There was something about the way the creator, Jack, smiled at them that Flynn hated. It wasn't a true smile. It was a secretive smile. A smile that said, 'I know something you don't know.' It bothered Flynn even though Jack hadn't done anything to make him worried.

But he did think back to what Wyatt said – how her creator was making her hurt people.

The man standing before him and Rapunzel was not a good man. That was something Flynn felt confident about.

"Now, care to tell me where my robot is?" Jack asked.

Rapunzel crossed her arms. "Why do you want Wyatt?"

Jack frowned and scratched his chin. His stubble made it sound loud and scratchy in the quiet Arizona air. "Who is Wyatt?"

"Your robot," Flynn said. "Oh, you know, the one you created."

"I never gave it a name."

"Her name is Wyatt," Rapunzel said.

Jack raised an eyebrow. Flynn hated to admit how cool the man looked doing that. "Her, huh? I didn't know robots have genders either."

"They do when you implant your own daughter's DNA into it," she fired back. Flynn had to grab Rapunzel's arm to hold her back.

"So, my robot told you all about my daughter." Jack chuckled. It was a dark sound. "Did my robot also tell you how my daughter died?"

Flynn felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"No, she didn't," Rapunzel said. "I assumed you had a part to play in her death."

"You're right. I did. But not in the way your thinking."

Rapunzel huffed, "And what am I thinking?"

"That I'm the one who killed her. But in actuality, it was the robot. It killed her."

Flynn could see the pain in Rapunzel's eyes when she heard this. "But you created Wyatt," she said. "So, isn't that your fault?"

"I made my robot a peaceful creature. But then it began to resent me for the life I had and the life it didn't have. So, it killed my daughter. I placed my daughter's DNA into it to remind it to feel ashamed every day of its life that it killed someone innocent."

"None of that makes sense," Rapunzel said. "Why would Wyatt kill your daughter? She's been nothing but kind."

Jack tipped his hat at her. "Because the robot has my daughter inside of it. My daughter's essence- that's what's keeping it nice. Now, tell me where my robot is and I'll be out of your hair."

Rapunzel shook her head. "No. Wyatt told me that you've made her do bad things. Why would you make the robot, with your daughter's DNA a part of it, do bad things?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you, young lady. Just tell me where my robot is and no one has to get hurt."

Flynn let out a sharp laugh. "Typical bad guy move. Tell us no one has to get hurt but in reality, you just plan on hurting more people. We're" – he waved a hand between himself and Rapunzel – "not buying it."

Jack's face twisted from a calm expression to one of rage. "Just tell me where my fucking robot is."

"You're not getting Wyatt back," Rapunzel said.

"Why not?"

Rapunzel ducked her head, breathing heavy. Flynn knew that what happened to Wyatt was weighing heavy on her.

Flynn took a step towards Jack. "You're not getting Wyatt back because Wyatt is in a pile of pieces."

Jack's eye twitched. "What?"

"Yeah. So, there's no reason to stay. Just leave." Flynn really hoped that would work.

…unfortunately, it didn't.

"How did my robot end up in pieces? I will kill whoever did it."

Flynn gulped. Shit. He messed up. He never should have mentioned what happened to Wyatt.

Jack stared at them for a moment before laughing. "Oh, I think I get it. My robot is in that town, isn't it? It was torn to pieces because it hurt people, didn't it? Not surprising. It's prone to hurting people. But I cant stand to have anyone destroy what's mine. So, I'm going into that town and killing every last person there."

"Why?" Rapunzel whispered.

"Just because I can. I'm getting my robot back." He walked to his spaceship and got in it.

"I don't think this is good," Flynn said.

"No. He's going to kill everyone."

They looked at each other. "Jasper," they said in unison.

"Max, your time to shine, buddy," Flynn said, running over to the horse, who was still miraculously crunching on grass as if a crazy warlord spaceship guy didn't just descend from the sky.

Flynn tried to get on but Max stepped out of the way and snickered. "Oh come on!" Flynn said. "You're a horse. How is it possible for you to laugh?"

