"You should put the rose in the library." Rapunzel told him looking at the rose. They were in her room, and Rumpelstiltskin was sitting on the floor with potions ingredients laying about the floor and a cauldron smoking in front of him.

"Its your rose Rapunzel it belongs up here."

"It's Belle's rose. You should keep it the library. It was her favorite room."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we kept it up here." he said walking over to her holding a vial of blue liquid. "You can put it in the library when your better."

"That rose is the only thing in this castle that was truly hers." she started to sit up. "What will you have when I'm gone?"

"You're not going anywhere." he helped her drink. "Here now. This will ease the pain."

"I don't want that heart Rumpel."

"Well a heart is what you're getting." he laughed.

"I mean it!" she tried to sound stronger than she was.

"I know. I know you think you don't want it Rapunzel." he said seriously. "But you don't want to die either."

"Of course I don't, but I don't want to kill someone to live either."

"Don't worry about that. I'll do the killing for you." he grinned.

"Don't! Let us just enjoy the time we have." she cried.

"We can have all the time in the world!" he cupped her cheek in his hand. "Just let me do this for you." All Rapunzel could do was close her eyes. She didn't want to die, but she didn't want someone to die in her place either. "I have good news." he chimmed.

"I don't want to hear it." she said laying back down.

"Oh you will! I recieved a message from Cinderella. She wants to talk about her deal. And I believe she is ready to pay."

"Rumpelstiltskin I can't care for a child, I'm sick. And more than that I'm sick because I don't have the magic that I promised to show you in exchange for the child. How is any of this good news?!"

"Because we'll be a family." he told her, and his words touched her so much. "You Rapunzel are going to have the family you've always wanted. And when I find the heart you need, you can pay your deal." He stroked her hair, unsure about what he had to tell her next. "I may not return for a while."

"What do you mean?"

"I may not come back for what will seem like a long time."

"Why are tell me this?"

"Because should you feel I've been gone too long, I would like you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me you will leave the tower." he said in a joking way, but oddly serious. "Promise me you will leave here and you will not wait for me."

"Why wouldn't I wait for you?"

"You have waited long enough." he teased. "Go and I will find you when I can. Just promise you won't wait here."

"I promise." she agreed. "But will you come back for me?"

"Yes. Now I must go to see Cinderella."

"Ok."

"Remember what you promised."

"I'll remember." With that he vanished. Just as his visions warned, Cinderella deceived him, and Rumpelstiltskin was locked away in the customized cell in Snow White's castle. Rapunzel waited three days before leaving the castle, carrying nothing with her but Belle's rose in its glass container, and wearing her golden cape with her hood up. Her now deep brown hair was tight in a braid to that it would not drag, or show outside her cape. She walked and walked not knowing where she was heading, but staying on the path.

"Halt my lady!" a man shouted, and Rapunzel stopped. "This is a robbery. Please put down any valuables you may have!" She set down the glass chamber and removed her hood to see her highway robber. "Have we met?" he asked, but she couldn't see his face, he had his own green hood up.

"Don't know too many criminals."

"Could you be Lady Rapunzel?"

"How do you know me?" she ask unnerved.

"It is you isn't it?" he asked with a glad tone, and pulled off his hood. "Sorry if I startled you."

"Who are you?"

"Why I'm Robin. Don't you remember? You saved my wife. I owe you a debt." He smiled walking toward her. "What are you doing out here? And what happened to your hair?"

"Oh I'm just trying something new." she shrugged.

"Well it looks... I must say I did like it better before." He told her honestly.

"Yeah me too." she said with a sad smile. "I see you're still up to the whole plundering thing."

"Me? Oh yes, I... Well I have to make a living somehow and an honest living is hard to come by." He joked. "Am I keeping you?"

"Oh no. I don't even know where I am going." she said picking up Belle's rose again.

"Running away again?"

"No I just... um... I need a new place to stay for a while."

"Well you are always welcome to join the Merry Men."

"I really appreciate the offer, but I haven't been..." she paused not wanting to have to talk about what she lost. "I haven't been well recently and I just can't hack it in the woods."

"Really?" he asked with concern. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No I just. Well actually I'm trying to find Prince James and Snow White's castle."

"Do you desire an escort?"

"No that's kind of you but I just need to be pointed in the right direction."

"Please my lady I insist." He whistled and a horse galloped from the woods to his call. "I do owe you a debt, but believe me mam..." He turned to her. "I will never be able to truly repay you for what you gave me."

"Alright Hood." She walked over to the horse and Robin picked her up and set her on the horse before jumping on himself. He started down the path. "How is your wife?"

"Oh she... Well she past away." He responded sadly.

"What?" Rapunzel asked worried.

"The Evil Queen Regina had her executed."

"Oh I'm so sorry Robin. Is Roland alright?"

"Yes he is. He is with a friar now. I'll return for him in two days time, until then he is safe and comfortable in the friar Tuck."

"That's good. He is such a wonderful child."

"Yes he is." There was a comfortable silence for a while. "My lady I hate to pry, but may I ask why you can not heal yourself? The way you had Marian?"

"I really don't want to talk about it."

"Did someone steal your power from you?"

"No. I ..." she wondered what she could say. How to explain that she brought back an evil curse to a man she loved. "I gave it away."

"What would make you want to do that?" Rapunzel bit her lip, and batted her eyes, but remained silent. "Oh! I see my lady. Someone stole heart." he teased.

"Hey, when its true love..." she explained. "You just can't stop until you've done everything in your power."

"Believe me I understand." he nodded. After a long ride they could see the castle, just another few miles away. "I'm afraid my lady this is where I must leave you." he got off his horse. "I'm wanted in these parts, and I can't take you all the way to the palace."

"Oh that's fine Hood. You've done enough." He lifted her off the horse.

"I do hope I see you again."

"Don't get your hopes up." she laughed and waved goodbye, still holding the rose close to her. Suddenly her head was in a haze and she had to lean against a tree.

"Are you alright?" He asked worried, rushing over to help.

"I'm... I'm fine... just dizzy."

"Alright back on the horse, I'll take you the full way."

"No I make it on my own!" she argued, then shivered from a cold only she felt.

"You need help. And I can give it." he whistled for the horse again.

"You will be caught and put in the dungeon."

"We can worry about that when the time comes." He set Rapunzel back on the horse still hugging the rose in its glass coffin.