A/N: Final Chapter!

"Eugene! Eugene, wake up! Oh, please, Eugene, don't die on me again!"

"I'm fine," I assure her, sitting up again.

She heaves a huge sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that!"

I laugh. "I just passed out. No biggie." Then a thought strikes me. "But don't tell anyone else."

"I thought it was no biggie," she eyes me curiously.

"Well, health-wise, it's not. Embarrassment-wise, it's a huge deal. It's massive! So don't tell anyone."

Rapunzel rolls her eyes. "Oh, Eugene. You're such a worry-wart."

"Oho!" I laugh incredulously. "Who was the one freaking out a few moments ago, thinking I was dead!"

A lovely blush paints her cheeks. "That's beside the point!"

I chuckle softly and press a kiss to her flushed cheek. "Thank you for your concern, though," I murmur gently. Then, I remember what she said that brought about my lack of consciousness. With a serious face, I clear my throat. "So... lost princess, huh? How'd you figure that out?"

"Just... little clues," she begins. "Like... I was looking around at all the paintings in my room, and I kept seeing patterns. Well, one specific pattern." She then points to one of the murals that surround us. "Do you see it there?"

I frown, looking closely. "Nope."

Rapunzel gets up, and I suddenly feel cold without her beside me. But she's not far away, and there's no danger, so I force myself to ignore it. She places her hand on a specific spot on the wall. "The sun pattern, the one that's all over the kingdom."

"Ohhhhhhh," I drawl out, finally seeing it. But I'm still having a hard time making the connection. "What about it?"

She groans in exasperation, and I fight back a smirk. "I've been painting this symbol my whole life, without even knowing what it was! And then... well, I-I sort of, um..." She begins toying with her short hair. "I remembered something."

"Remembered what?"

"I... I remember seeing them. My parents. Smiling down at me. And there was a light above me, and it had the symbol on it." She shrugs. "That's how I know."

Wow.

Though I'm still a little puzzled as to how all these things go together, I have to admit, it makes sense. After all, the princess has been missing for eighteen years, and she just happens to share a birthday with Rapunzel? And she said all along that she had a feeling the lanterns were meant for her. Lo and behold, they were!

I try, unsuccessfully, to stifle a laugh, as I recall a thought I'd had when I'd first approached this very tower. I'd wondered if this might be a tower like those in the tales I used to read, which hid a kidnapped princess. Hm. Who would've thought I was right all along?

It doesn't happen very often, and I don't anticipate its happening again.

"What's funny?" she asks.

I shake my head. "It's just... kind of ironic, I guess." She frowns, and I repeat my earlier action. "Never mind." I stand slowly. "So... what are you going to do now?"

She pauses, this apparently being the first time she's thought about it. After a few moments, she says, "I'm going back."

I was afraid of that. "Well," I sigh, "I'm sure Max will be happy to take you."

"Wait!" she gasps. "You're not coming with?"

"Rapunzel," I half-laugh, "I'm the most wanted guy there. I highly doubt that's going to change just because I happen to show up with the lost princess."

She frowns. "But... you found me. You'd be the one returning me to them. Surely that's enough to earn you full pardon."

"It might be... but it might not."

"Please," she implores me, closing the distance between us and putting a hand on my face. "For me," she adds, her eyes wide and hopeful.

I feel myself caving. "Fine."

She grins and claps her hands while jumping up and down. "Yay!"

With a playful scowl, I mumble, "Cheater."

She simply smirks at me. "No, smart. Now, let's go!"

Using her now-chopped-off hair, we descend from the tower. Of course, Max is still waiting, and he lets out an elated neigh, before cantering over to us. Rapunzel scratches him behind the ear, while telling him her new discovery. He doesn't seem too surprised. Weird. Oh well, not important.

"Let's get going," I say, trying to disguise the anxiety in my voice.

Rapunzel bobs her head eagerly, and I help her climb onto Max's back. The moment I mount behind her, Max takes off, barely giving me time to take his reins. Within a few minutes, we arrive at the castle.

A guard approaches us, glaring at me. "Rider! Is that you?"

I take a small step back, my thief senses kicking in. It turns out to be unnecessary, though, as Rapunzel steps forward, holding her head high. "I'm Rapunzel, and I am the lost princess. I'd like to see my parents."

