Chapter 8: Mother Gothel

A/N: Now the story will start picking up in the drama section! I'm sorry about the cliffhanger from the last chapter but it had to be done. Anyway, review, follow, and favorite! Hope you enjoy it.

***** = shift in scenes, used to {explore the past} and as a {flashback} in this chapter. I use it quite a bit so be ready for a lot of scene shifting.

Warning: [Cursing] [Violence] and [Alcohol Consumption]

I do not own Tangled

Mother Gothel stared at the two with murderous eyes as they were showered with applause. She had just found out about the couple a few days ago. She hated him. He was the man that took her precious Rapunzel away from her. She also hated Rapunzel. Rapunzel just left her after all that she had done for her. Anger swirled through her body as she walked out of the venue. She already had a plan in mind.

Mother Gothel sat on a single person sofa in the living room, rubbing her temple with one hand. It was Rapunzel's first day of school. How did Rapunzel even convince her to go? Was it her hard work? Was it sympathy? Nope, most definitely not sympathy.

Gothel let out a heavy sigh, trying to forget about it. She decided to do some work to take her mind off of Rapunzel. The house was already spotless, due to Rapunzel's cleaning, so she didn't have to clean anything. She headed straight for the office. Her office was the one room she didn't let Rapunzel into. It was crowded with papers and junk, books on the floor and the shelves all unorganized. A desk sat in the back corner of the room, stacks of papers piled on it and a laptop in between them. Gothel sat down and started on work, clicking through files while examining papers.

Hours passed before Gothel was finished. She looked at the clock on the laptop, seeing that it was already 9:00 PM. She didn't hear Rapunzel come home or greet her as she usually does whenever she roamed around the house. Something was off. Gothel quickly got out of her seat and searched the house. First she checked the living room area. Turning on the lights, she saw that everything was still the same as it was hours before, no signs of anyone. She briskly walked to Rapunzel's room, expecting to see her dozing off or painting. She opened the door, and it was empty. Everything was clean and Rapunzel was nowhere to be seen.

"Rapuinzel!" She yelled. Maybe she's just hiding Gothel trying to convince herself. "Rapunzel, where are you dear?" she called out. "Come out now, or I'm going to get angry!" No response from anywhere. It was as she feared, Rapunzel had not come home yet. It was already quite late, and anxiety filled Gothel. She calmed herself down with a cup of tea and assessed the situation. She considered calling the police, but ultimately decided against it. They were not someone she could rely on. Then she realized Rapunzel had her phone on her! She searched for her phone in her office desk, finally finding it after a couple minutes. Returning to the living room, she texted Rapunzel over and over, alongside calling. No answer. Gothel flung her phone across the room. It slammed into the wall, and she waltzed over to the kitchen. Pulling out a shot glass and some Vodka. She usually wouldn't drink till late at night, but she just felt like doing it. She downed a couple shots before laying her head on the table. Rapunzel was nowhere to be found. This could spell big trouble for her. What if they found out?

In the midst of all her thoughts and worries, she heard a buzz from her phone that was miraculously still working. She wobbled over to the phone and picked it up. She glanced at the sender. Rapunzel. Quickly unlocking her phone, she read the text. The majority of the text was misspelled, like she randomly tapped the screen in hopes that it'll be coherent. It was something along the lines of her not being able to make it home. The alcohol did not mix well with her emotions, fury filling her.

"THAT BITCH! SLUT! WHORE! RAPUNZEL!" Gothel yelled out, throwing and flipping things in her living room. Her vodka bottle and shot glass both fell to the ground, but she could care less. Rapunzel was drunk, it was obvious by the way she typed. Rapunzel never typed in slurs or in such an incoherent way. It was all formal and structured. "After all I've done for you? Just wait till I get my fuckin' hands on you bitch!" She breathed heavily, looking at her messed up living room. She didn't care at all. She just needed to find Rapunzel.

Gothel assumed that she wasn't on her own, and that some man made her do it. She would kill whoever did this to her precious flower. Kill them. Of course she wouldn't kill them, someone else would, or some sort of unfortunate accident would happen to them. She just needed to find the person. A devilish grin filled her face as she stood in the middle of the mess she made.

