(A/N: So now Peach knows that Mario is really hurting from what happened at the end of their adventure, and he blames himself for it. Let's start the chapter and see if she can't mend his heart.)
"But that w-wasn't even the worst p-part. I-I was so s-scared that I'd... c-completely ruined it all... when I w-went to see you... the f-following day, Peach." Mario started.
"Whatever made you think that it was completely ruined?" Peach asked.
"When the T-Toads... told me you were g-gone... I-I was afraid that... you knew I'd be coming to s-see you... t-to work this whole thing out... and you l-left because... you didn't want to t-talk to me... and you didn't want to s-see me... b-because it was all o-over between us..." Mario said, more tears welling in his eyes as he remembered how awful he felt when he heard that. His heart broke further when he learned that she had left.
"Mario, that isn't true! And I never said nor hinted that I didn't want to talk to you. I told you that I said good night to you before I entered the castle. That proves it." Peach said, wishing she knew how to comfort Mario better. How does a princess comfort her plumber boyfriend when he's suffering from a broken heart?
"I... I know, Peach. I-I heard you... say b-buona notte... good night... to me. B-but when I heard that... that you were g-gone, a-and the Toads... didn't know w-where you were, I... I was out of my m-mind, Peach! I f-figured... that you didn't t-tell them... where you went... so I c-couldn't find you!" Mario said.
"But you found out where I'd gone, and what I was doing." Peach reminded him, rubbing his back.
"Thanks to C-Cappy... When he saw me... l-leaving the castle after the... Toads told me that you were... g-gone... he quickly flew over to m-me... and he t-told me ...that I... I-I wasn't the cause..." Mario said.
"Did he tell you why I was gone?" Peach asked.
"He told me that he... he overheard y-you... and Tiara... discussing another w-world tour... when we were o-on our way... b-back home... I-if he didn't know... about your p-plans, I... I-I don't know... what I would've d-done, Peach." Mario replied between sniffles.
"Cappy was right about what Tiara and I did on the way home. I didn't really know if you'd heard our discussion or not." Peach said.
"N-non l'ho fatto... I-I didn't... M-my guilty conscience... b-blocked it all out..." Mario admitted, trying hard to stop crying, but he was powerless to stop the tears from falling.
"I asked Cappy if he wanted to join us on our way to Bonneton; maybe to take him home. But he declined because had a good feeling that you were going to show up at the castle, and if you found out that I wasn't around, you'd think you were to blame for my leaving." Peach started.
"And I... I did. I-I didn't know any... any other r-reason... why you would l-leave." Mario sniffled.
"But that's why Cappy stuck around, Mario. He wanted to make sure you knew in case you hadn't heard us the night before. And he also wanted to see if you were up to having more fun in the kingdoms you two had visited. He didn't want the fun you and him had to come to an end just yet." Peach said.
"Cappy is... un buon amico... a good f-friend, Peach. If it w-wasn't for him... I-I would've lost you... f-forever; in m-more ways than one, too..." Mario moaned.
"Now I'd like you to tell me: why didn't you talk to me when you and Cappy followed me and Tiara to the different kingdoms?" Peach asked.
Mario swallowed nervously as he figured out how he was going to word his response. He needed to do this carefully so as not to make things more complicated than they already were.
"Okie-dokie. Long ago, I p-promised myself... that whenever I f-found myself in a r-relationship... I would n-never... l-let the s-sun set... on an unsettled a-argument... like my mama and papa said in their wedding vows..." Mario began.
(A/N: That was in my own parents' wedding vows.)
"Awww..." said Peach. She thought that was sweet of Mario.
"A-and I had done so... until n-now..." Mario began.
"Until now?" Peach asked.
"Y-yes... I w-wanted to get this whole p-problem... at Honeylune R-Ridge... w-worked out right a-away. But I-I didn't get to... to do that r-right away. So I p-promised myself I'd... I'd d-do so... the f-following day..." Mario said.
"But you didn't. And what's worse, you never said a single word to me whenever we met up." Peach pointed out.
"I didn't... because C-Cappy... well, he... he t-talked me out of it... He said that... that y-you went on that t-tour... to have f-fun and... l-leave all your t-troubles... behind you..." Mario said.
"Ohhh..." Peach realized that Cappy had been right about that. She wanted to enjoy herself, not talk about things that would upset her.
"Bringing up H-Honeylune R-Ridge... would just ruin your f-fun... and destroy your happy m-mood... Th-then you'd have a... a p-perfectly good reason... to be m-mad at me! I... I-I couldn't do that! N-not to you, Peach! Sei tutto p-per me! You... y-you were my... m-my everything!" Mario explained.
"Oh, sweetie..." Peach said, continuing to hold Mario.
"Wh-when we found you in the Cap Kingdom... and you s-spoke to me... I-I intended to reply... but I c-couldn't make the words come..." Mario said.
"Why?" Peach asked.
"Because I-I knew... that if I o-opened my mouth... I was either g-going to... m-mention Honeylune Ridge... even though I... I p-promised not to... or start c-crying... Either one would... r-ruin the fun... you and Tiara... p-planned to have. I promised m-myself... that I'd... I'd do as C-Cappy said... S-so I didn't say a... a single word..." Mario said.
