We fell out of the flooded cave tumbling forward as the water behind us forced us forward. Almost immediately we were submerged again, this time in warmer more murky water. My head hit a soft patch of dirt and I kicked up from it hoping I was heading for air; my lungs were burning and my vision was dimming.

The water was deep and there must have been some kind of current because I could feel myself being dragged to the side as I swam upwards.

Breaking the surface I gasped for air my frying pan still clutched in my left hand. A large splash and some coughing from beside me told me Flynn- or should I say Eugene- had found air too, but at the moment I couldn't even lift my head from the soft river bed to look up at him I was so exhausted.

We both coughed and gagged trying to remove the water from our lungs. Eugene especially since he had blown out almost half of his air when my hair had begun to glow, he was more than a little surprised I guess, although I did tell him.

I panted smiling looking over to Pascal who was sitting on the shore.

"We made it." I breathed.

Flynn was still panting heavily his head down.

Suddenly Flynn looked up his eyes as round as saucers.

"Her hair glows." He said to no one in particular.

"We're alive." I said happy just to be able to say those words. I pulled myself up out of the water those words giving me enough energy to move again.

"I'm alive!" I rejoiced. I ran away from the water deciding to start the process of drying my hair.

Eugene was hyperventilating now on the beach still partially in the water while I dragged my hair out of the river.

"I didn't see that coming." Eugene said looking down to Pascal.

"Eugene." I said trying to get his attention, he didn't seem to notice me talking.

"Her hair actually glows." He exclaimed to Pascal.

"Eugene." I called over wringing out my first section of hair.

"WHY DOES HER HAIR GLOW?!" Eugene yelled at Pascal who was looking up at him blankly. Eugene looked like he was having a mental break down.

"EUGENE!" I yelled at him exasperated.

"What?" he asked impatiently looking up to me from Pascal as I calmly squeezed out more of the water from my hair.

I took a deep breath smiling at him softly, gods if h couldn't even take the glowing what was he gonna do when I told him the rest?

"It doesn't just glow." I told him softly.

Eugene looked at me and then Pascal worry and, wow, a bit of fear showing on his face. Pascal grinned at Eugene smugly, something told me Pascal enjoyed Eugene's confusion.

"Why is he smiling at me?" Eugene asked me with a pout glancing back at Pascal.

I sighed wringing out my hair.

"Eugene just… just calm down ok?"

He looked at me and then grabbed his head pulling t the hairs.

"At least get out of the water ok?" I told him softly pulling the last bit of my hair from the river.

I waited patiently as I wrung out my hair but all he did was stare at me for about five minutes silently with his mouth open, every so often looking down to Pascal.

When I deduced that my hair was as dry as it would get I turned away and head into the forest.

"I'm going to find somewhere for us to sleep." I called back to him not bothering to turn around. I heard him splash out of the water and pull himself off the bank, I decided to give him some time and let him come to me.

I looked around me remembering that we would need an area for sleeping and a place for a fire, I remembered from one of the books I had made mother buy me "survival 101". I had begged for a few weeks to go outside and she had refused saying it was too dangerous, she then gave me a giant book and told me to memorize it all and then demonstrate how I would survive. Of course this posed a problem saying as I couldn't light a fire in the middle of our kitchen floor or hunt for a rabbit in my bedroom.

Coming around a corner I spotted what appeared to be a readymade fire pit. I ran over to it almost tripping on my hair. The spot was almost perfect; there was a wooden bench and a log for a table, plenty of open space, and a fire pit. I hoped Eugene would agree.

I sat down on the log wringing out my hair humming to myself to pass the time as my hair dried.

After about half an hour Eugene wandered into the camp with his head down not looking at me, he only glanced up once before nodding and then turning around and leaving. I watched him go sadly hoping he would return soon.

I sat there for a while just enjoying the fresh air and combing out my hair. It had taken ages, to the point where it was now twilight in the woods, but I was almost done drying it and untangling it. Technically I could dry it and brush it out in a matter of seconds by singing but if Eugene were to see… while I didn't want to scare him.

I heard a crack and whipped my head over to see Eugene step out f the woods, he had a giant pile of logs in his arms. Walking past me he dumped it in the fire pit.

He avoided looking at me, almost shamefully.

"I was… I was just getting firewood." He told me glancing up at me.

"I understand." I told him looking into his eyes. I smiled at him softly patting the seat beside me.

"Let me just start the fire." He told me with one of his signature grins, although it did falter a bit on the end, but I could see his mood was improving.