She would do anything to get her precious flower back.

The final slow song came to an end, signaling the ending of homecoming. It was a night to remember for Eugene and Rapunzel. They danced and laughed alongside their friends, alongside each other. It felt as if nothing could separate them. They loved each other and that was that. Everything was perfect at that moment.

"Alright ladies and gents, homecoming is over! I really hoped you enjoyed it, and I'd like to thank every single one of you for coming out tonight," Arianna spoke into the microphone. A couple groans came out from the crowd. It felt as if the night was just starting.

Rapunzel took off her shoes while dancing, knowing that the heels would cause her a lot of pain if she danced in them. She held her heels in one hand, and Eugene's hand in the other. They were laughing and nudging each other.

"Save that for later you two," Max laughed.

"Yeah, it's making me sick," Pascal pretended to almost throw up.

"Can it you two," Eugene rolled his eyes while Rapunzel giggled. The group headed to the parking area, where they parted ways. Eugene had a surprise in mind. He drove in the opposite direction of his apartment.

"Where are we going? Rapunzel asked curiously.

"You'll see Blondie. I know you'll love it," Eugene smiled at her. Rapunzel nodded her head, still confused. Where could Eugene want to take her? They drove past all their usual spots, such as the Snuggly Duckling and the bar they first met. They went to those establishments a lot. They passed through the shopping district, even past the central park. Soon, there were only a few buildings. It looked like an older part of town, buildings a little vintage. There was one large building and columns in the front. It looked a lot like a town hall.

"Alright, we're here Rapunzel!" Eugene parked the car and they got out, approaching the building. There was no sign anywhere signifying what this might be.

"What is this place?" Rapunzel asked.

"Oh you know, a place," he answered vaguely, causing Rapunzel to frown.

Walking in, it was so much different. It looked really fancy. Fountains filled the walls, forming little waterfalls that fell into tiny ponds. There were columns lining the sides and a large reception desk in the middle.

"Hello Mister, Misses," a suited man greeted from behind the desk. "Do you guys have an appointment?"

"Yes, Eugene Fitzherbert," Eugene answered.

"Great, here you are," the receptionist handed them wristbands. They were used to signifying who was allowed in. The couple thanked the receptionist and went through the arched doorway behind the desk. Rapunzel was the first to enter, stopping midway through the entrance. Behind the desk was a beautiful garden filled with all kinds of flowers. There were different pathways. But what caught her eye the most were the famous paintings and sculptures that were scattered about in the garden.

"Eugene… this place is…" she was at a loss for words.

"Amazing? Awesome? The coolest thing you've ever seen?" He filled in the blanks. Rapunzel nodded quickly, a childish smile on her face. "You're so cute…" Eugene covered his face as he rubbed her head.

"Eugene, I'm speechless. Like honestly. I don't know what to say" Rapunzel was dumbstruck. The garden was already beautiful in itself, but to top it all off, there were pieces of famous art everywhere. These weren't just replicas, these were the real deal. The Mona Lisa, Starry Night, The Persistence of Memory, even The Great Wave. But that's not all. There were also beautifully crafted statues, some of Roman and Greek mythology, some of historical figures. It was like a walk through time.

"I knew you would love it. Getting a reservation here was not easy though, let me tell you that," Eugene admitted. A sudden warmth surrounded his body as she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Eugene, thank you so much. I love you," she whispered into him.

"You're welcome Blondie. I love you too," he whispered back as he returned the embrace.

"No, honestly Eugene. I love you so much. I'm so thankful to have you in my life, I'm so thankful to have met you. These past months have been the best moments of my life. It used to be so dull and painful, but it's been nothing but sunshine and rainbows since I met you. Even when we fought, it was still fun. Words can't express how thankful I am to have you in my life."

Eugene sucked in a deep breath, not expecting her to get all mushy with him. He looked down at her, meeting each other's eyes. They stared deeply at each other. "Rapunzel, you don't know how thankful I am for you. I may not say it often, but I am thankful for you. You are so amazing. You've brightened up my life and led me to a good path. Just being around you makes me happy. I thank whatever god there is out there for you, every night. I love you so much," Eugene returned her speech with his.