"No time," Rapunzel said, getting on Max. "We need to hurry. The entire town is in danger. If Jack could create someone like Wyatt, then I don't even want to know the kind of power he has himself. Max, we need to move. We need to save anyone."

Max nodded, a set determination on his face.

After finally letting Flynn on, Max took off running back to the town.

But he couldn't outrun a spaceship.

Jack's ship hovered over the town and for a moment, nothing happened.

Until laser beams began shooting out of it, blasting the entire town below and all the people in it.

"Hurry, Max," Rapunzel said. Max picked up his speed.

They reached the town and what Flynn saw was equivalent to an apocalypse movie. Everything was covered in fire. People were running around, screaming and crying for help. Many people were on the ground, not getting back up.

Max neighed and stood on his back legs.

"We need to go in there," Rapunzel said. "We need to save Jasper. We need to somehow stop this."

Max shook his head.

"Stubborn horse," Flynn said, jumping off. Max just glared at him.

Rapunzel got down too and together, they ran into the rubble of the town.

"We need to find Jasper," she said, then gasped when the building next to her exploded. Flynn grabbed her, holding her close.

"How are we going to find him? How are we going to stop this?"

Rapunzel looked up at him. There was uncertainty in her eyes. "We could give him Wyatt."

"What?"

"That's what he came for. If he give him Wyatt back, he might leave the town."

"But then Wyatt is left to Jack's mercy."

"We'll find a way to save Wyatt but right now, we have to stop Jack from killing everybody. I just don't want to do it, Eugene." A tear slid down her face.

He kissed the top of her head. "But you're right. We have to."

"Give me strength," she said, clutching his hand.

"You have it. Let's save this town. Together."

They ran into the burning town, holding hands as they went.


The screams of sheer agony hurt Rapunzel's heart. These people were dying. They were losing a home.

All because of a madman.

Rapunzel and Eugene ran to the spot Wyatt was torn apart but only her arm was left.

"Where's the rest of her?" Eugene asked, picking up the arm.

"The townsfolk must have taken her."

"Where?"

Right then, a large explosion happened next to them. Rapunzel went flying through the air and landed on her back, all the wind getting knocked out of her. She lay there gasping until Eugene kneeled beside her, helping her up.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, sounding worried. It make her heart clench.

She cupped his cheek. "I'm fine. Just winded. We need to go find Wyatt."

After helping her up, the two of them ran through the town, searching for her pieces and not finding any.

Majority of the people were running for the boarding house, which was one of the larger houses in the town.

"There," she said, pointing at it. "If more people are there, then maybe they'll know where Wyatt's pieces are."

The spaceship landed and Jack came out. "Give me my robot back!"

They hurried to the boarding house but when they tried to get inside, Sarah turned them away. "No. You tried helping that creature. This is on you."

"Please," Rapunzel said. "We just need to know. Are Wyatt's parts in there?"

Sarah frowned. "Wyatt who?"

"The robot."

Sarah still frowned.

Eugene huffed. "The creature."

"Ah," Sarah said.

"Exactly," Eugene replied.

"Sure. Jimmy and Jackson took that creature into the saloon to do God knows what to it. It's probably still there. Now leave."

"Wait!" a little boy called. Jasper scooted past Sarah and ran to Eugene and Rapunzel. "You're alive." He hugged Eugene tightly. "You're both alive."

"Jasper," Eugene said. "You need to get back inside."

"No. I'm staying with you."

Rapunzel and Eugene shared a look.

"We don't have time to waste," she said. "Jasper, you can come with us but you have to stay safe."

He nodded so seriously for a little boy. It almost broke her heart.

Jasper continued to cling to Eugene as they ran to the saloon. Bursting inside, they were confronted by the image of terrified people hiding under tables. Half of the wall was blown to bits.

Rapunzel stepped forward, her hands raised. "We know how to help."

"You!" a woman pointed at her. "You tried to help that creature and now look what's happening. This is your fault! Get her!"

Eugene ran in front of Rapunzel. "No one is hurting anyone. We know how to save the town. But we need the creature's body parts."

