Hello everybody! Here is the latest chapter! I did it, as one of you told me 'for the children!' XD I'm sorry this took longer than I thought and its kind of small, I'll try and make the next one longer for sure. I did post a little teaser on tumblr, so if you haven't followed me on there yet please do! Also I love feedback, so please give it! It's always help full to me and its very encouraging as well. Thank you all so much!

Jack drew ragged breaths as he flew. He had been flying for two days now, and there had been not one sign of Rapunzel. Jack had tried looking for a black sand trail, but Pitch had covered the tracks well. He then simply waited for the nightmares to show up in the kingdom, but none came. It seemed that Pitch was taking his capture of Rapunzel seriously. Seriously enough to let the people of the kingdom have their pleasant dreams. And for once in his life, Jack prayed for nightmares.

As he strolled through the wintery town searching for strands of black sand, he came across a little girl and her friend carrying flowers. He smiled. They looked like Rapunzel had when she was their age. He watched as they crossed the courtyard in town, bundled from head to toe in layer upon layer of coats and tights. They stopped at a mosaic picture of the King and Queen and their young baby girl. Jack had never noticed the mosaic before. He had never thought to look. As he looked at the picture, he thought he really should be going. He obviously wasn't going to find anything here, but something about that picture… It was familiar. He rested his toes on the crook of his staff, resting on it standing straight up.

"What is this even for?" One little girl asked. Her friend leading the way with flowers looked at her and sat down in the snow under the picture.

"These!" She said enthusiastically thrusting the flowers into the air with her chubby hands. Jack smiled.

Her friend pouted."But what are they for." She said. "I'm cold!"

"Its for the lost Princess." She said.

"Lost Princess?" Jack said quietly. The other girl huffed.

"What lost princess?" She asked.

"The Princess! She was stolen as a baby by a wicked old hag. Right out the window!" She said. "That's what my mother told me." Se puffed out her little chest, proud of her recollection of the story. "The King and Queen still want to find her, because the Queen was sick and the sun flower made her better! So they could have Rapunzel after she wasn't sick anymore."

Jack heard the other girl mumble something back about there being no sun flower, but he wasn't listening anymore. His head was spinning.

He looked at the mosaic again, eyes searching the little babies tiled on face. Her emerald eyes and golden hair seemed to familiar, and now, he bet he knew why. "The sun flower..." He muttered. "It was Gothel! She was the old hag I saw her, I-" He paused. The enormity of his discovery weighing in on him. Rapunzel... His Punz... She was a Princess? With real parents, a family, a home.

She won't need you anymore... A voice inside his head taunted. "No! No." He said, slapping his own rebellious head. "No I have to find her. Then I'll tell her, then..." He said, hopping down from his staff perch and giving more frost to the cobblestones under his feet. He flew into the air slowly, the snow swirling around him as the winds picked him up. He promised himself he would find her. He promised her he would find her. And he would be damned if he was going to lose a third time.

Rapunzel awoke again, for the third day in a row, in the dark, damp, cold and hard cave. She had been here three days now, and she was starting to wonder if Pitch and Gothel intended to keep her here forever. Gothel had come to her every day for at least three hours each, talking in a soothing voice, trying to get Rapunzel to let her use her hair again. Gothel was dismayed at the fact that even though she had sang to the magic flower and it had granted her youth, now though, Rapunzel was the flower. And only she could sing the magic song to bring out the sun in her blood. Rapunzel refused every time. She just sat in her cave, mourning the loss of her Jack. A thought she entertained every waking hour. So much so that it filled her mind until it was everything she thought about everyday. She replayed the scene over and over again in her mind. The horror of seeing Pitch throw that spear. Seeing it stick right through Jack's entire body, the way he fell lifeless to the ground below. Sure Pitch had said he hadn't killed him yet, he wanted to drag it out. But couldn't the spear have been poisoned somehow? Could that be where Pitch went everyday? To watch Jack dying?

