My work schedule has been an absolute disaster lately, and it's wrecked havoc on my writing. But I'm trying to keep up with this story.

Chapter 9

The bracing wind hit her as soon as she opened the cabin for. And stepped outside and closed the door quickly, before the cold could waked Jack up. Even as she did so, she wished she hadn't come outside at all. Wished that she could just go back into the warm cabin, where she knew Jack would keep her safe.

The woods were eerily quiet, save for the wind that whispered to itself as it blew. Pine needles and bare branches scraped against each other, casting ever shifting shadows onto the white snow that glittered in the light of the half moon. A light mist hovered over the ground, blurring the lines of her surroundings.

The eeriness of her surroundings sent a shiver down her spine. She told herself that she could, and should, go back inside.

Before she could resolve herself to that, she heard the call again.

Later, when she looked back, she would be horrified that she gave in so easily. And she wouldn't even be able to explain why.

She followed the sound of Gothel's voice into the woods, her steps leaving deep impressions in the snow. At least she would be able to find her way back. Not that that thought offered her much comfort.

The cabin was out of sight behind her before she could make out Gothel's figure among the trees. The woman was turned away from her, calling her name again.

Rapunzel stopped in her tracks, looking at the woman she had lived with for as long as she could remember. Her mother.

No.

She told herself that wasn't right. Gothel wasn't her mother.

But old habits die hard. Facing the familiarity of Gothel, for the first time since her discovery, caused more confusion than anything else. A thousand memories came rushing back.

She found herself unable to move, either forward or back. And she couldn't think of anything to say. Though her throat was so tight she probably wouldn't be able to get it out even if she could think of it.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Gothel had turned around. Her wide eyes landed on Rapunzel, and visible relief washed over her.

"Rapunzel!" she ran through the snow towards her, stumbling a couple times before she came to throw her arms around Rapunzel's shoulders.

Rapunzel still couldn't move. Part of her wanted to pull away from the hug… but she had never pulled away from Gothel, and the strangeness of such a thing made it all the more difficult to do so. She didn't respond, either, but she knew she didn't want to do that. It was one of the few things she knew clearly in that moment.

"Are you all right?" Gothel asked, pulling back to look her over. Her hands kept an almost too tight hold on Rapunzel's shoulders. "Are you hurt? Oh, look at you, you're stunned! My poor girl." She smoothed a hand over Rapunzel's hair, looking at the braid with her usually distaste.

She had never approved of Rapunzel doing anything with her hair besides brushing it.

"H-how did you find me?" was the only thing that made it to Rapunzel's mouth. Even then, it came out strained.

"It doesn't matter," Gothel said, hugging her again. "All that matters is that you're alright."

A shiver shot up her spine as she felt Gothel touch her hair again.

She wished again that she hadn't left the cabin. That she had woken Jack up and told him that she heard Gothel.

More than anything, she wished Jack was with her right then.

Gothel continued to hold her, though Rapunzel still made no move to respond. Her arms felt numb and heavy at her sides.

"Why did you leave? No, it doesn't matter." Gothel pulled back, taking Rapunzel's hands.

Yes, it did matter, Rapunzel thought. But she still couldn't bring herself to voice the words.

"Let's go home," Gothel said. "We can pretend this whole thing never happened—"

The mental fog around Rapunzel's brain finally began to clear. Rather than follow obediently, she took a step back.

"No," she said, shaking her head.

The older woman froze for a moment. Surprised caused Gothel's grip to slacken enough for Rapunzel to pull her hand away and take another step back.

"No?"

Fear caused her stomach to twist as Gothel turned back to her.

"No" wasn't a word Rapunzel had used very often. The few times she had, Gothel's demeanor had taken on an ominous threat that Rapunzel didn't dare go up against. The same threat she faced now.

Gothel's dark painted lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes hard and cruel.

Just as Rapunzel was about to step back again, warmth spread through her chest. It chased away her fear, and she stood up straighter.

Gothel's amber eyes widened in horror – but she wasn't looking at Rapunzel's face.

Looking down, Rapunzel saw the blue glow radiating from her heart, through the fabric of her dress. Her breath caught in her throat. She still didn't know what it meant. But Gothel's expression…

"No!" Gothel grabbed her shoulders again, jarring her so hard her teeth knocked together. "How did this happen?"

"I wouldn't touch her if I were you."

Both women looked over, and it was Rapunzel's turn to feel relief as she saw Jack coming towards them through the trees. He had taken off his jacket, so she could see the purple flow of his heart through the black fabric of his shirt. His arms were bare, but he didn't seem at all bothered by the cold.

Every part of her wanted to run to him, where she knew she would be safe. But when she tried, Gothel's bony hands tightened around her, keeping her in place.

"How dare you," Gothel hissed.

"I have a really bad habit of daring," Jack said. "My mom says it will be the death of him." He was now just a few feet away from them, close enough to be seen clearly through the mist. He held his bow loosely at his side, an arrow knocked on the string.

