I've been wondering how people would react when Tiana and Naveen returned, and here's my take on it. There have been so many wonderful PATF stories written here, I hope this one can hold its own!

Disclaimer: Princess and the Frog belongs to Disney, not me.

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A Night to Celebrate

Dancing. Naveen wanted to take her dancing.

Of course she protested. It was one thing to dance with him in the bayou, where no one was around to watch except for Louis who was busy playing his trumpet, and Ray, entranced in his song to his lady love, and any night creatures who perchance happened by.

It was another thing altogether to spend an evening in a dance hall surrounded by people. Her two left feet would be evident to all, despite her graceful and handsome dance partner.

"Tiana," Naveen implored, "This is a night for celebration. What better way to celebrate than going dancing?"

"He's right, baby," her mother piped up. "After worrying my heart sick, I not only have you back safe and sound, but you showed up with a fiancé to boot!"

Despite trying to maintain her stubborn expression, Tiana couldn't help but smile. Although Eudora was thrilled about her daughter's relationship, she refused to refer to Naveen as Tiana's husband until they had their church wedding in a few weeks' time.

Naveen moved closer and slipped his arms around Tiana's waist. "Per favore, mi pruta," he said softly. "Please, my princess. Do it for me?"

Between her mother's insistence and her husband's soft brown eyes, how could she resist? "All right," Tiana gave in, her dimples flashing. "But you gotta make sure I don't look like a fool out there, Naveen!"

Her husband of less than 24 hours laughed. "Ah, mi pruta, you could never look like a fool when you're with me!"

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While waiting for the cable car, Georgia cuddled against her boyfriend Carl, who was clearly ecstatic that Georgia's parents had allowed her to go out with him that evening, for the first time in several days. "I still can't believe we missed all the Mardi Gras parties," he said, kissing her forehead. "I guess this means they found Tiana?"

Georgia shook her head slowly, feeling guilty about heading out for a night of fun when she still knew nothing of the whereabouts of one of her closest friends from high school. To think that just three days ago, Georgia had seen her when they'd stopped by Duke's for breakfast! Tiana, as usual, had refused their offer to go dancing that evening. Maybe if she'd said yes, she'd still be here, Georgia thought sadly. Instead, Tiana had catered a ball at the LaBouff masion that night, and never made it home. As conscientious as her friend was, she wouldn't have run off without telling someone. Georgia shivered, unable to escape the fear that something bad had happened to Tiana.

The cable car arrived and they boarded. "I thought your daddy said that until Miss Eudora has her little girl back, he wasn't gonna let his little girl go out at night," Carl said as he helped Georgia sit down in the rear of the car. He grinned. "Not that I'm not happy to be with you, but…"

Georgia smiled a little. "Well, we have Nana Rose to thank for that. She talked Daddy into letting me go. She said the shadows have lifted over New Orleans and tonight is a night to celebrate!"

Carl furrowed his brows. "I know your grandmamma don't get out much. How'd she know?"

"You know how she gets these feelings. It's just old folks' superstitions. I'm just glad I get to be with you tonight." Georgia smoothed her skirt over her lap with her fingers before reaching out to squeeze Carl's hand.

"Yeah, but to know that the Shadow Man is dead! I just heard about it when I got off work today."

"Dr. Facilier is dead?" She stared at her boyfriend, her mouth agape. "How? When?"

"Don't know, but folks saying they haven't seen him, and you know he's always out on the street looking for someone new to con. And there's a new gravestone in the cemetery with his name on it."

Georgia turned to look out the window in wonderment. Maybe there was something to Nana Rose's feelings after all. If so, this really was a night to celebrate. And maybe… just maybe… Tiana would be coming home!

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Naveen seemed to have no trouble at all guiding Tiana to the Starlight Club. "How do you know about this place?" she asked. "You were in New Orleans for all of what, one day?"

"I passed it when I was exploring the city and promised myself I would return once I had the most beautiful woman in town on my arm." Naveen bent his torso and swept his arm toward her in a dramatic bow. "And here you are, princess."

"And don't you forget it!" Tiana said, caressing his cheek and laughing with joy. The realization that she was now royalty still bewildered her, but if being a princess meant feeling as lovely and loved as Naveen made her feel, she'd take it.

Their bayou wedding clothes were too fancy for a night of dancing, so having a seamstress for a mother was a blessing. Eudora had taken some fashionable evening wear she was designing for some of her elite customers and quickly altered them to fit Tiana and Naveen. She hushed up Tiana's protest, thrilled to have the chance to sew something special for her daughter and groom, in this case a sleeveless, form-fitting gold sheath with a long slit up the leg for her and a spiffy black suit for Naveen.

