A few months had gone by and Rapunzel and Alexis still saw each other almost everyday. They had made plans to run away together and just needed the rope to get finished so Rapunzel could finally leave the tower. They were deeply in love and wanted to get married but it wouldn't be easy.
They had tried to be very careful but one night they were so caught up in their love for eachother that they couldn't think clearly and as it turned out now Rapunzel was pregnant which meant they needed to be extra quick to plan their escape. Regina could never know about it.
"Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Regina called out. Rapunzel sighed as she heard her mother's voice. She hoped they would be able to leave very soon. She couldn't take it much longer. The blonde had recently learned that her mother put Snow White under a sleeping curse. She wanted to help her sister but it just wasn't possible.
The young girl walked over to the window and opened the shutters before she let her hair down for her mother and pulled her up as usual. "Hello, Mother." She said as she helped her mother in.
Regina smiled at her daughter and kissed her forehead as she pulled her close. Rapunzel was her only happiness and she would make sure to never let her get hurt. "Hello, my love." The queen said with a smile and then studied her daughter. Something was different. Her dress was tighter around her breasts than usual and she noticed that her daughter wasn't wearing a corset. Something was going on and she would find out what. "How have you been?" She questioned as she sat down and looked around to find any signs that someone had been in the tower but she couldn't see anything. After getting word that Snow White had been seen near the tower she had been extra careful and now Snow White wasn't a problem anymore thanks to the sleeping curse.
"I've been alright, Mother. Just bored. Can't I live with you in the castle?" She questioned and looked at her pleadingly with her big brown eyes. She still hoped her mother would finally agree to let her out.
Regina shoke her head. It angered her that Rapunzel constantly wanted to convince her. "No, Rapunzel, you can't. It's still not save." She told her and hoped Rapunzel would stop asking. Why couldn't Rapunzel see that it was for the best? It really frustrated her.
The young princess also shoke her head. She hated being trapped and couldn't understand why her mother kept her locked up. "But you would be there to keep me save. Please, Mama." She begged and tried to reason with her mother.
"No, Rapunzel! You are staying here and that's final." The brunette pointed out angrily and slapped her daughter across the face. She didn't mean to but the anger got the better of her.
Rapunzel cried out in pain when her mother slapped her and got teary eyed. She couldn't take this. She needed to escape.
Regina looked at the blonde and sighed frustrated. "I need to get back now. I'll see you tomorrow." She told her and took her braid in her hands and walked over to the window. She didn't even bother to say goodbye. She was too angry.
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Meanwhile at King Caspian's castle, Alexis was talking to the maids that were helping him to prepare the rope for Rapunzel as his mother Queen Arabella and his father King Caspian suddenly wanted to talk to him.
"What is it, Mother?" He asked and looked at his parents. He knew he needed to escape with Rapunzel very soon since she wasn't save with her mother and his parents were still planing to find a bride for him.
Arabella looked at her son and sighed. She was aware that Alexis was unhappy with their plans but it was his duty as prince. They couldn't do anything about it. Their kingdom needed a strong alliance with another wealthy kingdom. "Alexis, your uncle George has found a good bride for you. We want you to meet her tomorrow." She explained to her son and took his hand.
"No! I can't marry someone I don't know. I want to marry for love. Please, Mother." The young prince pointed out and sighed. He knew this would happen sooner rather than later. The rope was almost ready so he could get Rapunzel out tomorrow but they still needed something to escape the Enchanted Forest. It wouldn't be save for either one of them.
"My son, you know you have to. It's not up for debate. We and your uncle are counting on this alliance." Caspian spoke up in a strict tone. It was time his son stopped dreaming and realized what was best for the kingdom.
The prince shoke his head. He wouldn't let this happen. "I can't. I already proposed to another. She is a princess too of a rich kingdom. We love eachother and she is with child. Please, Mother, you can't agree to this. I need to marry Rapunzel." He pointed out without thinking about it. He couldn't take it any longer. Alexis wanted the whole world to know that he loved Rapunzel.
