AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, my sincere apologies for taking so ridiculously long to update! I'm really sorry! Thanks so much for sticking with me and not giving up on me!

I have two notes before the chapter and one important announcement after.

Pre-chapter notes:

1) Another fanfic writer and online friend of mine, Ograndebetata, loves the ship of Ferdinand/Bunny so much that he PMed me and asked if he could write his own "alternate version" of their proposal scene. I was very flattered and said yes. His version is absolutely adorable and in-character, and I love it! So, after you read this chapter, please go read his Ferdinand/Bunny one-shot! I'll try to link it, but if the site doesn't allow it, just click on "Beauty and the Beast/ Snow White Crossovers" at the top of this page and you'll see it. Here's the link: s/11176601/1/One-Song-And-A-Proposal

2) This chapter includes a wedding night sex scene, but it's very mild and not graphic. Anyone who's read my stories knows I don't go above PG-13. So hopefully no one will be offended, but I always like to mention it, just in case.

And now, on with the chapter!

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It was nearly midnight when the royal carriage pulled to a stop in front of Gaston's house. Gaston eagerly threw open the carriage door and jumped down. He remembered to thank the coachman for the ride, which earned him a smile from Snow White.

He held out a hand to her and helped her down from the carriage. But her feet had barely touched the ground when he scooped her up in his strong arms and carried her to the front door. She let out a happy squeal as he dramatically flung the door open and carried her proudly over the threshold. She had dreamed of that romantic gesture her entire life!

Gaston was grinning from ear to ear. He, too, had long dreamed of the moment when he would finally be a married man, carrying his beautiful bride over the threshold and into his home for the first time. At last, she was really his!

And now came the best part...

He carried her into his bedroom – OUR bedroom now, he thought triumphantly- and gently set her down. "So, wife...this is it. Our wedding night!" he said with relish. Then he hesitated. "Uh...you do know what happens now, right? You said Mme. Aiguille told you?"

To his relief, she nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes! She told me."

"Good." Encouraged, Gaston took off his elegant tailcoat and vest, unbuttoned the starched white shirt, and tossed it aside with a flair. Bare-chested, he proudly posed and flexed his muscles, relishing the opportunity to show his new wife exactly what she was getting.

Snow White smiled fondly, simultaneously admiring his physique and amused at his obvious pleasure in showing off for her. She laid her hand on his broad chest, marveling that he was really all hers.

But then, as she looked at his chest, Gaston saw a frown cross her face. Puzzled, he turned slightly so he could see himself in the mirror, and realized that she was staring at the three raised pink lines on his chest – faint but noticeable scars left by Grimhilde's beastly claws.

Immediately he stepped back, feeling self-conscious. His perfection had been marred – he should have known it wouldn't go unnoticed! "Does it really look that bad?" he asked worriedly.

"What?" Snow White said, shocked. "Oh, no! I wasn't thinking that at all!" Soberly she traced the scars with her fingertip. "I was just remembering how you got these...how close I came to losing you that day. You almost died." She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Seeing these scars makes me so thankful that you are still here with me. Every time I see them, it will remind me how lucky I am to have such an incredibly courageous, heroic husband – a man who loves me so much that he risked his own life for me without a second thought!"

Gaston grinned, reassured. "And I always will," he promised her. "No matter what happens, I'll always protect you. I told you, that's my job." He glanced again at the mirror. "Still...it's a shame. My chest used to be so perfect," he said wistfully. "After all, I'm Gaston - I'm not supposed to have flaws!"

Snow White shook her head vehemently. "Oh, no, Gaston - you should be proud of these scars! Why, they're like badges of honor!" she pointed out. "They're the hard-won scars of a brave warrior who fought a terrifying monster and emerged victorious! Just imagine if someday, you tell the story to strangers and someone doesn't believe you. You can show your scars as proof that it really happened."

Gaston brightened. "Oh! You're right!" He pictured himself in a foreign tavern, telling the story to an impressed group of listeners. One man challenged him, scoffing at the tale...but Gaston would dramatically rip open his shirt to reveal the scars, and everyone would gasp in awe! Gaston loved that idea.

He studied the scars in the mirror now with pride, seeing them in a new light. Badges of honor, proof of the fierce battle he'd won...Then he frowned. "You know...looking at it that way, I wish they were MORE impressive, really big and red and jagged," he said critically. "They're really not that noticeable at all..."

