Well this update has been quite a while, and I can't say I entirely know why. It has a fair bit of progression in it, but it just seemed to take up a lot of time. I hope everyone's still reading =D

Flynn Wanted

~12~

When Eugene runs back to Rapunzel, the first thing he realises is that she's crying, and it hits him like a kick in the stomach, hurting far worse than anything Francis tried to do. In moments he's by her side, cradling her like a child almost on instinct. She leans into him, distraught, and he lifts her face to his, brushing wet cheeks with his thumbs.

"Hey, hey," he rushes, trying to sound calm and cover his desperation, but not doing a particularly convincing job. "What's wrong?" he asks, but looks down a moment later and sees the severed end of her hair, gripped so hard her knuckles have gone bone-white. "Oh, shh – come on, sweetheart," he hushes, throwing out any comforting nonsense he can think of, pulling her firmer against him and rubbing her back, letting her sob against his neck.

"He... he..." she hiccups. "He just..."

"Easy, honey," he coos, holding her still, trying to calm the way she trembles. "Just breathe. He didn't hurt you." It sounds obvious, but he can understand how it might have felt like that to her; she spent so much of her life convinced her hair was everything – thinking she had to protect it, fearing it ever being cut and taken from her. "It's just hair," he murmurs, "he only cut a bit-"

"A bit?" she cuts him off, shocked and hurt. "It's my hair, Eugene! It's not about how much he cut off, it's that he cut it!" she verges on a shriek, and he tries helplessly to soothe her.

"I know... I know," he murmurs like an unconvincing echo. "But, thinking about it – didn't I cut off a lot more?" He ruffles her real hair with his hand, threading fingers through his own handiwork. "You're more than just hair," he says softly, and finally feels her relaxing against him.

"You're... you're right," she mumbles weakly, her breath deep and strained – she's exhausted herself.

"Exactly," he manages to say without a trace of arrogance. "We'll just tie it off again, okay? Then remember to check the next person for knives." He feels her nod against him, sniffing – a little embarrassed by her outburst. Another few moments and she's all but recovered, and gets up unsteadily; she goes to her bag for a binding to wrap around the new loose end, to stop it unravelling until they can fix it properly.

"Wait! What about Francis?" Rapunzel suddenly yelps, remembering like it actually shocks her. "What happened to him?"

"He got away," Eugene answers grimly. "I couldn't catch him." He gives a defeated shrug. "I didn't want to lose you guys, either. What could I do if I did catch him, half-way out to nowhere? I couldn't take him anywhere by myself. Not easily."

"Oh... I'm sorry," she says gently.

"You don't need to be," he replies, not liking when she apologises for things she shouldn't – because she's been trained to take the blame. "I know where he's heading, I think." Reminded of his task, he starts hurriedly packing, whistling sharply for Max, who appears to have vanished.

"You do? Where?" asks Rapunzel. "Are we going? Where's... hey, Max!" she cries, and then a piercing neigh cuts through the trees, and the horse bursts dramatically through a thicket.

"Oh, now you show up," Eugene mutters sarcastically, and Max swishes his tail aloofly, ignoring him and trotting over to Rapunzel with a doting whinny. "We're going back," he tells her as he throws his satchel over Max's saddle. "I think Francis is going to try to... to Flynn Rider again." It's the only way he can describe it.

"Try what?" she starts, but then understands. "Oh no!" she gasps. "He can't! What if he-"

"I know," he cuts her off hastily. "That's why we have to get back before him." He starts walking, giving Max a slap on the flank to get him going, but the horse doesn't appreciate so much he tries to buck Eugene in the stomach.

"I'm ready! I'm ready!" Rapunzel chatters, racing around madly and then hounding after Eugene, Max following on her trail. "Where do you think he'll strike next?" she questions as she draws up alongside him, and Max overtakes the two of them, powering along as their self-appointed guide.

"I don't know," he answers honestly, "but I've got a couple of ideas, and some tricks up my sleeve. I'll manage. Once you're back in the castle, I'll start-"

"Whoa, whoaah," she jumps in. "Back in the castle? When was that part of the plan? I'm not going home."

"What did you think you were doing?" he retorts. "We're going back to the Kingdom. You might be able to get past Francis without being recognised, but the rest of the Kingdom's not so stupid. They're gonna be looking high and low – not to mention blaming it on me – and I mean, if you get caught – if I get caught… it's going to look bad." He pauses. "Really bad. I just... think you should go home – it's for the best," he argues persuasively, and Rapunzel slows a little, moves back from him mistrustfully.

"Are you… telling me what to do?" she asks quietly.

