#destination dream weddings driving disasters & dented derrieres

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

Ready for Ch3, y'all? Here we go! In today's installment, we are heading to Savannah for sightseeing and the bachelor and bachelorette parties!!

Rating: T

Words: 3700 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

The second full day of their vacation dawned bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky.  It was a gorgeous day, and Emma found herself looking forward to their planned excursion in Savannah.  She donned a breezy, sleeveless, white sundress sprinkled with yellow sunflowers and her favorite pair of comfortable strappy white sandals. 

While normally one to simply toss clothing options into her suitcase, she’d needed to put a little more effort into packing on this trip with all their scheduled adventures, and today’s outfit was no exception.  They planned to spend a fair amount of time walking around Savannah today, and then she and Ruby had organized a bachelorette party for tonight.  Given the itinerary, she’d needed an outfit casual enough for a stroll through the city and yet dressy enough for a night out with the girls.

“You look tantalizing enough to tempt a man to stay home and have his wicked way with you, Swan,” Killian said, coming up behind her in the living room, wrapping his arms around her middle and nosing at her hair, before placing a not-quite-chaste kiss at the base of her neck.

She shivered in response.  When he used that tone of voice, all low and gravelly and full of sin, she nearly forgot her own name.

“What, and miss out on Savannah?” she asked, her voice far from steady.

“I’ve no doubt Savannah has many charms, Love,” he said, still peppering her with kisses, “but she couldn’t possibly hold a candle to you.”

“Oi! Get a room you two!” Will said, opening the cottage door and breezing in.  

“They already have one,” Regina said with an eye roll as she came into the room where they were all gathered, “and if we have to wait for them to make use of it, we’ll never get to Savannah, and I, for one, am looking forward to touring the cemetery.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” Emma said under her breath.

“It’s actually not creepy at all!” Belle said, standing close enough to her friend that she heard exactly what was said. “The cemeteries there are so old, there’s so much history!  It’s fascinating.”

“I’m interested in taking a stroll along the river, getting a gander at the establishments and riverboats,” Liam said.

“I’d like to walk through the squares under the shade of all of those big, beautiful live oaks,” Mary Margaret said.  “I wonder why they’re called live oaks?”

“It’s because they are semi-deciduous,” Graham said. “They never lose all of their leaves.  There’s also a bit about the Spanish moss that clings to them–which is neither Spanish, nor moss, by the way. It got its name because…”

“Let’s save the botany lectures for the road,” Regina said dismissively.  “It’s an hour and a half drive, and if we wait for everyone to share all their collective knowledge, we’ll never get there.”

“Regina, did you just call us smart?” Will asked.

“You’re the exception that proves the rule,” she snarked.

With only one day to spend in Savannah, they knew they couldn’t possibly see everything they hoped to see, and so they planned on splitting up - Emma, Killian, Elsa and Liam taking the riverwalk, Regina, Robin, Roland, Belle and Will touring Bonaventure Cemetery, and Graham, Ruby, Mary Margaret and David strolling through the various squares and touring the shopping district.

With their plans made, they headed to their respective cars for the drive north.

Two hours later, Emma and Killian walked hand in hand down the sidewalk overlooking the river.  It was a beautiful day, quite mild for Savannah in July and with a refreshing light breeze.

“So, you’re having dinner at The Melting Pot, right?” Killian asked. 

Emma nodded. “Then Ruby found something for dessert that she’s refused to tell even me.”

“Any idea what it might be?” he asked.

“Nope,” Emma chuckled.  “Knowing Ruby, it’ll be as risqué as she can possibly get by with and still remain within Mary Margaret’s requirements.”

“Was Ruby particularly disappointed with her stipulation against strippers?” he asked with a grin.

Emma laughed.  “Actually, it was the opposite.  She just shrugged and said it’s no big deal.  She’ll have Graham give her a strip tease when she gets home.”

Killian laughed. “And I’d assume the man in question went quite vermillion at that?”

“Naturally.”

“Killian, look at that,” Liam said, gesturing to the row of shops and restaurants across the street. “Who in their right mind would choose to name their establishment The Broken Keel?”

Killian shook his head derisively, “Bloody fools, that’s who.”

“So, I take it you aren’t interested in going there for lunch?” Elsa asked slyly.

“No!” both men shouted emphatically, causing the women to go off into peals of laughter.

The foursome continued their walk, enjoying the company and the sights of the historic district, the men particularly interested in the majestic river boats docked and awaiting passengers, and the women more interested in the shops and sculptures.

Emma had been fascinated listening to an old man with a long, white beard play his saxophone as he sat on a bench near the river.  From the alleyway behind came the sound of a man singing, clapping, and tapping his feet.  The city was so vibrant and alive and full of joie de vivre.

She turned around to comment about it to Killian, but her boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

“Looks like we lost your brother,” she commented to Liam.  “Let’s hope he didn’t fall in the river.”

Liam laughed and then gave her a look she couldn’t interpret. “I believe he headed toward the riverboats to make some inquiries.”

“Inquiries about what?” she asked.

Liam merely shrugged and then determinedly changed the subject.

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

But then Killian was rejoining their group and they were off again, and Emma put the strange incident from her mind.

~*~*~

As the day settled into evening, the men and women met up again to head to their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. While the men had reservations for a dinner at the historic Pirate’s House, Ruby announced the locations of the bachelorette party with a mischievous look in her eye.

“First, Emma made dinner reservations for us at The Melting Pot. But no dessert,” she continued, shaking her finger at them all as they ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over Emma’s choice. “I found somewhere else for that. It’s this amazing place called Better Than Sex - A Dessert Restaurant.  Who doesn’t like their cake with a spicy dose of innuendo?”

Mary Margaret groaned…although if the dessert was as good as all that, she wouldn’t complain about their plans for the night. After taking a few moments to say goodbye to their men, the ladies made their way to The Melting Pot.

After their delicious and rather entertaining meal, they walked down the street to the dessert bar. Ruby had reserved a table for a private party, and as soon as the ladies arrived, their friendly, smiling waiter led them up to a room with red walls, plush carpeting, opulent chandeliers and gauzy white curtains covering the windows and ceiling. The room was dimly lit by flickering candles that lined a long banquet table, the chandeliers being more for ambiance than illumination. The smooth jazz music issuing from the sound system completed the atmosphere, and Mary Margaret rather felt as though they were having dessert in a very fancy boudoir.

“Are you ladies celebrating anything in particular tonight?” the server asked, glancing around the group.

“It’s her bachelorette party!” Ruby announced, pointing one exquisitely manicured finger in Mary Margaret’s direction. “She’s gonna tie the knot the day after tomorrow!”

“Congratulations!” the server beamed, “and might I say, you’ve come to the right place. I’m not just saying this; these desserts are to die for. I’ll give you a chance to look over the menu.”

“Order anything you want,” Belle said to Mary Margaret, as soon as the waiter withdrew. “It’s on us; we’re all pitching in.”

Mary Margaret took a sip of the water sitting before her place setting just as she began to peruse the selections, and she almost spit out the sip she’d taken. 

“Oh my! These dessert names are…quite something,” Elsa said with a little chuckle.

“That’s one way to put it,” Mary Margaret agreed with a smile and a shake of her head. The selections on offer had spicy names such as “Pound Town”, “Berry Bondage”, “Naughty by Nature”, “Man Flowers” and “Peanut Butter Perversion.” The descriptions themselves were so steamy they wouldn’t have been out of place on the pages of one of those bodice ripper novels with a half-naked Adonis on the cover.

After some deliberation, she decided to go with the titillatingly-named Hot Sex in Savannah. “Your wildest fantasies have come true!” the menu read. “Georgia peaches have gotten frisky with a little bourbon, pecans, and roasted habanero to reproduce a smokin’ good time. As if you weren’t already having a ball, we’ve added a friend for you to flirt with...... a tickle of our house-made bacon ice cream.” 

“What’s everyone getting?” Ruby asked. “I decided to go with the ‘Between My Red Velvet Sheets Cheesecake’.”

After a little discussion, everyone made their selections. Regina ordered the ‘Missionary Crisp’--an apple and cake-like confection. Emma opted for the ‘Morning After’ to no one’s surprise–it, after all, consisted of a chocolate and brie grilled cheese. Elsa chose the ‘Perfect Partner’, essentially a sundae made from vanilla bean ice cream and white chocolate. Belle rounded out the order with the very suggestively titled ‘Caress My Carrot’, perhaps the most decadent slice of carrot cake ever baked.

The restaurant was so very committed to its naughty puns, it had a note at the bottom of the menu that said 'and no suggestive dessert is truly complete without an equally racy cocktail'. They ordered such colorful drinks as ‘Midnight Vixen’, ‘Love Potion 69’, ‘Minty Moaner’, ‘Tingly-Tini’ and ‘Peanut-Tration’.

Mary Margaret noticed that Elsa was discreetly perusing the section almost tamely-labeled ‘for virgins.’

“So….you’re foregoing the alcohol tonight, I see,” Mary Margaret said, drawing out the first word meaningfully.

“I’ve never found a cocktail I really like,” Elsa said, studiously avoiding her friend’s gaze, a small, secret smile on her lips. “And besides, we need someone to be the designated driver.”

Mary Margaret wasn’t buying that for a moment, but before she could dig deeper to find out whether the secret hunch she’d carried since overhearing Elsa and Liam’s conversation was correct, their food and drinks arrived, and with that, all other thoughts were forgotten.

For long minutes after their desserts were served, the only sounds to be heard were soft exclamations, hums of satisfaction, and moans of ecstasy. There was no doubt about it, Mary Margaret decided. These desserts did not oversell themselves. How they’d managed to turn what was essentially a peach cobbler into such a rich, decadent, and spicy explosion of flavor on her tongue was beyond her.

“So what did you think?” Ruby asked. “Did it live up to its name?”

Mary Margaret thought for a moment. “It was good. It was very good,” she repeated, “but better than sex?” She shook her head with a smug smile. “Not a chance.”

“I did not need to hear that,” Emma muttered.

But in the end, all the ladies had to agree.

~*~*~

The men emerged from their vehicles in the parking lot of The Pirate’s House, the world famous restaurant housed in one of Savannah’s oldest buildings. The structure, only a block from the riverfront, was originally built in 1734 - a year after the town’s founding - as the quarters for the keeper of the Trustees’ Garden, the first public agricultural experimental garden in America. By the early 1750’s, Savannah was a vibrant and thriving port city and The Herb House, as it had been named, was converted into an inn that attracted sailors and pirates alike. Legend said the infamous Captain Flint actually died inside the historic building. 

“And perhaps, lingers still,” Killian intoned, his eyebrows waggling in intrigue at little Roland, whose eyes resembled round saucers.

“Really?” His high pitched screech made the men chuckle. “Is it haunted, Papa? Are we gonna see a ghost?” His voice got impossibly higher as he all but jumped up and down grabbing the hem of Robin’s shirt. “ARE WE GONNA SEE THE GHOST OF CAPTAIN FLINT, PAPA?”

“Not quite, Roland,” Robin explained. “Uncle Killian doesn’t quite have his facts straight.”

“Oi!” Killian protested.

“Captain Flint wasn’t a real pirate,” Robin continued, as if Killian hadn’t spoken at all. “He wasn’t even a real man. He’s a character in the story of Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson back in the 1880’s.”

“Wowwww,” Roland breathed. “So when you and Uncle Liam were little?” he asked, innocently. Loud guffaws burst out of Killian and Will alike, with Graham and David able to contain their mirth a little better, hiding their laughter behind their hands, their eyes dancing in amusement. Liam snorted and shook his head.

“We’re not that old,” Robin chuckled, ruffling Roland’s curls, “But it is said that The Pirate’s House inspired Stevenson to write it, using a fictional Captain Flint to set the story in motion.” 

The men and little boy stepped onto the porch and through the door of the establishment to be greeted by the hostess. The exterior was gray wooden clapboard with light blue shutters over very weathered red brick, but when they stepped inside, the dark wood paneling, low wooden ceilings, and various piratical accoutrements scattered around were enough to make one feel as if he really had stepped back in time a couple hundred years. 

In the corner across from the door, a life-sized carved wooden pirate stood sentry at the crossroads between the bar (for Thirsty Pirates, according to the small sign above the hostess station pointing left), restaurant (for Hungry Pirates, according to another sign pointing to the right), and the stairs leading up to the second story where the gift shop could be found.

Roland was beside himself and begged Robin to take his picture with the statue who could only be Captain Flint before being let loose in the gift shop to find pirate toys to play with back at the cottage. Robin waved the others on, telling them they’d catch up in a few minutes. 

It only took Roland about ten minutes to fully outfit himself with a plastic sword and hook, a pirate hat, and an eye patch, as well as a door hanger with the Jolly Roger flag on it and the caption NO TRESPASSING PIRATE’S TERRITORY. The men all laughed and cheered when he and Robin made their appearance at the table.

“Arrrrrrr, me hearties!” Roland growled, jumping out from around the corner as Robin made his way to an empty seat. He prowled around the table, swinging the sword this way and that until his father admonished him to be careful not to hit anyone or anything with it. Once he was seated, David showed him the kids’ menu and helped him pick his meal of the Frozen Rainbow- a very fruity frozen drink- and Bold Billy Bones, which consisted of fried shrimp and special Pirate’s House fries.

Once all their orders were placed and their waiter withdrew, a female pirate approached. She had long strawberry blonde hair and wore a bright red long-sleeved blouse underneath a leather vest and tight leather pants.

“Ah ha!” she gasped, focusing on Roland at the other end of the table. “It be the villainous Captain Hook.”

Roland didn’t miss a beat. He jumped to his feet, brandishing his sword and challenged the female pirate to a duel. She drew her own blade, and they proceeded to cross swords for just a few seconds, the men whooping and hollering encouragement to Roland before the lady was disarmed. She smiled proudly at the boy and declared him a master swordsman to have defeated the most famous female pirate of all time, Anne Bonny.

