When You're a Father, You'll Understand

Trigger warnings: blood, character death, panic attacks

Disclaimer: I do not own Tangled the Series or the characters. I own the cover art. The Brotherhood symbol is not my own creation.

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The empty vial slipped through his suddenly numb fingers and shattered on the stone floor. He didn't hear it hit. He didn't hear his father's gentle voice telling him to breathe as he guided him to a chair. He didn't hear the princess's apologies. All his mind could focus on was the last words that had registered before he started to panic. The words that threatened to send his heart plummeting to the floor to shatter like the vial.

"We need Varian to testify against the Separatists."

As his senses slowly returned, he could feel his father's hand rubbing circles on his back. Rapunzel's hand rested on his kneecap. He took several shaky breaths and forced his fists to unclench. This was what he had been afraid of. After the failed attack on Corona, when Andrew had nearly thrown Varian to his death, the Separatists of Saporia had been tossed back in a jail cell, and Varian had tried to put the impending court date from his mind. He had been pardoned; the princess held no animosity toward him concerning the attack. He had hoped to hide in his lab until the entire day was over. And now here she was, a week later, having gotten the kingdom patched up enough to where she could take time to deal with the terrorists who had nearly destroyed Corona with Varian's chemical compound, telling him he needed to testify against the man who had manipulated and tried to kill him.

"Why?" he heard Quirin demand. "Can't he just write a testimony? Why does he have to be there personally?"

"Believe me," she answered in the same apologetic tone she had had the entire time. "I tried to get the nobles to let him do that. Because he was directly involved, they're demanding he appear personally." She turned to Varian. "Believe me, if there was any other way, I wouldn't be asking this of you. It's not fair, I know."

"We know they're guilty!" Quirin snapped. "There should be no need for this! Can't they be convicted without his testimony?"

"I asked that too. Unfortunately, since Varian was working with them, they said he has to. He and I were the only ones who were on the ship with them, and Varian knows exactly what they did when they took over. If he doesn't testify, we won't get a full recount of their actions, and we may be forced to give them a lighter sentence to appease the Saporians." Despite the union of the two kingdoms centuries ago, the Saporians were still loyal to their heritage and bloodlines. While not all of them were as drastic as the Separatists, any actions deemed unfair against them could stir up strife.

"I'll do it." Out of the three of them, Varian was probably the most surprised by the quiet, raspy words coming from his lips. He looked up at the adults. "I can do it."

"Varian, are you sure?" Quirin, ever protective of his son, knelt down to be on eye level with him and put a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded shakily. "Y-yeah. I'm sure." He shuddered. "I can't do it alone."

"I'm right here beside you," his father promised. "If this is what you want, I'll support you." He turned to the princess. "Your Highness, will I be allowed to stand with him?"

"Of course. That would be great." She took Varian's gloved hands in her own. "Hey. You won't even have to be there for the rest of the trial. All you have to do is tell us what happened. Then it's over." Her bright green eyes gazed encouragingly into his own blue orbs. He nodded.

That night, the recurring nightmare that always ended before Andrew was able to kill Varian didn't stop. The young alchemist felt himself falling, falling, falling until he jerked awake with a cry of fear and pain.