Carlos smiled as he watched Jane enjoy the picnic they had set up. It had been far too long since they had been able to have a date, just the two of them. He knew Jane didn't blame him for that since veterinary school had required a lot of studying but he still felt guilty.
After all, Jay had been able to find time to take Lonnie on dates and Harry was hardly ever from Uma's side when she was on shore after returning from her shipments. And then of course there was the way Ben would spoil Mal even though they saw each other constantly.
"Hey," Jane said, her voice gentle as she softly rested a hand on top of his.
"Yeah?"
"Don't be feeling guilty about how rare our dates have been," Jane told him. "Like I told you when you first started veterinary school, I'd rather you focus on your studies and have you all to myself after you graduate than be another thing that stresses you out."
Carlos' smile grew as he heard that. "How'd I get so lucky as to have the world's best girlfriend?"
"I think there are some people who might say you're extremely biased," Jane chuckled.
"Yeah well those people are wrong." Carlos said before leaning over and kissing Jane on the cheek. "Congratulations on graduating by the way."
"Thank you," Jane said with a small smile. "Gods, it's honestly hard to believe I'm done with school now."
"I know what you mean," Carlos chuckled. "I mean, it's almost as hard to believe as Mal being a mom or Uma being pregnant. Or that Harry no longer hates Gil for that matter."
"Really?" Jane asked.
Carlos nodded. "Oh yeah. I know you probably saw a glimpse of it when they arrived in Auradon but back on the Isle, if Harry was alone with Gil, it probably wouldn't have ended well for Gil."
"I don't understand why Harry hated Gil though," Jane said, shaking her head. "Besides he's perfectly harmless. From what Evie's said, he's a great help to have in her shop too."
Carlos shrugged. "Honestly we may never know why Harry hated Gil so much. There was some crew speculation that he was jealous because he thought Uma was interested in Gil."
"That would explain why Harry's hatred of Gil seemed to decrease or even disappear entirely when Gil started dating Macaria," Jane said with a small smile. "And yet it took how long for Harry to realize his feelings for Uma?"
"Far too long if you ask any of the crew," Carlos chuckled before smiling as Dude ran up to them; a small box in his mouth. Just like they'd trained for the past few months. After all, this wasn't just a date for the two of them.
Carlos knew Jane's parents were planning a graduation bash for her and he knew that this likely would have been the only time to ask his girlfriend a very important question.
And yes, he asked for parental approval. He might not have been born royal but he'd grown up on the Isle with Maleficent. He knew the importance of not angering the Fae, thank you!
"I thought there wouldn't be any presents until the party tonight?" Jane asked as she saw the box in Dude's mouth.
"I know, I know," Carlos said with a sheepish smile. "But I...I couldn't not get you anything. It's your graduation after all."
"Carlos, I know you've been working with mom and dad on the party," Jane told him, gently resting a hand on his cheek. "Not to mention you've been making time for me to get to know your siblings though I already knew Ginny."
"You did?"
Jane gave him a small look. "Chad is practically my brother, Carlos. You don't think he wouldn't have introduced his girlfriend turned fiancee turned wife to me?"
"You know you could have just called Ginny Chad's wife right? Believe it or not, I do understand the journey Ginny took in getting that title," Carlos snorted.
"Oh shut it," Jane shook her head. "You know you're not supposed to tease me on my graduation day?"
"Says who?! And will you open your loot already?"
Dude barked softly as if agreeing with Carlos and Jane gave both her boys a small smile.
"Of course, my apologies for holding us up," she said before picking up the box and opening it. "Oh Carlos! It's beautiful!"
"I made it with my 3D printer," Carlos said as Jane picked up the bracelet that had been inside the box. "Do you really like it?"
"I love it," Jane said as she slid the bracelet on. "You and jewelry made from your 3D printer. How do you always manage to make the perfect thing?"
"Call it a gift," Carlos told her, though his voice sounded a bit softer than normal. "Did...did you read what was on it?"
"Oh!" Jane exclaimed. "I'm so sorry Carlos, I didn't. Let me do that, but you didn't have to engrave anything on it. It's beautiful as is! Okay, let's see, oh here it is! Jane, will you marry me...?"
Jane's voice trailed off as she looked back over at Carlos, who had pulled another small box from his pocket.
"Jane...you know that being from the Isle, we were never taught how to express ourselves well so I apologize if this is a rubbish proposal but here I go. I love you, mouse. I love the way your eyes light up every time you learn something new about your magic, I love the way you can sit and listen to me talk about animals or tech for hours, I love the way you can see the positives in everything. Hell, I loved the way you would squeak out of nervousness when we first met. I love you, you're one of my best friends along with my girlfriend and I never want to be apart from you. We have a saying on the Isle that if you want something, you take it. Well...I'd like to take a life with you if you'll have me. Jane...will you marry me?"
