Arianna and Frederic exchanged a look before Arianna turned back to her. "We're going to destroy headquarters, making it impossible for anyone to time travel ever again."

Rapunzel couldn't believe her ears. "You want to destroy headquarters? I thought you were going to take back over."

"We're done with this life," Frederic said. "We wanted our freedom and this is our chance. If we destroy headquarters, then the Society is over. No more assassins. No more people using time travel to hurt anyone else."

"But… what about the alien races that could come to Earth? If no one has a time machine anymore, we can't help anyone."

"Then that's the way it has to be," Arianna said. "We realized that no one should have this kind of power." She laid her hand on Rapunzel's cheek. "You helped me realize that."

"How?" Rapunzel thought her heart was going to explode out of her chest.

"You said 'no more killing.' I'm tired of hurting people. Your father and I rush right into things sometimes and people have been hurt. Think of how many people have been hurt because we created the Society?"

"But think of how many people we could save with our time machines."

Arianna smiled at her with a pity in her eyes. It only made Rapunzel more upset. "No one should have that kind of power. It will fall into bad hands. It already has. Agent Tom was sending assassins after you. This way, you'll be safe. No one will mess with the fabric of Time ever again. This is a good thing."

"But we have to work fast," Frederic said, walking over to the main console in the room. He started pushing buttons and typing things into it.

"Shouldn't we think about this?" Rapunzel asked. "I mean… how are we going to get home without time travel? My only home has been my time machine for the past two years and now you're going to take it away."

"We can get back to XRL1 from here," Arianna said. "And then we can use the multiple portals on that world to go wherever you want. And then you'll be home. We can start a home." She grabbed Rapunzel's hands and squeezed. "We can have a life together. But we can't have a life together where we don't trust each other and the reason we don't trust each other is because of this place. The Society. It needs to end."

Could Rapunzel live without time travel? She did for the first eighteen years of her life.

But she was also stuck in a tower for those eighteen years.

When she got the chance to time travel, she was able to see and explore new things she never could before.

And now, she won't ever get those chances again.

"What happens when we destroy headquarters?" she asked slowly.

Arianna hesitated and that gave Rapunzel the answer she needed.

"The Society is tied to Time," Rapunzel said. "If you destroy it, you'll be destroying Time. It could ruin a lot of things, including our world."

"No," Arianna said. "No. Things will reset. Time will forever go on. We just harnessed it to create the Society. But it will continue even after the Society is gone."

"But what will happen to headquarters specifically?" Her eyes flit over to Frederic, who was quickly typing in a code into the console.

"It will cease to exist," Arianna told her.

Rapunzel stepped away from her mom. "But what about the people inside headquarters?" She pointed at the unconscious guards on the ground. "Will they all die?"

Arianna didn't look away from her as she answered. "If we don't get them out… yes."

"You're condemning these people to die."

"Rapunzel, they were going to kill you. Why should you care about them?"

"Because they're still people." She slowly began to back away. "You and Frederic haven't changed. Maybe you don't want me to die but you're still going to hurt people. You're going to kill all of these people unless we get them out. Which… I have a feeling you're not going to do."

"Who cares about these people?" Frederic asked, glancing over at her. "We can restart. Make things new this way. There will be some casualties, yes. But that's a war for you." He returned to typing.

"I didn't realize we were in a war."

Arianna tried taking her hand again but Rapunzel pulled back. "I'm sorry, Rapunzel. But this is the only way to right our wrongs. Take away power from people who will only use it to hurt others, like Agent Tom did. You will be safe this way and that's all that matters now."

"But I didn't ask you to do this."

Arianna straightened up and walked over to Frederic's side. "We know. But we're doing this for you. So you can have a life without being hunted down by assassins. We missed out on twenty years. I don't want to miss anymore time."

"But if you do this, kill people without any thought, you will lose me. I can never forgive you for this."

