Wow has it really been 6 month since I last updated this? Wow. Sorry about that; I had school, and no one really seemed interested in it. Anyway, I didn't proofread this because it's late and I have stuff to do tomorrow. I don't own anything. Enjoy!

Big thanks to pippin143 for inspiring and motivating me to start this up again. You rock, Sarah!

Rapunzel was walking along a steep, rocky ravine, gathering raspberries from the bushes that grew along the edge. Her small basket was almost full and she knew that she should be heading home, but she lingered, admiring the pretty forest view. She had been doing that more and more lately, less reluctant to go back to her mother and their small cottage.

She liked to think out here, where no one could disturb her, just about random things. Her thoughts wandered while she enjoyed the sense of peace.

Seeing a patch of flowers, she bent down to pick a few, when she stepped of a loose rock. Her foot turned under her and she stumbled. The world seemed to tilt around her and she fell, rolling down the ravine. She tried to stop her fall, digging her fingernails into the rocky ground, but she only got more scratched for her efforts.

When she finally came to a rest at the bottom, she just laid there for a moment. Eyes closed, Rapunzel felt scraped, bruised, and wet. She didn't want to get up. Maybe if she just stayed there, someone would come and rescue her, help her up and dust her off. After another moment, she grunted and pushed herself up. No such luck.

Rapunzel looked herself over. Red scrapes covered her arms and her dress was torn. Pulling herself up from the small creek she had landed in, she pushed to her feet. She stumbled again when her ankle gave out, sharp pain flaring from the joint. Leaning heavily against a boulder and panting, she glanced down. Her ankle was already swelling. Yep, definitely sprained.

Well. She started climbing, slowly and favoring her ankle, up the steep ravine. Mother was sure to be furious if she didn't get home soon.

She was limping along the path home, basket of bruised fruit clenched tightly to her side, when she heard someone behind her. She snuck a quick look behind her. Where two path met, a man had started following her, wearing hiking boots and a backpack.

Stiffening, she tried to limp faster, fear overcoming her. She has never, ever seen anyone else in the woods, never seen anyone else, period. But just as fear screams at her to run, curiosity burns at her too, and she looks back again.

The man smiled at her, and she gives a hesitant grin in return before looking away. He looked friendly, with open brown eyes and broad features. They continue in silence for a couple more minutes until he speaks up.

"Are you okay?" His voice is soft and unsure and it stops Rapunzel in her tracks.

"I-I'm fine. Just a sprain."

"Want me to wrap it for you?"

"Well, I can't, I, um…" She scrambled for an excuse to leave, the lesson Mother taught her repeating in her head: don't trust anyone, don't trust anyone.

"Come on, it'll only take a minute." He gestured to a large, flat rock off the side of the path and her curiosity won out against her fear. Besides, his smile was open and trusting and her ankle really hurt, and she sat down on the rock and slid off her boot while the man dug through his backpack. "I'm Jim, by the way."

"Alison." She grinned, still nervous but excited because she had never talked to another person before.

Bringing out some white cloth, Jim started to wrap her ankle. "So, do you live out here?"

"Yep, with my mother." Oh, if Mother knew that she was talking to someone… "You live in town, right? What's it like?"

"It's just a town. Pretty regular."

"Oh. What do you do?"

"I teach gym at the elementary school."

Alison giggled and he gave her a curious look. "You're a gym teacher named Jim?" Laughing, he shrugged.

"I never thought about that. So, just you and your mom out here?"

"Yeah. What about you?" She really didn't want to talk about herself.

"No family." A short pause followed and Alison felt a twinge of pity for him. At least she had someone. But then he smiled, washing away her sympathy. "But I've got Katherine."

"Who's that?" He looked so happy that she felt something else, not pity, at least not for him.

"My girlfriend. We just started dating a couple of weeks ago. She's really—just amazing."

"Where—" She was about to ask another question about town when a sudden wave of light washed over them. And then there were memories and thoughts and emotions, new and old at the same time, years of one life colliding with another. It was all suddenly there, and Alison—no Rapunzel—could hardly breathe, weighed down with shock.

