Together Forever

Disclaimer: Nothing but this plot belongs to me. This is not being redistributed for money or any sort of profit. Everything goes to its rightful owner(s)

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Another chapter! Yay! I'm usually not this fast in updating... But enjoy!

Chapter 2: The Begining

"Bye Hiccup!" Rapunzel said as she and Merida watched one of their best friend's leave them. While Hiccup struggled to carry the overstuffed suitcase behind him, her father carried two more like it with ease. Jack trailed behind them, carrying Hiccup's blankets and pillows.

"Look at him," Merida said, "He still doesn't stand up too straight." Rapunzel scoffs lightly at her.

"Just leave him alone about that," Rapunzel scolded lightly, "He's still taller than us so who cares?"

"He's not that much taller," Merida mutters, "Remember when we were the tallest?"

"I know; Remember two years ago when we came back to school and Jack was like 8 inches taller and dyed his hair white? I always wanted to know how he got it to stay like that, without the roots showing."

"At least we saw that coming; Hiccup shot up and his hair grew out and just 'Wow.'"

"I feel like you and I are the same, except we're 4 inches taller than 5 years ago."

"And we've got boobs."

"Oh right, the boobs; The boobs are the best part."

"Your's are much nicer."

"Oh please, they only look like that because I have no other curves; You actually have decent ones."

"No one ever really notices them."

"You always wear a sports bra, that's why." Merida just laughed in response.

"They're more comfortable, and you can't see the outline through shirts."

"That is true." The two girls began giggling, and Merida swatted Rapunzel's arm which only sent them into more giggles.

She and Merida felt an arm around their shoulders, making them jump and Rapunzel scream.

"It's only me," Jack said, jumping back as the girls whipped around to face him.

"You can't just do that you twit!"

"I didn't think-"

"Yeah, you didn't think!"

"We're on the verge of tears right now! And you think you can just up behind us?"

"What is wrong with you?"

"I said-"

"Shut up!" the girl cried in unison and Jack held up his hands in surrender.

After a moment, their frowns disappeared and sadness took over.

"Hiccup's gone," Merida says quietly. Rapunzel turned to her and rested her forehead on the red head's shoulder.

"He's gone..."

"We'll see him in a week or so," Jack assures. He watches the two girls for a minute before carrefully wrapping his arms around the two and resting his head on Merida's own.

"Jack?" Rapunzel said after a few moments of them standing like that.

"Hm?"

"How do you get your hair to look like that?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Mom! Dad!" Rapunzel yelled when she saw them. She basically launched herself into her father arms with her mother laughing behind them.

"Oh, wait," she said, letting go of her father, a small frown covering her face. A look of worry crossed their faces but then disappeared when she continued.

"Can Jack and Mer come stay with us for a week or so?" Relief washed over them and her father waved over Jack and Merida.

"Of course they can," he said, nodding to them in greeting. "But may I ask why?"

The friends all looked at each other, realizing they'd forgotten to tell their parents about the trip.

"Well?" Rapunzel's mother asked when they stayed quiet.

"Uh... So you know it's our last year together, right?" Rapunzel started, and her parents nodded. "Well, after this, we're all going to different places so we don't know when we'll see each other again."

Her parents just smiled. "Then why isn't your other friend, Hiccup, coming?"

"I was getting there," Rapunzel said with a nervous chuckled, "We've planned a trip for this summer; you know, to celebrate graduation; We'll pick up Hiccup after we stay with you guys..."

Her parents were silent as they processed this.

"How long is this trip supposed to last?" her mother finally asked.

"Uhm... The whole summer..." A small frown crosses her mother's face as she looks to her husband.

"Well," Rapunzel's father said slowly after a silent conversation with her mother, "I suppose after this summer, you all may not see each other again; And well, once the summer is over, you'll come back."

Rapunzel and Merida both began screaming in glee and jumping up and down. Rapunzel launched herself once more at her father, pelting his face with kisses.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she screamed and he winced as he moved his ear away from her shrill voice.

"Anything for you, my dear."

"Thank you, Daddy!"

"You call your dad Dadd-Ow!"

"Shut it, Jack."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Merida, you'll be sharing my room with me," Rapunzel says, pulling on the redhead's hand. "Jack, you'll be in the guest dorms; My dad'll show you the way. Come on, Mer."

