Golden Angel

Part 6

<> 1 Year Later(after Pan's Curse) <>
Rapunzel searched and searched, but she could not find her prince. In her searching, she became friends with Aurora. One day, Aurora told her that everyone was back from Storybrooke.
"They're back?" Rapunzel asked in surprise. "How?"
"I'm not exactly sure." Aurora replied.
"Was my mother among them?"
"Yes, she was. But she's different now, Rapunzel. She's not evil anymore."
"I'll believe it when I see it." Rapunzel said. With that, she set off to find her mother.
After walking through the woods beside a path for quite some time, she came upon a group of people. She recognized her mother walking near the front, but didn't recognize anyone else. Until she looked a little harder and saw a familiar face.
"James!" she squealed as she burst through the trees and wrapped her arms around his middle.
"Oh, my dearest James! I've finally found you!"
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Don't you remember me?" she asked, releasing her embrace and taking a step back.
"No," he replied. "I've never even seen you before."
"How could you say that, James?"
"I'm not James. My name is David. James was my twin brother, and I became the prince when he was killed."
"Killed?" Rapunzel whispered, bringing a hand up to her mouth. "You mean, James is. . .dead?" Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry." David said.
"Rapunzel?" Regina said as she made her way over to where Rapunzel stood. Rapunzel turned around and saw her mother approaching her.
"Oh, Rapunzel!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her daughter.
"No, get off of me!" Rapunzel said as she pushed Regina away from her.
"You killed him, didn't you?" she asked, pointing a finger at her mother. "You killed James."
Regina said nothing.
"Did you kill him?" Rapunzel repeated.
"Yes." Regina replied quietly.
"How could you? Was cutting my hair and sending me away not enough?" Tears now fell freely from her blue eyes. "Did you have to kill him, too?"
"At the time, I didn't see any other way." Regina said, tears brimming in her own eyes. "I'm sorry, Rapunzel. You have to believe me. I'd do anything to make you happy again."
"Anything?" Rapunzel asked.
"Anything." Regina confirmed.
Rapunzel took a few steps towards her mother and leaned close to her ear. "Then die." she said. She pulled a small knife out of a pocket on her dress and went to stab Regina in the stomach. But before she could, someone grabbed her arm from behind. She turned and saw that it was David.
"You're protecting her?" Rapunzel asked. "She killed my true love!"
"I know you're angry," David said. "but trust me, killing her isn't the answer."
"How would you know?" Rapunzel growled, glaring at her mother.
"Because she took away things we loved, too." Snow spoke up. "Because of her, I didn't get to see my daughter until she was an adult. But she's changed now. Give her a chance."
Rapunzel shook free of David's grip.
"That may be, but I don't. . .I can't forgive you." She turned and ran back in to the woods.
"Rapunzel, wait!" Regina called, starting to run after her. But Snow stopped her.
"Let her go." she said.
Regina slowly nodded her head in agreement and the group started walking again.

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~1 Year Later in Storybrooke(after everyone returned from the Enchanted Forest)~
Regina was startled at the knock on her front door. She opened it and saw Emma and Rapunzel standing on her porch. Regina gasped and took a step back.
"Don't worry," Rapunzel said. "I didn't come here to hurt you." She pointed her thumb at Emma. "She already checked me for weapons."
"Yep, she's clean." Emma confirmed.
"What are you doing here, then?" Regina asked.
"I wanted to talk to you." Rapunzel replied.
"Alright, come on in." Regina said, stepping aside to let Rapunzel inside.
She raised her eyebrows questioningly at Emma. Emma just shrugged. "She asked me to help her find you. Do you want me to stay?"
"No, I think we'll be fine, thank you."
"No problem." Emma said, then she turned to leave.
Regina closed the door and turned to face her daughter. "Why don't we go to the living room?"
"Okay." Rapunzel replied.
They went into Regina's living room and sat on opposite pieces of furniture facing each other.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Regina asked.
Rapunzel took a deep breath before answering.