Breaking her out of her frantic thoughts was Jim, jumping to his feet with pure joy etched into his face. "Oh my g—Abigail! I have to go, I've got to find Abigail!" He looked ready to bolt back to town, but turned and focused on her. "Are you okay? It's just—I've got to go."

"I'm fine, go!" He grinned again, full and happy and her chest felt empty and she didn't know why. And he was running full-tilt down the path, disappearing from sight.

And Rapunzel was left there, sitting on a rock at the side of the path. She didn't even attempt to search her memories, didn't bother trying to process them. After the initial shock of having another life shoved in her head, Rapunzel wasn't overwhelmed. She didn't feel happy or sad or anything. Her life was the same in both realms. So she finished wrapping her ankle, forced her boot back on, and went home.

In the bright sunshine, Rapunzel sat on a bench in the park, drawing. It was about three months after she first came into town, and she was loving it. She was still staying at Granny's, but was now able to pay for her small room. The sketchbook and soft charcoal that smudged her fingers black was bought using her first paycheck. The second bought (desperately needed) new clothes. Today she wore dark blue jean shorts and an embroidered tank top, her hair back in a high ponytail.

Looking up, she studied Sleepy (or Nathan), who was sitting slumped against a tree trunk, snoring softly, before turning back to her sketch. She rubbed out a few lines and went over them, making the picture more precise.

"Hey Blondie." Eugene suddenly dropped into the space next to her, both arms over the back of the bench. Knowing he didn't need a response, she quickly finished the sketch. When she looked up at him, he was asleep, head rest awkwardly on his shoulder. Stifling a giggle, Rapunzel turned to a new page, and started a new drawing.

It really was nice in Storybrooke. She had a lively job, tons of people to talk to, and a couple of close friends. Eugene was the closest. And while he refused to tell her much about who he was before the curse, she knew his Enchanted Forest name was Flynn. He was 22, four years older than Rapunzel, and worked at Pegasus, the stables just outside of town. Despite all of his complaining (he had to clean up after the 'royals'again), she could tell he liked it. It was hard work, though, and she looked over to study him for a moment. Bags lined his closed eyes and patches of dirt covered him from head to toe. He even had some hay in his hair. She sighed, wishing that he would take it easier but knowing that he needed the money.

Going back to drawing, she thought about the rest of the citizens of Storybrooke. Granny was witty and caring beneath her gruffness, Jim often visited her when she was working and introduced her to Abigail, and the Charming family-with all of the strange branches on their family tree—was nice, if a bit intimidating.

"That's great." At Eugene's sudden comment, she jumped. She swatted at his shoulder and he chuckled. "Sorry. I mean it though. Very lifelike." He gestured to her sketch.

"Thanks!" On her sketchbook was a glaring redhead in a blue hoodie. Unruly curls spilled off her shoulders and blue eyes gleamed with anger. Merida was on of their friends, her fiery and fun-loving personality always entertaining. "A couple mistakes, but I kinda like it."

"I definitely think you captured her." He laughed again. "Can I show it to her?"

"If you want." Rapunzel shrugged. She didn't think they were very good, but loved drawing too much to stop. At this point, she'd probably drawn everyone in town—at least once. (If she was being truthful, she had quite a few of Hook, but he was extremely handsome, so she couldn't help herself.) "I did one of you earlier. Want to see it?"

He perked up and nodded. "Course I do!" They spent the next couple minutes looking through the mostly full book, commenting on the drawings (he said his own was 'handsome beyond reason'), when she hears a cough above her.

She looked up and regretted it immediately, her smiles sliding off her face and her body tensing. Her mother glared down at her.

"Alison."

"Mother." Rapunzel's voice was soft, almost wavering in fear. Everything she always hated about her mother was coming back: the anxiety, the guilt, the way she made her feel ugly, inside and out.

The elder women spared a glance at Eugene, spitting out a curt order. "Leave." He didn't, instead moving his arm from the back of the bench to wrap around her, grasping her shoulder protectively.