I watched him curiously as he lit the fire with two stones that had been at the base. It took him a while placing the wood in the right position and then lighting it by scarping the two rocks together, I heard him mutter words under his breath every once in a while although I didn't understand him.

"Ah ha!" Eugene yelled jumping to his feet as a small trail of smoke slithered out from the wood.

I watched curiously as slowly the smoke became more significant a small orange flame revealed itself dancing along the wood. I could not tear my eyes away. The fire was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was wild and untamed growing swiftly to engulf all of the wood its embers reaching up to the sky. The fire crackled and popped merrily.

"wow." I murmured staring at the flames.

Eugene plopped down beside me breaking me out of my reverie.

"So," he said trying to stay casual, "what did you want to tell me."

I smiled at him, "Give me your hand." I instructed him putting out my own palm for him t lay his in.

Looking at me Eugene cautiously placed his hand in mine.

I looked down at the cut frowning sadly, he wouldn't have been hurt if it weren't for me. I sighed and began to wrap my hair around his palm. I wasn't going to tell him about my hair, I wouldn't be able to explain it; instead I decided I would just show him.

Looking around me I found the ends of my hair and pulled them towards me. Pulling his hand closer to my face I slowly wrapped my hair around his palm concealing the gash. I swallowed nervously, I was terrified of how he would re-act, I couldn't look Eugene in the eye. Eugene was leaning back from me as I did so, but I didn't have the nerve to tell him I wouldn't bite.

"So," he said trying to hide the nerves that were in his voice. "You're being strangely cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my injured hand."

I glanced up to Eugene worried he was more shocked then he was letting on, I pulled the hair tight so it wouldn't unwind. Eugene grunted in pain, I loosened the hair looking up at him apologetically.

"Sorry." I said wincing at the fact that I had caused him even more pain. I sighed realizing I would have to show him now that I had finished wrapping my hair around his hand.

"Just," I took a deep breath steadying my voice, "don't," I paused thinking for a way to fraise it, "don't freak out, ok?"

I sighed when he made no such agreement.

Taking a deep breath, I began to sing.

Flower gleam and glow

Let your power shine

The backs of my eyelids turned pink as my hair inevitably began to glow

Make the clock reverse

Bring back what once was mine

I worried Eugene thought I had an awful voice as I sang my nerves thrumming through my body. Eugene was moving back and forth, I wondered what he was doing.

Heal what had been hurt

Change the fates design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine

Slowly I opened my eyes not completely believing I had just shown someone my gift, a small smile played on my lips at the ease and freedom of it.

Eugene unwrapped my hair from his hand and suddenly he began whimpering, I looked up to see him flipping his hand over repeatedly becoming more anxious by the second.

Eugene opened his mouth wide as if he was about to scream, "Please don't freak out." I said quickly cutting him off from wailing into the night as he realized that his injury was gone.

I had my hands raised as I looked at him nervously wondering if he would ever be able to be around me again.

Eugene had froe when I told him not to freak out so his mouth was still wide open, a small wheezing noise escaped the back of his throat.

"I-I'm not freaking out, are you freaking out?" He said stuttering still focusing on his hand and not me.

Casually he took his now uninjured hand and placed it on his cheek leaning into it trying to mae it seem like that was all he meant to do the entire time.

"I'm just very interested in your hair and the magical qualities that it possesses, how long has it been doing that exactly?" He smiled at me nervously tucking his hands under his arm pits and swaying back and forth.

"Um," I said not really sure how to resond to this strange and crazed Eugene, "forever, I guess." I told him truthfully.

I didn't know a lot about my powers, whenever I asked mother would just clam up. The only thing I did know was that if you cut it, it loses all of it's magic, but I only knew that because mother had needed a reason to explain why we never got it cut, and it was another warning for me about the outside world.

I sighed looking down, "mother says when I was a baby people tried to cut it, they wanted to take it for themselves." I looked at him sadly, I realized mother would never have given Eugene a chance, she would think that he would only want to take her hair, but she knew better. "but," I told him pulling back my hair to reveal my one bit of short hair, "it turns brown and loses it's power." I had never liked that one piece of hair, neither did mother, although not for the same reasons. She did'nt like it because it was a reminder of how easily I could lose my power, I didn't like it because it was just another reminder of how I would never be allowed to leave.

"A gift like that, it has to be protected." I said bitterly looking away, "That's why mother never let me..." trailed off not able to finish my sentence, I realized now how silly my captivity had been, how pointless, but then again, I could have left like I had whenever I wished. I sighed rephrasing my sentence, "that's why I never left and…" I looked away from him emotions choking in my throat, I had wasted eighteen years of my life in that tower, and yet, maybe I really shouldn't have left, but… I just…

"that's why you never left that tower." Eugene said softly beside me. I looked over to him my eyes glassy, any shock he had had before was gone, now he was only looking at me concerned for me. "and your still gonna go back?" he asked surprised.

