After a few weeks of getting to know the Charmings, Rapunzel had become a regular in the Northern Kingdom. Snow White treated her like royalty...like family.
For any normal person, they would be overjoyed to finally have a family and forgot about their deal.
But Rapunzel wasn't normal.
She accepted the gifts and the love, but she had a job to do and she knew exactly who she had to go to to get it done.
Rapunzel waited until the late hours of the night to sneak out of the incredible guest room her sister had prepared, of course at the tallest part of the castle. As quietly as she could, she opened the large door and ran down the dozens of staircases.
Foolishly, Snow and James had shown her the way to dungeon in order to keep her away from the dungeon. She shook her head, hoping her sister wasn't as naive as she seemed.
She knew she'd have to get past the guards. When she reached the opening to the dungeon, she manifested a hooded robe onto herself and hid her face as best as she could. She magicked the bars on the door down and walked through the tiny entryway to meet her fate.
A guard immediately saw her and prepared to draw his weapon. With a flick of her hand, he was on the ground, out cold. She continued this - still hiding her face - until she reached the infamous cell. She could hear the crazed words from a mile away.
"Time, time, time," it repeated. The creature seemed to be writing something down.
Rapunzel slowly moved closer, struggling to recognize the being that taught her all she knew about her craft.
"Rumplestiltskin?" She asked, her voice sounding sadder than she intended. Empathy took her over as she grasped the bars of the cell. Rumplestiltskin looked up.
"Someone's here?" He asked, his voice high and shaking. As the Dark One looked up, he immediately recognized the girl. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
"The Evil Queen sent me." She whispered.
"Regina knows I'm here?" He asked, excitement rising in his voice. Rapunzel quickly shook her head.
"I don't think so. You disappeared. No one knew where you went." She said. "Man, I can't believe Snow White got you," she said to herself.
"Ah, but dearie, I'm exactly where I want to be," he said. "Regina will be visiting me soon enough." He turned and went back to his small piece of paper.
"How do you..." Rapunzel started to ask, then stopped herself. "Right, the Seer. Okay, are you going to help me or not?"
Rumple was still humming to himself on and off. The madness seemed to finally catch up to him. Rapunzel could only feel contentment coming from the imp. No anger, no happiness, no reassurance even that his curse was to be cast. Then he smirked and her heart dropped.
"It's been decided," he said. "The curse is coming. The Queen has just found her final ingredient."
"So why did Regina want me to bring Snow to her if she knew the curse would work?"
Rumple giggled, his voice jumping a few octaves, leaving a shiver down Rapunzel's spine.
"Silly, silly girl." He said, then jumped to the bars, grabbing them tightly. "Regina was never going to hold up her end of the deal," he sneered, then took a step back, "not like I do."
"What are you talking about?" Rapunzel asked, her patience running thin. She masked her fear with frustration as she always did.
"The curse is coming, dearie, and you're not safe," he sang to her.
Her eyes widened and instinctively, she ran close to the bars, holding onto them.
"You're lying!" She cried. Rumple shook his head, the grin still painted on his face.
"The Queen blames you as well for the death of her beloved."
"What?" She asked, breathless.
"You see," he said, moving closer to her, touching her face through the bars, "if you had not been born a bastard or a..." he searched for the word, "freak, then Eva wouldn't have been desperate for another child."
"16 years later!" Rapunzel said.
"That doesn't matter! Because of you, Snow White was born. And because Snow White was born, the Queen's love is dead."
Rapunzel felt rage run through her and she aggressively swung herself from the bars.
"I'm going to kill her!" She yelled.
"The curse will hit before you have the chance, dearie!" Rumple reminded her. She turned back and stared at him.
"How do we defeat her?"
"Hmmmm, switching sides now?" Rumple asked, a laugh hanging on his words.
"I'll kill you too," Rapunzel said, moving back to the bars and getting close to his face.
"Not in this new land, you won't."
"Tell me what you know," she sneered.
He thought about it for a moment until shrugging his shoulders. "Doesn't matter anyway. Okay, here's what I know," he said, putting his face up to the bars, his mouth in between, "the curse will be cast once Snow White is in labor with her daughter."
"And when will that be?" She asked.
"I. Don't. Know."
Rapunzel stopped for a moment. Her hands felt hot and she knew what was coming. So did Rumple. His eyes widened and he stepped back from the bars. There was only one thing she could do in that moment:
Kill Rumplestiltskin.
And she was the only one who could do it.
Her eyes became as electrified as her hands, she raised one and a shot of electricity flung right into the bars. Instead of blowing the bars open, they bounced off and Rapunzel jumped out of the way.
"Damn magic," she muttered to herself, standing up.
