Disclaimer: I sadly do not own "Tangled" or "Once Upon a Time".

A/N: Please let me know in the reviews what you liked and what you didn't. I do listen to any input given, and would love to hear any of your thoughts.

The Mines and Mother's Business

"I can't run any farther" Rapunzel gasped. Her hair weighed a ton.

"C'mon Blondie. Just a little farther." Flynn encouraged, a few feet ahead.

"If you haven't noticed, my hair is really long….and heavy!" Rapunzel snapped back.

"Oh that's an easy fix" Flynn laughed. He walked towards Rapunzel, lifted up an armful of hair. He raised his eyebrow. "Run!"

They ran down small corridors, twisting and turning. Rapunzel heart beat faster than it ever had. Flynn struggled under the weight of Rapunzel's hair as he ran. It would have been easier to have left her, much safer, Flynn thought. But as he followed her, and watched her back, he realized he could have never done that. He wasn't sure why yet.

"Here" Rapunzel opened a tiny door, and they both squeezed into a small closet. They went as far back as they could, pressed together, breathing heavily in the dark.

"I'm not sure this was the best idea. We should have kept going." Flynn panted.

"That's how those men would think, not like me, so we stay here." Rapunzel was just happy to pause and actually take a breath.

There was a moment of silence.

"Why didn't you tell me you were wanted?" Rapunzel asked softly. "I know I didn't ask. But you could have told me, I probably would have let you go, without this whole deal."

"Really that's all it would took?" Flynn was flabbergasted, telling the truth would have gotten him out of this! Who knew?!

"Well yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to trust someone who could be a murderer for all I know. Too late for that."

"Hey!" Flynn angrily whispered, "I am not a murderer! What do you mean too late?"

"Well that's good to know...I meant I already trust you, why would I be here if I didn't." Rapunzel said matter of factly.

"Oh" Flynn felt awkward, this girl trusted him, and he had been trying to get rid of her the whole entire time. "You know, I was trying to get you to turn back. That's why I took you to the Snuggly Duckling."

"I kinda figured it was something like that."

"And I am a thief, that's why the king wants me. I stole his daughter's tiara...and other things."

"Thanks for telling me, why-"

"Shhh" Flynn quickly covered Rapunzel's mouth.

The sounds of marching boots reached their ears. The boots stopped near Rapunzel and Flynn's door. Rapunzel reached out for Flynn's hand, scared out of her mind.

"What are you doing here?" A gruff voice demanded from outside.

"We are in search of Flynn Rider. We think he went into these tunnels."

"Well, he ain't here. There are only dwarves here."

"We'd still like to search the place."

"You can't."

"Excuse me! We under direct orders from the king."

"Dwarves aren't apart of your kingdom. You know the rules. Get out!"

"When the King hears about this-"

"He will what? Send some more of you down here? We make fairy dust, remember. Smiley and Dopey will lead you out.

"Smiley and Dopey" the soldier man muttered, "Who names your kids?"

"You say something?" the gruff dwarf asked steely.

"Nothing...yet"

The troop marched away. When they couldn't hear them any further, Rapunzel let out a giggle.

"I should have come down into the mines a long time ago" Flynn said amazed, he had no idea that the King's grasp didn't reach underground.

"Well you can thank Belle, because now you know." Rapunzel reached for the door, but it opened before she could touch it.

"Well look who we have in the closet." A bearded dwarf said angrily. They found out who the gruff voice belonged to, and he was not happy.

"Get out of there. Odd closet to hide in, at least you had your clothes on."

Rapunzel didn't get the reference, but Flynn did. "Rude. That's not why were we there. I always heard dwarves were perverted."

"Perverted? I don't know that word." Rapunzel said frustrated. She hated not knowing all these terms!

"Not a word you want to know." Flynn said quickly.

"I'm guessing then that you are Flynn Rider." The dwarf said ryly.

"The one and only"

"And I'm Rapunzel. Nice to meet you." She reached out her hand to shake it, he didn't respond, "What's your name?"

"Grumpy"

"Well that explains a lot." Flynn burst out, he couldn't help but make smart remarks.

The dwarf rolled his eyes.

"We are so sorry to bother you, but can you just point us to the nearest exit, that isn't the one we came from and then we'll be out of your beard." Rapunzel said kindly.