Arabella frowned. "Who is she?" She questioned and looked at her son. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it but it explained why he had been sneaking off so much lately. Her son was engaged and had a child on the way.
"Princess Rapunzel of the Northern Kingdom. Daughter of King Leopold and Queen Regina. Her mother has her locked up and I'm going to free her." The young man pointed out. He knew his parents wouldn't agree with his choice but he loved Rapunzel and he wouldn't marry anyone else.
Caspian was shocked. Of all the princesses in the Enchanted Forest his son had to chose the daughter of the Evil Queen. "You can't be serious. The Evil Queen's daughter? Do you know what will happen when she finds out? You can't see that girl again. The queen will kill you." The King said and tried to make Alexis see that it wasn't right. "Go to your room. You are not leaving the castle." He pointed out and let some guards escort Alexis to his chambers.
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Rapunzel was very upset after her mother had left. She waited for Alex and had already begun to pack some of her things for their escape. She hoped the rope was ready so she could finally leave.
"Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Alexis called out. He had managed to escape the castle with the help of his friend. He just needed to be extra careful when he would sneak back in. He climbed up when Rapunzel let her hair down and smiled as he saw her and greeted her with a kiss.
His smile faded though when he saw her bruised cheek. "What happened? Did your mother do this?" He asked worriedly and held her close.
"Yes. She got angry that I asked her again about letting me out. Is the rope ready? I can't stay here much longer. Mother will surely get suspicious soon. I can't hide the pregnancy much longer." She asked and looked into his eyes with so much hope. She just couldn't let her mother find out.
Alex stroked her cheek gently and sighed. "It will be tomorrow. Don't worry, my love. Tomorrow I'll get you out of here and we can finally be a family. But it might not be so easy as I thought. My parents know about us and my father wasn't happy." He explained and went to sit down with her. He leaned in and kissed her and then put a hand on her small bump. They were very young and it wouldn't be easy to take care of a baby while on the run from Regina and his parents but he was sure they could make it. He loved Rapunzel and their unborn child so much. "How is our little one doing?" He asked her.
Rapunzel sighed as he told her what happened. This didn't sound good but at least the rope would be ready soon. A smile spread across her face as he asked about their baby. "The little one is doing great." She told him happily and kissed him.
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Meanwhile in the queen's castle, Regina was very upset about her visit to Rapunzel and had a feeling her daughter was keeping secrets from her. She paced around her chambers for a while before she sat down by her vanity. "Show me my daughter." She commanded the magic mirror. The mirrors in her castle and in the tower were connected so she could check on her daughter if needed and right now she needed to make sure Rapunzel wasn't doing anything stupid.
The mirror showed her Rapunzel's tower and how Rapunzel and Alexis kissed. Regina growled in anger as she saw this. Her daughter had really been lying to her and keeping secrets. Her little girl had betrayed her. The brunette watched them kiss and listened to their conversation. Her blood was boiling as she heard what they were saying and saw how Alexis touched Rapunzel's stomach.
Regina couldn't believe this. Her daughter was with child. She was going to be a grandmother. No, she couldn't let that happen. She needed to seperate them. No one would take Rapunzel away from her.
"Regina? What are you doing?" Henry Sr asked as he entered Regina's chambers and watched his daughter. He gulped when he saw what she was looking at. He knew about Rapunzel and Alexis. His granddaughter had confided in him about it and he had promised to keep her secret.
The glass of wine she had in her hand shattered in her hand as she continued to watch the scene unfold. She didn't notice her father at first but when she did she took a deep breath to try and stay calm. "I'm watching Rapunzel. She has been acting strange and now I know why. Did you know about this?" Regina asked and turned to look at her father.
