A/N: worked very hard on this for several hours! I hope you enjoy it!

Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer-I do not own Tangled, Rapunzel, Pascal, or the dialogue

Chapter One- The Request

"It is when our budding hopes are nipped beyond recovery by some rough wind, that we are the most disposed to picture to ourselves what flowers they might have borne, if they had flourished."

-Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son

Like I said, my story began one ordinary day: I did all the things that I normally did when I was alone in my tower, with one exception- I was finally going to ask Mother to take me to see the floating lights…

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"Today is a very big day," I said to my one and only friend, a chameleon named Pascal. "I'm finally going to do it! I'm going to ask Mother to take me to see the floating lights." I'm almost 18, I thought to myself. Surely Mother will think I'm old enough to leave the tower for a few days, and she would be right there with me.

The floating lights were actually a bit of an obsession of mine, for as long as I could remember. The first time I saw them was my 7th or 8th birthday. I remember that Mother had been especially tired that night and fell asleep soon after she had put me to bed. But I was too excited about my birthday to sleep. After much tossing and turning, I left my bed and tip-toed downstairs, thinking maybe if I found something to drink I would be able to sleep. Instead, though, I went over to the half-opened window, fascinated by the stars. And that was when I saw them-those beautiful shining beacons of light that to my 7-8 year old mind were there exclusively to wish me a happy birthday. Ecstatic, I crawled back in my bed, thinking that the lights were the best present of all.

After that, I was completely captivated by the lights that appeared every night on my birthday. I was drawn to them, feeling as though they were calling out to me. They seemed to know some deep secret about me that I didn't know myself, and I could only discover the secret if I went to see them myself. On my birthday.

"Rapunzel!"

My mother's voice startled me out of my reverie.

"Let down your hair!" she called.

"Oh it's time!" I said excitedly to Pascal, who gave to me what appeared to be both a smile and a warning look simultaneously.

"I know, I know", I laughed, "Don't let her see you!" I quickly hid him behind my latest painting (the floating lights and I, of course, watching them), knowing that my mother would soon call me again. I love my mother dearly, but patience is not one of her best character traits.

"Rapunzel! I'm not getting any younger down here!"

See what I mean?

"Coming, Mother", I called back and walked quickly over to my tower's "door" (actually more like a window), and threw down my seventy feet of hair over the hook built for this very purpose. My long blonde hair was like a rope that Mother would take hold of and I would pull her up. I know what you're thinking- Ugh, how could you stand to do that all the time? But trust me, when you are cramped up in a tower, sometimes it's nice to do something physical.

So, as I was saying, I pulled Mother up by my hair. Once she was inside and I was finished, I was slightly winded.

"Hello, Mother!" I greeted her, "Welcome home!"

"Oh, Rapunzel," she said as she gave me a pat on my shoulder. "How you manage to do that every single day without fail! It looks absolutely exhausting, darling!"

I sighed. It was tiring, but I wasn't going to say so. "Oh, it's nothing," I said instead.

Mother tapped my nose, like a pet. "Then I don't why it takes so long!"

What? My surprise must have shown on my face, because Mother laughed.

"Oh darling, I'm just teasing!" she chuckled.

"Um…all right," I managed to say, still a bit surprised. I watched Mother for a few minutes as she began her daily facial examination in front of her full-length mirror. Yes, I do suppose that Mother, in addition to being impatient, is a little vain. But she's my mother, the only mother I have, and I love her.

"So, Mother," I said brightly, mustering up all of my courage. "As you know, tomorrow is a very big day….."

"Rapunzel," Mother interrupted and brought me to face the mirror. "You know what I see? I see a smart, strong, and beautiful young lady."

I felt a smile creep unto my face. Mother wasn't overgenerous with compliments.

"Oh, look, you're here too!" she joked.

My smile froze on my face. Is that supposed to be funny? Mother obviously must have noticed my expression.

"I'm just teasing!" she said impatiently. "Stop taking everything so seriously, Rapunzel!" She immediately resumed her face-poking and prodding.

I cracked a smile, even though I still didn't think it was funny. "Um…all right," I said weakly. Don't give up on your dream…ask her!

"So, Mother," I began again, hoping she might get the hint this time. "Tomorrow…"

She didn't get my hint. "Rapunzel," she said, "Mother's feeling a bit worn down. Can you sing for me?"

Sing for me…that was her code phrase for my using my magic hair to make her young again.

"Oh, of course, Mother!" I replied. I quickly brought her chair, stool and brush. I sat her in her chair and pushed some of my hair into her hands. The faster I sing, the sooner I can ask her about the lights.