A man behind the bar with a handlebar mustache scoffed. "What do you need with them? How is that going to help? We're all getting killed here."

"The man that is destroying the town," Rapunzel said, "is the one who created the creature. If we give him back the creature, he will leave and everyone will be safe."

No one answered but everyone looked skeptical.

"What other choice do you have?" Eugene asked.

That made everyone more on board.

"It's over there," Handlebar Mustache said, pointing at the end of the bar. The pieces of Wyatt were in one large pile.

Rapunzel ran over. "Oh my god. Wyatt."

The robot blinked up at her, still alive despite being torn to pieces. She looked so terribly sad. Rapunzel knew she couldn't give Wyatt up to Jack. She couldn't save Cassandra. She couldn't save Pascal. She had lost too many friends along the way.

But she was going to save Wyatt.

"We're not giving her back to Jack," she whispered to Eugene.

His eyes widened. "We're not?"

"No. We're going to save her and this town."

"How?"

"By doing what we do best." She gripped his hand. "Working together."

"All right. Tell me what I need to do."

She loved him for being so… there for her. No questions asked. She knew she could always count on him.

"We need to get Wyatt to the blacksmith's shop. We can reassemble her there."

"Wait," Handlebar Mustache said, walking over to them. "Reassemble? We tore this thing apart for good reason. You're not going to build it back together."

Rapunzel kept her head held high. "We are. And none of you" – she looked at everyone in the room – "are going to stop us. You want this town saved, then you need to trust us."

"That's the thing," he said, "we don't even know you. We can't trust you."

"I do." It was Jasper. "I trust them. They saved me after my parents died."

"Your parents died because of this thing," Handlebar Mustache said, pointing at Wyatt.

"No. She didn't know what she was doing. It wasn't her fault. She's just a kid in there. Like me."

Eugene pulled Jasper against him and rubbed his arm. Jasper smiled up at him. Rapunzel was so touched by the moment, she wanted to stay in it forever but knew they couldn't.

"We're taking Wyatt with us," she said, grabbing Wyatt's body parts. "No one is going to stop us."

"And if we try?"

Eugene chuckled. "You won't like the outcome, trust me. Rapunzel knows how to kick some ass."

She smiled under his praise. "I do. Kick ass that is. You don't want to see what I can do with a frying pan."

No one stopped the trio as they carried Wyatt out of the saloon.

The entire town was covered in ash from the fires all over the place. Rapunzel couldn't see Jack anywhere but that didn't mean he wasn't close.

The blacksmith shop was empty and fortunately, one of the only buildings still standing. They set Wyatt's pieces down on a table.

"Now what?" Eugene asked. "How do we put her back together?"

"I saw what she was doing with her hand. I can try to replicate it."

Eugene shrugged. "Good enough for me."

The three of them got to work putting Wyatt back together. It wasn't easy. Rapunzel wasn't quite sure what to do and Wyatt wasn't talking yet. The robot just kept looking at her with a sad expression. She wondered if Jack was really right. Did Wyatt kill his daughter? Either way, it didn't matter. Wyatt was a good robot, with a human conscience inside her. She didn't deserve to be a slave to the man who made her.

"Uh, Blondie, this isn't working," Eugene said as he tried re-attaching Wyatt's arm to her torso.

"Just keep trying." She felt her own nerves seeping away at her.

"Here," Jasper offered, coming over with a hammer. "Try this." He slammed the hammer down on the space between Wyatt's arm and torso. Eugene jumped back.

"Jeez, kid. Careful with that thing."

Wyatt's fingers moved. Then she lifted her arm up. It was attached.

Eugene's jaw dropped. "Holy shit, that worked."

"Jasper, help me with this," Rapunzel said, angling Wyatt's head against her torso. Jasper did the same thing and the pieces clicked into place.

Wyatt's eyes blinked as a low hum went through the room. It was like she was powering back on.

"Kid, you're a genius!" Eugene ruffled Jasper's hair. Jasper smiled up at him.