"No." She looked up from the ground to see him completely at ease, legs crossed at the ankle and wearing a crooked grin. But the smile didn't reach his eyes and his grip on her was too tight; he's serious. He put himself in the line of fire for her and if there's one thing she couldn't stand it's someone getting hurt because of her.

"Eugene." The words came quietly as rests a hand on his where he grips her shoulder. "I'll be fine." He looked at her, stone-faced, probably ready to protest. "I'm fine." She said the words harshly, trying to get him to listen.

Finally, he nodded stiffly, got up, and walked away. She still couldn't look her mother in the eye.

"Come on, Alison. We're going home." Obviously thinking that Rapunzel would follow her, she turned and started to walk away. She stood, twisting her hands, but didn't move, and the older women turned back and narrowed her eyes. "Alison."

"Mother," she started, voice timid. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "It isn't so bad here. The people are nice and I have a job… I want to stay, Mother."

The plea didn't even faze her. "You don't know what you want, you're only eighteen." She scoffed.

"Please, I—" Rapunzel was cut short by her mother storming up to her and grabbing her forearm. Shaking her harshly, she leaned in close and glared. The blonde shrunk away from the sudden proximity and a small whimper escaped her lips.

"You are eighteen, I am your mother, and we are going home now!" The last word was punctuated by a harsh tug on her arm, and she began walking briskly down the street, tugging her daughter behind her.

"NO!" Struggling, Rapunzel was finally able to tear her arm out of the other's grip. A bruise was already forming on her arm.

"No? Oh," A malicious smile spread across her face. "I see how it is. Alison thinks she's all grown up now, hmm? So smart, so clever. You actually think you can make it on your own." And she laughed, cruel and mocking.

"I don't think, I know! I—"

"That isn't you, Alison, that's other people's pity! Your job, your rooms, you didn't earn them; that old crone practically gave them to you! And everyone else? They don't like you, how could they?"

With each word, Rapunzel felt herself shrink a little more, until she felt like a child again. She still tried to fight back, wanting to deny it. "No, they're my friends, they lo—"

"They don't. You're a fool if you think otherwise." Her mother grabbed her again, her hand this time, more gently. "Come home, Alison."

They began walking, her mind echoing they don't, pity, they don't. After a few steps, though, Rapunzel snapped out of it and pulled away roughly.

"No." She wouldn't go with her, anything was better than her.

"I wasn't asking." And with those words, Gothel made a gesture, almost like a wave, palm towards her. Rapunzel froze.

She could see the purple-red haze over her eyes, tinting her surroundings. Her mother was walking, pulling her prone form behind her. She struggled, trying to get free, but couldn't so much as twitch a finger. No one seemed to notice her being kidnapped

Why can't anyone see me, someone please please help.

They made it about two blocks away before they were stopped. And it was the last person she thought would ever come to her rescue.

The Evil Queen stepped into her mother's path, quirking an eyebrow. "Gothel. I didn't expect to see you in town."

"I had to pick up some things, you know, for around the house." She smiled pleasantly.

"That's nice, still living in that, ah, quaint cottage outside town?"

"Of course, it's so homey. You should come for a visit sometime." If hateful smirks could kill, Rapunzel wouldn't have a thing to worry about.

"Maybe sometime. More to the point, why are you carrying your daughter around like a sack of potatos?" Her smirk widened into a grin at her mother's glare. "And cloaked, too, I wonder why you're hiding." She waved her hand and Rapunzel dropped a few inches to the pavement. She received a few shocked looks from pedestrians at seeing her appear from thin air.

While she wondered whether to run, her mother took a threatening step towards the Queen. "Regina, you swore you wouldn't interfere."

"The situation's changed. If she doesn't go willingly, she doesn't go at all." Glancing between the brunette and the blonde, Gothel frowned and disappeared in a big puff of purple cloud.

Rapunzel was left gaping at the Evil Queen. She finally managed to croak out a hesitant "…thank you?"

With a dismissive gesture, she walked off, heels clacking into the distance.

Trembling slightly from the intense family encounter, Rapunzel turned towards Granny.

R&R please! And if anyone is interested in beta-ing future chapters, let me know.