Hey ya'll. Another chapter for you this week, and it's just as long as chapter 3! Yay! This ties into the last chapter a bit, so keep an eye out for that, even though it's blatantly obvious. :P Oh, and though its apparent, the italics are of a song that you should all know. They mean singing... yeah. Enjoy!

You think that I nearly lost you when the doctors tried to take you away
But like the night you took my hand beside the fire thirty years ago
'Til this day, you swore you'd be here 'til we decide that it's our time
But it's not time, you never quit in all your life
So just take my hand and know that I will never leave your side
You're the love of my life, you know that I will never leave your side

"Hey, Xavier, have you seen your mother lately?" I asked him as we exchanged smiles in the corridor. Mine was laced with worry, and I knew Xavier could sense it.

"Not recently. She told me about two hours ago that she was going for a walk."

"A walk? Did you tell her of the storm coming in?"

"I thought she knew."

Blowing out a breath, I gave my son a reassuring smile for the both of us.

"I'm sure she's okay. I'll go take a look for her."

I picked up my pace as I came towards the doors, stopping one of the maids going by.

"Florence, do you by any chance know where Rapunzel went?"

"Oh, yes, she was telling me all about it while I helped her into her coat, something about going through the woods, then to the river where the children used to play. I think she was feeling a bit sentimental today, being the anniversary of..." Florence trailed off, nervously meeting my eyes. I thanked her, not addressing her awkwardness before finding my own coat and boots.

"Marie! I'm going to find Rapunzel. If we are not back within the hour, send people out to find us. A storm's coming and I don't want her out there alone. Thank you." I demanded all of this of her while I tugged on my boots, pulling the door open with my thanks.

I started off in the direction Rapunzel would have gone. There was trail through the woods that led to the river, and that was my best guess of where she would be. She should have brought someone with her, especially in this weather. But I reasoned that I was being a bit overprotective. She was her own woman now, and had the right to some time by herself. But ever since her condition last year, it was very hard not to be overbearing.

I grimaced as I thought of the tragedy that struck the family. Rapunzel's parents had died within a week of each other last year, today being a full year since her mother died. The event struck deep with Rapunzel, having a false mother for the beginning of her life and had just gotten to trust level that a daughter should have with her mother, despite the loss of years. They had become very close; Rapunzel and the Queen, sharing stories of their lives over tea almost every afternoon without fail. When the stories ran out, they just talked about their lives presently. It seemed that no topic was off limits between the two of them. I know I was a conversation piece for the two of them many times. Today, she just wanted to escape the castle walls that held so many memories.

I had made it to the trail and started down it, looking for Rapunzel's footprints in the snow, or any indication that this is where she had gone to. I found her tracks amongst others in the snow, and they lead to the river, just like Florence had said.

I slowed when I got to the banks of the river, looking up and down carefully for Rapunzel. There was no sign of her, so I picked the direction of the bridge and started told here. There was a curve in the river, and just past this bend was an old wooden bridge that aided across the rougher rapids. It was going to be a task in the spring to reinforce the bridge.

Coming around the bend, I picked up Rapunzel's boot impressions. I followed them to the bridge, looking across it. There was a missing board, fallen out of rot I assumed. I tilted my head, looking at the splintered wood where it had been nailed in place. That was not natural. Someone had stepped on it to make it give way like that. Rapunzel was a light as a child, but with her heavy coat and boots, she could have been heavy enough to cause the board to disintegrate.

My eyes widened to what that meant. I looked down the river this time, but not along the banks. Instead, I looked along the ice that had built up on the sides, the frigid water flowing thinly underneath and between the floes. And there it was, a dark mass half submerged in the water, half sprawled on the thin ice.

"Rapunzel!" I shouted, terror gripping my heart and squeezing all rational thought. I sprinted over to the part of the river, identifying her bright red mittens as I stepped onto the ice to retrieve her. The sound of a thousand mirrors smashing had me stop and slowly bring my foot back onto the river bank. There was no way to get to her without the ice giving out under my weight.

Trying to think it through, I collapsed onto my belly, shifting forward ever so slowly. The sounds started up again, but this time it sounded quieter, subdued. I managed to risk getting my entire body on the ice, sans my lower legs. I couldn't see her breathing, but the coat made it hard to discern that.

"Rapunzel," I called, trying to jostle her out of the dream realm where she was held captive. I was far enough out that I could reach out and touch her head and shoulders. I pulled a glove off to touch her cheek, but jerked back at the icy feel. That wasn't good. I had to risk going further on the ice to get her out of the water. But that meant we would both be completely submerged if the ice broke. Shaking my head, I knew I was running out of options and time. I shifted closer to her still, the ice protesting louder the further out I got. I kept my pace steady and slow, hoping that nothing serious would happen.