"Wait, I thought men weren't allowed in the women's air temples?" Merida asked as her friend pulled her through the halls.

"We have guest dorms, Mer," Rapunzel laughed, "And my father wasn't born into the Air Nomads anyway. Besides, they like to have the parents together for the summer when the kids are back from the schools."

"That's cool," Merida said in a bored tone. Rapunzel tsked, but at that point they'd finally arrived in her room.

"You know, I've never actually seen your room," Merida said, looking around. There was a large bed against one end of the room and a large dresser and mirror on the opposite wall, the same wall with the door. A desk with photo frames on it was by the window, which was between the dresser and mirror. On the wall opposite the desk, there were posters depicting different airbending moves.

"It's weird," Rapunzel says, taking off her shoes and going into a closet by the foot of the bed. "None of us have ever actually visited each other's homes."

"We spend most of the year together," Merida laughs, "Summer is the time for family."

"I thought you didn't like your family?" Rapunzel's voice became muffled as she went into the closet and changed into more comfortable clothes.

"It's my mother that I don't enjoy," Merida explains, jumping onto the bed. "I love my brothers and father."

"I wish I had a brother," Rapunzel says wistfully, "Or even a sister."

"Hm," Merida sighed, smiling fondly as she thought of her little brothers.

"Anyway," Merida continued, a smile on her face, "What are you planning on doing with Flynn?"

Rapunzel peeked her head out of the closet at the mention of his name. "Well, Eugene," she said, "He is actually visiting Ba Sing Se with his family. I won't see him this summer." She comes out of the closet now, wearing the usual Air Nomadic clothing: a full orange-yellow body suit that reached her shins, a belt around her waist, a red-orange shawl that reached her elbows, and red knee socks that went under the body suit. She moves to the desk chair and plops herself down in it.

"But we're going to visit Ba Sing Se!" Merida said excitedly, sitting up. "You might see him."

"No," Rapunzel says, "This trip is going to be about us, so no boys!"

"Jack and Hiccup are going to be there," Merida said, laying back down.

"They hardly count," the blonde says, waving it off. "Do you want something to wear?"

"Yeah," Merida said, getting out of the bed, "But where's my luggage?"

"Someone'll bring it later; I have some stuff- just take your pick from whatever."

While Merida changed, Rapunzel began looking through the different photos on the desk. Her eyes landed on one particular one and she had to smile at the memory.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Is he still on the cactus juice?" I ask Hiccup, grimacing at the drunken Jack lying on my bed.

"Ra- *hic -Rapunzel," Jack said, "I- *hic- I want to - *hic- go back to my room."

"Shut up, Jack," Hiccup says and then turns to me, "Yes. He is."

"Well, what am I supposed to do with him?"

"The girls dorms were closer," Hiccup explained, "And I've still got to go find Merida."

"Is the party really that good?"

"It started out good, but now it's just insane." I sigh as I look at Jack again.

"He's on my bed," I say sadly, sitting on Merida's.

"I promise when I bring Merida back, I'll sleep on the floor with you." I scoff.

"I'm not sleeping on the floor; I'll sleep in the bed with Merida." Hiccup just laughed.

"You do that," he says, starting for the door, "I'm going to go actually find her."

"Have fun," I call behind me as I hear the door shut. I sigh when I look at Jack again. I glance around the room, and my eyes land on the camera. With a smile, I grab it and stand over Jack.

"Smile, Jackie," I sing, and he just groans. With a bright flash, the photo is taken and I giggle when I see how it looks.

Leaning next to him, I said, "I'm going to go change, and then when I come back, I will wait with you for Hiccup and Merida."

He just burped.

Ew...

I go into the wardrobe, ducking my head and leaving the door slightly open as I change into a set of pajamas, my flannel pants and cupcake tank top. When I come out of the wardrobe, I almost scream when I see Jack sitting up.

"Oh- *hic- Rapunzel, there you are- *hic- I le-left my jacket somewhere." He began to get out of the bed, and I rushed forward to catch him when he stumbled.

"Sit back down, Jack," I said, trying to push him back.

"Can I lay on the floor, please," he asked, leaning heavily on me. I almost fell under his weight.

