Last portion of this Halloween arc! Things are getting serious...

1. Next chapter is gonna be a dramatic one.

2. This is an edited version of this chapter. If anything significant has changed and/or is added, I'll explain in a chapter's note.

2. As per usual, apologies for any spelling/grammar mistakes that fall through the final cut.

3. Thank you everyone who has been keeping up with my story. I haven't been getting many as of late but no mater what, I am so very thankful for everyone who takes the time out of their day to write a review for my story. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 23 - Rapunzel's First Halloween: Part 5 of 5

Type: Five-shot short story

Description: Eugene is fighting through the pain after having not slept all night, but his body willpower eventually runs out on him, causing him to faint right in front of Rapunzel and her family. This little scene causes something to snap inside of her, and Frederic and Arianna begin to grow deeply concerned about their daughter's well being.

For the first time in a long time, everything finally feels right again.

Eugene spent the bulk of his afternoon waltzing around town, telling people to check their mailboxes, such and such like that. Most of the people he talked to were completely on-board with it and some were actually putting their lanterns up early. He knew this Kingdom would rally behind their Princess.

Though, much to his dismay, his body was starting to fail him. He took one look in the bathroom mirror at his face and he noticed wrinkles that weren't there before, also noticing the dark bags that had formed under his eyes. He tried a cold bath, which helped for a little bit, but its effect did not last long after he was fully dried off. Coffee was fine, but drinking so much in such a short span of time made his body adjust to it, slowly dissipating its effect.

He brought Rapunzel each of her meals, closing or covering his eyes as he opened the door to her art studio so he couldn't catch a peek at what she was making. He wants to feel that sensation of being surprised, of being proud of her in that very moment because this day can be nothing short of perf-

Oh, he's already made that clear already?

Eugene found himself lying on the couch now. His body was telling him to sleep. His brain was telling him to sleep. "Sl-sleep.. only for an hour.. then.." His eyes drifted shut and right then was when slumber had finally taken his soul. The next thing he knew, or felt rather, was a large hand on his shoulder.

"Pan... pancakes…"

Frederic chuckled and gave Eugene a little shake, whispering to the younger and far too tired man, "The trick-or-treaters will be arriving soon, son."

"Trick… treat.." A small, goofy smile rose on his face.

Frederic shook him a little more and Eugene's eyes slowly opened halfway and he stared forward blankly. He appeared as if he was in a trance and Frederic waved a hand in front of his eyes to try to gain his attention. He didn't move a muscle; it was as if he couldn't even see the darn thing. Poor boy.

Arianna walked in through the doorless archway and knocked on the side. "Is he awake, dear?"

Frederic stroked his chin, "Barely."

"Rapunzel told me she's finished her costume. She's waiting at our front door now until it's time to give out candy to the kids, and she's wondering where," she pointed a finger at the seemingly lifeless body next to Frederic, "he is. A bunch of them, the little darlings, are already waiting outside the front gates but I've told Nigel to organize them in the meantime."

Frederic nodded. "Very well. Would you care to fetch me a cold washrag?"

"Of course, dear." Arianna nodded back to her husband and went down the hall, returning a few minutes later with what he requested. Frederic held it over Eugene's head and wrung it out over his snoozing, damn face.

Eugene immediately jolted awake. "Wh-wh-"

"Don't panic, Eugene." Frederic chuckled.

Eugene looked up to his hopefully future father in law with a look of shock and surprise on his face. His eyes darted to the clock and that's when he let out a very audible groan. Frederic gave him a hand, and a towel as well. "I cannot believe you stayed up all night organizing this for her. Couldn't you have thought of this earlier?"

Eugene replied, his voice muffled by the towel, "Well, it only came to mind when I saw how bad she was feeling last night."

"I see." He placed a hand on Eugene's shoulder and took the towel from the young boy, his beard still clearly damp. "I respect your hair game, but if you're trying to copy my style, you're failing miserably." He let out a loud chuckle and Eugene only groaned even more in response.

