"Marry me, Max. Marry me."
"I can't."
This was all Johnny Martin AKA 'Max Campion' could think to say. Penelope's expression dropped and the tears that threatened to fall pooled over and glistened on her checks.
"Get out." Johnny stared at her and opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"Get out!" "Out!" Penelope's mother and match-maker yelled at him. He blinked and looked down. They pulled him away from the stair case and towards the door. He felt like he was walking in a dream and this all wasn't real. This couldn't be happening…This—why was this happening? He walked out the door. He kept walking; not sure where to go. He walked through the gate and ignored Lemon's one-eyed glare and Edward's questioning about what just happened. He just kept walking. He felt like walking in front of a bus.
As her mother and Wanda pulled Max away, Penelope sank down on the stairs. She cried. She been through this before. Every man she ever meant ran from her, left her; but this time it was different. She loved him, more than anything. And more than anything she wanted him to love her. But it was obvious, he felt the same way all the others did and it broke her heart. Her mother didn't seem to care.
"Okay, this is what we're going to do. We'll start fresh tomorrow-"
"Are you serious?" Wanda asked. At least someone cared how she felt.
"What? It's not like we haven't been through all this before." Her mother and Wanda had a mild argument about what to do next. Penelope stood up and walked up to her room.
"Penelope! I will never give up, sweetheart," her mother said on the other side of her door. Penelope sat on her made shift swing and zoned her mother out.
"Never, Penelope." She swung back and forth; she thought about all the suitors that had ran away from her over the years.
"Never, Penelope." She thought about the last few weeks, the weeks she spent with Max. She knew her mother would never give up and that made her feel worser still. She knew one thing, she had to get out of here.
Johnny went back to the gambling tables.
Penelope took her mother's credit card and left that night.
He stayed for what felt like months.
She saw the park; children running around, circus performers laughing, fireworks going off in the distance, bubbles flying everywhere. It was beautiful.
It wasn't until the card dealer came back eight hours later and talked about his family that Johnny realized he had to get out of here.
She called her parents and told them she loved them and goodbye. She then found a hotel and stayed up for hours looking at the view of the city.
It took all of his willpower to slowly get up from his chair and leave the joint.
She saw an ad in the paper saying: Have You Seen This Pig? There also was an ugly drawling of what was supposed to be her. There was a $5000 reward for anyone who got the picture. She tore out the page. She saw her parents at her hotel and quickly ran away. That's when she called the number in the ad. She had her picture taken in a photo booth. She was in the papers the next couple days.
Johnny saw her in the papers. It infuriated him when he saw that Lemon was the person who got the credit for the pictures. He went to the newspaper office the next day and gave him half of what he had given him. That's when he learned that Penelope was the one who sold Lemon her picture and was out there in the world. Later on the elevator, he smiled knowing she would show everyone that she could make it on her own.
Penelope went to the Cloverdilly pub and had beer on tap for the first time. She became friends with Jack the bartender, and a fun quirky lady named Annie. Annie showed her the sites and took her to all of the amazing places.
He got a job cleaning up the club he used to play the piano at. But he constantly found himself playing the piano and thinking about Penelope.
After weeks of hiding her parents caught up to her and chased her to the Cloverdilly; where she passed out. She couldn't breathe through her scarf. The next day she woke up in a hospital and was greeted with the paparazzi; they didn't run. She continued to have fun with Annie and her new friends. And then she saw Max.
He had been reading the papers, keeping up to date with what Penelope was doing with her life. He went to a bar to relax after a long day dealing with Sam the club owner, when he saw her. She was playing darts with a group of people, she looked like she was having fun. She threw the last dart, which went rogue and flew into the wall a few feet away from him. He took this opportunity and yanked it from the wall. He walked with it and waited for her to turn around before giving it to her.
He was the last person on Earth she expected to see. He held the dart out to her; she took it. "Hi."
"Hi. Wow, you really did it, huh? I mean…" Someone took their picture and they both blinked. "I mean, you look great, you know, really happy."
"Thanks."
"Yeah. You know, you inspired me. Doing what you did, going off on your own like that." He looked down at his shoes; he had to come clean with her. "I…I'm not…"
"I have to go." And she left him standing there.
"Yeah, sure. I…I should…"
She walked out of the bar and was greeted with the reporters, then she was greeted by her mother. Her mother told her something was important happening. They drove back home and Penelope saw Edward there. He said he wanted to marry her. At first she thought that it had to be a joke or something. Then her mother told her that this was her one and only chance to live a normal life, so she accepted.