"Okay, Jack," I said as I carefully lowered him to the floor, "Careful now." He kept resting against me even once we were sitting on the floor so I scooted till my back was against the bed. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head against my chest, one of his legs over mine. I groaned when he rested nearly his entire weight on me.

"You- *hic- You are such a good friend, Rapunzel," h said as he scooted up so that his head was resting in the crook of my neck. I felt better with this position instead now that I wasn't bearing most of his weight and I could actually breathe.

"I know, I am," I say, smiling. I plant a light kiss on his forehead and wrap my own arms around him, one stroking his hair and one on one of his own. I rest my cheek against his forehead and pull him closer.

"And you are too," I whisper.

After a few minutes, I felt his head get heavy and heard his breathing even.

Great... How am I going to get him up now?

At that moment, the door opened again and Hiccup stumbled in with a drunken Merida.

"Did they both get drunk?" I whisper when I see them. He nods and then pointedly looks at Jack.

"He fell asleep," I explain, "Apparently, the floor is more comfortable than the beds."

Hiccups chuckles and then sways to the side when Merida leans on him.

"Hic," she says, her words slurring "Zel's right, the floor probably much more comfortable thank standing."

"Alright," he agrees and then hold back a laugh as Merida pulls him down to the ground. He pulls her over towards the bed opposite me so that he was leaning against it like I was. Merida goes to him and climbs onto his lap.

"Oh, okay!" he says as she snuggles up to him, kind of like how Jack was to me, except she was on his lap.

I shush him as she curls up against his chest and lays there. Hiccup and I stay in silence until we hear Merida's breathing slow down.

"I wish we could take a picture of this," I whisper softly and Hiccup laughs.

"We must be a sight," he whispered back.

"An adorable sight!" He snickers.

"This is actually very uncomfortable," he whispered, "I don't get the other guys who do this all the time."

"It's probably more comfortable for them than it is for us."

"I'm going to be gay and be the woman in the relationship." We laugh lightly and then trail off into a comfortable silence.

"Good night, Zel," Hiccup whispers, resting his head against Merida's.

"Sweet dreams, Hic."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"When's that from?" Merida asks, coming up behind Rapunzel. She was now wearing a similar outfit to her friend, but it was much more form fitting.

"Remember that one party that Hiccup had to carry you back from? He and Jack spent the night and Jack fell asleep on me and you were on Hiccup?"

"Oh gosh, that one," Merida says, straightening and turning away. "That was embaressing."

"Hiccup said he wished he was gay just so he'd never have to do that again."

"I was that uncomfortable?"

"I wished I was gay." Merida and Rapunzel both laugh.

"Jack's, like, 3 times your size though," Merida says, sitting on the floor, "I'm half of Hiccup's." Rapunzel rolled her eyes and then pulled up her best friend.

"Come on, they'll have served some food by now."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Jack, you look very cute in those clothes," Merida says as she and Rapunzel sat in their seat at the dining table.

"I don't know where my luggage is," he murmers.

"It'll be brought to your room later," Rapunzel explains, "But it seems Air Nomad clothing looks very nice on you."

Jack grimaced as he looked down at himself. His clothes were like Rapunzel's and Merida's except the belt was lower on his hips and instead of a shawl, there was an entire top shirt.

"I look pasty," he says, running a hand through his hair, "Yellow and orange are not the colors for someone with white hair."

"Oh, Mom!" Rapunzel said, turning to her mother, "I was wondering, can I cut my hair and make it brown?"

Her mother just stared at me, her face completely neutral. "If you give me a good enough reason why," Her mother said, turning back to her food, "Then I will let you."

"Jack used to have brown hair," Rapunzel said simply.

Her mother looked to Jack. "You must be joking..." Her shrugged in response.

"I felt like dyeing it one day," he explained, "And my friend helped me."

"Your friend did a marvelous job," her mother said, but then she turned back to her daughter, "That's not a good enough reason."

"Mom!"

"No, Rapunzel. You've got to give me a better reason."

"But we're leaving tomorrow morning!"

"What?" her father says, finally speaking up, "In the morning?"

"I'll be back in just three months, Daddy."

"Can't you at least stay a week?"

