Archive of Our Own ^beta

~ Matrimonial Mishaps ~

The summer was coming to an end and so were Regina and Archie’s last days of being single. Regina and Robin were exchanging their vows at Cinderella’s Castle in the Magical Kingdom while Archie and Selene opted for a small ceremony at nearby Lake Eola. The couples had been planning every aspect of their weddings for months. Regina spent thousands of dollars to make her wedding day special. It was her second wedding and for the first time she was looking forward to walking down the aisle. The first time she considered a shotgun wedding with her mother holding a symbolic shotgun in the form of her magic if her daughter dared to back out though she’d been sent through a magic mirror to Wonderland prior to Regina speaking her vows.

Regina would walk down the aisle as the Evil Queen reformed in a royal blue velvet gown with a sweetheart neckline and princess skirt that Snow found in the former queen’s collection of elegant dresses she once wore. Regina had a difficult time deciding which gown she wanted to wear so she’d asked her friends for help. Emma, knowing very little about fashion left the decision to the others. Selene started giggling. Her own wedding dress was teal blue with a sweetheart neckline and sheath skirt with a matching wrap. She modeled it after the dress worn by actress Carey Lowell in the final scene of the James Bond movie License To Kill, a favorite of theirs as was the ending song, “If You Asked Me To” which they chose as their song. Robin and Regina’s was ‘Everything I Do, I Do It For You’ from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Regina’s wedding was being catered by Disney but Rumple insisted on making the cake himself as he would for Archie and Selene. He chose a forest theme for Regina and Robin’s and Archie and Selene’s would be Dalmatian themed. Robin and Regina’s cake was a large square apple cinnamon with green buttercream icing surrounded by trees with the bride and groom standing atop a hill under a red heart shaped archway of roses. Archie and Selene’s was a three layered marble cake with French Vanilla icing and dark chocolate paw shaped spots. They chose Pongo and Perdy as their cake topper and the couple would stand beneath a white heart shaped archway of roses with more Dalmatians on every layer of the cake, representing the 101 Dalmatians.

Roland would serve as his father and stepmother’s ring bearer and Killian was going to serve as Archie and Selene’s. Regina had two people she could choose from to walk her down the aisle and give her away but in her heart she felt that duty belonged to the one she loved the most…Henry. Emma would stand as her matron of honor and Little John of course would be best man. For so long Roger Dearly never thought he would have the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle and give her away and it was going to be painful for him to do so now that they’d been reunited. Selene wanted Belle to be her matron of honor and Geppetto would stand at the altar with his friend as best man.

Two weeks before the weddings the group flew back to Florida but this time Rumple rented a house for all of them to stay in and as he had in the hotel, he searched every inch of it for signs of germs before he allowed anyone to step foot in it.

“Poke fun all you wish dearies but you’ll be thanking me when none of you get sick.” he informed them.

“I wish we had things like this back in our world,” Donna, Geppetto’s mother said to her son and husband. They were adjusting well in their new world thanks to their son and his friends. Donna worked with Peri at her shop and Stephen with his son.

The group also went back to Disney to say hello to some old friends, namely the actors they met portraying their favorite characters. When asked where the other children went, Emma and Bae explained that they were fostering them until they found new homes and noticed that the spot where Rasputin’s toy store once stood had an ice cream shop in its place, reminding them of Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Delights back in Storybrooke. The girls wouldn’t be able to attend the weddings because of being so busy before all the kids went back to school but Elsa promised she would have gifts for each couple when they returned to Storybrooke.

Unfortunately a few days later Regina returned to the house in an Evil Queen-esq rage and ready to turn the Magic Kingdom into Magic Hell after the news she received when she went to speak to someone about her wedding at the end of the week. When she called weeks earlier she was assured everything was taken care of and now it seemed that Cinderella’s Castle had been overbooked and her wedding was cancelled and they wanted her to reschedule.

“Reschedule….RESCHEDULE!? Are you kidding me?! All of my guests are already here, I’ve spent thousands of dollars already on this wedding and you want me to RESCHEDULE?” she raged. She wanted to turn the woman behind that desk into something that crawled on its belly but remembered she was not allowed to use magic around the outsiders.

“Miss Mills….we will certainly refund you the cost of…”

“Oh you bet you will! Never, never have I seen such incompetence. If the castle was already overbooked, I should have been told that goddam day when I called to ask about it, not wait until just before my wedding to tell me!”

“Ummm…we had an issue with our computer system and….”

“Blame the computers. How quaint. Who operates them? The Seven Dwarves? If not I know a few who are more intelligent than that even when they do wear on my last nerve, and you, dear are wearing on my last nerve with your idiocy! I am not rescheduling my wedding. In fact, you can pay me back what you owe me, plus compensation for my troubles and if you think you can get away with NOT doing it…you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”

“They most certainly will be hearing from me dearie,” Rumple vowed after she told him what happened. “But let’s handle that after you come back from your cruise. I can assure you THAT won’t be cancelled.”

