Rapunzel's POV

Seeing the smoke curling into the sky and the cries of the people in pain triggered something deep inside my gut, and my feet began to run faster than they had ever run before. I was vaguely aware of the men behind me like a mismatched army. What they lacked in form, they made up for in screaming.

Twigs and thorny bushes tore at my bare arms, but I didn't even register the pain. My only focus was getting to the fire as soon as possible.

After what was way too long, I finally reached the town. The dirt streets were soaked in water as the townspeople rushed around with buckets of water. As it turns out, only the church was on fire, but it would spread fast across the straw roofs and the humble town of Loxley would be ashes in a matter of minutes.

One woman was screaming louder than all the other noise put together. She fought and struggled to get away from the sobbing man trying desperately to keep her from running into the burning church. "My baby!" she screamed. "Please, my baby is in there. Let me go! She needs my help." She began to sob. "Please."

Her voice was so desperate and broken. I didn't even stop my sprint to take a breath until I was beside her.

She looked at me with the eyes of a mother who has lost her child, like a broken mirror. "My baby, help me please." She begged. I nodded, took a deep breath and headed straight for the burning door of the church. But I was stopped short when my arm stopped moving.

I turned to look at the pale hand clasping my arm and the icy eyes pleading me not to go. "Rapunzel, what are you doing?!"

"There's a little kid in there! I have to." I made sure to fill my voice with finality.

He seemed to have an intense debate with himself in the timespan of about two seconds before puffing up his chest. "Then I'm coming with you."

"No. One foot inside that building and you will die. Fire and ice don't mix." He tried to protest but I cut him off. "I need you to stay here and help the others. Please Jack."

"I just got you back. I don't want to lose you again."

I touched my forehead to his. "You will never lose me. I will always come back to you, I promise." He nodded. I pulled him into a kiss that match the fire in intensity before turning and running head first into a burning church.

The world was entirely different inside the blaze. Flames curled around benches and alters like malicious fingers, trying to pull them down to hell. Red and black took turns dancing on the walls. Smoke filled the air, burning my eyes and lungs. I ripped the bottom off my top and wrapped it around my mouth and nose, partially blocking out the searing air.

I could still hear the screams from the people outside, but they sounded warped and twisted through the fire. Then I heard a scream that was clear and sharp like a shard of glass. A little girls scream. It hit me like a wrecking ball, coming from above.

I spotted the spiral staircase leading to the bell tower in the back corner of the church and began to take them two at a time. Halfway up, one of the planks gave way beneath me and I nearly fell to a flaming death, barely hanging on to the railing. For a moment I almost considered letting myself fall. It would be easier than this life. This life that I didn't choose.

I shook the thoughts from my mind when my promise to Jack rang in my ears

"I will always come back to you."

I pulled myself up and kept going up the stairs until I reached a small room, so filled with flames, it was hard to see their light was so bright. But I called out "Hello? Hello, is anyone there? I'm here to help you!"

A small sob reached my ears, coming from the far corner, and then I saw her. A little girl with bright hair as red as the fire, curled into a ball, trying to put as much distance between her and the flames as possible.

I made my way over to her slowly, avoiding burning planks and gaping holes in the floor. When I got close enough to touch her, she screamed. I tore off the fabric covering my nose and nearly choked to death on the smoke but I managed to smile kindly at the girl. "It's okay. I'm just a regular girl, just like you." she looked at me and nodded. "Let's get you out of here, alright?" she nodded again.

A support beam above her head began to groan and come loose. Just before it would have crushed her, I dived at her, tackling the little girl from beneath the beam just before it crashed into the ground. We landed against a wall, just below a boarded up window. She coughed as the smoke in her lungs threatened to kill her. "Here" I said, tying the cloth around her face. "I'm Rapunzel. What's your name?"

"Lucy." She replied. Just above her head, light filtered into the room through the boards blocking our escape path. "Well Lucy, do you trust me?" I asked. She nodded again. "Good."

With one swift kick, I was able to break the boards, revealing a probably beautiful view, but I was more concerned with the lake directly below us. "Lucy. I need you to jump."

"What!" she screamed.

"It's okay. The water will catch you, just like a nice cushy pillow." I told her. The fact that hitting water could do as much damage as concrete popped into my mind, but I didn't share. I climbed up onto the sill and held my hand out to her. "Together, okay?"

She didn't reply, but took my hand and climbed up beside me.

"On three" I said. "One…two…three!"

My feet lost their grip on the ledge and all I could feel was the air rushing passed my body and Lucy's hand gripping mine. Then I was enveloped by a freezing cold embrace. The first thing I registered was the burning in my oxygen deprived lungs, which meant I was still alive. That was all I cared about as I paddled for the surface.

When I broke through, I began frantically thrashing around, calling out Lucy's name, until her bright haired head popped up about five feet away, coughing and sputtering.

I swam over to her and wrapped her in my arms. "Are you alright Lucy?" I asked, not letting go.

"I think so. Thank you Rapunzel." she said through chattering teeth.

I laughed "You're welcome. Let's go get dried off and find your mom. Sound good?" She nodded again.

We paddled for the shore. When we reached it, we looked up just in time to see the church crumble to the ground. The little girl wrapped her hand in mine and looked at me with big green eyes that reminded me of the ones I see in the mirror.

We walked over to the small group of villagers that had formed in tears and sadness. Lucy's mother was at the center, collapsed on the ground, sobbing. "Mommy!" Lucy yelled, running to her.

Her mother looked up just in time to be tackled to the ground by her young daughter. "Oh my Lucy!" she sobbed. "My baby! I love you, I love you."

They eventually untangled themselves and her mother knelt down to look Lucy in the eye "How on Earth did you escape?" Lucy turned to look at me, a wide missing toothed smile on her face to point at me. "Rapunzel saved me." her mother closed the distance between her and I, crushing my lungs in her hug and whispered "Thank you" in my ear.

"You're welcome" I whispered back.

A few moments later, all I could see was white. The smell of peppermint and clean wind filled my mind. I wrapped my arms around my boyfriend, holding him tightly.

"I thought I had lost you, again" he said, his voice shaky with relief.

"When I make a promise, I keep it." I replied before capturing his lips in mine.

"I love you." We whispered at the same time

Sorry for the long wait. School is insane. I hope you guys like it. Please review. They really help with motivation to continue writing love you guys