The pain in Arianna's eyes was palpable. "I'm sorry. We're doing this. If it means you're alive, we're going to do this." Then she turned away and began punching buttons herself.

Rapunzel knew she had to stop them but she couldn't stop them on her own. "Pascal."

He ran onto her shoulder and nodded.

"Do you know how to open the cell doors?"

Another nod.

"Then lets go." She took off running down the hallway and back to the cement cell that housed Eugene and Cass. "Ok, Pascal. Go."

He scurried down her arm and stuck his tail into the door lock. After fiddling with it for a moment, the door swung open. He smiled at her triumphantly and she smiled back.

"Rapunzel!" Eugene said, running out of the cell and wrapping her into his arms. "You're alive."

"I am. But we don't have time for this. My parents are going to destroy headquarters. We have to stop them."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Cass asked. "The Society lied to us. You and me." She waved her hand between her and Rapunzel. "If it's destroyed, then no one can do that again."

"If headquarters is destroyed, then everyone in here is going to die. We can't have that." She paused for a moment, thinking… and realizing what she had to do. "I'll take over."

Cass's eyes widened. "What?"

"Eugene and I talked about it. If I'm in charge, then you'll know I'll make sure no one is lied to. No one is deceived. No one is hunted down by assassins. I can do good here. I can save lives, not take them. I think… I think this is what I've been working towards for a long time without even realizing it. This is what I have to do. You know I can do this."

"Of course," Eugene said. "I've always known."

"Are you sure?" Cass asked. "I mean, being in charge of this place is a huge responsibility. You'll be responsible for all of Time essentially."

"You think I can't do it?"

Cass slowly shook her head. "No. I think if anyone can, it's you."

"We need to stop my parents. Let's go."

"Hold on," Eugene said, grabbing her arm and pointing at Pascal on her shoulder. "What the hell is that thing? A frog?"

She cupped Pascal in her hands. "Eugene, this is Pascal. He's alive. He's been here this entire time."

Pascal stretched out his little hand for Eugene to shake but Eugene only stared at Pascal in shock and confusion.

"No offense, little buddy, but I don't shake hands with frogs."

"Chameleon," Rapunzel reminded him. "Now, let's go."

Pascal gave Eugene a glare before they took off for good measure. Eugene shuddered. If Rapunzel wasn't so worried right now, she'd find it hilarious.

But the second they took off running, a loud beeping sound filtered through the air. Rapunzel grimaced and covered her ears. Everyone else did the same.

Then a female voice came over the intercom. "Countdown to destruction in ten minutes."

"Oh no," Rapunzel gasped. "They already set it in motion."

"Maybe we can still stop it," Eugene said.

The ground below them began to shake, making them all stumble. The walls began to crumble. Large pieces of wood came falling right towards them.

"Rapunzel!" Eugene shouted, pushing her out of the way. Landing on top of her, he shielded her from the wood.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"I'm ok," he groaned, sitting up. "I think I just might have twisted something."

"You're only twenty-eight, Eugene."

"Tell that to my back." He gave her his hand and lifted her up.

Rapunzel looked all around them at the crumbling walls and shaking floor. Headquarters was slowly being destroyed.

Footsteps sounded in front of them and out of the darkness came Arianna and Frederic.

"What are you still doing here?" Arianna asked. "We need to get out. Now! We'll all die in ten minutes otherwise."

"No," Rapunzel said. "I'm going to take over. I'm going to run the Time Traveler's Society right. So, you're going to tell me how to reverse the countdown."

"It's impossible," Frederic said. "We have to get out now."

Rapunzel planted her feet to the ground – as best as she could since it was still shaking. "Nothing is impossible. Tell me how to reverse this. I'm not leaving until you do."

"This is crazy," Frederic muttered.

Eugene grabbed Rapunzel's hand. "No. This is who Rapunzel is. She always does the right thing. So, you will tell us how to stop the countdown."