Snow White giggled. Gaston abruptly realized what he was doing and shook his head sheepishly. "I'm an idiot," he acknowledged with a laugh. "I just got married! Why am I looking at myself when I could be looking at my beautiful bride?" He turned to Snow White with a grin and gestured at her wedding dress. "Your turn!" he said with anticipation.

She smiled shyly. "The buttons are in the back. Can you help me?"

She didn't have to ask twice. In a flash, Gaston was standing behind her, eagerly trying to undo the tiny pearl buttons. But there were so many, and the holes were so small! It was difficult for his big hammy fingers to get them all undone. It seemed to take forever, and he was getting more and more frustrated...but the challenge also fueled his excitement, as the buttons were undone excruciatingly slowly, one by one, and the dress parted oh so gradually: first at the top, then at her upper back, then her lower back. His desire for her was at a fever pitch by the time the last button was undone and she gracefully stepped out of the dress - and then, being Snow White, carefully folded it and neatly laid it aside.

She was still wearing a white corset tied with ribbon, lace underthings, and long white stockings with garters. Mesmerized, Gaston slowly pulled the end of the ribbon to untie the bow and loosen the corset. He felt as though he was unwrapping a present he'd been dreaming of for a very, very long time.

Finally she removed the last of her clothes and stood before him, smiling shyly, all her creamy skin and curves on full view. Gaston gazed her reverently, thinking once again how lucky he was. "Oh, Snow," he said softly. "You are so beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, ducking her head shyly and blushing. "And you are very handsome!"

Gaston grinned and flexed his muscles. "You can say that again!" he said proudly. Then he caught himself. "Uh, I mean...thank you!"

Snow White giggled. Then she glanced at the bed and admitted, "Um...I don't know exactly how to do this. I've never done it before." She had a thought and looked questioningly at him. "Have you?"

"Of course!" he said immediately, his automatic brag reflex in full effect. Snow White looked hurt. Gaston instantly realized his mistake and mentally cursed himself. He tried to explain. "I mean...it's just that I was raised to believe that being a real man meant being with as many women as possible."

He saw from her expression that this explanation did not help matters.

"But I've never been with a woman I love before!" he added hastily, trying desperately to smooth things over. "I've never been with the love of my life, my bride, the woman I've pledged my life to! So that makes this new and special! It's my first time with you!"

Snow White had to smile, seeing how worried he was, not wanting her to be upset. "It's all right," she assured him. "It isn't fair to expect you to have waited for me when you didn't even know me yet. And I know that men often see these things differently." Then she added sternly, "But I'm the only one now, right? Forever and ever?"

"Forever and ever!" Gaston promised, crossing his heart. "You're the only woman for me for the rest of my life. I swear it!"

"Good!" she said, satisfied. "We're together now - that's what's important."

"I completely agree." Gaston smiled at her. "So...are you nervous?" Given her inexperience and modesty, he was prepared to be extra-gentle and to reassure her as much as she needed.

But to his surprise, she shook her head immediately in answer to the question. "Oh, no, not at all. You're my husband – I love you and trust you completely!" She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "This is our wedding night, the ultimate expression of our love - the moment when we give ourselves to each other fully and completely, two becoming one." She sighed rapturously. "I just know that it will be the most magical experience of my life!"

But no pressure or anything, Gaston thought wryly. He was glad that she wasn't frightened of making love...but he hadn't counted on her expectations being quite this high. Of course, he was confident of his prowess – he was Gaston, after all! But still...the most magical experience of her life? It was a lot to live up to!

Snow White looked at him expectantly. "Oh! Since you have done this before, you can teach me everything!" she said eagerly. "Show me what to do. All I want is to make you happy!"

That almost undid Gaston right there. The woman he had desired for so long was now really his, standing naked in front of him and saying she would do anything he wanted to make him happy. It was like a fantasy come true.

But he took a deep breath and reined in his lust. No, he told himself firmly. I am NOT going to be selfish! Not this time! Snow deserves better than that. This is the night she's been dreaming of her whole life. Like she said, it needs to be MAGICAL!

"First, lie down," he told her. She smiled and complied, looking up at him with anticipation. He joined her on the bed. "Now, you just relax and leave it all to me! You don't have to do anything this time. Just lie back and enjoy it. Let me make you happy." Obediently, she lay back and waited expectantly.

As he gazed at her, it suddenly occurred to Gaston that, despite all his experience, he didn't actually know anything about how to please a woman. He had always been focused solely on his own desires. But surely he could figure it out...right?

A little hesitantly, he took Snow White in his arms and kissed her tenderly – always a good place to start. Then he kissed her ear, then the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. She gave a little sigh of pleasure. Encouraged, he continued...

