Of course, Flynn being alive and well was enough of a cause to rejoice. And Rapunzel did rejoice.

And of course, knowing that she had found her family was a cause for celebration. So Rapunzel celebrated.

But between the rejoicing and the celebration, there was one evening, when she grieved for Gothel, the mother that she had lost.

She and Flynn were sitting in front of a merrily crackling bonfire and the stars seemed to wink at her and say, "Why cry on such a lovely night?"

Still, Rapuzel cried.

"I trusted her," she said softly. "I loved her before anyone and more than anyone."

Flynn nodded. "And all this time she was selfishly using you. It's enough to make Maximus weep."

Rapunzel smiled a little at the thought of Maximus weeping. But the jest did not dispel the sorrow in her heart. "She was not all evil."

Flynn raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No," she said forcefully. "Everyone might say that she was. Maybe even she believed she was. But I don't believe it."

"She certainly convinced me," said Flynn, his hand involuntarily going to the place in his side where he had been stabbed.

"She fed me and dressed me and rocked me to sleep. She taught me to hold a spoon and to read, write and sing. I ran to her when I was unhappy and she comforted me. Surely..." Rapunzel swallowed. "Surely, there were some moments, brief moments, when she felt some kind of tenderness for me, not my hair?"

"It's possible," said Flynn.

Rapunzel was not satisfied with 'possible'. 'Possible' could go either way and the possibility that Gothel had never loved her, not at any moment, was too terrible for her to accept. "She must have," she said. "Where else did I get my capacity for love if not from her?"

"Well, you had the frog."

"Chameleon."

Flynn smiled a little but not too much. He did not want to seem like he did not care. He knew that betrayal hurt. He had felt it too many times himself. He reached out and touched Rapunzel's new dark locks. He cleared his throat. The part of him that shrank from all things touchy-feely was having a fine time laughing at the two of them. Flynn told that part of himself to go jump off a tower. Then he said, "I don't think she could have helped herself. You're impossible not to love."

Rapunzel blushed. "Thanks."

"My pleasure."

Rapunzel's gaze turned thoughtful again. "Still," she said. "I wish I had the chance to speak to her after losing my hair, just once more, just to see the difference..."