Gasping, I woke up in cold sweat, trying to make sense of everything I had just experienced. I remember everything...well, mostly everything. I knew everyone, I knew Jack, I knew my past and all of the people who had effected my life. I had never felt so happy in my entire life!!
"Oh thank goodness you're awake," Jack's worried voice sounded from beside me. I turned my head to gaze upon him, feeling overwhelmed with joy at the sight of him.
"Jack!!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him. He didn't hesitate to hug me back, being gentle to make sure he didn't accidentally hurt me.
"I'm so glad you're okay," he said, smiling wide as tears stung the corners of his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Jack...I should've done more to help you, to fight against Pitch," I said quietly.
Jack pulled away, confusion written all over his face,"What are you talking about, Rapunzel?"
"I remember, Jack...I remembering everything." I said, gazing into his icy blue eyes.
"Y-You remember me? You remember us?" He asked me, excitement growing inside him.
I smiled, nodding my head as I did. He laughed and picked me up, swirling me around in the air before putting me back down and pulling me into another hug,"I can't believe it...You're back!!"
I pulled away a bit, leaning into him and pressing my lips eagerly against his. He kissed me back with just as much desire, wrapping his arms around me comfortingly.
"I've missed you so much," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine, his eyes locked onto mine.
"I can't imagine the pain you must have gone through seeing me forget about you..." I said, my voice trailing.
He lifted up my chin with his finger,"It wasn't your fault. Don't think for a minute that it was."
"I should've-"
"No, I should've done more to protect you. If there is anyone to blame for what happened to you, it's me...It's my fault, not yours." Jack interrupted, breaking contact with my eyes briefly. I could see the guilt flooding his eyes when he spoke to me, regretting everything that had happened.
I placed a hand on his cheek,making him look at me as I spoke to him,"Jack, you did the best you could. None of it was your fault."
"But I-"
"Jack, don't do this to yourself. I'm here now, aren't I? Look at me, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," I reassured him.
He smiled and put a hand over mine,"That's something I love about you. You always know the right things to say."
I kissed him lightly on the lips for a brief moment before sitting back down on the bed.
"You know, you had me worried when you were sleeping," Jack said, leaning up against the wall casually, something that I always found attractive.
"Really? Why is that?" I asked curiously, bringing my legs up to my chest.
"You went unconscious almost immediately after I brought you into the infirmary a couple of days ago when-"
"Wait a sec, I've been out for two days!?" I interrupted, shocked that I was sleeping for so long.
Jack nodded,"Everybody was freaking out. They didn't know if you were gonna wake up or not. Your nose was also bleeding a lot too."
"No thanks to Flynn," I mumbled, recollecting the events that happened with him in my bedroom.
Jack tensed at the sound of his name. I could tell that he was hiding a lot of his anger from me, not wanting to break the good mood between us. "Well even after...that. Sandy thinks that the memories of us were supposed to be really hard to get to and when they were coming back, it was tremendously effecting you."
"What happened?" I asked him.
"Well, there was your nose, but not only was that bleeding, so was the inside of your ears. And you were sweating a lot, like you were having a nightmare or something. It was scary to see," He explained, a flicker of pain passing through his eyes.
"When did it stop?"
"Yesterday afternoon," was his answer.
"Wow..." I said plainly, not knowing what to think of all of it,"That's a long time..."
"I know. It's why we were all so worried about you."
"So, uh, what happened to Flynn?" I asked him, my voice quivering slightly as I said it. I was hoping Jack didn't heart but he did just like he always did.
He knelt down to the floor and took one of my hands as he other hand stroked my cheek,"Don't worry about him. North and Bunny locked him up tight. He won't be hurting you anymore, Rapunzel. I promise."
I leaned into his hand, feeling the tears coming quickly,"I was so scared, Jack..."
"Shhhh, it's alright," he whispered gently as he took me into his arms, running a hand through my long, golden hair. "I'm right here, okay? I won't let him touch you again."
"But what if he does? What if he escapes and comes back to get me? Jack, I... I can't go through something like that again..." I said, panic rising in my voice as I began to breathe heavily.
