Ever notice that I always do one week time jumps in this story? Well, this chapter's why. In the beginning of the story, it was said that Evie and Jay's wedding was a month away. Well, at this point in the story's timeline, it's already been a month. Enjoy.

Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.

I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: DragonEmperor999, danifan3000, CarvieCamfia2, xez2003

To jessicabiggs16: Happy New Year!

Today is the day. Evie and Jay's wedding. Despite the devastating war on the Isle, the wedding plans did not change. Evie and Jay are too marry at the Auradon Cathedral, which was redecorated to look evil, of course. All murals of heroes were replaced with murals of villains. Trademark symbols of some of the most famous villains are displayed via banners. Of course, the place had some cracks and holes from the years of war, but it remained standing and the villains didn't even bother to fix the holes. Typical.

Evie was getting ready for her wedding at her mother's castle. The bridesmaid was helping her with her gown fitting. It's blue, of course, but it's styled like your typical wedding gown. As for the bridesmaid, it's Dizzy Tremaine. However, unlike in the old reality, the Dizzy Tremaine of this world is 16 years old and Evie's closest friend.

"Oh, you look fabulous, Evie," said Evil Queen. "All you need is a crown and you will look like a true queen."

Evie just stood there and said nothing. Besides silence, she wasn't looking happy at all. She actually looks sad, much to Evil Queen's confusion.

"Chin up, curve those lip edges, sweetie. It's your wedding day," said Evil Queen.

"Yeah... sure... hooray," Evie said with sarcasm.

"Okay, what's wrong? Is the skirt too short? Is there not enough blush on your face? Do you need to wash your hair again?" Evil Queen asked continuously.

"No, everything's fine," Evie lied.

"Then why aren't you happy, Evie dear?" asked Evil Queen.

"Mom, do you ever think that I'm marrying Jay for the right reasons?" Evie wondered.

"You two are inseparable and he's a prince now, so... I believe so," said Evil Queen.

"I mean, I want to marry him, but..." Evie paused.

"Too late for second thoughts, Evie," said Evil Queen. "Now that Maleficent's daughter has turned traitor, it is your chance to rule Auradon as queen. This marriage is the first step."

"And what if it's not what I want?" Evie asked. "What if I want something else?"

"Nonsense, Evie. It's exactly what you want," said Evil Queen. "It's exactly what I want for you."

Evil Queen leaves the room so Evie can finish with the fitting in peace. Evie just stood still and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a married woman already, except she didn't want to be that. Or maybe she didn't want to be married, at least not to Jay. After saving Carlos from being killed by his mother, she has been wound up ever since.

"Seriously, Evie, smile," said Dizzy. "Today is a very special day. Your very special day."

"I know, Dizzy," Evie said faintly, still refusing to smile.

"Jay is, like, super cute and super charming... in a thieving, roguish kind of way... but you couldn't have done any better," said Dizzy.

"Weren't you the one who tried to set me up with your brother?" Evie questioned.

"Big mistake. And I said I was sorry, okay?" Dizzy said. "But really, why don't you look happy?"

"Dizzy, do you really think that I love Jay?" Evie asked doubtfully.

"He proposed to you and you said yes. If that's not proof, you two have toxic chemistry. The romantic kind of toxic," said Dizzy.

"But what if it's just infatuation, not love?" Evie wondered.

"You're not really having second thoughts, are you?" Dizzy asked. "Evie, you're getting married. You should be happy. It's your happily ever after come true... well, until the next happily ever after, which is running this kingdom once Maleficent's time is up or when she decides to call it quits."

"A happily ever after where I'm not happy?" Evie questioned.

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen, Evie," Dizzy said as she finished the fitting. "Okay, almost done with the dress. Oh, it looks gorgeous. Now, all you need is..."

She was cut short when she fainted. The purple sparkles in the air frightened Evie. That color can only mean two things, but she knew which one it is. Or rather, who she is.

