The Winter Princess

A/N: I've been meaning to publish this for a few years now. I wrote it almost in its entirety and I was very close to putting it up when it got deleted! I'll never quite get over it, because I remember just how good the first version was, but here is Version Two! Please enjoy! I tried to capture the essence of the first version best I could! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

As always, for Lena.

XOXO, HS.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Santa Clause 2, Princess and the Frog, or Party City.

.......

Like I told y'all...kissing a princess breaks the spell!" -Mama Odie, Princess and the Frog

Scott was on top of the world.

Literally, he was on top of the planet.

Figuratively, he was in love.

He was getting married.

He couldn't believe it. He had actually done it. They were cutting it close, but within seconds of Carol's acceptance, Mother Nature had been summoned to officiate.

The whole entire council showed up, in fact, not wanting to miss their friend's marriage, as well as the first-ever wedding of an incumbent Legendary Figure. While the elves cleared away the debris from the Toy Soldier battle, they had used their collective higher powers to transform the town square into a beautiful last-minute outdoor venue; the only space large enough to hold everybody who wanted to attend.

They now stood beneath the clock, surrounded by all the citizens of the North Pole, as well as the Council of Legendary Figures, plus Charlie.

He asked Charlie to be his best man, hoping Tooth Fairy wouldn't be too offended. But he had taken it well, and had been proud to be a groomsman. He hovered slightly above Charlie in a pristine set of iridescent white dental scrubs and a poinsettia boutonnière pinned to his breast, his supernatural smile bright.

Carol stood beside himself, gripping a peppermint bouquet of miniature poinsettias and white roses edged in silver. Since she didn't have a wedding dress to wear on such short notice, Sandman had taken her aside, introduced himself, and presented her with a fantastic snowy-white hooded cloak woven from his personal supply of dream dust. After she had changed into her unorthodox bridal outfit, all the girl elves dragged her away to lovingly touch up her make-up in the few spare seconds that they had, thrilled to have the opportunity to dote on the newest future Mrs. Claus on her wedding day. It was an especially rare treat as most of the Santas were already married when they took the job. Her hair now fell in golden waves out of her hood and her makeup shimmered—and the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He had made a lot of beautiful things in both of his careers, so he knew how to recognize beauty. Scott reckoned that Carol could have competed with any princess toy he had ever made, and he would know—he'd made a lot of them.

Well, he thought, 'principal' does start with the same four letters as 'princess.'

He knew that they didn't have much longer, and he wished that he could have borrowed Father Time's powers to pause the moment and appreciate her like how she should have appreciated Laura.

After the divorce, he genuinely didn't think that he would ever get married again. He just hadn't been able to picture it. Although they were good friends now, his failed marriage had discouraged him more than he'd ever admit, and he had convinced himself that he would be content with co-parenting Charlie and building his career. But life had different plans for him, and after the discovery of the Mrs. Clause and meeting Carol, he'd begun to actually hope again. The Toy Santa had been a bit of a speed bump, admittedly, but good had prevailed, they had taken back the Pole, and he was going to beat the deadline.

The clock chimed in warning—it was two minutes to midnight.

They had opted for the expedited version of the vows, so with approving nods from both Scott and Carol, Mother Nature skipped to the end.

"By the powers vested in me, by me," and Mother Nature—resplendent in lilac and gold—gave them both a sparkling look, before announcing, "I now pronounce you Santa...and Mrs. Claus."

He glanced quickly behind his shoulder at Charlie, who shot him a happy, toothy smirk, then back at Carol. She smiled tearfully in return and Scott's heart swelled painfully.

"Well, go on, now!" Mother Nature cried. "Kiss her!"

Grinning, Scott surged forward and kissed Carol hard. She instantly matched him and held his face in her hands, kissing back just as passionately. His long nose accidentally nuzzled her cheek, though, and he hesitated, suddenly unsure and shy again. Laura had always hated when he did that, and he had been self-conscious of it ever since. But to his delighted surprise, Carol just sighed happily. Encouraged, Scott pressed deeper, twice, before laughing against her lips.

They were married!

Behind them, the large green and copper stained glass clock above them chimed with significant finality, and a bubbling warmth started to bloom in the pit of his stomach.

He reluctantly pulled away from her. It was like someone had dumped boiling water right over his head, the transformation speed-running through the gradual process it had been the first time. His long beard flowed down his face, and his body started to tremble, as if in anticipation—

And in one last whoosh, he was fully-realized once more.

The square exploded with cheers and his cheeks flushed hotly with exhilaration. He felt amazing, whole, himself again.

Carol—as soft and as pink and as beautiful as the satin baby doll he had given her—had broken the spell, and turned him back into an unexpected prince.

His wife.

His winter princess.