A/N: Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews on the last chapter and things...I can't remember all of your names. Oh well. beam Okay, here's the deal.

So I set off to rewrite the last chapter because it was a mess. Well, I did, and it turned out that it might take up three or four chapters. I want to keep them all basically the same length.

Well, I got it done once, but there was this one part that didn't fit. So I rewrote that and now there's another part that I just CAN'T GET TO WORK! So, there. It's done, but it's not. As for all the mistakes like the hillbilly line and stuff, I wrote this after I saw it in theaters and couldn't remember it and just never bothered to change it, I suppose.

Well, hopefully this will keep you rapscallions occupied until I can get the kinks worked out...XD. Please excuse the corniness of it!

I don't own Dennis and Mindy. Or the squire guy. But I did make up his name.

Part Nueve

He hadn't come this far to finally be caught for accidentally shooting a dancing peanut. He crossed the street, then stopped. What were the odds that Mindy, who he hadn't seen since that fateful day four years ago, would be friends with the FOOLS? It actually made sense…her father's crown stolen…she coaxed them into getting it back to spite her father…He sniffed as a tear trickled down his cheek. He hadn't gone a day without thinking about her. Too bad he could never see her again…

"Dennis, wait!" He turned, hope rising in his chest. It was Mindy.

"Wait…" she sighed, coming up to him, her face flushed. She pushed her hair back behind her ears. "I still can't believe it's you…"

"Mindy, back there…it was an accident…I didn't mean…" he rushed to explain.

"They don't know if he's dead or not…" she said, completing his thought. "What were you doing wielding a gun in the first place?"

He didn't say anything, shame washing over him.

"SpongeBob and Patrick said you tried to kill them."

"Oh no no," he said hastily. "I was hired to kill them. I-uh…tried to play it so it would look like they got away by accident…"

"Everything's an accident with you, Dennis," she said, half-sighing, clicking her tongue. She stopped and stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes. "Four years, Dennis. Four years. Is that all it takes to make you some kind of…monster?"

Monster is a harsh word… Chad's words floated back to him. "It—it was never my intention to…" He stammered. He felt like he'd been punched in the stomach.

"You killed Chad, didn't you?" she said grimly. "I thought that was you in the paper! After that is just went all downhill, didn't it, Dennis? Things were just spinning beyond your control! You had no choice to become an assassin, did you, Dennis?"

"Mindy…I had no other alternatives…" He choked back tears. "It was a stupid mistake, okay!"

"Dennis…" Mindy said quietly. "Just because someone has the power to kill doesn't give them the right to. It's the same with Father."

He turned away. He could hear the heartbreak in her voice, like a little girl trying to understand evil…the thought tortured him…

"Do you know what happened after you left, Dennis?" she said faintly, her voice calm and level now. "Mark got involved with a gang. He couldn't get out…he was shot to death."

He gasped, his breathing coming in shorts. He closed his eyes and swallowed, the tears really beginning to flow.

"We all make bad choices sometimes," she continued, "but it's not always too late to change. When I was friends with Jen, I thought it was for me, not my money or who my father was. I finally figured out that they were just using me and I told them I wasn't going to be taken advantage of. They treated me like an outsider after that. It was hard at first, but then I found real friends, like Mark, and Addie. And you…"

"What—whatever happened to Addie after that…"

"They let her off with six months in a juvenile correction facility. It was the first time she'd ever been caught, and one of the only times she stole…" She paused. "Do you know why she slipped it in your bag?" She leaned closer.

"Um…no. Why?"

"It's because…I guess this is hard to understand…but in her own twisted way, she was kind of flirting with you. She didn't think you'd get caught. She got scared and, well…she always had a crush on you…Just like I did."

For a moment, her words didn't register. His mouth dropped a little. "What do you mean?" he whispered.

"Even after I heard about the murder…I couldn't get you off my mind," she said, hanging her head. "I'd always sort of liked you, but then, when you left, I realized how much I lo—" He cut her off.

"I…I always loved you too, Mindy. I've never stopped thinking about you…" He looked deep into her eyes and felt an odd sense of peace…the weight he'd been carrying all these years was out in the open…

She looked up with adoring eyes. Before he knew what was happening, she leaned closer, wrapped her arms around him, and pressed her lips to his. A thrill surged through his body and his limbs went limp. It was the greatest moment of his life. Everything from his past melted away. It was only him and Mindy, no one else.