“What the hell am I going to do, Rumple? We had this all planned…”

“Why don’t you have your wedding at Lake Eola with ours?” Archie suggested.

“But I don’t want to interfere with your special day…” Regina said.

“We don’t have to have both ceremonies at the same time…maybe an hour or two apart with the reception after.”

“But didn’t the priest you have for yours say he had something else scheduled after your wedding?”

Selene laughed. “Knowing Father Billingham, it’s watching something on TV but I’m sure he can change his plans if I ask him to.”

Regina turned to her fiancé. “Robin?”

“I like the idea of being married at the lake better,” he confessed.

“You didn’t want to get married at the castle to begin with, did you?”

“No. We didn’t need all that pomp and circumstance. All we needed was the two of us and a holy man. Friar Tuck could’ve done the job back in Storybrooke but I agreed because it was what you wanted.”

“I wish you would have told me that was how you felt or I wouldn’t have gotten us into this mess,” Regina said sadly. “Don’t ever think you have to do everything I want to make me happy. That was what I used to do for my mother….and look where it got me….miserable.”

He hugged her. “I’m sorry I never said anything. Next time I will. Even if you don’t like it and kick me out of bed for a day or two.”

Regina grinned. “The best part about fighting is making up afterwards….right ladies?”

All of the women nodded in agreement.

“Selene can you give Father Billingham a call and ask him if he wouldn’t mind conducting two weddings?”

“I certainly can.”

Father Billingham was more than happy to preside over Regina and Robin’s ceremony and invited the couple over to his home to talk with them so that he could revise his sermon accordingly. Their religion in their old world had similarities with Catholicism with one distinct difference, the Enchanted Forest people were polytheists, having gods and goddesses for different things as ancient Greeks and Romans did. He also had a lengthy discussion with them about marriage and what each of them expected from the other, just as he did with Archie and Selene. Though he could never marry, he did everything within his power to keep couples and families together, except in cases of domestic abuse. It saddened him to see so many people in this day and age so unwilling to work out their issues first before contemplating divorce but he had the impression the two couples he spoke to were going to be until death did they part.

Killian awoke at five AM the following Saturday and tiptoed down the hall to Archie’s bedroom. The groom was sound asleep with Pongo lying on the bed by his feet. Killian smothered a giggle and pulled up the covers to crawl underneath them. Alerted to another presence in the room, Pongo growled softly until Killian poked his head out from under the cover and put a finger to his lips.

What is that boy up to now? the Dalmatian pondered.

“HEYYY ARCHIE! WAKE UP! IT’S YOUR WEDDING DAY!” the toddler screamed in Archie’s ear.

“What the…Killian Gold….dammit boy have you lost your mind?!”Archie cried, having been so startled that he almost fell out of bed.

Killian started laughing. “Didn’t want ya to sleep in.”

Archie glared at him and set him down on the floor. “I’m wide awake now! Now go on back to bed before your parents catch you and you end up with a sore backside.”

“Hey, just preparing ya for when ya have kids,” the little pirate said with a smirk and ran out of the bedroom.

Archie facepalmed himself. “Pongo, tell me the gods will be merciful and let me have an easy child to raise,” he begged his pet.

I’m going to have enough trouble with my own litter, the Dalmatian whined.

The toddler’s next stop was Selene’s room. Perdy was sleeping in her bed and woke up when she heard Killian creep into the room. He put a finger to his lips and crawled onto the bed. “Seleneeeee….wakey wakey!”

“Oh!” Selene gasped in horror and pulled the blankets up when she saw the toddler in her bed, wishing she hadn’t worn the nightgown she bought for her wedding night a night early. “Killian….what are you…?”

“Ummm…was you an Archie doin the nasty ‘fore ya kicked him back to his room? Girls only wear stuff like that when they do.”

“Good God, get your mind out of the gutter and go back to bed!” she scolded.

“Better get used to this Selene cause when ya have kids, they’re gonna do it,” the little pirate giggled and ran out of the room.

“Bloody hell,” she groaned.

Killian’s final stop was to Regina’s room. He was expecting to find her alone but she wasn’t. Robin was sleeping beside her. The little pirate chuckled and crawled onto the bed between them. “YOU WAS DOIN THE NASTY ‘FORE YOU’RE MARRIED. I’M TEE-LLING!” he yelled.

“Killian, will you get the heck outta here!” Regina cried, covering herself as much as she could with the bedcovers.

“Didn’t want ya to sleep in!” he threw over his shoulder when he jumped off the bed and left the room. He was on his way down the hall when he collided with his grandfather.