When I was close enough to wrap my hands around her arms, I did just that, but remembering that I would have to get off the ice as much as I was pulling her onto it completely. Shifting my grip, I pulled her a few inches out, but shifted back with my legs at the same time. The ice made a ruckus but thankfully didn't dislodge. Breathing in and out, I repeated this process until was completely out of the water and I was entirely off the ice. Not wanting to waste another minute, I stepped on the ice, crouched down so I could lift her in my arms and take her on land. My foot sunk in the ice, making my boot fill with freezing water, but I ignored it, taking a very wet, very cold Rapunzel into my arms instead. The second I removed my soaking foot from the floe, a final snap sounded with a few seconds intermission until the ice slowly started moving down the river. I watched it for a minute, thanking my lucky stars that neither of us was on it. Looking down at Rapunzel, my heart almost stopped.

I first checked if her heart had actually stopped, and almost cried with relief at the faint and slow thump. I didn't have much time. Her skin was white as the snow around us, if taking on a bluish tinge. Her lips were the colour of the skin on blue berries, and frost gathered on her clothes and the strands of hair that managed to escape her cap. I set her on the ground carefully, stripping her of her soaking coat and mittens, biting back a curse when I saw the state of her fingers. I couldn't imagine what her feet were to look like. I pulled my coat off and wrapped her in it, making sure that her neck and hands were covered. I took off her cap and replaced it with mine, adding it to the growing pile of wet articles on the shore. I didn't want to risk taking off her boots yet, because I needed to get back to the castle still. I picked her up again easily, after the heavy articles were off and started running down the river bend.

I made it to the castle grounds in five minutes flat, yelling for help as soon as I walked through the gates. Some guards took off to alert the others in the castle, and by the time I got to the main doors, there was a party waiting for us.

I made them wait until I got into the doors and closed them before letting them start to help. With many hands made light work and I watched on nervously as they stripped her of my coat and all the soaking layers underneath. I watched her boots come off quickly, the sodden socks to follow. There was a low murmur at the state of her toes, all a blackish blue and defiantly not coming back. I winced in pain for my wife, regretting not trying to find her sooner.

They were transporting her already, some maids carrying bowls of warm water to hold her fingers in, other keeping the blanket tight or her head supported. They moved in to the main parlour, where the biggest fire place was alright bright and hot with flames. More blankets were added to her limp body and some started warming them with friction as they were laid on top of her.

Finally the bustle quieted down, one of the maids informing me that the doctor was fetched and would be with us momentary. I only had it in me to nod my acknowledgement, my eyes never leaving Rapunzel. When a few more left, I moved closer to her, studying her face carefully. Her lips were still blue and she was as still as death. But that didn't stop me from cupping her cheeks in my hands, lightly rubbing my thumbs along the red areas. I didn't know if what I was doing helped or hurt her, so I stopped rubbing and just left my hands there, hoping that it would be enough.

"Father?" I heard from the entrance way of the parlour. I looked to see Xavier there, his eyes wide like a child during a storm.

"I'm so sorry papa, I should have let her know, or gone with her. We all knew what today was and how she...I'm sorry." His voice broke, but he still held his composure, coming closer to us. Kneeling he rested his hand on what we both assumed was her shoulder, but the mass of blankets made it hard for us to tell.

We sat there for a while in silence, waiting patiently as the doctor assessed her, shaking his head and sighing heavily.

"She's going to lose all of her toes, I'm afraid, and the tips of five of her fingertips will have to be taken off as well." I shook my head. How was she going to paint with no fingertips? The doctor continued, ignored my silent disagreement. "That is, if she ever wakes up. She was in the water a long time, gentlemen. She's going to need a miracle."

I think that's when my numb exterior started to break, anger building up until I had to turn away from the doctor. He wasn't to blame, he was only the messenger, but I still wanted to punch him for giving me that kind of report. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked back to see Xavier, nodding his head in empathy. When the anger drifted away, I was overwhelmed with sadness. I bent over Rapunzel, my shoulders shaking as I silently wept. Xavier patted my back again and I heard his retreating foot falls. He was giving me a moment alone.

I wiped the tear tracks off my face and the building tears in my eyes before lifting my head to look at Rapunzel one more time.