Rapunzel was standing at the door all giddy as she and Pascal awaited Eugene's arrival. She had just finished her costume thirty minutes earlier and was really pleased with the way it turned out. She can't wait to show it to Eugene! Though, she still has a lot of questions on her mind as for the logistics of this whole Halloween thing. "I just give them candy, that's all I have to do?"

"They're only supposed to get candy if they're in costume," Pascal responded to her.

"Oh, they only get candy if they're in costume."

He nodded.

"I see." Her curious face quickly turned to one of fear when she thought of her next question. "But, what do the kids get if they're not in costume? We can't just leave them without anything? That'd be so cruel!"

She continued to ask her friend more and more questions about the holiday until Eugene and her parents arrived. She turned around to face them only for a look of horror to don upon her face.

Eugene was awake, but his face looked as if he had no clue where he was. He looked in the exact same way from the time he took a look at himself in the mirror. Dark bags under his blood-shot eyes and an unhealthy amount of wrinkles on his cheeks and forehead.

"Mamaaa, Papaa," Rapunzel's voice reeked of fear as she backed away and leaned against the door, looking directly at the man that... was once her Prince Charming.

"Yes, dear?" Arianna, her mother, asked.

"Whyyyy does Eugene look like a zombie?" She grimaced when she saw he was actually drooling. What's.. what's happened to him since the last time they saw each other? Is he sick? Does he have the PLAGUE!?

"Oh, it's nothing. Isn't that right, Eugene?" Frederic patted Eugene hard on his back and his eyes flew open, revelaing his brown pupils as they dotted themselves all around the nearby scenery.

He let out a faint little scream as he then came under the realization of where he was. "Blondie!" he smiled a goofy smile, "How's the weather been, darling? I heard it's raining cats and dogs!" He threw his arms in the air for dramatic effect before he walked up to and wrapped his arm around her, but Rapunzel clearly knew something was off with him when he practically slumped over and rested almost all his weight upon her small shoulders.

"I dunno about you, baby, but I'm ready to.. give... out... some.." His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and Eugene slumped over and collapsed face first onto the ground.

Rapunzel shrieked. A gigantic rush of fear took over her as she almost instantly knelt down and went to check his pulse. "Eugene?" She shook him, "Eugene!?" She shook him again but found no avail.. She went to shake him a 3rd time until she felt her mother place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

With tears in her eyes, Rapunzel looked up to her. "It's all my fault, Mama! If I wasn't so busy working on my costume I would've known Eugene was so... sick," She sobbed into her hands as all her biggest fears came crashing down upon her. Arianna helped her up and wrapped her in a motherly hug as Frederic slumped over and lifted Eugene up, both his hands under his arms. Rapunzel turned away from the comfort of her Mother for a split second and saw his seemingly lifeless body being held up by her father, choking out a breathless scream before immediately tilting her head back into her mother's shoulder, the image of him being held like that forever ingrained into her memories.

Frederic watched as Eugene's head slumped forward while her daughter cried into her Mother's arms. He wanted to so badly blame the boy for his incompetence in regards to planning this little event for his daughter. What was he thinking!? Staying up all night, thinking he'd be able to survive the entirety of the next day solely based on coffee and cold water!?

But, Frederic found himself having a hard time blaming Eugene.. because he had done something, or tried something, remarkable for his daughter, even if it was a bit stupid in retrospect. His commitment to her happiness is something he as a father has come to respect wholeheartedly.

Truly any man who would go to the ends of this Earth to make his daughter happy is a fine man indeed.

Rapunzel's happy mood was now shot, and she told her parents she'd like to go back to her room. By then Frederic had already pulled Eugene into his chambers, plopping him down on his bed, not even caring to try to maneuver him somehow under his covers. He did manage to fetch a couple blankets and rested them upon his body.