Peach now understood why Mario had only looked at her forlornly during her tour. Why he hadn't spoken to her. It was time to set the record straight, and to try and mend Mario's broken heart. Peach intended to settle this argument before the sun set again. Mario had suffered long enough.
Peach said, "Yes, Mario, it's true I didn't want to talk about, much less think about, anything from that nightmare with Bowser during the tour Tiara and I went on, but if I had known how badly you wanted to work things out, how much you were hurting on the inside, I would've been more than willing to let you do so."
"Y-you would have... a-allowed us to... w-work it out th-then... e-even though you d-didn't... want to t-talk or... or think about it?" Mario asked, looking surprised.
"Yes, Mario. You've always been doing nice things for me, so I really should try and return the favor sometime." said the Princess, which calmed Mario down a bit.
"Oh... o-okay." said Mario.
"And I think now is a good time to start." Peach thought, before saying to Mario, "Now, let's back up a bit. You really think that I deserve better than you?"
"Y-you do! After what I d-did to you at... at Honeylune Ridge!" Mario said, wiping his eyes with a gloved hand.
"Mario, I honestly don't think I can do better than you." Peach said.
"Why?" Mario asked.
"You're the first and only man who immediately leaps into action as soon as he hears that I'm in trouble." Peach said.
"I-I leap into action because I... I..." Mario couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
"Because you love me, don't you, Mario?" Peach finished for him.
"That's right! I... I do l-love you, Peach! Per favore, non lasciarmi tutto solo! Please don't leave me all alone!" Mario wailed. It really pained him to say the words he knew he would never hear Peach say to him again.
"Mario, you're the best man I've ever known. You know as well as I do that I can't possibly do any better when I already have the best. And because you're the best, I'll never leave you all alone." Peach said.
"You... you really think I'm the best, Peach?" Mario asked, feeling a little better.
"I don't think you're the best, Mario. I know you're the best." Peach replied.
Mario started to calm down a lot after hearing that. He even gave Peach a slight smile, which she happily returned.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but did I also hear you say that you ruined everything between us, and that you don't deserve my forgiveness?" Peach asked.
Mario's smile disappeared as he said, "I... I know I r-ruined it all, P-Peach... I was... I was s-so certain that when you... t-turned me down... you no longer w-wanted to be my g-girlfriend... let alone mio amico, my f-friend."
"You really felt that bad, Mario?" Peach asked. She really wished she had known all this sooner. Mario had kept all this sadness bottled up inside this whole time, and he was a miserable wreck. It made her feel awful.
Mario nodded as he said, "I-it was wr-wrong of me... to force you to p-pick me... when B-Bowser had been... f-forcing you into m-marriage... from the get-go... B-but I did it anyway... I stooped to his... l-low level... I-I don't b-blame you if... if you never... f-forgive me for doing that!"
And... Mario was crying again. Peach hated seeing him cry just as much as he hated to see her cry. The love spark hadn't been snuffed out if they hated to see the other cry.
"Mario, look at me." Peach said in a gentle voice.
Mario looked at the Princess, but it was hard for him to see her with his eyes full of tears.
"I want you to answer some questions for me. Don't worry; you'll know the answers to them. Have you ever done anything bad to me or the Mushroom Kingdom?" Peach asked.
"No. I-I couldn't... and I wouldn't. I've... I've been saving you... and your kingdom... f-from the very beginning." Mario said, telling the truth.
"Have I ever, at any time, said I was unhappy in our relationship?" Peach asked.
"No... I-I don't think so..." Mario said.
"I never did." Peach corrected him with a smile.
"Oh... r-right..." Mario mumbled.
"Do you know why?" Peach asked.
"I... I don't know..." Mario replied, feeling dumb.
"Because I'm not unhappy. I've been a very happy princess since we got together." Peach said, smiling sweetly.
"I... I never knew that..." Mario said.
"Did I ever once tell you we were through?" Peach asked.
"No..." Mario said.
"There you have it, Mario. I'm still your friend, as well as your girlfriend." Peach assured him as she handed him a tissue to dry his eyes with.
"Y-you are? You still... l-love me, Princess?" Mario asked in disbelief as he wiped his eyes.
"I never said I stopped." Peach told him.
"Tu mi ami... You love me..." Mario realized. He couldn't believe he was still Peach's boyfriend. He thought he'd ruined that when he did what he did.
"Actually, I'm still in love with you, Mario." Peach replied.
"In love... Does that mean...?" Mario asked, hoping against hope that this was true.
"Yes, Mario. I already forgave you for what you did at the Moon Kingdom because you do deserve my forgiveness." Peach said.
"Even after a stupido move on my part?!" Mario asked.
"Even so, Mario. You were afraid, and you acted without thinking. You're not the first person to do that, and you won't be the last. And after everything you've just told me, I'm wishing I had the guts to tell you all this sooner, for that would've spared you a lot of emotional pain." Peach said.
"Yahoo!" Mario cheered in excitement, looking happy for the first time in a while. Seeing him look that happy again brought a big smile to Peach's sweet face.
