Note from the Author: Since I was so close to finishing it, I just decided to tonight. So this is it! I know this story doesn't have a lot of readers, but I'm happy I've finally finished another story. I hope you all enjoyed and go read my other Jackunzel story "Perfect Chemistry", that isn't completed yet. Much Love!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 19: The End

Rapunzel was starting to recognize their surroundings as they got closer to home. All she wanted was to go home and now that she was so close, she didn't know how she should feel about it. She was scared, nervous, disappointed in herself and what happened. The only good thing that came out of this trip was her relationship with Jack. Yes, he had hurt her. Yes, she hadn't totally forgiven him, but she knew he meant all he had said the other day. She knew he wasn't ever the type of person who would ever lie about the things he said just to get a quick lay.

She still couldn't really comprehend what happened with her mother. She wasn't sure why she was so disappointed in herself. She didn't do anything wrong, right? It's not her fault her mother doesn't want her. And she knew that deep down, but it still didn't make it hurt any less. She must have imagined dozens of ways meeting her mother would go, but she didn't expect it to be nothing. Maybe she was so disappointed in herself because she let herself hope for something, and she never expected it to go badly. Maybe this was a life lesson for her that you shouldn't always expect a happy ending with everything. But she was sure she'd have one with Jack.

"Nervous?" she heard Jack shout to her and she nodded her head quickly.

"Me too", he told her. She looked at their hometown as they passed their school. Students were milling around and some looked at them. She wondered if they recognized them. She knew it was going to be talk of the town when they came back. No doubt every student went home and told their parents about what happened. It's going to be terrible shutting out all the rumors, but she knew none of them mattered anymore. Not as long as she had her friends and Jack. She could get through anything.

Rapunzel looked up at her house and sighed. She was nervous as hell, but she was so excited to be back in her room.

"This is it", she sighed and turned to Jack," End of the line."

"We're finally home", he looked at his house and then back at her," What happens if tomorrow we aren't the same?"

"We will be", Rapunzel smiled," Why wouldn't we be?"

"I don't know", Jack sighed and ran a hang through his hair," Because we're going to be back to our normal lives and it makes me nervous. I'm used to it just being us now. It's going to be weird not waking up to you evey morning now."

"Well maybe next year that'll change", she smiled at him," When we graduate. Who knows what the future will bring. You'll wake up next to me someday."

He beamed a smile at her that made her go weak in the knees and she was forever grateful that he loved her.

"I guess it's time to face our parents", Rapunzel told him," One last hug?"

He quickly embraced her and gave her a kiss to say goodbye.

"I'll call you tonight, okay?" he told her backing away.

She nodded and watched Jack walk into his house. She turned to her own and started to slowly walk towards the door. She eazed the door open and didn't hear anything coming from inside. She walked in and quietly shut the door behind her.

She inhaled a deep breath and called out," Mom?"

She heard a cup shatter as running footsteps came from the back of the house. Her mother stood at the end of the hall with wide eyes looking at Rapunzel.

"H- hi mom", Rapunzel waved and before she could even say another word Gothel had embraced her in a hug.

"Rapunzel!" Gothel cried into her hair," I've missed you so much!"

She pulled Rapunzel away from her and held her face," Are you okay baby? Is everything alright? Where's Jack? Is he alright?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. He's home right now", Rapunzel told her. She could feel her nervousness and her anxiety melting away as Gothel hugged her tightly and kept telling how much she missed her. This is where she belonged. With her real mother. Just because Gothel didn't give birth to her, doesn't mean she isn't her mother... She was there to take care of Rapunzel growing up. Gothel was there for when she got hurt, for when she was too scared to sleep alone at night... A parent is someone who chooses to love and raise when they didn't have to.

"Im so sorry", Rapunzel started to cry and hugged her mother tightly," I'm so sorry mom. I'm sorry I just left and made you scared. I'm sorry for not telling you how I felt and not considering you're feelings."

"No, I'm sorry Rapunzel", Gothel looked at her," I should have told you the truth a long time ago. I'm sorry for yelling at you on the phone when you called me. I should have understood what you needed to do and gone with you instead of you resorting to sneaking away."

"She called me... After you left", Gothel told Rapunzel. Rapunzel looked at her mother with confusion," She did? What did she say?"

"She told me that you were safe and had reached her. That you had left with a boy with white hair on his motorcycle. She said to tell you she is sorry for making you so upset and that she never meant to hurt you", Gothel told her. Rapunzel listened, soaking up everything Gothel was telling her.

"Why doesn't- why didn't she want me mom?" Rapunzel asked her, tears still in her eyes.

"She never really told me a reason sweetie", Gothel shrugged and smiled at her daughter," But to be honest, I'm so happy you're mine. I have loved you from the first time I saw you Rapunzel. I knew you were meant to be mine. And I can't have kids, I found out at a young age. And when I saw you, I knew I wanted you forever. I am forever your mother. I will always want you Rapunzel. Do not ever feel like you are alone in this world."