"His cell is guarded by Toothless, Merida, and Hiccup. They're probably one of the best fighters I've ever seen. If he were to get out, not only wild he have to go through them, but he would also have to deal with North, Tooth, and Bunny, and then the Yetis, and then me. Don't you worry, you are completely safe from him," Jack said softly. I sighed in relief and leaned back into him,moving the comfort of his arms around me. I couldn't help but think about how much I missed him...
"Wait, don't you still have that dark stuff inside you?" I asked suddenly, my head popping up.
"Unfortunately, yes," Jack replied solemnly.
"Then how are you so calm right now? Is it Sandy's medicine?" I asked, wanting to make sure he was okay too.
"Partly, yes. Everybody has been helping in any way they can. But the effects of their medicine won't last too much longer, I'm afraid..." he explained hesitantly.
"Then we need to find a way to help you!!" I exclaimed.
"Rapunzel, listen to me. There isn't any way to help me, okay? Only Pitch can reverse the effects and he obviously will not be willingly to do that. Especially to me. I didn't want to tell you this because I knew you'd worry." He said, looking down at the floor, not wanting to think about the excruciating plain he had gone through before Sandy had helped him.
"No...There has to be another way...," I mumbled, deep into thought. And then it hit me.mwhy didn't I think of this before!! How stupid was I?! "Jack!! My hair!! We can use my hair to help you!!"
"I don't know, Rapunzel. Something like this could backfire on you and I don't want you getting hurt." Jack said cautiously as if he had already considered the option.
"Please, Jack. I can't see you go through all of that pain again. It was too much for me to bear," I pleaded with him.
He sighed,"I don't know. I'd have to think about it a little more."
"Well if you said the medicines don't last too much longer then you don't have a lot of time to be thinking about this," I said to him.
"I know but I've got at least one more day before that happens." He said back.
"Jack, don't be so stubborn. This could help save your life!! I know your-"
"I can't see anything bad happen to you again Rapunzel," Jack said suddenly, grasping my shoulders a little tight as he broke down into sobs. "I just can't...I could never forgive myself if this were to hurt you in any way..."
I didn't know what to say. I had never really thought about how all of this had affected him until now. "Jack I...I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."
"This is all my fault... If I didn't make a better effort to save you at the pond, none of this would be happening..." he cried, his arms dropping to his sides.
"No, this is Pitch's fault. And Gothel's. And Flynn's. None of this is your fault, do you understand me? None of it." I said, trying to sound stern and gentle at the same time. "Whatvhappened to me is a result of their actions, not yours. Blaming this on yourself will only tear you down more."
He nodded slightly. I could see dark bags under his eyes from his restless nights. He must've stayed with me through all of those days...not sleeping for a minute to see when I'd wake up...
"You need to rest, Jack. It looks like you haven't slept for days," I said to him, placing a hand on his cheek to make him look up.
"I couldn't sleep..." He said simply, gazing into my eyes tenderly.
"Because of me?" I asked. I already knew the answer but it didn't hurt to ask anyways. He nodded, looking back down again.
"I won't leave you, Rapunzel. I need to make sure that you're gonnabbe okay. I need to make sure that no one will try to get you. And. Afraid that if I leave you, something bad will happen..." He said to me, fiddling with the twisted staff that laid by his side.
"Then stay with me," I said to him. "Rest with me, just like we did not too long ago. That way, you'll be getting the sleep you need and you'll be with me at the same time."
"Are you sure?" He asked, making sure that I was 100% okay with it.
"Of course I'm sure!! I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't, now would I?" I teased. He smiled a little it before slowly getting back onto his feet. I shuffled over to make room for him in my bed and patted the empty space, gesturing him to lay next to me. He climbed in and soon we were snuggled in each others arms.
"I don't think I'll ever get tired of this," he winked as he knudged me a little bit. I laughed softly, noticing his eyes beginning to droop.
"I don't think I will either," I said, smiling as I ran my fingers through his hair, kissing him gently on the forehead before he drifted off to sleep. "Goodnight, Jack."
I sighed happily, watching him breathe slowly and peacefully. I cant remember the last time I had ever seen him so calm... And it warmed my heart to see him like this too. He really needed it. Actually, I think we both did. After all of the events that had happened in just this past week, we really did need each other. He was my other half and a world without him would break my heart. I couldn't imagine what would happen if something were to happen to Jack...It would crush me.