Frederic looked like he was going to storm past them but Arianna placed her hand on his chest and met Rapunzel's eyes.

"The only way to reverse the countdown is to go outside."

Rapunzel frowned. "What?"

"You would have to go outside, out of Time, and retrieve a clock. There's a clock that we tied headquarter to so we could create time travel."

"Ok," she said slowly. "Tell me which clock."

"Rapunzel." Arianna took Rapunzel's hand and Rapunzel let her. "If you leave headquarters and go outside, you will be out of Time. You won't be tangible anymore. If you're out there too long, you'll die."

"But it's the only way to reverse the countdown. It's the only way to stop this destruction from happening."

"You will die," Arianna repeated. "And the reason we're doing this is so you don't have to."

"But you will kill other people." Rapunzel ripped her hand away. "I have to do this."

"Rapunzel," Eugene said gently, turning her to face him. "You know I'll support you in anything you do but… I can't lose you. I lost you once before and I brought you back. You can't die."

"I died once before. Technically, I cheated death. Maybe I have to do this. Maybe this is my only way to right Time." She knew the next words out of her mouth would kill Eugene but she had to say them. "I'm willing to give my life if it means saving others."

"But then you won't be alive to take over," he reminded her.

She smiled up at him and cupped his face. "So, you'll do it for me."

Her jerked back. "What? Blondie, I don't exactly have leadership skills."

"You can do this, Eugene, with or without me. But I am doing this." She turned to her parents. "Tell me which clock I need to retrieve."

When Arianna and Frederic hesitated, Rapunzel grabbed Arianna's hands. "Tell me. You know I have to do this. You created this place. It's only fitting I take over."

Arianna's shoulders slumped. "It's a golden clock. Small. It's the only golden one out there. But you'll be walking through nothingness to reach it. The longer you're out there, the more at risk you are of dying. Since you'll be out of Time, your entire essence will slowly be stripped from you. If you want to survive, you have to retrieve the clock quickly and make it back within just a minute. Any longer and…"

"I'll die," Rapunzel finished for her. "Well, then I just have to make sure I don't die."

"Seven minutes to destruction," the female voice said.

"Come on." She started racing back down the hallway, jumping over broken pieces of wood and dodging plaster and tiles as they fell off the walls. Pascal clung to her shoulder, never letting go once.

She made it back to the console room in one piece. Eugene and Cass were right behind her but her parents… they weren't there.

"Where are they?" Rapunzel asked.

Eugene sighed. "I think they stayed back. I think they're going to leave."

Tears stung her eyes but she pushed them back. "That's fine. I don't need them."

"Rapunzel," Eugene said, approaching her. "Are you sure you can do this? I can go with you. Two people is better than one."

"No. I need you here in case I don't make it back. There's no one I trust more to take over this place than you."

"But what if you don't make it back?"

"Then you get out of here before you're killed." She looked over at Cass. "Both of you." Cass nodded once, a heavy emotion in her eyes.

"Raps," she said suddenly. "I just want to say… I'm sorry for being a horrible friend. If I could take it all back, I would."

"You're here now, Cass. That's all that matters. And I promise, I'm going to turn the Society into a place that will keep people safe. No more lies. I swear."

"I'm holding you to that promise." She quickly turned away but Rapunzel saw Cass's shoulders shaking. Her friend didn't want Rapunzel to see her cry.

Rapunzel turned back to Eugene. "There's nothing else I can say that will encompass how I feel except I love you."

A single tear fell from his eye. "I love you so fucking much." He crushed her to him and held her tightly. Once they pulled back, they shared a simple, sweet kiss.

Then Rapunzel turned to the one, lone door that would lead out outside. Pascal made a sad, deflating sound.

"I'm so happy I got you back," she said low so only Pascal could hear. "I'm so happy you're alive. But I need you to go with Eugene now."

Pascal shook his head.

"Yes, Pascal. Go with Eugene. I have to do this on my own. I know it. I just know it."