“Killian Gold! Are ye waking the whole house up again?” he scolded. The boy looked down at his feet, unable to meet Rumple’s eyes. “That’s what I thought,” he added when he saw Archie, Selene, Robin and Regina coming out of their rooms, all of them irritated and they could hear Aria screaming in Emma and Bae’s room. Emma picked up their daughter to quiet her down while Bae went out in the hall to find out what the fuss was about. His unspoken question was quickly answered when he saw his son surrounded by a group of upset adults.

He slapped his forehead. “Not again! Killian, what did we tell you about busting into peoples’ rooms without knocking and at all hours?”

“Not to,” he mumbled.

“Then don’t do it again,” Emma warned as she came out of the bedroom with Aria. “And now you have five minutes in the corner.”

Killian marched off to the corner with his head bowed in shame. “M’sorry,” he sniffled as he walked past the adults.

“Well, dearies, you might as well get dressed and I’ll get breakfast ready,” Rumple said.

“Do you need any help, Papa?” Bae asked.

“Just setting up,” he said.

By the time everyone was awake, showered and dressed, Rumple had all of the food prepared and in serving dishes. He made four sets of eggs: scrambled, sunny side up, omelets and egg in a basket for the Dearlys. There was a large bowl of bacon, toast, pancakes; some of them made into shapes for the children and homefries. The Dearlys and the Carlyles were astounded….it was enough food to feed a small army.

“If you go away from Papa’s table hungry, it’s your own fault,” Bae said while he and the other men set up tables for a buffet.

“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Nick chuckled.

Robin watched with admiration as his future wife helped Roland gather up the items he wanted for his breakfast. She’d come so far since her days as the Evil Queen. He was stunned at first when she asked him out after she and the others changed back into their adult selves. He couldn’t help seeing that mischievous little girl she had been and part of him still remembered how difficult it was for his family when she had a price on his head. They spent most of their first few dates talking about all of those issues as well as Regina’s own troubled past.

“I know it doesn’t excuse everything I’ve done…but I just wanted you to know….” she confessed.

“The important thing is that you took responsibility for your actions and are trying to be a better person,” he said. “That’s more than I can say for some people back in our world. They're content to just carry on like nothing ever happened and you can’t always do that because sooner or later it will come back to haunt you.”

Regina understood this all too well.

They both agreed that they would never forget their past loves but also wouldn’t compare each other to them either. They were all different people and unless they could accept that fact, the relationship stood no chance of lasting. Robin had every confidence it would work between them, Regina still had lingering doubts until the day he went down on one knee before her and presented her with an engagement ring he spent every dollar he saved on and also sold a large quantity of the items he stole back in the Forest to Rumple. Rumple assumed he was using the money to get himself settled in Storybrooke. It was partially true. He planned on buying a house but that was before he asked Regina to marry him. She was content to have them live in her house. Now he didn’t care where they lived. They were together and that was all that mattered.

Belle and Peri helped Rumple clean up after breakfast while the others helped the two couples get dressed for their weddings. It was supposed to be a beautifully sunny day with light winds according to the weather reports.

“It’s gonna be hot as hell and if I have to wear a dress, I’m wearing the lightest thing possible….unless I go au naturel…” Emma said with a smirk, earning herself swats from both her mother and her mother-in-law.

“You are NOT Emma Gold so don’t you even think about it!” Snow yelled at her daughter.

“Okay, okay….take a chill pill Mom. Not like I’d do it anyway with you ready to whomp my ass over it.”

“We do have to do the something new, old, borrowed and blue,” Anita reminded them.

“We already have something blue Mum. Our dresses,” Selene pointed out with a giggle.

“You still need something old.” Anita held a black velvet jewelry case out to her daughter.

Selene opened it and found a set of pearls inside, her eyes filling with tears. “Nana’s pearls….”

“I promised you when you were a little girl you would wear them on your wedding day. I worried for the longest time I’d never get the chance to see it…”

Anita fastened the strand around her daughter’s neck and hugged her. “Three generations of Radcliffe women have worn those pearls. I’m hoping you can give us a fourth one.”

Peri snickered. “You’d better take the hint Selene,” she teased.

Emma came forward holding a lace garter in her hand. “My little contribution for something new. Make him work for it. Me, I would’ve made Bae go after it with his teeth if there weren’t kids around.”

Snow slapped her forehead. “Are you ever going to stop trying to drive me up a wall?” she demanded.

Regina laughed. “Better you than me!”

“Oh, shut up!”

Emma handed Regina her garter. The former Evil Queen grinned, lifted her skirt and put the scrap of lace on her thigh as high as it would go up.

“Mine is going to work for it,” she murmured.
Snow handed Regina a box. Inside it was a pair of earrings the queen recognized immediately as a set Leopold had given his daughter for her birthday the year before he died. They were tear shaped diamonds with blue sapphires in the center.

“Snow….”

“They go with your dress.”

“I’ll give them back as soon as the ceremony is over,” Regina promised.

