I was holding and I was searching endlessly
But baby, now there's nothing left that I can do so
So don't be blue
There is another future waiting there for you

Tame Impala ~ Yes I'm Changing

Rapunzel POV

I had been counting the days I had been there by using my fingernail to make tally marks on the plastic tray. I was going to use this tray table against Gothel if someone hopefully rescued me from this hell. I went back to eating the crappy green gelatin and strange tasting applesauce. They were beginning to emotionally condition me any human interaction was brutal for me. Anyone who walked in would scream at me and try to break me; sometimes this resulted in physical abuse. Early in my informant years the military had offered me a positon, but based on my mother's experience I passed. I was also afraid my talents would be used for experiments, the irony of this seemed laughable. The military seems to always get their wish.

I heard someone open my door to my secluded hospital wing and immediately winced, here comes the next dreadful human altercation. However, before anyone walked in there was a scrapping noise on the floor and a few grunts emanated from the doorway. I looked up from my perched position on the front of the bed, my rough sheets crinkling with the movement. I grabbed my straw, the only thing they let me use to eat. There was no need for weapons though, the two red headed body guards open the door all the way and dragged a figure between them. I raised my eyebrows and knit them together, what were they carrying between them. The figure was wearing an army uniform and had raven hair.

They set him roughly on the bed adjacent to mine, when I saw his face I gasped. The flesh was bloodied and marred, instead of a mouth he had a purple lump swelling and split, instead of a nose the center of his face was replaced with a black and blue area. Gothel's henchmen brought him here to throw me off. Bruises even dotted his neck, each looked suspiciously like finger prints. I studied every part of his sleeping form and the shaking gasp left my lips and wide eyed I leapt up from my position on the bed and rushed towards him.

"Eugene…" It came out as a scared whisper. I reached up and stroked fallen pieces of hair from his fore head. I knew I would be punished for this, but I did not care. I grabbed I napkins that were meat for my meal. I wrapped the ice chips in my foam cup in the napkins and pressed them to his sweltering forehead. He was s feverish and I soon figured out why. On his left cheek there was a terrible running gash; it was oozing and had turned green. He had one of the worst cases of blood poisoning I had seen. The skin around it was swollen and pink tendrils went across the left side of his face in a web like manner.

I quickly grabbed more napkins and my empty foam cup I pressed my shaking hands to the sides of the wound and with applied pressure began to squeeze the puss out. When I was young my mother had taught me medical techniques that she had taken from her time in the field those techniques were etched into my brain forever and would help save Flynn in this hour. I used the cup to capture the infected juice, I kept this up for the next few hours and extracted most of the puss from his face. I wiped the rest of his face off wincing, while replacing the cup on top of the metal tray; Eugene stirred behind me. I whipped around as he tried to touch his face. I grabbed his hand, "Shh, shh, don't do that you will only make it worse." I said gently despite the bile rising in my throat. His eyes were foggy and he shook his head. "Rapunzel… Where?" He tried to sit up but I put a hand on his chest and shoved him back. "It's okay," I coaxed. "You're with me now, it will be alright." He nodded but still seemed confused.

"I have to clean the wound now okay? This may sting a bit, but you have to keep your face still." I reached for my remaining two napkins and dabbed them in my water. Using the first napkin I carefully dabbed his face forcing myself to find out how deep the cut was. He writhed underneath my touch. "Eugene," I said, still using a sweet tone, but firm tone, "You have to sit still okay?" He nodded. I sighed and replaced my hand. The cut was deep and he definitely needed some stiches after I dabbed the wound I grasped his hand. "Now, I am going to poor the rest of my water onto your cut. I need you to hold my hand and not touch it, if you do it will most likely become more infected. He grunted in response while I swiftly grabbed his other hand and grasped both of his wrists. I put pressure on his wrists to keep him from moving. I sighed, "This is definitely going to hurt." He nodded and braced himself. I slowly poured out the water over his flesh torn cheek. He moved his hands, but not to cover his face. Fingers wound themselves around mine and squeezed my hand.

After I finished I squeezed his hands in return; I located one of the security cameras in my room. Looking straight into it I said bravely, "Look I don't know what you did to him, but he definitely needs stiches and antibiotics or his cut will only get worse. He will die if you do not help him soon." I looked back a Eugene's face and grabbed his chin angling it at me. "Listen to me," his eyes began to shut I was frantic, but remained calm. "No Eugene Fitzherbert look at me!" His eyes snapped open, "You can't give in okay, don't die on me now. You have been my protector and taught me so much; Eugene, you push me to want to be better, to do more alright!" My voice shook and tears threatened to spill, "And… and if you die, if you don't exist I won't be able to see how far you can push me or how much better I can be."

