not used like Gothel must have been doing. Gothel who had stabbed him - why? To protect Rapunzel's hair, not Rapunzel. He couldn't see straight yet. He had used up all the adrenaline in his escape and climb up the tower or he knew that he he would have been able to get up instead of lying useless on the floor in blinding pain. He didn't care about the pain, not really, not now - only that it stopped him from freeing Rapunzel. Now why was Gothel...pulling on his sleeve? He noticed a bright silver glint above his face. Her knife, of course. Was she cleaning it? it didnt matter, the knife was close this hands. If he could only reach it - but could he use it to save Rapunzel? No. No, that was foolish. He couldn't even stay standing, let alone fight someone or anyone for that matter. Pascal could best him In this condition. He prayed for something, some inspiration, someway to win her from her hell. He couldn't even think how he could reach for the blade and now she had stood up, towering over him. Ugh, it hurt. It hurt so much - he needed to think. He had to think! Why couldn't he think?!

"Now look what you've done, Rapunzel." She crowed above him. Eugene heard the woman as if he were in a tunnel. His head was pounding, the whole of his right side was burning, his chest exploding with every heartbeat. "Oh don't worry, dear." She said in a tone mocking comfort to dig the hurt deeper. "Our secret will die with him." As she spoke he was aware of a weight on his arm and felt her cape drag over his body as she stepped over him. Eugene groaned again, curling into a tight, pained ball as blood started pooling under his wound. He could feel the life blood running out of his body, racing to get out and cover the floor in response to Gothel's vicious demand for it. Rapunzel was struggling, calling his name against the gag and pulling against those horrible chains. She was trying to get to him. Eugene heard the chains clanking as Gothel undid the lock at the hearth to drag her away. "And as for us!" She said with a pointed humph, "we're going where no one will ever find you again!" Eugene grit his teeth and pushed himself painfully onto his stomach, hearing the girl he loved screaming his name again. There had to be some way to help Rapunzel. Pascal pattered out of the fireplace and bit the hem of Gothel's dress, pulling against her. Everyone but him knew that it would be futile and Eugene saw the little chameleon kicked across the room and heard him land behind him on the rug. "Rapunzel, really!" She chided as if Rapunzel were a misbehaving child. "Enough already! Stop - fighting me!"
"No!" Rapunzel cried, pulling away and finally shaking the gag from her mouth. Good, Rapunzel. Rapunzel, you can do this, I know you can! "I'll never stop! For every minute of the rest of my life I will fight!" Rapunzel protested angrily. In a less serious moment Eugene would have been entranced by her anger and fight, but his head was swimming, his hands being warmed by the flow of his own blood over them. He could taste it in his mouth. But still he tried in vain to come to her aid, clutching floor in front of him once to try and pull himself forward, but his muscles spasmed in pain and his hand trembled uselessly. "I will never stop trying to get away from you." she gasped, "But - if you let me save him? Then I will go with you." Eugene shuddered at those words and reached desperately toward her.

"No. No, Rapunzel." He pleaded, his hand clawing the floor in his effort to stop her.

"I'll never fight." Rapunzel continued as if she couldn't hear him. No. Rapunzel, no! You just told her you wouldn't stop fighting, ever! Don't change that! Don't - don't through your life away. Not for a thief; a worthless, selfish thief. "I'll never try to get away. Just let me heal him and you and I will be together - forever, just like you want. Everything will be the way it was." Eugene bit his lip to keep from crying out. He could hear the pain in her voice. He had to stop this. After 300 years, it was time that this Gothel woman did not get her way. There were legends, things he head read as a boy - clearly they were true. "I promise." She proclaimed. Eugene cringed. Never, ever breaks her promise. Ever. He pushed as hard as he could and kept one hand tight to his side while he pushed up with the other hand. Ugh, he couldn't stop trembling. Why couldn't he stop? It wasn't - it wasn't that bad. He could do this. He would beat this pain. Rapunzel kept talking. "Just like you want." she was gasping, intent on her purpose, intense in her resolve. This was her choice. "Just. Let me. Heal him." She spoke the words emphatically and Eugene could feel the air change as Gothel's mind worked. He had to do something. He could not let her live in this hell. Gothel grabbed Rapunzel and pushed her to the wall, turning her and unlocking the shackles coldly, saying something so quietly to her that Eugene couldn't hear. He moaned, collapsing on the floor again as Gothel approached him, her dark smile curving her mouth as she walked slowly past him to secure the chain around the stair post. Eugene shuddered and he tried to see Rapunzel, but she didn't move from where she had been put. He guessed that her 'mother' had threatened her - or maybe him. He was as good as dead, so he couldn't understand why she had wasted her time. Eugene blacked out for a second as the point of Gothel's shoe was driven deep into his wound and when his sight cleared he was clenching his teeth to keep from screaming as she dragged him across the floor to the stairway. He pushed himself with his feet as much as he could, but she was ridiculously strong for an old woman and she had him turned on his back and pulled to the stairwell before he knew what had happened; leaving a long trail of blood from one point to the next. Gothel grinned cruelly into his face and pushed him up against the bannister, jamming her hand into his lower right side. The only thing he could think of was to keep from screaming. She wasn't adjusting his position, she was purposefully torturing him and getting every satisfaction of his pain that she could - and every flinch from Rapunzel. Gothel grabbed his right arm and shackled his wrist. Pulling it viciously towards her she looked him coldly in the eye.