Abruptly, Snow White sat up. "Wait."

"What?" Gaston said worriedly. "Did I do it wrong?"

"Oh, no, it's lovely!" Snow White assured him. "But I shouldn't just lie here doing nothing! I should be doing nice things for you."

"Oh, we have plenty of time for that later!" Gaston told her with a grin. "But right now, I want to make you feel good. All right?"

"It did feel good," she admitted, blushing a little. "It felt wonderful! But...well...I feel guilty, just lying there while you do all the work."

Gaston frowned in confusion. "Guilty? I'm your husband, and I want to do it. Why on earth would you feel guilty?"

She looked embarrassed. "I-I don't really know," she admitted. She thought about it seriously, trying to untangle her own feelings. "I suppose it's because of my stepmother," she said slowly, thinking out loud. "Of course, I've always liked doing things to make other people happy, even as a child. When I was little, my father liked to give me presents, but I would always end up giving half of them away to poor children in the village near the castle, because I didn't need so many things, and I wanted them to be as happy as I was. My father was proud of me for doing that. But while I gave many things away, there were also presents he gave me that were special to me and that I kept and cherished, because they made me think of him.

"But after he died, my stepmother said I was a spoiled brat and needed to learn my place. She took all my belongings away, and said I didn't deserve to have nice things. She made it clear that my role was always to be obedient and serve other people - that I had no right to ask for anything for myself, ever." A shadow crossed her face at the memory. "She made me feel that it would be selfish of me to ever think of myself first. After all those years, I suppose I started to believe it."

She shrugged, embarrassed. "I know she was wrong and cruel...but deep down, I guess part of me still feels that way. So I feel guilty just lying there and enjoying all those nice things you were doing to me, without doing something for you first."

Gaston was furious to hear once again how poorly his beloved had been treated. His fists clenched unconsciously. "That witch!" he fumed. "If she weren't already dead, I'd kill her again!"

"I'm sorry," Snow White said apologetically. "This is our special night – I didn't mean to ruin it by bringing her up."

Gaston cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "Snow, listen to me," he said seriously. "You taught me that I should think about other people sometimes. Now I need to teach you to think of yourself sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that! You don't need to apologize for it, or feel guilty about it. You are the kindest, most generous, most loving person I've ever met, and you deserve all the pleasure and happiness in the world. And as your husband, I want to give that to you, starting right now." He suddenly had an idea. "Look, Snow, think of it this way: if you let me do this for you, it will make me happy! So you're really doing something for me by letting me do it. All right?"

She brightened and nodded gratefully. "Yes! That does make me feel better! Thank you!" She lay back down again, opening her arms to him. "All right, husband. I DO want to make you happy. So...I'm all yours!"

"That's my girl!" he said approvingly. Now, more than ever, he was determined to give her the most amazing night of her life. She deserved it.

He embraced her and kissed her deeply, then gradually made his way to the rest of her, kissing her neck, her shoulder, stroking her body, whispering to her over and over how much he loved her, how special she was... He was a little uncertain at first, not knowing what she would and wouldn't like, but he kept improvising, slowly and lovingly exploring every inch of her with his hands and lips and tongue, and was soon was gratified to see her relaxing and responding. He took his cues from her. If she tensed, he immediately stopped and tried something else. When she sighed or moaned with pleasure and instinctively moved into his touch, which she did more and more, he was encouraged to continue what he was doing.

Gaston was surprised to find that, far from being a chore, it was actually a major turn-on for him, getting to know her body so slowly and intimately, giving her pleasure and feeling proud to be the cause of it. This really WAS turning out to be a whole new experience for him!

For Snow White, the feeling of lying on a soft bed while her loving husband did such wonderful things to her was heavenly. She had spent so many years unloved and neglected, deprived of any human touch, not even a hug or a pat on the head. Now, feeling Gaston's gentle kisses all over her body, his hands caressing her skin as he whispered loving words to her, almost made her weep with gratitude. She hadn't fully realized how alone she had felt all those years, until now, when she wasn't.

But soon, her love and gratitude turned into more exciting feelings. The things he was doing to her felt so good, she couldn't help letting out little involuntary gasps and moans and sighs of pleasure. Her whole body was tingling, and she found herself arching involuntarily, every inch of her skin so alive and sensitive to his touch, wanting more, more, MORE...

When he whispered to her, "Ready?", she could only gasp, "Oh, yes!"

