Just so you know, I'm currently reading the Percy Jackson series, so that's why I named the police officer Percy in the last chapter. :D And I am SO, SO, SO, SO, SO sorry to all of you Eugunzel and Flynn fans, but this was how I planned it out chapters ago. Again, I'm really sorry, but life isn't always a fairytale. And this is an AU. It isn't canon, okay? Okay! ONWARD!

Chapter 15

Jack Frost

A look of horror crossed Punzie's face.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked her. She looked at me, her mouth still agape. Then she said one thing:

"We have to go. Now." We both rushed to the car and after we had buckled up, I asked, "Where to?"

Her mouth was set in a grim line. "695 Sacket Road. And step on it." So I did.

When we got to the address Rapunzel had told me, I was shocked to see police cars clogging up the driveway and road. A middle-aged woman with graying brown hair in a ratty pink bathrobe was sobbing into an officer's shoulder. News vans were parked on the edges of the street.

"W-what's going on?" I asked Rapunzel, but she looked forward and walked up to the woman. I followed her. Rapunzel embraced the frazzled woman.

"Mrs. Rider-I mean, Mrs. Fitzherbert," she murmured into the woman's ear. "I'm really sorry about Flynn." Wait, WHAT?

Mrs. Fitzherbert sniffled and wiped her eyes. "He was my only boy. My only boy," she whimpered. "Now he's gone." She broke into large, loud, heaving sobs again and Rapunzel rubbed her back, comforting her.

"Uh, excuse me? Officer? Could you please, um, tell me what's going on here, sir?" I asked the police officer who had been comforting Mrs. Fitzherbert only a few minutes ago.

The officer turned his stern gaze onto me. "You mean, you don't know?" he asked me in a slightly deep voice. I shook my head. He stared at the house as if in thought. "A young man who goes to Disney-Dreamworks High School was murdered last night. He committed suicide."

My blood ran cold. "Who was it?"

"His name was Flynn Rider."

I paced back and forth. Rapunzel was sitting quietly and somberly in a chair on the front lawn. She stared into the distance. She was so strong. I had half-expected her to burst into tears at the news. I paused my pacing to glance over at her.

"Rapunzel?" I asked her hesitantly. She looked up. "Are-are you okay? How are you taking this?"

She gave me a small sad smile. "I'm all right, Jack," she said quietly. "It's just-why did Flynn kill himself? Don't answer that, Jack. I know why." She took a deep breath. "It's because I broke up with him. He was so depressed he killed himself."

"But the autopsy report says that he took a knife blade to the stomach," I pointed out, holding a manilla folder up. I took the piece of paper out of it and showed the report to her. "Don't people normally start with the wrists or something?"

Rapunzel shook her head. "Flynn's always liked his wrists. He wouldn't cut them. And besides," she looked up at me and smiled that same sad smile at me, "we both know that Flynn was never normal."

I smiled back at her. "Yeah, we know that for sure." I glanced around and found a folding chair. I unfolded it and placed it next to Rapunzel, then sat down. I put my arm around her. "It's gonna be okay, Punz." She rested her head on my shoulder, then jumped up.

"I-I'm sorry, Jack." She shook her head. "But I-I can't."

"Can't do what, Punzie?" I was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm really sorry, Jack," Rapunzel repeated. "Just t-take me me back home."

"Oh, uh, okay." We both got into the car. I started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. We had gone a mile before she spoke.

"Please don't be angry," she pleaded. "But-we can't go out. It feels like I'm-cheating on Flynn."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I let out a strangled sound from my throat.

"I'm so, so, so, so sorry, Jack." Tears were running down her face. "But I need some time to get over him. I was so mean to him the week before his death . . . I want to make it up to him." She swallowed hard. "Don't think I don't like you, Jack. I just-"

"Need time to get over him, I know." My voice sounded thick to me. I stared ahead. "Take all the time you need, Rapunzel. I can wait." I pulled up to her house.

Rapunzel looked down. "Thank you, Jack. I-I couldn't ask for anyone as sweet as you." She looked up at me and kissed me on the cheek. Then she got out of the car and disappeared into her house.