"Hey, E."

Mal. A.K.A. The Daughter of Maleficent. A.K.A. Traitor. She just poofed into the room drinking a blueberry milkshake. That was obviously a joke aimed towards Evie, given that her nickname is Princess Blueberry.

"Nice dress," said Mal.

"You shouldn't be here," Evie said with spite.

"It's my best friend's wedding day. How can I miss it?" Mal replied.

"We're not best friends," said Evie.

"Not in this life, at least," Mal said casually.

"In what lifetime would I ever be best friends with a traitorous, dowdy peasant like you?" Evie questioned.

"A life where no matter where I go, we will always meet in the space between," Mal answered.

These words triggered an image in Evie's mind. She's seeing herself singing a duet with Mal with the words "space between" in the lyrics. It was like they were saying goodbye or something and they're both sad about it.

"Those words mean anything to you?" Mal asked, noticing that her words triggered something.

"I... don't... know," Evie said, feeling very confused.

"Hmm, looks like your makeup is a bit off. Looks like you need a sister to help you with that face of yours," said Mal.

Another trigger. Evie sees an image of her helping Mal be pretty for a date. She can see herself applying blush and calling herself the sorceress' new sister. They seemed... happy talking to each other.

"Stop it. Stop," Evie insisted. "What are you doing to my head?"

"I'm not doing anything. Maybe you have a migraine... or doubts," said Mal.

"Doubts about what?" asked Evie.

"Evie, I saw you save Carlos from his mom," said Mal. "You can't deny that you don't care about him. But I think you don't just care for him, am I right?"

"Are you insinuating..." Evie paused, unable to finish the sentence due to the incoming words.

"Then tell me. Is my insinuation wrong?" Mal asked, daring her to deny. "Is it false that you feel something for Carlos, something more than just sympathy and compassion, something that's telling you that marrying Jay is wrong."

"If you're insinuating what I think you're..." Evie paused again.

Evie runs towards the emergency switch, which activates an emergency alarm. Mal poofs in front of Evie before she could flip the switch. All it took is a little green glow in her eyes to force Evie to step back and away from the switch.

"I need you to remember, E," said Mal.

"Remember what?" Evie asked, scared and confused.

"Remember who you really are," said Mal.

"I am not falling victim to one of your games, Mal," Evie refused. "You need to leave before I tell someone you're here. It's my wedding day and..."

"You don't want to marry Jay," Mal interrupted. "Think about it, E. This isn't love. You and Carlos, however, there is something there. Something good. Think on that before you think of saying I do."

Mal teleports out of the castle, leaving Evie to think about what she said. And she did. Love. When she tried to put that word in the same sentence with her and Jay, she can't stop putting a "don't" in that sentence. "Don't" as in, "I don't love Jay." Then she thought about Carlos. Thinking about him this much triggered more images in her head. All these images involve only her and Carlos.

A very intimate moment between them in a tree house.

Holding hands and singing together at some Royal Cotillion.

Ballroom-dancing in the hallways of some school.

"EVIE!"

Evil Queen's voice snapped Evie out of whatever she was in. All these images feel like memories of the past... but what past?

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Jay and his father are taking a magic carpet ride to the cathedral for the wedding. Jafar is excited to see his son get married, but Jay was feeling weird today. Every night, all he could think about was Lonnie. Why is that? He doesn't know her other than she's the daughter of Mulan and Li Shang. The image of her getting stabbed in front of him flashes in his mind constantly, but he doesn't understand.

"Big day, Jay," Jafar said excitedly. "You and your wife-to-be are the future of this kingdom. Make me proud boy."

"No problem," Jay said with fake excitement.

"Although, are you certain that girl is who you want as your bride and fellow ruler?" Jafar asked.

"Dad, look at her. How can I say no?" Jay replied.

"Well, whatever you kids are into these days," Jafar commented.