A tear ran down my cheek and I felt his fingertips brush it away. His calloused skin on my bruised face, oh what a mess we were. "Rapunzel," He rasped out I looked back at his warm brown eyes, "You push me to want to be better too." Then his eyes closed and his head fell back. "Eugene!" I frantically pressed my finger tips to the side of his neck trying to feel for a pulse. There was one but it was weak, he had stopped breathing his chest no longer rose and fell. I had only my mother to thank for what I did next; I began to use CPR, I used chest compressions until after a few minutes the nurses had to pull my away and try to revive him. I tried to get back to him but I was pushed against the wall. Why were they reviving him? If he was dying anyway, why save him?

Then the thought hit me like a ton of bricks. He was in the program. My other "half' that they were using. The physical build to my genius genes, I rushed forward they might as well let him die. It was ironic how I'd work so hard to save him only to try and kill him out of mercy. I pulled one guys arm, he tried to shrug me off but I pinned it behind him back and gave him an uppercut. He fell down cursing and swearing. While I continued to try a shove people off Eugene one of the nurses finally had enough. He grabbed my hair and shoved me to the ground; he covered my mouth to combat the screaming. I bit him until I tasted blood he took his hand away and slammed my face into the floor. Stars blossomed before my vision, but I kept fighting him. I was done giving up I would fight them until my last breath.

Then Gothel appeared in front of me and grabbed my chin. "You better stop this now kid or we will hurt Flynn, not let him die to get out of his fate, but hurt you to hurt him." I spat a mixture of blood and saliva onto her face and began laughing hysterically; it was a mad high crazed sound that fed fuel to the fire of my panic. I could not stop; the idea was so ridiculous; they would hurt me while Eugene was dying and unconscious. I was calling her bluff and laughing my way towards a sedative. I felt the sting of a needle and let my laughs sing me into the long dark sleep that I had grown quite used too.

I woke up screaming and thrashing my limbs had been tied down like I was some sort of psycho serial killer. I quickly stopped screaming not wanting another sedative I looked over to the bed and saw a sleeping Flynn; his stiches shone under the dim lighting. My brain scrambled to try and figure out how long I had been out; however I did not make much progress because the door opened and two orderlies came in and undid the bindings on my wrists. The one on the left slipped a piece of paper behind my ear making sure that my hair covered it. I tried to speak but she tapped a finger to her lips. I watched them walk out and quickly wiped the confusion off my face 'act like nothing is wrong'. I examined my bruised wrists and then I pulled my sheet around me and curled into the fetal position. From there I quickly slipped the paper out and read the secretive writing. "The birds will soon be free of their cage; the hawk flies over and waits to swoop on its prey." - F

What did that even mean? Was it code for a rescue mission and who did we have on our side? I heard the door creak open again and quickly hid the note under my pillow. There were 3 nurses adjusting Flynn's IV and checking his vitals I watched them as they worked studying what they said, "He finally stabilized it looked like he might not make it for a little while there." One short plump nurse commented. In more hushed tones a tall and skinny nurse remarked, "It would be a shame he's one of the best lieutenants the army has ever seen." The last nurse this one rather short with cropped black hair said, "We should go you too need to quit your gossip." The three exited and I slowly stood registering the pain in my head. I sat slowly onto Flynn's bed and held his hand. "He'll need a familiar face for when he wakes." I thought.

I woke up this time with my head at the end of the bed with no pillow. Flynn was still sleeping but food had appeared on my tray; it was again applesauce and gelatin, but with the exception of a small dish of scrambled eggs. The applesauce still didn't taste quite right like the last few bowls, but I was so hungry I didn't seem to mind. Again everything on my tray was pure paper product. Flynn began to stir and at once I jumped up and walked over to him. He slowly opened his eyes and a small smile formed "Rapunzel" he choked out hoarsely. "Eugene" I said softly, "I'm right here."

He smiled I bent down closer right next to his ear and whispered "The birds will soon be free of their cage; the hawk flies over and waits to swoop in." His eyes widened and he nodded he pulled my back to him and kissed me on the cheek I was surprised but it was only so he could whisper. "That is my friend Frank he does all his rescue codes in bird metaphors, my bet is that Pascal knows too." I nodded as he let me go, I walked back to my bed and discreetly pretended to grab my water. At the same time I grabbed the note I hid and took a sip of water then I feigned yawning, covering my mouth in the process. During my yawn I stuffed the note into my mouth, took a sip of water and swallowed. We would be free, a new determination to stay alive was lit in me and when I turned around Flynn had that same fire in his eyes.