It didn't hurt, as Mme. Aiguille had warned her it might. She was so ready and eager for this that her body welcomed him, with no fear or tension at all. It was all new to her, but it felt so right.

She loved the feeling of him inside her, moving in unison with her, his strong arms holding her tight. It felt like he was part of her, that they were one, together forever, and she would never, ever be alone or afraid again.

Soon she was so overcome by glorious sensations that she couldn't even think, forgetting herself completely...she could only soar with him, higher and higher and higher... She cried out in ecstasy as waves of pleasure rolled through her, then sank back against the bed, spent.

Gaston was surprised to find it was a new experience for him, too. Being with a woman he genuinely loved, focusing on her pleasure as well as his own, feeling that intense emotional connection with her...it took making love to a whole new level, so much better than the meaningless encounters he'd always had.

Afterward, he collapsed on the bed next to her, taking a few moments to collect himself. Then he looked over at her, a little nervous. "So? Was it...magical?" He braced himself for her verdict.

She sighed blissfully. "Oh, Gaston, it was more than magical! It was beyond anything I'd ever imagined! Thank you so much!"

Gaston grinned, vastly relieved. That was just what he'd hoped to hear. Yep! I'm amazing! he congratulated himself.

Snow White went on excitedly, "And OH! Just think, Gaston – we can do that whenever we want! Every night if we want! Isn't that wonderful?"

Gaston was thrilled by her enthusiasm. "Oh, believe me, Snow, any time you want to do it, I'm ready! Day OR night!"

She snuggled up next to him. "Oh, Gaston. I'm so happy!"

He kissed her. "Me, too."

He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of her body next to him, and dozed off.

A few minutes later, he became dimly aware of her moving away from him. Then the blanket was suddenly pulled away, and he felt a chill of cool air on his naked body. Still half-asleep, he murmured a drowsy protest, eyes still closed.

But the next instant, his eyes flew open, wide awake in shock, as he felt the sensation of Snow White's soft hands tentatively stroking his manhood. "Snow?" he said, sitting up.

She stopped instantly, ducking her head shyly and blushing crimson in embarrassment. "Oh, should I not do that? I'm sorry!" she apologized. "I'm just so new at this..."

"No, no! Definitely do that!" Gaston said hastily. "Don't stop! I was just surprised, that's all. It seemed so...bold of you. But I like it!"

She smiled, relieved. "Well, you're my husband, silly! I want to get to know every inch of you!" She looked down at his private parts, studying them with such interest that Gaston felt self-conscious. She added, "You did such nice things to me before and made me feel so good. I want to do nice things to you, too! But..." She shrugged helplessly, looking embarrassed. "I don't know what I'm doing! Can you show me what you like? What do I do to make you feel good? I want to learn everything!"

Gaston smiled at her enthusiasm. What a woman! "Snow, did I ever tell you that you are the most amazing, wonderful, perfect woman in the whole world?"

Snow White giggled. "Once or twice. But...you can tell me a few more times, if you want. I don't mind!"

Gaston laughed out loud at that. "Snow! Are you asking for compliments? I must be rubbing off on you!" He took her in his arms and kissed her. "I will happily tell you how wonderful you are every single day for the rest of your life," he told her. "Because you are."

"You are too," she said, looking into his eyes. "I'm so lucky to have found you."

Then, tentatively, she began to stroke him again. "Like this? Show me how to make you feel good!"

Gladly, Gaston did.

It wasn't until dawn that they finally fell asleep in each other's arms, exhausted but satisfied, with smiles on their faces.

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But only a couple of hours later, Gaston was unwillingly awakened by loud knocking on the door. "Go away," he mumbled, burying his face in the pillow.

Lefou's voice came through the door. "Gaston! It's morning! The coach is here to take you to Snow White's kingdom so you can become king!"

Gaston instantly came wide awake. "Oh! That's right! I'm going to be a king!" This was an important, historic day – he couldn't sleep through it!

He kissed Snow White and gently shook her awake. "Good morning, wife!" He loved saying that word. "The coach is here. Ready to reclaim your kingdom?"

She stretched and yawned, then smiled at him. "Good morning! Let me just get dressed."

As they came out of the house, blinking in the bright sunshine, Lefou waved a baton and struck up the band, which played "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." The entire population of the village was there to see them off, the square overflowing with people, and some held aloft an enormous banner which read "CONGRATULATIONS KING GASTON AND QUEEN SNOW WHITE!" Farther back in the crowd was a smaller sign, but Gaston couldn't quite make out what it said. The villagers let out an ear-shattering cheer at the sight of the couple emerging from the house.

