Flynn here - update

Hi everyone  -
We STILL don't know what's going on with the kids.  Tangled Fan's hardly been around.  When she is around, though, I get so mad I can hardly stand myself!
I've also kind of been getting angry with myself, too.  To watch my wonderful, sweet, carefree wife just wilt underneath the pressure of the whole situation, was just beyond horrible.  I knew that if I had not brought up the idea of fostering, we BOTH wouldn't be going through this, let alone her!  I've been trying to be strong, but it's hard.

So today, when Rapunzel left me alone for a good while, to go talk with Merida and the gang, I finally broke down.  The still quietness was deafening, and I just collapsed into the wicker chair and bawled like a baby, I am ashamed to admit.  You see, I'm used to being a tough guy that doesn't cry.  And I can't be that guy right now.  And on top of all that, I can't be the strong husband my wife needs!
Regardless.

I hardly even noticed Rapunzel when she got back from her visit with Merida, but she for sure noticed me.  Unfortunately.  And that upset me even more!
"Are you alright?" She asked me.  I jumped up when I saw her, swallowing hard to try to collect my thoughts.
"Uh, yeah - everything's fine."  I fibbed...yes.. I fibbed.
Rapunzel didn't believe me though.  "I know better than that.  Tell me - it's good to let it all out, trust me!" She pried.
"No, it's-"
"You know, we're husband and wife!  You are supposed to tell me all your troubles."
I looked down to avoid my wife's searching eyes.  "I don't see the need to tell you about it when you know, too."  A tear dripped off of my nose - I was afraid to tell her why I was mad at myself.
She grabbed me into a tight hug, and that's when I totally just lost it.  Here's this tiny, thin girl that's almost a head shorter than me, and she's trying to comfort me.  There's just something wrong with that - I should be comforting HER!  I buried my head in her shoulder and started sobbing hard.  I hadn't cried hard since Friday.  She stood and kept her hold on me until I finished, pulled my head up, and looked at her.
Finally, I partially spilled what the problem was.
She bit her lip and put a small hand on my cheek.  "I know, honey; I know.  You don't have to be the big tough guy right now - it's fine to let a few tears fall once in awhile."
"But what about you?  You need someone stronger than this to help YOU get through it-"
She broke me off.  "Flynn, I didn't marry you because you were tough.  It's perfectly natural to be upset right now - you would seem really weird if you weren't sad.  And you've helped me already - just the fact that I know you're here with me? That's a comfort, and-"
I cut her off, almost accidentally blurting the rest of my concerns.
After that, I was just mad at myself and walked away from her.  My thoughts were racing and I could hardly hear her yelling at me.
Why did I even ever drag her into this?  And now I was really messing up our relationship.  We hadn't really talked much since Friday - we'd just sat around.  Why had I messed this up?
I was just so mad at myself, and I know I shouldn't have been.
"...You'd best turn around and calm down.  Getting-"
I thought about and realized that by walking away, I wasn't doing anything good for the relationship, either.
I froze, turned on my heel, and grabbed her up into a kiss.  She jumped in surprise, and I think I almost knocked her over with my suddenness.  I put my arms around her and held her as closely as I could - I didn't want to let go of her.  The past couple of days, I'd been so on edge about waking up someday and finding HER gone, too!
Finally, I took my lips from hers, but I still held her closely.
"What in the world?  I don't - I mean..." She fumbled, and I could tell she was horribly confused.
"Just thank you for being you.  And not blaming me for anything when I deserve blame-"
She cut me off.  "Excuse me, but you do not deserve to be blamed for this.  It was Tangled Fa-"
I didn't want to get into it again, so I brushed my lips with hers, long enough to silence her.
"You're terrible, you know that?  I'm trying to say something, something possibly important, and all you want to do is KISS me?"
I finally saw some of her silly spunk, and I smiled at her, deciding to make this moment of sudden silliness a bit longer.
"Well, what other way could I get you to be quiet?  Usually, you're like a dog with a bone - once you have something, you don't drop it till it's all said and done.  But hey, it worked - didn't it?"
She fumbled around for the rest of the sentence in order to prove me wrong, and she failed.
I tried to suppress a laugh, and grinned at her.
"You're bad, but I love you anyway."  She gave me a small, sweet smile, full of innocence.  I also noticed how happy she seemed to be, now that I was...teasing her?  Uh, okay...but hey, if it makes my girl happy, I'll tease her to no end!
I gave her another quick little kiss.
"You're a little over the top now, hon."
"Well, I haven't kissed you at all since Thursday, so I need to catch up!" I joked with an attempt at an innocent face.
She rolled her eyes, but then at the mention of Thursday, she immediately sobered.  Her lovely smile faded again, and her eyes clouded over with grief again.
My own smile faded, and I felt bad for bringing it up.  
I brought her chin up and she looked at me.  "I know what you're thinking...please stop."
I kissed her again, and she pressed into the kiss, almost like she desperately needed something to distract her.
I finally pulled away, and she took in a shuddery breath that made my heart twinge with sadness.
"Tomorrow, I WILL confront Tangled Fan.  She'll give me the scoop on this whole situation, or at least she'd better!"
I was afraid she'd end up getting tossed away if Tangled Fan got too mad or something.  I didn't see Tangled Fan doing that, but you never know.
"It's not worth getting into a fight over," I warned.
"You know what?  If she wants to toss me out in the Dumpster because I want my kids back, she can!" She said with such bitterness, I was taken aback slightly.
I desperately wanted to distract her again.  I needed that funny little moment of happiness back.
"See...I told you.  Like a dog with a bone." I winked at her, and she gave me a slightly flustered little smile.  She quieted down after that, and I rubbed my hand on her back; she leaned up against me.  I decided that even if we didn't get the girls back, that I should be thankful for my sweet wife.  And from now on, I was going to do anything in my power to seem unconcerned and to keep HER unconcerned, too.  Wish me luck, guys - it's gonna take a LOT to get her to stop worrying.