"NO!" I shouted, I would never go back to that damn place even if… well I don't know I had… "yes," I said thinking of mother, I sighed dropping my face into my hands. "It's complicated." I murmured. I felt Pascal snuggle up onto my ankle trying to comfort me.

I peeked out at Eugene who had fallen silent, he was looking at me in a strange way, almost sad but... he was smiling. It was almost like he understood somehow. My sadness slowly retreated. I took a deep breath and smoothed out my hair regaining my composure.

I looked over to the man who now knew me better than anyone else on this earth, even, I realised sadly, even mother.

"So," I asked him, "Eugene Fitzherbert huh?" Eugene smiled sheepishly.

"uh ya well," he said shrugging and looking away, "I'll spare you the sob story of poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert." He looked down sadly, I realized his past may very well be more depressing than my own, "it's a bit of a…" he trailed off sadly, "well it's a it's of a downer." I scooted towards him eager to know more about him, more than is cover. I wanted to know him, the real him, just like he now knew me. Flynn laughed at how eager I was.

"there was this book," Eugene began with a hint of awe, "a book I used to read every night to all the younger kids," he smiled as if remembering something, "The tales of Flynnigan Ryder," he told me boldly sweeping his hand across the sky as he said the name, obviously the story book had been important to him, "swashbuckling rogue," he said miming out the slash of a sword, "richest man alive," he leaned into me covering his mouth as if he was telling me a secret, "not bad with the ladies either," he said casually, "not that he'd ever brag about it of course" I giggled at his obvious love for the character. I wondered if perhaps this book, this fairy-tale, was what had kept him going. Flynn had his hand on his chin looking away, I wondered what he was thinking while he told me all this.

"was he a thief too?" I asked curiously while Flynn wasn't talking, this seemed to stump him for a moment.

"Uh," he said awkwardly, "well no." Eugene looked down, he looked sad. "Actually," he said laughing, "he had enough money to do whatever he wanted to do, he could go anywhere that he wanted to go." Eugene paused looking down, "and-and-and for a kid with nothing…" Flynn trailed off, "I don't know I-" Eugene clasped his hands together looking down, "just seemed like the better option." He told me.

This, I thought, this is the real him. I smiled happy he was able to tell me all this.

"hm," I said smiling at him, he glanced up at me. He looked at me for a moment all his guards down, and i- while I felt something, something- "you can't tell anyone ok?" he said cutting off my trail of thought, I looked at him rasing my eyebrows, "it could ruin my whole reputation." I looked up smiling, trying not to laugh.

"ah," I said wanting to say something witty, but not wanting to ruin the comradeship we had somehow created here in the dark woods. "we wouldn't want that." I looked over at him sarcastically.

"Well a fake reputation is all a man has." He said casually leaning in with a small smile, I threw my head back and laughed releasing the pent up emotions I had in my chest, after a few moments Eugene joined me chuckling.

I stopped laughing and looked at him, really looked at him, and saw him as he was, he smiled back softly for a second. Then, out of nowhere he looked away a confused expression coming over his face, I saw the walls I had worked so hard to take down come right back up.

Eugene cleared his throat standing up, "well u should… um" he glanced around looking for an excuse to leave, there was a strange ache in my chest, and for some reason I felt the pain had something to do with him, "I-I-I should get some more firewood." He said gesturing behind him before heading out into the woods. I watched him go smiling softly, "hey," I called out to him, he turned around looking back to me his emotions still on his face, "for the record, I like Eugene Fitzherbert much better than Flynn Ryder." I told him honestly looking up at him shyly.

My words seemed to take him off guard, he looked at me shocked for a second and then sighed, "well then you would be the first." He said looking down at his hands. He looked over to me his face open and his eyebrows drawn together, for once, I couldn't see an ounce of Flynn in him, it was all Eugene, and I liked it. He looked… I'm not sure how to put it, but his eyes were big and the expression… it calmed the aching in my chest a little, but at the same time made it stronger, "but thank you." He said softly before turning and walking away. I laughed lightly watching him go. Eugene was… I don't know he was special. I couldn't believe my luck the first person I meet happens to be one of the most sensitive and entertaining people I could meet, it occurred to me that it could have been anyone to climb in through my window, but I was lucky enough to get Flynn, if lucky was the right word. Flynn was charming alright but he could also be-

"Well," a horribly familiar voice said cutting off my thoughts. "I thought he's never leave."