She couldn't entertain that though for long.

Gothel could rot for all she cared. She was bitter over the woman who had pretended to love her for all seventeen years of her life, even if it was with heavy doses of sarcasm and harsh spitting words. The truth though was that Gothel might truly rot down to her very core. Each time she had come, her voice had been more and more haggard, strained. Less like the Gothel she knew. Rapunzel was starting to think that maybe she could just wait for Gothel to die. Be free of her forever. But her heart shuddered to think of herself alone in the world with only Pitch Black as her keeper.

On the morning of her third day, Gothel had come back, bringing her food. Pitch had shown none of himself, and Rapunzel wondered where he was. There was occasional shouting at the mouth of the cave, but nothing more than that was heard from the Essence of Fear himself. Gothel slid Rapunzel's food, the daily ration of an apple, bread and water into the cave and sat outside, starting to talk of all the 'fun times' they had together in the tower, all the 'sweet things' Rapunzel had and how she hated to see her 'little Princess' her 'Flower' reduced to such Rapunzel would only sing to her sweet mother one last time, she would see how loving her life could be again.

Rapunzel said nothing, only scowling at every word. Every lie that spilled from that awful mouth. She had to be careful. The song was so much a part of herself that she oftentimes would hum it and not even realize. She watched herself carefully, she could not afford to grant Gothel even one note of that song. Rapunzel was dozing off during Gothel's lecture that she jumped at the sound of a different voice.

"Gothel this is going nowhere."

Pitch. Rapunzel shuddered.

"Just give me more time, I know I can get her to speak I know-"

"No." Pitch said. "Just look at yourself, who do you think you are? Still a young beautiful lady capable of charm? I think not."

Gothel growled. "Watch it Pitch. Wouldn't want Jack to find out where she is now would you?" Pitch all but snorted.

"Like that's a problem! Like I said, look at you! Don't you think it wouldn't be hard for me to kill you if I had to?" he said. Gothel hissed.

"Give me, more time."

"No, we must hurry, he has expanded his search, and he is drawing closer."

Rapunzel's breath hitched and her heart squeezed. He was alive! Pitch hadn't killed him yet, and there was still hope.

"How close? I thought you said this location was safe!" Gothel said, her scratchy voice straining, sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

"It is, this is just for precautions. Just to be safe. I have a central lair we will go to, Jack will never find us there, and even if he does, he will find that all paths to it close up as soon as they open."

Rapunzel swallowed hard. This was her chance. She had to go now. It was her only chance to escape. When they came to unchain her, that would be her moment. She listened hard as Gothel huffed.

"Fine, we'll do it your way." She said. "I'll get her." Rapunzel heard Gothel shuffle to her feet and groan. When she stepped into the little cave room, Rapunzel couldn't see her face very well, but her figure was hunched over and she had a sort of shuffled walk with a cane she carried. Rapunzel almost laughed that Pitch thought Gothel could handle her. She turned away as Gothel approached her with a key to her chains. "Come now pet it would all be over if you would just cooperate." Rapunzel resisted the urge to slap her right then and there and just run. She balked at the thought, when had she thought about violence so much? Gothel undid her chains and grabbed her wrist in a surprisingly still strong grip. She hulled Rapunzel out of her cave and Rapunzel blinked a little. It didn't take her eyes long to adjust, the cave was dimly lit. Pitch, it seemed, was back farther in the cave, and Rapunzel could see the mouth of the cave at the other end, the light shining like a beacon. She started to gather up her hair, her heart beating faster and faster as she mentally prepared for what she was about to do. Gothel had let go of her hands to allow her to gather up her hair and stood close, too close, watching. Rapunzel stood, her hair all bundled up, and faced Gothel. "Well, come now pet, we're going." She said.

Rapunzel took a deep breath. "No." She said.

Gothel turned."No?"

"No."