Henry gulped. He wasn't sure what to answer but if he lied to her she would know so it didn't matter either way. "Yes. Rapunzel told me she has met a prince and that she is in love. I promised her not to tell you." He explained to her. He didn't agree with Regina's ways and tried to keep Rapunzel save. Unlike what he did with Regina. He didn't want to fail his granddaughter too.
The queen was even angrier now. "She is with child and planning to run away from me. I need to stop this." She pointed out and started pacing again while still listening to what Rapunzel and the prince were saying.
"I love your hair. It's beautiful. Don't ever cut it." Alex said as he cuddled with Rapunzel and played with her hair. He loved her so much.
"I don't plan to." Rapunzel answered and smiled at him. She loved her hair too and would never cut it short.
That raised Regina's interest and she suddenly got an idea. Rapunzel's hair was the only way Alexis could enter the tower.
Henry watched his daughter and didn't like the look on her face. He knew she was scheming something. Whatever it was it couldn't be good. "What are you thinking? What are you going to do?" He questioned worriedly as he kept watching her. He needed to try and protect Rapunzel but he knew he wasn't strong enough. He couldn't go against Regina. She was so much like her mother now and it scared him.
Regina smirked slightly at his question. She knew exactly what she needed to do. "I'll have a chat with my dear daughter over the joys of teenage pregnancy. As for the prince, well, I'll make sure he never sees her again. No one is taking her away from me." The queen answered and smiled at her own evil idea. When she was finished with him, Alexis wouldn't see anything ever again.
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When Alexis left the tower that night he was unaware of Regina's plans. He returned to the castle, sneaking in with his friend's help again and went to sleep. The next morning he prepared everything for his and Rapunzel's escape and got the rope when it was finally done.
Regina decided to make her move that morning. She appeared in the tower in a puff of purple smoke, startling Rapunzel when she just appeared without warning. "Hello, my dear." She said in a bitter tone as she watched her daughter. She should have seen the signs sooner.
Rapunzel gasped when her mother suddenly appeared in the tower. That was unusual. "Mother, you scared me. Why didn't you call for me as usual?" The blonde asked as she looked at her mother. She was clearly angry about something.
The queen stepped over to her daughter and cupped her cheek. "I thought I would give your hair a break for once." She told her and looked into her eyes but Rapunzel quickly turned away. Her daughter could barely look at her. It was clear that the lying ate at her.
"Oh, alright, Mother. Would you like some tea?" She asked softly and avoided her eyes. Something was off, she could feel it.
Regina still looked at her and shoke her head. "No, dear. I don't want tea. We need to talk." She told her seriously and turned her around again to make her look at her. She grabbed her jaw. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" She questioned, giving her daughter one last chance.
The young princess got scared as her mother grabbed her jaw, her long nails digging slightly into her soft skin. She didn't know what to say. Clearly her mother knew something but she wasn't sure what exactly. She shoke her head slightly and looked into her mother's brown eyes that were so much like her own. "No, there isn't anything I want to tell you." She replied, acting innocent.
The brunette sighed. "Fine. Then I'll talk. You've been lying to me, Rapunzel. I know Snow White has been here to see you. Not only that but you've also had visits from Prince Alexis. You were planning to run away from me." She told her in a strangely calm tone.
This shocked Rapunzel. She shoke her head but she knew there was no use lying to her anymore. "I love him. You were impossible to talk to. Please, Mother, let me go with him." She pleaded. "And you lied to me too. You killed Father and banished Snow and you cursed her. You really are an evil queen." She added and glared slightly at her.
This angered Regina even more. She was used to the people calling her evil but now her own daughter was calling her this. All because of Snow White and that stupid prince. All she ever wanted was to keep Rapunzel save and happy. However now her daughter was looking at her with fear in her eyes. "You don't know anything. Snow White is not as innocent as you may think. She deserves this. As for your prince, he will soon regret that he ever crossed me." She told her in a spiteful tone and got even closer to her, being now only inches away from her face.