"Mother?" I asked shocked spinning around to see her pulling her cloak back.

She looked so different, without my singing mother had aged, and quickly, her hair had streaks of grey and her skin had developed spots and wrinkles. Her usual bright eyes had a dark light to them.

"Hello dear," she said in a voice I now realized was demeaning, it always had been when she was talking to me.

"But I-I-I don't…" I stammered as she slowly approached me, how had she found me, how had she even known to look? I had only been gone a day and she was supposed to be gone for at least three days… "How did you find me?" I asked her deciding not to question how she knew I was gone because that would take the conversation down a rotten path. Mother pulled me close into a hug, you would think that was a good sign but mother always acted sweet when she was in her worst moods.

"Oh, it was easy really," she said stroking my hair, "I just listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that."

I swallowed holding back tears, she didn't seem to be angry… no she was more bitter, anger I would be fine with but bitterness… when mother was bitter, those were the times I went and hid for days before she would come and find me laughing asking what on earth I was doing. I would giggle and follow her out because I would know it was over, but something told me this bitterness could not be passed just by hiding under the stairs.

I sighed, she was blowing this out of proportion really, but we needed to talk about it, "mother" I tried to say to her, "We're going home Rapunzel." She told me sternly not even acknowledging I had spoken. "Now." She said to strengthen her point and then took me by the wrist and turned to leave.

"You don't understand," I said pulling her back, she looked confused, "I've been on this incredible journey and I've seen and learned so much!" I told her excitedly, hoping she would understand. I looked away shyly, "I even met someone."

"Yes, the wanted thief, I'm so proud." She said sarcastically with a fake smile as if she knew everything about him, she hadn't even met Eugene! "Come on Rapunzel.' She instructed me pulling me away from the camp site.

"Mother," I said trying to pull my wrist free, "wait." She let me go stopping in her tracks.

"I think," I said hesitantly, "I think he likes me."

Mother hadn't moved until then when she turned around amused, "likes you? Please Rapunzel that's demented."

"But mother I-" "this is why you never should have left," she told me cutting me off like usual, she swooped past me dramatically, I sighed expecting her to put on some form of show to prove her point.

"Dear this whole romance you've invented," she came up behind me taking my shoulders in her hands, "just proves your too naive to be here." I looked away from her not able to listen to her words but still processing their harsh meaning.

"Why would he like you?" she asked swooping around me, "come on now really." She told me grabbing my hands and spinning me like she used to when I was younger, she grabbed my lengths of hair running them through her hands, "look at you, you think that he's impressed?" she asked unforgivingly, voicing my own fears.

She twirled away from me to stand over by the path that would lead us back towards our tower, no my prison. "Don't be a dummy," she crooned clasping her hands under her aging face, "come with mummy."

"Mother" she sang began to sing her old song, "No." I told her sternly cutting her off. I would not let her sing her little song and entice me into going back to that cell.

She looked shocked, as if my disobedience, my standing up for myself, was a novelty, "No?" she asked confused looking me up and down, then something seemed to click behind her eyes, "oh," she said with understanding and sarcastic cruelty. "I see how it is," she said slyly.

"Rapunzel knows best," she sang teasing me as she walked over swaying her hips, "Rapunzel's so mature now," She stopped in front of me looking down on me, "such a little grown up miss." She jeered patting me on the head patronisingly. "Fine," she said waltzing away from me, "if you're so sure now," she spun towards me raw anger on her face, for the first time I was scared of her, "go ahead then give him this!" she snarled pulling Eugene's satchel out of her cloak. I gasped, "How did you-" I tried to ask confused as to how she could possibly have… "This is why he's here!" she hissed pulling out the sparkling thing from Eugene's satchel, "don't let him deceive you." She threw to me and I fumbled to catch it not wanting t to drop and break. I pulled it close, it reminded me of Eugene and I needed the comfort of thinking of him at the moment.

"Give it to him watch you'll see!" she bellowed at me her powerful voice ringing around us, "I will!" I told her angrily.

"Trust me my dear," she snapped quickly, "that's how fast he'll leave you," her face was now crazed as she sneered at me "I won't say I told you so!" She spun back to face me glaring into my eyes as I leaned back my heart slowly breaking at her unforgiving tone and words, I knew she would be upset… but this… this was just evil. "No Rapunzel knows best!" she screamed to the sky swooping behind me, "so if he's such a dream boat," she spun in front of me with a looking utterly unimpressed with me, "go and put him to the test!" she sneered I looked down at the sparkly thingy, I liked Eugene and all but… he wasn't worth losing my mother, was he? She spun away from me, "mother wait!" I called after her not wanting to end on such a note as this, "if he's lying don't come crying!" she sang looking at me with anger and intolerance, "mother, knows best!" she sang with power. She then spun around disappearing into the night.