They stayed in their embrace for a long time before finally breaking off. Hand in hand , they walked around the garden. Rapunzel admired all the art pieces, telling Eugene about the history or the techniques behind them. They admired the flowers and other plants spread throughout. It was a magical time.

"These past months sure have passed quickly," Eugene said, thinking back to what she said.

"Yeah… I still remember the first day you went back to school and started telling everyone to call you Eugene. They all laughed and thought you were joking, but you weren't. They asked all kinds of questions," Rapunzel thought back.

"Yeah, even Arianna was a little surprised, even though she knew my real name already," Eugene smiled.

"Okay everyone, I have an announcement to make," Eugene stood at the front of his Calculus BC class, Rapunzel beside him. Everyone stared at the two, mainly looking at their hands, intertwined with one another. Arianna had a confused look on her face. Eugene breathed in deeply. "I want you guys to start addressing me as Eugene."

Silence filled the room as everyone stared at him. Confusion was now on the face of everyone in the room, while Arianna's eyes widened. Eugene… He finally told people his real name.

"Why?" A curious student asked from the back.

"Well, it's because…" Eugene tried to form an answer.

"Because of me!" Rapunzel butted in, smirking up at Eugene.

Eugene rolled his eyes. "Yes, it is mainly because of this girl here," he threw his arm over her shoulder, bringing her closer to him. "Also because I want to leave behind my "Flynn Rider" past for Rapunzel."

"Is that like your pet name she gave to you?" another question flew at them.

"No, it's my real name," Eugene shrugged. The class erupted into chatter and even more questions flew at them. The main one was why he used an alias.

"Well, I just never liked my real name. Until I met a certain someone," Eugene smiled at Rapunzel. Some people groaned at the mushiness, while some thought it was cute.

"Alright class, quiet down and get started on your warm-up," Arianna stepped in. "Eugene, Rapunzel, outside please." The three walked out the class and closed the door behind them.

"What's up Ari?" Eugene raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure about this?" Arianna had concern all over her face.

"I'm sure. Now that I have Rapunzel here, I'm ready to face my past as well as leave the old me behind," Eugene confidently said. Arianna looked over at Rapunzel. Rapunzel nodded slowly, leaning into Eugene. Arianna sighed.

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure. Now go do your warm up you two."

A smile formed on Eugene's face. He was completely sure that he wanted that. He is still sure about it. It was a big step for him. Rapunzel grinned. She was especially happy when he said he wanted to change his name back. A funny memory popped up in her head as she looked at his smile.

"Oh! And remember that time you fell into the lake?"

"Don't remind me of that Blondie. It was so embarrassing, and I even got sick afterwards!"

"You got me sick too!" Rapunzel punched his arm.

"I only pulled you into the water because you were laughing at me," Eugene grinned. Rapunzel frowned.

"That was my first time ever being sick! It wasn't so bad with you though…"

"Blondie (cough) can you (cough) not hog the (sniff) blanket?!" Eugene tugged on the cloth, annoyed.

"This is (sniff) all your (caugh) fault!" She retorted. The two were playing tug of war with the blanket, stretching it out a bit. The two were laying together in Eugene's bed, stricken down with a bad case of the common cold. The two had accidentally started playing in the central park lake, causing them to end up like this.

"If you (cough) didn't laugh (cough) at me, this wouldn't have (cough) happened," Eugene tried to defend himself.

"But it was (cough) so funny (cough cough)" Rapunzel giggled weakly, trying to not exert herself. "You just (cough) fell in!"

The two had been planning to have a little date in the middle of the lake, like they had during the royal anniversary. They were going to think of song lyrics and sing, while enjoying a little picnic, but it came to a halt when Eugene slipped and went overboard. When he resurfaced, he saw Rapunzel laughing while holding her sides. She eventually held her hand out to help. Eugene, not going to take her laughing, pulled her into the water with her., thus causing them to have a little fun in the lake. They swam for a while, and came out all cold and wet. The rest is history from there.