"See, told ya you can't kill me."
She lunged for the bars, willing to use all of her strength to rip through and burn them down to get to him, but a hand came from behind her, yanking her off of the bars and onto the ground.
Prince James pulled her up and faced her toward him. "We told you not to come down here!" He exclaimed.
Rapunzel was in a rage and the Prince could see it in her eyes. There were still sparks lingering.
"You have magic?" He asked, stunned.
"What does it matter if I can't use it on him?!" She yelled, pointing at Rumplestiltskin. "How did you know I was down here anyway?"
"I followed the trail of unconscious guards," he said. "Why are you really in our kingdom?" He asked, holding the helm of his sword in its sheath.
She rolled her eyes. "We have no time. Where's Snow?"
"Tell me what you're doing here!" He yelled.
Rapunzel took a moment to take in James' emotions. He wasn't angry, which is what she was expecting. He was fearful...panicked even. Her heart was beating fast and she could feel the anxiety growing in his chest. He wasn't present in the moment, his mind was somewhere else...on someone else. He was longing for someone else.
Snow.
Her eyes grew wider as she pieced it all together.
"She's in labor," she breathed.
"How do you know that?" James asked.
Rapunzel turned to Rumple. "There's nothing we can do," she said, her tone defeated.
"She's coming," Rumple sang, his smile widening.
Rapunzel cringed, then turned to James. "We have to go," she said, grabbing his arm and running out of the dungeon with him.
She tried to explain as much as she could while they ran back to the palace, but James was more focused on getting Snow into the wardrobe.
"What's the wardrobe?" Rapunzel asked as they hurried through the palace.
"I'm glad that we didn't tell you. We were always afraid of Regina's prying eyes."
"Okay, Charming," she said, stopping in the hallway, "let's get one thing straight. I don't work for anyone. I'm not loyal to anyone. I don't care enough. But Regina lied to me and I would really like to not wake up in a different reality tomorrow morning, so like it or not, we're on the same side right now!" She yelled at him. "Now, what is the wardrobe?"
"It's magical. It'll transport one person to the Land Without Magic before the curse hits so they can find us and save us."
"And you're sending Snow in because...?"
"Our daughter, Emma, is the Savior of this realm. She needs to get there in order to break the curse. Snow is going to guide and protect her."
"And I'm guessing it can only hold one?"
James nodded. "Which is why we've got to get her there before Emma is born."
"Got it," she said, and they burst through the room.
Doc was with Snow as she began to feel the labor pains more and more. Rapunzel could feel the pains in her stomach right along with Snow.
Then there was a shift in the wind. Someone was in the palace. Rapunzel head turned as she listened more intently. That's when she felt the rage, the hatred...the victory.
"Rapunzel!" James was calling her name.
"She's here," Rapunzel said.
"Regina?" Snow asked.
"I'll handle it," Rapunzel said, turning toward the door.
"NO!" Snow asked as another contraction came. "Stay," she breathed.
Then the pain became more intense. Snow let out another cry and James held her close.
"I can't have this baby now!" Snow said.
"Doc, do something!" James ordered.
"He's a dwarf," Rapunzel muttered to herself, then went to Snow's side.
"It's going to be okay," James promised. "The wardrobe's almost done, just hold on."
"James, we need to move her," Rapunzel said calmly.
"You can't move her! The baby's almost here!" Doc cried.
After another push and a few screams from the princess, they all heard the baby's cry.
James and Snow held their daughter as Doc proceeded to leave the room. They were so filled with joy and love, until Snow White realized...
"The wardrobe. It only takes one."
Then they heard the clashing of swords outside of their chambers.
"Then our plan has failed," James said with tears in his eyes.
"No, it hasn't," Rapunzel said, walking to James' side. "Go. Take Emma and get her to that wardrobe."
"No!" James yelled.
"It's the only way to save the kingdom. I'll stay here and protect Snow."
"And how do I know that you're going to do just that?" He asked, now holding his baby in his arms.
"You have to take her," Snow said, her voice weakening, "take the baby to the wardrobe."
"Are you out of your mind?" James asked.
"It's the only way. You have to send her through. We have to believe that she'll come back for us! We have to give her her best chance."
They were both crying. Rapunzel knew their pain but kept a straight, strong face. James turned to her and she nodded.
"Regina lied to me. I swear to you I want nothing to do with that woman except to defeat her. Go." She said.
James allowed Snow a chance to kiss her baby on her forehead and he dashed out of the room, sword in one hand, baby in the other.
Snow White broke down with only Rapunzel to watch.