Belle smiled as she handed Regina her box. Inside it was a bracelet Regina had seen in Rumple’s shop many times over the years but never worked up the courage to ask him if she could buy it or where it came from. It was a gold band in the shape of an olive branch with several notches to hang charms from and now there were several: a book, a spinning wheel, an apple and a ship’s wheel; representing the old Nevengers.

“Rumple knew you’ve had your eye on this for a long time so he took it out of the display case and made the charms for it so that you had your own little reminder of the old Nevengers.”

“Thank you Belle.”

Belle handed a smaller box to Selene. Inside it was a rose pin Rumple made for her as a gift after they were reunited. She pinned it to the front of the other woman’s dress.

“I’ll make sure to get it back to you before we leave for England,” Selene vowed.

“All right ladies, let’s get going. You have some very anxious grooms,” Snow teased.

Henry was waiting for his mother out in the hall and linked his arm through hers. Regina smiled.

“What a handsome boy we have, Emma,” she murmured. He was wearing a green velvet doublet with black velvet pants and black suede boots.

“As handsome as his father,” Emma added.

“You look great, Mom! Robin’s gonna be speechless when he sees you.”

“Hopefully not so much he forgets his vows!” Emma teased. Regina swatted at her and they went outside to get into the limousines that would take them to the lake.

Both brides would ride to the actual ceremony in a Victorian carriage drawn by two white Draft horses provided by Downtown Horse and Carriage, a company based in Florida that served many areas, including Orlando. Belle found them while she was doing an internet search on places that provided carriage rides for weddings, fearing she would only find them in New York.

“What are their names?” Regina asked the driver.

“Penny and Trixie,” he replied.

“You are such beauties,” she crooned to the horses as she and Selene petted them.

The two women climbed into the carriage while the rest of the party waited for them at the lake. Archie and Selene would exchange their vows beneath the Chinese Pagoda and Robin and Regina would exchange theirs in front of the lake.

Roger was waiting for Selene when she arrived with Perdy on her leash. She could see Archie standing under the pagoda with Pongo. The Dalmatians insisted on being part of the ceremony after hearing Dipstick and Jewel talk about how the first Pongo and Perdy had their own ceremony during Roger and Anita’s wedding. Unfortunately, they didn’t mention that they also invited every animal friend they made and they were all on their way to the lake that that moment.

Roger held back his tears while he walked his daughter to her groom. He feared he would never have this opportunity in the years Selene was missing but now that the day had come, he wasn’t quite ready to give up his little girl yet though he knew he had to and he couldn’t have asked for a better son-in-law than Archie Hopper.

To say that the groom was speechless when he saw his bride was an understatement. The dress was familiar to both of them but Archie thought it looked much better on his future wife than the actress in License To Kill and he was nearly roasting in his tuxedo and it wasn’t just from the weather. His bride was having an equally difficult time trying to catch her breath when she saw him in his black tuxedo and matching blue vest the set off his eyes perfectly.

“Who gives this woman in marriage?” Father Billingham questioned.

“I do. Her father, Roger Dearly and her mum Anita,” Roger croaked. He kissed Selene’s cheek and placed her hand in Archie’s. “Love you poppet…”

Father Billingham faced the crowd, the speech he had prepared different from any other he’d conducted before as it was not a traditionally Catholic service as the many others he performed were. His peers were shocked that he was willing to perform a non-Catholic service but he didn’t mind it at all, he just had to make a few minor adjustments to his sermons.

"I want all of you...married or single to think for a moment and ask yourselves what you believe makes a marriage last. In this day and age, we've seen some unions last and some that have not. If you are still married, what is it that keeps you together and if you are not, what is it that you could have done differently or how would you make the marriage last? The traditional wedding vows a couple speaks during a ceremony are for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do you part. We are aware that in some cases, a marriage must end for the good of all concerned, but what about in other times?"

The couples in the crowd looked each other, all of them a testament to what made a true marriage work. They all had difficulties in their lives but what made it easier was them working them out together.

Once the father was finished the bride and groom faced each other to speak their vows, opting to use their own instead of the traditional ones but it didn't matter. They were promising each other before God and their guests the very same things in their own unique way.

“Before I met you, I used to think that things like love at first sight and happily ever after only existed in fairy tales,” Selene began. “I never imagined it would ever happen to me. Our meeting may have been a clever arrangement made by a group of children but call it God's work, fate or whatever, I started believing again that anything was possible. I know we'll face challenges in our marriage but I have every confidence that you will be strong for me during these times as I will be for you. I promise you before God and our family and friends that I will be a faithful wife to you and love you until the end of our days."

Archie smiled. "For so may years I thought helping others find their own happiness was all I ever needed to make my life complete. It took a group of very special children to prove me wrong."

In their seats the former Nevengers looked at each other and grinned.

"I vow to you that there will never be another woman in my life but you until the end of my days and no matter what the Fates have in store for us, I will stand by your side and face any problem with you...because to me that it is what true love...and a true marriage is."