"No," he shoots, realising that was exactly what he was trying to do. "I just mean… if you go – if I'm alone, it'll... it'll just be easier for me." He thinks he's managed to save it, but then Rapunzel stops completely, and that notion quickly disappears.

"Oh," she says, her voice frighteningly soft. "So… you're saying I'm a burden?"

"What? No, no," he lilts awkwardly. "I mean. Not exactly."

"Then what?" she says. "Am I holding you back? Or do you just want to get away from me?" her tone mixes between hurt and anger, like even she can't work out which way she feels.

"No, honey, no," he rushes, but comes of sounding condescending, and Rapunzel's mood only sours more – she hates being spoken to that way, just like Gothel used to. Soon Eugene has to stop walking or he'll leave her behind, though it's horribly clear he doesn't want to. "Look, I'll just be able to-"

"I don't understand, Eugene," she says with a sharp, bitter anger. "I thought you said it was my life – that I'm independent... and... and don't need anyone to look after me – that I shouldn't let anyone tell me what to do!"

"You don't – you... I'm not," he stutters, but soon realises he doesn't have an answer for her. As much as he says she can be free and do what she wants, even he is trying to put Rapunzel away, keep her safe, tell her what to do – what's best for her. However, he does want to go after Francis alone – they've seen once already how volatile he is, how quickly he can turn violent, and Eugene wouldn't be able to live with himself if she were hurt. But he realises that deep down he never wants her to be hurt, and that isn't something he can do, it isn't even something he should try to do.

"You're right..." he admits, and then forces the words he knows he must say. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I just wanted to keep you safe," he explains shamefully, and Rapunzel's anger has nothing to push against any more. "Okay. We have to keep going," he says with a touch of resignation, and reaches for her, trying to urge her along.

"Wait, what does that mean, then?" she queries, reluctant in her footsteps.

"What does what?" he echoes bemusedly.

"Well, am I coming with you or not?"

"You do what you want!" he retorts, and it isn't meant to sound like a snap, but she recoils, frowning, and he realises that's how she's heard it. "I just mean... what you do isn't for me to decide, is it?" he rephrases, but the damage has already been done; still, he tries to explain. "I'm going after Francis, and some things I have to do alone – not because of you, just because... that's how they're done," he talks faster and faster, trying to get his point across. "Yes, it'll probably be dangerous, but if you still want to go, I can't stop you," he concludes, and then turns forwards and starts pacing after Max, leaving Rapunzel behind, forcing himself not to look back.

It may seem harsh, and he's hardly proud of himself for being so brutal, but he won't treat her like a fragile treasure – something to be kept away from the real world. She deserves more than that. He only walks for a couple of metres before he hears her patter after him.

"Wait, Eugene!" she bursts. "I don't... what are you saying?"

"I'm going to cut off Francis," he states. "Come with me, or make your own way back to the Kingdom." He certainly doesn't want her to do the latter, but he must present the option.

"Why would you... are you angry?" she asks, distressed as she tries to keep up with him.

"No," he answers instantly. "You're absolutely right, about everything," he states, and he sounds honest, but troubled.

"Then why are we fighting?" she cries, at a loss to what is going on. Nothing feels quite right – as if even though he's yielded, the argument isn't over.

"We aren't," he replies simply, but she grabs for him.

"Eugene, stop!" she demands. "I'm not – we're not finished! I-" she starts, but never manages to finish the sentence, because he suddenly grabs her, and then kisses her so hard she feels like he might suck the breath out of her. She's shocked – it doesn't really seem like the time or place – but instead of pushing him away, Rapunzel soon finds herself wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing back just as furiously, and she isn't entirely sure how it happened. However, just as she's getting into it, he stops as quickly as he started and pulls away.

"Feel better?" he asks bluntly, a slight smile hidden behind an otherwise serious countenance.

"I... uh... actually, yes," she answers bemusedly, fingers coming to her mouth out of curiosity. "How did you do that?"

"I'll explain later," he answers slyly, and then hurries her onwards. He'll leave the joys of make-up romance for another time. Issues seemingly resolved, they keep up a good speed, and manage to reach the Kingdom before dark.

"Right," he announces as they come to a stop before the cobbled streets. "Hopefully we got here before him."

"How will you know?" she inquires.

"Well, he'll either come past or he won't. The bridge is the only way back into the Kingdom. I'm gonna hide and wait for him," he adds, and Rapunzel notices how he says I, not we. He isn't trying to ignore her, but it's a subtle enough hint she has to look out for herself.

"Can't I wait too?" she suggests, but Eugene shakes his head.