Jane gasped as Carlos opened the box to show one of the most beautiful rings she could have ever imagined. If she were the type to compare it to maybe Mal's or Ginny's ring, she might have been disappointed but she wasn't.
She loved the golden band with the solitary blue gem in the center, the sides of the band embedded with diamonds. Though not all the way, actually it looked as if the diamonds stopped halfway down the band which Jane found she preferred.
"Um...Jane?" Carlos said softly and Jane flushed as she realized Carlos was still waiting for an answer.
"Yes! Yes I'll marry you Carlos," Jane nodded and Carlos grinned as he gently pulled the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger.
"Let me guess, you made it on your 3D printer?" Jane asked with a small chuckle as she admired the ring.
Carlos flushed slightly but shook his head. "No...um Clay actually took me ring shopping last weekend. I knew I wanted to propose to you and he wanted to do something brotherly...now that we actually could do something like that."
"You couldn't on the Isle?" Jane asked as she looked over at her fiancé. Gods, that was so nice to think, let alone say. In all honesty she was surprised she was engaged—after all, she spend all of her school days thinking no guy would want her.
Who could blame her though? Compared to Audrey and Lonnie, and even Mal, Uma, and Evie when they arrived to Auradon Prep, she was just a plain Jane no one gave a second look to. But now she had arguably one of the best fiancés a woman could ask for.
Carlos sighed, bringing Jane back to the conversation at hand.
"So with Clay and me...the way our family dynamic works is that he shares a father with Ginny," Carlos explained. "But he shares a mother with me."
Jane wasn't exactly proud of the fact that it took her a moment to realize what Carlos was telling her. With how close he'd grown with the Radcliffe's, she'd begun to think of Anita as Carlos' mother rather than his biological mother who was back on the Isle.
"You mean...?"
"Yep," Carlos nodded. "Cruella DeVil has more than one son."
"But...why didn't he live with you?" Jane asked. From the rare stories Carlos would tell her, it was clear that Cruella saw her son as nothing more than a servant to cater to her every whim. Why would she pass up the opportunity to have more than one?
"I don't know," Carlos said. "And I mean it. Clay doesn't even know why he didn't grow up with Cruella but he does know that his dad outright loathes her. Not as bad as Lord Hades loathed Maleficent but it was still pretty bad. Clay used to tell me that his dad used to tell him not to be around Cruella without a rifle or a sword, she was that dangerous."
"Really?" Jane asked.
"Yeah," Carlos nodded. "Once Clay asked his dad why, since in all honesty Clayton wasn't exactly dad of the year back on the Isle."
"What did he say?"
"That Cruella had once threatened his family's line by threatening Clay and that Auradon might have been able to take away their titles but they couldn't take away their lineage." Carlos said, giving Jane a small smile. "Clay used that influence in order for me to get Cruella's business empire. Of course you know Ben was going to give it to me regardless."
"Of course," Jane nodded. She knew Ben after all.
"Yeah well, after selling it to Evie and getting the profits, most of which put me through veterinary school, there was still enough to get your ring and put aside for a rainy day," Carlos said. "I...I knew I could have put it on my 3D printer but I wanted you to have something special."
Jane smiled and gently kissed his cheek. "Anything you give me is special, Carlos. Because it's from you."
"Somehow I knew you'd say that," Carlos chuckled as the sun started to set. "Guess that's our sign to get you over to your parents for your party."
Jane shook her head. "I can't believe they're doing this. I mean most of my friends are married with kids, they don't have time for a party right now."
"Ah ba ba ba, let your parents spoil you," Carlos told her. "After all, if they weren't throwing you this party, I wouldn't have had the best moment to propose with this picnic."
"...Please tell me you weren't going to propose at the party?"
"Now that I know you wouldn't have liked that, no I was not."
Jane chuckled and the two of them began packing up the picnic; Dude 'helping' as best he could. Before Jane knew it, they were in the car making their way to her parents' home for her party.
While she was sure her mom likely would have wanted to throw her a surprise party, Jane knew that wouldn't have been possible for one reason: Chad could hardly keep a secret to save his life.
Sure if it was important he'd do his best to keep it on the down low but if he was excited about something? Forget it. Which kinda made Jane wonder how he was able to date eleven girls at the same time back when they were all at Auradon Prep. Something like that, he definitely would have been excited about.