She offered to show Roland around the Pirate’s House, and Will jumped up and took Roland by the hand to go see some of the historical artifacts and the rum cellar, stating that he was sure Belle would be interested to hear about it. 

While Will and Roland were gone, their drinks arrived. The pirate theme was pervasive throughout the restaurant, and the guys had had a great time choosing their respective drinks. First, they ordered two Diplomatico Rum Flights to share between them all. Well, David and Robin as the designated drivers didn’t indulge in the rum flights but focused on a single cocktail for the evening. David had the Savannah Tea while Robin chose the Savannah Storm. Killian had trouble choosing between Pirate’s Pleasure and Release the Kraken, but finally settled on Pirate’s Pleasure when Liam chose the Kraken. But once the drinks were delivered and Liam offered Killian a sip, he opted for the Kraken as well to accompany his meal. Graham chose the Raspberry Mojito because it reminded him of Ruby, and Will ordered the Skull Crusher in a souvenir skull mug.

A few minutes later, Anne Bonny, Will, and Roland returned to the table, Will sporting quite a goose egg on his forehead over his right eye.

“What happened to you?” David asked loudly. Roland ran to Robin talking a mile a minute.

“Uncle Will was going down the stairs to the rum cellar and was telling me to watch my step and didn’t see the… the…”

“The bloody roof of the cellar, or floor we’re walking on, whatever,” Will interrupted.

“Yeah, what Uncle Will said,” Roland said, turning back to Robin and continuing his monologue with hardly a breath in between. “And bam, Uncle Will hit his head and then fell on his bottom on the stairs and bump-bump-bumped down to the bottom,” he said, with appropriate sound effects included. “The first step was really big, and Pirate Anne was holding my hand so I didn’t fall, and Uncle Will turned back around just in time to hit his head. He says his noggin is fine, but his butt is sore. Again.” It didn’t take much imagination for the men to realize that those were the exact words out of Will’s mouth when the accident happened, and they all broke into loud laughter.

Will sat down - slowly and carefully - and immediately took a sip of his drink, waving aside the skeptical look Killian shot him. 

“I’m fine, Mate,” he said. “But look at the skull! How cool is that?”

“And it’s not even cracked like yours, Mate!” Graham cackled.

The other men all laughed as Will grumbled under his breath before taking another sip.

Roland proceeded to recount all the history and things they’d seen and experienced during their private tour, with Anne Bonny staying at the table to fill in details that Roland missed. 

“There was definitely something weird over in the corner of the rum cellar,” Will interjected when Roland was telling them about the giant Jolly Roger flag down there and how there were chains suspended from the ceiling that just started swinging all on their own. “Where the tunnels led down to the river,” Will continued. “Just like an electrical current, felt kind of odd. Not cold, but odd. I don’t know if it was a ghost or not…”

“Of course, it was, Uncle Will!” Roland interrupted. “Captain Flint,” he said, attempting to make his voice low and gravelly. “He died here, remember? It had to be his ghost.” 

Everyone laughed good naturedly, then Anne spoke. “No, not Captain Flint, me bucko,” she said, her rich Irish brogue dripping from every word, a mischievous smile on her face, “but perhaps the Rowdy Ghost who usually haunts the Captain’s Room next door. Ee’s been known to follow patrons down to the rum cellar and play tricks on ‘em. Now this room that y’ere in is haunted by the Friendly Ghost. It’s a bit of a misnomer. Ee’s not exactly friendly, but more of a prankster. Ee’ll switch drinks around, steal food, that sort of thing.”

Just then, their meals arrived. Once everyone was served and beginning to dig into the delicious looking and smelling banquet, Liam announced loudly, “Well, I don’t believe in ghosts.”

No sooner had the words left his lips when his plate of parmesan crusted tilapia flipped over, depositing his meal on the surface of the table, the upended plate landing on top. There was stunned silence for a moment before Killian spoke up, hoping to diffuse a potentially traumatic occurrence for the precocious and brave, but still very small, boy in their midst.  

“That’ll teach you to say you don’t believe in ghosts inside a clearly haunted house, big brother,” he teased. Roland’s eyes were still as huge as saucers, his mouth hanging open slightly, but he laughed when everyone else did as Liam turned as red as a ripe tomato. Robin shot Killian a grateful look, and Anne grabbed Liam’s plate.

“Aye,” Anne agreed, “It’s never wise to express disbelief in the resident spirits in a haunted house. I’ll just fetch ye a new plate, Sir.”

Once his replacement dinner arrived, Liam joined the rest of them in enjoying the excellent repast. No more ghostly incidents occurred, much to Robin’s relief, and by the end of the meal Roland was yawning nearly every thirty seconds.

Anne appeared again as they were all rising from the table. “Ah, me bucko, I see that ye have cleared yere plate of Bold Billy Bones’ fried shrimp and special fries. And your Tiny Tim dessert as well! Ye’ve earned a trip to Billy’s treasure chest in the lobby.” That got Roland’s attention quickly, and he perked up and took her outstretched hand, following her through the restaurant until they emerged in the lobby. He hadn’t noticed it when they came in, but there in the corner was a real wooden treasure chest filled to the brim with lollipops.

“Can I have one, Papa? Can I?” Roland begged.

“Sure,” Robin agreed, an indulgent smile on his face.

After Roland picked his treat, they all emerged into the night, piled into their vehicles and went to pick up their ladies for the drive home to the cottages.

~*~*~

Notes

As with previous chapters, most of what we had our characters do in this chapter was taken from our actual adventures.

We met Giennie for the day in Savannah and she took us on a tour of one of the very old cemeteries (although our excursion was in Colonial Park Cemetery. We didn’t have time to tour Bonaventure Cemetery like Regina and Robin did). We also drove around some of the squares with the magnificent live oaks and Spanish moss.  

With a little bit of time to kill before our reservations for the evening, we took a walk by the river and saw many of the same sights Emma, Killian, Liam and Elsa saw– The Broken Keel, street performers, river boats and memorial sculptures.

We did indeed eat at The Melting Pot, but our dinner was on the way to our rental on the first day of vacation rather than during our primary Savannah day. Unlike the ladies in our story, we opted for the full 5 course celebration rather than the cheese and meat courses alone.

Better Than Sex: A Dessert Restaurant is an actual Savannah restaurant, and while we discussed going, it wouldn’t fit in our schedule. The descriptions of the private party room as well as the names and descriptions of the desserts and cocktails were taken from the restaurant’s website. When we were planning this fic, we had fun choosing desserts and cocktails for the characters.

The Pirate House is also a Savannah restaurant, but this one we did visit. Our evening involved not only dinner at The Pirate House but a haunted tour of the city beforehand and a tour of the (now rum-less) rum cellar. Our table was in the Herb House, which is the oldest part of the restaurant, built in the 18th century. Our waiter was not, in fact, Anne Bonny - historical female pirate - but she made a nice addition to our story. Was she really there? Was she a ghost? Was she a waitress in costume? I guess we’ll never know. The large first step and the low entrance to the rum cellar were real. As we descended the stairs, we immediately knew Will had to crack his cranium one more time as a callback to last year’s fic in addition to denting his derriere. Again. We were also told stories about the ghosts that haunt the Pirate House–from floating orbs to the ghosts named in the story. None of us had any kind of paranormal experience – although one of the guys in our tour group tried to trick our guide into thinking there was – by setting some chains in motion when the guide told us they sometimes move on their own.

Up next on Thursday: Big moments for all of our couples! The most significant being David and Mary Margaret’s wedding, of course – but there are several other secrets revealed, as well as a life-changing moment aboard a riverboat.

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing! We'll be back with our final ch on Thursday!

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

Hello everyone!!! We are back again!!! After the fun we had turning last year's trip into a fic, we decided to do the same with this years Girls Vacay!

Summary: Picking up one year after last year's fic collaboration - Cave Cruises, Cabin Capers, & Cracked Craniums - the six couples and Roland meet on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia for Mary Margaret and David’s dream wedding.

Rating: T

Words: Almost 4800 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it

Emma Swan was truly glad that they were finally on the road and making progress toward their destination. While attempting to leave the previous morning, Elsa had needed to say goodbye to Liam “just once more”, visit the restroom again, and they’d had to rearrange the luggage to fit something else in, as well as call to coordinate with the other members of their friend group numerous times, before they’d actually set out on their travels. Liam needed to lead one more previously scheduled Lake Michigan boat tour before he could follow them from Chicago to Bowling Green, Kentucky.  After a long day of driving, an exuberant reunion with Emma’s dashing and altogether irresistible boyfriend- whom she hadn’t seen in months- and a good night’s sleep in his arms, they were all back on the road again, Liam and Elsa following in his Expedition with Graham and Will in the back seat. 

Now that they were rolling down the highway, wheels on the pavement and making good time toward Georgia, she felt much of her frustration melting away. It had been well past time for a break from her job - even loving it as much as she did - and a few hours of girl talk in the car with Elsa. But now having Killian in the seat beside her, their fingers intertwined where hers rested on the gearshift of her vintage yellow VW, made all the difference in the world. Though she wouldn’t want to admit it to most people, her stomach still fluttered at his nearness with all the excitement and joy of their first date, even a year into their relationship.

She had been pleasantly surprised by how easily Killian had acquiesced to being her navigator and co-pilot rather than trying to take over driving duties himself. She had dated a few guys who would have been unwilling to allow her to take control on the road, and would have had their masculinity insulted if she insisted on driving. Killian had simply taken her hand gallantly, bent over it to kiss her knuckles playfully - much as he’d done the first time they’d met - and helped her into her seat, before rounding the front to get into the seat beside her. “As you wish, Emma Love,” he’d agreed gamely. “It is your chariot which awaits us after all.” Since then, he’d proven to be a very apt and helpful navigator, more so than “the Google Woman” whom he had groused at repeatedly for offering them longer trip times and trying to take them on unwanted scenic detours. She couldn’t help but laugh when Killian managed to find a reroute that shaved fifteen minutes from their drive time and then berated the automated navigator proudly. 

As glad as she had been having Elsa to keep her company on their way to Lost River Caves to pick up the guys, Emma was thrilled to have a little time with just Killian now.  He launched into some story from a recent tour group they’d seen through the caves, and she marveled again at how seamlessly they had navigated into being a couple - even with the physical distance between them. Warmth swelled in her chest and a small voice in her head whispered just how happy it made her that he was hers and she was his - when not so very long ago she wouldn’t have believed such a thing was possible.

She knew that Elsa was equally glad to be back with Liam, despite being apart for just a few hours. Though her friend and Killian’s older brother were both more quietly reserved in their affection, since they had eloped in the spring, they were nearly inseparable unless parting was absolutely necessary - and only then for as short a time as possible. The other members of their group were easy to spot in Liam’s stuffed-to-the-gills SUV as they all traveled to meet the rest of their friends for David and Mary Margaret’s week long nuptial celebration, culminating with their wedding the following weekend on St. Simon’s Island off the Georgia coast. 

For several hours they made decent time, passing from Kentucky to Tennessee and into western Georgia without a hitch. They’d texted back and forth from one vehicle to the other about roadside billboards seen, accompanying commentary that those in the opposite car would enjoy, and when to stop for gas and a restroom break. 

Emma was just settling into a calm stretch of highway and feeling as though they had thankfully reached the last leg of the journey, when dark, jagged detritus reared up in her vision spread across all three lanes. Not even sure what it was, Emma let out a shocked cry, veering as best she could without swiping the traffic on either side of her, in an attempt to avoid the worst of whatever had seemingly exploded on the interstate.

“Well done, Lass!” Killian congratulated - a bit too soon as it turned out, when a moment later a loud thump sounded and their tire and the car’s undercarriage undoubtedly made contact with some of the debris Emma had hoped to miss. If the sound hadn’t alerted them, the jolt they felt could not be ignored. Once they were past the area, Killian breathed out a deep sigh, looking back over his shoulder at the road behind them. “I think someone violently blew their tire, Swan. I doubt anyone could have missed that mess entirely; you really are quite the captain.”

“Learned from the best,” she sassed back at him with a wink, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand affectionately. A moment passed silently as they both calmed down after the alarm of the past few moments. “Still,” she finally added, “just for peace of mind, maybe we should pull over, check the tire pressure, and be sure there wasn’t any damage done the next time we see an exit with a service station.”

“Aye,” Killian agreed. “Good plan. I’ll let the others know.”

Neither of them felt that the car was riding any differently, and Emma accepted that she was probably being overcautious, but the Bug had been with her a long time - longer than any other person or thing, in all honesty - and she wanted to make sure all was as it should be so it could hang in there with her a few years more. Killian texted their intentions to Elsa, got an assurance that the other group would stop as well, and soon they were exiting off the interstate and pulling into a Chevron station, stopping near the air pumps in case they needed them.

Unfortunately, though it hadn’t been apparent on the road, when they pulled into the lot, it was obvious serious damage had been done. Emma hadn’t even made it around the car before Killian was trying to slow her progress, hands gently cradling her shoulders as if to brace her for impact. “Now Swan, don’t get too upset. It’s not as bad as it may look at first.”

She didn’t like the sound of that at all, and coupled with the horrified look on Elsa’s face as their friends had parked alongside them and gotten their own glimpse of Emma’s front passenger tire, it was far from comforting. Nudging her well-meaning boyfriend to the side, Emma rounded her car only to groan and feel an almost irresistible urge to kick the curb repeatedly in frustration. Her tire wasn’t just a little low - it was completely flat! How had they not felt that?!? How had they managed to avoid wrecking her beloved Beetle?

“Great! Now what?” She couldn’t help the snap in her voice as she threw up her hands and let them slap back down against her jean-clad thighs exasperatedly. “We’re due to meet everyone at our rental cottage in two hours. I never paid to join AAA, so it’ll cost a fortune to get anyone else out here to tow us to a repair shop - if they even come within the next century! And - ” She was just gathering up steam to continue on her rant, when she looked around her, realizing that everyone else looked either pitying, rather bemused, or down right biting back laughter at her expense.

“Ya do know we could just change the tire ourselves, don’tcha?” Will suggested cheekily, shrugging as if it wasn’t any big deal. 