Belle and Geppetto handed the couple their rings. "With this ring I bind myself to you and no other," they said.

"What God has brought together, let no man tear asunder. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride, Archie," Father Billingham said with a smile.

"WOO HOO....give 'er the tongue, Archie!" Killian hooted. Bae facepalmed himself. Emma groaned. The newlyweds blushed.

"Killian!" Emma hissed.

Ignoring the commotion behind them, Archie took his new bride into his arms for their first kiss as a married couple.

"I love you," Archie whispered to his wife.

"I love you," Selene said softly and kissed him again.

They heard a screams coming from someone in the park and turned around to see a flock of animals running toward the pagoda including dogs, cats, birds and crickets. Fish jumped in and out of the water, splashing some onto the pagoda. Archie pulled Selene back before she got soaked but Father Billingham was not so lucky.

"Oh my God! It's just like our wedding!" Roger gasped. Anita shook her head.

Pongo, Perdy, Jewel and Dipstick started barking at a pack of dogs approaching them. Several of them jumped onto the chairs where guests were sitting, startling them.

"Get off, get off! You're getting paw prints on my dress!" cried Regina to one of the poodles.

One of the cats was startled by a dog and jumped onto Rumple's lap hissing while the dog barked at it.

Calm down dearie! he sent to the cat.

Get that fleabag away from me!

"Rumple, do something!" Belle cried. A bird flew over her and droppings landed on her head. "Oh!"

"Sposta be good luck!" Killian laughed. Belle glared at him.

"Dipstick! Bad dog!" Roger scolded when the Dalmatian nearly tripped Andrea and her husband when they were trying to get to a safe spot and urinated on their shoes.

"Jewel, you come back here...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Anita yelled at her Dalmatian when she found it under one of the chairs with a Golden Retriever. "Dammit, there's a time and a place for that but not here!"

"Daddy, are those dogs doing...?" Bobby asked his father. Nick covered the boy's eyes while Peri covered Annie's and they led the children away from the scene.

All right ye lot! Halt! Rumple commanded. All the animals and insects froze in their spots. Now you clear outta here before ye get locked up by Animal Control!

They retreated slowly, all of them apologizing for the mess. Rumple wanted to fix the damage with magic but with the Disney workers in attendance he would have to use conventional methods. After everyone was cleaned up as best they could be they walked over to the opposite end of the lake for the second ceremony.

"It's time, Mom," Henry said softly.

She linked her arm through his. "Lead the way, my little prince."

This is the wedding I should've had the first time, Mother, she thought. We could've been so happy if you'd chosen love over all that power but you thought love was a weakness and you missed out on so much. So did I when I allowed myself to be like you.

At the altar Robin was trying to keep himself calm, thankful he refused Friar Tuck's offer to take a few sips from his flask like he did at his first wedding and was partially intoxicated when the ceremony started while Friar Tuck was already drunk and slurring his words so much that they had to keep asking him what he was saying. Marian was furious and threatened Robin with spending his wedding night outside unless he sobered up. That did the trick.

Though he had already seen his bride's gown, he found himself incapable of speech for a moment or two while she walked toward him on the arm of her beloved oldest son, a bright smile on her lips. He knew her first wedding had been a difficult one and wanted this one to be everything she dreamed of…as long as there wasn’t another animal kingdom interruption.

“Who gives this woman in marriage?” inquired Father Billingham.

“I do. Her son, Henry Mills Gold!” Henry declared proudly and hugged her. “I love you, Mom.” He reached for her hand and placed it in Robin's frowning at the former outlaw. “You better treat her right Robin or I'm gonna hex you!”

“Henry!” Regina cried.

Robin laughed. “You would too but don’t you worry. Your mother's gonna be fine with me.”

Now it was Regina's turn to be speechless. Her groom was wearing a blue velvet doublet the same shade as her gown with black velvet pants and his leather boots, recalling the days when Marian Lyonesse was still her friend and lady-in-waiting telling her how fetching she found the outlaw once known as Lord Robin Locksley, regretting arranging the other woman’s betrothal to Keith Nottingham when Marian despised him and called him a lecher. And like everyone else who tried to get close to her, Regina drove Marian away but the words she spoke to her that last day replayed in her mind.

“You're miserable and you want everyone else to be. Mark my words Regina: you will never be happy unless you melt that ice around your heart!”

What would you think of me now Marian? I am about to marry your husband and raise your son like he is my own. I will never let either of them forget you. I owe you that. And I'm sure you never imagined it would take being a child again to melt the ice around my heart but it did.

Father Billingham smiled at the couple as he began the speech he'd written for them. “Robin and Regina, you come here today to join your families and yourselves together and that is a blessing in itself. You are giving each other and your children what you all want: another parent and a lifelong partner. It does not always take the love of two people to build a successful marriage, a family can build that foundation as well and Roland and Henry have committed themselves to that by giving their parents their blessings on this union. As you all embark on this venture together, keep in mind that at times you will face adversity but as long as you keep your faith in your hearts, you will weather the storms together and come out stronger because of it.”