Family was never Rapunzel's thing, so she gave Snow a moment and stepped closer to the closed door. She wanted to be ready for anything that came through, including Regina. But the screams and fighting were a distant echo now. They had moved down the hall. They weren't after Snow.
They were after Emma.
"Snow," Rapunzel said softly. Snow White's cries vanished for a moment when she heard her sister's voice, "I think James is in danger."
"What?" She asked, sniffling.
"They're moving down the hallway. They're not coming for you."
"Go!" She ordered. Rapunzel crashed through the doors, running to the sounds of the guards steps. She entered the nursery where the giant tree was planted, and saw James fall to the floor, blood covering his shirt.
"No!" She gasped, running into the fight. The black knights were searching endlessly through the tiny wardrobe that she was able to attack.
One turned and charged at her. Quickly, she raised her hand and sent a shock through him, knocking him to the ground.
The other unsheathed his sword, which she magicked away. She, calmly, punched him, then sent magic through him as well, knocking him unconscious.
Rapunzel took a breath and ran to meet James on the floor. He was gasping for air and, instinctively, she put pressure on his wounds, her hands becoming drenched in blood.
"Will you tell Snow that I love her?" He croaked.
She shook her head.
"You're going to be fine," she answered, releasing his wound and pulling at her hair.
"I'm dying," he said.
"No, you're not," she said and watched as he began to close his eyes. "James, James!" She called. He snapped his eyes open and stared at the ceiling. "You're not dying. Just stay with me, James."
"David," he whispered.
"Who's David?"
He laughed weakly. "I am. My twin brother was James. I'm just David, a shepherd. I was never meant to be a prince," he admitted.
"Well, I'd love to hear all about that once you're healed so give me a minute, please," she said.
She let her hair down and it exploded throughout the room. James - or David, rather - wasn't coherent enough to pay attention, so she was able to get to work.
She pressed her hair over his wounds, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and began singing the song of healing she learned long ago.
Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine
Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine
As she sang, her hair began to glow, illuminating the dark room. She continued.
Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design
Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
As she finished, she could already see his wounds healing. He was now unconscious, but breathing right again.
"What was that?" Snow White asked from the doorway. She was clutching her stomach and using the door to hold herself up.
"He was dying. Now he's not," she answered matter-of-factly. Snow looked at the ground and gasped.
"David?" She said, moving as quickly as she could to her husband.
"His name really is David?" Rapunzel said.
"Why isn't he waking up?" Snow asked anxiously.
"Sometimes it takes a while to heal completely."
Snow White cradled David's head in her hands and took a deep breath in. With one quick swoop, she leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Rapunzel looked at her, confused.
Snow's hope turned into worry. "He didn't wake up."
"Because he needs time to heal. He's going to be okay," Rapunzel promised.
"I wouldn't count on that." The dark voice they both knew too well said, startling them both. Regina, dressed in all black, walked in and looked at the sisters. "How sweet. You two working together...betraying me." She sneered. Rapunzel popped up.
"You're a liar."
"Honey," Regina said, slowly walking closer to her. "That's not a surprise to anyone."
"It isn't enough that you're cursing us?" Snow cried from the floor. "You had to hurt my husband?"
"Oh, don't worry dear," Regina said, "in a few moments you won't remember you knew him. Let alone loved him."
"Why did you do this?" Snow asked. Rapunzel stayed where she was, keeping an eye on the black knights and getting ready for a fight.
"Because this is my happy ending!" Regina said. Tears were streaming down Snow's face. Rapunzel felt the twinge of pain Snow was feeling and the loss of David and her baby. It was too much, yet Snow was keeping a brave face with the Queen. How was she so unafraid?
"The child?" Regina asked as the rest of her knights approached the nursery.
"Gone," the one answered, "it was in the wardrobe, then it was gone."
Rapunzel's eyes widened and her gaze was met by a bewildered Snow White. David did it. A smile grew on Snow's face, but all Rapunzel could feel was the rage that built up within Regina.
"Where is she?"
"She got away," Rapunzel breathed.
Snow White looked up at Regina. "You're going to lose." She said with confidence. "Good will always win."
"We'll see about that," Regina said with an evil grin.
Suddenly, the ceiling cracked and a violent gust of wind blew debris all over the floor. Snow covered David and Rapunzel jumped next to her to help. The room turned black and a purple cloud of smoke began to cover every inch.
"Where are we going?" Snow yelled over the wind.
"Somewhere horrible," Regina said with glee. "A place where the only happy ending will be mine."
Snow White looked at her sister who gave her a reassuring nod. Instinctively, Snow White grabbed Rapunzel's hand and held on as tight as she could.
The smoke broke through the stained glass window, engulfing everyone there.
Regina had won.
For now.