"MINDY?" came a cry from the door. Scratch that. Patrick was there, too. Light streamed into the darkness. They broke apart, and Dennis was never so sorry for a moment to end. Mindy smiled at him. Patrick stood in the doorway, crestfallen, eye twitching slightly.

"But…Mindy…I got you some flowers," he spluttered, holding them out, wide-eyed.

"That's very sweet of you, Patrick," she said, taking them. "But I think…my heart belongs to someone else…"

Patrick followed her gaze to look at Dennis and swallowed. Then he burst out sobbing and ran back inside.

"Aww…Mindy, you made him cry…" Dennis said, grinning.

"He'll get over it," she smiled. She wrapped her hands around his head and kissed him again, his hat popping slightly off his head. It was then that he felt everything was right with the world.

It was Mindy's birthday.

Standing outside the palace gates, Dennis had time to think about the past couple of weeks. Everything seemed to have turned out all right. The dancing peanut recovered and didn't press charges. Neptune was in the process of granting him a pardon for past crimes. Mindy was pressuring him into apologizing to the FOOLS…maybe that wasn't something he was ready to do yet. But best of all, he was about to go on a date with the Princess of the Sea.

Not that he cared about her title. The fact that someone of her status would be interested in the likes of him was unfathomable to most. But she was the perfect girl, inside and out. He considered himself to be the luckiest man alive. Or maybe, he thought, luck had nothing to do with it. He gazed up at the stars and took a deep breath. He clutched the package and flowers tightly in his hands and walked up to the gatekeeper.

"I'm here to see Princess Mindy," he said, an unfamiliar warm feeling surging through him. His emotions had seemed to flow more freely of late. The tight strain he'd put on them was really gone.

The guard looked up from his newspaper. He was sitting in a tiny little booth, like a ticket taker for an amusement park. The guard blinked his eyes lazily.

"Name?"

"Dennis—" Before he could even finish, the gatekeeper's eyes went wide.

"Dennis? Ohhhh…well, there's something I'm supposed to remember about you…Hold on." The man squinted upward. His manner put Dennis in mind of a surfer dude.

"Oh, yah," the man continued. "I can't let you in." He picked up his newspaper again.

"What? Why not?" Dennis said, baffled.

The guard looked at him and shrugged. "Don't know. That's just what the squire guy told me."

Dennis scowled. "It was Mindy who asked me to come here."

"Well…" the gatekeeper said. "Okay. But only because Mindy said so."

Dennis rolled his eyes as he walked through the gate. He stopped a moment to look at the castle. He'd never been inside. The outside splendor of it was enough to dazzle you. Pearl embedded walls shone with a heavenly glow in the moonlight. Towers and turrets rose from all angles. Banners and tapestries hung everywhere, giving the place a definite Middle Age charm. His heart quickened as he opened one of the huge double doors and stepped inside.

It was a throne room. Candle lamps rose at intervals to form a path towards the grand seats where the King and Princess sat. The place was empty now. He saw several hallways leading out. He had no earthly clue where to go.

He heard a voice coming from one of those corridors, distant, the echo hindering him from making it out. Suddenly a short little servant careened into view. He had a beret with a feather, shoulder-length black hair, and a courtier's outfit of purple and gold, with frills and lace and jangles. The servant panted as he tried to catch his breath. Dennis raised an eyebrow.

"Could you direct me to Princess Mindy?" Dennis asked, being as polite as he could. The servant craned his neck up to see Dennis. A sweat drop appeared on his forehead.

"Well…I could but I can't…" he said nervously. "You're Dennis, right? I'm Squire Kalid, and well…you can't see Mindy right now—"

"What's the big idea?" Dennis growled, annoyed, his fingers tightening around the present. "Can't a guy go see his girlfriend anymore?"

"Well, um, it's not exactly like that…" Kalid said nervously, his nasally voice rising. "Say, why don't we just sit down for tea…"

Dennis slowly reached down and grabbed him by his lacey collar. Kalid let out a nervous squeak as he brought him up inches from his face.

