crossing the line AU

Chapter 29

Cassandra

The women, who I can only assume is the same person who had stabbed me, chained me up to the post closest to me, leaving me leant up against it as Rapunzel visibly stood impatiently opposite.

I can barely open my eyes as the pain I'm feeling is much to great, but I try my best to make it seem better than it is to Rapunzel, because I don't want her to sacrifice her life just to heal me...

I'll be- I'll be-

I'll get out of this alone, she should take this time to run... Not waste it saving my fucked up excuse for a life.

Her's is more important.

"I should've gotten rid of you when I had the chance." she murmured while locking the hand cuffs and then she walked off. I assumed she'd meant just now, that she wished she'd hurt me more, killed me on the spot maybe?

But what would that have changed-?

"Cass!" the minute she slide across the glass covered floor to reach me, the questions about who that women was and what she really meant by that comment fizzled out... And she was all I could care about. "oh my goodness, Cass! Your- oh wow your really bleeding bad I-"
"Raps I- I'm-"
"Stop, Cass, your-" She's trying to wrap her hair around my chest, but I'm not letting her, my arms are wrapped around myself still while I try and shift myself away from her, all while trying to hide my wincing.
"Rapunzel stop it's... I'm not worth it... go... just go and-" my words are becoming slow and breathless, but I know she knows what I'm trying to say.
"No Cass! No I can't leave you here... not like this..." I watch as whatever confidence she had moments ago shatter and melt into tears in the corner of her eyes. I try not to look straight at her.

"There's no use in... saving me... please... s- save yourself."

I thought this girl had enough smarts to listen to me and run, but I felt stupid for thinking that when she didn't. Instead, she stared at me as if I were crazy, then cupped both my cheeks in her palms, a pained yet stern expression on her face.

"Cassandra. You have a whole life out there! A family, friends and-"
"Pft, yeah, sure." I just about managed to let out a chuckle and sarcastic remark, but she didn't seem to pick up on it.
"And you need to get back to them. I can't be the reason they lose someone so important to them... not when I'm a stranger to the world."
"I'm... flattered you think I'll... be missed... but-"
"Cass, I know your just saying that to make me change my mind... but it won't work."

That's when I turned to face her, locking our gazes together, and with sensing how quickly my last breath is catching up to me, I think quickly about how I'm going to her out of this...

I think back to last night, back at the lake we'd camped out near, and thought hard about what she was telling me about her hair.

That it was magic, that people tried to cut and steal it and-

And that it... it dies when it's cut.

If I... If I just... would that mean...? Maybe...

"I can't let you die, Cass..." she finally admits, holding onto one of my hands and bringing it to her cheek. Her words feel like I've just been freshly stabbed, but this time it perfectly sliced threw my heart. I chose to stare deep into her eyes, one's that threatened to pour any minute, and quickly made up my mind.

"Raps...?" I put my energy into my hand, so I could hold her cheek alone and move her attention back onto me. And threw the heartbroken, sniffling mess sitting in front of me, I could still see the happy, smiley, care free girl I am grateful I had the privilege of showing the world too...