"Why shouldn't I send you off to those men?"

"That would be terribly mean."

"And she might have to use that frying pan of hers" Flynn added.

"You two are the oddest couple ever. I hate couples."

"Uh we aren't a couple" Rapunzel pointed out, at least she understand that reference.

"Sure you aren't, just get out before a fairy sees you. The next exit is down that hallway, third door on the left. I have work to do." Grumpy stomped off.

"That went, surprisingly, well." Flynn said honestly.

"I agree." Rapunzel skipped down the hallway towards the door, happy to be going outside.

"Wait a mo" Flynn called, and ducked into a side passageway.

Rapunzel turned around to find that Flynn had disappeared. "Flynn?" Her voice went up an octave.

Flynn entered a large room, it looked like a factory. Flynn followed the shininess that he saw. Fairy dust! That was more valuable than the tiara. He ran his hand through the pink dust.

"Flynn! You scared me" Rapunzel gasped in relief, running up to him. "What are you doing?" Rapunzel's voice turned confused.

"I'm doing what I do best."

"Stealing?"

"Yup" Flynn pulled out a small pouch and filled it up with the dust.

"That's not right. Grumpy let us go." Rapunzel said nervously.

"For all you know it's going to save your life." Flynn tapped Rapunzel's nose.

"Or yours" Rapunzel followed Flynn quickly out of the chamber.

"Hah!"

"You never know" Rapunzel said, as they pushed open the door letting the sun shine in.

Regina's carriage pulled up to the dismal looking dwarf pub. With a snap of her fingers, two men went inside. They would ask for Belle, and then she would be hers. And Rumple, that love struck idiot, would be crushed, and all hers. Regina smiled widely, and stepped out of her carriage as the two men came back to her.

"She was here"

"Apparently she left an hour ago"

"Went off into the woods"

"Well boys. We're headed to the woods." Regina commanded. As they went, Regina's heart raced. The thrill of the chase was her favorite part, besides of course the kill.

Rumplestiltskin was bored. It was an odd feeling, and not something he often felt. But he had just set Regina down the path that he knew would eventually lead to the curse being enacted. Using the Charmings wedding was a nice dramatic touch. And now he had to wait at least nine months, probably more, until their baby was born. Rumplestiltskin decided it would be good to check up on Rapunzel.

He appeared in the middle of her tower, expecting a warm welcome from the happy girl. But the tower was dark, clearly empty. Where would Rapunzel go?

"Well this is an interesting development." Rumplestiltskin muttered before disappearing again.

Regina was furious, somehow Belle had escaped, the trail just went cold. Regina would find a suitable punishment for them both soon enough.

"Lost a hunt, Dearie?"

Regina spun around to find Rumplestiltskin leaning casually on a tree.

"No. The hunt is just begun." Regina growled.

"Hmm have fun with that."

"What do you want? As you can see, I'm a tad busy."

"Ohh sassy Regina….that's not new." Rumplestiltskin smiled evilly, " I came to discuss your prisoner."

"Who?"

"Your daughter...Rapunzel."

"Oh what about her?"

"You don't know?"

"Know what?" Regina said slowly. It was always a bad sign when Rumple was surprised.

"I went by the tower today."

"I really hate it when you do that."

"I know that's partially why I do it. But she's not there Regina. She's missing."

"What!?" Regina screamed.

Rumple calmly watched Regina freak out. He needed her rage, it was critical to get back to his son.

"Do you know where she is?"

"I have no clue. I don't understand why she would leave all alone. I would guess someone found her, and convinced her to leave. You did put up protection spells, correct?"

There was an awkward silence. "No" Regina finally said tersely.

"I expected more from you." Rumple said with a straight face.

"No matter. I will find her. I will find them both. Everything is going to be fine."

"Both? Who else are you looking for?"

"None of your concern"

"Fine. When it blows up in your face, you know where I live. I have other, more important, things to attend to" Rumplestiltskin vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

The men of Regina stood nervously to the side. One gathered the guts to speak.

"My Queen what is your plan of action?"

"My plan of action? Find Belle, then find Rapunzel. And if both those go well, then I might reconsider killing you. If they don't...well, you know your fate now don't you."