HI Y'ALL! So it hasn't been four weeks, here's chapter two! Wow! 11 reviews! So much more than I expected, thank you all OH-SO-VERY-MUCH! *hugs* A couple of things I forgot to mention last time: This story reminds me A LOT of When Harry Met Sally! (love that movie!) and I got a lot of inspiration from it! So if there's a reference...yeah. :D Also...Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled and never will! (forgot that last time!) And oh, geez...I wish I'd been more timely about this fic. Because it's a holiday fic, Christmas and New Years, that is! And it's like a 'Welcome 2012' thing... :( that's where the story stops anyway, the beginning of 2012...which is...tomorrow... :( so I really hope everyone can still get in to the Christmas spirit when there's a Christmas chapter in March or something! :P after all, A Christmas Carol says it's a good idea to keep Christmas with you ALL year! Well...enough of my ranting. Enjoy!

~Part Two~

December 3rd, 2010

Flynn Rider was sitting at his desk inside the 8th precinct of NYPD. Or, more accurately, he was leaned back in his chair with his feet up on the desk and his hands behind his head. It was a calm night. They had just closed a minor case earlier today. Winter and the Christmas season had rolled around once again. Kate Beckett, Flynn's friend and fellow detective, and Abby Shuto, the energetic Goth forensic scientist, were decking the halls with little strings of lights, greenery, and an artificial Christmas tree. The other detectives on Flynn's team, all men, were doing pretty much the same as he; though Detective Esposito actually was going through a couple of papers, but the effort was halfhearted, and he found plenty of distractions.

Oh, but the blessed peace of the evening could only last so long. The phone at Flynn's desk rang him out of his sleep, causing him to throw his legs off the desk and reluctantly reach for the phone, brushing stray brown hair out of his tired eyes. "Whu—Flynn Rider, whaddya want?"

The nervous voice of a patrol cop echoed in his ear, full of static and crackles. "Rider, it's him!"

"What's the problem? What are you talking about? You can't mean him." Flynn felt his heart pound and his breath quicken.

"Yeah, we're positive it's your guy! You've got to get down here, now. I'm on Elm. You'll see the police cars, just now, Rider, now!"

Every moment from then on was swirled around Flynn as if in slow motion. He shouted orders at his team, snapping them away from happy thoughts and dreams, tearing out of the precinct and down Elm Street. Flynn spotted the police cars and slammed on his brakes so hard he was glad he was alone in his car. His footsteps crunched on the asphalt as he strode quickly over to the patrol cop. "We've got him inside, the family is safe. Apparently he was attempting another murder, but it...didn't work out. Details later." The cop reported breathlessly.

Flynn nodded and patted the young cop on the back. "Thank you," he murmured, advancing forward and drawing his handgun from his hip. Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito close behind, he crept closer to the house when...there was a shatter of window glass from the back of the house. A loud thump as a shadowy figure hit the earth. He scrambled to his feet and took off down the street. Flynn followed him at a flat out run, firing his gun amidst the screaming people and shouted orders, the distant cries of "We'll be your backup, Rider!"

The dark figure ducked and zoomed around through the streets, turning about every hundred feet or so to fire a shot at Flynn, but the culprit had the disadvantage, Flynn avoided every bullet.

For a little while it seemed like the chase and bullet tag would stretch on and on, but Flynn was in better shape than the man he pursued. Just as the killer ducked into a dirty alley full of trash and debris, Flynn caught up all the way. He sprang on the killer, using all of his strength to keep the man beneath him under control. Flynn finally seized the man's wrist behind him and pulled them both to their feet, digging around for the handcuffs in his belt.

"Hello, despicable," Flynn said coolly, disgust tainting his voice.

"Ah, if it isn't Ariel's daring big brother, avenging her tragic death." The killer spat with recognition.

Now Flynn knew without a doubt that this was the man he'd been hunting for the past decade. At the rude comment, the mention of his beloved sister's name, the fires of Flynn's soul flared up. But he didn't let it show. Flynn Rider never let emotion show. "Yes, the very one," he replied nonchalantly, "Devilishly handsome daring big brother, oh, and you forgot one part," the handcuffs snapped down on the killer's wrists. "Successful."

