Uh...hi, everybody! Before you come after me with torches and pitchforks, let me explain. I am deeply sorry it's been so long since I updated. When I had the idea for Belonging last November, I'd only been writing stories/fanfics about a year, and up until then, they'd all been one shots. I dived headfirst into a longer story, figuring I could handle it, start to finish, no issues. I'd seen what had happened to tons of multi-chap stories, but I firmly believed it would never happen to me. I had a general idea of the plot and I thought that was enough. It was all fine and dandy for awhile, as writing the beginning of a story usually is, right?

But then...I think it was around spring, I reexamined the plot and realized it had way too many fluffy, pointless filler chapters. I mean, a little fluff is good for all of us, but this was WAY too much! And it also came to my attention that this story had no conflict. Everything was fairly easy. Yes, there's a twist of sorts as you'll see introduced in this chapter, but I feel like Rapunzel and Eugene's relationship isn't edgy enough like it is in the beginning of Tangled. After I finish it, I think I might do a rewrite with a little more conflict.

But as it is, I owe it to you guys to finish this story, and I'd hate to leave it unfinished :P it's just going to take a lot longer. Updates will come when they come, I can't honestly promise any more than that. None of you deserve it...it's all my fault, and I'm sorry :P I hope Belonging has given you some happiness, and I hope you'll stick with me to the end.

Now...I introduce, CHAPTA SEVEN!

~Part Four~

"Blondie! I have—to—stop!"

"Only thirty more seconds!" Rapunzel pivoted and jogged back towards Eugene, slipping her hand in his to pull him along. "I am—an artist. I sit—on my butt—all day—AND PAINT! And I run faster—than a homicide detective?" she teased between rapid breaths as they jogged through his neighborhood, the late March sun cresting the horizon.

"I do more—paperwork—than people think!"

"Five more seconds!"

"I CAN'T DO THIS!"

"All right, we're done, you big wimp."

Eugene skidded to a stop and doubled over, catching his breath. "Well—I warned you—I'm more of a sprinter."

"Yeah—I'm teasing—you did good. Three whole miles. Come on, walk it out."

Eugene moaned a pitiful "Nooooooo."

"You have to!" Rapunzel insisted. "Just to Starbucks, and then you can relax to your heart's content." She grabbed his hand and they started plodding along, pink-cheeked and out of breath.

The last four weeks, the man from the bus and the girl with the long hair had become closer than ever. When Rapunzel was with Eugene, the sense of belonging she felt from the outside in was unmistakable. It was like he was the missing piece. For years she'd floundered in the big city, forced to establish herself, and missed her Georgia hometown like crazy. But New York life wasn't quite so bad with him around. Oh, who was she kidding? He filled her to the top with happiness. His cockiness could drive her insane, but Eugene was undeniably the swing in her step.

Rapunzel was to Eugene like a new kind of Ariel to pursue. He didn't have to avenge Rapunzel's death, but she became his purpose. She helped him find the old verve of catching the bad guys. There was this sense that he was doing it for her, so the world was a better place just for innocent little Rapunzel. So he could see a movie with her if he could only catch this criminal.

The running buddies bought tall bottles of water, a breakfast sandwich for Eugene, and a parfait for Rapunzel, occupying a small couch inside the coffee shop. Exhausted and aching, they collapsed and indulged, oblivious to the life-changing event that was about to pop up out of nowhere.

Rapunzel and Eugene finished off their breakfast and leaned back, Eugene's arm was cast casually across Rapunzel's shoulders as it usually was. Rapunzel tugged her hair from its messy bun, the blonde waterfall cascading down nearly to her waist. Eugene suppressed a sigh. Even in running leggings and a sweatshirt, her hair flyaway and tangled, Rapunzel was gorgeous. He'd been thinking that a lot lately, actually. Eugene had recently realized that he was head-over-heels for tiny, dorky, artsy Rapunzel Jane Carmichael.