Now it was their turn to speak their vows, Robin wanting to go first. “This is a second chance for both of us Regina, an opportunity rarely granted in this life. I swear to you that you and our sons will always come first in my lie from this moment on and that you will never have to feel like an ornament on my arm. We may not always agree on issues and sometimes we'll do and say things we shouldn’t but I'll still be here when you need me to be. We're going to make this second chance we've been given the best time in our lives….together…and with our friends and our children.”

The former Evil Queen dabbed at her eyes with the Kleenex Emma tossed at her and cleared her throat before she started to speak.

“I consider myself lucky to have been given a second chance after everything I've done but there is no one else I would rather spend it with than you and our sons. When you saw me again, you had many reasons to walk away and never look back but instead, you came to me with an open heart and an open mind, willing to take a chance on me, to see me as Regina, not the cold, cruel woman you remembered. I thought the woman I wanted to be died so long ago but through a series of mishaps I found her again and with her the courage to find not the love I lost, but a new one and another chance to be a mother again. And I swear to you that I will be the woman you believed in even if I do drive you crazy at times.” She laughed. “Because, after all you were the one who said you liked your queen with a little spice.”

More laughter was heard from the guests, all of them knowing just how spicy the reformed queen could get.

Emma was still snickering when she handed Regina her ring. “Gonna get plenty of that spice tonight, isn't he?” she whispered.

“Oh of course,” Regina whispered back with a smirk.

“With this ring I bind myself to you and no other,” they said in unison.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride Robin.”

“An don’t be doin the nasty up there either!”yelled Killian.

“Hush lad!” ordered Rumple. Belle giggled.

“That’s our Killian. Always has to have the last word.”

“Let's see how that little pirate friend of ours likes this!” Regina cried and took her husband into her arms for a breath stealing kiss.

Snow fanned herself. “Did it just get even hotter out here?”

Now all the married women men were giving their husbands heated looks.

“C’mon guys…save it for later an ya better lock the door cause I don’t wanna see it!” Bobby warned his parents. Nick facepalmed himself.

“Okay let's go eat,” Bae said quickly before his son could say something.

The wedding feast, catered by a company in Orlando was built according to the requests of both couples. There was spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread, chicken nuggets shaped like animals with macaroni and cheese for the kids, along with choices of New York strip steak and grilled chicken breasts with mashed potatoes, corn, green beans and peas. They also had a soup and salad mini bar with Italian wedding soup, chicken noodle soup and New England clam chowder.

Once everyone was seated, Geppetto stood up to do the first toast. “Nothing pleases me more than to see my best friend finally find his own happy ending….even if it did take him a long time and with a lot of pushing to get it! Selene, you couldn’t ask for a better husband and Archie, you couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wife.” he joked. “To Archie and Selene!”

“Archie and Selene!” The guests clinked their glasses together, wishing the couple the best of luck. Now it was Little John's turn to stand up.

“Regina, you have my deepest sympathy for putting up with this pain in the rump! He'll drive you to drink sometimes. But… in all seriousness, I'm glad you two are together and can make it work for you. You both deserve it. To Robin and Regina!”

“Robin and Regina!”

At the main table little Aria was fascinated with all the food she saw her family eating and tried grabbing everything she could off her parents plates.

“No baby doll, you can’t have that yet,” Bae said gently when she grabbed some potatoes and tried to eat them, getting them all over her face instead.

“You trying to be Missus Tater Head?” Killian asked her. She grabbed another handful when her father wasn’t looking and threw it across the table at her brother, clapping excitedly.

“Taeeee!” she declared, pointing at him.

“Yeah guess you can call me Mister Tater Head.”

“Aria! Bad! We don’t throw food at the table!” Emma scolded.

Two of her children looked at each other and smirked.

“Don’t you dare…” Bae hissed.

“I thought for sure a food fight would break out,” Archie said to Regina. She grinned, picked up her plate of potatoes and mashed them in his face. “Regina!”

“You asked for it. My last duty as a Nevenger. Okay team, get it rolling!”

Selene grinned and dropped her piece of chicken on her husband's lap. “Do the chicken dance honey!”she cooed.

Belle dumped her chocolate pudding on her husband’s shirt. “Chocolate Covered Beast… my favorite!”

Rumple smirked and catapulted whipped cream at her. “Noithing sweeter than cream covered Belle…” he murmured.

“Now you're gonna be Missus Tater Head!” Killian cried and tossed a pile of potatoes at his sister. She lowered her head and the pile hit Bae instead, blowing a raspberry.

Bae grabbed a straw and fired a volley of peas at his sons. “It’s Bae for the win with the pea shooter!”

