Hey, everyone!

So, anyway, I got a lot of reviews about Chapter three, and I just want to thank everyone, especially those who left critiques. I appreciate constructive critisism, because I feel that makes my writing better. But of course, I love praise (who doesn't) :-D ! Thanks, thanks, THANKS!

Anyway, sorry if this doesn't reach your standards-I really wanted to get chapter 4 up tonight but I was sort of pressed for time. Still, I tried my best, so...hope you like it!

Pascal will make his rounds after you review! Today he's got a bag full of chocolate! Why? Because he felt like it. Would you rather a frying pan upside the head? I didn't think so.

Thanks again for all the great reviews! Keep them coming!

:-)

I don't own Tangled...BUT I HAVE THE SOUNDTRACK, NOW! Sigh...just amazing...


(Rapunzel's P.O.V.)

I couldn't believe it.

We were actually leaving.

Though the whole new experience—feeling the grass under my toes, smelling the sweet scent of the outdoors, dipping my toes in a puddle of cool water for the first time, like, ever—was amazing, tears still threatened to fall from my eyes as I stared at my tower…my home…that I would be leaving…

…Forever.

"Rapunzel," Mother's voice snapped me from my wistful gaze of the tower, and I whirled my head back around, trying my best to ignore the wave of homesickness already sweeping over me.

"Dear, keep your hood up," Mother ordered me, and I absentmindedly obeyed, adjusting the dark hood over my head that flared out into a full cloak that hid me completely. Mother said I was to wear that to hide my hair, but it wasn't really successful, seeing as my hair trailed out for what seemed like forever in the grass. Oh, well. As Mother always said, "Mother knows best." It was pointless to object.

In my hands, I grasped, not much, but just what I had been able to carry when I heard we were relocating. All I had in my hands was my box of paints, a few of my favorite lavender dresses folded up nice and neat, the only three books I had ever owned, and of course, a frying pan. Oh, and I also carried a convenient little sketch pad for when I had that on-the-go inspiration to paint. Of course, now, exposed to this whole new world, I would have tons of new painting ideas, but, sadly, I wondered if I would ever have the opportunity to sit down and paint. I prayed our new home would be just as nice as the tower. Then, I would make a whole new mural. Still, it would never replace my old one, and, realizing that, I let out a sigh.

Oh, and I had one more thing…the satchel.

Of course, I couldn't let Mother see it, or she'd confiscate it for sure. No, it was slung over my shoulder and hidden under my cloak, and inside of it was a few other things I hadn't been able to carry; among them, Pascal.

As if the little chameleon could tell he crossed my mind, he poked his head out of the front of my cloak, and I almost couldn't tell he was there because he blended in with the black fabric so well. However, he let out a little squeak and looked up at me curiously, and I shook my head.

"No, Pascal," I whispered, making sure I was out of Mother's earshot, "we're not there yet. I'm sorry…but I promise I'll tell you when we get there."

A look of sadness flooded my little pet's eyes, and then he scurried back into my cloak.

I felt sorry for Pascal…just as I felt sorry for myself. I knew I shouldn't complain; I was getting my wish, after all. I was getting to leave the tower. But this was different. I wanted to leave to see the lanterns, knowing I would come back.

This time, I would never come back.

My mind flooded with a recollection of what had occurred in just the past hour—it had changed my life forever. Why hadn't I just kept quiet? Or—and this infuriated me—why couldn't that man just have minded his own business in the first place and never intruded in my tower? I shook my head. I couldn't blame him…in fact, I was now coming to think it was just a misunderstanding. He was just an innocent man in the wrong place at the wrong time, and—

"Agh!" I cried out as I slammed against something, having not been paying attention to where I was going. All the things in my hands fell onto the floor, and Pascal skittered out onto my arm to see what was going on. I shook my head, trying to clear my vision after crashing into the unexpected object, and in front of me I made out the bark of a tree—something else in this outside world that was new to me.