Pascal began to cry and the sight of it broke Rapunzel's heart. Her sweet, best friend. The only friend she had during her years of captivity. He slowly walked down her arm and jumped onto Eugene's shoulder. Eugene didn't even fight it.

Then Rapunzel turned back to the door, grabbed the handle and turned it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Agent Tom's voice cut through the loud beeping from the intercom.

Rapunzel stepped back from the door with a gasp and spun around. Agent Tom was awake, as well as the other guards. Everyone was stirring and sitting back up.

"If she doesn't do this," Eugene said, "then this entire place is going down. Do you all want to die in here?"

The guards exchanged glances before taking off running, leaving them alone with Agent Tom.

"Cowards," Agent Tom muttered.

"I'm doing this," Rapunzel said, grabbing the doorknob again but Agent Tom ran over to her and pushed her out of the way.

"I can't let you. The countdown is in effect. There's no way to stop it and if you go out there and succeed, then you'll take over and I can't have that."

"So, you'd rather die in here than let Rapunzel try to save this place?" Cass asked.

"Yes. Rapunzel messed with Time by coming back to life. She doesn't get to be the hero today. The Society is going down and I'm not going to let you win." He grabbed a knife from his jacket and swung it at Rapunzel's head. She jerked back.

Eugene slammed his body against Agent Tom, sending the other man sprawling to the floor. Pascal squeaked from Eugene's shoulder. Cass picked up a fallen sword on the ground and aimed it for Agent Tom's head but he rolled out of the way and kicked his foot out, making her trip.

Rapunzel set her sights back onto the door. Eugene and Cass could handle Agent Tom. She had the Society to save.

"Five minutes to destruction," the female voice said.

Agent Tom stood up and kicked Eugene back while he shoved Cass out of the way and ran for Rapunzel. Jumping onto bis back, Cass tried to claw her hands into his face but he shucked her off him.

Rapunzel reached the door again right as Agent Tom slammed her against it. "You were supposed to die," he hissed, raising his dagger high and aiming it right for her head.

"I know," she said.

Agent Tom's eyes widened and he hesitated for just a second before he brought his dagger down.

Cass's sword jammed right into his stomach, making him drop the dagger and stagger away. She ripped her sword out of his body and Agent Tom crumbled to the ground.

"That's for keeping secrets from me for years," Cass said to him.

He smiled faintly before rolling onto his back and stopped moving. He was dead.

"Four minutes to destruction."

"You have to hurry, Raps!" Cass shouted.

Rapunzel knew there was no more time to waste. This time, when she turned the doorknob, no one stopped her.

The moment she opened the door, she was hit with an energy she couldn't explain. It was intense and tingly and inviting and absolutely terrifying.

Everything before her was a large expanse of blackness. Out of Time. She knew the second she let go of the door and stepped out of there, she only had a minute to find the gold clock and get back inside before she died. If she didn't make it, then she just hoped that everyone would leave before they died too.

Mainly Eugene. She wasn't sure if he would leave if she died. In her gut, she had a feeling he'd stay and die with her and that wasn't what she wanted for him.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside. Except, her feet didn't touch solid ground. She was floating in the air.

Clocks surrounded her, all different shapes and sizes. She spotted a large-eyed kitten clock. A tall bell tower clock. Even a sundial. All manner of telling time.

But she needed to find the gold clock that would stop the countdown and restore the Society.

She felt a pang in her chest and looked down. To her shock, her hands were becoming see-through, almost like she was beginning to fade from view. She was already dying and needed to find that clock fast.

All manner of clocks filled her vision, making it hard to find the one clock she needed.

Glancing in every direction, her eyes spotted the outside of the Society's headquarters. Eugene and Cass were watching through the large front window, Cass with worry in her eyes and Eugene with absolute fear. He wanted to be out here with her, she knew. It hurt her that she couldn't let him.