Rapunzel looked at Gothel, hoping that would be enough to make the woman let her go. To her surprise, she saw recognition as the woman looked Jack over.

"You!" Gothel hissed, glaring at Jack.

Jack's blue eyes looking Gothel over… and then mirrored her recognition.

"I remember you."

Rapunzel didn't have time to be confused before Jack raised the bow, pulling the string back with practiced ease as he aimed directly at Gothel.

"Let her go," he said, his deep voice low and dangerous. "I'm not exactly in the mood to give a warning shot.

Rapunzel winced as Gothel's hold tightened, bony fingers digging into the soft skin with bruising force. Just when she thought the woman would refuse… she let go, and practically shoved Rapunzel away.

Without having to think she ran over to Jack and ducked behind him. She felt like a coward, but couldn't deny that she felt more secure as soon as she reached him.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, but not turning his face away from Gothel. She thought he would have touched her, if his hands hadn't been preoccupied with the bow.

"I'm fine," she assured, nodding. And she was, despite shivering from the cold, and the pain that lingered in her shoulders.

Jack nodded, then turned his full attention back to Gothel.

Now, Rapunzel could feel that the air around them had changed. The temperature was the same. But the wind no longer moaned through the branches. It had become a little sharper, moving with purpose. Waiting, she realized, for Jack's command. Now she understand how he had predicted that blizzard.

Gothel hadn't moved, and she continued to glare at Jack. But her anger didn't seem to phase him any more than the cold did.

Moonlight shone off his white hair and pale skin, and down the length of the arrow's shaft.

"Go back to Pitchiner," he said. There was no fear in him when he said the name, though his voice hardened. "Tell him that if he's trying to make me mad, he's on the right track."

The bow didn't waver, but Gothel had started to. Her eyes darted nervously between Jack, Rapunzel, and the arrow aimed directly at her heart. But she wasn't ready to give up yet, even if she kept looking around for a way to escape.

"You can't beat him," Gothel said. "You've never been able to before."

"Yeah, but I've come closer than anyone else," Jack said. Not boasting, but stating a fact. "And I'm starting to get really tired of his games."

Gothel didn't seem to have a response to that.

Jack pulled the bow a little tighter, preparing to let the arrow fly. Rapunzel could see the contours of tensed muscles under the bare skin of his arms.

"Your last warning, Gothel," he said. "Leave."

Gothel ran. As much as she could between almost two feet of snow, at least.

Jack's aim shifted, ever so slightly, and he let the arrow fly.

Rapunzel gasped, thinking for a moment that he had actually shot at the woman. But it shot past Gothel and buried itself deep into the trunk of a birch tree.

"This just keeps getting more complicated," Jack murmured, as Gothel vanished among the trees.

"What do you mean?" she asked, though she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know.

Jack didn't answer. After a moment he walked the twenty feet or so to the birch tree. Curling his fingers around the shaft of his arrow, he yanked it out. He checked the head before returning it to his quiver as he walked back towards her. His eyes were dark, his expression stormy.

"Let's get back inside before you freeze," he said, when he reached her.

Rapunzel nodded, and followed him back to the cabin with trembling steps. They moved quickly, so she didn't have much time to think about what had happened before he pulled the door open for her.

The temperature inside had dropped as the fire had died down further. But it was still warm enough to make her realize just how cold she was. She shivered more as soon as she was inside than she had out in the cold.

She looked over at Jack as he closed the door and dropped the deadbolt into place.

He didn't so much as glance in her direction as he went over to the fire place, dropping his bow and quiver next to his cloak on the way. Throwing a few more pieces of wood onto the fire, he coaxed the flames back to life.

The warmth drew her closer to the fire place, almost against her own will.

Still without looking at her, Jack went to sit on the floor where he had been sleeping.

"Are you angry?" she asked, when she could no longer handle their quiet. Not that she had to ask. Should could feel his anger thrumming through her, though the emotion's heat was tempered by the chill of fear.

"No," his said, voice tight as the bowstring just before he had fired.

For some reason, his lie only made her feel worse. She looked at her hands as she held them out to the fire. Her fingers were still bright pink from the cold, though the numbness of the cold had started to fade.

A moment later, she heard Jack exhale.

"Yes," he said. The tension was almost gone from his voice. "I am mad. I'm trying not to be, but I am."

She dared to look back, and saw him run his hands through his hair, leaving it even more of a mess than usual. "This is exactly why my mom almost strangled me. I get it now."

She hesitated, not sure how to interoperate that.

"You scared me," he said.

"I'm sorry," she said, because she didn't know what else to say. Though it didn't seem nearly enough compared to the emotions warring across his expression. She had expected him to yell and rage, the way Gothel would have. It was the only kind of anger she had ever known. But this… it was worse in a way.