"Rapunzel?" Mother whirled around, anxiously rushing to my side. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…" I mumbled, unsure of what to say. I got attacked by a…tree? Maybe Mother was right, after all. I was pretty clumsy and vague… "Just…I, uh…"

"Rapunzel," she snapped, "mumbling…"

"Oh, right," I nodded, shaking my head. "Never mind. I'm fine."

Mother looked me over suspiciously one last time, and then, with a shrug, went back to the front and began leading the way once again.

"Don't dawdle, dear," she called back to me.

But I didn't hear her last few words, because once again, I was focused on something else. And this time, this something else was right in front of me.

I had seen many amazing things that day, but this wasn't just amazing—it was shocking, and terrifying, and made my heart freeze. I reached up to touch it, and the crinkle of paper under my fingertips proved that I wasn't dreaming.

It was him.

There it was, clear as day. It looked exactly like him…except for the nose.

The man who had been in my tower.

The poster had everything—the same messy hair, the same charming smile, and above that image, four words that I will never forget.

Wanted: Thief

Flynn Rider.

Stunned, I looked below the picture to see more.

Wanted, dead or alive.

Oh, my gosh.

My head was reeling, and I tried to catch my breath.

My mother was right.

He was a thief.

He hadn't just stumbled upon that tower innocently…he was there for a purpose.

He was there for me.

"Rapunzel!" Mother called once again, noticing that I was staring, wide-eyed, at a tree. Pascal, seeing she was approaching, skittered back up my sleeve.

"You were right…" I gasped, and that was all I could say. I tore the picture off the tree, gripping it tightly in my hands. I couldn't believe it.

Mother had been right.

"What's that, dear?" she asked, coming back over to my side once again.

"It's him…he's a criminal…" I breathed, heart pounding. Tears flooded my eyes. And to think, I helped him escape…

…who knows what kind of trouble he was causing now?

Not saying that I should have let him die…of course, I could never do that. But just…I couldn't believe it. I felt betrayed.

Completely and utterly betrayed.

"Oh, Rapunzel," Mother gasped, taking a look at the crumpled wanted poster in my hands. She clucked her tongue. "What did I tell you? I told you that man was up to no good! Why didn't you listen?"

"Mother, I couldn't just let you—" I sighed, not finishing my sentence. I couldn't even bring myself to say the words. I just shook my head and pulled out the satchel, hurling it to the ground, not caring that I was revealing it to Mother. Let her see it!

As the satchel hit the dirt, it flew open, sending my belongings scattering everywhere, and one other thing:

The crown.

Mother let out a gasp unlike anything I'd ever heard, and then she ran over to the ground, and picked it up, hands trembling.

"How…" she whispered, "h—how did you get this?"

"He brought it," I spat out the word. "Keep it. I don't care anymore."

Mother still stared at the crown in her shaking hands.

"Mother…" I asked, confused at Mother's strange reaction. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said quickly, tucking the crown into her own cloak pocket. "Let's just stop here. I need to take a rest for a bit, dear…"

I nodded, still unsure about Mother's odd response. With a shrug, I wandered off into a small flower patch, far enough to give Mother some space but not far enough to make her worry about me. I leaned down to observe the small flowers—or, actually, they were weeds. But I didn't care. I thought they still looked pretty.

Dandelions—I had read about those in my botany book. I picked up one of them and blew, surprised to see all the little puffy white seeds blow off into the breeze. Enthused, I picked up another one and blew. Again, a flurry of dandelion fluff.

Another dandelion. Blow. A fuzzy white paradise.

Pretty soon, I was blissfully blowing on every dandelion in sight, my worries completely forgotten. I pranced through the soft puffs, feeling their fuzz underneath the soles of my feet, twirling and blowing, twirling and blowing…

And then I froze.

Because, amongst all the dandelion puffs fluttering back down to earth, I spotted something.

A person, to be more exact.

There, only a few yards away, was him.

That man.

The thief.

Flynn Rider.

And I had never been more terrified in my life.


Yes, before you say anything, I know that Rapunzel didn't know the crown was a crown. I just couldn't think of a better way to describe it. :-)

More soon!

Tell me what you think! Hope you liked!