Rumpelstiltskin took his task, and gave it utmost importance. He wanted to know Rapunzel's secrets, and was determined to follow through with their deal. He found the desperate soul he needed to make that happen. Cinderella. A fairy beat him to her. Quickly he destroyed the fairy, and pretended not to be interested in helping Cinderella, get to the ball. When she said she would give anything to go to the Ball he knew he had her. Rumpelstiltskin drew up his contract for her to sign, and she did so without reading a single line. Unknowingly signing her first born child away. He gave her everything she could possibly want or need. A grand dress, and carriage, with horse, and couchman. He wished her luck and disappeared. He came into the library where Belle was reading away alone. "Where is Rapunzel?" he asked. "I have grand news for her."

"I thought she had gone with you?"

"Did you check the tower?" He teased.

"I checked the tower sir."

"Are you sure Dearie?" he was skeptical. "Come! Let's check the tower." They went and search the tower from top to bottom then bottom to top. "Where is she?" His patience was spent.

"I don't know sir." Belle reasponed worried. "Could she be outside the castle?"

"If so. She wouldn't have traveled to far from the tower. Come on Belle." He grabbed Rapunzel's brush and he went just outside the Dark Castle, Belle not far behind him. He used Rapunzel's brush and cast a spell, the brush began to float and fly on its own.

"Will this take us to her?" Belle asked worried Rapunzel was endanger.

"Why of course. Didn't cast it from my healthy Dearie." he laughed. The brush lead them into the woods, and Rumpelstiltskin was correct, it wasn't long before they found Rapunzel. She was in a wooden cage so small she had to sit on her knees, her hair extending outside the thicket, and seemed to have grown around her, with branches sticking inside and out, the cage poking her, but it had four wheels on the bottom, and they had roots deep in the ground, preventing them from rolling. Her hair extending disheveled outside the thicket. There were at least 20 men laying on the floor, unmoving, and a golden carriage, where it seemed the horse had run off.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Rapunzel cried. "Let me out!"

"What happened?" He asked walking over to her.

"We had a tea party!" she shouted full of scorn. Rumpelstiltskin pulled on the wooden bars and was surprised by their strength.

"All these he are dead!" Belle screamed in horror.

"Did you do this?" the he asked looking around.

"Well I'm no DarkOne, but I can take out a few mindless soldiers." The sharp trigs were giving Rapunzel small painful cuts. "Let me out!"

"And they call me the monster. How is it you can kill all these men..." He teased and gestured around. "But you can't escape this cage?" He teased.

"Belle find axe, or something!" Rapunzel called out, giving up on her magic wielding rescuer.

"No no. I've got it." He flicked his wrist and the cage poof away in a cloud of smoke. Then he offered Rapunzel his hand and helped her up.

"Oh! sweet man! you brought my brush." She picked it up from the floor and picked a few small leaves from it, blew off a bit of dirt.

"So who trapped the powerful Rapunzel?" He mocked.

"I did." Out of the carriage stepped King Midas.

"And why would you do a foolish thing like that?" Rumplestiltskin asked in a threatening way.

"I did want you to have a the power of the hair." he explained.

"Really?" the DarkOne questioned. "I don't even know what the power of the hair is. But I'm guessing you do now." he said knowingly, then laughed. "Come on ladies!" he called to Belle and Rapunzel "Let's return to the castle."

"No wait!" King Midas called. "Please Lady Rapunzel come with me! You will live in comfort beyond your wildest dreams!"

"My wildest dreams?"Rapunzel asked.

"Are you seriously considering leaving with a man who trapped you in a cage?" the DarkOne questioned.

"Please don't leave us Lady Rapunzel." Belle pleased sweetly, and took hold of Rapunzel's hand.

"Hush Belle. I want to hear him out." Rapunzel was smiling at her.

"Oh good god!" Rumpelstiltskin complained. "Fine! You foolish hair twirler. Hash out the details of your new life! Come Belle!" he shouted, grabbing Belle away from Rapunzel, and they teleported, leaving her behind. "That stupid girl! Retched girl!" he raved. "How dare she!" He paced around the his dining table, while Belle stood aside in shock. "Haven't I given her everything she asked for?! Everything!"

"I can't believe she's gone."

"Disty tower girl!" he crowed. "Fine! Go if you want! I won't crawl after you! Rapunzel!"

"You don't mean that sir."

"No Dearie! I do."

"You want her back. Go ask her to come. She doesn't want to be with King Midas."

"If she wanted to be here Belle." he growld angrily. "She'd be here!" he yelled, before announcing, "I'm going to spin." He walked to his library, and threw the doors open. There he found Rapunzel sitting at his wheel. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd have ran off with the king of old. Forgive me 'gold'." He hissed at her.

"I didn't."

"And why not?" he walked over to her and place a protective hand on his wheel.

"His castle didn't have a spinning wheel." she said simply before walking to the door.

"I'm sure he'd buy you one. You don't spin anyway!"

"He's also a terrible dancer." She reasoned.

"How so? Step on your hair?" He growled.

"Oh! Rumpel?" she asked changing the subject.

"What?" he spat.

"Where's my baby?"

"I'm working on it." he sneered.

"Alright." she took two more steps out, before turning and facing him again. "Rumpelstiltskin?"

"What is it Rapunzel?" He asked still angry.

"I was never going to leave you." She said calmly, her eyes twinkled before she once again walked back to her tower. Rumpelstiltskin stood dumbfounded. 'Why wouldn't she leave?'

"The tower." he answered himself. "Disty tower girls don't leave their towers." he reasoned with himself. Still he couldn't help but feel a small seed of joy in his heart. 'She didn't go.'