Now that they knew how to attach Wyatt's body back together, they made quick work of it.

Wyatt sat up on the table, looking at the three of them. "You saved me. I thought that was it for me." She bowed her head. "Though, I wouldn't blame anyone for not saving me. I don't deserve it."

"Whatever you did," Rapunzel said, placing her hand on Wyatt's arm, "it doesn't matter. What matters is we're your friends now. And friends save each other."

"What happened?" Wyatt nodded towards the ash-covered street.

"You're wonderful creator is back," Eugene commented.

Wyatt shook her head. "He's not wonderful."

Eugene blinked. "Guess robots don't understand sarcasm."

"My creator is really here?" Wyatt asked, looking at Rapunzel.

"He is. And he's destroying the town searching for you."

Wyatt sighed and hopped off the table. "Then I guess you're here to bring me back to him."

Rapunzel stopped her from walking further. "No. We're here to save you. We're going to convince Jack to leave. You stay here where it's safe."

"My creator will never leave. He wants to torture me. He blames me for the death of his daughter."

"Did you do it?" Jasper asked. "Did you kill his daughter?"

Wyatt stumbled back, clutching at her face. "I didn't mean to."

"Jack said you did it because you were jealous of his life," Eugene said.

"No. No. I don't want to think about it."

Rapunzel placed her hand on Wyatt's shoulder. "It's all right. You don't have to explain."

"No. I need to. My creator forced me to do it."

"What?" Eugene asked in a low voice.

Wyatt looked so sad as she lifted her head back up. "He wanted to put his daughter into me. As an experiment. So, he forced me to kill her. He took control of my mind. I saw it happen but couldn't stop it. And then he put her conscious into me. Now we're one. He's still trying to control me."

"Oh, Wyatt." Rapunzel hugged her. "It's ok. We won't let him control you ever again."

"How are you going to stop him?"

Eugene grabbed the guns from his holsters. "By distracting him. And then you're going to kill him."

Wyatt gasped. "Kill him? I can't."

Rapunzel knew Eugene was right. Jack was too powerful. There was no way she'd be able to get him into her tower and take him somewhere he couldn't hurt anyone. He was a man who knew how to create things. He'd just make another robot or spaceship and leave whenever he wanted.

A man like Jack, one who killed his own daughter for an experiment, needed to die. There was no coming back from that.

"You can," Rapunzel told Wyatt. "You're the only one powerful enough. He's out of his spaceship now. He's just a man. You can do it."

"I'm scared," Wyatt whispered.

"Of course it's scared," an ominous voice said behind them. They all whirled around. There he was. Jack.

He had found them.

"It's a pathetic excuse for a robot," he snarled. "But it's mine and I'll be taking my robot back now."

"No," Rapunzel and Eugene said in unison, standing in front of Wyatt.

"No?" Jack smirked. "Well then, if you don't give me my robot back, I'll just have to take something of yours." He lunged to the side and grabbed Jasper, pulling him in close.

Rapunzel gasped while Eugene ran forward. "Let him go," he growled.

"Not until you give me my robot back."

"I'll go," Wyatt said.

"No." Rapunzel glanced back at her. "You're not going anywhere. Wyatt, you have to do it."

"But I could hurt Jasper," she whispered.

Rapunzel turned to Eugene. "We have to get Jasper away from Jack."

Eugene nodded. "I got it." He stepped forward and pointed his guns at Jack. "How about you and me have an old-fashioned gun duel. Whoever wins gets to have the robot."

Jack scoffed. "What is this?"

"It's a good deal. You're not in the safety of your spaceship and you're outnumbered. We have a standoff. The better man wins."

"And you think you're the better man?" Jack sneered. "You're defending a murderer. And you couldn't even keep this kid safe." He tightened his hold on Jasper, making the boy whimper.

Rapunzel's heart broke for him.

"Then let's fight. And if you kill me, we'll let you take the robot."

Jack eyed Eugene for a moment before smirking. "Fine. You have a deal. But I'm keeping the kid until then." He dragged Jasper out of the shop.