Gaston puffed out his chest with pride. This was his village, his people, and he totally approved of all the fanfare in his honor. He raised his hands for silence. "Thank you, thank you! I am deeply honored by this wonderful sendoff! And I am very proud to have been your town hero for all these years. I know that it will be hard to imagine this place without me, and there will surely be tears when I am gone. But rest assured that I will do everything in my power to represent our village abroad and to make Molyneaux proud, as I become king of an entire new kingdom! In other words...as a member of this village, my success is your success!" Everyone cheered again.

Snow White touched his arm. "May I say something?"

"Of course!" Gaston told her, stepping aside to make room for her. "And now, a word from Queen Snow White!"

Snow White stepped up beside him. She had tears in her eyes. "My dear, dear friends, thank you so much for welcoming me to your village and giving me a home here. I love it here, and it is very hard for me to leave – I will miss you all so much! But you will always have a place in my heart!" Another huge cheer rose up from the crowd.

Snow White wiped her eyes. She really did feel sad about leaving the place she had come to think of as "home." But when Mme. Aiguille came toward her, smiling and holding Thumper in his basket, she felt much better. It's sad to leave, but I will have my family with me: my beloved husband and my new mother and even my little bunny! she told herself. Home is wherever my family is. And now I can reclaim my father's kingdom and make life so much better for all the people there! Knowing that her loved ones would be with her, and that she now had the opportunity to help so many people and do so much good, was a big consolation and took some of the sting out of leaving.

Meanwhile, Prince Ferdinand was on the outskirts of the crowd with Bunny and her mother and sisters, who were buzzing eagerly around her like bees, full of excitement. His mind was whirling with conflicting emotions: overwhelming joy that the woman he loved had accepted his proposal; relief at finally leaving the village and going home; and anxiety about what his father would say. There would definitely be challenges ahead. But with Bunny by my side, I can handle anything, he told himself.

Bunny, on the other hand, felt nothing but happiness. She had found love with a wonderful man, and felt as though her life had become a fairy tale come true. She had to pinch herself to assure herself she wasn't dreaming. Yes, she was a little nervous about meeting his family and becoming a princess, but Ferdinand had assured her that all would be fine, and she had absolute faith in him. Besides, after a lifetime in the village, she was more than eager to start a brand new life. Everything would be wonderful from now on, as long as Ferdinand was with her.

Someone from the crowd called, "Prince Ferdinand! Come up and make a speech too!"

Gaston frowned, now seeing that the smaller sign in the crowd read "Congratulations to Prince Ferdinand and Bunny!" He rolled his eyes. This is MY village and MY day! Does he have to horn in on it?

In response to the call, Ferdinand obligingly came up. "Thank you all for the hospitality you have shown me in your lovely village," he said diplomatically, choosing to ignore the time he had been locked up as a suspected murderer. "And more importantly, thank you for Bunny, the love of my life. This village will always be remembered as a magical place to me, for it is the place where I met the glorious angel who gives my life meaning, the soulmate of my heart from whom I will never be parted." He smiled at Bunny, who smiled back, her heart soaring. The villagers cheered again.

With the speeches over and the band's song ended, Lefou put down his baton and hurried up to Gaston. "So, were you surprised to see all the people and the band? Didja like it?" he said eagerly. "I set it all up! Well, not the Ferdinand sign - that was Bunny's mom. But all the stuff for you and Snow – that was me!"

Gaston grinned. "I should have known! Thanks, Lefou. I could always count on you."

"I just wanted to do one last thing for you before you left," Lefou told him wistfully. "We're sure gonna miss you!"

"You could still come with me, you know," Gaston pointed out hopefully.

"I know. And honestly, part of me wants to!" Lefou admitted. "I mean, I just can't believe you're gonna be a real live king and have all these adventures, and I'm not gonna see it! But I have my own life here now, and I'm really excited about that. That's my adventure!" He looked up at Gaston, getting a lump in his throat. This was really it – the end of an era. "But you'll write sometimes, right? And visit?"

"Sure," Gaston said, forcing down the lump in his own throat. "Like you said, I'll have a scribe or whatever it's called. I'll tell you all about the incredible, amazing things I do, and you can sit in the tavern and tell everyone all about it. In fact, I'm counting on you to do that."

"You know I will!" Lefou assured him.

The coachman stepped down from the coach. "Are you all ready to leave yet?" he asked politely. "We do have a long way to travel."

