It's finals week and I have been doing extracurriculars, so I've not been able to write much fanfic. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter!

:3

Rapunzel stood in the kitchen, her eyes wet with tears. It still devastated her how her mother died hating her. She remembered her mother's voice, which tore into her heart like a dagger. She held her mother as she wheezed for air. Rapunzel pleaded with her, pleading for her love. After 18 years…. After all those years her mother never showed her love.

Tears started to flow from her eyes and her nose became runny.

Rapunzel paused, looking down at a reflective frying pan which displayed a teary red face, a broken young woman.

Pascal, who was perched on her shoulder, gave her a small nudge on the cheek, an attempt to cheer up the young girl.

She grabbed the pan, put it on the stove, and turned it on. She went to the fridge and took out two raw chicken breasts, which were meant to be dinner for her and mother tonight. Blood rushed to her eyes and she let out a small whimper, reminded that her mother was no longer with her. Tears rolled down her eyes, but she wiped them with her sleeves and shook off the sadness.

She placed the two chicken breasts on the heated pan, making enough for her and her new "guest". Cooking was like art, and it always made her feel better. When she was a young teenager stuck at home caring for mother, she cooked for her. Her mother never showed signs of appreciation, just taking the food for granted. But Rapunzel would read cookbooks, watch TV, learning how to please her mother more. Despite these futile attempts, Rapunzel told herself one day she will get approval from mother.Her naïveté kept her going. Even without friends or a social life she remained optimistic and happy. But this seemed to become harder and harder by the moment. She looked at the sizzling chicken breasts, and decided to rest until they were ready.

But when she walked out the kitchen, she was greeted by the thief who was walking with his back slightly bent, his bandages showing a bit of blood.

Rapunzel's eyes grew wide and she rushed over to the man, supporting him by the shoulder. "Woah, you need to rest. I don't want you breaking the new stitches I put in," she said, her voice filled with concern.

He looked at her for a split second with bold eyes that made her heart beat faster. But he shifted his attention towards the door, shaking her grasp off. He barely making it far before falling onto his knees.

"Flynn!" Rapunzel called out again, concerned by his adamancy. Rapunzel helped him get up, and a question escaped from his mouth. "Why? Why are you doing this for me?"

Rapunzel led the thief towards the couch and set him down. "You need rest. How can you survive out there in this condition?" she gestured at Eugene's torso.

The thief placed both his arms to his side, propping himself up. "Never in my life has anyone been this kind to me. You, a sweet girl, has so much left in her. You're better off not getting involved with people like me."

Rapunzel's eyebrows knitted together, emotions spreading through her face. "People like you? Eugene, you are a strong-willed and kind person. I can see that in your eyes, the same internal war I saw in you two nights ago" she said, occasionally glancing at Eugene's maroon eyes. "I know you might be landing on hard times, but I know if it were up to you, you wouldn't be where you are." Rapunzel gently felt around Eugene's left eye which still held a small bruise from the frying pan two days ago. "And i'm sorry for hitting you Flynn," she wholeheartedly apologized, beaming a smile at Eugene.

"Eugene," he replied.

The blonde haired girl looked up at him, a little confused by what he said.

"Eugene Fitzherbert. That's my name. I know I should've told you earlier, but I guess I didn't trust you then. Now I do."

"Well," she started, a grin spreading across her freckled face. "I happen to like Eugene more than Flynn," she paused. "But... why did you choose Flynn?" she asked, a perplexed look spreading over her cute face.

Eugene couldn't help but chuckle at the endearing girl. "Look, I'll spare you the sob story of poor little orphan Eugene Fitzherbert."

Rapunzel smiled, leaning in closer and propping her head up on her arms, a sign of her eagerness for Eugene to tell his story.

Eugene sighed, realizing he couldn't argue against her. After all, she did save his life so he did kinda owe her a backstory.

"Back in the orphanage," he started, "I had friends, much like brothers and sisters, who shared the same tragic fate as I did. Being orphans, we were all equal in that regard. My parents were murdered," he said, eliciting worried eyes from Rapunzel who grabbed hold of Eugene's cold hands to comfort him.

Eugene shook his head, mentally preparing himself and reassuring the girl. "Some lost their parents like I did. Others, well, they arrived at the doorstep of the orphanage, void of any knowledge of their parents."

His heart throbbed as the bad memories flooded back into his system. But as he looked at the girl, her lovable eyes warmed his heart and his body.

He took a deep breath and continued. "But as the days passed, we all started to grow up. Almost all my friends were adopted, except for me.With less and less company with me, I'd look for adventure. I would read the Tales of Flynnigan Rider, stories about a devilishly handsome swashbuckling rogue."

"Was he a thief too?" she asked, abruptly cutting him off.

"Well, no. I guess for someone who had nothing growing up, stealing just seemed like the… better option. You can say I was a troublemaker. I would steal food from the cafeteria or sneak out at night. I would climb out the windows of the orphanage and traverse buildings to see the stars. I would look at the heavens, dreaming to be a swashbuckling rogue like Flynnigan Rider."

Rapunzel smiled, understanding the yearning for something more. She would feel the same way, yearning for the day when her mother was no longer sick, when she would finally have freedom. Though now that she has that freedom, Rapunzel began to regret it.

Eugene ended it there, not wanting to continue to drone on about his childhood. Time came when they were too old. No parents wanted to adopt a teenager, much less a rebellious one. So they ran away, seeking fame and fortune. There was a nurse who took care of him in the orphanage, the only person that cared about him. She had told him that through hardship, comes the light. Even though it may be raining, it can't rain forever. He kept this in mind even as he was treated like crap, locked up, and disrespected. He had never felt kindness until he met Rapunzel.

"Eugene…" Rapunzel whispered, clearly taken aback by his tumultuous life.

"I'm sorry," Eugene interrupted. "Sorry about your mother."

Rapunzel's eyes darted and locked onto Eugene's. Her lips quivered slightly but she bit her lip, fighting back her emotions. "How did you know?" she faintly murmured, her eyes now wandering away from Eugene, removing her grasp on his hands.

"Rapunzel, I've been through it before. It's been tough for me too, but sometimes..." he paused. "You can't let grieving get in the way of your life," he comforted her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Through darkness there is always light. Rapunzel. You showed that to me today."

With this, Rapunzel felt a sense of love, different than her "love" for her mother, different than her love for Pascal. It was strange. It felt so… right. If only she knew that Eugene felt the same way.