Once again, Jay's mind wanders to Lonnie. Why does she feel like someone important in his life even though he's never met her? But she seemed to know him, as if they've known each other for a long time.

It got worse for Jay when purple sparkles poofed up an image of Lonnie in the form of a wavy mirror. This caused him to see another strange image in his head.

Attemping to flirt with Lonnie, right after she tasted cookie batter made by him and Mal and Evie and Carlos.

"What is going on here?" Jay wondered.

Hours later, it was time. Villains, VKs, and sidekicks (those who lived through the Battle of the Isle) arrived at the Auradon Cathedral to witness the wedding between the son of Jafar and the daughter of Evil Queen. Well, all except Maleficent (too busy plotting, she said). The parents of the to-be-married are definitely the most excited for this day, mostly because their legacies will be what shapes the future for the villains.

Jay, the groom, stood at the altar wearing clothes fit for Sultan. Judge Claude Frollo also stood at the altar, having been ordained.

"Is there any job you won't do?" Jay questioned the minister.

"The Evil Queen wants this to be a perfect wedding, and that includes a famous name as the justice of peace," said Frollo.

The music plays as Evil Queen walks the bride down the aisle. The entire cathedral was at awe at how she looked. Definitely a queen in both lineage and appearance. Even Jay couldn't stop staring... until Lonnie came to his mind, that is. Evil Queen takes her seat while her daughter stands on the altar next to her husband-to-be. She wasn't looking happy, however.

"Hey, you okay?" Jay asked.

"No," Evie mumbled.

Judge Claude Frollo begins. "Villains, evil sidekicks, we are gathered here today to join Princess Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen, with Prince Jay, son of Jafar, in a wicked union that will determine the future of our lands."

"Which is all everyone cares about," Evie whispered to herself.

"What's that?" Jay asked.

"First things first, does the bride and groom have evil vows to exchange?" Frollo asked.

Evie didn't say anything, and neither did Jay. The crowd did say something, muttering to each other about the absence of vows in this wedding. Evie can see the disappointment on her mother's face. When Evil Queen pictured the perfect wedding for her daughter, it did not look like this.

"No vows? Well, that's unfortunate," said Frollo.

"Can we just skip to the I do's?" Evie asked.

"If you wish," said Frollo.

Jay once again noticed that Evie is acting weird. Jay didn't have a vow because he forgot about it, but Evie didn't look like she forgot to write a vow. She looked like she didn't want to say her vows.

"Do you, Prince Jay, take Princess Evie to be your wife?" asked Frollo.

"I... uh, I... I do," Jay said nervously.

"And do you, Princess Evie, take Prince Jay to be your husband?" asked Frollo.

"I... I..." Evie couldn't say anything else.

Evie continued to stutter, confusing everyone in the cathedral. Jay raised an eyebrow in confusion while everyone else continued to mutter to each other. Evil Queen kept looking at her daughter and telling "Say, I do."

"I... don't," Evie said finally.

Everyone gasped in shock. Evil Queen's gasp was the loudest.

"What madness is this, Evie?" Evil Queen asked. "You're supposed to say, I do."

Evie just hangs her head and looks away from her mother. Just as Evil Queen was about to go to the altar herself to talk some sense into her daughter, something happened.

CRASH!

A horseless carriage breaks through the front doors at high speed and heads straight for the altar. Evie and Jay jump out of the way, but Judge Claude Frollo failed to react in time. The carriage ran through him and crashed. What happened to Judge Claude Frollo, you may ask? Let's just say he's probably gonna be spending the rest of his senior years in a hospital.

Swinging in through the doorway, via grapple arrow, are Carlos De Vil and CJ Hook. CJ quickly lets go of Carlos and even pushes him away, disgusted and embarrassed that she had to hold on to him for that dramatic entrance.

"I object!" Carlos shouted.

"Uh, Judge Frollo didn't exactly get to the speak-now-or-forever-hold-your-peace part," said Sammy Smee.

"Oh," Carlos and CJ said at the same time.