“You say that like it’s so easy,” Emma grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him. “The jack never wants to work right, or the lugnuts are screwed on too tightly to remove by hand - not to mention that my cheap little doughnut spare is hardly what we want to be driving on for long.”

“It ain’t all that difficult neither,” Will insisted, giving her a more genuine smile, and taking in the other guys in turn as if to garner their agreement. Killan wasn’t about to get in the middle of this little debate, nor would he side against his lovely Swan, but not hearing much support had yet to deter Will Scarlet when he got an idea in his head. He stepped right up to the passenger side, with a “Budge over, won’t cha?” to Emma, before crouching down for a closer look and then asking for the wrench to begin loosening the lug nuts.

Well used to Will’s good intentioned but often accident prone brand of assistance, Elsa looked to Emma uncertainly from where she stood, cell phone in hand, rather surprised at having had Will brush past her and move into action. “Should I still call for a tow, just in case?” she asked meekly.

Graham snorted and shook his head, sharing a grin with Killian as he spoke up. “No, don’t worry over it yet. Will might just manage this, and we’re all here to help if he needs it.” 

The Jones brothers nodded their consensus, even as Will let out an indignant, “Oi! Some friends the lot of you are! Try to do something nice for a person, and this is the thanks I get? No one even believes I can change a tire!”

Shaking his head and muttering to himself, he put each of the lug nuts into Emma’s waiting hand, while Killian went to fetch the spare tire from her trunk, despite his supposed unbelief in his friend’s capabilities. Rolling the tire with him, he brought the jack to Will, who slid it under the car’s frame to what seemed the appropriate spot. Soon the car was rising, one slow increment at a time, Will now carrying on to himself about the cheap manufacture of the jack in Emma’s kit and how awkwardly constructed the jack’s crank was for anyone to operate. 

Suddenly, without warning, there was a frightening screech that brought yelps of surprise and dismay from all of them. The car lurched sickeningly back and to the right and then to the ground, landing precariously with the wheel sticking out and only partially off the lugs which held it in place. If the sight had looked pathetic before, it was now even more so. 

“Will!” Emma yelled before she could stop herself. “You’re making things worse!” 

Will picked himself up from where he’d ended up on his backside, rubbing the tender spot where he’d landed atop the discarded wrench when he’d quickly moved to avoid being hit by the shifting vehicle. He shot Emma a rather grumpy look. “Well your precious classic isn’t exactly a model of perfection anymore. The wheel didn’t come off as smoothly as it might’ve. This flimsy excuse for a jack is a piece of junk! Bloody thing bent and that’s what made the car fall!” he snarled back.

At this point, Killian took pity on his mate and crouched down beside him to help. Between the two of them, they cranked the jack back down, managed to reposition it further under the car’s chassis and cranked it up once more, finding they could get it even just a little bit higher. This time, with Killian carefully bracing the jack so it wouldn’t shift, Will managed to wrangle the ruined tire from the VW and get the spare into place. All of them cheered heartily, along with letting out several deep breaths of relief, and Will’s friends were all patting him on the back in turn. 

After that, they managed to avoid any more mishaps and were finally able to get on the road again. Emma even gave Will a quick hug and apologized for snapping at him, giving him a teasing kiss on the cheek and declaring him her knight in tarnished armor. 

“And what about me, Swan? I did have some role in his eventual success,” Killian prompted as they got back into the car and began to carefully back out of their parking spot. He waggled his eyebrows at her mischievously, tapping two fingers against his lips and waiting in expectation. “Perhaps some gratitude might be in order?”

She was tempted to tease him back, make him wait until they arrived at their final destination, but she was too relieved to be back on the road and with her dearly loved VW still in one piece to hold out on him. Leaning over the console briefly, she gave him a quick peck on the lips, brushing her nose along his cheek for a moment and smiling warmly. “Hold onto that thought for later,” she purred. “And thank you too, of course -  my real hero.”

~*~*~

“Oh, isn’t it beautiful?!” Mary Margaret exclaimed as David pulled into the driveway of their home for the next week. They’d just dropped off Belle and Ruby at the cottage next door, after driving the past two days from Portland, Maine and then New York City, where Ruby lived. With all the actual wedding preparations on her plate, Mary Margaret was ever so grateful that David had been in charge of the logistics of their respective annual guys and girls trip this year. Since they were planning a summer wedding with all of their friends comprising the wedding party, Mary Margaret had the idea for them to join their two respective groups again - to commemorate how they all met the previous summer - before marrying the love of her life at the end of the week. Mary Margaret hadn’t even seen pictures of  the rental David had reserved for them, and she was blown away by the quaint romanticism of the cottage in front of her. 

Fairy lights were draped along the eaves of the wraparound front porch, which boasted plentiful seating, in addition to the wicker sectional around a romantic firepit next to the driveway where they were parked. They climbed the steps to the porch and typed in the code to unlock the door. Mary Margaret gasped as they stepped inside. The interior was just as lovely as the exterior. Soaring ceilings and tall windows coupled with nautical and beach decor in soft blues and warm creams created a space that was as inviting as it was relaxing. To the left of the door they’d just entered was an open air kitchen and eat-in dining area, while on their right was the living room, with two bedrooms and a bath in between them on the other side of the large welcoming space. 

“How do you like it, Sweetheart?” David asked, a wide smile on his face. He knew his bride well enough to know that she’d love just about anywhere he picked as long as they were together, but he felt his heart skip a little as he finally laid eyes on the charming bungalow. 

“I love it!” she exclaimed, spinning toward him and hugging him tightly. “It’s so light and airy with all this room.” She released him and moved into the kitchen area. “Coffee maker, gas stove, microwave,” she listed, opening and closing the cabinets to see how stocked the kitchen was. She was pleased to find plenty of dishes, condiments, and pots and pans for cooking. Not to mention the terribly organized junk drawer filled with all the unthought of but sometimes necessary things that come up occasionally - scissors, twist ties, Ziploc bags, a small sewing kit, pens, and pads of paper.

“Our room is over the garage,” David informed her. “Come on.” 

She followed him out the side door of the kitchen into the garage and was immediately greeted with a closed door on the other side of a very small landing. David opened the door and they ascended the stairs to the room above. Mary Margaret gasped again when they entered the room. Small lamps on either side of the king-sized bed cast the room in a soft warm glow. Scattered across the cream colored bedspread were red and pink rose petals with a string of pink lights draped from the four posts at the corners of the bed. There was a crystal vase on the low dresser across from where they stood filled with red roses next to a silver tray with an ice bucket holding a bottle of champagne and twin flutes.

Mary Margaret launched herself into David’s arms, kissing him passionately. Given that they were the first ones to the cottage and no one else was expected for at least a couple of hours, she drew him further into the room, determined to show him just how much she loved him and how ready she was to be his wife.

~*~*~

Mary Margaret descended the stairs some time later, to find Robin, Regina, and Roland entering the cottage. Loud exclamations of joy and delight came from the ladies as they rushed toward each other and embraced. Robin grinned as he held Roland back for a moment from joining the heartfelt reunion. As soon as the friends released one another, he let go of his son, who ran as fast as his small legs could carry him to all but tackle Mary Margaret.

“Aunty M’s!” he cried, as she picked him up and spun around with him in her arms.

“Hi there, Roly Poly,” she said, hugging him tightly.

“I hear a little boy in my cottage!” David’s voice boomed as he descended the stairs. “Where’s my Roland?”

“Uncle David!” Roland cried, squirming to get down. 

David laughed and picked up the small boy. “You act like you haven’t seen me in a month instead of a few days,” he said. 

Roland shrugged. “I’m just happy to see you and Aunty M’s.”

David smiled fondly at Mary Margaret. “We’re happy to see you too, Roly Poly.” He ruffled Roland’s curls and put him down, approaching Robin and Regina to exchange enthusiastic hugs and handshakes. “Y’all’s room is back here. I’ll show you,” he said, turning the corner out of the kitchen and down a short hallway to the master bedroom. He flipped on the lights and let the others precede him into the large room. 

“You should have the master,” Robin protested. “It’s your wedding after all.”

David shook his head. “We wanted the room above the garage so we wouldn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone else. Plus, this room had the child’s bed in here,” he said, motioning to the huge walk-in closet that not only had plenty of room for clothes and shoes, but also housed a small bed and dresser. “I didn’t figure you’d want to be too far from him at night.”

“You guessed correctly,” Robin replied. “Where’s the rest of the group? Shouldn’t they be here by now? I thought they were leaving earlier than we were.”

“Emma got a flat and that put them behind just a bit. I think they’ll be here in about an hour.”

Regina exchanged a nervous glance with Robin. “Oh, man…” she trailed away uncertainly. “We’ve been putting Roland off stopping for food the last couple of hours, promising him we’d get dinner with everyone once we arrived. Adding another hour - or more - might be a bridge too far.”

“Roland,” Robin said, poking his head in the closet to find his son jumping up and down on the bed contained within. He immediately stopped, a guilty look on his face when his father appeared and frowned at him. “You know better than that, young man. It’s dangerous. And besides, this bed is not yours. It belongs to the person who owns this cottage. You do anything to damage any of the furniture and you will be in big trouble. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Papa.”

Robin nodded. “Everyone else won’t be here for about another hour. Can you wait that long for dinner, or do you want a snack?”

He climbed down from the bed and took Robin’s hand. “A snack, please.”

“Alright, let’s go, then.”

Killian and Emma arrived not quite an hour later. Killian, trying mightily to contain his laughter and failing miserably, told them that Liam and Elsa were next door, dropping off Will and Graham. As he and Emma were pulling into this driveway, they could see Will, carrying his luggage, hadn’t time to brace himself before Belle threw herself at him, toppling him in the process. He’d landed on his butt again, but Killian didn’t think he minded all that much as he returned Belle’s ardent kisses. 

It was just a few minutes later that Liam and Elsa arrived. After another round of enthusiastic greetings, with Mary Margaret and Regina exclaiming over the beautiful wedding ring set Liam and Elsa wore, the newcomers adjourned to their respective rooms to unpack and relax for a little while before regrouping to decide where to go for dinner.

Mary Margaret came back to the bedrooms containing the other two couples almost thirty minutes later. She was about to knock on the door on the left when she heard Liam and Elsa talking in low voices inside.

“Should we say anything yet?” Elsa asked.

“I don’t think so,” Liam replied. “This week is to celebrate David and Mary Margaret. I don’t think we should take away from that. We can announce it after the wedding.”

Mary Margaret’s eyes got wide and her brow furrowed in thought. What could Elsa and Liam’s secret be, and was it good news or bad? From the tone of their voices, she couldn’t help but speculate that it was good. A smile grew on her face as she imagined the possibilities.

“Time to circle up and decide where we want to eat dinner,” she called, knocking on one bedroom door and then the other. “Come on.” She turned around and went back into the living room to find the rest of their group sitting around waiting for the last two couples.

She entered to uproarious laughter, Ruby grinning unrepentantly, and Graham’s face aflame. “What’d I miss?” she asked, sitting on the arm of the chair David was in.

“Will here was complaining about the noise,” Ruby began, her eyes dancing mischievously, “and I was just explaining that we were only doing what the sign said. Did you all see the Speed Hump sign just before the cottage? Since we had some time before coming over to decide about dinner… we did.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “And it’s not like you were twiddling your thumbs and trying to plug your ears while we were busy, anyway,” she said to Will, causing both he and Belle to blush furiously. Everyone howled again, Mary Margaret, Emma, Killian, Liam and Elsa - who’d just arrived in the room - included. 

“What’s so funny?” Roland asked, coming in.

Regina tried to put on a serious face and motioned him over, picking him up and placing him on her lap. “Nothing, baby. Don’t you worry about it. Now, where are we going to eat? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I do not want to have to drive far.”

“And I’m liable to fall asleep before we get our food if we don’t go very soon,” Elsa added, smothering a yawn with her hand.

Fortunately, David had already done some research, and from print and online reviews, as well as word of mouth, he’d found a well-loved island gem right around the corner from the cottages that apparently wasn’t to be missed.

They all agreed and left to pile into the respective vehicles.

~*~*~

It was a pleasant evening with a cool, gentle breeze blowing as they pulled into the parking lot of the Southern Soul Bar-B-Q and began walking toward the entrance. As they came around to the front of the white painted brick structure, Regina pulled up short, bringing Robin to a stop as well since their hands were joined. “Wait just one second,” she spoke up, her polished voice expressing the exact measure of disdain which served her so well as a practicing lawyer. “This is the famed establishment you’ve been talking about?” she addressed David with arch disbelief. “I am not about to sit down for a good meal in what looks more like a gas station than anything else!”

The rest of them paused, not sure how to counter her logic. The place’s appearance from the outside didn’t quite look like what any of them had expected, but the rest of them were generally a lot more easy going in their tastes and were willing to trust the local reputation and let their taste buds, rather than their eyes be the judge. 

Robin, however, had clearly learned how best to proceed with his regal girlfriend in the time since they had all been together last. He moved closer to Regina, whispering low, cajoling words in her ear, and though the rest of them couldn’t make them out, the tone was clearly doing its job at melting her usually rather inflexible demeanor. And if that hadn’t been enough, there was the added secret weapon of little Roland. When Robin’s young son tugged on her hand, urging sweetly with his open, dimpled smile and adoring brown eyes gazing up at her, there was no way even her sophisticated queen persona could hold out against his, “Come on, Miss Gina, let’s try it! I think it looks like fun.”  

Between the two Locksley men turning their charm on her, Regina finally capitulated and followed the rest of them inside.

Despite any initial reservations, they were presented with a feast of authentic Southern sides like Brunswick stew, Hoppin’ John, and hushpuppies to accompany the variety of brisket, pulled pork and ribs they ordered. Will had insisted on trying the Knuckle Sammich, and Regina had finally settled on a chicken strip basket similar to the child’s version they got Roland, deeming it unlikely she’d be able to order much of anything else which wouldn’t have either sauce or juice dripping off of it.

