The breeze was quite nice, Rapunzel thought that autumn couldn't be too far off. The blanket was soft beneath her and she took a quiet moment just take in her surroundings. The only one with her on the blanket was Varian, as he was flittering in-between reading some book by an Italian scientist and eating a sandwich. Kiera and Catalina were chasing around Rudiger and Maximus as they spun in circles, trying to find a hidden apple amongst the field of grass. Eugene and Lance were over by a few rocks in the corner of the clearing, talking about something or other. Probably reminiscing about their glory thieving days.

Rapunzel lost herself for a moment, taking in the small thrill of electricity that came with her friends. Pascal curled into a ball on her shoulder, lazily sipping a small cup of juice in his hand. Pascal was her dearest and oldest friend, so he had known from the beginning of her pregnancy so if he fell asleep during this announcement, she didn't mind so much.

An official announcement for Rapunzel's pregnancy was to be made tomorrow at the Goodwill Festival, but she didn't want her friends to find out because of some official proclamation. A letter had been sent off to Cassandra, wherever she was, and she figured she might as well do it all at once for all of her closest friends here in Corona.

"What are you reading Varian?" Rapunzel asked. Varian peeked up from the top of his book, still in mid-bite of sandwich. Varian swallowed quickly and smiled.

"It's by some Italian physician," Varian said. "Required reading for the university." Varian was set to be shipped off in less than two weeks for a University in Terran. Rapunzel didn't want Varian to go; Varian had never left Corona before, and though Varian was intelligent and capable of all kinds of incredible things, he was still a country boy at heart. Rapunzel feared someone might take advantage of that, the some way people had taken advantage of her naivety.

"Ooohh, exciting," Rapunzel said. She tried to peek over his shoulder to look at what was written. "Any chance I could take a crack at it when you're done with it?"

"Sure," Varian said. "Just as long as I have it back before I leave."

Rapunzel smiled and nodded, even though she knew she was never going to be able to find time in the next week or so. She was Crown Princess after all; she had the meeting with the Duke of Giles about grain shipments, and then their was the Goodwill Festival and clean up, and also their was the Privy Council reception to contend with, all within the next three days.

"Hey Rapunzel," Catalina said, dropping onto the blanket, "got any more bimberries?"

"No, I don't think so." Rapunzel shook her head. Rapunzel had eaten them all at least an hour ago – now that the sickness had passed, hunger had decided to replace it. If their was something eat within her grasp, she was going to take it.

Cataline frowned just a little but then smiled again, laying down on the blanket so her pigtails spread out around her.

"Thanks for inviting us on this picnic Rapunzel," Catalina said. "It's a lot of fun."

Pascal squeaked on her shoulder and Rapunzel rolled her eyes.

"Thank Pascal, it was his idea." Her and Eugene had been scrambling for a way to tell everyone all at once before the festival, as it felt much easier to tell everyone at once, but then Pascal had been the one to simply suggest them to invite them over.

"Well thank you Pascal," Catalina said. Pascal gave a chirp of gratitude before settling back down on Rapunzel's shoulder. Kiera soon joined her sister, crossing her legs as she sat beside her sister's lazing form. Rudiger pounced back onto Varian's shoulder, having grown tired of searching for the hidden apples. Maximus remained it, nose still to the ground.

Rapunzel looked up to where Eugene was and met his eyes. A silent conversation passed between them. One quirk of his eyebrow was a question – are you ready? Do you want to tell them now? Is this the moment? Rapunzel hesitated for just a moment, an unfounded fear that they wouldn't be excited for her, that they wouldn't think they were ready, encompassing her. But then she shook it off, and smiled, giving a nod of her head. Eugene nodded back, and then there was no way to stop.

Eugene stood and began to gather Lance and Maximus, leading them back to the blanket where the rest of them sat. Rapunzel let herself have one steadying sigh and wrapped a protective arm around her stomach. No matter what her crazy fears or her friends say, this baby was hers and it was coming. No one and nothing could stop that.

"Actually, there is another reason I asked you all to a picnic," Rapunzel said. Catalina perked up, but Varian only seemed half interested, eyes lingering back on his book. "It's kind of serious." And with that, the book was forgotten.

"Is something wrong?" Kiera asked. Lance and Maximus appeared at the edge of the blanket, and Eugene took a gentle seat next to Rapunzel. Without prompting, he took her hand and squeezed it gently. The slowly building tightness in her chest began to release with that squeeze.

"No, no, everything is fine," Rapunzel said. "In fact, everything is better than 'fine'."

"Some would use the word 'fantastic'," Eugene interjected. Lance rolled his eyes and leaned onto Max's side, which earned him a rough gruff from the horse in response.

"Would you please enlighten us then on what it is that is so fantastic?" Lance asked, looking between the two of them. Rapunzel bit her lip and then, 1,2, –

"I'm pregnant."

And then, her ears were nearly deafened by her friends bursting with words and questions.

"What?" "Oh my gosh, that's amazing!" "Nyyahhh!" "How?" "Congratulations!"

Rapunzel was attacked from both sides by Kiera and Catalina hugging her, talking a mile a minute about how excited they were for her and how they weren't going to be the youngest anymore. Varian sat not far off, smiling wide, not saying much, for once it seemed stunned into silence. Lance walked over to Eugene and patted him once on the back, and gave Rapunzel a grin unmatched by any Rapunzel had seen him give before.

"Congratulations you two!" Lance said. "Looks like you'll finally get to deliver all those times you said you would name your first born after me!"

Eugene's eyebrows creased in befuddlement. "When did I say that?"

"Multiple times, when I saved your life," Lance waved off. "I can not wait to meet Little Lancenia!"

