Author's Note: Yes, yes, yes I am perfectly aware that Briar Rose kicked the bucket in book seven. I found that to be mucho lame-o, cried (it was three in the morning), and sat there wondering what would've happened if Briar had lived. It then occurred to me that I have fingers and am fully capable of re-writing that bit, and so I shall.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sisters Grimm and I am not Michael Buckley as far as my knowledge goes. I know this because if I was/did, all of the "What Ifs" wouldn't be "What Ifs."
"GO?" Briar Rose cried. "I can't go."
"Princess, he is gone. If we stay we will all join him," Mallobarb said.
-Sisters Grimm Book 7: The Everafter War, p. 148
"Nice to know I'm so easily given up on," someone grumbled from behind the group. Briar let out a slight cry and ran toward the speaker.
"Uncle Jake!" the sisters cried out as well. Daphne had tears in her eyes and looked prepared to join the embrace, but Buzzflower held her back, as Mallobarb did Sabrina. The girls shot a strange look at Briar Rose's protectors who gestured to the others. They were kissing.
"Ah," Daphne said shortly before falling silent. Her mouth stretched into a happy grin so wide it looked prepared to crawl off her face. More surprising was that Mallobarb and Buzzflower weren't frying Uncle Jake like an egg on the ground on a hot summer day. Admittedly, they didn't look what Sabrina would describe as pleased, but it appeared they had surrendered to the Sleeping Beauty's happiness instead of what they thought would be better.
Sabrina turned her eyes away from the kiss for two reasons. The first and most painful was that it reminded her of how her parents used to be. But there was no happily ever after in sight for them as far as Sabrina could see. The second was far more embarrassing and she swore to herself that she would never speak it out loud. Ever. No joke. EVER! Anyway, the second was that the kiss reminded her of Puck. Not because she wanted to kiss him or anything. No. No way, not at all. It was that she had seen them married in their future. Oh and he knew about it, too. That was extremely upsetting for the blond girl because...because...why was it so upsetting?
Because it's Puck, her brain said logically. Another part inside her objected to this, but Sabrina shook her head sharply. Daphne gave her older sister a knowing look to which Sabrina replied with a glare.
Suddenly, there was a loud roar and a nearby tree was on fire. Then the group seemed to remember the dragon that was staring them down.
"Oh, yeah," Uncle Jake said, a stupid grin still plastered on his face. For a terrifying moment, Sabrina was afraid she, the fairies, and her little sister were stuck taking care of the situation—if that's what you could call the oversized lizard in front of them—on their own, but the kiss from the princess had obviously given Uncle Jake some inspiration and he pull out a sword and plunged it through the dragon. The dragon proceeded to fall over dead and the other dragon let out a frustrated roar and flew away. Everyone cheered. Yes, even Mallobarb and Buzzflower, though their cheers seemed half-hearted.
For a split second of distraction, Sabrina wondered if all kisses from royalty could do that. Obviously not, because Puck---wait! Sooooo not going to think about that!
"Let's go back to camp," Uncle Jake said looking relieved. He took Briar's hand gently, carefully followed by the eyes of Mallobarb and Buzzflower, and guided her to the carpet, grinning all the way.
During the ride, he never once let go of Briar who fell asleep, but he also seemed to be thinking hard about something important. Sabrina couldn't fathom what, but Daphne seemed to figure it out because she bit her palm and squealed. Jake looked around and Daphne released her palm long enough to give her advice:
"You should definitely do it, Uncle Jake," the little girl squeaked. "As soon as we get to camp!"
Uncle Jake turned red and then it hit Sabrina like a glomp grenade: her uncle was trying to figure out when and how to propose to his girlfriend. She wondered what he would say when he discovered Briar already knew about the ring. Or maybe Briar wouldn't say anything at all.
Sabrina felt her heartbeat accelerate just as Daphne bit her palm again when their uncle nodded his head looking determined. Once Sabrina understood, but twice was big.
"Carpet, go faster," Daphne said excitedly.
The carpet shot off, nearly knocking Sabrina off into the trees. In no time, the camp was in sight. As soon as the group was all inside the camp's gates, Jake grabbed Briar's hand and got down on one knee in the same moment. The girls froze just like everyone else who could see what was about to happen. Briar blushed lightly. Everafters whispered to each other about the event that was about to occur and soon, everyone was present. Even Puck. He was flying above the ground, surveying the scene. He seemed to be attempting to hide, but Sabrina saw him out of the corner of her eye. Apparently, so did Daphne.
"I think Puck is trying to take lessons on proposing so when he asks you to marry him—" the little girl began, but began giggling at the look on Sabrina's face and couldn't speak through her laughter.
"Briar Rose, I know I have some pretty bad timing, but I figure it's now or never," Uncle Jake started. Sabrina hadn't seen Uncle Jake this nervous since their last run-in with Baba Yaga.
"Oh, Jake," Briar whispered.
"Will you marry me?"
A hush fell over the crowd as they eagerly awaited the legendary beauty's answer.
"Of course I'll marry you, Jacob Grimm," she said just barely loudly enough for everyone else to hear. She pulled her new fiancée up and kissed him happily. The cheers were ear splitting as all the other Everafters joined together in a moment of peace in the chaos around them. Sabrina found herself clapping and cheering as well.
Naturally, the new couple noticed nothing.
"I told you so," Daphne said to Sabrina over the crowd.
"Told me what?" Sabrina asked now puzzled.
"That Puck was taking notes," she laughed and Sabrina cast her gaze to the sky and saw Puck scribbling notes down in a notebook. Who knew the fairy was even literate?
Ta-da! A happy ending for them with scattered bits of Puckabrina that I honestly tried to keep down and failed miserably. Yay! Of course, after writing this I can see how different things would be if Briar hadn't died....but whatever.