Rapunzel took a few steps back as her mother got closer. She didn't like the sound of that. "What are you going to do to him?" She demanded. She couldn't let Alexis get hurt.
"He'll never see you again. I'll make sure of it." The queen answered with a slight smirk, however the smirk quickly changed into a dangerous glare. "As for you, my love." She spoke up, her voice full of venom instead of love for Rapunzel. "I believe it's high time for a trim." She added and grabbed Rapunzel's long braid, pulling her daughter towards her.
"No, Mother, please don't." The young girl pleaded as she realized what her mother was planning to do to her. She struggled against her grip, trying to get free but her mother was stronger. A pair of scissors appeared in Regina's hand and she used it to cut off Rapunzel's beautiful hair, right at her chin. The brunette got teary eyed as Rapunzel cried and struggled. She never wanted to do this but Rapunzel left her no choice.
As the braid came lose, Rapunzel fell forward slightly and cried. She couldn't believe her beautiful hair was gone. It was the only way for Alexis to come and see her. "Why?" She asked through sobs as she looked at her mother.
Regina quickly wiped her own tears away and held the braid in her hands. She couldn't believe it herself that she had done this. "You left me no choice. Now he can never see you again. And the child will go to an orphanage." She told her and pointed to Rapunzel's small baby bump.
The blonde was shocked. Her mother knew about the baby too? She couldn't let her take it too. She needed to protect her child. "No, you can't take it away from me. It's my child. And Alexis will find a way to free me. I won't stay here." She pointed out and glared at her mother.
The queen shoke her head. Her daughter was so naive. She thought she had raised her to be smart but aparently she had been wrong. "You are sixteen, Rapunzel. Still a child yourself. You can't be a mother. Not now. If you think your prince is so smart then I will allow you to be free. You want to see the world? Fine, I'll show you the world." She said angrily and grabbed her daughter's arm before disappearing with her to the infinite forest.
Rapunzel gasped as they appeared in the woods suddenly. But it wasn't the woods she was used to. She looked around before looking at her mother. "Where are we?" She asked.
"The infinite forest. Let's see if your prince will find you here. I never wanted to do this but you leave me no choice. You betrayed me and wanted to run away from me so now you'll be free as you always wished. But you are on your own now. Goodbye, Rapunzel." Regina explained to her and then disappeared to the tower again. She needed to wait for the prince.
Rapunzel was shocked. Her mother really left her to fend for herself. She tried to call out to her but she knew it was useless. She was truly on her own now.
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Alexis was unaware of all of this as he rode to the tower to free Rapunzel finally. "Rapunzel, let down your hair!" He called out and waited until her braid was lowered down to him. He quickly climbed up but was in quite a shock when he reached the top and saw that Rapunzel's braid was not attached to her anymore but tied to a hook on the window. He gulped as the queen stood before him. Something had gone terribly wrong. "Where is Rapunzel?" He demanded.
Regina looked at him with a strong glare. "Gone. You'll never find her. She is lost to you forever. You'll never see her again." She told her and waved her hand.
Alexis shoke his head and suddenly he felt a strong pain in his eyes. "Ahh!" He cried out and covered his eyes as a bright light flashed. When he removed his hands everything was black. He was blind. "My eyes. I can't see." The prince said quietly. This couldn't happen. He needed to find Rapunzel and make sure she was alright. He was completely helpless as he only heard Regina laugh wickedly and suddenly he felt her push him. He screamed as he fell from the tower and landed hard on the ground.
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Storybrooke, present day:
Regina had come up with a plan to seperate Mary Margaret and David again and to also get rid of Sydney in the process. Mary Margaret had been arrested for the murder of Kathryn Nolan but that wasn't final yet. She wanted to torment Mary Margaret for a while and then she would get Sydney arrested. It was a genius plan.
