A/N: Sorry that took so long, it took me forever to get the file in a format I could put in here. I guess I could have just rewritten the whole thing in here, but at the time that seemed like too much work..

"It was all a dream." Eugene said, sitting up in bed. It was still dark outside. When did he go to bed? Must have been after the banquet. It was odd, though. Did he really dream about the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause? He hadn't thought about those childhood fantasies since before he left the orphanage all those years ago.

It was too warm in the room, and his head felt fuzzy from sleep. Eugene got up to open the window and let in a breeze. A shimmering in his peripheral vision caught his eye and he noticed one of the castle towers had an icy sheen to it. A figure sat at the very top of the tower, at the highest point. Jack.

So that's where he went, Eugene thought. He still didn't know why Jack hadn't come to the banquet, or hadn't helped Eugene convince Rapunzel to come out of her room.

Suddenly a flash of memory hit him and he saw a brown-haired Jack smiling and laughing on a frozen pond, then reaching out a shepherd's crook to pull a young girl off of cracking ice, then falling into water himself. Jack had sacrificed himself for his sister, Eugene remembered.

How did he know that? It was from the dream, but why would he dream something like that.

Unless it wasn't a dream.

If it was true, then was Jack essentially dead? Brought back by the moon to be a spirit, the Easter Bunny said. He saw other flashes of memory, of Hiccup and Merida and baby Rapunzel being stolen in the night. Of the big bear, and the pale man in black, and golden hair restoring the youth of a witch, and a grump viking pointing a finger in accusation.

Eugene put a hand to his head; it was still a lot of information to process. He was going to believe the dream, that was too much information he would never have made up himself, even if he ate something funky. But then, that meant that Santa Clause, St. Nicholas himself, had asked Eugene to do something for him. Restore their friendship before it's too late.

He had to get them over whatever was bothering them before they left. Were they leaving tomorrow or the day after? He tried to remember. The day after; Prince Charming, King Eric, and King Phillip and their parties were leaving tomorrow. That meant he had a day to do what he could.

Why him?

Eugene paced around his room, thinking about how he could get them all together. That was the key to it all, he felt. They just all needed to be in the same place without distraction so they could talk and let go of their troubles for a time. A place secluded in a hidden part of the forest, one might say. He smiled. He'd need help to get everyone there, of course, but he had just the ruffians in mind.

The next morning dawned to a bright day. Eugene had spent the rest of the night making preparations. The thugs from the Snuggly Duckling were more than willing to help him with his scheme. He had to get all four of his friends up to the tower without letting Mildew see, in case he warned those others. He also, had to somehow convince everyone to cooperate. That's where the gang of ruffians came in.

The first was Jack. It wasn't hard to get onto the roof of the castle. Flynn Rider had only done it a week ago when he stole the crown which set off a whole chain of events that had led him to where he was now. Jack was still sitting on the tower Eugene had seen from his room. At least, he thought, it wasn't the highest of the towers. Ice had covered most of the upper portion of the spire, making it sparkle in the light, though it looked like it was starting to melt in the summer morning sun.

Rope and grapple in hand, Eugene strung a line from the roof to the tower and started making his way across open space. It was a long drop, and no short distance to cross, he noted as he swung his way across, gripping the rope hand over hand. "The things I do for you people." He grumbled.

Finally he was across and safe on the roof of the tower. Jack Frost looked down from where he had been sitting; not only at the top of the spire, but balancing on the crook of his staff as well. It made Eugene dizzy just looking at him. "Hey there." He said, casually while breathing heavily.

"Why did you come up here?" Jack asked, spinning down the spire to the roof.

"Wanted… to ask for… your help?" Eugene panted. "Can I… meet you… at Rapunzel's tower… at noon?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You came all the way up here to ask me that?"

"Well… yeah." Eugene said. "It would have been easier if you weren't so far up or hard to get to, but yeah."

The winter spirit frowned, his brow wrinkling. Then he smiled, teeth flashing. "Okay." He said. "I'll meet you there. What's going on?"

Eugene winked. "You'll see." He picked up the grapple hook, wrapped his wrist around the rope and put his foot on the hook, then stepped off the roof, leaving the surprised spirit behind.

He free fell for a few seconds until the rope grew taut and he swung toward the wall of the castle. He braced his feet against the impact and used his momentum to run along the wall to the window he had opened just for that purpose. Getting down was always easier than getting up.

His next stop was the Hiccup's suit. He knocked and entered the room and saw the young viking sitting by the window, his fake foot not on his leg anymore.

