SQUEE! Thank you so much for your reviews! I hope you enjoy this story as much I did writing it! Yeah it's gonna get sadder for a few more chapters, but that all changes I "promise"!

Chapter Two

With lowered heads the pair of travelers made their way up the path to the palace doors. Rapunzel introduced herself as the lost princess, and after a small show and tell, was led inside. The Captain of the Guard was the first to meet them.
"Your Highness," he bowed. "Maximus. We are thrilled to hear you are safe!"
"Thank you," Rapunzel said wiping her nose. Do you have some place we can place him?" Rapunzel lifted the cloak and revealed Flynn to the Captain who had searched so hard for him.
"That's Rider!" He exclaimed.
"He saved my life," Rapunzel said matter of factly. "He died protecting me!"
"I beg your pardon, Princess," The Captain corrected his behavior. He could see that Flynn Rider meant more to the Princess than simply a bodyguard. "I will see to it that he is properly cared for." With a snap of his fingers, the captain ordered several of his men to take Flynn's body to the back, and sent another to get the King and Queen. Then, after handing Maximus to a groomsman, he escorted Rapunzel to where she would meet her parents for the first time since infancy.

Rapunzel was shown a room, but she couldn't bear to stand there. It felt like the walls were closing in around her. Opening the large double doors, she walked out onto the balcony. There she stood, barefoot and alone. In another world she dreamed, she was standing here and Flynn was by her side. Inside her heart was doing a cartwheel.

"You okay?" came a voice from her past.
"I'm terrified," she replied aloud. "For eighteen years, I was raised by a woman who not only turns out to not be my mother, but she was using me for my powers. Now I have a mother and a father and what if they don't even want to see me?"
She turned to stare in the direction of her tower and almost thought she saw Flynn instead.
"I don't think they would have sent up lanterns every year if they didn't care about you." Flynn's voice reasoned.

"Oh, Eugene," Rapunzel wept. She didn't care if she was imagining things, seeing her Eugene stand beside her gave her the courage she was lacking. Smiling his best "smoldering" smile, Flynn reached over and wiped a tear from Rapunzel's face. She could almost feel his skin touch hers, making her gasp at thinking that maybe he really was here after all.

"I wish you were here with me," she whispered.
"I'm always going to be here," Flynn responded and grabbed Rapunzel's hand just as the doors behind her opened. Together the pair turned to face their Majesties.

Rapunzel swallowed hard as she stared at her parents. She looked at them with hopeful sorrow, and they returned the glance. Rapunzel stood there still as a statue. She was too scared to move.
"Go on," Flynn's voice urged and Rapunzel took a step forward. The Queen walked down the small steps and reached out a hand to Rapunzel. Smiling warmly, she welcomed her daughter with open arms.

Rapunzel grabbed her mother and began to cry. She cried at the happiness of finally finding her family and in sorrow at all she had lost to get to this moment. A minute later the King walked over and the Royal family collapsed to the floor relishing each other's touch.

The celebrations for the Lost Princess' return lasted over a week. The people rejoiced and music and lanterns filled the air. And while Rapunzel smiled at being among her subjects, her heart was still heavy over Eugene's death. Before the official celebrations began, Rapunzel, Maximus, the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling and her parents tended to one last piece of business; the burial of Flynn Rider.

For his conduct in protecting Rapunzel, her father, the King had given Flynn a full pardon for all his crimes. And the Palace Guards also honored Flynn by giving him a full military service. Flynn's body was laid to rest on a small island that lay on the back side of the island. Granted he wouldn't be tanned, but at least Rapunzel could grant him his other dreams; he was alone and he could rest knowing she was safe. The night before the service, Rapunzel crept down to the crypt where he awaited burial, Maximus was keeping vigilant watch. Patting the horse on the head she went inside.

Flynn was dressed quite nicely; a crisp white shirt replaced the old one he wore. He still wore the same vest she had always seen him wear. And the red stain that still stained in the leather remained. Ghostly white and cold to the touch, Rapunzel grazed his cheek. Oh, how she wished his eyes would open. But this was not a fairy tale and Eugene would never wake up. Gently, Rapunzel bent down and gracefully kissed Eugene for the first, last, and only time. Then she turned and left the crypt and headed to her room.

Before leaving the tiny islet the next morning, she had had the royal engravers make a headstone for her handsome rouge. One that fit him best. The world may have known him as Flynn Rider, but to her he was always Eugene Fiztherbert. Placing Eugene's headstone on the mound of dirt, she blinked back a few tears and walked to the boat that would carry her to rest of her life.