It wasn’t long before Ruby and Graham drew attention to their end of the table when he attempted to feed her brisket by hand. She’d stared him down sultrily, a glimmer of seduction in her dark eyes before delicately nibbling the morsel he offered her. All would have been fine if she’d stopped there, but that wasn’t Ruby’s style. Instead she’d held her boyfriend’s gaze and then wrapped her bright red lips around his fingers, bringing her tongue into the action as well, and slowly dragging them along his calloused skin as if enjoying a succulent treat. Graham flushed all over as red as her signature shade and seemed to be having a little trouble even drawing breath. He’d started a fire that he wasn’t capable of keeping under control, and clearly he knew it. Sputtering for some sort of response, he quickly pulled his hand away when Ruby released him, glancing around nervously as if afraid their friends might be judging them. “I know I sorta asked for that, Babe,” he murmured under his breath, “but there’s a kid at the table, for crying out loud!”

Unabashed, Ruby merely shrugged her shoulders at him, and grinned at the table as a whole. Her friends knew her well, and were largely unfazed by her brazen behavior at this point. 

Nearly an hour later, they were stuffed and ready for home and their beds. David laughingly joked that Mary Margaret would have to roll him back to their rental to sleep off the meal, but it was a delicious close to day one of their reunion.

~*~*~

Notes:

Welcome to our 2024 Girls' Trip fic! This year, as I'm sure you've already deduced, Krystal, Joni, Marta, and Jen travelled to St. Simons Island, Savannah, and Jekyll Island, Georgia. Along the way, we met up at various times with Giennie and Randi as well. When a group of fic writers get together, naturally, every event is seen through the lens of "how can we fic this?" While normally we'd be looking for ways to turn our adventures into Captain Swan stories alone, we had a lot of characters to work with this year! (Truth be told, most moments were seen through the lens of "How can we comically whump Will with this?" or "What kind of innuendo would Ruby make about that?") As last year, we'd like to give you some idea of what we took from our actual experiences and what we chalked up to creative license.

While a small detail in the fic, the need for creative packing was real with us! It took Jen, her dad and Joni (with Bear supervising) to figure it out on the way there and Krystal and her family (with Minnie supervising) on the way home.

You might think Killian’s frustration with the “Google woman” was a call back to his lack of knowledge of technology in canon, but it was indeed a factor in our trip. Jen’s GPS seemed to have a mind of its own and routinely offered alternate routes that added significant time to the drive.

Regrettably, the “driving disaster” was rather close to real life. On the way to Savannah, Jen was not able to avoid the debris from a blown semi tire strewn across all three lanes and got a flat as a result. Joni tried valiantly to come to the rescue and change the tire, but the jack did, indeed twist and the car fell. Luckily a couple of Good Samaritans helped us out and got us back on the road, all in one piece. (And Jen’s new vehicle seems no worse for the wear.) 

The description of the rental house was true to life–with a bit of creative license taken. As there were four of us and the cottage had four bedrooms, we didn’t rent a second cottage. Marta stayed in the room we gave David and Mary Margaret, but in reality it had two queen sized beds rather than one, and there were no rose petals or romantic candle light. The walk-in closet of the master bedroom contained a high chair and changing table rather than a child’s bed for Roland.

There was indeed a sign warning of Speed Humps on the road in front of our cottage. Naturally, we decided Ruby would run with that.

Southern Soul B-B-Q is a real restaurant only a couple miles from our rental that is apparently highly acclaimed, but we never made it there on our trip. We were struck by the fact that it clearly used to be a gas station and decided Regina would balk at that.

Thank you for reading and sharing! We'd love to know what you think! Stay tuned for day two of the character's adventures posting on Thursday. In the next chapter, they explore St. Simons Island.

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

It's the final chapter!!! Let's get these kids married!!! Thank you all so much for coming along on our dream destination wedding adventure!!! We all hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed writing it!!

Rating: T

Words: 4600 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

The next morning, Emma awoke in Killian's arms and smiled to herself. Long distance dating was the worst. She missed this most of all when they were apart - feeling his warmth and comfort envelop her as she slept and waking to his intoxicating scent.

It had been difficult to let her walls down, even with Killian, but having done so was so very satisfying, and it was quickly becoming clear that this thing was going to last. Despite the difficulties of a long distance relationship, it seemed that he was in this for the long haul, and so was she.

She nearly laughed in glee when she realized the thought no longer scared her. At all.

Sometime, sometime soon, they would have to figure this thing out. Long distance wasn’t a long term solution, and she wanted long term. More than she ever could have believed.

Impulsively, she leaned up on her elbows and kissed him softly. His lips ticked up in a gentle smile, and he breathed out her name before kissing her back.

Finally, he opened his eyes. “Morning, Love.”

“Morning,” she answered. “Sleep well?”

He nodded. “Always, when you’re with me. It’s a travesty that this wedding experience lasts only a week. I need more time with you. I always need more time with you.”

“Me too,” she assured him. Gradually over the past year, she’d gotten more comfortable not only admitting to herself how much Killlian meant to her, but admitting it to him as well. His eyes always lit up like the sun when she did so, and this morning was no exception.

“Maybe one day we won’t have this infernal distance between us,” he said, gently stroking her cheek.

“Oh, I hope not,” she agreed. “So what’s on the agenda for today?” she asked after a moment, as she lazily traced circles in his chest hair. “I know we don’t need to be up and at ‘em early, and that we have the rehearsal this afternoon, but that’s all I know.”

“I believe today’s schedule consists of various tasks to prepare for the wedding,” Killian said, “and then in the evening, if you’re agreeable, I have a proposition for you.”

“Yeah?” she asked. “What’s that?”

He reached for two tickets on his bedside table and presented them to her. “I bought us tickets to a sunset cruise this evening on the Georgia Queen riverboat in Savannah. We deserve a bit of alone time this weekend, aye?”

Emma sighed. “Killian, I’d love to,” she said, “really I would, but we have to be up to get ready for the wedding at the ass-crack of dawn tomorrow. If we’re out until who knows when after a sunset cruise, I’m going to be a zombie all day.”

“Please? For me?” he asked, giving her his look - the one she found both hot and adorable.  

She didn’t stand a chance.

“Okay,” she agreed softly, “let’s go on a romantic sunset cruise tonight.”

Accordingly, as late afternoon approached, Emma found herself in her room in the cottage, after having shooed Killian out. She, Mary Margaret and Elsa all worked together to prepare her for her date. She felt like a teenager on her way to prom.

It was kind of ridiculous. She was going on a date with her boyfriend of a year. It really shouldn’t be this big of a deal, but when she’d told Elsa of her plans with Killian, her friend had gotten quite excited, insisting they go into the St. Simons Island shopping district to get a cute, light pink, calf-length dress and some nude slingback heels.

When they’d gotten back to the cottage, she’d commandeered Mary Margaret, who needed a break from last minute wedding details, to help with the hair and make up.

Looking in the mirror just before grabbing her clutch purse and heading out to meet Killian, Emma decided she looked pretty decent.

By his reaction, she looked far better than that. 

“You look…” he said, uncharacteristically lost for words.

“I know,” she tossed back flirtatiously, as she walked past him and out the door.

They talked all the way to Savannah, the conversation flowing freely, as it always did between them. It was amazing to her just how easy and enjoyable it was to be with him. She didn’t just love him, he was one of her best friends in the world.

She wanted him with her. Always and forever. She vowed then and there that she’d find a way to make that a reality - soon.

Killian had purchased tickets to an unguided sunset dinner cruise. They dined on some truly delicious cuisine, accompanied by flutes of champagne, then stood on the deck as the sun went down, watching the beauty of the river and the city pass them by.

She’d just turned to Killian to comment on how beautiful it was tonight, only to find him on one knee on the deck, his hand outstretched, holding a small velvet box with a sparkling round diamond ring nestled inside.

Emma gasped, her hand moving to cover her mouth, and the tears coming to her eyes.  “Killian, are you about to…”

“Emma,” he said, and she saw a tear shining in his eye as well, “I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. When we’re apart, it feels as though a vital part of me is missing. You are the best, most extraordinary, and most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I am constantly amazed that you have chosen to be with me. Will you do me the greatest honor of my life and become my wife?”

Carefully, she got to her knees across from him and took his beloved face in her hands. She didn’t need to think, didn’t need to consider. There was only one answer she’d ever want to give. “Yes,” she said simply, as a single tear traced its way down her face. She leaned in and kissed him softly, as around her, the cheers of their fellow tourists rang out into the night sky.

~*~*~

The day of David and Mary Margaret’s wedding finally arrived, and both rental houses were buzzing with activity. 

Upon returning to the cottage the evening before, the newly engaged couple found the common rooms empty, everyone seemingly already in bed. This worked to their advantage, because they had agreed on the way back that they wanted to keep their news a secret until after the wedding, not wishing to take away from Mary Margaret and David’s big day. 

Just as Emma opened the door to their bedroom, Elsa came out of her own room with Liam on her heels. It was clear they’d been waiting for Emma and Killian to return from their date, and the look on both of their faces was one of hopeful anticipation. 

“Well, brother?” Liam whispered. 

Killian took Emma’s left hand and held it up for the other couple to see. Elsa pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle her squeal of excitement, and Liam clapped his brother on the shoulder, wearing a huge, beaming smile. 

“Wait, they knew about it?” Emma asked. 

“Please don’t be upset,” Elsa said, pulling Emma into a hug. “Killian needed help with some logistics, so he had to tell us.” 

“What logistics?” 

Elsa and Liam exchanged a glance with Killian. “You didn’t tell her about it?” 

Emma looked at Killian, who just gave a small shrug. 

“We better get to bed,” Liam said. “Busy day tomorrow, you know. Don’t stay up too late celebrating!” 

He hugged Emma, kissing her forehead and telling her he was glad she agreed to marry his little brother. That garnered a groan from Killian, who was receiving an embrace from his sister-in-law. 

Once they entered their room, Emma turned to Killian and ran her hands up his chest, her engagement ring sparkling in the dim light of the lamp. “So, about those logistics…”

“Well, we can’t very well be married while living hours away from each other, so I’ve made arrangements to move to Chicago. I accepted a job conducting boat tours with the same company as Liam, and he helped me secure an apartment.” 

“Sounds like you were pretty sure I was going to accept your proposal,” she smirked. “And what happened to your brother wanting to have his own identity?”

“I didn’t want to give my plan away, so I had to come up with some sort of excuse,” he explained, pulling her closer to him. “You’re not upset with me, are you, Love?” 

She brushed his lips with her own and assured him she wasn’t. They then proceeded to ignore Liam’s last bit of advice. 

They were the last ones up the next morning. Emma reluctantly removed her diamond and placed it in the velvet box, then tucked it safely away, before taking a shower and joining in the excitement of the day. 

The men were sent to the other cottage, while the larger one became the hub of bridal activity. Elsa took charge of the make-up and Regina made sure everyone’s attire was properly pressed and free of wrinkles. Belle and Ruby worked their magic on everyone’s hair, and Emma became Mary Margaret’s personal assistant, making sure she was hydrating properly, helping her put on her jewelry, and double checking the contents of her garment and tote bags to ensure she had everything she needed.  

When everything was as prepared as possible, they loaded the vehicles and drove to the venue - Epworth by the Sea. Since it was going to be a small, intimate ceremony with their group of friends and immediate members of Mary Margaret and David’s families, it would be held in the Lovely Lane Chapel. 

Final preparations took place at the venue itself, and when Mary Margaret finally slipped into her wedding gown and her friends saw her, they had tears in their eyes. 

“Oh, Mary Margaret!” Belle exclaimed, moving to secure the veil in her hair. “You look absolutely radiant!” 

“David is going to be speechless when he sees you,” Emma stated, sniffling a little and trying not to spoil her make-up. 

Everyone nodded their agreement, while Mary Margaret checked her appearance in the mirror, turning this way and that to try to see her gown from every angle. “I hope so. I can hardly wait to see him waiting for me at the end of the aisle.” 

“It won’t be long now,” Regina said, checking the time on her phone. “The music should be starting any minute.” 

Elsa stepped forward to apply one last bit of lipstick to the bride, then they gathered around her in their bridesmaid dresses so Ruby could take a quick selfie of all of them. 

They heard the strains of music from the string quartet begin and quickly picked up their bouquets. Soon there was a light tapping on the door. “Ladies?” Liam said. “Are you ready?” 

Elsa hurried to the door and opened it a crack. “We are. How about all of you?” 

“Aye, we’re all in place.” 

She looked over her shoulder and gave a nod. “Time to go, everyone.” 

They exited the room and moved to the steps outside the chapel. Ruby took her place at the front of the line, followed by Belle, Elsa, Regina, and Emma as the Maid-of-Honor. She turned to ask Mary Margaret if she was nervous. 

“Not at all,” she answered. “David is my Prince Charming and I’m so very ready to be his wife.” 

Emma squeezed her hand, then stepped in front of her. 

“I’m here!” Roland announced, as he ran around the side of the chapel, waving a white ring bearer’s pillow. All of the ladies ‘awwed’ when they saw him in his little black tuxedo, complete with a light pink bow tie. 

Emma positioned him between herself and Mary Margaret, then signaled to Ruby that they were ready. The processional music started, and the ushers opened the doors. Ruby lifted the skirt of her blush pink dress and ascended the steps. Will met her at the top to escort her down the aisle. 

Mary Margaret considered having the established couples in the wedding party walk with each other, but since Emma was her Maid-of-Honor and Robin was David’s Best Man, she decided to mix them all up. Killian was Belle’s partner, Elsa walked with Graham, and Regina with Liam.

Before Robin stepped forward to offer Emma his arm, he quietly asked Roland, “Do you remember what to do?” 

“Uh-huh,” the little boy assured him. “Follow you and smile for the camera man.” 

Emma and Mary Margaret giggled at his answer, then Emma looped her free hand through Robin’s elbow. “Let’s see if we can do our job as well as he does.” 