"In case you get any ideas about following us!" She glowered at him angrily and spitefully raising his limp arm she dropped it as hard as she could on his side. Pain. More pain flamed before his eyes. he had to fight it down, it had to think! He - couldn't show it, he mustn't. Gothel turned away with a flourish as that jarring caused him to cough, but he tried to sit up further. He wanted to meet Rapunzel's eyes. She had to know that she would be alright.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel cried as she ran to his side. She touched his face and combed his hair back with her fingers, trying to look into his pained eyes. He tried to see her, he wanted to see her. He coughed again and his body twisted the wrong way. He didn't want to. He didn't want - he couldn't - he cried out, slumping back down to where he was before and sucking another breath in between his teeth. He groaned, immediately sorry that he had done so. Poor Rapunzel! Her brow furrowed in pain for him and she lifted his hand to see the wound, moving his vest just a little, but even that hurt a lot. An involuntary gasp was cut short by his breath exploding in a short fit of coughs in punishment for that sudden breath. He let his hand cover the stab wound again, seeing to his dismay that Rapunzel had blood spattered on her sleeves - but there was nothing he could do about it. He was helpless, and so was she. His left hand brushed against something smooth. There had been a shattered mirror across the entire floor...
"I'm so sorry!" Rapunzel gasped softly, brushing her hair back like she did when she was frustrated. She reached down, pulling up an extra length of her strangely magical golden hair. "Everything's gonna be okay though." She continued, avoiding his eyes.
"No, Rapunzel." He groaned, pushing her hands away.
"I promise. You have to trust me!" She insisted, looking away from his bloody jerkin and to his pained eyes, still fighting him to lay her hair on his wound.
"No!" He groaned, hating himself for sounding like he was going to cry. Everything hurt and now Rapunzel was about to give up everything that she was so he could live his pathetic life. He was not about to let her do that.
"Come on." Rapunzel tried to coax him gently. "Just breath -"
"I can't let you do this!" He gasped, trying to hold in all of the pain, but she could still see it in his eyes, something that tore his heart out, making him even more desperate to save her. Her sad eyes looked into his almost desperately and her voice was catching in her throat as she whispered back, "And I can't let you die." He put his hand on her arm, trying to emphasize or something, not noticing that now her sleeve was as bloody as his hand had been.
"But if you do this," he gasped against the raging fire in his chest. He felt her soft hand on his face. Rapunzel was shushing him. He had never felt a touch like that for as long as he could remember- "then you .. will die." He finally choked the last words out as she interrupted with a soft,
"Hey!" He looked up at her. She was so beautiful, a whole world unto herself, she was so much more than Gothel thought. "It's gonna be alright." she tried to reassure him. Eugene clenched his teeth, his brow furrowed, but he smiled against at her. she was right. It would be alright. Rapunzel smiled back so sadly, his dying heart broke as he watched the princess, her golden hair soaked with his blood, as she closed her eyes to sing. His hand closed on a long shard of the mirror and he finally knew the one thing he could do.
"Rapunzel." he groaned, and her eyes opened again to look at his. "Wait." He begged, his voice cracked as every breath seemed to gasp directly out of him. He combed her hair back from her face, like he had when they almost drowned when he first really saw her in a new light, like he had as he was about to kiss her on the lake. Rapunzel remembered that as she leaned in for him to kiss her. Eugene wanted to kiss her, but there was no time. He had never thought he would do anything like this, but then he had never known what love was. His hand slid toward the back of her head and Rapunzel closed her eyes ... Eugene pushed his whole body forward to get enough strength into his swing to sever every hair on her head from the long loose gold that lay on the floor. The glass sang like crystal as it swept her burdened gift from her head and he dropped limply back without even the strength to cry out, the glass clattering out of his hand and onto the floor. Rapunzel gasped. "Eugene! What...?" She felt for her healing tresses - but there was nothing left.
"No!" Mother Gothel bellowed. Rapunzel grabbed her hair from his lap, watching as the same brown she had seen in that little clip of hair streamed down the golden hair. Eugene doubled over, too weak to cry out as his injury stabbed him with more pain, dropping him sideways onto the floor. He could feel blood more sluggishly covering his fingers again and mother Gothel crying a frustrated "no, no!" As she tried to gather the golden hair to herself. It must be turning brown too fast. "What have you done?" She screamed at Eugene. "What have you done!" She howled again. Her anger, the evil in her heart as it came to her mind to stab Eugene once more to get her revenge, her possessiveness all came out of her soul, aging her faster then her anger with Rapunzel ever had. Eugene saw her rush closer to the knife - if she was going to touch Rapunzel... His eyes opened just barely to watch out for her next move, but Gothel was rushing toward the remains of the mirror. She saw her hand aging and ran to the shattered mirror, screaming "No!" in her horror, seeing herself in her real age, she covered her shriveled head with her hood, screaming and writhing in the air as Rapunzel must have looked on, horrified. He heard Pascal behind him doing something - he couldn't tell what. Even when he opened his eyes the if around him looked darker. He heard fumbling and Gothel screamed, first in surprise - then he could hear her fall back over something and she continued screaming. Rapunzel turned quickly, hitting his back with her knee. She was reaching out to save Gothel. That woman may not have loved, but Rapunzel had never had anyone else to love - anyone but him, now. She wouldn't have him for much longer. He could hear her shocked, hurried breathing as she tried to understand what had just happened. But please, Rapunzel, hurry. I - I can't hold on much longer. I can't stop this or slow it down. It won't be stopped.