It looked weird to see a leg that just ended, right below the knee, with nothing there. Pitch really got to him. Eugene thought to himself. Hiccup barely looked like the young man he had first met with a distant expression, a haggard face.

"Hey, so I need your help with something." He said walking over to put a hand on the depressed viking's shoulders. Hiccup started and looked up with a blank expression.

"With what?" He asked.

"You remember Rapunzel's tower, right? Wait, no, you never went there." He back tracked. "I need help getting something from there for Rapunzel. A little surprise for her. I was wondering if you would be willing to help me."

Hiccup shook his head. "I don't know why you'd ask me, there are probably better people to help you."

"Nope. I need someone I could trust to help me. It's important that I surprise her, and anyone else would probably blab."

"I'm leaving tomorrow." Hiccup said, "I need to start packing and getting ready."

"I don't see you getting ready. Come on. That can wait."

Hiccup said nothing. Eugene was getting frustrated. This guy was being a pain. Depressed people were always hard to get through to.

"What's going on with you? I may not have known you for very long, but even your best friend can see that something's wrong. Get over yourself and help me for Pete's sake."

Something changed in Hiccup's eyes and he looked at Eugene. "Why should I bother? Huh?" He gestured at his leg. "Look at me, I'm useless. For years I was the outcast of my village, and for good reason. I'm not like them. I should have died in that fire."

Eugene stood there for a moment and looked at him. That was what bothered him? Something that happened in the past was eating at this guy? "Useless?" He asked incredulous. "Don't you remember that night last week? How you helped Merida when she twisted her ankle? If it wasn't for you she'd have been kidnapped by the brothers and probably been worse off than you were. And weren't you telling me about some of the innovations you've brought to your village that improved living there?"

Hiccup frowned.
"And don't forget what you have done by being Jack's friend all these years, when he was otherwise alone." Eugene said softly, thinking about the young boy that was Jack Frost falling into the lake. How must it feel to be unseen by everyone, no matter how hard you try? What kind of existence is that?

"You're not useless. You're a leader." He continued. He needed to get through to Hiccup, and fast, before noon.

"Toothless." Hiccup whispered. His eyes became brighter and Eugene saw a change in the viking's bearing. He looked at the other man. "I have done some important things in my life."

"Exactly." Eugene inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, let's go. I still need to get that thing from the tower." He noticed Hiccup's metal leg on the floor beside the bed and retrieved it for the viking.

Hiccup hesitated, then put it on. He looked much better with it on, Eugene decided. It just fit. "Let me just get ready. I'll meet you downstairs." Hiccup said.

Eugene nodded and went out into the hall. He passed the red-headed triplets racing down the corridor and asked them a favor. They nodded and smiled mischievously then ran off. Next he found the hook-handed thug, who had been given a room in the castle in exchange for performing during the celebration.

"Everything set?" He asked.

The thug winked and rubbed his hook along the side of his nose. "Don't worry. We've got everything prepared."

"Great." Eugene slapped the man on the back and continued along his way. He realized that he had never even learned the guy's name. He just thought of him as Hookhand, or the piano player, or head thug. He'll have to learn his name later.

He was almost to the front hall when he saw the triplets again. One of them was carrying a carved bow.

"Yeh, boys get back here wi' m' bow." Merida screeched as she raced after.

Eugene met Hiccup by the entrance to the stables, which relieved Eugene. He could have decided to not come for all he knew. Maximus and a roan gelding stood saddled and ready to go.

"Ready?" Hiccup asked, mounting the gelding. "Merida came racing by a second ago, chasing somebody on a horse. I think they had her bow."

"Yep. Eugene said simply and led the way to the forest.

Eugene didn't get lost this time. He didn't think he'd ever forget the way to the hidden grove. The tower looked just like when he first saw it. Cliffs rose on all sides, with a waterfall leading into a stream winding its way around a tall spire, ivy climbing up the stone. It was breathtakingly beautiful. He and Maximus just took a second to admire the scene.

"This is the tower?" Hiccup breathed as they dismounted by the opening.

Eugene nodded. "Lived her whole life up there. Come on." He started up the stairs to the top of the tower.

It looked like Gunter, the interior designer ruffian, had decided to do a little redecoration. It had been cleaned up from the fight with Gothel and looked comfortable and festive with food, probably made by Attila, laid out on the table. Hiccup stopped in surprise when they reached the top. Merida was standing in the center of the room, hands on hips, facing the thug with the ugly nose and winged helmet, another one Eugene didn't know by name.