Eugene quickly turned to Rapunzel. "Convince Wyatt to help. You're the only one." He gave her a peck on the lips before running after Jack and Jasper.

"I can't do it," Wyatt said. "Just let him take me. I'll go and everyone will be safe."

"You have the power to kill him, Wyatt."

"But what if someone else gets hurt again? What if Jasper? You?"

Rapunzel slid her arm over Wyatt's shoulders. "You won't hurt me."

"How do you know?"

"Because the man I love is from my future. Which means if I'm alive there, then I don't die today. So you can't hurt me, Wyatt. Don't let that stop you." Rapunzel really had no idea if she could die today. That was the thing with time travel. It wasn't always set in stone. But there was no use in telling Wyatt that. Wyatt needed reassurances. She needed to believe in doing the right thing, despite how scared she was.

Wyatt still looked unsure.

"Listen to me," Rapunzel continued, "I understand what it likes to have someone raise you who brainwashes you. I was kidnapped as a baby and raised by a woman who convinced me I could only depend on her and no one else. But I escaped and I discovered what the world had to offer. I stopped being afraid. It wasn't easy. I was terrified most of the time. But I did it. And now, I've experienced things I never thought I'd get to."

"Like what?"

"I fell in love. All because I was brave enough to leave. You need to be brave enough to leave Jack. And to do that, you need to kill him. Because that's the only way you're fully free of him. the only way you can guarantee he won't try and control you again. You don't want to be looking over your shoulder the rest of your life." Rapunzel cupped Wyatt's face. "You know what you need to do, Wyatt. You need to be brave. Not for me. Not for Eugene. Not for Jasper. For yourself." She paused. "But you need to do it soon before Jack can hurt anyone else ever again."

Wyatt took in a shuddering breath. "All right. I'll do it." She encircled Rapunzel's hand with her own. "Thank you, Rapunzel."

She stepped back to let Wyatt walk forward. With a last nod, Wyatt headed out into the street.


Flynn had a feeling he'd probably get seriously hurt. Here's to hoping that he could make it back to Rapunzel's tower fast enough to heal him.

Jack had that evil cartoony look and Flynn just knew that he would play dirty when it came to their gunfight.

They stepped out into the street. It was dead quiet. Everyone was hiding indoors of the buildings that were still left standing.

Flynn had been in this position before - a gunfight - but that was when he was bored and waiting around for Rapunzel to show up. But now he had a purpose. Save Jasper. Save Rapunzel. Save Wyatt. Save the entire town. They'd probably reward him with a medal after this. He damn well deserved it if you asked him.

Jack dragged Jasper in front of him, purposefully keeping Flynn from shooting. "You want to have a gunfight? Let's have a gunfight." Jack aimed his gun at Flynn over the top of Jasper's head.

"Don't involve him in this," Flynn said, nodding at Jasper. "Let him go."

"Why would I? He's my leverage." Jack pulled Jasper in closer to him. Jasper's eyes pleaded for Flynn to save him. He wanted to tell the boy that if he just waited, they would be ok. Wyatt would help.

Hopefully.

He trusted Rapunzel to get through to the robot. The only kicker was distracting Jack long enough for Wyatt to do what she needed to do.

"I'm tired of waiting," Jack said. "I want to make you dance." He fired his gun near Flynn's feet.

Flynn yelped and began jumping around to avoid Jack's bullets. "You're really taking the fun out of this gunfight," he said.

Jack chuckled. "What are you talking about? I'm having so much fun." His smile turned to an evil frown. "But now I'm over this." He lifted his gun in the direction of Flynn's head. "Let's get this over with."

Flynn raised his own guns and was ready to fire…

…when Max came riding out of the ash and barreled right into Jack, knocking the evil man off his feet. Jasper immediately ran to Flynn, who pulled him into a hug.

Max then proceeded to stomp all over Jack until the man was covered in blood and bruises.

"Max, you came," Flynn said as Max trotted over to him.

The horse gave him a smile, showing off his large teeth.

