It was strange how much Rapunzel had in common with Pitch. She also never understood how anyone was actually afraid of him. But, then again she had never seen his dark side, never been on the receiving end of his nightmare powers. He was the man who came to her at night when she was younger, the one who at first had been after her Mother. The man who wanted to scare this mighty old witch that had lived for centuries. Instead he found Rapunzel, heard her tiny snickering that night as she watched him attempt to give Mother Gothel a nightmare. It was a rough time fifteen or so odd years ago, many had already began forgetting Pitch. It was becoming increasingly hard for him to scare even small children. He had actually been in shock when little Rapunzel saw him. Though, it wasn't until he learned of her magic hair that Pitch decided he could use the girl for more than just small idiotic conversation to pass the time. He had been trying for years to gain her trust, to recruit Rapunzel. But, it had always been subtle hints, a small devilish smirk as he tried to convince Rapunzel his way was the best way. Lately Pitch had been more persistent and Rapunzel could tell that there was something going on, something serious.

The sun rose, its bright rays casting their way in through her window and creeping across her face. Though, Rapunzel had been awake for an hour at least, just laying in bed and staring at the ceiling. What did he want? Pitch always had a reason for everything, a plan, there was something he wanted. The light that was beaming through Rapunzel's window seemed to dull, her room darkening. "You could knock at some point." Rapunzel spoke annoyed as she pushed the covers off of herself and sitting up.

"You're still annoyed I left last night."

"No...I hadn't really expected to act like a rational friend and stay." Rapunzel shrugged and snubbed her nose up, he tone a bit obvious to her feelings.

"You've made it perfectly clear we are not friends." Pitch narrowed his eyes. "After all, I'm a monster who feeds on nightmares." Rapunzel peeked over at him, frowning somewhat. She had remembered that night she spoke to him like that. She hadn't actually meant the words, she didn't consider Pitch a monster. But, maybe she should. "Maybe, I was hoping you would prove me wrong." She found her hands fidgeting as she began to play with the corner of her bed sheets. He idle hands needing something to do. "But, clearly you seem to have business to conduct here..so what is it?"

He hated when she took that tone of voice with him. The one where she felt superior, as if she knew him and his actions better than he did. Which he would admit, she was the only person he kept around long enough to actually guess his actions and know his reasoning for things, but Rapunzel always had a lot of nerve feeling as though she knew Pitch better than himself. "I forgot to cloak myself from you..." He said, but then blinked for just a moment. "Not that..I was planning on coming in here...invisible or anything." He blinked again and then decided to just continue speaking before she opened that mouth of hers. "I decided to strike a deal. One you might be interested in."

Rapunzel eyed Pitch for a moment. This was normally his last line of defense. If he couldn't make someone do something, he normally chose to blackmail or bribe. Something in her gut told Rapunzel that Pitch wouldn't black mail or force her to do something, though maybe it was a foolish thing to assume. She had once before thought that of a man, and had been let down. But, Pitch wasn't a man...he wasn't even human. He was the shell of man who had died long ago. A ghost..a king of nightmares. "Go on.." She said scooting off her bed and walking towards him. Her arms were crossed again, a usual pose she took when standing in front of Pitch.

"I have information that I've been holding on to for some time now." Pitch smirked, watching her walk towards him. "Regarding your mother..I may even throw in some information about a certain Eugene Fitzherbert." Pitch's eyes narrowed, examining Rapunzel and how she would react, if he piqued her curiosity. He could see that little spark in her bright green eyes ignite when he spoke of Eugene, causing his stomach to knot slightly. She was still in love with that dead man even though she believed he betrayed her. It was disgusting feeling that Pitch ignored, he always ignored it when it came to Rapunzel. "Are you interested?"

"I am...but then I'd have to help you. Help you in your plan to bring nightmares to everyone." Rapunzel shook her head. "I can't be selfish and trade my power for information...I probably wouldn't do anything with what you tell me anyway." Rapunzel sighed. Deep down she had a feeling about what Pitch was going to reveal to her. A painful feeling that her Mother had something to do with the death of Eugene. It was information she was afraid to hear, and she knew that Pitch could feel that. He could feel her fear no matter how small and hidden it was. She had stopped trying to hide it from him, after she learned he could feel that fear in his bones.

"Help me wage a war against people who have wronged me. Help me heal if they harm me, help me bring up a little fear in this overly cheerful world."

Rapunzel's eyes narrowed this time, fiercely piercing through Pitch. "No!" She shouted this time. "I won't help you...you can't force me. And if you try you...you aren't any better than Mother."

Pitch's eyes widened for a moment, she couldn't possibly believe that he would actually force her? He gulped and shook his head, a small amount of anger began to boil within him, slowly growing until it was overflowing. "She is responsible for Eugene's death. That woman you live with. You chose to believe her lies over what you had with that boy." His words were like daggers cutting through her. And even though part of Rapunzel always knew of this, part of her felt it deep down, hearing Pitch tell her in this evil angry tone was almost too much for her. "You claim to be this righteous beacon of light and good, but it was your fault he was hanged and killed. Your fault that you chose to stay in this life and be alone. You know what she is and continue to help her." It was only in these instances with Rapunzel that Pitch remembered what it was like to be human, how it felt to feel. She brought out such anger in him. Pitch stared at the girl whose eyes were welling up, and looked pale and hurt. All he could do was stare at her, before he disappeared out of her room in a puff of sandy smoke that wisped out of her window.

Rapunzel waited until the last grain of sand left her room before throwing herself back on her bed. Her body engulfing the pillows and sheets as she felt her tears moisten her bed. Why did he feel the need to speak to her like that? His tone..he sounded like it was his sole purpose in life to make her feel this way. Yet she wasn't scared...she was sad. Never had Pitch ever caused her to feel this pain in her chest before, it was a feeling she wasn't sure she would be able to forgive. But, at the same time..he had verified something Rapunzel had only been pushing down for so long. Her Mother had been responsible, had helped set in motion the events that caused Eugene's death. How would she be able to continue living with this woman who has been using her and lying to her for so long?

A breeze blew through Rapunzel's window, an unfamiliar cold wind that crept through and down her spine. It caused her tears to stop in their tracks as she picked her head up, slightly afraid to turn around. But, something inside her told Rapunzel it was okay, it was going to be alright. Slowly Rapunzel rose from her bed and turned to face her window.

"Your cousin said that we would be able to find you here." The boy with white hair smiled.