Gothel seemed to get some of her old self back then. She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Really, dear is that so? And how do you think that will end? I knew you were planning this, an escape attempt was already planned for you, we anticipated that much, dear. Honestly did you think we wouldn't? Do you even know how to live on your own? Where will you go?"

Rapunzel faltered, she hadn't expected Gothel to lecture, least of all about her 'secret' escape attempt. "I-"

"Oh please Rapunzel face it dear, I have raised you you're whole life, you have never done a thing on your own! How can you expect to make your way in the world alone?" Gothel patted her cheek in a gesture that felt more like a slap on the word 'alone'. "You are every bit the little girl I always told you you were, immature, clumsy, sloppy, a naive ditz! How could you ever expect to fit in with the world? They would recognize something different about you in a heartbeat." Gothel circled around Rapunzel, gripping her shoulders from behind and speaking in her ear. "And the hair, pet. What of your hair? How long could you keep yourself away from helping those in need with it? I always new that heart of gold would be a flaw, the flaw of kindness, dearest. She stepped forward and gripped Rapunzel's chin in her boney hard hands. "Your golden heart would betray you in an instant." She said, spitting the words. "Kindness. Your most fatal flaw, princess, is kindness. Kindness won't help you escape, kindness wont help but feel such pity for those weak souls in need."

Rapunzel's heart was beating fast, she took shallow breaths, hating Gothel's boney hands on her face. And deep in the pit of her stomach, she new that to some extent, Gothel may be right. She had always lived in seclusion, never even talking to another person until Jack came along, and although he had taught her much of the world, there were things she knew he couldn't explain, no matter how hard he had tried to tell her everything. Rapunzel had never seen other people, but she knew Gothel's statements of her kindness were right. If someone was truly in need, she had to help them, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't do all she could. She had been given the power of healing and longevity. It would be a sin not to use it.

"Maybe you're right mother." Rapunzel said, spitting the last word. "I don't know anything about the world, I wouldn't be able to stand by while people were hurt. But there s one thing that you got very, very wrong." Rapunzel said, feeling the anger growing in her chest and heard her voice match her rage at this woman who stood before her. Her rage must have showed, for Gothel let her chin go very slowly.

"I have never done a thing on my own? Please. I did everything on my own."

And Rapunzel punched Gothel very hard in the gut and kicked to sweep her feet out from under her to knock her down with a splintering crack of old bones to the floor of the cave. Rapunzel ran. She ran for her life. She ran as hard as she could, and as fast as she could. She heard Gothel howl from behind her. Good. It would take the old hag a while to stand again. But her main concern was Pitch. Even though he had been back in the cave, surely Gothel's howl would have alerted him. She had to reach the mouth of the cave before he did. What she did after stepping into the sunlight didn't matter as long as she got there first. Gothel continued shouting profanity at Rapunzel as she sprinted as fast as her bare feet could carry her.

Jack had taken to searching outside the kingdom's island borders. He had searched for days, and nothing had turned up in town. He thought Pitch was too smart to keep someone like Rapunzel in town anyway. He then cursed himself for taking so long when he had found nothing. Well…. not entirely nothing. His mind had worked in overdrive with the new information he had found out about Rapunzel's past. She wasn't just any girl with magic hair, she was the Princess. She had a family. Jack was forced to think of things differently now. Now, it wasn't just him that was worried and wanting to save her from a horrible life. She had parents, a kingdom, all waiting for their princess to come home. She wasn't just his anymore. He flipped up in the air and let the cold sting his lungs. He had to admit it to himself sooner or later. He liked her. A lot. He cared for her. A lot. And now it was his fault that she was in the trouble she was in. Because he had flew in her window. Because he had let her take his heart.

He knew he had to tell her. She had a right to her family. Everyone did. And Rapunzel deserved the best. She deserved to be happy. "And I can't give that to her." He muttered. He shook his head and flew out towards the mountains. He had to stop thinking for now. Right now, at this moment, all that mattered was finding her, safe.

