A/N: Inspiration wouldn't shut up, so here is Eugene's side. ;)

Even though the rock was turning out to be a less-than-heavenly pillow, Eugene didn't risk turning. Or breathing. Or anything related to movement.

He didn't want to wake her up. And after the day she'd had, he was certain that any movement within a quarter-mile radius of her would probably wake her up.

Although, he had no idea how Rapunzel could fall sleep right away.

Living isolated and indoors for eighteen years doesn't exactly prepare you for camping on the ground with a rock for a pillow and across a campsite from a real live man whom you've only known one-ish day.

Recipe for quick sleep right there.

But clearly she wasn't scared. That girl had a crazy-brave side. Bordering on concerning. After all, her life was obviously never going to be the same after her exit out of that tower, but here she was: fast asleep.

Well, good for her.

He certainly couldn't sleep.

How could he?

Tomorrow he was going into the center of the kingdom.

The reality of it hadn't hit him until now, because he had assumed as a given that he would find a way out of this. He had thought he could talk her out of it, or scare her out of it, or something. He wasn't seriously going to the very place that was offering a reward for his skin.

Except that now he knew there was no other way.

Something had changed. Something deep inside him knew that he was going to show Rapunzel into the kingdom and he was going be there when she saw the lanterns for the first time, whether he wanted to or not.

And at this point, he wasn't sure he didn't want to.

Scratch that.

He wanted to.

Had it really only been one day? He felt like he had been a different person.

Maybe he had been.

After all, he had started the day as Flynn Rider.

Now he was Eugene Fitzherbert.

He hadn't seen that coming.

It had been so long since someone had called him by his real name, and even longer since someone had said it so kindly. It had an odd effect.

He found himself telling Rapunzel things that he had never told anybody, things that he wished he didn't remember. Things that he always would remember.

Eugene realized he wanted Rapunzel to have her dream. He knew what it was like to want something beyond his reach. To want family, wealth, belonging. Tough stuff to get.

Trust him, he knew.

But it wasn't so hard to go see the lanterns.

She would have her dream, simple as it was.

He could give her that.

Even if it meant walking into a deathtrap. There was a decent chance he could hide from the guards. After all, he had survived this long.

And if they found him? If he couldn't talk his way out of it? Well...

Eugene winced as he wondered what it would feel like to have a rope tightened around his neck.

Not good, he expected.

But he wouldn't be able to look back on this magnificently peculiar situation without regret if he didn't finish this trek with her. And frankly, he didn't her want to go back to her madwoman mother. He didn't need to meet the woman to know he didn't like her; what kind of a parent locks their kid in a tower?

He bit back what would have been an annoyed huff of a sigh. He had to talk Rapunzel out of even considering going back to the tower, where that witch would be waiting. But he'd figure out what to say tomorrow. After the lanterns. By then he'd know what exactly his plan was. He'd figure it out. Somehow.

For now, he had to try to get some rest. He had to try not to spend his energy mentally dodging guards a night early.

Tomorrow would come; and he'd face it then.

He finally dared to move his shoulder a little - no stirring issued from the other side of the camp - and he shut his eyes.

He wasn't sure when sleep came, but when it did, it came with an odd sensation of being wanted and a soft voice that formed his name.

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