"Seriously?" Emma could only stare at the woman she thought was Lucy Erikson, her son's former teacher, and a close friend of hers. This made two friends who suddenly turned into fairytale characters right before her eyes. Emma wasn't sure if she liked it.

Lucy – Rapunzel, she corrected mentally – simply shrugged and nodded. "Yes."

"You're Rapunzel. The girl that was locked n a tower until her prince came and saved her?"

At that, her friend began to laugh. "Oh goodness, I forgot that's how my story goes in this world. No, Emma. Not like that at all. I mean… yes, I was locked in a tower in a sense, but it wasn't because Gothel kidnapped me."

Right. These fairytales were tipped on their heads. She should have known this story would be different considering her mother was a strange bad-ass version of Snow White Emma hadn't even considered to be possible with the story she knew.

"So… what's your story then?"

Rapunzel hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure you want to hear it now? It's late, and we've had a long drive…"

Emma stared at her. "I just found out that my parents are two of the most famous fairytale characters in history, and this entire town is filled with them, and that my son's former teacher is Rapunzel. Yes, I want to hear it."

She'd gotten a huge dose of crazy lately, what was one more story, Rapuznel supposed.

"Okay…" Rapunzel said, looking over to where David and Victoria – Cora– were chattering eagerly with Mr. Gold. "Vic – Cora? David?"

Emma's son looked at them curiously. "Yeah Mrs. Erikson?"

"Do… do you want to hear a story?"

Emma laughed at the eager grins they wore at the question. If she didn't know any better, they could have been twins in another life.

When the kids were situated at the table, Emma saw Rapunzel's hesitancy before she began to speak.

"Once upon a time – "

Emma rolled her eyes and threw her a look.

"Sorry."

Rapunzel let out a whoop as the horse leaped over a log in the middle of the trail. It was her first time exploring this area of the kingdom, and she was enjoying it immensely. Rarely did she get the chance nowadays to go for a ride, free from her parents' watchful eyes.

"Princess, please slow down! Your parents will be angry if you get hurt!" the chef's daughter called from behind her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine!"

"There have been bandits spotted in this area, Rapunzel!"

She sighed, pulling gently on the reins to stop the horse. "Bandits are spotted everywhere though, Athena," she said. "What makes this area so different from the areas to the north of the castle?"

Bandits were bandits, weren't they? You gave them some gold and they went on their way. It wasn't like she was struggling for money, she could afford to give some to a bandit if it meant they left her alone.

Athena shook her head. "These are different. They come from Queen Regina's kingdom. Rumor has it the murderous princess is a part of it."

Rapunzel frowned. "You don't honestly believe Snow White was capable of such evil, do you?" She certainly didn't, and she knew her parents didn't either.

"Well… I don't know. Everyone has a hidden dark side, your majesty."

"But what reason would Snow White have to kill her father?"

Athena went quiet at that, and the two rode on in silence before her horse startled, Rapunzel grabbing the reins tight to stop herself from falling over.

"Easy…" she murmured, looking around for whatever had caused her horse to be spooked, eyes widening when she saw a man laying on the ground, a small pool of blood coming from his torso.

"Athena, hand me some rags, hurry!" Gently, she turned the man over, to a horrified gasp from Athena, her own eyes widening as she looked at her companion.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reaching for the rags and frowning as Athena pulled them away. "Athena!"

"Don't you know who that man is, Princess? He's Flynn Ryder! A thief and bandit who has been terrorizing our land! You can't help him!"

The princess glared at her friend. "Do not tell me who I can or cannot help, Athena! You know what will happen if I refuse!"

Her friend paled slightly, before stuffing the rags in her hand. "I'm so sorry Princess. You are right."

"Good. Now can you get me some water, please? I need to clean the wound… Sir? Sir, can you hear me?" she said as she took the bottle of water from Athena, pouring it onto one of the rags and pressing it against the wound. The man cried out at the feeling of the water against the gash on his side, taking deep breaths as he opened his eyes.

Rapunzel swallowed thickly, trying to stop the bleeding. She could do better work at the palace but for now… she just needed the bleeding to stop.

"The hell?" the man whispered.

"Sh… save your strength," she said. "I'll get you better help. Can you stand?" He nodded, and slowly, Rapunzel helped him onto her horse, moving as quickly as she could back to her palace.

It had taken hours, but eventually she'd managed to fix the man's wounds.

"So you're the princess," came the simple remark from the man on the bed as she finished washing out the rags she'd used.

"And you saved a simple thief." She winced in pain as her heavy hair felt lighter.