When they were all in place at the front of the chapel, Roland having utterly charmed everyone in attendance, the music swelled and Mary Margaret began making her way down the aisle. While all eyes were on the bride, Emma glanced at David and choked up at the look on his face. Tears shone in his eyes, and his lips were pressed tightly together. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, trying to control his emotions. It was easy to see how thoroughly smitten he was with the woman who was stepping closer to him, her face lit up with a smile as bright as sunshine. 

When she finally reached him, he lightly grasped her elbows and leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. “You’re not supposed to do that until after the ceremony,” Pastor Lance, the officiant, said teasingly. 

“Sorry. Couldn’t help myself,” David replied with a grin, completely unrepentant, his eyes still fixed on Mary Margaret. 

The ceremony wasn’t long but was very reverent and meaningful. After the pastor declared them husband and wife, they shared their first official kiss as a married couple. The witnesses clapped and cheered as the newlyweds quickly made their way up the aisle, followed by their bridal party. 

They went outside to form a receiving line, where Will started singing, “Bom, bom, bom, another one bites the dust!” 

Ruby whacked him upside the head with her bouquet. “Knock it off, Scarlet. You’ll be biting the dust one day, too. Unless Belle wises up, that is.” 

Will gave her a disgruntled look, brushing the stray petals off his shoulder, while everyone else laughed at the exchange. Then he turned and grinned at Belle, shrugging his shoulders. She giggled and threw him a kiss. 

The outdoor reception took place under a large, open-air shelter. Prior to enjoying a delicious meal, Emma and Robin led all of the guests in a toast to the newlyweds. Liam did some creative switching to ensure Elsa had sparkling grape juice instead of champagne in her flute. 

After dinner, the couple cut the wedding cake and fed the first piece to each other. Then the single women gathered for the tossing of the bouquet, jostling for position. The bride turned her back to them, counted to three, and flung the nosegay over her shoulder. 

A small scuffle ensued, with Ruby nearly tackling Belle and several ladies diving to the floor. When the chaos was over, Emma held the prize aloft. Her eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Killian, who was grinning proudly. 

David made a show of using his teeth to remove the garter from Mary Margaret’s thigh, as she giggled and blushed. Then he paraded around, stretching it above his head as all the single men lined up. When he finally flipped it behind him, there was a mad scramble. Robin made a leaping swipe for it and missed, Graham was pushed aside by an overzealous cousin of David’s, and Will slipped on a wet spot on the floor, falling hard on his already bruised derriere. 

When Killian emerged from the crowd, spinning the garter around his index finger victoriously, Emma ran to give him a hug. 

“That means the two of you will be the next ones to get married!” Mary Margaret teased. 

Emma and Killian looked at each other, eyes wide. A blush spread up her throat into her cheeks, while he nervously scratched behind his ear. 

“Hang on,” Ruby cut in, looking back and forth between the two of them. “Why do you guys look so guilty?” 

“We don’t,” Killian said quickly, but the crack in his voice betrayed him. 

David folded his arms over his chest. “Alright, Jones. What’s going on?”

The couple in question locked eyes again, then Emma shrugged and nodded her head slightly. Killian cleared his throat, looking around at their friends, who were now surrounding them. Then he stood up straighter, draped his arm around Emma, and announced, “I asked Emma to marry me last night, and she said yes.” 

The statement was met with an eruption of noise, everyone shouting congratulations and hugging both of them. 

“And here I thought Elsa and Liam were the only ones keeping a secret!” Mary Margaret blurted out. 

The noise instantly ceased and all eyes turned toward her. “What secret are they keeping?” Regina asked. 

The rush of color into Mary Margaret’s cheeks was enhanced by the white of her gown. “Oh…well, I…I might have…I mean, it was an accident, but I…I heard them talking the other night about announcing something, then Elsa didn’t drink any alcohol at the bachelorette party and she’s been sleeping so much and I just kind of figured that she was…that they were…” The flood of words spilled out of her mouth, and everyone gaped at her. Then they turned to look at Elsa and Liam, who were standing slack-jawed. 

“Is she sayin’ ya got a bun in the oven?” Will asked. 

Elsa quickly composed herself, a soft smile spreading across her face. “This isn’t exactly how we planned to announce it, but yes. Liam and I are expecting a baby in February.” 

Once again, the group broke into a happy chorus of well wishes and hugs, though this time, they were careful not to squeeze Elsa too tightly. 

“What’s with all the secret keeping?” Graham asked. 

“I don’t know about my brother and Emma, but Elsa and I didn’t want to take away from Mary Margaret and David’s big day,” Liam explained. 

“Same for us,” Emma said. “We’re sorry if it did.” 

“Are you kidding?” David said. “You just made our wedding day even better! Give us all the good news!” 

“In that case,” Robin said, taking Regina’s hand to kiss the back of it, giving her a wink. “I asked Regina to move in with Roland and me.” 

There was a pause as all eyes swung to the dark-haired beauty. “And I said yes,” she affirmed. 

More jubilation erupted for several minutes and was just beginning to die away when they heard the announcement that it was time for the bride and groom’s first dance. Mary Margaret and David moved to the center of the floor and began to gently sway in small circles. Their family and friends watched happily as the couple shared numerous kisses and whispered words, as if they were the only two people in the world. 

~*~*~

The celebration lasted until nearly midnight and the tight knit group of friends were there until the very end. Roland finally lost his battle to keep his eyes open after being on the dance floor most of the night and was lying across two chairs with his head in Regina’s lap, her fingers idly ruffling his dark curls. Elsa sat with her head on Liam’s shoulder, her eyes closed and her hand resting on her still flat belly. 

After the final song of the night ended, Mary Margaret and David hugged everyone and bid them goodbye, then they were whisked away by a white limo to a private bungalow their wedding party had chipped in to rent them for their wedding night. 

The other couples followed soon after, stumbling sleepily into their respective cottages, thankful they didn’t need to get up early the next day. Liam had spoken to the property manager and got their checkout time moved to two PM instead of the usual ten AM. 

When Emma emerged from her room late the next morning in search of caffeine, she discovered Liam sitting on the front porch with his own mug of coffee. 

“Where is everyone?” she yawned, sitting in the rocking chair next to the one he was in. 

“Elsa’s still asleep, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Robin’s crew, or anyone from the other house. Where’s my brother?” 

“Still sleeping. I needed coffee and something to eat.”

“There are some snacks on the counter, but on our way out of town, we’re planning to go eat at that place Belle mentioned after we went on the trolley tour.” 

“Oh, yeah. Wasn’t it called Barbara Jean’s?”

“That sounds right. Robin wants to try their shrimp and grits, and Graham saw something called she-crab soup on the menu that sounded good to him.” 

“I don’t care where we eat, just as long as we eat,” Emma said. 

Liam chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll all be ready to eat by the time we get everything packed up to go.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. I dread that job.” 

They were quiet for a few minutes, both sipping their coffee and rocking in their chairs, enjoying the peacefulness of the morning. 

“It was a really nice wedding,” Emma commented at last. 

“Aye,” Liam sighed. “I asked Elsa last night if she was upset that she didn’t get to have the whole big wedding experience. She assured me she wasn’t, but I still feel a little disappointed for her.”

“Don’t,” Emma said matter-of-factly. “When we used to sit around talking about our dream weddings, she always said she wanted something simple. None of us were surprised when she told us you two eloped.” 

He nodded and gave her a slight smile. “What about you, Lass? What kind of wedding have you always dreamed of?” 

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t want anything flashy, but Killian and I haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet, so I don’t know what he’s thinking.” 

Liam took another sip and looked contemplative. “He won’t care as long as you’re happy.” 

“He should have what he wants, too.” 

Setting his mug down on the small table between their chairs, Liam turned to face her. “Emma, you could tell him you wanted to get married on an ice floe in Antarctica and he would agree to it. If I know my brother - and I do - he’ll want you to have your heart’s desire. He’s absolutely head over heels in love with you, and I couldn’t be happier. He might appear to be confident and self-assured, but he’s always been quite shy and reserved. All I’ve ever wanted is for him to be happy, and with you, he is.”

Emma’s eyelids fluttered and she looked down into her cup of coffee, considering what he said. “I never thought I’d meet a man as good as Killian, let alone have him fall in love with me.” 

“I don’t understand why you thought that. You’re a very special lass.” 

“Thank you, Liam,” she said quietly. “That means a lot coming from you.” 

They sat in comfortable silence for several more minutes until they heard voices coming from inside. “Sounds like they’re finally waking up,” Liam commented, rising from his seat. 

Emma drained the rest of her coffee and followed him into the house. Robin and Elsa were working together to unload the dishwasher. 

Liam kissed his wife. “Good morning, Darling. How are you feeling?” 

“Not bad, actually,” she answered. “I appreciated being able to sleep in.” 

“You weren’t the only one,” Emma commented. “Killian is still asleep. I’m surprised you and Regina slept this late, Robin.” 

“Ah, yes. Well, a certain young man climbed into bed with us in the middle of the night, and since he was up way past his bedtime, we thought it best not to disturb him until he woke up this morning. He gets rather irritable when he doesn’t get enough sleep.” 

“I can’t imagine Roly Poly being irritable,” Elsa said. 

“It doesn’t happen often, but it’s not a pleasant experience when it does, and we have a long car ride ahead of us.” 

Emma wondered if Killian was awake yet and excused herself to check on him. Opening the bedroom door quietly, she saw that he was in the same position as when she left him nearly half-an-hour earlier. She sat on the edge of the mattress and skimmed her fingers up his bare arm. He twitched, but didn’t wake up. With a playful grin, she began placing small kisses across his shoulders and up his neck. 

Soon, her tactics had the desired effect. He yawned and rolled onto his back, blinking blearily. “Morning, Love,” he mumbled. His low, gravelly voice sent pleasant shivers up her spine. 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Have you been up long?” 

“Long enough to have a cup of coffee with your brother on the front porch.” 

“Am I the last one up?” 

“I haven’t seen Regina and Roland yet, or anyone from the other cottage.” 

He stretched his arms over his head, then quickly wrapped them around her, pulling her against his chest. 

“Don’t start anything,” she giggled. “We need to get packed up so we can go get something to eat.” 

“So, you’re saying if it’s a choice between morning sex and food, you’d choose food?” 

“Maybe,” she teased. 

Her laughter rang out as he began rubbing his scruff against the sensitive skin of her throat. 

~*~*~

It was another two hours until everyone was up, showered, packed, and the cars were loaded. They reluctantly bid their vacation cottages goodbye, then drove to the seafront, where they parked in the large lot close to the pier. The guide on their trolley tour had recommended Barbara Jean’s, a restaurant famous for their crab cakes and ‘easy Southern dining’.

Their mood was subdued as it was impossible to not think about the long drive back to their homes, and the impending separation for three of the couples, however brief it would be for Emma and Killian. 

The message Mary Margaret and David sent to the group text wishing them a good morning and safe travels brought smiles to their faces, knowing their friends were now happily married and would be together in Pigeon Forge once their honeymoon was over. 

After their delicious meals were consumed and the bills paid, the group of friends emerged onto the sidewalk, soaking up the warm sunshine before being cooped up in cars for many hours. They walked slowly to their vehicles, trying to postpone their separation as long as possible. 

“Well, I guess this is the last time we’ll all be together until the trip next year,” Graham sighed, leaning against Liam’s car, while holding Ruby tightly. 

“At least we’ll have some time with each other before you drop me and Belle off at the airport,” Ruby said, snuggling into his chest. 

“Hey, we might live miles away from each other, but we manage to stay connected,” Will pointed out. 

“Best friends always do,” Belle added, looping her arm through her boyfriend’s. 

“And we do have a wedding to look forward to,” Elsa noted, smiling at Emma and Killian. 

“Speaking of that, have you set a date?” Regina asked. 

“We haven’t had time to discuss it yet,” Emma answered. 

“Well, you’ll have over nine hours in the car today,” Liam said. “That should give you plenty of time to plan the entire wedding, reception, and honeymoon.” 

The friends all laughed, exchanged hugs, and got into their respective vehicles, going their separate ways until they’d meet up again for next year’s destination dream wedding.

~*~*~

Notes:

The Georgia Queen was one of the riverboats we saw on the river in Savannah. We didn’t take a tour on it this time around though.

We didn’t intentionally go to Epworth by the Sea, but Jen and Marta drove through when Jen’s “Google woman” sent them off on the scenic route again. While it did add a bit of time to the drive to Krystal’s, it was a happy accident, as it was absolutely beautiful. Thanks, annoying Google woman who likes to prolong our car rides!

We also ate at Barbara Jean’s before heading to Savannah on our main day in that city. The food was delicious–including the she-crab soup that Marta ordered. We couldn’t resist having Graham place that particular order in the story for reasons that are probably apparent to anyone who knows Marta and her love of Graham. It didn’t make it into the story, but our waitress also gave us some fascinating Beauty and the Beast trivia.

And with that, the 2024 Girls’ Trip fic comes to a close! We hope you enjoyed our adventures told through our favorite characters’ destination wedding! See you next year for our (and their) next vacation!

~*~*~

Thank you again so much for reading and sharing! We'll see you next year!!!

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

Hello everyone! We are back with Ch2!!! In today's installment, our couples explore St. Simons Island. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and for coming along on this journey with us! We'd love to know what you think!

Rating: T

Words: 4500 of approx 21k

Todays Ch On ao3 and ff.net

Ch1 on Tumblr

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it

A wonderfully mild breeze for July and a sky streaked with peaches and pinks and fluffy white clouds greeted them their first full day on the island. The early risers made their coffee and enjoyed a few quiet moments before the rest of their party were up and moving. Mary Margaret and David cuddled together in the large swing on the front porch, perfectly happy sipping their coffee and watching the sunrise. Mary Margaret rested her head on her fiance’s solid chest, and David, with his arms wrapped around her, felt like he held the most precious treasure in the world. 

Next door, Belle also liked to be up before it was necessary to dress and start rushing around, enjoying at least one mug of coffee while she read in her pajamas tucked into a corner of the couch in the main living area. Today however, she had only been in her place for a few minutes before Will wandered into the room, looking at her hopefully and asking if she would mind him joining her.

