Tada! Finally here's the next one! Sorry it took me so long, I have no excuses, sorry. But I hope you enjoy it! Thanks to everyone who favorited/reviewed! It means a lot to me thank you so much!

Rapunzel sat in her room still, cheek stinging. She crawled over to her window and threw it open, resting her head on her arms and stared at the floating lights in the sky and sighed. She smiled. At least there was one constant in her life. The lights.
The lights came every year on her birthday. And this year was no different. "She loves me, she loves me, she loves me." Rapunzel thought. "Mother loves me I just messed up." The doubt at the statements she had repeated to herself for years clenched in her stomach. When she was little, she truly believed that everything had been her fault. But then she got a hold of books, stories…and Jack. Things changed. People in the stories apologized, but only when they had really done something wrong. And Jack… Jack had told her so much of the world. Of how things worked. He had been everywhere and seen so much. In her mind, he knew kindness when he saw it. She looked at the lights watching them travel up and up to the stars. She wondered, not for the first time, where the lights came from. Jack had tried more than a few times over the last winter to get her out of the tower. She had always said no, but now…
And she wished, not for the first time, that it was winter again.

Gothel paced her dark room, there were very few days left of summer, and she was running out of time. "What am I to do with the child?" She asked. Pitch sat in a chair, weaving his sands between his fingers.

"I told you Gothel you have to do this part yourself."

"Jack Frost was your problem first you know." Gothel said, facing him. "If we are in this together, we have to plan. We made a deal. We both come out the winner for all eternity." Gothel said, spreading her arms wide about the room. Pitch looked at her and sighed.

"Gothel, I think we both know we are not exactly team players. Just let me take care of Jack, and when Rapunzel is crushed, she will never leave again."

"And what if you fail." Gothel said, crossing her arms.

"I will not fail." Pitch said, standing. "But you're right, it's too easy." He said, playing Gothel's high emotions. He knew Rapunzel was Jack's new weakness, he had to see her suffer before being vulnerable.

"A lock." Gothel said suddenly, looking at Pitch. "I'll lock her up."

"More than she is now, Gothel?" Gothel waved her hand.

"Yes yes in her room, never let her leave. I'll start using a rope to get down, and keep her in the tower. I'll lock the windows and everything."

"Not a bad idea." Pitch said. "Jack will be distressed when he can't see her, and I can take him just fine." Pitch said. "I would do it soon though, Gothel."

"Why?"

"Winter is coming."

Gothel looked out the window, noticing the coming bitterness in the air. The leaves had started to change already. "I'll do it tomorrow."

Jack flew straight over the tree canopy, laughing as the bitter breeze came with him. He couldn't make it snow yet, it was still to early. But he couldn't wait to see Rapunzel. Months felt like years when he was away. He saw her tower and flew to her window and knocked. Rapunzel immediately threw open the window. "Jack!" She said, grinning. He bowed on he window sill with a flourish.

"Punzi." He said, smiling. She stepped back and he flew into her room.

"So what are you doing here? Fall's not even here yet!" She said. He shrugged and set himself on the floorboards, frost covering the surrounding area lightly.

"I wanted to see you." He said, looking down. Rapunzel smiled and went to hug him. He took her into his arms and she tucked her head into his shoulder.

"I missed you too." She said. Jack gave a soft laugh.

"So, how did you do while I was gone?" He said as they broke. Rapunzel frowned slightly, then tried to smile.

"Boring, just like i said it would be." She said, going to sit on her bed.

"Punz…"

"I mean I knew it would be, you know. I only have so many books, and mother says she can't keep bringing me knew ones."

"Punzi…"

"Not that I don't enjoy reading them twice, I just get bored. Painting worked for a while before I ran out of ideas-"

"Rapunzel." Jack said, tipping her head to look her in the eye. He looked at her quizzically, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked her quietly.

Rapunzel sighed. She hated that he could tell when she was upset. "It's nothing…"

"Well that's a lie." Jack said, going to sit on her bed next to her. "What's been going on?"

Rapunzel sighed again and folded her hands in her lap. "She's getting worse." She said flatly. "I don't know what to do."

Jack looked at her. He had heard and seen many of Gothel's tense moments. The woman just seemed to be wound up all the time, like a coiled spring waiting to be let go. "How?" He asked. Gothel hadn't been that bad when he left. She always seemed to remember herself fairly quickly, even if the woman did give him chills he couldn't explain.

"I don't know, she's just…more erratic. Her moods are all over the place. Especially after last week…"

"What was last week?"

"She hit me."

Rapunzel looked up at Jack's wide eyes. "She's never hit me before Jack, ever. Sure, she was mean, and getting nastier, but no matter how angry she got she never, ever once laid a hand on me before. I don't know what to do, everything I say gets twisted, and I can't ever seem to tell when I should stop talking."