The next thing he knew a plate of macaroni and cheese was dumped on his head. “And Henry Mills Gold makes a fantastic comeback with a Mac Attack!” Henry announced, earning hi fives from Bobby, Annie, Killian and Roland.

Archie threw mashed potatoes at his wife. “Can you do the mashed potato sweetheart?”

“Oh yes….with a bit of GRAVY!” she taunted and poured the now cold gravy all over the front of his shirt.

Regina dumped her salad bowl all over Robin. “Oh look, it's Tossed Hood!”

“How you like THESE apples!” He dumped his apple pie all over the front of her dress.

“We are never going to be allowed to hire this catering company again!” Emma joked while all around her their family and friends clobbered each other with everything on the menu, unaware that the catering staff was enjoying every minute of it and started joining in until Rumple started going around with a can of wipes trying to clean everyone up.

“Awww crap…disinfecting time!” Killian groaned.

After everyone was cleaned up, the DJ asked Archie and Selene to go out onto the dance floor. Roger and Anita watched with tears in their eyes while their now grown up daughter shared her first dance with her husband, recalling that Cruella kept her isolated most of her life denying her the chance to go to proms, always ruining any chances at happiness she had with a man. They agreed whole heartedly with the best man that she couldn’t have asked for a better man than Archie Hopper.

“This has been the best day of my life,” Selene murmured.

“Even with the animal kingdom invasion?”

“Even with that…I was too busy looking at you. You'll wear that tux again in England.”

“As long as you wear this dress…”

“I’m glad you didn’t answer my emails…it was so much better seeing you in person.”

“I acted like I didn’t want to find someone on this trip but I did. I was tired of living alone, tired of seeing other men with children and wondering if I'd ever have one of my own.”

Two weeks prior to the wedding they were both given checkups and assured they could have children as well as what risks were involved at their ages. They wanted to try on their own for two years but if they weren’t successful, they would adopt.

“We'll have a family even if we adopt,” his wife assured him. “And puppies…”

“Thank God we decided to get a house! Fifteen puppies will not fit in the apartment!”

“At least it’s not 101 Dalmatians! Mum went crazy when Dad talked her into taking them in instead of sending them to the pound.”

“And my children will have the life I never did,” Archie said firmly. “No running cons, no stealing, and not having parents they’d rather turn into dolls than live with!”

“Or crazy women kidnapping them and making them miserable most of their lives!”

When their dance was over Archie kissed his wife and walked her over to where Roger was waiting to dance with Selene. He was still in tears as he held her close to him, cursing Cruella again for all the years he missed with her while Archie comforted Anita.

“I wish I could’ve remembered sooner,” Selene sniffled.

“Somehow I think you wouldn’t have found Archie if you did. I hate what that woman did but some good did come out of it. You have a good husband and soon you can give us some grandchildren.”

“We’ll either have our own or adopt, Dad. We talked about it.”

Roger smiled. “It doesn’t matter poppet. Any child you have will be happy.”

Their song was over and now it was Regina and Robin’s turn to share a dance. Henry stood off to the side waiting for his moment to dance with his mother though he knew she wished her father could’ve been there to see her finally have her happy ending.

“You were right. This was better than being at Cinderella’s Castle,” Regina murmured. “No annoying staff rushing us around….just us and all our friends.”

“No insane mothers…” Robin added.

“Do you think Roland will be okay with Bae and Emma while we’re gone?”

“Killian and the Carlyles will keep him busy but we’ll make sure to check in with him every night. Hopefully they’ll stay out of trouble.”

Regina laughed. “He’s a Nevenger. We look for it.”

“You’re officially retired.”

“I know I’m going to enjoy my retirement. I just hope you have the energy for it, my outlaw.”

“Don’t I always?”

“Yes you do.” She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder as he held her tighter. “You and our boys always keep me in line.”

“It was funny seeing you as a little girl though, even when you try to drown me in tea.”

“You started it by dumping your plates on me so I had my self a little tea party!”

“We’ll have to come back again….just the four of us.”

“We will,” she vowed.

Regina would never be able to bear children of her own. She found out shortly before she adopted Henry and learned to accept it though it was devastating at first. She was content raising the two wonderful boys she had and had wonderful plans for her family once everything settled down. She wanted to see as much of this world they now lived in as she could and there was no one she wanted to do it with than her husband and sons.

Robin spun her around into a graceful dip as the song ended and kissed her. “She’s all yours now, Henry.”

Henry walked up to her and bowed as a gentleman did at a ball and held out his hand. “May I have this dance, Mom?”

“You certainly can, my little prince.”

Henry had a difficult time trying to find a song that was just right for him and Regina to dance to since it wasn’t his wedding. He finally decided on I’m Your Angel by Celine Dion because she often told him that she felt he saved her from losing herself completely in the darkness like her mother and he was proud of her for the changes she made in her life now that she’d been given a second chance.