"I think all this time," Flynn began, "we've been misunderstanding each other and-," he stopped when Max gave him a look. "Right. Never mind. Thanks for your help."

Jasper threw his arms around Max's neck and the horse bowed his head, nuzzling the top of Jasper's head.

Jack began to get back up.

"Guys, we have a problem," Flynn said.

Right then, Wyatt walked out of the blacksmith shop with confidence. She had a determination in her eyes that sent goosebumps over Flynn's skin. Wyatt raised her arms.

Jack took one look at her and laughed. "You think you can kill me? I created you!"

"No. You tried to control me. But I know now that I'm allowed to be my own person." Before Jack could say anything else, Wyatt shot off her blasters.

They slammed into Jack and he went up in flames. His screams were like nails on a chalkboard. Once the flames settled, all that was left was a charred body.

Wyatt crumpled to the ground. Rapunzel came running over to her. "You did it. I'm so proud of you."

"Then why do I feel this way?"

Rapunzel knelt beside her. "What way?"

"Sad."

Rapunzel's eyes watered as she hugged Wyatt. "That's normal. I felt that way too when I saw Gothel die. But Jack can never hurt you again. You can live your own life now. You and Elizabeth."

Wyatt sat up straighter. "You're right. But what about this town? If I leave, I'll be no better than my creator."

"I don't think they'll want you around," Flynn said. When Rapunzel shot him a look, he winced. "No offense, Wyatt. You're not to blame for this." He spread his arms out, encompassing the burned-up town. "But I doubt the townsfolk will want you to help rebuild it."

"I agree," Rapunzel said. "Let's get you back to your ship and you can be off. The town will be fine. It will rebuild. People will mourn for those they lost but in the long-run, this town will survive. It will flourish. And it's because you did help. You helped by getting rid of him." She nodded at Jack's charred body. "So, let's let these people heal. And let's let you heal too. Come on." She stood up. "We'll take you back to your ship and you can go anywhere you want to."

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

The five of them – Wyatt, Flynn, Rapunzel, and Jasper with Max tagging along, all headed for Wyatt's spaceship in the hills.

"You've helped me so much," she said to them. "I'll never forget it." Then, she got into her spaceship. It turned on and took off into the sky.

Jasper and Max stared up at in awe.

Flynn pulled Rapunzel into his arms. "We did it. We saved Wyatt. We saved the town."

"We did."

"And here you were worried."

She sighed, melting into him. "I am still worried."

"About?"

"About him." She nodded at Jasper, who was talking excitedly to Max about what just happened. "We can't take him with us. He needs to remain here. But who will take him in? Half the town have lost people they love."

Flynn felt his heart ache for the boy. He knew what it was like to grow up an orphan. What it was like to never have parents who truly loved him. He didn't want the same for Jasper.

But he also knew Rapunzel was right. It was too dangerous for Jasper to go time traveling. He was only a kid. And Flynn's watch only took one person at a time. There was no way to keep him and it broke his heart.

He needed to do what was best for Jasper and that was to say goodbye. Jasper's place was in Tombstone, Arizona, 1882.

"Let me be the one to tell him," he said. "But after we get back to the town. Let him have a few moments of happiness before we leave."

She kissed his cheek. "Agreed."

When they got back to the town, people were starting to come out.

"Is it safe?" a woman asked, carrying a baby.

Flynn nodded. "It's safe. The man who did this is dead." He hated saying this next part but he knew the town needed to hear this. "And the creature is gone. You don't need to worry anymore."

"Oh thank goodness," she said, half-hugging Flynn. "Thank goodness." She wandered away. A few other people gave them nods of thanks.

Flynn knelt down beside Jasper. "Hey buddy. We need to talk."

"About what?"

He let out a rough breath. "I'm leaving. I can't stay here."

Jasper's eyes immediately welled with tears. "Why?"

"Because this isn't my place. Neither is it Rapunzel's. We have to go."

"My parents are gone and now you're leaving me too?" He smacked Flynn's chest. "Don't leave me."

Flynn tried hard not to cry. "Jasper, we can't stay. You saw what happened. What else is out there in this world. You need to know something. I'm from the future."