When did I figure it out? he wondered sometimes. There was always a little spark, since the night they'd met. But his realization of the fact that he liked her, or dare he say it, loved her, was always associated with the Snuggly Duckling outing. Rapunzel opened herself up to him. She'd looked especially pretty—hair loose and wavy, snowflakes crowning it gently, her bright green eyes alive as she talked about the lanterns. Then, like the gentleman he was, Eugene held her hand as she stepped into the taxi.

"...or someone will come along." She'd said, and Eugene wanted to be that someone. The notion felt vague and large and uncharted at that moment. But as the weeks went by, he only became more sure he wanted Monday nights at the movie theater to be more of a...date.

And Flynn Rider always goes for what he wants.

But Eugene is a little more insecure, afraid of the possibility that she wanted things to stay platonic between them, that she wanted someone other than him to be that someone she mentioned.

"So Blondie, I've been thinking—"

"Oh, how unusual of you." she teased.

"Shh, missy. Could I...would you like to...Friday night..."

The sharp ring of Rapunzel's phone cut him off.

"Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry!" Rapunzel hastily apologized, pulling out her phone to reject whoever broke this precious conversation, (if Eugene was going to ask what she thought he was...she couldn't wait!) but paused when the caller ID read Daddy. "It's...it's my dad. I'm so sorry, it's just, he doesn't really even know how to use his phone, so...I just better check." She smiled at him reassuringly, then he smiled back, and she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Good morning, Daddy!" Rapunzel chirped cheerfully.

"Hi, sweetie." he responded. His voice sounded so tired, so old, so defeated, she immediately knew this was no butt dial.

Rapunzel listened quietly as her father delivered a blow: her mother had cancer. It wasn't terrible, she wasn't terminal, but chemotherapy would begin in a few weeks. Her father asked, begged even, for Rapunzel to come back and take care of her mother, since she'd feel so groggy and sleepy.

"And we miss you, Ray," he added. "You don't have to stay in that big city anymore."

Rapunzel felt like there was a sickening knot in her gut at this news, like her heart had been dropped straight down. When she heard her father's lonely, tired voice asking her to come back it felt like the knot doubled in size. Her heart went out to her parents. She did the only thing you can do when your parents need you. Rapunzel agreed, they decided she would be home by late May, then her father thanked her again and said a quick goodbye, anxious to get back to his wife's side.

Eugene watched her silently nod and occasionally say, "Yes," or "Of course." This wasn't cheerful morning call, something had gone very wrong in Rapunzel's life. She looked like she had just been punched, her breath gone and her face clouded with pain, just not the physical kind.

Finally Rapunzel hung up, looking upset and stricken. When she turned to face Eugene, her eyes grew wide and shiny, like remembering he was there. How am I going to leave him? How am I going to tell him? After all this time, just now I'm actually happy. She thought of what he might have been trying to ask her...

Now they were stripped of the opportunity of being together. She would be out of his life, just like that. Five minutes ago she was enjoying his closeness and his warm smile, wondering why he wasn't her boyfriend already. And it looked like he'd reciprocated her feelings...and now that is lost. She is leaving.

Only one clear thought wrestled its way to the front of her mind as she gaped at Eugene.

How can the world so suddenly shift?

"My mom," was all she could say, and it sounded scratchy and strange as it left her lips.

Eugene held his breath and waited.

"She has stage two thyroid cancer. They just found out."

Before he could stop swimming in confusion and shock, weighing what to say to her, Rapunzel held out her arms. Eugene leaned into her and hugged her tightly, afraid any words he tried to use for comfort just now would sound forced.

"They want me to move home and take care of her," she said quietly, drawing back and resting her forehead on Eugene's. "I have to go at the end of May."

"I'm sorry, Princess." He rubbed her back gently, trying to stomach the information himself. Her closeness was dizzying, but now he could be nothing more than her friend. Even Flynn Rider wouldn't do something that selfish, falling in love when they both know it can't last. It wouldn't just hurt her, he would also be left with nothing. Not even a promise of return.