“You’re growing up so fast…and soon you’ll get married and I’ll be a grandmother…”

“Not for a while yet Mom so you have nothing to worry about,” he assured her.

Oh Daddy, you should be here too and you’re not….because I was such a fool and I had no one to blame but myself. But I will never forget you…and I hope if we see each other in the afterlife…you can forgive me…

“Mom, it’s okay,” Henry crooned, drying her eyes with a handkerchief. “He would forgive you. I know he would.”

“How did you know I was thinking about Daddy?”

He smiled. “I know you.”

Henry walked his mother back to her groom and the DJ invited everyone onto the dance floor while he played a variety of dance songs from the 70s, 80s 90s and 2000s along with a few slow ones for the other couples to dance to. Henry even brought his baby sister out for a dance and everyone was shocked when she did not fuss at all.

Everyone was having such a wonderful time that they did not notice the dark clouds in the sky moving in from the East that would bring a terrible storm to Orlando.

“We’re going to be cutting the cakes in a few minutes so take your pictures while you can,” the DJ announced.

“You’re getting clobbered Hood,” Regina vowed with a smirk.

“Bring it on, my queen. Bring it on,” he challenged.

“I hope you’re ready to wear some wedding cake, honey,” Selene teased.
“So are you.”

“Looking forward to it.”

“I don’t like the looks of that sky Bae,” Emma said worriedly. Bae glanced up and frowned.

“I don’t either.”

“Rumple, do you think we should end the party early?” Belle asked her husband.

“It’s not our decision to make sweetheart but there is a terrible storm coming soon and even I don’t have the power to change the weather in this land.”

“All right everyone we’re going to cut the cakes. Would the brides and grooms come over to the cake table please?”

Archie and Selene approached their three layer Dalmatian cake with the ceremonial knife in their hands and lightning flashed in the sky just as they were about to cut into the bottom layer. The DJ quickly unplugged all of his electrical equipment and took shelter under the pavilion along with the rest of the guests as the rain started pouring down on them and a strong breeze blew in making the Dalmatian cake slide off the table and splatter all over Archie and Selene. The wind speed increased, lifting tables off the ground and tossing them all over the lawn while the guests tried to seek cover behind the bushes and palm trees.

“Holy hell! Where did this come from?” David exclaimed.

“I don’t know but we need to get inside somewhere quickly!” Rumple shouted over the roaring thunder. Aria screamed in terror.

They thought about driving out but none of them wanted to risk having an accident in rain heavy enough to decrease visibility even with the wipers on their maximum speeds.

“It’s okay babyboll…it’s okay,” Emma crooned, cradling her baby to her chest.

“Follow us!” Emilie yelled and she and her fellow Disney companions led the group out of the park to the closest building they could find which was a restaurant. The staff and the other diners stared at them with mouths agape. They were all soaking wet, their outfits stained with mud and food.

“You all look like drowned rats at a buffet,” sneered Lacey as she came out of the kitchen holding a tray. Rumple flicked his wrist and the tray flipped over, spilling everything all over her uniform. The former Nevengers turned their heads and started laughing.

“You look worse n’ us!” Killian taunted.

“And you really need to be more careful…and more considerate to potential customers dearie,” warned Rumple.

“Old…bastard….” she hissed.

“Better watch the mouth Lacey unless you want your ass fired,” warned Rich.

“Is there a problem?” a manager asked as he approached the group.

“Yes there is! We just got married and got caught in a storm during our reception and your employee is being rude!” snapped Regina.

“Oh goodness! Congratulations on your marriage and why don’t you all come into the banquet room and we’ll see about getting you all dried off before you catch colds and some dinner. Lacey…you will report to the office and stay there until I come back!”
She glared at them and stormed off.

Emma took Aria into the bathroom to change her while the others stayed in the banquet room trying to dry themselves off with the towels the staff provided for them while the manager turned on the heat in the room and asked the servers to take orders for what they wanted to eat and give him the bill when they were finished though Rumple insisted on paying for everything himself.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to taste your cakes, Rumple. I’m sure they were delicious,” Regina said.

“We managed to save the toppers,” Robin joked.

“I’m just glad no one got hurt. I thought for certain we were going to have a hurricane!” Archie exclaimed.

“Honey, that is mild compared to hurricane conditions,” Selene said.

“Nother venture for the Nevengers, huh guys?” Killian asked them.

“Another mishap is more like it!” Emma laughed.

“Along with a little twist on a fairy tale come true where Jiminy Cricket gets the girl…” Archie whispered and kissed his wife.

“And the Evil Queen gets Robin Hood…” Regina murmured and kissed her husband.

The wedding day mishaps came to an end in the banquet room of a Lake Eola restaurant with a group of family and friends celebrating the happy endings of the people they knew as Jiminy Cricket and the Evil Queen. It wasn’t how they planned it, but sometimes the best moments in life were the ones you didn’t plan for.