Flynn felt his captor writhe with anger. "She deserved it!"

Flynn shouted back, "NOBODY deserves to die like that! Don't you DARE tell me you have the right to decide when life is taken and when it isn't! That right is God's, and His ALONE, you hear me?"

"God isn't fair!" the man screamed. "He took MY sister when she was 16! Why don't I get my sister? Why did YOU get YOUR sister?"

Flynn said nothing, letting silence lay suspended between them, thickening with every quiet moment that passed. Flynn still faced the man's back and holding his cuffed wrists as they waited for backup. Flynn searched for the proper way to word the response in his mind, letting time stretch out to what seemed like an eternity. He shattered the quiet with a low, menacing tone of voice, words selected carefully. "Life isn't fair, you should have learned that when you were a kid. When it's your time to go, it's your time to go. Period. Selfish people of this world—all of us included—don't get to choose. Only He can pick. Your sister is WAY happier if she's in Heaven than she's ever been on earth.

"There was a time for sympathy in this matter. I could take pity on you. I could get you help from others in addition to your sentence. But I won't. Maybe these murders were an act of misshapen grief. But they are also so selfish you take the biggest thing any man can take. You took LIFE. That just isn't justifiable for you in any way. Not when you do it time after time. Not when you've had time to think and repent and your conscience to guide you. Not to harmless young girls.

"So I'm going to let you sit in your prison cell for the rest of your life. And you can think. You can THINK about Ariel and why sister's death was worth this mess you've gotten yourself into that you have been entangled in for ten years. You imagine what she'd say if she were here, if she'd been proud you got revenge for her on innocent people like herself." Flynn spun around and faced that worn, heartless face of the wretched man he'd been trying so hard to catch. "So, without further ado, you are under arrest for the murder of Ariel Marie Fitzherbert and every one of those young ladies whose lives you selfishly snatched."

The killer groaned, but Flynn said nothing more. Backup arrived momentarily. The cuffed man, I will not say his name because he has too many fake names and identities to count, was finally hauled off to prison.

And then suddenly, it was over.

"Take him away, boys."

Justice had finally caught up to that cruel soul, the cause of one young detective's constant pain, heartache, obsession, sleepless nights and failed relationships for ten years. Now that was all behind him. And Flynn had absolutely no idea what to do next.

Hey, Rider," Flynn's fellow detectives came up behind him. "Catch of the year!"

"Awesome job, you nailed 'im Rider!" Everyone was hugging him, patting him on the back and offering congratulations.

"It's finally all over." Detective Beckett whispered, the 8th's only girl and the only one feeling the weight of the moment for her friend.

"Finally, Beckett." Flynn replied. "Mind if I call my parents right now? Then we'll talk some more."

Beckett nodded encouragingly. Flynn smiled at her gratefully, pulled out his phone and speed-dialed his mother's number.

"Hi, Eugene!" the kind voice of his mother said as she picked up the phone. Faint noises of clatter were audible, it sounded like she was doing the dinner dishes.

"Hi Mom," Flynn said, a slight shake in his tone, walking a little ways off from his friends to speak privately.

"Hey, hon. How's life, sweetie? Are you all right?" his mother asked with a bit of concern. Her eldest son usually answered the phone with a joke or a cheerful greeting.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm...great. Could you get Dad?"

His mother paused, hearing the distraught inflection of his voice. "Eugene Christopher," his mother said slowly, her voice full of worry, "what is wrong?"

Flynn cringed at his mother's upset tone. "Nothing, Mom, I just need you both to know."

His mother sighed. "Okay...HON! 'Gene's got something to tell us!" she called.

A moment later Flynn heard his father's shuffling footsteps. "Hey Junior, what's going on?" a deep voice rang into the phone.

"Well...how do I put this gently? ...I caught him." Flynn said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"You can't mean Ariel's—do you mean that man?" His mother whispered.

"Yes. I caught the man whole took her away from us. She can rest in peace, and we'll all get some sleep tonight—every night. I finally did it!"