I watched her go not having the energy to follow after her. Eugene's satchel was slung over my shoulder and the sparkly ring shaped thing was in my hands, what was I going to do? I looked down at it hoping for answers.

"so?" I heard Eugene calling from the other side of the camp, I gasped trying to conceal the thing behind my back, I started hyperventilating, I wasn't ready to give it to him, not yet, "can I ask you something?" he shouted over to me.

I quickly hurried to the camp and looked around, I spotted a stump off to the side of the fire, it was far enough away that he wouldn't approach it for any reasons but close enough that I could keep an eye on it, I ran over and shoved the satchel into a hole in the side then turned to look at it from the camp site, I couldn't see it at all, I sighed hugging myself trying to calm down so as to not alert Eugene.

"Is there any chance that I'm gonna get super strength in my hand?" Eugene asked e as he approached me from behind. "because I'm not gonna lie, that would be stupendous" he stopped in front of the fire his voice trailing off, "hey, you alright?" he asked me in what I was beginning to call his Eugene voice, usually he talked with swagger and confidence and that was his Flynn voice but every once in a while he opened up and talked softly with a sort of sweetness and understanding, that was his Eugene voice, I liked that voice, it made me feel safe and like I was worth something.

"Oh, sorry yes" I said laughing lightly trying to act casual, "just um, lost in thought I guess." Eugene looked at me for a couple seconds blankly trying to decide if he believed me or not. After a few seconds he shrugged his head to the side regaining his casual attitude, "I mean because here's the thing," he bent down dropping the firewood he had collected while I had… talked with mother, "Super-human good looks, I've always had em'…" I stopped listening to Eugene's drabble and looked back to the satchel in its hiding spot, I didn't know what to do, I had to give it to him. I needed to know if mother was right or not, it was killing me to look at him and think it was even vaguely possible that he was only acting like this to get his satchel back.

Eugene was still talking and I looked back to him forcing myself to smile and nod softly so he would keep talking and I wouldn't have to respond, it was a talent I had learned from watching mother do it to me.

I sat down on the bench while Eugene piled more wood onto the fire still going on about how cool it would be if he had a super strong hand, how he would do all these crazy things, I wasn't really sure what he meant with half of it, and what did he mean it would help with sleeping?

I sat there my head resting on my chin as I stared into space wondering how on earth I would give it to him, I couldn't just hand it over, I had to explain why I was giving it to him for nothing, or maybe I could just wait until after the lanterns the next night…

"Rapunzel?" he asked calling my name softly, I looked up and realized he had asked me something, several times. "um ya, sorry."

Eugene's eyebrows scrunched together and he came and sat beside me, "are you sure you're ok?" he took my hand in his cupping my tiny palm in his two strong hands, they were rough but surprisingly warm. I looked up at him trying to hide my confusion.

"You know I would never tell anyone, right?" he said softly his eyebrows furrowing even more, "tell them what?" I asked confused, "about you, and your, um, specialness." He said awkwardly.

I laughed, "My specialness?" I asked him giggling, "yes," he said smiling leaning forward, "it's a new title I have deemed for you, your specialness" he flashed me a swarthy grin. I looked at him confused. "It's a play on words… ah never mind." Eugene said looking down at his hands and then running his hands through his hair.

I yawned stretching my hands backwards. "While I better head to bed." I told him crawling onto the ground, I looked up at him smiling lightly, "are you going to join me?" I asked him lightly patting the ground beside me.

Eugene's face paled and he looked away a pained expression on his face, he looked over at me and for a brief second there was a very strong expression of longing on his face, but then he looked away and it was gone.

"Uh, yeah." He said. He walked over to the other side of the campsite scotching away from me and lied down draping a hand over his eyes.

I laughed at him, "I don't bite you know." I called over.

"Oh ya, um," Eugene said looking over while lying on the ground, "I uh, ok."

He walked over a few feet and sat down beside me lying down, for whatever reason he was breathing shallowly.

I scooted over and he slid his arms around me, a soft sigh escaped me at the comfort and safety I now associated with him, I fell asleep quickly and did not notice the warring emotions that Eugene felt.

It was the first time Eugene Fitzherbert had ever really wanted to be with a woman, but it was also the first time he could never allow himself to be with her in such a way.