"Hiccup?" Merida noticed them coming up. "Eugene? Wha' are yeugh two doing here? This guy stole m' bow and once I get my hands on it-"

The guy threw the bow to Eugene. "Here you go. Good luck."

"Thanks." Eugene clapped the guy on the back as he left.

"Wha' is all this? Eugene?" Merida demanded.

"Yeah, what is going on?" Hiccup asked, stepping further into the tower. "You said you need my help with something."

"I lied." Eugene said. He threw the bow to Merida. "Here you go. I needed both of you to come here."

A sudden gust of wind blew through the open shutters and a second later Jack Frost entered. He stopped in surprise at the scene before him and looked questioningly at Eugene. "Did I miss something?" He asked.

Eugene smirked and held up a finger to tell them to wait as voices floated up from down the stairwell.

"Why are we here? There's nothing here for me now." Rapunzel's voice said.

The gruff voice of the hook handed piano player answered her. "Just go on up. You'll see."

"Ok?"

A few moments later she came up into the tower room and saw the changes and the people in the room. "Surprise!" Eugene said. "Now come in, come in. Here, sit down, all of you. You too, Jack." He gestured to the fireplace where all the chairs in the tower had been gathered and sat in a row. Jack sat down in a green armchair, which had already been sitting by the fireplace. Merida sat down in a small wooden rocking chair, frowning. Hiccup and Rapunzel took the two wooden dining chairs that had been sitting next to the table before. Eugene frowned at the mismatched chairs. "Sorry. Best I could do."

"What are we doing here, Eugene?" Rapunzel asked.

"Well. Since you three are leaving tomorrow, I thought it would be a good idea for a farewell party. A last chance to hang out as friends, you could say, before we all go our separate ways. I also thought it was a good excuse to get out the castle; it gets stuffy there, you know?"

"We've been partying for the past week." Merida said, standing up. "Ay'hm ready to go home." She started toward the trapdoor.

Eugene clicked his fingers and Hookhand, who had followed Rapunzel up the stairs, moved the stone back into place, and stood on top of it. Eugene walked over to the window, closed the blinds and locked them in place. It was darker, now, in the tower, but a skylight and a couple dozen candles lit up the space enough.

"I don't think so, Curly." Eugene said. "There's a slight ulterior motive for getting you all here in this tower. And that's because you all have been acting like children these past few days, even you Jack; pouting all night on that spire. None of us are leaving this tower until we've worked out all your issues."

"What? Yeur insane." Merida objected.

Are you kidding me?" Jack looked surprise. "I was not pouting."

"I don't know why you're bothering. Why should you care." Hiccup mumbled

"Is this really necessary, Eugene?" Rapunzel came up and put a hand on his arm. He hair had been wrapped around her waist instead of being braided by those young sisters.

"Yes." He said, gently. "This is an intervention. Even my pal here, agrees that you've all been acting weird." Hookhand nodded.

Merida grumbled to herself and plopped back in her chair "I cannae believe this."

"Jack, can I have a word with you, privately?" Eugene asked. Jack nodded and the two of them went up the stairs to Rapunzel's room. "You've talked to Pitch, haven't you?" He said when they were alone.

"Who what?" Jack said, leaning against the wall.

Eugene checked his memory for the images he had seen of the one they called Pitch Black. "Sinister looking man. Pale, black clothes, tall. Infects dreams, the works. Truthfully I don't know a lot about him. But you've talked to him last night, didn't you? That's why you never came back." The look on the spirit's face was enough to tell him so.

"He never gave me a name." Jack asked. "He's called Pitch Black? The Boogeyman? How do you know about him?"

"What did he say to you?"

"That he was like me, invisible and forgotten. That no one really cared about me, that's why they weren't talking to me. Stuff like that." His voice was quiet. He really believed what Pitch had said then, Eugene realized. That's why Jack never came to the banquet. That's why he was up on the tower.

"You know that's not true, right?" Eugene ruffled his hair. "Who couldn't care about a mischievous spirit of the north wind?" He became serious again. "I need your help getting through to the others. Apparently Pitch has been infecting everyone's dreams. Messing with their thoughts. That's why they're acting that way."

"How do you know all this?" Jack reached up to fix his hair.

Eugene shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Did he tell you anything else? Anything that could help us with those three." He peered out the curtain to the main room below. Merida was lounging sideways in the big armchair, twanging her empty bow at the hook handed thug, pretending to shoot him with arrows. It was a good thing she hadn't brought her quiver. Hiccup was wandering around the room, exploring the layout of the small living area. Rapunzel was sitting in one of the chairs nervously fingering her hair belt.