Finally he heard a gasp and she reached over him and held his shoulder with one hand, supporting his head with the other as she tried to pull him onto her lap.
"No no no no no! Eugene!" She cried, holding his face and searching it desperately. He coughed once, for the merest fraction of a second sparking hope in her heart that he was at least still alive. Rapunzel! Rapunzel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean... I didn't want to give you false hope! When he coughed twice more, weakly as pressure increased in his chest, that small hope faded from her eyes. He couldn't move except to breath - barely. "No." She gasped, and he felt the soft touch of her hand sliding down his cheek. She brushed his hair back, looking at his closed eyes. "Look at me. Look at me I'm right here!" She cried to him, holding his face toward her, holding his head a little higher. Her hand dropped away suddenly and he felt her pick up his hand, still nasty and sticky with drying blood. "Don't go! Stay with me, Eugene, stay with me!" She begged him and he felt his hand flop onto her head as she started singing.
"Rapunzel." He moaned softly. He thought that his voice would was going to be louder than that. She kept singing, kept trying - but still Eugene could feel that life was leaving his body. She had to have heard! Maybe she didn't? "Hey!" He tried to get louder, managing to push his head up a little in her gentle grasp. His brows furrowed, he could barely keep his eyes open. He pulled his hand down with as much force as he could, needing to get her attention ... She needed to know. "Rapunzel!" He gasped. Finally she turned to him, grasping his hand as it slid further down on her head, her eyes were filled with tears and her face contorted by them. "What?" She sobbed. Eugene gazed up at her, barely able to see her, let alone the tears in her eyes. His fingers curved weakly on her hair.
"You were my new dream." He breathed. Rapunzel sobbed, closing her hand more tightly on his and pressing it closer to her.
"And you were mine." she answered, barely smiling through her tears. He was hers? He was her new dream! Eugene's lips curved up in the slightest smile. He wanted to tell her - tell her...he tried to say something more to her, but the last spark of life failed in that breath, his head falling gently to the side. Rapunzel let his hand slip down slightly again as the life left it.

If only he could have said it, have whispered the last anguish of his soul into her ear. His heart had cried out, had broken for her. Rapunzel, I can't know your pain. It gasped. I can't know first hand what I have done to you, how I have torn your heart from your body by leaving you. I had to, Rapunzel. Perhaps as I lay cold in your arms you are loving and hating me at the same time. I can't tell. But know this, Rapunzel. Know that there was nothing else I could do to save you. Know that I had to save you, that I could not let the light that I saw kindled to a flame in your eyes be extinguished. You are light, Rapunzel. You are dreams. Know that you are the only thing that could have turned me back into a man. Know that I love you.
But Rapunzel, don't weep forever. If you must shed a tear, look for its light. Look to the brightness that you led me to, that I was once blessed to lead you to. Rapunzel, look to the heavens, dance in the stars, let the lanterns guide you home. Rapunzel, look at the future. Look where I wished to be with you. Rapunzel, don't give up. Don't lose who you are.
Rapunzel... still dream.