"Seize them!" Jafar ordered.

Before the villains can make a move, Mal poofs into the center of the cathedral. She teleported a few feet up in the air so she can make a stylish landing, just for the sake of a cooler entrance.

"Give us time to speak and sow, please separate friend from foe," Mal cited.

Mal casts her spell and separates the villains from everyone else with two magical barriers. Neither Jafar's scepter, Hook's hook, nor Ursula's trident could break through.

"That's a wrap, now take a nap," Mal finished.

The magic within the barriers caused everyone trapped inside to fall asleep. Temporarily, to be specific. Mal did not want to kill anyone, especially after what happened to the Isle. Of course, Evie and Jay were not of the audience so they were among the only ones still awake. Had Judge Claude Frollo not been run over by a carriage, he would be awake as well.

"A runaway carriage, really?" Mal questioned her two allies.

"Her idea," Carlos said, pointing at the blonde pirate.

"You wanted us to crash the wedding, right?" CJ said.

"What are you doing here?" Jay asked the intruders.

"I thought I'd come here to tell you that forgot to send me my invite," Mal joked.

"We didn't invite you," said Jay.

"Yeah, and that was a big, big mistake," said Mal. "That's why I decided to crash your wedding."

"Why?" asked Jay.

"'Cause let's face it. You and Evie aren't meant to be together," said Mal. "I heard what you said, E. You said, I don't."

Jay looks at Evie, remembering the embarrassing moment she started earlier.

"What the heck is going on?" Jay asked, feeling very confused.

"Tell him, Evie," said Mal.

"Jay," Evie started. "I... I don't love you."

"But... but you said yes when I proposed," said Jay.

"I did, but now I realize that was a mistake," said Evie.

"And what about you, Jay?" asked Mal. "Did that picture of Lonnie remind you of anything?"

"Wait, that was you?" Jay questioned, remembering the picture of Lonnie that popped out of nowhere.

"Did you remember anything?" Mal asked, demanding an answer.

"If you're trying to mess with my head, forget about it," said Jay, refusing to share what he remembers.

"Just tell me," Mal insisted.

Instead of speaking, Jay reaches for the sword of the nearest knight statue, only for Mal to immediately put him to sleep with a wave of her hand.

"He'll be out for a little while," said Mal. "Or until he's ready to listen."

"Why do you keep butting into my marriage, Mal?" Evie asked. "I wanna believe you forced me to say, I don't, but..."

"You listened to your heart," Carlos guessed.

Evie looked at the white-haired archer with a shocked look on her face. How did he know what she was gonna say? It's like he read her mind.

"Because what you're looking for," Carlos continued.

"Has been right in front of you," Evie continued for him.

"The whole time," Evie and Carlos said in unison.

"Creepy," CJ commented.

"But beautiful," Mal added.

Carlos slowly walks closer to Evie and holds her hand. She then holds his other hand. They slowly leaned in towards each other until their lips met. As they kissed, a bunch of images flashed in the mind of the blue-haired princess. Her lips stayed on his as she saw everything coming back to her in an instant.

Meeting Carlos at Dragon Hall.

Carlos' tree house laboratory.

Her, Carlos, Mal, and Jay going to Auradon Prep.

Shining her Magic Mirror's light at Maleficent, who is in dragon form.

Dating Doug.

Dating Ben.

Her and Mal visiting Dizzy.

Her and Carlos dancing in Auradon Prep's hallway.

Punching Mal for her post-death betrayal.

Her rap battle versus Mal.

Carlos singing a song to her as she chased him.

Plus more.

Evie pulled away as soon as the memories overwhelmed her. Her eyes opened and lingered on Carlos'. The white-haired archer stared at her, scared if he made the wrong move. Seeing the worry on his face, Evie puts her arms around him and smiles. The next words that came out of her mouth are...

"Boy, I make you shy, shy, shy. I make you run and hide, hide."

