Author's Note: Hi, everyone!

I am so sorry for the horrendous delay. I've been swamped with running personal errands on days when I'm not working. I've also been considering other opportunities, job wise. But I've finally come back around to writing.

Thank you to retro mania and Crimson Commander688 for the reviews and support. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Sleeping Beauty (Happy Belated 65th anniversary!) and Enchanted belong to Disney. Some OCs belong to me and some belong to retro mania.

Happy reading!

Chapter 16

Later that evening, after Aurora's performance with the clowns; Jack (along with Annie) decided to take Aurora and the three Good Fairies out to dinner, to celebrate Aurora's birthday. They went to a restaurant in Vegas called Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse. The interior is elaborate, well-lit and decorative; complete with a mosaic glass high ceiling top. Stylized triangular-shaped ceiling lamps are hanging.

The magical trio and two teens all sat at a table covered with a tablecloth. Elegant silverware and drink glasses are laid out as well as folded up napkins. White plates sit on the table. Flora, Fauna and Merryweather ordered soup and a salad, while Jack and Aurora started off with an appetizer of tuna tartare progressing to a shrimp scampi meal.

The group talked amongst one another, with the fairies telling Aurora about arriving in Las Vegas with Philip and navigating this strange land. Jack found the story of Philip attacking a bus odd and amusing. Meanwhile, Aurora went into more detail about the tryouts and doing an act with the clowns earlier. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather were very intrigued. They even questioned Jack about what he did for a living.

Now, Jack is showing Aurora and her guardians a unique coin trick.

"Oh, yeah. Here. Watch this," Jack instructed. He takes a coin. "Watch very carefully."

The women paid close attention.

"I'm gonna put it in this hand like that." Jack hides the coin in his right hand. He makes the object disappear and the next thing Aurora knew, Jack pulls out the coin from behind her ear.

Aurora and the fairies gasp, astounded. Jack looked delighted.

"Oh, do it again! Show us!" Aurora exclaimed happily, clapping her hands. "That was wonderful!"

"I've never seen anything quite like it." Merryweather said.

"Show us again!" Aurora cried excitedly.

"All right, last time." Jack agrees. "There you go."

Repeating the technique, Jack makes the coin vanish and suddenly it reappears, out from behind Aurora's ear.

"There it is."

Aurora gasps, amazed.

"You're a wizard!" She remarked, laughing.

"Splendid job, my boy." Flora comments.

Jack grins. Suddenly, he sees the faraway look in Aurora's eyes.

"What?"

"What is it, dear?" Fauna asks.

"This is a very nice place," said Aurora.

"Yeah," said Jack.

"And we're eating dinner?" Aurora asks.

"Yeah,"

"This is a date."

"Yeah. No! No! No, no." Jack quickly corrects himself, upon seeing the odd looks on Aurora's aunts.

"We're, we're just friends."

Aurora smiles.

"I could see Philip and I being on a date like this." She said.

"Oh, my dear, you and Philip will have all the time to go on a date in Auradon." Fauna adds.

"Yes," Flora agrees. "What will their majesties, especially King Hubert think of the concept, I don't know. They'll probably find it strange."

Jack found it hard to believe that Aurora's parents Philip's father never heard of dating. It was rather baffling.

"Besides, people don't usually bring their siblings on dates, nor children." Jack interjects.

The female quartet looked over at Annie, who's sitting at a table across from the group with a chaperone."

"That's too bad." Aurora said. "Annie's a lovely girl. She's very kind and very sweet."

"A remarkable child," Merryweather adds.

"Yeah, she's great." Jack comments.

Aurora is quiet for a moment.

"What?"

"Does she miss them terribly?" Aurora asks.

"Miss who?"

"Her mother and father," Aurora responds.

"What happened to them?" Flora inquires.

"Um…" Jack hesitates. He's not one to talk about the death of his parents. It's a sore subject.

"Well, we just…" Jack started to say.

"What?" Aurora questions, inquisitive.

"We don't talk about it too much." Jack answers.

"Oh," said Aurora. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"No, no. It's okay," Jack assured the blonde. "It's just...I don't talk about it to anybody, apart from Oswald and the troupe."

"Because it was very sad?" Aurora asked.

"Yes."

"My parents went for a drive and then the next minute, they were gone in an accident." Jack answers.

"Since then, I've been raising Annie on my own."

"I can't imagine how would I feel if my parents died." Aurora admits. "I don't know what I'd do, there's always my aunts and King Hubert."

"Even if something were to happen to your parents, you and Philip would be in line to the throne." Flora pointed out.

"Really?" Jack asked. "No brothers or sisters?"

Aurora shook her head.

"It's just me." She said.

"For many years, King Stefan and Queen Leah wanted to have a child." Fauna explains.

"Oh, I see," said Jack. He changes the subject.

"Before I met Vanessa, I was in a previous relationship with someone. But then, following my parents' deaths…she couldn't handle all that I was going through."

"You were in love." Aurora said.

"Yeah," said Jack. "Yeah."

"That was the problem." He admitted.

"How could that be a problem?" Flora asked.

"Because love…the lovey-dovey version that you four talk about? It's fantasy."

"No, it's not." Merryweather said.

"Well, one day, you have to wake up and…you're in the real world." Jack points out.

"What made you wake up?" Aurora questioned.

"Well…she left."

Aurora and the fairies looked sad for the seventeen-year-old.