"What?" He wiped at his tears. "The future?"

"Yeah. I wasn't born in the 1800s. I was born in the year 1995. I cant stay in the past forever. And I cant take you with me to the future."

"But why?"

"Because you belong here," Rapunzel said, kneeling down next to Flynn. "This town fought hard to save you from Wyatt when they thought you were in danger. They love you, Jasper. And they'll take care of you." Her breath hitched. Flynn saw her subtly wipe at her eyes. "I want you to be happy."

"I want you to be happy," he mumbled.

Flynn chuckled and ruffled Jasper's hair. "We will be." He hoped so anyway. "Thank you for helping us. You're a hero, Jasper. Remember that."

"Where am I going to go?"

His little voice almost broke Flynn. "We'll find someone who will want you."

"Miss Thornton?" he suggested.

"Never heard of her before."

"She's the schoolteacher."

Rapunzel squeezed Jasper's arm. "We'll take you to her."

They walked through the burned-up town until they reached the schoolhouse, which was miraculously still intact.

"No days off from school," Flynn muttered. "Nothing can take down the damn educational system."

Rapunzel touched his arm. "Eugene, I'm trying not to cry right now. Don't make me laugh."

They walked into the schoolhouse where a young woman was huddled with a couple of other children. When she saw Jasper, she gasped and ran over to him. "Jasper. You're alive." She hugged him tightly.

"My parents are dead," he told her. "I need someone to take care of me."

The young woman, Miss Thornton Flynn guessed, hugged Jasper tighter. "Oh, honey. I'll take care of you. Don't worry." She finally noticed Flynn and Rapunzel. "Who are you?"

"We're the ones who saved him," Flynn said.

Miss Thornton grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Thank you."

"Take care of him for us." He tipped his hat at her before walking out of the schoolhouse. Jasper gave them one more wave before the door shut behind them.

"What a day," Flynn said, sliding his arm over Rapunzel's shoulders. "One I never want to relive."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Neither do I. But something tells me neither of us has an easy rode ahead of us."

He snorted. "You can say that again. I know your future and you know mine. Care to share any juicy spoilers?"

"Not a chance. It could change everything. And not for the better." She had a far-off look on her face. He knew she was thinking about something that happened in her past. Something he would probably experience in his future.

They walked over to Max, who was drinking from a trough. He snickered when he saw Flynn.

"What are you laughing about?"

Max pointed at the nearby wall, where a man – it was Handlebar Mustache – was putting up a piece of paper.

Flynn squinted to get a better look at it and what he saw made him both shocked and amused.

It was his face… on a freaking wanted poster.

"Seriously?" he asked. "I just helped save the town. Why is my face on a wanted poster?"

Handlebar Mustache looked over at him. "Because you nearly helped destroy this entire town. Now get out or we'll be coming for you."

"Why isn't hers" – he pointed at Rapunzel – "on a wanted poster?"

Handlebar Mustached shrugged. "Because she's a woman. And she's pretty. Pretty women don't go around destroying towns." He walked away.

Flynn sighed. "This is just not right."

Rapunzel laughed. "You got what you wanted, Eugene."

"I guess so." He squinted again at the wanted poster. "Wait a minute." He grabbed it off the wall. "They couldn't even get my nose right." He showed it to Rapunzel. They drew his nose extremely long and extremely large.

Rapunzel laughed again. "Oh, Eugene. Be careful what you wish for."

He slapped the wanted poster back on the wall. "I'm ready to get out of this damn town."


"So, this is where you kept your tower," Flynn said, staring up at it. The tower was hidden in the hills just like Wyatt's spaceship was. "I didn't even know it was here."

"That's the point. I don't want something accidently happening to it."

Flynn thought back to when Vikings tried burning it to the ground. He must have made a face because she asked him about it. "Nothing. Something in your future."

Her eyes almost bugged out. "Something happens to my tower?"

"Can't say, can I?"

She sighed and nudged him. "Come on."