At first, the guard looks dubious. But as he opens his mouth to speak—probably intending to insult or deny her—he pauses. His eyes narrow, then grow wide in disbelief, as his already open mouth goes slack in an expression of utmost shock. I know the feeling. Through panted breaths, he says, "Wait here," then turns on his heel and darts into the castle. Rapunzel and I share a look.

"That was weird," I say in a low voice.

"Do you think he believes me?" she asks timidly.

I smile. "If he doesn't, I'll make him believe."

She lifts an eyebrow. "Eugene," she scolds, "don't hit him."

"Who said anything about hitting him?"

"Don't threaten him, either."

I heave a mock sigh, then mumble, "You're no fun."

She grins. "You'll get over it."

We laugh for a few moments, then her face grows serious. Without a word, she walks to the edge of the veranda, looking out over the kingdom. I frown, feeling more than my fair share of concern. "Rapunzel? What's wrong?" I ask.

Rapunzel sighs. "What if they don't... like me?"

She's kidding, right? Placing a finger under her chin, I turn her face toward me, and she gazes up at me with those big, beautiful eyes of hers. I smile. "Not possible."

A grateful smile dons her lovely features, and she stands on her toes to kiss me. I let my lips linger for a moment, then she pulls away and takes my hand. "Thank you for coming, Eugene," she whispers.

The door opens, catching our attention. I recognize the two people as the King and Queen—no one else would be dressed so finely. However, as I looked more closely, I noticed the resemblance I should have seen all along. Rapunzel is the spitting image of her mother, right down to the button nose and big green eyes.

My focus shifts from the family's physical traits to the reunion now taking place. As the Queen takes tiny steps toward Rapunzel, she mirrors the movement. The look on Her Majesty's face is one of wonder and amazement, very similar to the expression Rapunzel wears almost everywhere she goes. In fact, I'm sure that she's wearing that expression right now, though I can't see for sure.

The two women stop as they come within arm's reach of each other, and the Queen lifts a hand to Rapunzel's face. The wonder fades, and is replaced with raw emotion and indescribable happiness. After a moment, she pulls Rapunzel into a tight hug. I notice the King then, who is standing just a few feet away. With a quiet laugh, he joins the hug, and the three of them sink to their knees, overcome with sheer joy.

I smile at the scene, and I feel my own little bubble of happiness at knowing I had some part in bringing it about. Granted, all I did was accidently stumble across a tower and invade an innocent girl's privacy, but hey, still counts, right?

Right?

You suck.

The Queen opens her eyes then, and with a smile, stretches her hand toward me. I take it, expecting her to shake it, a simple, casual thanks for bringing back her baby girl. However, that's not the case. Before I know it, I'm being pulled to the ground, and enveloped in this group hug, and I'm showered with thanks.

Discreetly, Rapunzel turns to me, one eyebrow lifted in a smug expression. I roll my eyes, but grin in return. Turns out she was right.

"Well," I smile, "you can imagine what happened next."

My audience—Lily and Daphne, two orphans at the local orphanage—grin widely as I reach the close of my story. They'd insisted on knowing how Rapunzel and I met, so I gave them what they asked for. Every microscopic detail.

"The kingdom rejoiced, for their lost princess had returned. The party lasted an entire week, and honestly, I don't remember most of it." Lily and Daphne giggled at my insinuation. Their giggles increase as I tell them about the numerous thugs who received their dreams, and about the other happy endings that took place. But there is one more happy ending to address.

"I know what the big question is," I smirk. "Did Rapunzel and I ever get married?" Of course, they already know the answer to that, as I'm now Prince Eugene, but I still enjoy milking this part of the story. "Well, I'm pleased to tell you, that after years and years of asking, and asking, and asking... I finally said yes."

"Eugene!"

I cringe slightly, and the girls giggle even more. I turn to see the woman in question standing in the doorway of the orphanage. Her crown glints in the fading sunlight, and I note the basket hanging from her arm, filled with paints. That took less time than I thought it would. I guess people are more willing to help the princess find what she needs than just your everyday Joe Schmoe. Go figure.

"All right," I concede, as she moves to stand beside me, "I asked her."

She smiles. "And we're living happily ever after."

I look at her, certain my own happiness is radiating from me like the rays from the sun. "Yes, we are."

A/N: The end! Don't forget to review!