She beamed at him, holding out her hand and beckoning him closer. His larger fingers enfolded hers easily as he drew near, and she tugged him down to the couch beside her, pulling back the corner of her fleece throw to cover his legs as well. He kissed the side of her head tenderly, giving her a hug that she snuggled into happily, and for a moment they sat in contented bliss. 

“Would you like me to read to you?” she asked.

Will grinned crookedly and nodded his eager assent. “That’d be lovely if you want. I’m happy just sittin’ here near you, but if you want to share, I’d love to hear it.” 

Once again, Belle couldn’t help thinking Will must have been meant for her after the heartache she’d suffered before. Truly, they might not look as though they made much sense on paper, or if one were to merely look at their personalities separately, but that had no bearing on how happy they actually made each other - and how wonderfully appreciated and adored Will made her feel. She had always wanted to share the written words she loved and the fascinating things she learned and cared about with someone who would enjoy them as much as she did. She thought that dating an intellectual, someone reserved and in the same field as she was would be a perfect match, but Robert had undermined her, belittled the things that caught her interest, and he’d never had time for or valued the things she attempted to share with him. Will was nothing like that; he was eager to learn, and live life to the fullest, taking everything in - just as she was. And Belle could only tingle with joy and gratitude at picturing so many more mornings like this before them in the future.

They were able to get a more leisurely start this morning, having a trolley tour of the historical sites and points of interest around St. Simons Island scheduled at 11:00. And while she savored Will’s hands gently brushing up and down her arms and the way he leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder as she read several more pages aloud from the novel she had chosen, when the other couple in their cottage entered the kitchen and began to get breakfast together, Belle knew she needed to extricate herself, dress and get her things together.

Luckily it only took an hour to fix Emma’s tire at a nearby service station, and soon all thirteen members of their large group were gathered on the driveway between their two rentals, dressed comfortably and with good walking shoes, ready to drive to the welcome center and pier where the trolley tour began. Everyone was anxious to get going, chatting about how nice the cottages were, and the things they hoped to see in the next few days.

It was a short drive and they reached the picturesque area where they would board the trolley some several minutes early. The various couples split to stroll along the pier, exclaiming over the view, the sea birds and how close they would come, and sharing some quick private moments together, while still keeping the space where the trolley would arrive in sight. 

Right on time, the trolley pulled into its spot. David gave his name for their reservation and they all boarded. Their party was large enough that it filled the last few seats remaining, interspersed between the groups of twos, threes, and fours who had already been seated. Luckily, most of them hardly minded being pressed in close to the side of their lover. 

Having introduced herself as Georgia, the silver-haired older woman leading their tour began to give them instructions in her charmingly sweet Southern drawl and then launched into her identifications and descriptions of the various places they were passing, as they started down the road which wound by the beach and through both streets full of shops and restaurants and scenic lanes, bounded by live oaks draped with Spanish moss. None of them could resist snapping pictures that hardly captured the wondrous sights, but Mary Margaret and Belle proved to be obsessed with catching every possible moment, until David and Will could only shake their heads and shrug, watching their ladies affectionately, though with a healthy dose of humor as well.

The highlight of the tour was when they stopped at the small Christ Church Fredericka, pausing and disembarking to take in the lovely white building, its stunning stained glass windows, and its aged graveyard stones in more depth on foot. They were seated in the pews within the sanctuary as their guide continued to tell them more of the church’s history and the life of its founder and builder, Anson Dodge. 

Mr. Dodge was quite the fitting historical subject. Not only Belle, who always enjoyed a good story, but the entire tour group listened in rapt attention as Georgia explained how he’d built the lovely church for his sweetheart - only to enjoy a mere three years together before her untimely passing. Though Dodge had carried on in his life and work, accomplishing much that was worthy of praise, and had eventually even married again and founded a home for orphans with his second wife, he had never forgotten or stopped grieving his first love - his True Love, one might say.

Both Belle’s and Mary Margaret’s eyes looked more than a bit glassy by the time the story had been recounted fully, and neither would be rushed or deterred from circling to where the Dodges were buried around the side of the chapel - a simply beautiful resting place infused with a tranquil and reverent hush amidst the live oaks and their dripping trails of Spanish moss.

The entire group from the trolley was in the graveyard when the guide began to speak again about the trilogy of novels written about the area with Mr. Dodge as one of the character inspirations, but at this point Belle’s enthusiasm simply overflowed, and she hurried toward the older woman, breaking in with breathless excitement, “Oh yes! I know that series! Beloved Invader really focuses on him and the mark he made within the St. Simons community, despite what he was going through personally. I remember when I first read that story, how captured I was by his strength and all that he overcame, and now to think we’re standing here where he likely once stood as well…”

Suddenly, she bit off her own flow of words and looked around meekly, as if just realizing that she had rather hijacked the woman’s entire address. “Oh,” she glanced at their guide sheepishly, her voice much calmer and more subdued, “I apologize for getting carried away. It wasn’t my intention to interrupt.”

But judging by the good humored smile on Georgia’s face, she was not at all offended or upset as she waved off the brunette’s apologies. “Never you mind, Sweetie,” she reassured, even as Belle stepped back to Will’s side and linked her arm with his, subtly leaning against him and almost burying her flushed face into his shoulder for a moment. “It isn’t very often we get a visitor so keen and well-informed on our local history. Anson Dodge was indeed quite a heroic figure - well worth remembering.”

Belle nodded her thanks for the generous understanding, but vowed to bite her tongue all the same, not wanting to miss out on something she might yet learn. And if Will got a few more additions whispered into his ears from there on out, she knew he certainly didn’t mind.

Soon they were back on the trolley again, returning to the starting point where they would disembark. As they passed one tall, stately oak however, Georgia pointed out the enigmatically beautiful figure carved into its side.  “And this is Cora, one of our local tree spirits,” their silver-headed guide introduced cheerily. “You can find a map in the visitor’s center leading you to Cora and her compatriots about St. Simons, should you wish to meet them all,” she added with a wink. 

It was really just a fun little carving in the tree trunk, and many chuckled or snapped pictures as the trolley rolled by, but Regina felt an odd shudder run through her frame. Besides the fact the carving shared a name with Regina’s mother, the very last person she wanted to be thinking about, perhaps it was just that she’d never been much for tramping around in nature and smelling like forest. Still, there was something about the wooden visage which just didn’t sit quite right with her.

~*~*~

After disembarking from the trolley, the couples meandered around the surrounding area, taking more pictures and exploring what the seafront had to offer.

Elsa and Liam were drawn to the playground, with equipment designed to look like a pirate ship. As they watched parents pushing their children on the swings and catching them at the end of the slides, Liam draped his arm over his wife’s shoulder, and she wrapped hers around his waist. 

“That will be us in a couple of years, Sweetheart,” Elsa said quietly, aware that no one from their group was close enough to hear. 

“Aye, it will, and I can hardly wait,” Liam replied, pressing his lips to the crown of her blonde, sun-warmed head. 

Belle and Will walked a few blocks to the visitor’s center so she could pick up more brochures and informational books. The tour had sparked her interest in the history of the island, and she was determined to find out more. Will, as usual, was her captive audience, hanging on every word of her monologue as they walked. 

After exiting the building, Will pointed across the street. “Hey, look! There’s that fancy tree they talked about while we were on that trolley thing. Do you want me to take a picture of you in front of it?” he asked Belle. 

“That would be wonderful!” she exclaimed. “You’re always so thoughtful.” 

Digging her phone out of her small bag, she handed it to him, then they walked across the street to the large, old oak, whose low-hanging branches rested on the ground. Will helped Belle find a good spot to stand, then held up the phone, backing up to get a better shot. Just as he was about to tap the circle to take the picture, he tripped over an exposed root and landed with a loud ‘OOF’ on his ass. 

“Oh, Will!” Belle cried, rushing over to him. “Are you alright?”

“Just dandy,” he grumbled, getting to his feet slowly and rubbing his derriere. “Last year, it was me head that took a beating. This year, it’s me arse.” 

“I’m so sorry,” she said, trying to hide her giggle behind her hand. “I could give you a massage later, if you think it would help.” 

Despite his pain, he gave her a goofy grin. “I certainly won’t turn down that offer.” 

She glanced around to see if anyone was looking, then gently patted his bruised bottom and leaned up to give him a kiss.

Unbeknownst to them, the lighthouse had drawn Graham and Ruby’s attention during the tour, and they had taken the opportunity to visit it, climbing to the top to survey the island from a different perspective.

They witnessed Will’s tumble and laughed so hard, they were wiping away tears. When they saw Belle’s response, Ruby said, “Aww, isn’t that sweet?”

“Not as sweet as this ass,” Graham whispered into her ear, squeezing that part of her anatomy.

After sharing a just-this-side-of-inappropriate kiss with him, she pointed out various things to look at while he stood behind her, arms wrapped around her and chin on her shoulder, happy to hold his girlfriend in his arms again, after being away from her for so long.

Meanwhile, back at the boardwalk, Roland led Regina and Robin to the wooden pier, where he watched, fascinated, as fishermen cast their lines and waited patiently for fish to take their bait. Even the most crusty, seasoned angler was charmed by the little boy with dark, curly hair and deep dimples as he ran from one to another, asking them questions about what they were doing.

Mary Margaret found a set of stairs leading to the beach below. She and David descended them and were soon joined by Emma and Killian. The two couples strolled slowly along the packed sand, their arms intertwined. 

“Oh, look!” Mary Margaret exclaimed, stopping and bending down. “A little shell!” She picked it up and held it in front of her fiancé for him to see. 

David examined it as if it were a priceless treasure and declared it to be pretty, but not as pretty as his soon-to-be-wife. Her cheeks pinkened and she gave him a kiss before continuing to scan the beach for more shells. She was thrilled when she was able to add a small, intact sand dollar to the collection David held in the palm of his hand.

Emma and Killian trailed behind the engaged couple, before stopping to watch the small waves, quietly absorbing their relaxing sound. 

“I miss living by the sea,” Killian admitted, his eyes trained on the boats dotting the surface. 

“I know it’s a lake and not the sea, but you could always move to Chicago and work with your brother,” Emma said. “I, for one, would be happy if you did.” 

“I’m not sure my brother would share your enthusiasm, Love. I think he likes having his own identity away from his younger brother.” 

She wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder. “Well, at least think about it. This long distance thing sucks.” 

Before he could reply, they heard Liam’s sharp, distinct whistle coming from the top of the stairs. “Time to load up so we can get to the restaurant,” he informed them. 

It took fifteen minutes to round everyone up and get them into the three vehicles so they could travel to Tortuga Jack’s Mexican Cantina. When they arrived, they were excited to learn there was outdoor seating and were soon seated at one long table. Once again, the couples didn’t mind the close proximity, giving them a reason to cozy up to their significant others. 

While they waited for their meals, they munched on warm tortilla chips and kept an eye on the birds who were almost too comfortable around the customers. Whenever a chip was dropped on the ground, they swooped down to peck at it, carrying it away if it was small enough to manage. Robin had to remind Roland several times not to throw the chips on the ground on purpose. 

A couple at the neighboring table had their dog with them, who instantly took a liking to Graham. He and Ruby spent most of the time while they were waiting for their food, petting his brown, curly fur and chatting with the owners. Once their new acquaintances  paid their bill and left, Graham turned to Ruby and said, “You know, I didn’t realize you’re such a dog lover.” 

“Well,” she grinned, running her fingers through his wavy, sandy-colored locks, “I like most dogs, but that one in particular reminded me of you.” 

Graham looked confused. “Is that a good thing? That I remind you of a dog?” 

“Of course,” she said, her smile turning softer. “You know I can’t resist when you look at me with those big puppy dog eyes.” She leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth lightly.

Their meals arrived and conversation died away as they all ate. Just as they were finishing, the hostess seated another large group of people at the table beside them. They were loud and raucous, clearly having been imbibing for several hours already. One man was particularly obnoxious, and everyone could see the angry steam building in Regina. When he let loose a slew of expletives, she went into full Evil Queen mode. 

Rising to her feet, she tugged down the hem of her blouse and turned to face the offender. “Excuse me,” she said, in a barely controlled voice. “Is it beyond your inebriated comprehension to see that there is a child at this table, one who does not need to hear your foul language? Are you truly that obtuse, or are you just incredibly self-centered to the point of offending everyone around you?” 

The obnoxious man slowly stood up, weaving a bit as he walked over to stand toe-to-toe with her. Everyone at both tables held their breath, wondering what was going to happen next. Robin pushed his chair back, ready to jump to Regina’s aid, if need be. 

“Wha’ did you say?” the man slurred. 

Though the man was several inches taller than she, Regina didn’t blink, her upper lip curling in a disdainful sneer. “I said, this is a family establishment with children present. Your loud and rude behavior is not appreciated.” 

The man drew in a deep breath, puffing out his chest. After holding it for a second or two, he let it out, completely deflating. “Yer right, ma’am. I ap-ap-...what I mean to say is, I’m sorry.” He turned to look at Roland, who was staring at him with wide eyes. “Sorry, lil man. Won’t hap- won’t happen again.” 

“It’s okay, mister,” Roland said, giving him a grin that could win over even the most unpleasant person. Then he turned to Regina. “Thank you, Miss Gina.” 

She bent down to his level and gave him a warm smile, kissing his dimpled cheek before replying, “You’re very welcome, Sweetie.” 

~*~*~

Later that evening after Roland had been put to bed, the friends were scattered between the eat-in dining area playing an escape game - solving riddles and puzzles to escape the Enchanted Forest- and the living room, where the rest of them were working on a slide show of the bride and groom growing up, meeting, and falling in love to use at the end of the ceremony and during the reception. 

“When did you know she was the one, David?” Killian called from his place in the living room where he sat in front of the laptop, hands poised to type whatever came out of his friend’s mouth.

“Huh?” David asked, confused. He’d been hard at work trying to figure out the coded message that would help “Cindy” get to the ball on time and hadn’t paid attention to Killian’s words until he heard his name.