Eudora's skillful fingers had worked their magic, as all heads turned to watch the stylish couple enter and cross the dance floor. Naveen, as promised, led Tiana to a dark corner where he began to teach her the Charleston and several other popular dance moves. Pulse racing, hips swaying and heels kicking, Tiana had never realized dancing was so much fun. After twenty minutes of lessons, Naveen pulled her close for a kiss. "Are you ready?"

"For…?"

"For your debut. I am not going to hide you in a corner forever."

She nodded, nervous but excited, as her prince led her by the hand to the middle of the dance floor. She loved this man, and wanted the world to know it!

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When Georgia and Carl arrived at the Starlight Club, they met up with their friends Nadine and Thomas and soon were swinging to the jazzy beats with the rest of the club's patrons. Georgia was having such a good time she almost didn't notice Nadine approach her, until the other young woman started tugging at her arm. "You see her, Georgia?" she cried.

Georgia looked around. "Who?"

"Tiana! Right there!"

Georgia stared at a gorgeous, regal-looking couple dancing in the spotlight. That did look like their missing friend, but if that was Tiana, she had never seen her look so fancy. Besides, Tiana never went dancing. And who…

Carl finished her thought. "If that's Tiana, who in the world is that with her?"

"Whoever he is, he's FINE!" Nadine exclaimed, eliciting an annoyed glare from Thomas.

Georgia's heart started thumping as she remembered her thoughts on the cable car. Was Tiana really here?

Carl grabbed her hand. "Come on, we have to go see!"

The two couples approached the third one, and were soon hugging and jumping for joy. Tiana was back!

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As the band finished its set and took a break, folks started leaving the dance floor to buy beverages or step out into the night air to cool off, but Tiana and Naveen found themselves swarmed by her friends. The group found a table to sit around and catch up.

"OK, girl," Georgia said sternly, "Where have you been?"

Tiana hesitated. How on earth could she ever explain it?

Fortunately, Naveen answered for her. "She was with me."

Thomas chuckled. "We can see that!"

Nadine leaned in toward Naveen, too close in Tiana's opinion. "I'm Nadine," she said breathlessly. "And you are?"

"My fiancé," Tiana answered sharply, touching his back possessively. "Everyone, this is my fiancé Naveen." Mama is right, she thought as she introduced her friends; folks might not believe he was her husband until they had their human wedding.

"Fiancé!" Carl said. "Tiana, when did you even have a boyfriend?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Well, it happened kind of fast."

"I guess so!" Nadine seemed a little miffed.

Georgia was struggling to take it all in. "OK, help me understand. Tiana, my responsible, serious, hard-working friend, suddenly decides to take off with a man for three days? And comes back engaged? Girl, does your mama know all this?"

"Of course! She's the first person we told." Tiana smiled. "She made me this dress so I could go out tonight."

Thomas was still laughing. "Friend, this is not the Tiana we know. How'd you manage to sweep her off her feet?"

Naveen grinned. "She could not resist my good looks and charm."

Her friends laughed as Tiana elbowed him. "I resisted for a while, and you know it!"

"Your accent is funny," Carl said. "Where you from?"

"I am from far, far away," Naveen answered. "The country of Maldonia."

Carl's eyes widened. "Wait, you're that prince! The one who was supposed to marry Big Daddy La Bouff's daughter, but it was really your servant in disguise! You mean to tell me, all this time you been with Tiana?"

Nadine's jaw dropped. "Prince?! Tiana, you're marrying a prince?!"

"How'd that happen?" Georgia asked.

"It is, as they say, a long story. I had… some problems with my servant and the Shadow Man, and I had to get away. I met Tiana at the LaBouff mansion and she agreed to help me." Naveen placed his arm around her shoulder. "I owe this woman my life."

Tiana rested her head against Naveen's chest, thinking about how he had come back to rescue her from the frog hunters. "And I owe him mine."

Carl sat back and stared at them. "The Shadow Man's dead. Did y'all have something to do with that?"

Tiana shook her head. "We didn't kill him, if that's what you're asking. But he had this talisman, and I broke it. Once that was gone, I think his power was gone."

"The shadows have lifted over New Orleans…" Georgia said quietly.

"What?" Tiana said.

"Just something my grandmamma said." Georgia turned to Naveen. "So I guess she swept you off your feet, too?"

Naveen smile widened. "Oh, yes! This is the woman I have needed all my life. She is my princess, my evening star, my Evangeline…" His voice got softer as he looked at Tiana with ardor.

"Naveen, I don't know how you did it, but I haven't seen a smile this big on Tiana's face since—" Georgia stopped herself.

"You can say it," Tiana said, patting her friend's hand. "Since before my daddy died."

Georgia nodded. "I guess Nana Rose was right. This really is a night to celebrate!"