With a shake of his head, he bent his knees up so he could rest his elbows on them. "The worst part is that I did the same thing. In my defense, I was fifteen. And I stayed on the palace grounds." He sighed again. "Not that it kept me safe from pitchiner."

Rapunzel wanted to ask what had happened. But she suspected he wouldn't tell her. Not now.

He shook his head, as though trying to shake the memories that had been stirred up. After a moment he lifted his face to her again, and she was relieved to see, and feel, that most of his anger had drained away.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Something about the way he asked the question was completely different than when Gothel had. There was a sincerity to it that softened his voice.

She nodded numbly, reaching up to touch her shoulder. Her powers would heal it quickly, so there was only a lingering tenderness. But the memory was still there.

Finding the courage to leave the fireplace, she went over to sit on the bedroll, which hadn't been disturbed since she had tossed it off.

"How did you find me?" she asked, when they sat facing each other.

"I was already half awake when you left," he said. "Gothel woke me up. It just took me a couple minutes to get up."

A fresh wave of guilt washed over her. Had he been waiting for her to say something, to see if she would ask for his help instead of just going out on her own?

Jack looked out the window. When she saw his jaw clench, she looked over as well and saw that it had started to snow again. Not a blizzard, but not small flakes, either. The clouds had come out of nowhere.

No, not out of nowhere, she realized. Something about the way they swirled outside was the same as the emotions Jack was obviously still fighting back.

"I'm sorry," she said again, realizing that this storm was because of her.

"It's…" he sighed. "At least your okay. Just, don't do it again. Please." His anger was completely gone, leaving only concern.

Rapunzel shook her head adamantly. "I hope I never see her again."

"We will," Jack said darkly. "And next time, she probably won't be alone."

Pitchiner, she realized with a shudder.

Jack exhaled as he lay down on his back. "Dawn is a few hours off. We should get some sleep."

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"No," he said, eyes already closed. "But I'm tired. And I don't like traveling at night."

She wondered again if he was afraid of the dark, even as she lay down in the bedroll. The excitement was fading, so she found she was once more exhausted.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Jack opened his eyes, turning his head to her. "You can ask. If it's too complicated, I'll answer it tomorrow."

Somehow, she knew that any questions about their flowing hearts would be deemed "too complicated". But that wasn't what she wanted to ask. Not right then, at least.

"How do you know Gothel?"

For Gothel to recognize Jack, that was one thing. He was a prince, after all. But for Jack to know Gothel… she couldn't fathom how that was possible.

Jack exhaled, and for a moment she thought the question would be put off until the next day.

"I don't know her," he said finally. "I met her in Spring when I was young. She was a member of the court. We were there for a diplomatic visit, before everything fell apart. I had snuck out of my room one night because I couldn't sleep, and I overheard her and Pitchiner talking. I remember her grabbing my ear. Which made my mom furious. But when she went off on Gothel, Thomas told her she had no right to punish a high ranking member of his court. Things much had already been going wrong, because we left the next day. I was four or five, so it's mostly a blur."

"How old are you now?" Rapunzel asked, because she had been curious about that before.

"Twenty, as of last month," Jack said. "Just don't expect me to act it."

"So I would have been two or three."

Jack seemed to go still.

"Maybe…" he shook his head. "No, she was too surprised."

"What?"

Jack rubbed his chest, over the purple glow of his heart. "I'll… I'll explain tomorrow. Get some sleep."

#

This time, jack waited until she was a asleep before he let himself fully relax. Instinct told him she would leave again, her contrition had been strong enough he had felt it through their fledgling empathy link. Though he knew it had probably been helped along by the anger she had no doubt felt. A woman's empathetic connection was always stronger, so if he could feel her fear, she could feel some of the finer points of his emotions.

Her fear was the reason he hadn't hesitated to aim at Gothel. In those moments, all he had cared about was getting rid of anything that caused that kind of terror in her.

He hadn't expected to react so strongly that it would bring the snow out of nowhere, though. He was glad to see that the snowfall had mostly stopped.

With a tired sigh, he looked over at Rapunzel's sleeping form. All the worry and fear had drained from her face, and she was curled up in the bedroll.

The thought of losing people he cared about wasn't new. Pitchiner had seen to that when he had kidnapped Emma three years earlier. And over the years there had been other situations, but that one stood out in memory.

But the thought of losing Rapunzel… that had terrified him in a way he couldn't even understand. Soul mate or not, he had known her for only two days. That didn't seem like enough time to form an attachment to someone. His heart didn't seem to understand that, though.

When she had left the cabin, he had been more exasperated than afraid. Though his fear had mounted the longer it took him to break out of his sleep paralysis. But the moment he had seen Gothel start to drag her away…

He was starting to understand Nightlight and Hiccup a whole lot better now. Why their actions all seemed to revolve around Katherine and Astrid. He had always rolled his eyes before, wishing they were different…but now he understood.

He looked over at Rapunzel one last time. Once he was sure she was alright, he surrendered to sleep without a fight.