“Was there a moment when you knew you’d marry Mary Margaret? A specific point when you fell in love with her?” Graham repeated the question.

David got up from the table he and Mary Margaret, Liam, Elsa, Will and Belle were all gathered around. As he approached the living room to answer the others’ questions, a chorus of No! Stay back! Don’t you come in here! reached him. 

He stopped with a chuckle, his eyes sweeping over the rest of his friends who were either at laptops of their own or were going through the box of pictures he and Mary Margaret had provided for the project. Regina was manning the copier/scanner, feeding the pictures chosen by Robin and Emma into it.

“One more time?” he asked.

“When did you know, David?” Ruby asked, the slightest bit of exasperation coloring her words. “When did you realize you were in love with Mary Margaret?”

David’s face softened as a nostalgic smile lifted his lips. 

“It was at the Titanic Museum,” he said. 

The previous year, when the two groups met for the first time during their respective Guys Week and Girls Trip, they’d joined together almost from the beginning, getting to know one another and enjoying each other's company, as well as some of the touristy trappings of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 

The last day before they’d all return to their homes was spent on the strip, exploring the Titanic Museum and other attractions. They ended the evening with reservations at Dolly Parton’s Stampede for dinner. 

The Titanic Museum was amazing, with each of them receiving boarding passes of an actual Titanic passenger along with their history and why they were traveling to America. At the end of their visit, they had discovered if their passenger made it off the doomed vessel. 

Liam received Captain Smith, whom everyone knew didn’t survive, the captain going down with his ship. Killian’s pass was Henry B. Harris, a Broadway producer who died in the disaster. Graham got Thomas Andrews, the ship’s designer, who also went down with his ship. Will got six-year-old survivor Robert Spedden, who was forever immortalized by Father Frank Browne, an amateur photographer who caught the boy playing with a spinning top on the First Class Promenade Deck.  Robin was Harold Bride, one of Titanic’s two radio operators. A true hero, he stayed at his post tirelessly sending out SOS messages after they struck the iceberg until water began to rush in the room. Miraculously, he still managed to survive, though his feet were frostbitten from spending hours in the freezing ocean water before he finally got into a lifeboat. David and Mary Margaret received honeymooning first class couple George and Dorothy Harder, who both survived. Belle was Margaret Brown, a new money socialite later immortalized by Debbie Reynolds in the musical The “Unsinkable” Molly Brown. Emma received survivor Edwina Trout, a second class passenger returning home to Massachusetts after traveling to Bath, England. Anna Turja was Regina’s boarding pass. The eighteen-year-old was traveling to her new home in America with a large group from Finland and survived. Ruby was first class survivor Gertrude Thorne who was returning home to New York City. Elsa received young Catherine Van Impe who perished in the tragedy. At only ten years old, she was one of the more than one hundred children aboard the vessel. 

The lower floor of the museum contained artifacts from the ship, including an actual deck chair. No photography was allowed, much to Mary Margaret’s dismay. But once they climbed the grand staircase to the second level of the museum, they could take as many pictures as they liked. There they saw a first class estate room as well as clothing from the Edwardian time period.

From there, they entered a large room featuring a grand piano in the center, with pictures and biographies of the nine members of the orchestra lining the walls. There were no ropes around the piano to keep people from touching it, and a simple arrangement of “Nearer My God, To Thee”- the last piece, according to witnesses, to be played by the orchestra as the ship sank- sat on the music rack. While the rest of their group went from picture to picture, reading about the brave men who played to the very last, bringing comfort to those still on the sinking ship, Mary Margaret sat down at the instrument and began to play the old beloved hymn. 

David felt tears form in his eyes as he stood behind her taking a video. He fell in love with her at that moment and thought to himself that he was going to marry this girl.

“When she played the piano in the music room,” David said. “Remember?”

Smiles and nods of agreement told him they recalled the moment as well.

“That was when I knew I loved her.”

“What about you, Mary Margaret?” Regina called.

Now Mary Margaret joined her fiancé, linking their arms. “It took me a little longer,” she said, smiling up at David. “We kept in touch with phone calls and texts after getting back home, and I decided to go to Pigeon Forge for a visit before school started again.” David noticed amused and secretive grins exchanged between Robin and Regina at Mary Margaret’s words and realized exactly what they must be thinking about. “He took me on a nature hike,” Mary Margaret continued, “and when I started talking about all the different flowers, he started picking them and made me a little bouquet of wildflowers. That was when I knew he was the one for me. I still have the flowers,” she sighed dreamily.

“Why does that not surprise me?” snarked Regina, a knowing and bemused smile on her face.

“I’ll have them to show our children,” Mary Margaret continued.

“Now what was that look about, Regina?” Ruby asked out of the blue. Both Robin and Regina’s faces turned a bright red, and David burst out laughing, glad that he wasn’t the only one who noticed their exchanged looks. 

“I wasn’t going to mention it,” David said, “but since you asked, Ruby, and they don’t seem to be terribly inclined to share it, I will.”

Robin and Regina sputtered while everyone else laughed and encouraged David to continue.

“After Regina decided on Knoxville and passed the bar,” David began, grinning widely, “she came over for a visit after school started.” He shot Mary Margaret a significant look, and she turned surprised eyes on her friend.

“What?” she cried. “You didn’t tell me!” Similar exclamations came from the other ladies, with Ruby crowing “Get it, girl!”

“I don’t tell you all everything,” she countered, cheeks flaming anew.

“Don’t you mean y’all?” Ruby asked. “You do live in the South now.”

“No,” Regina deadpanned, raising her chin just slightly. “I refuse to say y’all. That’s the best you’re going to get.”

Ruby laughed while Emma and Elsa rolled their eyes at her snarky response.

“Anyway,” David interjected, eager to continue with his story, “It was Roland’s first day of kindergarten the Wednesday before Labor Day when Regina came over for the long weekend. After Robin dropped Roland off, he went over to Regina’s room in the Lodge. Well, as luck would have it, around the same time, I was walking by Robin’s cabin and could hear water rushing in the basement. Where the hot water heater is.”

Exclamations of dread and surprise sounded from all their friends as David continued the story.

“I got in and found it was flooded,” he said. “So, of course, I had to call Robin. Who was just a little bit occupied.”

Robin and Regina both resembled ripe tomatoes as their friends all whooped and hollered.

“Cock-blocked by the plumbing,” Will commented, shaking his head and laughing. “I think he would have rather snaked Regina’s drain than deal with that mess.” Belle and Elsa both snorted at Will’s comment, and Belle smacked him upside the head.

“William Michael Scarlet,” she admonished him, sternly, but still trying to hold in her laughter.

“Then as soon as he got off the phone with David,” Regina interjected, eager to get away from that portion of the story, “Roland’s school called.”

Robin picked up the narrative from there. “During morning recess, he was swinging too high, and when he jumped off the swing - something he’s done a million times at the Sherwood Forest playground - he landed wrong and hurt his ankle. I had to go have a look at what was happening at home, so I told them my girlfriend was on her way.”

Regina blushed again and a soft smile graced her face. “That was the first time he called me his girlfriend,” she said quietly, a chorus of awwwwws coming from her friends. “When I got there, I could clearly see the half-assed job the student nurse had done wrapping his ankle, plus he didn’t give Roland anything for the pain. I told him it was a good thing he was still in nursing school, because if he’d been the actual school nurse, he’d be lucky if he still had a job the next day. He was shaking in his boots.” 

No one was surprised at Regina’s recounting, and they all praised her handling of the situation.

Emma smiled softly at her friend. “Of all of us, Regina - given the way you were brought up and your own ambitions - you were probably the last anyone would have expected to enjoy motherhood. And yet, here you are, the first of us, very much a mother to Roland.”

Regina blushed and lowered her head slightly before lifting a shoulder in a half shrug and nodding.

“She’s right, Darling,” Robin agreed, pressing his lips to her temple. He looked around at the rest of the room and continued recounting the story where Regina left off. “It was a sprain. We kept him out of school the rest of the week, so he could rest and stay off of it, and get used to using crutches too.”

“Oh, bless him,” Mary Margaret cooed.

“So instead of having some time to ourselves - not like that -” Regina snapped, glaring at Will, “during the day, and then time with Roland in the afternoons, evenings, and the weekend, we had him with us the whole time. It wasn’t all bad though,” she said, smiling affectionately at Robin. “With needing a new water heater, Robin and Roland stayed with me in the lodge and we had a great weekend.”

“We did,” Robin agreed. “And by the time it was over, Roland loved Regina as much as I did.” With those words, he lifted their joined hands and brushed his lips across her knuckles. Regina blushed and ducked her head before leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.

“Did someone take notes for when those two tie the knot?” Ruby asked, looking around.

“You’d better believe it!” Mary Margaret exclaimed.

Regina shot a panicked look at Mary Margaret, who waved away her concerns. “Not right away, I know, Regina. Don’t worry. I’ll just keep this in my back pocket until the time comes.” Regina rolled her eyes and cut them over to where Robin sat, his soft gaze on her settling the butterflies inside that erupted at Ruby and Mary Margaret’s words. She really did love him, and Roland, and she knew they loved her and wanted her to be a part of their family. But was she ready for that? As long as he looked at her the way he was now, she thought she just might be.

“Alright, storytime’s over,” Killian broke into Regina’s thoughts. “As captivating as all these stories are, we’ve got everything we need. You go back and finish your escape game while we put the finishing touches on this.”

With affectionate smiles and chuckles everyone went back to their respective activities until they were ready to call it a night.

~*~*~

Notes

Our trip occurred in April rather than July, of course, but we decided to change the date for plot purposes. We thought it would make sense for Mary Margaret to end the school year before she married and moved to Tennessee with David. Being April, the weather was absolutely beautiful–70s and sunny, but we’ve been told the heat can be positively oppressive in the area in the summer. We chose to give our characters unseasonably cool weather to give them maximum enjoyment of their vacation.

We did take a trolley tour of St. Simon’s Island, and our guide, who was interesting and knowledgeable, was indeed named Georgia.

It might have been Belle and Mary Margaret who were obsessed with taking ALL the pictures in our fic, but in real life, Krystal and Marta were the most dedicated photographers.

The tour stopped at Christ Church Frederica, which was beautiful and meaningful, and, like Belle, we were struck by the beauty as well as the angst of the Anson Dodge story.

The little vignette about Cora the tree spirit was real–although none of us got a chill (One of the many perks of having mothers that are not the literal worst).

We had the various couples split up to see the sights of the island, but in reality we stayed together to see them all–the pirate playground, the lighthouse (although we only saw it from afar), the pier with the fishermen, and the visitors’ center.  Marta, rather than Belle, became known as the one who collected ALL the brochures. ALL of them.

We took a bit of creative license with locations during the rest of this chapter.  Tortuga Jack’s, the walk down the stairs to the beach, collecting of shells, and enjoying the soothing sound of the waves meeting the shore took place on Jekyll Island for us.

The restaurant our characters went to was a real place–Tortuga Jack’s Mexican Cantina. The bit about the outdoor seating, the birds swooping in to steal leftovers, the couple with the adorable dog and the obnoxious (and clearly inebriated) diner at the next table were all real. None of us took the Regina role of telling said obnoxious diner off, though, which is probably for the best.

The Enchanted Forest escape game mentioned in this chapter was real. We managed to beat it in just under 2 hours (the instructions said it was intended to last 1-2 hours). We didn’t, however, make any wedding slideshows as none of us need them at the moment.

We thought we’d take an opportunity in the slide show section to give you a couple of “deleted scenes” from last year’s fic, though. We went to the Titanic museum last year, and we did receive boarding passes just like the characters (in fact our specific boarding passes were used, as well as several others Krystal researched). The piano incident was real–with Jen being the one to sit down at the piano. To her knowledge her musical prowess did not make anyone fall in love with her, though. The OQ date story was, however, entirely fictional.

In chapter 3, our characters head to Savannah for some sight-seeing as well as for the bachelor and bachelorette parties!

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing! We'll be back on Monday when our Destination Dream Wedding heads to Savannah! See you then!

[kmomof4]

A Memorable Visit A New Outlaw Queen Fic for @iamstartraveller776 Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RANDI!!!!! See? You had to read the vacay fics so you'd be familiar with the 'verse and recognize the reference from this years fic!!! I soooo hope you enjoy this and have a wonderful day!!! All the love and thanks to my fabulous betas, traveling companions, and fellow creators of the Girls Vacay Collab Fic Collection - @jrob64 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose

Summary: A birthday fic for my dear friend, Randi.

Robin and Regina's first "date" within the universe of Cave Cruises, Cabin Capers, & Cracked Craniums written by myself, snowbellewells, Jrob64, and jdmusiclover. The date was referenced in this year's fic - Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres.

Words: 3115

Rating: T

Tags: Outlaw Queen Fic, Girls Vacay Collab Fic Collection

On ao3 as part of the Girls Vacay Collab Fic Collection

Tagging the usuals. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

@jrob64 @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @the-darkdragonfly @jennjenn615

@donteattheappleshook @undercaffinatednightmare @pirateherokillian @cocohook38 @qualitycoffeethings

@booksteaandtoomuchtv @superchocovian @motherkatereloyshipper @snowbellewells @pirateprincessofpizza

@djlbg @lfh1226-linda @xarandomdreamx @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic

@anmylica @laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate @gingerchangeling

@caught-in-the-filter @ultraluckycatnd @stahlop @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite

@captainswan-kellie @soniccat @beckettj @teamhook @whimsicallyenchantedrose

@thisonesatellite @jonesfandomfanatic @elfiola @zaharadessert @ilovemesomekillianjones

@mie779 @kymbersmith-90 @suwya @veryverynotgoodwrites

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

Robin strode down the hallway of the lodge at his Sherwood Forest Resort toward the executive suite where his girlfriend was staying for the weekend, an excited bounce in his step at the thought of seeing her in person again.

Well, maybe potential girlfriend was more accurate…  

Was it too soon to call her his girlfriend? Probably. Regina didn’t strike him as the type of woman who’d rush into putting labels on a relationship. It had only been three months since they’d met back in June, and they’d only spent six days in each other’s presence before she and the rest of her girlfriends had returned to their respective homes.