"Flowergleamandglow,letyourpowershine, maketheclockreverse", I sang.

"Rapunzel, wait," pleaded Mother.

Ignoring her request, I continued to sing. Fast.

"bringbackwhatoncewasmine,healwhathasbeenhurt,changethefatesdesign"

"Rapunzel!"

"savewhathasbeenlost,bringbackwhatoncewasmine,whatoncewasmine," I finished, breathless.

"Rapunzel!" Mother did not look pleased. However, she did look younger. "What was that all about?"

"So, Mother," I responded, kneeling beside her chair. "As I was saying, tomorrow is a really big day, and you didn't really respond. So I'm just going to tell you! It's my birthday!"

I was met with a completely blank stare. "Tada!" I threw out my arms happily.

She recovered her composure, but she still seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

"No", she finally responded. "That can't be. I distinctly remember. Your birthday was last year."

"That's the funny thing about birthdays," I quipped. "They're kind of an annual thing." When she failed to laugh, I continued, becoming increasingly nervous. I even began to fiddle with my hair, which is what I always do when I'm anxious about something.

"Mother, I'm turning 18 this year," I said seriously, "and what I really what for this birthday…actually what I've wanted for quite a few birthdays…" My voice faded and I started to mumble.

"Rapunzel," Mother admonished, "Please stop with the mumbling. You know how I feel about the mumbling. Blah blah blah blah…it's very annoying." My face fell. This was not going well.

Mother noticed, and softened her voice. "I'm just teasing! I love you so much, darling!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Pascal creeping out from behind my painting. Ask her!

"I want to see the floating lights!" I blurted.

I watched as Mother walked over to the stove.

"Oh. The what?" she asked calmly.

"Well, I was hoping that you would take me to see the floating lights," I asked as I walked over to my painting and pulled the curtain so that Mother could see it.

She glanced at it for half a second before she answered me. "Oh. You mean the stars," she said pointedly.
Finally warming up to my request, I answered her quickly. "No, no, no! I've charted stars from the tower, and they're always constant! But these? These appear every year on my birthday and only on my birthday!" I glanced hopefully at my painting, remembering all the emotions that I felt when I saw them. "Mother," I continued, "I can't help but feel that they're meant for me. I need to see them, and not just from my window. In person. I have to know what they are!"

Mother had been listening to my explanation with a raised eyebrow. "You want to go outside? Please, Rapunzel. You're too frail and fragile to go outside. Who knows what could happen to you out there? Do you know why we stay up in this tower?"

I quickly answered her, "yes, to keep me safe. But surely…" I'm not giving up!

Mother interrupted me again. "Rapunzel, I know what is best for you, and it is not to go see these stars. There are countless things that could go wrong- we could meet up with ruffians, and thugs, or you could get sick by catching the plague. Don't be silly! There's no way you could survive out there!"

Certainly I knew that there were bad things outside of the tower, but I believed that I was somewhat capable of handling myself.

"Mother," I began again, "I'm almost 18 years old! I'm not completely…"

She immediately interrupted me again. "Seriously, Rapunzel. Don't be silly! Don't you see that you are gullible to what people say to you? Why, you believe everything I say, even when I'm joking! You're much to naïve to go see the stars by yourself, and I will not take you. There's many things in the outside world that could harm you and I'm the only one who can protect you!"

My shoulders slumped as soon as she said that I believe everything that she says to me. That hit too close to home. It's true, maybe she's right. I should stay here. Who knows what kind of trouble I could get us into? And I don't even know where to go to see the lights if I tried to go by myself.

Mother could see that my resolve was weakening. "I know best, darling. I'm your mother and I will protect you." She opened her arms wide and I walked quickly into them. I hugged her tightly and felt a rush of love for her. She's only trying to protect me.

She smiled at me. "Don't ask about the stars again, all right, darling? I love you and I don't want to see anything happen to you."

I sighed and reluctantly agreed. "I love you more, Mother."

She hugged me closer. "I love you most."

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Soon after that, Mother left again, saying that she needed to bring home some provisions. As she left, she called to me, "I'll see you soon, my flower!"

As I watched her leave, I sighed. "I'll be here," I muttered. Since Mother was gone, Pascal scampered from his hiding spot and came to me, giving me something of a glare.

I sighed heavily again. "Don't look at me like that, Pascal. I did everything that I could, and she's only trying to do what's best for me."

He scowled again. Well, as much as a chameleon can scowl. I knew what he was saying though- Rapunzel, when are you going to grow up and be independent of your mother?

I didn't respond. I didn't have an answer for that.