"Rapunzel, don't do this. Don't give up today. I know you're hurting, I know you're not happy today, but please stay with me." I begged, ignoring the bowls of water and taking one of her hands in mine, clasping it tightly. "You said that we would say when we would go. That we'd go together. I'm not ready to go, and you can't go if I'm still here. I want you back with us, with your family." A few of my tears fell onto her face but I didn't bother to wipe them away. "I need you, Rapunzel, more than life itself. I'm selfish and greedy and I want you back. Don't leave me here alone. Don't quit on me Blondie. You've never quit, no matter what Gothel said to hurt you, no matter how many situations we got ourselves in. Don't leave. Please. Don't go."

Not knowing what else to do, I started singing her enchantment, much like she did for me while I was dying.

"Flower gleam and glow.

Let your powers shine.

Make the clock reverse,

Bring back what once was mine."

I was overcome with emotion, my voice no longer functioning as a tight ball in my throat threatened to explode. No longer caring, I wept every single emotion that this woman put me through.

I kept crying until I fell asleep with my head resting on her abdomen, her fingers still tight in my palms. So I missed the way my tear was absorbed into her cheek, a light glow coming off of it.

I didn't wake up again until someone prodded my shoulder. Lifting my head, I looked to see Elizabeth standing in front of me. She gave me a water smile which I returned, then looked to Rapunzel. She seemed no better than before I fell asleep, which worried me. Even her lips were still blue.

"I don't want her to leave, father. I love her too much." I looked at Elizabeth who was also looking at Rapunzel, silent tears dripping down her face. I watched her lean over and kiss her mother's cheek with a tear to follow the kiss. When she sat back up, I held my arms out for her.

Even though she was a full grown woman, and even though I gave her away to Eric two years ago, I still wanted to hold my baby girl in my arms when she cried. She didn't reject it either, weeping into my shirt with body racking sobs. It broke my already shattered heart, but I could only screw my eyes shut and hold her a bit tighter. But that was the second time I missed the tear absorption, and the slightly brighter glow. I started to sing again, unaware of what just occurred. I started from where I left off, feeling that it fit our current situation.

"Heal what has been hurt

Change the fates design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine." I couldn't finish the song. The feeling it would bring held too much finality, so I swallowed the words for my own protection.

We stayed like that for a long time, only breaking apart when Xavier and the doctor came in. We watched as he checked her vitals and her blue appendages. He shook his head, much like yesterday, but rubbed his head as well.

"I'm afraid that you should say your goodbyes now. She won't make it until the morning." Elizabeth started crying again and Xavier soon followed. I watched as Elizabeth hugged her mother one more time, my own tears forming in my eyes at the sight of such heartbreak. Xavier was next, kissing her cheek once before hugging her as well, his face buried into her neck.

Knowing this was going to be the end, and with nothing to prevent it, I finished the song with my heart torn. I couldn't bring my voice from a hoarse whisper, but the kids still heard me.

"What once was mine."

When Xavier pulled back, I finally witnessed the tear phenomenon. His tears that had fallen on the skin of her neck were gone in an instant. I looked on with wide eyes.

"Kids...look."

We all watched in awe as a yellow glow pulsed in her neck once before spreading, heading up into her face and under the area where the blankets covered her. Her lips shone yellow before returning to their original rosy pink, her waxy complexion getting flushed with life. Next we noticed her fingers, the one hand that was still sitting in the water catching our attention first. Her fingertips glowed, the light reflecting in the water to shine in our faces. The same event was happening with her other hand, the affected fingers glowing before blinking out, no trace of the frostbitten tissue left. Her toes were slower, but surely enough, they glimmered with the yellow light, faint at first, but growing stronger until it looked like the sun was beaming out of her feet. The warm light seemed to spread all over body, shining brighter and brighter, until it burst forth, drowning the room in a spectacle of rays that curled and looped in a breathtaking show. And then suddenly it was done, reducing quickly to nothing but a memory. We all looked at Rapunzel in hope and sure enough, her eyes fluttered open.

"Take these blankets off, it's so hot!" Her voice didn't even sound raspy.

We all started screaming, yelling, and cheering. It didn't matter to me, because all I knew that she was back with me. I knew it wasn't our time just yet.

We hadn't had our chance to shine.

Oh boy, aren't I a corny bastard. Anyway, because it was lovely and long, maybe some reviews, yes? :P I'll stop being a review slut now. But I would like to inform you that this is the final chapter, and whatever is posted next week is the epilogue! I know, it makes me sad too. But I will have a shout out to all the reviewers on that chapter, don't you worry your pretty little mind. :) See ya in a week.

Love, Ella.