Eugene was in the dark and he didn't know where he was. somewhere between this world and the next. He felt his stomach - kind of - knot up up in fear. He had a lot to answer for. He looked for someone, something to lead him. Not yet. A voice said somewhere. But where do I go? He asked the voice and then he heard it smile - or he knew that the owner of the voice smiled on him. There will be a light and a song. Follow it. He heard. But why? He heard himself ask. The voice smiled again, this time with joy and pride. For greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for his friend. Follow the light, Eugene. Then the voice left - or stopped. He wasn't in the same place. He thought that he heard Rapunzel singing, but it was from a long ways off. Now she was crying. He started toward the sound and as he raced forward he saw a light. He followed the light and it surrounded him and gathered him fully into itself.

It was the strangest feeling - something that he couldn't really describe. He breathed out, opening his eyes only slightly at first, seeing Rapunzel's bright eyes above him.
"Rapunzel?" he whispered. Rapunzel gasped, her eyebrows creasing together in happy surprise. "Eugene?" she asked. He smiled, this time just being too lazy to open his eyes completely. He breathed in again, deeply - it was so good to breath.
"Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for brunettes?" He sighed with his mischievous smile curving his lips. Rapunzel gasped again, her sudden smile and glow being the most beautiful thing that Eugene could remember seeing.
"Eugene!" she cried, tackling him. Her arms surrounded him and held him close. Eugene pushed himself up to a sitting position, realizing suddenly how good it was to be able to do just that little thing, and wrapped his arm around her, clasping her in a firm embrace, burying his face in her shoulder. He was alive, himself - his real self would take a while getting used to, but it wasn't too hard to do for her. Rapunzel pushed herself away gently with a gasped laugh to look at him again. He smiled back, wondering and happy. The thought that something like him could make her happy was incredible Rapunzel gave another happy sob, suddenly diving forward and kissing him. Eugene was surprised for a second, his mind rushing through everything, how he'd wished he had just kissed her on the boat, how he had wanted so badly to kiss her like she had expected when he had cut her hair instead. Now all of that had come together, for something even better. He kissed her right back. She laughed again when she pulled back, sitting on the floor beside him, and Pascal pattered up his arm with a chameleon smile on his - lips.
"Mind getting me a key, Pascal?" He smirked. The chameleon looked like he was going to scowl and then changed his mind, hopping down and pattering over to where Gothel had left it. Rapunzel smiled shyly and held out the key.
"You didn't think I'd be dumb enough to leave you chained to a post to die, did you?" She smiled, taking his hand in her lap. Her hands were so small and gentle and graceful. They had looked horrid locked into manacles. She held his hand a long time before she put the key in the lock. He didn't mind, he rather liked having his hand in hers. He watched the iron fall away and it was like the last step away from his old life back into the light. Rapunzel lunged forward again without warning to hold him safe in her arms. Eugene sighed softly and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her rock back and forth, taking him with her. He wasn't going to let her go again, ever. She started crying again into his shoulder and he kissed her hair, letting his tears fall onto it. Her hair was so pretty brown. She was so beautiful, just Rapunzel herself, free and bright. He could have held her forever were it not for a familiar wet sound and sticky tongue flicking into his ear. Eugene lurched back, letting his angry glare suppress the traditional disgusted scream.
"Pascal!" Rapunzel scolded. The lizard merely stuck his nose up, pattered to the window and pointed out the window with his tail, making little grunty noises. Eugene stood up smiling, holding his hand out to Rapunzel as he did so. When she got to her feet Rapunzel looked a little off balance to him and he realized that it was because of her hair. She straightened up and smiled at him before dropping his hand and staring around. Then he looked around, deciding how they were going to get out. The world was a bit of a whirl at the moment, dying and coming back to life was not something that he did everyday, nor was it something that he was likely to get used to.
"Princess?" he asked softly, not really recognizing his own voice with the strange tenderness that had crept into it. Rapunzel walked over to his side, still with a look like she had that first day ... one of anticipation, joy - any fears she had were trapped far behind those eyes, not being allowed passage forward, though now she was somewhat changed, different. She was a woman. Eugene held out his hand to her and smiled.
"I seem to remember promising to take you home."