Rapunzel flew towards the mouth of the cave. Her hair in her arms was heavy, but she didn't stop. This was the only chance she would get to escape, she had to keep going. Stones bit into her bare feet and she winced. Gothel still howled behind her. "Go ahead! Run little girl!"

Pitch. Rapunzel shivered. That voice sent a chill down her spine, it only spurred her on. Then she heard the pounding of hooves and her heart kept into her throat. The nightmares were coming. And she was so close! The mouth of the cave was so close, the air was fresher, cleaner and she could see where the cave ended. As her feet pounded on stones, she reached the mouth of the cave, and stepped on a lose patch of stones. Her right foot slid and Rapunzel crashed into the black stones. She screamed in frustration and immediately rose to her feet and ran to the edge of the cliff. It was straight down, but there, to the right, she could see a way down. Rapunzel ran, wincing as her body protested where she had hit the ground hard. She jumped down as quickly as she could without falling, trying to hurry down the cliff face. She didn't know where the nightmare's had gone, but she wasn't going to risk a look back. She did look up though, and started to pull her hair down after her. She pulled and pulled at the seemingly endless stream of gold. Rapunzel looked down below her as she pulled. She planned a rout down in her head. She-

Yank. "No." Yank. "Oh No." Rapunzel said, looking up. She tightened her hold on her golden tresses as another pull strained her arms. She gasped as she pulled back and was lurched forward. The nightmares must have caught up with her, and now, they were pulling her up the cliff. Rapunzel screamed as she pulled and lost, pulled and lost, pulled and lost again. Slowly, her progress was being undone. "No!" She shrieked, as she was dragged over the sharp rocks once again. She heard her dress rip as the sharp corners caught it. When she was dragged over the top of the cliff again, she stood up and pulled back, squeezing her eyes shut in effort.

"I wouldn't try little girl." A calm voice said. Rapunzel gasped and opened her eyes. Standing a full three feet higher than her, surrounded by nightmares, holding on to most of her golden hair, was Pitch Black. He smiled deviously and Rapunzel saw him clench his hands tighter around her hair. Black sand danced off his hands, coating her hair around his hands with black dust. "Glad I caught you dear, I don't want you to get hurt out there on your own." He said, feigning an extremely concerned expression. Rapunzel narrowed her eyes and glared at him. She wrapped her hair around her entire arm and gripped it tighter. If this was to be tug of war, then so be it.

Jack was flying through the lower mountains when he heard the scream. He stopped immediately. There wasn't supposed to be anyone out her, none of the villagers lived out here. Jack dove towards the sound. The scream came again, and he was closer. "Rapunzel!" Jack shouted. He knew a surprise approach was better, but he couldn't help himself. "Rapunzel!" He shouted again. As he whipped around the corner of a cliff face, he saw her, his Punz, standing facing Pitch. Her hair was caught between them, and he cold tell Pitch was threatening to pull her back towards him and his Nightmares. Jack stopped in the air above them and holding his staff, pointed at them. "Pitch!" He shouted. Pitch looked up and for a moment his face showed the expression Jack had only dreamed would cross his face: fear.

Rapunzel looked up and almost cried tears of joy. She opened her mouth to shout Jack's name but nothing came out. He's alive. He's alive! Rapunzel thought. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she felt joy for the first time in a long while.

And then Pitch laughed.

She looked slowly over at the Essence of Fear as he smiled. Her spine tingled with cold. His head snapped to look at her and she heard it crack. His eyes were wild and his grin savage. He cocked his head at her. "Fabulous, Rapunzel. Jack has come all this way…." He laughed hysterically. Rapunzel tightened her grip on her hair and braced her feet.
"To see you DIE!"

Pitch then pulled on her hair so fiercely it surprised even her, and she was pulled into his nest of Nightmares while Jack screamed as she disappeared into the devil's grinning face.

Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHAAAAAA! Sorry about the cliffhanger but I promise their's more to come! Remember to follow me on tumblr for teasers! I also take questions on there too :) Thank you!