Re-focusing her thoughts, she kept looking around. The more time she spent, the more her body began to dissolve right before her eyes. It didn't hurt. It didn't feel like anything.

But Rapunzel knew she was dying.

And then she spotted it – the gold clock. It was on the outskirts of all the other clocks, just floating in the air. It was tiny, like Arianna said. It would fit perfectly in the palm of her hand, if she could just reach it in time.

Using her arms to propel her forward, she floated towards the clock. A large, grandfather clocked slammed into her, pushing her out of the way. Gritting her teeth from the pain, Rapunzel kept moving forward. Nothing was going to stop her. Not even her own death.

Her hands reached out and by some miracle, she wrapped the clock in her hands. She had it. She had it!

And then she felt another pang in her chest. It was so intense, it made her drop the clock and it began to float away again. No! She couldn't lose it. She had it. She was so close.

Rapunzel knew she only had a matter of seconds before she would die but she still didn't give up.

She began floating back towards the clock and reached out for it…

…when someone else grabbed it.

Gasping, she turned and saw…

Her parents. Arianna and Frederic were outside with her. It was Arianna who held the clock in her hands. Just like Rapunzel, they were beginning to fade too.

"Come on," Arianna said, holding out her hand. Rapunzel gladly took it.

"You're helping me," she said.

"Conserve your strength," Frederic said, using his strong arms to help float them back towards headquarters.

They were getting closer and closer when the large bell tower slammed into all three of them and sent them floating back into the air.

"No!" Arianna shouted.

Rapunzel felt that same pang deep within her and she knew her time was up. "I'm dying."

Arianna's eyes burned. "No you're not. Frederic!"

He came floating back to them and grabbed Rapunzel's arms. "I'm going to push you towards the door." He gave her a large shove and she floated right up to the outside walls of headquarters.

She had to press her hands into the wall to keep from getting squished. Her hands scrambled for the door and grabbed the doorknob. Glancing back, she saw Arianna coming her way but Frederic was still far behind them. He must have shoved her forward too.

"Hurry," Arianna said, helping Rapunzel grab the handle.

"What about Dad?" she asked.

"He'll make it. Hurry!"

Rapunzel tried to turn the handle but she couldn't feel her hands anymore. She was becoming intangible. She was losing her self to Time.

Her eyes fluttered shut and the last thing she saw was Eugene looking at her through the window, his lips forming her name.

The door opened and Arianna came through it, carrying an almost invisible Rapunzel in her arms. She set Rapunzel on the ground. Eugene ran over and crouched beside her.

"Is she alive?" he asked, grabbing Rapunzel's hand but he couldn't feel her hand. It slipped right through his fingers.

Arianna ignored him and ran back to the door, calling for Frederic to hurry up. He was still out there. Eugene had seen the whole thing. Frederic stayed behind to make sure both women made it back inside.

Except, did Rapunzel really make it back if she was dead?

"Come on," he whispered to her. "Rapunzel, wake up." She was turning more invisible by the moment.

"One minute to destruction," the female voice said.

"Frederic!" Arianna shouted. He was still floating outside.

Cass placed her hand on Eugene's arm. "I'm not sure if she's dead or alive but Rapunzel can't help us right now. We need to restore headquarters. Now!"

"Rapunzel," he said, trying to shake her.

"Eugene!" Cass hissed. "Rapunzel wanted you to be in charge in case she didn't make it back. You need to reset everything and you need to do it now!"

"I can't," he admitted. "Not without Rapunzel." He couldn't even feel her hair as he slipped his hand under her head. He couldn't feel her at all.

"Eugene!" Cass grabbed his arms and hauled him up and slapped him across the face, stunning him. "Do what Rapunzel wanted and fix this place."

He knew Cass was right but god, it was going to be hard. If Rapunzel died…

When he looked back down at her, Rapunzel was almost one with the floor. She blended right on in. She was becoming immaterialized.