Those words were lyrics to the song he sang to her, only reversed (such as from "girl" to "boy" or from "you" to "I"). Carlos smiled as Evie pulled him closer to an embrace. Carlos returned the favor and put his arms around her. Evie cries a tear of joy as she holds him tight. Just a few seconds ago, she knew she cared about him, but she was uncertain just how much. But now, she remembers just how much he means to her, as well as how much she means to him.

Mal smiled, happy that Evie finally remembered everything. CJ, however, literally had her back turned as she did not want to see the kiss.

"Are they done?" CJ asked.

"They're hugging now," said Mal.

"Still not looking," said CJ.

"What's the matter, CJ? Jealous?" Carlos teased.

"Hey, I'm the one who does the teasing here," CJ said, finally facing Carlos.

"Wait, you and CJ were..." Evie had a guess.

"If it makes you feel better, sister, I didn't like it," said CJ.

"And what about you, Carlos?" Evie asked the archer. "Feeling's mutual with her?"

"Let's just say I prefer not to be proof she can love," said Carlos. "But I don't understand. How can you remember? Mal didn't do anything to you."

"Trust me. I was surprised myself," said Mal. "But a part of me has always wanted you two to be together. Maybe the Wishing Well twisted that wish into a cure for both of you."

"But, wait, I had to get my shoulders marked painfully to trigger my past live's memories," Carlos remembered. "Why is it her who need True Love's Kiss?"

Mal shrugged and said, "I didn't ask for a world ruled by villains, didn't I? Any change here is a surprise even to me. I don't control everything, even if I wanted to. Maybe the kiss worked because it fit with the new life she lived. Blinded from the definition of true love, and she needed the truth to be reminded. That's you, Snowball."

Evie placed her hand on Carlos' leather-covered shoulder, just imagining the M-shaped scar underneath. Her first reaction to it, she remembered all too well.

"I'm sure if we kissed way before now, you would've had your memories restored," said Evie.

"I'm sure Mal's love for torturing me would've prevented that," Carlos joked.

Mal rolled her eyes at that.

"I'm sorry," Evie said sincerely. "You know, for how I treated you."

"It wasn't real," said Carlos.

"But it felt real," Evie said sadly.

"I know," Carlos understood.

"It's all too much to take in," said Evie.

"You look beautiful," Carlos said, admiring how she looked in the wedding gown.

"Thank you," Evie smiled, flattered by the compliment.

They held hands and leaned forward, their foreheads brushed against one another in a very affectionate manner. Their first reunion was a mess, but this here... this is a true reunion.

"Hello!" CJ called. "Hate to ruin your moment, lovebirds, but are we gonna go now? Maleficent's gonna find out we're here some time soon."

"First things first," said Mal.

Mal walks into one of the barriers. She's immune to the sleeping spell, after all. She takes a little note out of her jacket and magically wraps it around one of the braids of Uma, who is also asleep due to the barrier. Mal smiled a confident smile as she hoped Uma had made her choice on whether or not to help her.

"Mal," CJ called.

"One more thing," said Mal.

Mal walks over towards another unconscious person. Dizzy. It's definitely weird seeing the 12-year-old hairdresser be around her age.

"Take a look at your future, Dizzy. It won't be this one, fortunately," Mal commented.

"Mal," CJ called impatiently.

Evie and Carlos were carrying the sleeping Jay as they too were eager to leave the cathedral. Mal joins her friends (CJ is a friend, right?) and prepares to snap her fingers to teleport them out of here.

"One question, M," said Evie. "What exactly were you gonna do to help me regain my memories?"

"A closet full of bear traps," Mal answered nonchalantly.

"What?!" Evie exclaimed.

Mal just snapped her fingers.

Now Evie remembers. YAY! But Jay still doesn't remember. Although, Mal is bringing him along. So, that's good. As for Judge Claude Frollo, all I can say is... ouch.

So, what do you think of the way Evie's memories are restored?