"No, it's too risky if we're together," he explains, trying not to sound too much like a master thief – which he is, give or take a few months. "Tracking is best done alone. You'll have to work something out for yourself. Try not to get caught," he suggests amenably, giving her a cheeky wink. "First rule of being an outlaw." He shouldn't be proud of corruption, but he does get a little kick from helping her get along outside the boundaries of should and shouldn't – he really did mean it when he said a little rebellion is healthy.

"Okay..." Rapunzel murmurs, biting her lip and trying to work out what she'll do with herself – it occurs to her that this independence and forming-her-own-plans thing might be a little harder than she was led to believe, and ends up wondering if maybe she should just go back to the palace. She drops to a crouch, biting her thumb thoughtfully and mulling over everything she's had to come to grips with in the past day or two. Eugene keeps an eye on the bridge and says nothing; he knows he's being a little tough, throwing her in the deep end like this, but it's the way he learned, so no matter how hard it is, he wants her to decide for herself.

"Oh!" Rapunzel yelps suddenly, jumping up so fast she almost slams her head into the bottom of Eugene's jaw – it's only a very quick dodge that spares them. "You're right, Eugene," she announces decidedly. "Absolutely right – what a good idea!" She neglects to tell him what the idea actually is, but seems so excited he can't get a word in edgeways to ask.

"Wait a- where are you-" he clips, trying to catch her before she all but runs off.

"Likeyousaid!" she chirps as if it should mean something to him. "I'vegottogo, haven't I?"

"You... do?" he echoes bemusedly; he tries to keep up with her, but the pace and pitch at which she talks makes his head start to throb.

"Uhuh," she replies, and in a heartbeat she's flush against him in an energetic hug. "RightbecarefulEugene, Iloveyoubye!" She kisses him on the mouth, muffling any attempts to question her further – then she's gone, haring off into the crowds with a cheery pat of Max's nose.

Eugene can't deny he's worried, watching Rapunzel disappear – a strangled part of him wants to go after her, grab her and make sure she never gets out of his sight again, but he puts it to rest, because part of him is a little proud too. He takes up a quiet spot away from the street, and keeps his eyes trained on the people bustling in and out of the city. When time starts to wear on and he still hasn't seen Francis, he begins doubting – did he miss him, did the boy arrive before them? Or had he been robbed and left for dead on the way? Thankfully, just when he's about to give up, he spots the familiar crop of coppery hair.

He leaves Max on a hitching post with a bag of apples, and sets off behind Francis, keeping a safe distance behind and slipping through the masses with a practised, familiar ease. The same can't be said for Francis, unfortunately, because he bolts straight for the rich end of town, without the slightest consideration for the scores of potential witnesses they pass by. Eugene tries to get close enough to grab him, but at the same time has to keep far enough away that no suspicion is raised until the moment he does strike, so it proves to be no small challenge.

The new 'Flynn' doesn't even appear to have a plan laid out for his next heist, because he wanders aimlessly from place to place as night falls, peering over walls and into windows like a shady ne'er-do-well, and Eugene isn't sure whether he wants to punch him for trying to commit a crime, or for trying to do it so badly.

The streets thin out as the evening wears on, and Eugene is just considering making his move when Francis suddenly stops outside a large, stately home of his choosing. When he starts loudly rattling the windows to see if they're unlocked, Eugene covers his face with his hands and quietly groans – pleading he'll get a chance to catch Francis before he goes and gets himself caught.

Eugene waits for Francis's pathetic break-in attempts to fall flat, when the boy comes upon an unlocked ground-floor window and swings it wide open. Groaning a second time, Eugene decides the occupant deserves being robbed if they're so careless – they might as well put out a doormat saying thieves welcome. He hurriedly slips alongside the wall of the house and draws up next to the still-open window, vaulting inside and landing without a sound – more than could be said for Francis, who from the sounds and looks of things knocked over a table on his way in.

"Francis!" he hisses, fumbling his way through the dark room. "Francis! Get back here!" He staggers, almost tripping over a rug, then hears footsteps from the far end of the room. "Francis?" He follows the noise, racing across the room and catching hold of a figure. "We are leaving right now," he orders, but realises as he lays his hands on the person's shoulders, that it is definitely not Francis.

Eugene hears a soft, rattling movement, and then a match strikes in the hands of the master of the house, lighting up his face like a skull. The Captain of the Guards grins like a jack-o-lantern, and speaks like an executioner.

"Rider, you're not going anywhere."

Dum dum dum!

Well that's that done with at last. I'm almost finished the actual story here, so we should hopefully be able to wrap this up before christmas =D

A bit of Eugene and Rapunzel to lift the back to school blues!

Better yet, leave a review! (It rhymes... kinda. O_o)