Jack took one of her folded hands in his. "Rapunzel…I'm so sorry. I'm sure it's not your fault."

She half smiled and gave a little snort. "Yea, yea I know."

Jack looked at her. "No, no I don't think you do." He said.

Jack stayed very near the tower that night. Sure, he had spent the night in Rapunzle's tower before, but they were getting older, and he could sense it made her uncomfortable. That was another nagging trouble he had in his head. Rapunzel, his Punzi. She was getting older. How long was it going to be before she stopped seeing him? He shook away the thought as he woke up and let the winds carry him towards the tower. He laughed as he let the breeze carry a few stray snowflakes away. And even though fall still had a couple of weeks left, he couldn't resist frosting over the tree branches his feet touched. Feeling the cold seep out of his bones. He flew straight to Rapunzel's window and knocked.

"Punz?" He asked.

"Coming!" He heard her from inside. She opened the window and smiled at him. "Hey! Mother hasn't left yet so I think its best you just stay here until-"

Rapunzel shrieked as someone pulled a cloth gag tight across her open mouth. "Rapunzel!" Jack yelled and dove into the room. Mother Gothel held the gag tight and looked at him with a crazy eyes that seemed to know he was there but not quite. Rapunzel flailed around, trying to pry open Gothel's hands.

"Now Pitch!" Gothel yelled. And The Essence of Fear sprang up from behind Jack and ripped him out of the room. Jack gasped as the wind was knocked out of his chest as he was thrown. He reached up for the window as he fell, and willed the winds to pick him back up.

"I don't think so Frost." Pitch said calmly, grabbing a fistful of Jacks hair and wrenching him backwards. Jack howled and fell again. Pitch threw him up and caught him by the throat and shoved him up against the tower. Jack's head spun and he saw stars from the jarring impact as the back of his head collided with brick. He felt Pitch's hand tighten around his throat and he struggled for air again.

"Pitch…what…" Jack gasped, still dazed.

"Now now Jack don't waste your energy. Not that you'll have any of it left soon anyhow." He said, laughing. "Lets see how well you do, at living the rest of your eternal existence, without her!" Pitch said. He pulled Jack toward him, clenched his hand tighter and slammed the winter spirit against the wall again. He then dropped his limp body to the ground.

When Jack woke up at the bottom of the tower, the first thing he noticed was his throbbing head. He groaned as he sat up and put his head in his hands.
Then he remembered. His eyes widened. "Rapunzel…" He said, standing up so fast he saw stars and gasped. Jack leaned up against the tower for support. Focus, focus! He thought. He had to concentrate. Getting up the tower was a need, not a want. He had to see if Rapunzel was okay. He took deep breaths and cleared his head, willing the winds to pick him up, he rose slowly up the tower. When he got to Rapunzel's window, he wasn't surprised to find it locked. He tried to peer in. He growled, realizing it was covered with a curtain. As he flew around to other sides of the tower, he howled in dismay as he was confronted with curtains at every single window. He hovered still, trying to think. "The door." He said, and dove for the bottom of the tower and searched the ivy until he found the handle. Of course it was locked. He huffed and tried to think. He sat on the grass.

Then the door creaked. Jack stood and made sure he was behind the open door. Gothel's hooded figure emerged and he dove behind the tower so she wouldn't see him. He had no idea where Pitch was, but he was at loath to find out. He had no idea if Gothel could truly see him or not, but if he was going to get inside the tower, he had to take that chance. He stepped out in front of Gothel. The dark-haired woman stopped and squinted in his direction. He held his breath and stood as still as possible. Gothel righted herself and shrugged. She turned with the key in hand to lock the door, just as Jack dove through just in time. As soon as he heard Gothel lock the door and move away. He slumped against the door, breathing hard. He had been lucky. Gothel certainly believed he existed, but perhaps Pitch played on her fears too much. She was scared enough to think there was obvious danger to Rapunzel, but her true belief in him was not strong enough. It was based too much on fear, and not enough heart. Jack pushed himself up against the wall and started hovering up the winding stair case that eventually ended in what must have been a trap-door in the floor of the tower. Jack moved it with ease and stuck his head out.

The tower was dark. Unbelievably dark. Jack climbed out of the door and stood for a moment to let his eyes adjust. The tower seemed to be in perfect order, everything was in its place. Jack slowly headed up to Rapunzel's room, careful not to make a sound if Pitch was nearby. All this dark space made him nervous. When he reached Rapunzel's room, he opened the door softly and looked around. The entire room was tinted blue by the sheet thrown across the window. Jack saw Rapunzel's room was in complete disarray. The fight from the previous day was evident. The nightstand was thrown over, the drawers out. Paint was all over the floor in one area where Rapunzel's box had been tipped over, a rug was thrown askew and the bed was crooked. But where was Rapunzel?