"Frederic!" Arianna shouted. She was about to step back out the door but Eugene ran over to her, stopping her before she could do that.

"If you want to go kill yourself," he said. "fine. But give me the clock. Don't let Rapunzel's death…" He stumbled on the word. "Don't let her death be in vain." If she was even dead. He had to tell himself she wasn't.

Arianna glanced back outside. Frederic was still floating through the air, trying to get closer but he was still so far away.

After a moment, she handed Eugene the clock.

He sprinted to the main console and just trusted his gut on what to do, because he honestly had no idea what the fuck he was doing. There was an open slot in the console, fitting the exact same shape as the clock in his hands. He pushed the clock into it…

… And stumbled back when the entire ground shook even more violently than it had been. Arianna fell to the ground, crying as she got even farther away from Frederic.

The only part of Rapunzel Eugene could still make out was her hair. The rest of her was gone.

"Rapunzel," he whispered, sagging against the ground, knowing the truth. She was dead for the second time and Eugene didn't think he could bring her back again. You could only find a loophole in Time once.

A bright light filled the entire room, blinding him. He heard Cass cry out behind him.

And then as soon as the light came, it was gone.

He blinked. The room wasn't shaking anymore. The walls were fully restored to their normal selves. No more loud beeping and creepy countdown.

The Time Traveler's Society headquarters was back to normal.

"You did it," Cass said. "Eugene, you did it."

"Was that a compliment?" he asked, standing up. Pascal was hiding in his pocket and poked his little head out, looking up at Eugene with hopeful eyes.

"Don't get use to it," Cass responded.

Eugene looked at the spot where Rapunzel once was.

Even her hair was gone. There was no sign of her left.

He slumped to his knees and began to cry. There was no way to stop it. Honestly, he didn't care if he was crying like a baby. The love of his life was gone. Sacrificed herself to save everyone else.

And now it was his turn to be in charge – to run the Society like it should be run. How ironic. A thief being the boss of literal Time. It was all because of Rapunzel.

Pascal scurried out of Eugene's pocket and touched his face. Great. He needed comforting from a damn frog.

Then Pascal slapped his little palm against Eugene's cheek.

"What the hell?" Eugene muttered.

Pascal pointed at the floor urgently.

Eugene lifted his head and what he saw filled him with shock and awe. Rapunzel was slowly materializing right before him until she was fully herself again. Not invisible or intangible.

But real. Her color was the same. Bright and golden.

When Pascal ran over to her, his little hands seemed to be touching her and not going through her.

Eugene slowly placed his hand on Rapunzel's cheek. He felt warmth. He could feel her.

Her eyes opened.

"Rapunzel?" he gasped. Cass stood behind him, hovering.

And then she did something that made his heart soar. She took in a deep breath.

"Eugene?" she said.

"You're alive." He cupped her into his arms, drawing her close to his chest.

"I'm alive," she said in wonder, never taking her eyes from his. "You saved headquarters."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel it." She smiled up at him. "You saved me." A pause. "Again."

He chuckled through his tears – because he was still crying, damn it. "You know I'd never give up on you."

Pascal made a face and pointed towards Cass.

"Well, not without Cass's help," Eugene admitted. "I've been slapped twice today, just for the record."

"He needed to be reminded of what to do," Cass said.

"Thank you," Rapunzel said up to Cass.

She nodded. "Of course."

Rapunzel set her eyes back onto Eugene. "It's always you."

He knew what she meant and it didn't need explaining. Without caring who saw, he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Pascal covered his little eyes with his little hands but when Eugene pulled back, he spotted the little frog taking a peek.

Their sweet moment was ruined by the earth shattering cry of Arianna.

Looking over in her direction, Eugene saw her lying on the ground, crying.

Next to her was Frederic. He wasn't moving.

Rapunzel stood up on shaky legs and walked over to her mom. "What happened?"

"He's dead," Arianna sobbed. "He's dead."

Until Wednesday!