Jack came over to look out, too. "He said that he knew our fears, that he knew everything about me." He pointed down. "He said that Hiccup was remembering all the mistakes he made in his past. That he had a lot of self-doubt in him. But Hiccup is so confident, normally. He's changed in the years I've known him from an insecure kid to a respected leader in Berk."

Eugene rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see."

Jack pointed to Merida. "He told me that she was convinced the world was against her. That I was holding her back from what she wanted to do, like on the lake when Hiccup was taken and she wanted to go back to help him." He wrapped his arms around himself. "She's upset at me because I wouldn't let her go with that ankle."

"That's Pitch talking, Jack." Eugene reassured. "You were doing what you thought best. And she was injured. She needed to have that injury taken care of."

Jack nodded, solemnly. "He didn't tell me what was going on with Rapunzel."

"I know that part. I think in her mind the things that Gothel had told her growing up about the world outside have become truths that she can't shake. She believes that people will stop at nothing to take her hair and use it for themselves."

"Oh."

"That's why I brought you all to the tower. She needs to separate what she's been told with what's real."

Jack nodded.

"Eugene?" Rapunzel called. While they were talking, she had walked up to the base of the stairs and stood there now. "What are you guys doing?"

"Can we go now?" Merida asked, still playing with her bow.

Eugene walked down the stairs. "No." He told her. He took Rapunzel's hand as he reached the bottom. "Rapunzel, dear, How many times did your mother tell you that the world was an awful place, full of poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals, or the plague?"

"A-a lot. Almost every time I asked to go outside." She said.

"And since you've left this tower, has anything you've seen confirmed her words?"

Rapunzel frowned. "Well, no. But-"

Eugene waved a hand. "Have you seen anything that suggests that there were large bugs or men with pointed teeth or that Ruffians and thugs were actually things to be feared?"

"No, I guess not. What are you trying to get at?"

"And hasn't everyone you've met at the castle been anything more than courteous, polite, and kind to you?" Eugene continued on, ignoring her question. Merida and Hiccup were watching, curious. Jack had jumped the railing and landed on the circular rug without a sound, he leaned on his staff as he watched Eugene.

"Of course." Rapunzel said.

"Then why are you so scared?" He got to the point. "Nobody would ever touch your hair or cut it without your permission. Those girls are always so happy to braid it for you and play with it. People all over the kingdom would come and ask you for help with your power if you were willing share your gift. There are guards and friends at every corner who would jump forward to stop anybody who sought to take your hair for themselves, if any such person existed, which frankly I seriously doubt."

"If anyone tried to mess with my hair, Ay'd shoot them wi' m' bow." Merida chimed in.

Rapunzel just stood there, looking up at Eugene as the reason behind his lecture reached her. "You're fears are just residue from what happened here." He spun her around to look at the tower. "It's all over. Gothel will never use you again. And no one else for that matter. You've found your rightful family, your place in a whole kingdom that has loved you from the moment you were born."

She put a hand up to her mouth and sank to the ground. Tears were forming in her eyes. Soon she was sobbing and Eugene wrapped her in a hug. They held that position for a while, Eugene consoling the traumatic girl.

"It wasn't tha' bad." Merida mumbled quietly from her chair. Jack heard and turned to look at her.

"What was that?" He asked.

"All this worry about hair, who cares? And at least she's free now, not locked up and controlled in e'ry aspect of her life."

"No one's trying to control you, Merida. And you weren't betrayed by the only person you trusted in the world like she was." Jack snapped.

"Look who's talking." Merida sat upright in the chair.

Jack walked toward her until he was looking down at her. "If you're still upset at what happened at the lake, get over it. It happened a week ago and everything turned out all right."

"It would 'ave turned out better if yeugh hadn't pulled me away from the fight. Ay could've taken them." She stood up so they were face to face.

"You were injured." Jack countered. "Were you just going to throw away Hiccup's sacrifice because you wanted to play hero?"

"Neugh, but it was my fault that he was kidnapped in the first place."

Hiccup had walked over as they were talking. "No it wasn't. It was my fault. I hadn't been fast enough. And I already failed at saving Rapunzel from going with Gothel, why not add getting kidnapped to the list. At least I helped with something."

Merida glared at Hiccup for a second the turned back to Jack. "And yeugh promised to keep me informed aboot what was happening. I had noo idea what was going on till I went out there by myself."

"You were sleeping. I already apologized for that. How long are you going to hold that against me?"

"I couldn't even get out of those ropes fast enough to escape from the brothers." Hiccup said, mostly to himself.