When he saw the paper he balled it up and threw it out the window. That…that pig Edward was marrying her! Her! Penelope. His Penelope. His…Penelope. He saw that Penelope, Edward, and both of their parents were going to the theater so he made sure he was there when it was over. He got Edward's jacket and put it on him. Edward turned around and saw him; he tried to get Penelope and himself out of there. Johnny ran around the crowd of people and stopped them. "Hi."
"Max?" She couldn't believe this.
"Hello, Penelope."
"We were just leaving," Edward mumbled and turned and went the opposite way. Johnny ran after them again.
"Hey, how are things, Edward? I understand it got a bit grotesque there for a while. Even puke ugly." He threw Edward's words back in his face and didn't care that people were starting to look.
"What, you two know each other?" Penelope looked between the two of them.
"As a matter of fact we do."
"Yale, wasn't it?" Edward said glaring at Johnny.
"No, I believe it was a Bedford. Bedford van, to be…"
"Stop. Haven't you hurt her enough?" Edward motioned to Penelope. The two glared at each. "Bathroom, now." Edward shoved Johnny and walked to the bathroom.
"Edward, I…" Penelope started. Then her ever present mother came and dragged her to the limo.
"You make me sick."
"Why? What? I'm giving her exactly what she wants, aren't I?" Edward said in his defense. Johnny laughed; he knew the only reason Edward was marrying Penelope was he wanted her money. "And I don't see anybody else lining up to do that. Unless…Unless you are. Are you lining up?"
"It's not the point," Johnny said.
"Yes. Yes, it is the point."
"It's not the point," he repeated louder.
"Look, if you want to go out there and tell her that the only man willing to stand up and say 'I do' still gags at the thought of kissing her, then be my guest. But it's not me you'll be hurting. It's her, isn't it?" Edward patted Johnny on the arm and smiled smugly, knowing that he wouldn't say anything. Johnny stood there thinking how all of this was just spinning out of control. So he watched Edward put an arm around Penelope and walk out of the theater.
The next day, while he was at work he was visited by Lemon.
"Johnny Martin," he said in a loud booming voice. Johnny smirked when he saw the small reporter. It was about freaking time someone figured it out. Lemon showed him the paper announcing Penelope and Edward's wedding. Lemon disapproved of the marriage, saying it was 'Penelope and the beast.' Then Lemon asked, very bluntly, why he wasn't marrying Penelope. It's not that he didn't want to, he just…he couldn't make her…she'd be happy with Edward.
"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" the reporter asked him. Johnny nodded.
Lemon sighed, "It's not too late to stop Edward."
Yes it was, and even if it wasn't it wouldn't make a damn difference. He wasn't a blue-blood. He couldn't break the curse.
The day of the wedding Penelope was nervous, more than nervous actually. She was having second thoughts. She didn't know if she could go through with it. Edward was having those same thoughts. He felt like he was going to throw up all over the expensive flowers. Johnny sat in a tree in the park. He just kept thinking about her; no matter what he did.
Lemon came to the Wilhern wedding to tell Jessica and anyone else who would listen the whole thing about Johnny Martin. He knew someone had to know, even if it was that horrible woman who caused him to lose his eye. After he told the whole story to Jessica and Penelope's match-maker Wanda, he decided to stay. He was curious about what was going to happen.
She didn't love Edward, and she wouldn't at all be surprised if he didn't love her. Why was she doing this, then?
He would love her no matter what and he knew she needed to know the truth. So, why was he sitting in this tree? If he started now maybe, just maybe he might be able to get there before Penelope became Mrs. Edward Vanderman.
"I do," Edward said, agreeing to marry Penelope.
"And do you, Penelope Wilhern, take Edward Humphrey Vanderman III…"
Penelope looked at her parents, Wanda, Jake, Jack, and Annie. Her parents looked thrilled; everyone else looked nervous.
"To be your lawfully wedded husband…"
Lemon shook his head; he stood with the other reporters and paparazzi.
"To have and to hold, for better or for worse…"
Johnny ran like he had never ran before. He was almost there, just another minute and he would be close to the Wilhern grounds.
"For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health…"
Penelope looked at Edward; he quick glanced away, swallowed, and attempted to look her in the eye.
"To love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?"
Penelope looked into her, mother's eyes. They were shining brightly and she seemed so happy. Then her mother's expression changed and she was giving her an odd look. It was then that Penelope knew she had to say something.
Johnny kept running. It didn't matter that he was out of breath, it didn't matter that his side started to hurt. He just had to keep running. He made it to the gate that surrounded the back of the Wilhern grounds; it was a bit taller than him. He made a running jump and climb over the fence. He ran on the rough ground and past the trees. He could see the back of the house and he could see the wedding. It was just a few hundred feet ahead of him.