"We're not –" Eugene shook his head. "Lancenia? What makes you think we're having a girl?"

"I just do. I have a way with these things."

Rapunzel laughed and stood up, detaching herself from Kiera and Catalina.

"Boy or girl, we'll just be happy if they're healthy."

Catalina popped up from the blanket and took Rapunzel's hands.

"You're having a baby! This is so amazing!" Kiera smiled from where she remained on the blanket.

"We're going to have a cousin!" Kiera said.

At this, Varian was finally shocked out of silence, cocking his head to the side curiously.

"Cousin?" he asked. Kiera rolled her eyes and flicked the side of his head.

"Yes. Lance is obviously going to be an 'Honorary Uncle', and as his kids we're 'Honorary Cousins'," Kiera said with a snicker. "If you were really a genius you would have figured that out all on your own." Varian opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then decided against it and just shook his head with a fond frown.

"I think it's a bit too soon to be talking about honorary uncles and the like," Rapunzel said.

"How far along are you?" Varian asked.

"Just over three months," Rapunzel said.

"Three months?!" Lance said. "How'd you two kept it a secret for so long?"

Rapunzel bit her lip. Rapunzel had expected some kind of question along these lines, and even when she thought about it, she could come up with no answer. It was a complicated answer – no, actually, Rapunzel conceded, it was rather simple. She was scared to lose the baby and she didn't want to excite everyone before she knew. It was simple, understandable even, but somehow it felt too personal share. Maybe it was stupid, but she didn't want to say.

Eugene seemed to pick up on this and smiled. "Can you blame us for trying to keep a few things for ourselves?" He shoved Lance playfully. "Especially since some of us are known to be blabbermouths."

"Whatever you say, Captain Eugene," Lance said with a snicker. Lance looked down at Varian and rubbed his hair, making his googles fall onto his face and his hair stick up. "And now it's your turn Mister Boy Wonder, you have to bring the next big life-changing announcement."

Varian frowned. "What—"

"Now!" Lance said, pulling a soccer ball from the picnic basket. "Soccer!"

Rapunzel sat at the bay window of her and Eugene's room that night, the moonlight casting a shadow on her. Rapunzel's leafed through her old journal slowly, looking through the old pictures she had drew of all them on their adventures. Had this only been a few years ago? It felt like it had both been yesterday and a thousand years ago.

Her eyes lingered on Cassandra and Rapunzel's mind drifted on where her old friend could be. Cass hadn't replied to the letter they had sent a week ago about the baby, but that didn't mean she hadn't received it. Rapunzel wondered how her friend had reacted. Was she excited for them? Had she been too excited to write back?

But a small voice whispered in the back of her head that Cass was jealous. Rapunzel knew that was a ridiculous idea in her heart of hearts, Cass had never wanted kids of her own, but after everything that happened their was this piece of her that still wondered. Was Cass still angry? Did Cass still want what she had? It was a stupid fear and she tried to push it away, but no matter how hard she tried it wouldn't dissipate. Rapunzel supposed maybe it came with time.

"What'cha thinking about sunshine?" Eugene asked, sliding into the seat next to her. Rapunzel sighed with a frown and let her head fall to her husband's shoulder.

"Cass," Rapunzel said simply. Eugene hummed softly but said nothing else. Eugene knew of this secret fear of Rapunzel's, and Rapunzel suspected that a small part of Eugene feared something similar. She didn't know why it was this with Cass – when she looked at Varian, she didn't have this fear he would betray her. But with Cass –

Maybe because the anger was so much more personal. Maybe it was because it all came back to Gothel. Maybe it was because Cass was gone before Rapunzel could really process what all had happened between them.

"Do you ever think of inviting her back?" Eugene asked. Rapunzel shrugged.

"I was thinking about asking her back after the baby came," Rapunzel said. "But I don't know, after she didn't come to the wedding –" She choked on the words.

Rapunzel knew why Cass hadn't come; Cass had been very apologetic in her letter.

I'm not ready to come back, she had said. I time to find myself before I come back, she had said. I'm sorry, she had said.

And Rapunzel had forgiven her. Rapunzel understood. She did, she really did. But what if Rapunzel was the problem? What if the reason Cass never came back was because of her?

Eugene pulled her in close, embracing her as the tears slowly began on Rapunzel's face.

"I miss her, Eugene," Rapunzel whispered. "I miss her so much."

"I know," Eugene said. He kissed the top of her head. "I miss her too."

"What if she never comes back?" Rapunzel asked. "What if she isn't apart of our lives anymore? What if she never meets the baby? What if—"

"Breathe, sweetheart," Eugene consoled softly. "Cassandra will be back when she's ready."

Rapunzel breathed shallowly. "What if she's never ready?"

Eugene bit his lip and then sighed, pulling her even tighter.

"Then she's never ready. And that's not on you."

Deep inside, Rapunzel felt like it was. She was the one that Gothel had chosen. She was the one who Cass had almost died trying to help. She was the one who –

"Stop it princess," Eugene said. "I can see those thoughts are in your head. You aren't responsible for Cass or her choices, no matter what it may feel like. Cass will be back or she won't. You can't make her come back or make her stay away."

Rapunzel had heard this speech and variations of it for two years, and Rapunzel knew Eugene's heart was in the right place, but the words still failed to make a sizable dent. She knew Eugene was right, but her emotions didn't want to play the logic game. They wanted to spin like tops in her brain until their was nothing left but regret and pain.

Eugene kissed her forehead one more time. "Come on, get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

Far away, an owl flapped it's wings, carrying a letter, containing only seven words.

Congratulations. Can't wait to meet them. – Cassandra.