She now only needed to get rid of Alex. Though she needed to be very careful about it. Rosalie could never know or else she would lose her daughter once again and she really couldn't let this happen. So she came up with another evil idea. She kidnapped Alex and locked him up where no one would find her. The mayor wanted Rosalie all to herself and she couldn't let her daughter go back to New York. She needed to keep them seperated.
The next day Kathryn was found alive and Mary Margaret was freed from prison. It wasn't how it was supposed to be for Regina. Rumple had tricked her. She needed to change her plans slightly.
She went to speak to Sydney to get her plan in motion.
Now she only needed to get rid of Alex. It was the middle of the night when Alex was on his way back to the diner after a long walk. He couldn't sleep so he had gone to take a walk while Rosalie was already asleep.
Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind and knocked him out. He woke up in a dark room hours later. He had no idea what was going on.
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The next morning, Regina was in Rosalie's room at Granny's and woke her daughter gently. "Rosalie, wake up, sweetheart." She said and sat on the bed.
Rosalie was startled when she heard her mother's voice. She quickly sat up and looked at her before looking around. "What are you doing here? Where is Alex?" She asked since she couldn't see him anywhere.
The brunette sighed sadly as she looked at her daughter. "Alex is gone, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. There was a shooting near the docks last night. They don't know yet who did it but a body was found." She started to explain to her daughter and held her hand. She knew this was going to be hard for Rosalie.
"What do you mean, gone? Where is he?!" She demanded of her, raising her voice slightly. This couldn't be happening.
Regina sighed again. "The body they found was Alex, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. Emma is investing it right now with Ruby." She told her and pulled her close, stroking her hair soothingly.
This couldn't be. Rosalie couldn't believe it. Alex couldn't be dead. "No!" She cried out as her mother held her. It just couldn't be true.
Regina kept holding her and let her daughter cry. She had everything she wanted now. Alex was gone and she had her daughter back. Now there was only one more thing she needed to do.
After she had gotten Rosalie to settle down a bit she went to the station and met Sydney there while waiting for Emma. This was the last piece to her plan.
Emma frowned when she saw Regina at the station. "What are you doing here?" She asked. She was still pissed about the whole Kathryn situation and was sure Regina did it but she couldn't prove it sadly.
Regina smirked slightly. "My dear friend Kathryn returned but you still haven't found the kidnapper. Luckily for you I have what you need to solve both cases." She explained to the blonde.
Emma frowned. Would Regina admit to everything? It made sense if she killed Alex. She hated him and wanted him gone. Everyone knew that. "I'm all ears, Regina." She told her.
Regina chuckled. Of course Emma would believe she would admit to such crimes. "Sydney, come here." She called out and watched as the man came out to talk to them. She glared at him. He would pay for hurting her little girl.
The sheriff shoke her head. What did Sydney have to do with everything? "Sydney?" She asked confused.
Sydney exchanged a look with Regina before looking at Emma. "Yes, it's true. I kidnapped Kathryn and framed Mary Margaret. After I lost my job I wanted to make a big story that would get me my job back. I kidnapped her, stole a heart and stole Regina's keys to blame it on Mary Margaret." He explained to the sheriff.
Emma didn't buy it. The story seemed fishy but she couldn't prove that it was Regina. "And what does this have to do with Alex?" She asked and looked at Sydney pointly.
Sydney sighed as he looked at Regina again. He knew he had to do this or else she would make him disappear too. "I shot him. He stood in my way. I...I wanted Rosalie and with him around I could never have her. I...I used to follow her, took pictures and I r...raped her." He admitted. He hated that he had been caught but if he acted crazy enough they wouldn't place him in prison but rather in the asylum.
Emma was totally disgusted by this. But now she understood why Rosalie had been so scared to return to Storybrooke. Sydney was crazy. She still believed Regina had something to do with Alex's death but no one would believe her. So Sydney was admitted to the asylum.
Regina was glad she got her revenge on Sydney and was able to get rid of Alex in one go. She had finally won. She got her daughter back.