His father laughed, deep and hearty, muffled tears came to his ear, a clatter was audible as the phone dropped to the floor. Flynn listened to them rejoice, love and happiness filling his heart. He began to reflect on the past decade, on the years he spent, waiting for this moment. It wasn't exactly going how he imagined it. The warmth in his heart was wonderful, but what he'd just done—finished his task—the weight of it laid on his shoulders. It replaced the weight of Ariel's death he had carried.

Everyone's face who helped him along the way flashed briefly through his mind. His family, everyone he worked with at the 8th, Ryan, Esposito, Beckett. And so many people he had met and became close to over the years. His thoughts stopped in their tracks on one young lady who made the list of those who assisted him. Maybe she didn't help him directly, but she did help, in her own little comforting way. She'd barely known him, yet had offered such gentle compassion. Blondie.

"I am so proud of you, son! I can't believe you finally—oh, but I KNEW you would!" His mother's excited voice tore Flynn from his trance. You did it! You really did it! Oh, sweetie, come home and tell us about it! It's a bit late now, but how about...tomorrow?"

"Of course, Mama, would you like me to come for lunch?" Flynn said brightly.

"See you then, honey, I gotta call the family! OH, sweetheart, you're just amazing!"

"Okay, I gotta go too. I need to...call on a friend."

"Is it someone I know?" his mother lingered on the phone a little longer.

"No, but she...helped...solve the case."

"Then I'm sure she is angelic. Bye!"

"See ya Mom!" Flynn hung up the phone quietly. He wandered back over to everyone rejoicing. "Hey, Rider," the Captain called, "We were just thinking this calls for a celebration. Want to go out for a cold one?"

Flynn looked at the circle of happy faces around him. He couldn't do it right now. That momentous, almost overwhelming weight of actually accomplishing what he set out to do so long ago still bore down on him. I'll end up having too much to drink, Flynn realized. And I sure don't want a hangover tomorrow to go to Mom and Dad's, he thought with a sigh. I gotta see Blondie. "Ehh..." Flynn said, "Sorry guys, I gotta pay someone a visit."

A chorus of 'aw, heck' was heard, but Beckett nodded. "Go for it. We understand."

Flynn mouthed 'thank you' as everyone else joined Kate in encouraging him. "Yeah, Flynn we understand, yeah, go."

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

How did y'all like this chapter? :) I suppose a bit of my Christian/Catholic faith shone through when Flynn was talking to that evil dude! I really hope no one's offended! A couple of y'all said you were interested in the case and some thriller-y stuff...there you go! So it isn't VERY intense, I'm sorry, I hope this satisfies y'all 'cause there won't be any more thrills for a while. :D And I'm SO glad that y'all are okay with the change from thief to detective! There will be some more back story on this in a couple chapters! And there WILL be Rapunzel next chapter, I promise! *sticks out pinky*

Review replies!

Moonlitrose369: I hope you got my message! :) I love YOUR AUs!

Leblover: I'm glad you like my writing style! This is what I live for, to pleeease my readers! Bit of a shocker, I know ;) this story is quite different, and I'm SOO thrilled you're liking it!

Sunnyprincessbird: Aw, Sunny, stupendous? O.O Really? THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! That's so sweet, I'm really glad you're enjoying it! :D

: Oh, dear, did I already make it obvious they were made for each other? *giggle* heehee! Your review just made me glow! I loved it, thanks so much dear!

An Unknown Foreign Beauty: I'm thrilled you like this story! :D like I said above, that's all the thrills for now, but I hope you still enjoy it! :) I've got a lot in store for you guys!

Pancakes, Color-de-Musica, susan friedman, Emma's Angel, write-to-be-me, and Punzie the Platypus (Love the user name!) (and write-to-be-me, I'm sooo glad you liked Carmichael! I thought it was a cute last name!) Thank you all SO much for your reviews! I got so many more and so much more positive response then I expected, and you guys are really what fuel me to keep writing! I love you guys! Next chapter should be up in a couple of weeks! Happy New Year!

Love, FizzyFannie