"I…I-I," Penelope stuttered. She looked at her friends and family. She looked at Edward. Then she looked at her mother, again. She was mouthing the words 'I do'. She sighed, this was her only chance, wasn't it? "I d-"
"Stop! I object!" yelled a voice. Everyone got up from their seats and out of their tents and saw a man with shaggy hair running through the court yard. Lemon smiled. Jessica groaned. Penelope stared in surprise.
"Max?" she asked. He ran through the bushes that lead to the stone walkway. He stopped and stared back. He was taking deep breaths, trying to catch his breath. He slowly made his way to the grass covered stairs.
"Penelope." The two didn't say anything for a long time and people in the crowd started to mumble to themselves. When Johnny felt like he could breathe again, he said one word, "Hi."
"Somebody get security and get this man out of here!" Edward yelled. Jessica looked at Jake. "Well, don't just sit there, get him out of here!"
"Mother stop! Everyone just stop for a minute!" Penelope yelled and everyone stopped. She looked at 'Max'. "Max, what do…what are you doing here?"
"I need to tell you something. Before it's too late." Penelope nodded. Johnny started from the beginning. "I used to play the piano at a club, but then I started to gamble. Then that became the most important thing in my life. Nothing else mattered except money and gambling. When Lemon came and offered me money to go in and spy on you, I accepted. But after a few weeks of getting to know you I…thought it was wrong."
Penelope walked down a few of the steps. "When I first saw you, I will admit, you startled me. I wasn't expecting…" he motioned his hand to her face. "But I didn't pull my arm away from you because I thought you were hideous. I think you're beautiful. I pulled away because the camera hidden in my jacket took your picture." Penelope blinked; did he actually say she was beautiful?
"I didn't let Lemon have the picture; I destroyed the camera. And when you asked me if I wanted to marry you, and I said no… it's not that I didn't want to, I just…" He trailed off. He stared at her flawless brown eyes. "My name's not Max Campion. It's Johnny Martin. I'm not a blue-blood. I can't break the curse."
Penelope looked stunned. That's why he…he truly thought she was…she loved him more than anything. She walked down the few steps that separated them, walked right up to him, and kissed him.
He froze for a second before kissing her back. He ran his hands through her hair and held her close. He wasn't about to let her go.
Everyone in the crowd was chattering loudly. Jessica frequently shook her head and shouted, "No! Stop!" Johnny and Penelope pulled away and quickly looked at Jessica. "Stop! Edward is waiting. Penelope, sweetheart, this is your only chance. Our only chance to have a normal live."
"But I don't love Edward. I love-"
"You are so close. You are one 'yes' away from a whole new you!"
"But I don't want a whole new me, mother!"
"Honey, please."
"I like myself the way I am." Then Penelope collapsed. Johnny caught her before she hit the ground.
"Penelope!" Johnny held her close and then he stared at her. Everyone gathered around where Penelope laid in Johnny's arms. Everyone gasped.
Penelope stirred and opened her eyes; everyone was staring at her. Her mother was on her knees and reached her hand out. Her mother touched her nose. But it wasn't her nose. Penelope felt it too, and was surprised to not feel her pig like nose, but a regular small normal nose. The reporters, the guests, everyone was talking at once. Johnny helped Penelope up and put an arm around her waist.
Edward just stared and blinked. Then he cleared his throat, "Penelope, if it is all the same to you I think it would be better if we call off the wedding." Penelope smiled, "Thank you, Edward." Then Edward left and was followed by his parents who were chattering and bickering. Lemon smiled and shook his head; there really had been a curse.
"Johnny," Penelope said, to the man who was still staring at her. "It's okay, I'm still me." Johnny felt her cheek and kissed her again. He wasn't leaving her again, ever again. He broke their embrace to say, "I love you."
"I know, I love you, too."
They were all over the papers for the next few weeks. Penelope and Johnny moved into his apartment. He continued to play the piano; she became a teacher teaching the science of plants. After 25 years of service Jake quit his job, and had a few secrets of his own…
Jessica and Franklin gave Penelope and Johnny their blessing and went back to their life of being well to do blue-bloods; except for the fact that Jessica couldn't speak for three weeks. Wanda stayed in touch but spent most of her time trying to match up Jack and Annie. Lemon had the chance to write a story about Johnny and Penelope but decided to leave the happy couple alone.
And Penelope and Johnny lived happily ever after. (For now.)
The End
*Sigh* I just love that movie. I saw it when it first came out and haven't seen it since about that time. I was looking up James Mcavoy and re-realized that he was in it and I looked up the old trailer. So I had to re-watch it. I loved it. Then I came up with this simple AU one-shot. {I should be working on my X-Men FanFic, but…} I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading! ;)