Rapunzel smiled at the photobooth photos of her and Jack taken at the zoo when their trip first started. She had spent the rest of the night telling her mother about their trip, leaving out some of the heated details and the fact that she ditched Jack and his stupid bet he made forever ago. The highlights, if you will. She heard her phone ring and she quickly grabbed it.

"Hello?" she asked anxiously.

"You sound excited", she heard a low chuckle on the other line and she smiled to herself. She had already missed him so much.

"How did it go?" she asked him, flopping back onto her bed.

"Better than I expected," he told her," They're mostly peeved at all the homework I'm going to have to catch up on."

"Same", she nodded in agreement.

"Does Gothel hate me?" Jack asked nervously.

"No", Rapunzel laughed," She actually thinks you taking me to the zoo and to tourist things were nice. And she said she understands why I did what I did. She's actually not that mad at all to be honest."

"Wow. I don't know if I was expecting that", he laughed a little.

"Same", she smiled," But I'll take it."

"So... School tomorrow", he sighed.

"I know", she rolled her eyes," My mother is already making me go back tomorrow. You think she'd want to spend time with me, but nope."

"Nervous?"

"Even more than I was today", Rapunzel laughed," But I don't really care anymore. I just want to pass high school and leave it all behind."

"We got this", she could hear Jack smile," I'm going to get ready for tomorrow. I'll pick you up for school okay?"

"Alright", she nodded," I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Punz", he chuckled lightly and hung up.

"People are definitely going to tell I rubbed off on you", Jack snicked to himself as he parked his bike in a parking spot at school. Rapunzel hopped off of it and took off her helmet. She was wearing skinny jeans, a pair of black combat boots, a white v neck t-shirt, and a black jacket. Her hair unruly and natural. She decided to also wear her makeup a little darker than she used to at school, but she didn't care anymore.

"Yeah, that's the point", Rapunzel told him," I'm not the same girl I was when we first left. I'm not the same person I was before I got to know you. This is me now. And it makes me happy."

"Makes me happy too", he smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her," Ready?"

"I was born ready", she stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed.

As they walked into school together, their hands entwined together, the whispers started immediately.

"Is that who I think it is?"

"When did they come back?"

"Are they together now?"

"She looks different..."

"I heard she got knocked up..."

"He's a drug addict..."

"Ah, this is fun", Jack sighed and shot a few people some dirty looks. Rapunzel laughed at him.

"Rapunzel!" she heard her name shouted from the other end of the hallway. She saw a red frizz ball come bounding towards her. Merida collided into her so fast for a hug she ripped Rapunzel's hand out of Jack's and sent them backwards.

"Jesus Merida, my shoulder", Jack winced. Rapunzel laughed as she hugged Merida back as they laid on the ground.

"I'm so sorry", Merida hugged her best friend and cried," I should have never been so mean to you."

"I should have never just ditched you!" Rapunzel apologized back," I've missed you."

"Jack!" they heard and saw Hiccup walking up to them smiling.

"Hey man!" Jack smiled and Rapunzel watched as they hugged each other.

"Oh my God, is that Rapunzel!" she looked up and saw her friend Heather smiling at her. She quickly stood up and hugged her friend she'd known since freshmen year.

"Hey Heather!" Rapunzel smiled and hugged her friend.

"Where have you been?" Heather asked, catching almost everyone's attention in the hallway.

"Jack and I went to visit my aunt in California", she smiled at Heather.

"Oh my God that's awesome! I've always wanted to go there", Heather smiled.

"Yeah, it was ah-mazing! We did it as a road trip on Jack's motorcycle so we saw all these different sites", Rapunzel explained," I know it was out of nowhere, but you're only young once."

Several people laughed who had been listening to the story. She looked up as she felt Jack's arm snake around her and smile. He knew he was pleased that everyone was eating up this story. She knew it would go through the school like wildfire and by the end of the day, everyone would know that was the reason why they were gone. Just some vacation that two young kids took.

"Well I'll see you later at practice, right?" Heather asked Rapunzel.

"Uh- yeah totally", Rapunzel nodded enthusiasticlly. Rapunzel smiled as Heather walked away from them.

"I'm still on the cheerleading team!" Rapunzel squeled with excitement and Jack hugged her.

"I'm so happy for you!" Jack smiled and leaned down and whispered in her ear," Quick thinking, babe with the whole vacation thing."

Rapunzel looked at Jack and smiled. She couldn't figure out why she was so nervous and scared. Everything was just fine as Jack told her it would be. With him everything would always work out for the best.

"I love you, Jack", she smiled at him.

He beamed right back at her," I love you too, Rapunzel."

Thanks for reading!