"Okay Blondie, (cough) how about we (cough) share the blanket?" Eugene suggested.

"I would (cough) like that," Rapunzel replied. Eugene scooted closer to her, their bodies touching one another. She snuggled deep into his body, getting herself comfortable. She could feel his warmth, it was comforting. She loved snuggling with him. Eugene called it spooning, but she didn't really understand that term. She still had to look it up.

Eugene threw the blanket over the two and wrapped his arms around her. He placed light kisses on the nape of her neck and head, causing her to giggle and squirm. "Cut that out!" Rapunzel said playfully.

"Sorry, it was just (cough) so tempting." The two laughed. They were having a great time, even when sick. Eventually, the exhaustion from their bodies fighting the virus kicked in, and they fell asleep, Eugene's hand over her's.

The two looked at each other, intertwining their hands. It was wonderful to have someone they could rely on. They never really had anyone they could lay on until now. It was a new feeling for both of them. It was new, but it wasn't bad at all. It was quite good on the contrary. They loved the connection they had, even if their pasts weren't the best.

The two walked around the garden a couple more times, still looking at all the art and scenery around them. It was a wonderful experience for those two. They walked out of the building content, especially Rapunzel. Rapunzel loved everything she saw. She was so happy, and it showed on her face. A large smile stayed on her face for a while. She looked like a kid who just got candy. Eugene smiled when he saw her smile.

"So Blondie, what should we do now?"

"Lets head back to your apartment," Rapunzel said through a yawn.

"You mean 'our' apartment, right?" He asked nonchalantly, getting into the car. Rapunzel blushed. Even though they had been living together for awhile, she always referred to it as "his apartment." It just didn't feel right to say it was theirs. They weren't married, so it was his. If she said "ours" it would sound like they were married, and that was kind of embarrassing. Not that she minded the thought of marrying him, it was just, something else.

"Yeah," Rapunzel hid her burning face as she sat down in the car.

"What's wrong Rapunzel?"

"I-It's nothing!" She stuttered, dodging his question.

"Alrighty then," Eugene shrugged as he drove back to their apartment. It was a decently long drive, roughly thirty minutes or so. Rapunzel struggled to stay awake, eventually succumbing to her exhaustion built up from the dance. Eugene looked over at her, noticing her head bob. He laughed to himself as he continued driving. It was a tiring and fun night.

They eventually reached the apartment. It was already 1:30 in the morning, so everyone was sleeping. It was dark outside, and he could barely see anything when he turned off his car. Something caught his eye though. Two burly figures stood at the bottom of the stairs. Eugene had never seen people like this at his apartment before, so he acted cautiously.

"Psst, Rapunzel, wake up," He whispered as he shaked her awake. He had tinted windows, so the people couldn't see him in there. "Stay here Rapunzel, hide in the back seats with this blanket," he pulled it over her as she woke up from her sleep.

"What's wrong Eugene?" She asked, a little panic and anxiety on her face.

"There are two men out there who look dangerous. I'm going to go see what's up, but I want you to hide yourself in the back. Do I make myself clear?" Rapunzel nodded hesitantly, not wanting Eugene to go out there. "Don't worry about me Blondie, I'll be fine. Here's the car keys, make sure to lock it." Eugene opened the car door quietly and slowly closed it, not making a noise. Rapunzel hid herself in the back on the ground, covering herself with the blanket. \

Eugene approached the two, getting close enough to make out their faces. They were both burly men, one with long sideburns, the other with a large scar over one of his eyes. They noticed Eugene and approached him.

"Eugene Fitzherbert?" The man asked in a gruff voice.

"Who asks?" He responded back.

"Gothel," one smield evilly. This is when Eugene knew things were gonna go south. He heard a click, and saw the shimmer of a switchblade in the moonlight. Panic filled Eugene as he made a run for it.