Merida gestured to the viking. "See. It was my fault what happened to him. And then his leg got ruined."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to help him either. I tried, you know. But you can only do so much when you're invisible and can only really freeze things." Jack said defensibly. Ice was starting to spread from his staff.

"Wait a minute." Hiccup looked at Jack. "You did help me when I was tied up that night. You didn't break the rope, but you were there, telling me what happened after you got Merida away. You kept me company through the night I would have otherwise spent alone."

"Oh sure, you kept him updated." Merida pouted.

"You were asleep." Jack said exasperated. "I barely got a moments rest that day, flying all over the place between you and Hiccup and Stoick and Flynn, and then there was that fight and the ransom." He turned Hiccup and looked at him. "You're glad I was there that night?"

The viking shrugged. "It beat sitting there all night alone, and you're my best friend."

Was that true? Jack wondered. But these last few days… "Then why haven't you been talking to me recently? I thought you didn't want me around anymore."

Hiccup looked away. "No, it's not that. I'm just a failure at everything. All those problems caused in my village because of my mistakes. My leg. What happened here. I'm never going to be the chieftain my father is, why should I even bother?"

"But you know that's not true. I've seen how Berk has changed because of you. It's better off now than it ever was before."

Hiccup shrugged.

"I believe you will be a great chieftain, someday." Rapunzel said, from her position on the floor. She seemed to have calmed down some as they talked, her face was red and puffy, but otherwise she seemed composed.

"Thank you." Hiccup smiled.

Eugene helped her up and she started to unwrap her hair from her waist. "It was starting to bother me." She explained. Soon her hair was loose once more, pooled around her feet and she looked more relaxed and comfortable.

Eugene smiled at the group. It wasn't much, but something had changed between them already. Some of the misunderstandings resolved, talking, reassuring; that was what they really needed the most. Though solving Merida's problem was going to be difficult if she refused to let them in.

"Who want to play a game." He suggested.

The others shuffled their feet, reluctant, until Eugene gave Jack a look, who then piped up that that was a good idea. Merida was the most reluctant, but after a few rounds of the card game Eugene had brought up and enough encouraging, she joined in. After the card game, came a board game, then another card game. Hookhand left the stone trapdoor and brought over food and joined in the games. Soon they were joking and teasing as if nothing had been wrong. Even Merida and Hiccup loosened up and were enjoying themselves.

Something was happening. Pitch could feel a change occurring in the fears of the ones he was keeping an eye on. He was losing his hold on their thoughts, but how could that be? Someone must be interfering, someone powerful enough to break through the icy cold grip that is fear. Were the guardians meddling again?

He sat on the stone bench in his lair, staring at a large, metal wrought globe with flickering lights sprinkling the surfaces that resembled the continents of the world. He was musing over the prophecy; its two parts and their plan. All that they had been working for the last twenty years was resting on whether or not he would succeed in keeping those brats apart. They were going their individual ways tomorrow; he just needed to hold on to them until then.

Footsteps echoed through the cavernous area, and Gothel stepped in front of him. Pitch had let her stay here since the incident in the tower, but she'll have to go somewhere else soon. Company is only good sometimes, and this place was getting crowded, what with the bear staying as well.

"The viking is here." She said, hands on hips. "And Mor'du is back from hunting."

"With food, I assume." Pitch didn't bother looking at her. "Carcasses of once living creatures turned to sustenance for the mortal body, their life cut short by the brute power of a predator."

"Oh, stop being dramatic. He brought back herbs as well."

The boogeyman didn't say anything for a moment, then sighed and turned to the witch. "They've been interfering again."

"They have?" Gothel looked surprised. "How?"

"I'm not sure yet."

Mildew walked in then, a smug expression on his face, Mor'du, human now, followed on silent feet.

"One more day, then we're home free." The old viking cackled. "Just one more day."

Pitch looked sharply at him. "It's not over until they are away from each other. Separated for good. We can't risk them interfering with all our hard work."

"Oh what hard work?" Grumbled the viking. "All we've done is waited and watched over these brats their whole life."

"Something at which we've all failed at, it seems." Gothel interjected.

"Not yet." Pitch said quietly. "We've still got a chance. The key to all of this is almost of age. A year from now and this will all be over." He turned to Mildew. "Tomorrow I need you to make sure that the four aren't on good terms still when they leave. Mor'du, Gothel, you two will visit the oracle. Double check the prophecy and make sure to find out anything else that will cause a hitch in our plans."

"Very well." Gothel nodded. "And what will you do?"

Pitch smiled. "I have a visit with some old friends to make."