"I don't know if I can come back," Rapunzel said as if reading his thoughts, slowly slipping out of his arms to toy nervously with a long piece of her hair. "Of course I'd want to, but I guess we'll...just have to see?"

He nodded, the offered, "Want to walk?" giving her a hand up. The coffee shop suddenly seemed too warm and too crowded with happy people not having to deal with traumatic issues like he and Rapunzel did. She nodded and they walked out, still holding hands. Eugene was obviously unsure if he should let go, but she held his tightly, and he knew she needed something steady in the midst of this huge change, and he could be that for her.

They walked down the street in silence. Swarms of people surrounded them, chattering, laughing, flirting. Phones rang, dogs barked, horns honked. All of it blurred together, fading in the background. It was only the two of them, walking with fingers laced together, attempting to comprehend what had happened. Eugene knew Rapunzel was waiting for him to say something substantial, to offer some form of comfort. He knew she needed that, but his thoughts were so trashed and scattered, devastated by the news.

After another minute, he gave up and just spoke the most honest thing he could think of, letting the words come freely.

"Rapunzel...you're amazing. Remember the Google incident? We hadn't even talked for a whole year, but I needed you. I opened up to you in one twenty minute bus ride. All that I told you usually takes weeks for me to finally say. You've had this...effect on me. You're different than any girl I've ever known. You found the man beneath Flynn Rider. I'm a better man because of you. I'll miss you like hell—"

"Language!" Rapunzel scolded before even thinking about it, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Heck. That's exactly what I mean, 'Punz. And I hope I've had a good effect you, though probably not. So...this is cheesy even for Eugene Fitzherbert, but if there's anyone strong enough to bear this cross it's you. And when our paths diverge, we'll always have the little slice of time together. It was fun, Blondie."

Rapunzel started crying right about then. "Of course you've had a good effect on me!" She chided him like it was obvious. "You're amazing and I love you! You've made me try so many new things. I've seen parts of the city I'd never even thought about before, because you pushed my limits. I didn't think I was lonely here. I had Pascal, friends I saw every day at work, things to do on weekends...but with you life is truly full."

And then it sounded so close to a real declaration of love they both blushed. Eugene was finally able to smile as Rapunzel wrapped her tiny arms around his waist, and he circled one around her shoulder. "What a pair we are, Princess."

"Like two peas in a pod," she affirmed, releasing her tight hug on him to throw him a wink.

"Hey, so..." Eugene began. He couldn't date her now. But the perfect proposal had struck him, sometime when she was saying that with him her life was complete and his heart kind of melted a little bit. "Still want to see those lanterns?"

"Of course! But why?"

"Could I take you? The festival's right before you have to go, right? Towards the end of May? You know you can't leave without seeing them."

Rapunzel's eyes grew wide and sparkly. Her breath had left her again, but this time in a much happier way. "Eugene, really?"

He nodded, grinning down at her.

"OF COURSE YOU CAN TAKE ME! YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES!" She threw her arms around his neck, planting a huge kiss on his cheek. The proposition was wonderful, the occasion incredibly sad.

Bittersweet, that's the word.

It was to be a very bittersweet eight weeks.

~oOo~

Weeeeelll there it is! Hope you all enjoyed(: next chapter will be the LANTERN FESTIVAL!:D

TO THE BEAUTIFUL Phoenix Aurorean, An Unknown Foreign Beauty, Jess, adrilabelle, Itsgoosetoyou, Onlyinmydreams23, Guest, AvaNicole, and Sunny-lou, AGAIN MY DEEPEST SORROWS ARE EXPRESSED FOR THIS TERRIBLY LATE UPDATE! Your reviews make me smile and my heart melts and alkghalglkahgalkdhg I love you all so terribly much! Thanks for the reviews, again, they're truly a joy to read. I'm glad you all liked the thugs :)

Thanks for reading this...gosh, if you're still reading Belonging, I just love you a LOT. Have a magical day(:

Love, Fizzy