No, don't think about that, she thought. Chad's changed since Auradon Prep and he's changed for the better. He's more like the guy you grew up around rather than the guy who wanted nothing more than to be on Audrey's arm for the rest of his life.
"You ready for the insanity that awaits you?" Carlos asked as they pulled up into her parents' driveway.
"You're making it sound like Emir and Akiho planned this party," Jane chuckled. "And I know they didn't, they haven't been far from their wives' sides."
"You know they are capable of multitasking," Carlos told her. "But no, this time they decided to pass on the party planning. Pregnant wives come before party planning in their book."
"It's honestly hard to say but it seems like they've matured since Auradon Prep," Jane said with a small chuckle as they got out of the car.
"Hopefully you never tell them that," Carlos shook his head. "You and I both know they'd faint at the very thought of being mature."
Jane smiled as Carlos led her into the house and the smile only grew as she saw all her friends and family milling around with a large banner that read 'Congratulations Janey' on it.
"Oh congratulations my dear one," Fairy Godmother said as Jane walked over and gave her a hug. "I hope you don't mind, I know it's a bit more people than we'd originally thought but...I remember you had said back when you were in school that you wanted a big party for your friends. I always felt so bad because—."
"Mom, I get it," Jane said. "You couldn't have invited just my friends if we had a party because you were headmistress and we were students. It would have looked like favoritism and we didn't have room for the whole school. I'm just glad I get to celebrate with everyone now, and with you and dad."
"Speaking of which, don't I get a hug too ma chérie?" Lumiere asked with a small chuckle as Jane broke from her mother's arms and went to give him a hug. There was no better feeling in the world than his daughter's happiness.
Yes he had flirted with Plumette back when he was a candlestick and she a feather duster but that was more of a pointless fling if you will. He had to find someway to pass the ten years he'd been cursed to be an inanimate object after all. And he had felt bad about 'burning' Plumette back when they were cursed.
It was funny though. Plumette had been the first one to recognize Lumiere's feelings for Fairy Godmother back when Beast, Belle, and Fairy Godmother were in the throws of setting up Auradon. After all, it was normally Cogsworth's job to keep everyone on schedule though whenever Fairy Godmother visited, Lumiere was quick to volunteer his time.
He shook his head slightly, not wanting to woolgather during his daughter's graduation party. It wouldn't do to be caught with his head in the clouds.
"Congratulations," he said, gently kissing the top of Jane's head.
Jane smiled up at him. "Merci dad," she said as she gently broke from the hug. "Thank you both for this party, you didn't have to."
"Oh nonsense," Fairy Godmother told her. "You only graduate once after all. Now go on, greet your friends. No need to stand here being bored by us old people."
Jane chuckled, not wanting to correct her mom by saying a person could graduate more than once. "You're not old, mom, but okay. I see Mal and Uma over in the corner anyway. I should go say hi to them...is Chad here?"
"He's on his way," Fairy Godmother said and Jane smiled once more before slipping her hand into Carlos' and making her way over to where Mal, Ben, Uma, and Harry were standing. Carlos wasted no time in asking to hold one of the twins that Ben had in a double sided baby carrier.
"He says he doesn't want to cause me to be in pain," Mal explained when Jane asked about it. "Claims it'll irritate the incision from my caesarian."
"Oh," Jane said, more than slightly thankful Chad wasn't there yet. She'd had a few conversations with her surrogate brother and she knew that the kid talk would probably have depressed him. Not that Mal or Ben would have insisted on it when Chad was there but you know. "How has that been? Are you in any pain?"
Mal shook her head. "Nope, I've healed right up. Truthfully I just think Ben doesn't want to have the kids be away from him. Hence why we brought them, sorry about that by the way."
"Chip hasn't had a date night in years Mal," Ben spoke up. "We couldn't use him as a babysitter."
"We have our parents Ben!"
Jane chuckled and shook her head, more than a little amused at the whole situation.
"Hold up," Uma said, her eyes catching sight of Jane's ring. "Is that what I think it is?"
"I don't know Uma," Carlos said. "What do you think it is?"
"Carlos, don't play with me pup. I'm pregnant, not stupid, and a pirate can always spot loot." Uma said, shaking her head. "Is that an engagement ring?"
Carlos and Jane looked at each other with a smile before looking back at the group and nodding.
"Carlos proposed," Jane said, her smilie growing wider as she held her ring up. "And I said yes!"
"Congrats Jane," Ben said, leaning over to shake Carlos' hand as Mal leaned over to give Jane a hug, followed quickly by Harry and Uma.
"Thanks Ben," Jane said, leaning her head on Carlos' shoulder. Best. Party. Ever. No scratch that. Best. Day. Ever.