Eventually, the two of them, Frederic and Arianna, helped lead Rapunzel back to her room like she had requested. Rapunzel let out a shriek and only cried even more when her mother had attempted to turn the handle and it was still locked from earlier. Frederic had a spare key, though, so he opened it and Rapunzel immediately told both of them she wanted to be alone.

"Are you sure, sweet girl?" Arianna asked her.

"Yes," Rapunzel sniffled and Pascal crouched up against her neck, a look of worry dawned upon his face. "I'll be fine. I.. I'm an adult, I don't need my parents tucking me in."

Frederic's brow furrowed with complete and utter sadness as he and his wife exchanged a look before simultaneously nodding to their daughter. Rapunzel wished them both a good night, an early night to be that. Now with both of them in such saddened moods, they weren't feeling up to handing out candy like they always do each year, so he had two of their most joyous guards, two men by the names of Pete and Stan, take the honors instead.

As they walked down the hall, Frederic noticed his wife's somber gaze. "I'm sure they'll be fine, Ari. Most of the kids in the village look up to the guards."

"I know," she sighed and looked down, "It's not that which I'm worried about."

Frederic rubbed Arianna's shoulder as they came upon their joint study, and the two of them entered silently and took a seat over on their loveseat. Arianna wrapped her arm around his chest and leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"She'll be alright, sweetheart."

Arianna looked up to him and asked in a raspy voice, "Will she?"

"Hm?"

Arianna raised her head to meet her husband's gaze almost straight on and held his hand in her lap. "I'm worried about her, Fred."

His brow furrowed with confusion. "What's there to worry about, my dearest? She has adjusted swiftly and easily to her new life inside this palace, to her new life as a Princess and a royal!"

"Yes, Fred, that's true," she sighed, "I don't know. I just sense something's wrong. She hasn't been herself ever since that costume contest yesterday."

Frederic felt practically blind to the feelings his wife felt. His little baby girl has been the brightest light in his life and he has been very proud and happy to see her easy transition into her new role. And yes, it does concern him as well when Rapunzel went in early the night before, and that she went in early this night as well, but he does not have any outstanding fears. His rational thinking is telling him that she is just dealing with some stress, and stress is normal for everyone.

"Perhaps she is stressed?" He had his left arm wrapped around the back of her head and he was grazing her shoulder with his fingertips. "We have put a lot of responsibility on her, but it's only been because of.." he sighed and looked off to the side.

Arianna rested her head against his chest once more, "I know you still blame yourself, dear."

Fighting back tears, he croaked, "It's because I am the one to blame, Ari. I am the King, but before any of that, I am her father. My first responsibility is and has always been Rapunzel's safety, and I let that evil woman… I let her sneak in and take my…"

She looked up to Frederic and lifted a hand to his cheek, turning his head to face her. "It hurts me as much as it hurts you, my love, but she is home now. She is safe, she is healthy and she is alive; that is all that matters."

"I.. I know," he sniffled, "do you really think there's something more to this? To how she's feeling?"

"I'm.. I'm not so sure," Arianna sighed, "she blamed herself after Eugene had slumped over.. that was a red flag to me." She paused for a moment. "You understand what I mean, Freddy, right?"

"I-I do," he stroked his beard, "That was quite strange to me, as well."

"I know better than you what it feels like to be thrown into this role, dear. It's hard for anyone; especially so for.. our sweet little girl.. after all those years of being in isolation." She paused for five seconds before nodding her head, "Tomorrow morning, dear, let's both talk to her and try to find out the root of this problem. We need to let her know that whatever it is that is troubling her, that we are here for her, and that we always will be.

Frederic clenched his lips and gazed ahead through the doorless hole into the empty hallway, not replying with a single word because he trusts his wife's judgement completely.

So it is settled: Frederic and Arianna will confront Rapunzel this next morning and find out the real reason why she's been acting different as of late.

A/N: Refined diologue, that's about it for edits.

Edit History (MM/DD/YY):

1. 6/11/20