Jack looked around and saw nothing, no Rapunzel. He walked around the other side of the bed, and there she was. His Punz. She was laying on the floor, a gag in her mouth and ropes around her wrists, tying her to the bed frame. She appeared to be sleeping, curled up in a ball with her hands behind her back laying on her hair. Jack was at her side in an instant. "Punzi! Rapunzel, hey, Rapunzel. Are you alright? Come on, wake up! Talk to me!" He said, shaking her shoulder fervently. Rapunzel' s eyes opened and she immediately sat up.

"Jack!" She said, the gag muffling her words. She sat up on her knees and leaned into him, letting him hug her because she could not. Jack took her into his arms willingly and held her tight, tucking her into his shoulder.

"Rapunzel thank god." He breathed into her hair. "Are you alright? What did she do to you?" He asked. Rapunzel pulled away and Jack reached up behind her to untie the gag that held her mouth shut. Jack's hand lingered on her cheek as she breathed in deeply. He pulled away to start working on the knots that held her wrist when she spoke.

"I'm okay, I think, just a bit bruised I guess." She said quietly.

"Do you know why?" Jack asked.

"No." Rapunzel said, shaking her head. "She just, went crazy. I couldn't tell what she was saying ether, it was to babbled. I couldn't make out a thing." She sighed, turning to face Jack once her hands were undone and throwing her arms around his neck. Jack put one hand around her waist and braced the other on the floor to hold her up.

"Hey, hey its alright. I'm here I won't let anything happen to you again." He said fiercely. He may have let Pitch get the best of him this time, but he would die if he was going to let that happen again. "Its all my fault." He said. Rapunzel sat up.

"Why?" She asked, confusion in her eyes. Jack let his head fall, unsure how to begin. Rapunzel's hand came up to his face and she lifted it again. "Jack. Why." She said again.

"Because Pitch and I don't exactly get along." He finally mumbled.

"Pitch." Rapunzel said, as if trying the name out on her tongue. Jack wrinkle his nose, the name sounded to foul to be coming out of his Punzi's mouth. "The name Gothel yelled when she… And then you got thrown out of the room…" She said, trying to piece it all together. Jack sighed.

"Pitch Black is the Essence of Fear, a nightmare, the boogyman, essentially." Jack said. Rapunzel looked at him. "Yes, he's real to. But he's a horrible cruel man, not some one you want to be caught up with. He also hates me on an unparalleled level." Jack said, pinching the spot between his eyebrows.

"Why is that?" Rapunzel asked.

"Because. He has a thing about asking me to join forces with him from time to time. Every few hundred years or so. He thinks it will bring him more power. Here's the thing," Jack said, sitting more up right and looked into Rapunzel's eyes. "Pitch's thing is playing on people's fears. He can get them to do pretty much anything he wants them to. Everyone has a few big fears, and if you play on them enough, people snap. I'm guessing this is what he did to Gothel. He convinced her you were in danger because of me and played on her that way. She snapped." Rapunzel looked away, processing.

"But then…" He head snapped around to look at Jack again. "Why would he play on Gothel, of all the humans out there. Why?" Jack rubbed the back of his neck, feeling Rapunzel's eyes on him. He sighed.

"Because… Because I care about you Punz." He said, looking up at her. "You're the first one I've cared about in a long time, and the first one who's been able to see me in forever." Rapunzel stared at him wide-eyed. "Of course he went after you, because he knew it would hurt me." Jack said in almost a whisper. He fell back against the wall and closed his eyes, letting his hands fall against the wood. He jumped as he felt a hand touch his face. He opened his eyes to see Rapunzel kneeling in front of him, her left hand bracing herself right next to his hip. Her right hand was tracing his cheekbone. Jack felt his breath hitch inside his chest.

"Pitch did all this, just because he knew, that you cared about me?" Rapunzel said, searching the rest of his face with her emerald eyes. Jack just nodded, unwilling to look away from her face or speak, for fear of ruining the moment.
Jack brought a hand up to Rapunzel's face and pulled her to him, placing a kiss on her forehead. He put his own forehead to hers and said, "And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Punz, for all of it." Rapunzel pulled away and looked at him, nose to nose. Jack could feel her warm breath on his face and the feeling sent shivers up and down his spine.

"Well I'm not." She said. "I'm glad, I'm glad I met you, and I'm glad for every moment after." She said. Jack stroked her face again, moving some stray strands of hair out of her face.

"Then let me get you out of here." He said. Rapunzel smiled.

"I think that's best too."

Tada! Thank you all for the encouraging reviews! I really appreciate it. :) I'm sorry, again, that this took so long. I'll try to be more regular with it I promise! Until next time everyone!