"We've still got to go get Hiccup." Jack and Merida both stayed quiet and looked down at their plates while Rapunzel talked with her parents. They glanced at each other nervously, and Jack shook his head when Merida opened her mouth to stay something.

"At least stay till the day after," her mother insists.

"Mom, come on, please?" Her mother and father both look to each other and had another silent conversation.

After a few minutes her mother sighs and speaks. "Fine, but after your trip, you'll spend at least a few weeks with us before you go to your aunt's."

Rapunzel screamed in happiness and hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you so much!"

"I can't believe we're agreeing to this..."

"Will you need anything?" her father asked.

"Food, lots and lots of money-" her mother rolled her eyes at this and her father paled slightly, "-a sleeping bag, comfortable clothes for all weather, some.." Rapunzel continued to list off a few more things that they would need as the rest of the group ate their meal in amusement.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Are you okay?" Merida asks as she gets into the bed next to Rapunzel. They'd just finished packing everything they'd need for their trip and were finally getting some time to sleep. Their luggage was put outside the door and whatever materials they needed were in Tanya's stall, ready to be loaded tomorrow. Rapunzel's father had given her a large purse full of money and then a smaller purse which held a number of cards.

"These cards, if used in a bank in a major city, will allow you to take out some money from our account," her father explained, "I'd prefer you use the cards in the cities and the cash for emergencies only."

"From tomorrow morning," Rapunzel said softly as Merida turned off the lights, "It is just going to be us."

"Isn't that the point?"

"It's the entire reason for the trip, but the reason it's just going to be us is that after this trip is that there may be no us after it." Merida was silent as she and Rapunzel lay there in the dark.

"Don't be like that, Zel," Merida whispered, "We'll all make it work."

"I can't imagine you guys not being there, you know?"

"We'll all be there for each other, always."

"You're going to be my maid of honor at my wedding, and my kids will call you auntie," Rapunzel laughs after a moment.

"I'll be that cool aunt," Merida laughs back, "The one that buys them all the cool stuff."

"I'll be the cool aunt to your kids!"

"Oh please, I'm not having kids!"

"Psh, I'm sure little Meridas will be the cutest things ever."

"Imagine little blonde haired, green eyed babies."

"My babies are going to be adorable."

"I hope your sons get Flynn's nose."

"Oh my gosh!"

"You know it's true!"

"Shut up, Merida!"

"It's tru- Dammit, Zell!"

"Go to sleep, Merida."

"You little bitch."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Just say 'Yip-Yip,'" Rapunzel explained to Jack. He sat on Tanya's head, holding the reigns. Merida sat in the large saddle on the air bison's back, finishing up the packing. Rapunzel flew down from Tanya's head to where her parents were.

"Are you sure you can't stay for another day, dear?" her mother worriedly asked when Rapunzel landed before them. "Your friends are always welcome."

"It's only going to be three months, Mother," Rapunzel said, happily excited for the trip. "Three months, and I'll be back here."

"Before you go to aunt and uncle's place!" her father said indignantly.

"I'm sure they won't mind me coming a bit later," she responded. A moment of silence engulfs the family before Rapunzel pulls her parents into a hug.

"Three months," she whispered, "And then I'll be back. I promise."

And then with that she let go of her parents and went back into the saddled with Merida.

"Yip-Yip!" Jack said, flicking the reigns. Tanya rose into the air and as they all flew away, Rapunzel waved to her parents until they were out of sight.

Even once they were, she continued to stare back.

"We could have stayed for another day, you know," Merida said softly. Rapunzel finally turned to the front, resting her back against the saddle.

She let out a deep breath before speaking. "Remember my foster mother?"

"Who can forget Mother Gothel?" Merida laughed and Rapunzel let out a soft breath.

"Remember how she would never let me do anything? She wouldn't even let me go shopping without supervision." Here she took a happy sigh. " But now, I get to travel the world."

"The world is our oyster," Jack called behind him.

"Don't eavesdrop, Jack!"

"Then talk softer!"

"We're in the air! You shouldn't be able to hear us!"

"I apologize for my amazing hearing!"

"And we are the kings and queens," Merida laughed, spreading out on the saddle.

"Where's Hiccup's house again?"

"Oh gosh, Jack!"

Author's Note: Hope you liked! Hiccup will be back next chapter :)

R&R please!

Till next time,

*Star*