The teen opened the door and walked into the tiny home, taking off his blue cloak as he did so. He placed the cloak on the sofa before going to the mantle and picked up a picture of himself as a boy with an elderly man, both smiling warmly.

"I'm home, Dad," he smiled at the picture before placing it back on the mantle. He moved to head into the kitchen when a knock at the door made him pause. He moved to open the door, a question on his face. "Yes?" he asked when he opened it.

"Jack!" called out a female voice as she lunged at him, knocking him to the floor. "You're back!"

"Yes, I'm back, Princess, but . . ."

"Rapunzel," she stated firmly.

"What?"

"Say it, say my name, stop saying Princess!"

"OK, OK, sorry, Pri-Rapunzel. There, happy?"

Rapunzel smiled, "Much better."

"Good, can you get off of me now?"

Rapunzel's eyes widened and a slight blush came to her cheeks as she quickly got off, "Oh, I'm sorry! I hope I wasn't too heavy."

"Why? Were you eating pastries again?" Jack eyed her mischievously.

"Jack! So I had one or two, what's wrong with having a pastry every now and then?"

Jack shrugged as he rose, "For me, nothing, pastries taste great. Your parents on the other hand . . ."

"You won't tell them?" she glanced at him pleadingly.

Jack held out his hand to help her up, "When do I really see them, unless it's for developments about the ruins or you've invited me to the castle?"

Rapunzel laughed as she took his hand and stood up, "That's true. But really, I'm glad you're back."

Jack smiled crookedly, "Yeah, me too, but I only came back to get some more supplies. I think we've just about gotten everything unearthed. All that's left is to decode those symbols."

"Jack, that's wonderful! Soon you won't have to spend so much time at the ruins!"

"Exactly, but in order to do that, I have to get back there soon."

"Oh, right. Um, can I go with you?"

"Of course! Let me get a sack and some coins first, then we'll head out." A few minutes later, Jack and Rapunzel were chatting away as they meandered through the city, Rapunzel with a hood hiding her face from the sight of most passer-bys. But it came off the instant she began running towards a vendor.

"Fresh fruit! Ooh, strawberries!" she squealed.

"What is it with you and sweet stuff?" Jack teased.

Rapunzel scoffed, "What is it with you and teasing?"

"Only because you've spoiled me, you make it way too easy, and too much fun, to tease you," Jack grinned mischievously at her.

Rapunzel grinned back coyly, "I guess I do, don't I?"

Jack laughed as he turned to the vendor, "May I have some harder fruit for the road, and some strawberries for the lady?"

"Of course!" the woman exclaimed as she set about bagging some apples, pears, and peaches for Jack, and got together a smaller bag of strawberries for Rapunzel. Jack fished out a few coins from his pocket, but the woman stopped him. "Oh, no need, it's free, for the princess."

"The princess? The princess is here?" muttered several voices as they crowded around the couple. Several asked Rapunzel how she was doing, while Jack took the opportunity to slip a few coins onto the vendor's table. He really didn't feel right simply taking free food, even if it was on account of the princess. He placed the bigger bag of fruit into the sack he had brought, while Rapunzel was still holding the bag of strawberries.

"Is that the princess? Princess Rapunzel!"

Rapunzel gasped, "Jack, guards!"

Jack grabbed her hand, "Hang on!" He led the way through the city, the two dashing around corners and tight places to keep out of sight of the guards. After some major running around, they finally made it outside the city limits, where they basically collapsed on the green grass. "Ah, finally made it." He glanced over at her, the wind catching her brown hair and playing with it, her eyes closed as she breathed in the scent of the grass, a soft smile on her lips. His eyebrows went up when she burst out laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You! The way you outmaneuvered those guards, you could have been a thief if you wanted to!" Jack grinned, he had learned all that while he had been out in the streets, before North took him in and loved him like a son.

"If I wanted to, but a thief's life isn't for me, I mean, what's the point of it?" He glanced at her, "What exactly would I steal from Corona anyway, your crown?" A strange look came into her eyes as she rolled over, their foreheads nearly touching, their hands not once separating the entire time.

"But you are a thief."

"What? What did I steal?"

Rapunzel smiled as she leaned in, whispering, "Jack, I lo . . ." The two yelped and jumped as the bong of the clock tower resounded over the city walls. Rapunzel's eyes widened as she listened. "What? It's already five? I need to get back to the castle!" She quickly got up, releasing Jack's hand, and dashed back towards the city.

"Wait, Rapunzel! What . . ."

She paused, "Are you going to my birthday party tomorrow?"

"Uh, yeah, I wouldn't miss that for the world."

She turned around, a bright smile on her face, "What I was going to tell you, I'll tell you tomorrow, alright?"

"Um, alright."

"Good, don't be late!" She waved to him before continuing on towards the city. Jack stood there for a few minutes after she had left, a soft smile playing at his lips. And it was there that the mirror paused, a figure cloaked in black moved away from it to sit down in a throne-like chair. The hood was thrown back as a pair of twins stepped up to flank the chair.

"It's almost time, my flower will come to me, soon." Gothel cracked a smile before turning to the twins. "Are the ruins ready?"

The twin on her right nodded, "Ready."

Gothel nodded as she turned back to the mirror, "Good. I'd like to see that dumb wizard try to stop me this time. Be ready to go, and make sure it happens without a problem."

The two bowed, "As you wish, my lady." They turned and walked away, leaving Gothel alone.

"Yes, Manny, let's see you try and stop me, this time."