"I'm so sorry for you both." Aurora said softly.

Flora, Fauna and Merryweather nod.

"It's OK." Jack assured. "I'm a big boy. I can handle it."

"It's her I worry about, though." He gestures towards Annie. "I know she's shy. I know she doesn't have very many friends. I just want her to be strong, you know? To be able to face the world for what it is. That's why I don't encourage the fairy tales. I don't want to set her up to believe in this 'dreams come true' nonsense."

"If I may interject here, Jack." Flora began to say. "I know you mean well, but try to keep in mind, Annie is still a child. And so are you,"

"Annie should enjoy fairy tales at this age." Merryweather piped up. "She should be free to be a kid. Keeping the fairy tales away from her will only make things worse. She's not ready to learn about the real world, just yet. It's already hard enough and sometimes we all need an escape."

"And while we're truly sorry for what happened to you both; you mustn't be closed off to love." Fauna advised. "You can't spend the rest of your life doing that or you'll never experience love again. That cynical and pessimistic attitude of yours will get you nowhere with Vanessa. You saw how she loved the flowers and how thrilled she was, to attend the ball. You must show how you care for Vanessa. The world may seem unfriendly at first, but there's good in it. You just have to look hard enough."

"My aunts are right." Aurora agrees. "And dreams do come true. And maybe something wonderful will happen."

"Yeah, well, I forgot who I was talking to." Jack comments.

"Well, I hope you don't forget. I like talking to you." Aurora said kindly.

Before Jack could say another word, a group of waiters make their way to the table, presenting a birthday cake (complete with candles) on a table cart.

"Happy Birthday to you," The waiters announced.

"Oh!" Aurora exclaimed, surprised and amazed.

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Aurora. Happy Birthday to you!" The fairies join in with the waiters.

"And many more!"

"Make a wish, sweetheart." Flora said.

Taking a deep breath, Aurora blows out the candles.

Everyone including Jack, applauds.

Once the group helped themselves to a slice of cake, Diaval suddenly appears, disguised as a waiter.

"For the nice lady," He said, putting on a fake accent, presenting Aurora a poisoned apple martini.

Jack and the fairies do a double take at Diaval.

"Him again?!" Fauna exclaimed in disbelief.

"From a secret admirer," Diaval said to Aurora.

"A secret admirer?" Jack asked. "How come people keep giving you free stuff?"

"What's that?" Aurora asks, picking up the glass.

"It's an apple martini, miss." Diaval replied.

"Be careful, it's poisonous." Jack warned.

"Couldn't agree more, my boy." Merryweather said.

Without hesitation, she used her magic wand to turn the deadly drink into a blue fruit punch.

"Ooh, it looks yummy!" Aurora exclaims. She takes a sip. "Mm!"

Diaval growls angrily, frustrated that once again, those do-gooders interfered.

"You three couldn't just leave well enough!" Diaval snarled.

"We know all about your evil scheme." Flora said sternly.

"And you're not going to get away with it." Merryweather adds. With a wave of her magic wand, she turned Diaval into his raven form.

"What on earth?" Jack asked, dumbfounded.

Diaval squawks loudly, flapping his wings.

"A raven!" Clara, the bird woman from the bus earlier, screams.

"Oh, wow!" Annie rushed over, thrilled to see a black raven up close.

"How did it get in here?" Another person shouts.

Diaval starts to fly away. And just like that, pure pandemonium erupts, as restaurant patrons get up from their tables as Diaval flies through. Jack, Flora and Fauna keep Annie and Aurora safe and close as all the action unfolds.

"Ooh!" Merryweather huffs, not before making herself smaller and pursuing Diaval.

The blue fairy waves her wand at Diaval, trying to stop, but he dodges out of the way.

Merryweather gets frustrated, but she does not give up. She kept on flying around the restaurant in pursuit, until Merryweather found a hiding spot. And finally, when Diaval lands, Merryweather seized and turned Diaval into stone. She nods in triumph and flew away.

Everyone applauds and Merryweather takes a bow after she returns to her normal size. Flora and Fauna let out a sigh of relief.

"Well done, Merryweather." The leader commends the younger fairy.

"Thank you," Merryweather replies. Turning to Aurora, she asks the blonde, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, a little shaken up, but I'm fine." Aurora answers.

"You're safe now," Merryweather assures.

Aurora smiles with gratitude.

A/N: And that's the end of this lengthy chapter!

Thank you to retro mania for suggesting Vic & Anthony's Restaurant as the place Jack and Annie take Aurora & the Three Good Fairies to for dinner.

Part of Jack and Annie's backstory is a nod to Lilo & Nani from Lilo & Stitch, in terms of losing their parents and Jack having to raise Annie on his own.

The chase scene between Merryweather and Diaval is a nod to Sleeping Beauty when Merryweather chases Diablo around and turns him to stone. One thing I forgot to mention is that the fairies are onto Diaval's schemes and will thwart them, not once but twice. They won't be dim-witted like their live-action counterparts from the Maleficent movie. It was my idea to have Merryweather turn the poison apple martini into a blue fruit punch.

Up next, Philip sees Aurora & the Three Fairies on TV at the Grand Duke Hotel, (like Edward in the original Enchanted movie). There will also be a bonding moment between Aurora, the Three Fairies and Annie as well, like Giselle & Morgan.

As I'm finishing this chapter, I'm going to be working three days this week. I'll try to work on the next two chapters. Until then, see you next time, bye!