"Why don't you tell me where she is before I get mad and wring your scrawny little neck?" he said coolly. Kalid's eyes shrank and he gave a weak smile.

"Now, let's not be hasty…" Kalid pleaded. Dennis frowned and curled his fingers menacingly. Kalid gave a frightened little gasp.

"Alright, fine, fine. She's down that hall, up those stairs, and first door on the left."

"Much obliged," Dennis said, dropping him on the floor. He turned and hurried out into the hall.

"Mindy is so gonna kill me," Kalid moaned, out of Dennis' earshot.

Okay. So he hadn't just totally abandoned his image. Even if he wasn't an assassin anymore, he could still look the part. And intimidation certainly came in handy when you didn't have time to fool around. He smiled, shaking his head, and followed the stairs. He turned to the left, and before him stood an ornately carved door. He knocked quickly and opened it.

"Dennis?" came a startled cry. He ducked back hastily, muttering apologies. Mindy sighed.

"You can come in, Dennis," she said, rolling her eyes. He peeked in. It took him a minute to remember to breath. Mindy was gowned in the most gorgeous red dress, an off-the-shoulder top with billowy skirts and wavy straps around her arms. She clutched the bodice with one hand and had her other arm twisted around her back, fumbling with the zipper.

"Oh…it was supposed to be a surprise," she said, raising an eyebrow, indicating the dress. "I guess Kalid didn't do his job."

"You should have known it would take more than him to keep me away," he said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Well, now that you're here you can help me zip it UP!" she said, giving her arm one last jerk, with no progress. Dennis quickly fastened it. She let out a breath and stepped back.

"Here," Dennis said suddenly. "For your big 18."

She placed the flowers lovingly on her dresser. Grinning, she took the gift and started to peel back the wrapping paper. She drew a breath sharply, a look of delight creeping over her face.

"Dennis…" she breathed. "It's…they're beautiful…" She held up a pearl necklace, each pearl perfectly round and shining brilliantly. Without a word, Dennis took it and looped it around her neck.

"Beautiful pearls for a beautiful girl," he laughed. Mindy smiled, touching the necklace.

"Thank you…so much. This is the best present I've gotten!" she squeezed him tightly. He sighed happily. He had spent nearly all his savings to buy it. But it was for her and she was worth it.

They walked down the stairs and out thee door. Dennis looked at his bike and then at Mindy.

"I guess we should take your carriage," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wouldn't want you to ruin your dress."

"No way! I love riding the motorcycle!" Mindy laughed. Dennis grinned as he straddled the bike, Mindy behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He revved it up and headed into town.

At last they pulled up to the restaurant. Mindy shook out her hair, her face flushed from the open wind. Dennis took off his hat and escorted her into Fancy.

The waiter beamed as they stepped inside. "Ah…the royal couple…right this way. You may have our finest table!"

Dennis raised his eyebrows and looked at Mindy. She smiled. "People treat you different when you're a princess. Or the princess's boyfriend." He reddened and followed the waiter to a corner in the back of the room. The Frenchmen bowed when they were seated and hurried away.

"So…how's your birthday been so far?" he asked, fingering the edge of the tablecloth.

"Oh, great! My aunt came by and we had a nice little party at the house…and Addie came and took me to the mall…" she sighed. "It brought back a lot of memories. I kept thinking Mark should have been there with us."

Dennis felt grief welling in his chest. A tear trickled down his cheek. If only he had been there for him…he shook away unpleasant thoughts and looked at Mindy, who practically glowed in the half-light. He was getting that fluttery feeling again. Mindy smiled warmly.

"You know what one of my gifts was? A wedding gown!" Mindy said. "It was my mother's. At first I thought, 'What on earth would I want with a wedding dress?' But Father said…since I was now of age and already have someone in mind…"

"Oh, look! Great! The food's here!" Dennis exclaimed, mustering a wide fake smile. The waiter deposited baskets of appetizers on their table. Dennis took one of everything and focused on eating. Mindy watched him silently for a minute, then smiled a secret smile and put some bread on her plate...

A/N: Until next time, friends. God, I suck at romance. Tell me what you think. And trust me, the next part will be better.