They went inside. Flynn was already starting to both love the tower and resent it. The sight of it meant that he'd have to say goodbye to Rapunzel again and that was just something he did not want to do.

"You were great with Jasper," she said, leaning against her desk. "You'd make a good father, Eugene."

"You're just saying that."

"No. I'm not."

He strolled over to her and leaned against the desk as well. His arm brushed hers and it send shivers over him. "Well, maybe one day. But I'm just enjoying my life, free from kids."

"What about love?"

"Not free from that." He gazed down at her. "And I don't want to be."

Her breath hitched. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm tired of running. I'm tired of always saying goodbye. Why don't we just get out of here? Leave together."

She ducked her head. "You know we can't."

"Why can't we? I know it could screw up time or whatever. But we won't know unless we try. I'm tired of worrying about you. Waiting weeks to find you again. I want to be in the here and now with you. No more going in opposite directions. Let's just try traveling together and see what happens."

"That could ruin time."

"I know." He cupped her face. "And I don't care. You've changed me, Rapunzel. You've opened my eyes to so much more in life. You're my new dream. I'm tired of being a thief. I always thought it would be cool to have my face on a wanted poster but seeing it up there today, it just made me realize that I'm ready to settle down. I'm ready to settle down with you."

She gasped, her eyes tearing up. "Oh, Eugene."

"I mean it. Let's just go. Together. Stop fighting time. Let's try."

"It could ruin everything. Anything could happen."

"Well, then it's a good thing we'll be together to face it, don't you think?"

She stared up at him for so long, he thought for sure she was going to say 'no.' But then she smiled. "Ok. Together." She turned to her computer. "Where are we going?"

"You choose."

"Oh." She pointed at the screen. "It looks like there's something going on in Chicago, 1925. We could go check it out."

Flynn knew he shouldn't be doing this. Rapunzel already told him back in 1925 that they tried leaving together and it didn't end well.

But he had to experience it for himself.

Even if it meant possibly running into his past self.

He wrapped his arms around Rapunzel from behind and gave her a kiss on the neck. "Chicago, 1925 it is."

She plugged in the coordinates and pushed the button.

…and the tower completely went dark. Everything powered down.

They exchanged a look right before the tower began to shake violently. Flynn held onto Rapunzel, even as they fell to the ground. He braced her fall.

"What is happening?" he asked.

"Oh no." She sat up, even though it was a challenge considering how badly the tower was shaking. "I remember now. We shouldn't have done this, Eugene."

He opened his mouth to speak…

But then Rapunzel disappeared right before his eyes. Literally disappeared. Like she faded from view.

"Rapunzel!" he shouted, diving forward to the spot she was once in, which was ridiculous since he just saw her disappear. "Rapunzel?" He braced himself on the desk and stood up, fighting the urge to fall from the trembling tower. "Rapunzel!"

And then, as if nothing had happened, the tower went still and everything turned back on. Flynn looked around in bewilderment. What the hell just happened?

"Rapunzel?" he asked in a quieter voice.

"Eugene?" She appeared on the second floor, looking over the balcony.

"Rapunzel," he said in relief. "You're ok. You were just… gone. It scared me."

She looked confused as she came down the steps. The first thing he noticed about her was that she was wearing different clothing. A moment ago, she was in an 1800s dress. But now she was wearing a simple modern summer dress. Pink and white and decorated with flowers. She also had no shoes on.

The second she reached the bottom, he ran to her and hugged her tightly. Rapunzel tentatively hugged him back before stepping away.

"Eugene? What are you doing here?"

Her words hit him in the gut. "We were just…"

"I haven't seen you in a week. Why are you dressed like a cowboy?"

He could only stare at her in confusion.

"I've missed you." She ducked her head and held her arms as she said this. She was a lot more bashful than any version of Rapunzel he had known.

And it dawned on him.

He was staring at a different version of her. A younger, less confident version of her.

He had lost her again. Time made sure of it. He tried to bend the rules and time couldn't allow such a thing. But what hurt the most was one simple fact:

He hadn't even gotten the chance to say goodbye.


Until Saturday!