But the fact that she’d accepted a position at a prominent Knoxville law firm after graduating from Harvard Law last spring and passing the Tennessee bar gave him hope that he could soon call the woman he’d lost his head over earlier this summer, his. Not to mention the fact that she had chosen to visit him over this long Labor Day weekend.

He knocked on the door and bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for it to open. It was only a few moments later - even if it seemed interminable to him - when it swung inward and Robin caught his breath. 

Regina Mills was even more beautiful than he remembered. Regular FaceTime calls just didn’t do her justice. Straight raven hair that swept her shoulders, the honey almond tone to her skin which glowed under the lights, her dark eyes lighting up and full lips dropping open slightly before widening into a tentative but happy smile.

He didn’t quite know what to say to her. He knew he sported a rather goofy smile - this amount of joy in his heart always showed itself on his face, if he could believe David - and just being in her presence again was enough to strike him speechless. He couldn’t help the surge of male pride inside him that she seemed to be similarly affected.

She licked her bottom lip, grabbed him by the shirt, and pulled him into the room, slamming the door behind him. She captured his lips with her own before he could blink, and it only took a moment for his arms to wrap around her and return her passionate kisses.

He walked forward, guiding her further into the room until he’d backed her into the wall near the door. Releasing her lips, he grinned down at her as her eyes danced and she licked her swollen lips.

“That was quite a hello,” he said, cheekily, “but I am not complaining.”

She shrugged one shoulder in a playful gesture that was wholly unexpected, while at the same time utterly charming.

“I might have missed you,” she sassed right back at him.

Robin cupped her face in both of his hands. “Well, I know I missed you,” he said in all seriousness. Never taking his eyes off of hers, he moved his head slowly toward her until he brushed her lips with his own.

“You got Roland off to school, okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “They had Back-to-School night last night, so he got to meet his teacher then, and he was already friends with most of the kids in his class, so there were no tearful goodbyes or nerves on his part. He walked in like he owned the place.” He chuckled and Regina beamed.

“I’m not at all surprised.” She glanced up at him through her lashes and nibbled a bit on her bottom lip. “So that means…”

“I don’t have to pick him up until 2:30.” A slow grin spread across his face and Regina blushed. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for, darling,” he assured her, stroking her cheek gently. “I know we haven’t known each other long…”

“No, Robin,” she interrupted with a small shake of her head, rushing to reassure him. “I want to.” She took a deep breath, and Robin felt his heart rate pick up as he waited for her to speak. “Getting to know you the past few months… I… I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about you.” Her voice wasn’t much more than a whisper, and the uncertainty and vulnerability he saw in her eyes nearly undid him. He held his tongue, knowing she didn’t need his words at the moment, she needed his understanding and acceptance. “I know I can trust you with my heart.”

Love and awe flooded him. “You’d trust me with such a precious treasure?” She smiled - a soft, tender thing - and Robin’s heart melted within him. He pulled her into his arms and captured her lips. They were as sweet as Granny’s ice cream, and flames of passion surged between them. He lifted her in his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his hips as he moved further into the room.

Depositing her on the bed, he began undoing the buttons of his shirt. Regina scrambled to her knees on the edge of the bed and slapped his hand away. “Let me.”

He couldn’t contain the smirk on his lips as she reached for him. “As you wish, milady.”

Regina’s fingers danced along his skin as she released each button, leaving Robin burning for her. She’d just pushed his shirt off as he reached for the hem of the red cashmere sweater she wore when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Do you need to get that?” she asked.

“David can handle whatever it is,” he replied before kissing her again. 

The vibrating came to an end, and started up again not ten seconds later. She pulled back from him and lifted one imperial eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” he murmured, lifting her sweater from her body and chasing her lips with his.

The phone stopped again - before voicemail would have had a chance to pick up - and then resumed the incessant buzzing about five seconds later.

“I really think you should get that,” she remarked drily.

Robin rolled his eyes and pulled his phone out of his pocket. David’s smiling face filled the screen and Robin groaned. As soon as the line connected, Robin barked, “What?”

Before Robin could hang up on him, the apology burst from David’s mouth. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You know I wouldn’t call if I didn’t have to.” 

“You’d better have a really good reason for this,” Robin growled.

“I do. I swear,” David assured him. “Do you hear that?” he asked. He held out his phone in front of him for a few seconds before bringing it back to his ear again.

Robin’s brow furrowed. The sound he heard through the receiver was familiar, but he couldn’t place it right away. Suddenly it hit him and he blanched.

“Is that water?” he asked, hoping against hope David would answer in the negative.

“Yep,” David replied. “Your hot water heater is busted. You need to get over here. Now.”

“Shit!” Robin cried. Normally he wouldn’t have used such language, too used to minding his tongue around his young son, but there were some times when stronger language was called for.

“What? What is it?” Regina asked, her eyes wide with alarm.

Robin covered the end of the phone to speak to her. “The hot water heater at my cabin is busted. I have to go.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” she agreed quickly, grabbing her sweater off the bed where it’d landed and putting it back on. “I’ll come with you.”

“We’ll be right over,” Robin said to David before hanging up. He turned apologetic eyes to Regina as he grabbed his shirt. “I’m sorry about this.”

She waved his concern away. “Don’t worry about it,” she assured him. “Things like this have to take priority.”

He’d just finished buttoning his shirt, when his phone rang again. “Now what?” he said exasperatedly into the phone. “I told you we were on our way.” He paused for a moment and the consternation on his face melted into apology. “Miss Ariel,” he exclaimed. “I’m so sorry! I thought you were someone else. Is everything alright?”

He was silent for another minute, and Regina watched as the apology morphed into dismay. “Ah… I… but…” He turned alarmed and pleading eyes to her.

“What?” she whispered.

“Roland jumped off the swings at morning recess and hurt his ankle,” he explained. “I have to go to him first…” he trailed away, uncertainty in every line of his face.

“You go home,” Regina suggested. “I’ll go to Roland.” Robin nodded appreciatively.

Turning his attention back to the phone conversation, Robin quickly explained. “There’s an emergency here at the resort I have to take care of. My girlfriend, Regina Mills,” he continued, never taking his eyes from hers to gauge her reaction to his appellation, as well as what he was about to reveal, “will be there in a few minutes. She’s listed as one of Roland’s emergency contacts on the paperwork I filled out last night.” She nodded at him decisively as he hung up, and her beaming smile had him release the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“Where is his school and where do I need to take him?” she asked, trying for a serious demeanor, but knowing she failed completely. She just couldn’t get over the giddiness inside her at him referring to her as his girlfriend, in addition to the trust he showed by listing her as an emergency contact for his son. She turned away from him, hoping to disguise the happiness on her face by slipping into her shoes and picking up her purse.

“His school is at the bottom of the hill before you get to the strip,” he informed her. 

Regina nodded. “I remember passing it on the way in.”

“I should have asked you before putting you down as an emergency contact,” Robin continued, placing a hand on her hip. “David is first, obviously, but I just tend to worry a lot, and when there was a second option as well, you were the first person I thought of. I hope that’s okay.” 

She turned back toward him and the contrition and hope in his eyes made her heart flutter. “Of course it is. I’m honored.”

Robin smiled softly and brushed her lips with his. “The pediatrician is on the strip. Take a right when you get there and it’s on the right maybe a hundred yards from where you turn. I’ll meet you there.”

He opened the door of the hotel room for her, and pressed his lips to her neck, making her shiver, before drawing back and looking her in the eyes.

“Thank you.” 

She nodded and preceded him out the door.

~*~*~

Regina walked into the office of Roland’s school, her eyes scanning the room looking for the small boy. When she didn’t see him right away, she approached the desk in front of her.

“I’m Regina Mills, here for Roland Locksley.”

“Yes, Miss Mills,” the secretary replied. “I just need to see your ID and have you sign this form, please.” Regina nodded sharply, very thankful that Robin’s foresight made this unexpected visit much smoother than it could have been otherwise.

As soon as she was done, she was shown into a small room off the main office. Little Roland sat on a hard plastic chair, his feet dangling above the floor. An ACE bandage was wrapped haphazardly around his foot and ankle - much more of the bandage around his foot instead of his ankle - and tear tracks still ran down his face.

“Oh, Roland,” she cried, running over to him, and gathering him close. She turned on her queen persona that most often saw action in a courtroom, and demanded to see whoever had treated him.

“Miss Gina,” Roland hiccupped, clinging to her tightly and making her heart melt just a little inside her. “I jumped from the swing and when I landed, my ankle turned wrong. It really hurts, Miss Gina.” His whimpers sent her own emotions into a tailspin as she remembered a similar situation when she was ten, in which her parents couldn’t be bothered to come after she’d broken her arm climbing on the monkey bars. They’d sent the butler to collect her and bring her to their personal physician.

“Did they give you anything for the pain, Roland?” she asked gently. He shook his head, and Regina could feel her nostrils flare as she took a deep breath and prepared to rip into the young man who’d just entered the room. “What is your name?” she demanded. “And are you the one responsible for the horribly inadequate treatment afforded to this child? Why has he not even been given anything for the pain he’s in? I know for a fact his father gave permission for medication to be given if necessary last night at Back-to-School Night.”

“G- Gideon,” he stammered. “I didn’t see any of the paperwork from last night. I’m sorry, ma’am. Yes, I treated him, but I’m not…” He stopped and swallowed hard, his eyes wide.

“Not what?” Regina snapped.

“I’m just a student, ma’am,” he explained.

Regina huffed. “Well, who was supervising you? Surely there was someone else here watching who could intervene when they saw the atrocious job you were doing,” she sneered.

“N- no, ma’am,” he stammered. “The school nurse was substituting in the Health class today.”

“On the first day of school?” Regina questioned, raising her eyebrow in disbelief.

“Yessss, ma’am,” he said, drawing out the word as if he hoped it would keep her from speaking again. Unfortunately for him, she wasn’t finished.

“It’s a very good thing you’re a student,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “Because if you weren’t, I can assure you, you’d be looking for a new job tomorrow. Now get this boy something for the pain.”

“Y- yes, ma’am,” Gideon gulped as he spun on his heel and left the room. He returned just a few minutes later with some liquid Children’s Tylenol. After giving Roland the appropriate dosage, Regina rose to her feet, Roland gathered in her arms, and walked toward the door. She glared at Gideon as he opened the door for her before placing a gentle kiss on the crown of Roland’s head.

“We’re going to meet your Papa at the pediatrician’s, okay, Roland?” she murmured.

“Okay, Miss Gina,” Roland replied. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweet boy.”

~*~*~

Ten minutes later, Regina entered the pediatrician’s office to see Robin in the waiting room. He rose and quickly took Roland from Regina’s arms, kissing his son on the head.

“What happened?” He wasn’t quite sure who he was addressing with his question. Roland had obviously been crying, and he suspected he’d get a clearer picture from Regina than the child in his arms.

Roland simply snuggled into his father’s embrace, and a soft smile lifted Regina’s lips as a soft huff escaped them.

“That idiot of a student nurse didn’t know the first thing about treating an ankle injury,” she explained. “Roland jumped off the swings and when he landed, his ankle turned. You can see that kid didn’t even know how to wrap the ankle properly. Nor did he give Roland anything for the pain until I made him do it.”

Robin’s brow furrowed. “How are you feeling now, buddy?” he murmured. “Is it any better?”

Roland nodded. “A little bit.”

“Dr. Whale will see you now,” the nurse behind the desk said. She opened the door to the back of the building, allowing them through, then led them to an examination room. “He’ll be right in.”

Robin thanked her, then turned his attention back to his son and girlfriend.

“I can’t thank you enough for going to get him and taking such good care of him,” he said, his gaze intense on hers. “He’s everything to me.” 

Regina placed her hand on his knee and gave a light squeeze. “I know. I was happy to do it.”

Robin nodded, then filled them in on what happened at home. “David heard rushing water as he passed the cabin. He had a key, so he let himself in and found the flooded basement. That was when he called me. We got ServePro out there to clean it up, but we need a new hot water heater. That’ll take a few days to get installed. With the holiday, it might be next week.”

“You can’t stay in the cabin without hot water,” Regina replied. Robin shook his head. “My room only has one bed…”

“I can move you to the Presidential Suite,” Robin interrupted. “It has three bedrooms. Roland can sleep in one, and I can…” He trailed off, not quite ready to articulate his hope out loud.

“Stay with me?” Regina asked softly.

“If you’re comfortable with that,” he assured her.

She smiled, and Robin caught his breath. He’d never seen anything more beautiful in all his life. 

“I am,” she said, placing her hand on his arm where he still held Roland close and then leaning over to kiss him gently. When she pulled back, he knew the goofy grin was back on his face and was very thankful that Dr. Whale chose that moment to make his appearance.

Thirty minutes later, they were done. No broken bones, thankfully, but Roland was going to be getting around on crutches for a few weeks to allow the sprain to heal properly. Robin decided, and Dr. Whale concurred, that keeping Roland out of school the rest of the week so he could stay off of it as much as possible was the best plan, and would also allow him to get used to using crutches.

“Let’s head back to Sherwood Forest,” Robin began, “and get Miss Gina in her new suite so we can get settled in for a Star Wars marathon this afternoon. What do you think, Roland?”

Roland’s smile was bright, but tired, as he enthusiastically agreed with the plan. It took about an hour to get back, pack themselves a bag for the weekend, and get settled in the new suite. Once they were all spread out in front of the TV, Roland in between them with ice on his ankle and holding a large bowl of buttered popcorn, Robin knew there was no place he’d rather be. 

And when Roland fell asleep that night - after eating a lasagne dinner from Granny’s (When she picked it up, Regina made Granny swear not to tell Ruby about her visit) and watching the original trilogy - Robin and Regina picked up right where they’d left off that morning when David so rudely interrupted them.

The End

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and I'd love to know what you thought! Happy birthday again, Randi! I hope your day is as wonderful as you are!!!