"Hey! Get back here!" One of the men yelled, both running after him. Eugene ran down the street, calling for help. He yelled, hoping someone would hear him and come help. He wasn't going to try and fight them, they would easily overpower him. He had to think of something quickly. He looked behind him to see only one was chasing him, and he sighed in relief. He ran into an alleyway, where he was knocked to the ground when he bumped into something. Dazed, he looked up to see the man with a scar running through his eye. He smirked as he approached Eugene with a knife. The other man didn't catch up yet, so Eugene jumped to his feet, ready to defend himself. The man lunged at him with the knife, and he dodged to the left, landing a clean jab on the man's face. He groaned as he shook his head, letting out a snarl. He lunged again, earning him yet another punch. Eugene wasn't strong enough to get him down, but he was able to easily bob and weave through the larger man. He was tiring out him, and thought he was about to win. Suddenly, a sharp pain filled his side as the scar-faced man stood there.

Eugene stood there in shock, touching where he felt the pain. SOmething sticky was on his hand. A smell of iron. He had been stabbed. His vision became blurry and he fell over. He felt the warmth of his own blood under him. The two men stood above him and looked down, grinning. Scar-face crouched down beside him and winded up his arm. He gave Eugene a punch to the side of the head, rendering him unconscious.

"Goodnight," the two laughed evilly as they walked out the alleyway.

Rapunzel was still curled up in the car, her breathing frantic. She heard Eugene yelling for help, and called the police from her phone. She also called Max and Pascal, but Max was the only one to pick up.

"What's up Rapunzel? Do you know what time it is?"

"M-Max… I-I-I think E-Eugene is in t-trouble," she stuttered out, fear in her voice.

"What's wrong?" Max knew something wasn't right instantly.

"H-He was c-chased down the s-street by two men. They wanted to hurt him. I saw a knife," she felt like crying. She didn't hear Eugene anymore, and the worst possibilities filled her mind.

"Oh shit, oh fuck," Max cursed. Rapunzel heard car keys jingling. "Where are you? His apartment?"

"Y-Yeah," Rapunzel answered.

"Just stay where you are, and make sure you aren't found. I'll stay on the phone with you, but just keep quiet," Max said, turning on his car engine. He drove as fast as he could, trying to reach Eugene's apartment as fast as possible.

The two men walked around the parking lot, looking at each car. They didn't know which car was Eugene's, so they just had to look into each one. They were looking for her, and she knew that. She hid herself under the blanket, shaking. She heard a thud against the window and ducked her head instinctively. "Eugene…" she whispered to herself, fear in her voice. Tears fell down her face as she sniffled. She peeked out the blanket, seeing that no one was outside the windows anymore.

"Yeah, we don't see the girl anywhere," she heard a gruff voice say. "The man? Yeah, we took care of him. We just need to find her."

Rapunzel sobbed quietly into the blanket, muffling her cries even more. They took care of him? Does that mean Eugene was dead? She couldn't bear to think about it. Who would want to do this to him...

"Alright, let's get going," one of the men said, turning on the car engine. They drove out the parking lot, and left. Rapunzel sniffled and tried to calm herself down, but she just couldn't. Rapunzel sat there, waiting for Max. Eventually, another car pulled into the lot. It was Max's. Rapunzel opened the car door quickly and ran towards Max. Max met her halfway, making sure she was okay.

"Do you know which way Eugene ran?" He asked after calming her down a bit.

"H-He ran d-down the street," She was only somewhat calm, still stuttering. Max ran down that way, while Rapunzel followed in a walking pace. She didn't have the energy to run, but followed behind. Max ran and ran, and a silver glint shone in the corner of his eye. He looked into the alleyway to see Eugene on the ground, a blade stuck into the back of his side. Max quickly ran over, checking his pulse. It was really weak.

Rapunzel caught up eventually, and almost screamed when she turned the corner. There she saw a puddle of blood, Eugene leaned up against the wall, and Max on the phone. Rapunzel heard sirens off in the distance. Her vision was getting blurry, and she could barely keep herself standing. Feeling herself get weaker, she succumbed to it, the last thing she heard was Max calling out her name.

End of Chapter 8

A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN!

Another cliffhanger? Amazing I know. It's just how I wanted to write these past two chapters, so it is what it is. I hope you guys enjoyed this, a little bit of fluff but then this :)

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Thanks for reading once again.

Ciao!