"Yes."

"Why? Most people would've left me to die."

She let out a breath. "Because of my curse… and besides, I wouldn't want to leave you to die on the side of the road."

"Curse?"

She nodded slowly. "A woman named Mother Gothel cursed me when I was a little girl after my mother ate a flower that saved her life when she caught ill during her pregnancy. Gothel was furious. My hair will grow uncontrollably unless I do good deeds… and then it will begin to go back to normal…"

He groaned, and she looked over in startled concern, before sighing. "You shouldn't be sitting up…"

"I'll be fine… nothing keeps Flynn Ryder down for long!" He stood, but quickly stumbled forward in pain.

Rapunzel sighed again and shook her head as she carefully led him back to the bed.

About a year later, Rapunzel sighed and looked out the window of her favorite tower. While her parents had become less overprotective of her, especially since Flynn Ryder (Eugene as she had found out), she still didn't have the full freedom she craved.

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel, let down your hair!" she heard Eugene's voice call from down below. It had become a game of sorts with them, and Rapunzel grinned as she took the heavy braid she her hair was in and tossed it down, gripping the window frame tight as he climbed up. He was out of breath by the time he got into the tower, his face alight with complete joy.

She couldn't help but smile as well, unsure of why exactly it was. "What's the news? I've never seen you look so happy!"

"I just met up with an old friend of mine. Davi – I mean, James. King George's son. He told me a story about breaking curses. All it takes is true love's kiss!" he explained.

Rapunzel's shoulders sagged. "You don't think I've tried that? My parents have been sending suitors from all over the realm, and nothing's worked."

"Clearly none of them know how to kiss a woman properly."

The princess quirked an eyebrow and snorted. "They're princes and dukes. They grew up learning how to treat princesses."

"Oh yeah?"

"Eugene Fitzherbert, what are you suggest – "

Her question was cut off by a gentle kiss to her lips, which she returned before gasping and pulling away in pain, clutching at her head.

"What… what's happening?" she whispered.

"The curse on you. I think it's breaking!" he said, moving at the braid so she could see the entire length, her green eyes widening as she watched it shrink.

"True Love's Kiss can break any curse," she whispered as the pain finally stopped, her hair now at her mid-back, still in the braid that had taken hours to accomplish. "Flynn, that means you're… my true love…"

A bandit. Someone who had stolen from their kingdom. If Rapunzel wasn't so happy she would have laughed at how ridiculous it sounded.

They married another year after that, though it had taken her parents about that long to adjust to the idea that their daughter's true love was a thief. They discovered they were pregnant four months after that. Gothel though, had reappeared in their lives.

"You think you've won, dear Rapunzel?" she'd hissed, Eugene's sword at the woman's neck. She'd aged badly since the last time Rapunzel had seen her. "You have not. Not even close. When the time comes, my revenge will be complete."

Rapunzel had been locked in the tower soon after that threat, a guard posted outside her door at all times. While she hadn't been happy about it, she understood. Gothel could not win. She couldn't take their child. She couldn't take her.

When they'd heard news of the curse being cast, Victoria had been two months old. A cold cackle appeared from the nursery. Rapunzel and Eugue had run as quickly as they could, appearing in the room to see Gothel vanishing with their daughter in her arms.

"NO!" she screamed, tears running down her cheeks quickly. "No! Victoria!"

Eugene's arms surrounded her as he barked for the guards to chase after the woman that had taken their daughter. "Rapunzel, I'm going to go with them to find her…" he murmured softly in her ear.

She nodded slowly, clutching her daughter's toy to her chest, another choked sob escaping her. She barely heard Eugene calling for Athena to stay with her. Her daughter was gone.

And when Eugene had returned, announcing that the curse had somehow missed them, a bubble having formed over an area of their land, Rapunzel knew that it was hopeless that she'd ever see her daughter again.

The woman let out a shaky breath as she looked at Emma, Cora and David. Cora looked horrified, eyes full of tears as she launched herself from her seat, locking her arms around Rapunzel tight. "She took me just to get revenge on you? But I don't understand… why would she give me to Regina then?" Cora asked.

Rapunzel frowned. "Regina? She had nothing to do with my story. I knew of her, I'd met her once, but I never… did anything to make her mad… I don't know why she would give you to Regina if her revenge was to raise you as her own. But that is a fantastic question for Regina."

"We just need to get her out of hiding," Emma said. "She's locked herself in a crypt in the cemetery. She's… a little volatile right now. I wouldn't go in there without a plan."

Rapunzel looked over at her husband. "Then we plan."