Gaston straightened up. "Yes. Just a minute." He clapped Lefou on the back. "Thanks for everything, buddy. I won't forget you."

"I'll never forget you either, Gaston!" Lefou said, trying hard not to bawl.

Gaston went to find Snow, who was hugging Monique and Amelie and saying her goodbyes. "Ready, Snow? It's time for us to go be royalty!"

Snow White wiped her eyes and nodded. She said her last goodbyes, and then she, Gaston, Ferdinand, Mme. Aiguille, and Bunny got into the coach. Since the two kingdoms bordered each other, they would travel together most of the way.

Aside from Thumper, who was in his basket on Snow White's lap, there was not much baggage. Ferdinand had traveled light on his quest, and the rest of them brought only two or three changes of clothes with them, presuming they would get new clothes once they were settled in their new homes. (Gaston and Snow also brought their wedding clothes, both for sentimental reasons and because they were the fanciest garments they owned.)

Gaston had decided to leave his portrait and all his trophies in the tavern as a memorial to himself, and had charged Lefou with telling all the stories of his glory to future generations, to ensure he would never be forgotten. The only mementoes he brought with him were his special chair, made of hides and horns from animals he had hunted, and the bearskin rug to put under it. He had decided to use the customized chair as his throne when he was king – something to wow all the nobles and other royalty who came to visit him. (Besides, he didn't want to risk the possibility of anyone else ever daring to sit in his chair if he left it behind in the tavern.) The chair was tied on top of the coach. Ferdinand's and Gaston's horses were tied to the back of the coach and would walk behind it.

As the coach pulled away, the villagers surged up to it, everyone cheering and waving madly. Gaston leaned out the window and waved until the village was far behind them and could no longer be seen. He felt a pang as it disappeared from view. The village had been his home for his entire life. He knew everyone there, and it had been his own little 'kingdom', his domain where everyone admired him above all. It felt strange to think that he would no longer be living there.

But a new kingdom awaits, he reminded himself with anticipation. Not a tiny village with just a handful of people, but a REAL kingdom with LOTS of towns and villages, and hundreds of thousands of people, all cheering for me and calling me King Gaston! He could hardly wait!

He settled into the coach and put his arm around Snow White, who snuggled up to him.

The coach rolled on, as they all looked toward the future, eager to see what their new lives would hold.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, now for the important announcement – I've decided to mark this story "Complete." But have no fear: there will be a sequel! I DEFINITELY want to write about what happens to Gaston, Snow, Ferdinand and Bunny in their new kingdoms! Originally, I HAD planned to include all that as continuing chapters in THIS story. But now that I've gotten to this point, I feel that it makes more sense to put that part of the tale into a sequel. This story was really all about Gaston and Snow's courtship (and to a lesser extent, Ferdinand and Bunny's). We saw how they met, how they fell in love, all the obstacles they faced, and how they overcame them. So now that Gaston and Snow are finally married, and Ferdinand and Bunny are together, and they're all heading off to begin their new lives...it just FEELS right to end this story here, and start a new one to tell what happens next.

Before I close, I want to thank everyone who read this story, from the bottom of my heart! I think that out of all my stories, this one has been the most pure FUN to write, because it ended up taking so many twists and turns that I MYSELF never expected! I have to laugh when I look back at my Author's Note on chapter 1, saying that this would just be a "short, fluffy piece" of five or six chapters, not an epic. Yeah, right! This story really took on a life of its own, and surprised me a lot along the way. (For example, when I started, I had no plans to include Belle and Adam in it at all! Then, at some point along the way, I realized I could use them to reveal Gaston's dark past to Ferdinand and Snow...but even then, I expected it to be only a cameo, just for that one chapter. But somehow, they just kept coming back! Eventually they settled into the story as regulars, and I'm SO glad they did! I really enjoyed writing the friendship of Belle and Snow, and highlighting their contrasts in a way that - hopefully! - showed both in an admirable light. And coming up with the ongoing banter between Gaston and Adam was one of the most fun times I've ever had writing!)

So thank you for taking this journey with me, and special thanks to those who reviewed or commented! I really, really appreciate it! And I also want to again thank Nyxity (who came up with the ship in the first place), Gadfly (who suggested the awesome plot twist for Chapter 17), and the B&S Writers Workshop (who let me bounce ideas off them and gave advice). Thanks, everyone!

P.S. If you're interested in the sequel, please remember to check off the "Follow Author" box, so you'll be notified automatically when I post it!

P.P.S. And remember to please read Ograndebetata's one-shot linked above! It's really cute!