If Mario had been wearing Cappy at that moment, he would have thrown him in the air out of excitement. But he knew that he couldn't celebrate just yet. He stopped, looked Peach in the eyes, and asked her, "I know this... m-might seem a... a bit s-sudden, but... c-can I please... k-kiss you, Princess?"
"We do have to officially make up for what happened at Honeylune Ridge, so yes, Mario. Let's seal the deal with a kiss." Peach said.
Mario and Peach leaned in close and shared a tender, loving kiss on the lips, which helped Mario feel more like his old self again. It showed in the way they smiled at each other when the kiss ended.
Peach felt good, having felt the love spark strengthen when they kissed. She hadn't stopped loving him when he tried forcing her to pick him, and she knew that after a kiss like that, she would never stop loving him.
Mario felt a lot better now, knowing that Peach didn't hate him, that she forgave him, and that she was still in love with him. He felt her love in that kiss, and it helped to mend his broken heart. That last bit made him wonder, though...
"Do you...?" Mario started, not wanting to finish the question. He hoped Peach knew what the question was ('Do you want to marry me?'), but that she wouldn't turn him down like she did at Honeylune Ridge.
"If it's okay with you, Mario, I'd like to wait a little while before thinking of marriage again." Peach told him. Apparently, she knew that he was going to try and propose again. Even though she had forgiven him and still loved him, she wasn't quite ready to get married just yet.
Mario was a little sad that had Peach turned him down again, but he was glad that she did it lightly this time. And it wasn't like she said she never wanted to get married again. After what she'd been through, he could understand why she wanted to wait. Besides, this time it was just the two of them, without Bowser. And so...
"Capisco. I understand, Peach. I'll wait until you're ready because ti amo, I love you... and I don't ever want to risk losing your love, or your friendship again. You mean more to me than you'll ever know." Mario told her.
"See? That's why I love you so much, Mario." Peach said.
"From now on, I'll make sure to think before I act, because if I show that I care about you and your feelings, I'll be able to beat Bowser in more than one way." Mario said.
"You already have, Mario." Peach smiled.
"I have? How did I do that, Peach? Dimmelo per favore. Tell me, please." Mario said.
"You proved that you're a better beau than he'll ever be. You not only save me and my kingdom, you took responsibility and apologized for what you did. You were being the bigger man, and that's why you deserve my forgiveness." Peach started.
"You're right. I did. I took the blame, and I wanted to apologize to you for behaving no better than him. I wanted to apologize for that in the worst way." Mario said.
"That earns you extra boyfriend points." Peach replied, getting a big smile from Mario. Then she added, "Plus, I don't ever recall getting an apology from Bowser, and I probably never will. He never has apologized for anything before, and I don't think he's going to start now."
"I don't see him doing that anytime soon, either." Mario replied.
"And remember this: Bowser should share the blame. You're not the only one who was at fault, Mario. In fact, he was more at fault than you were because he caused the most trouble for not just me, but you, too." Peach reminded him.
"Grazie, Peach. Thank you so much for forgiving me, and for letting me know that we're still a couple in spite of one stupido move on my part. Sei così speciale. You're so special. " Mario replied as he gave Peach a big hug.
"Thank you for finding the courage to talk to me, Mario. Secretly, I too had hoped to work this whole thing out, but I didn't bring it up because I wasn't sure if and when you wanted to discuss this, or if you would ever be willing to talk about it. I'm wishing we'd talked about this when we were on our way home, or that we had done so before Tiara and I set off on our own world tour instead of waiting until now." Peach said, returning Mario's hug.
"Yeah, that probably would have been best." Mario agreed.
"And Mario, I want you to know, if I can forgive you, then you're worthy of my friendship, as well as my love." Peach smiled.
"You always know what to say, Peach. And I'm really, very sorry for doing what I did." Mario said.
"But I know why you did it, and once I knew the reason, I forgave you for it." Peach said. Then she broke off the hug as she suddenly remembered something and added, "Come to think of it, I never did thank you for saving me from what could have been a loveless and short-lived marriage."
Mario was silent for a moment as he thought back to when he saved Peach, and then he frowned slightly as he said, "Hai ragione. You're right. You didn't."
"Then let me say thank you, Mario, for saving me from a fate worse than death." Peach said, and she lightly kissed Mario on the nose, which made his unhappiness go away because he was blushing like a madman.
"Prego. You're welcome, Peach." Mario replied in a lovesick daze.
"Now that we've worked this out, can we please put it behind us and keep moving forward in our relationship?" Peach asked.
"Certo che possiamo. Of course we can. You're the best girlfriend in the world, Peach. I love you so much, la mia principessa, my princess." Mario said as he hugged Peach again.
"I love you, too, Mario, my sweet boyfriend." Peach replied, happily returning the hug. She felt so happy to hear Mario call her by that sweet Italian nickname again.
Then they shared another tender kiss before going outside to join everyone else, feeling more like celebrating as they basked in the knowledge that everything was okay between the two of them.
I'm so proud of those kids! Now even though this is where the original story ended, we're not done this time! Wait until Luigi and the girls hear how everything went! Stay tuned to see their reactions!