Hello everyone! Yes, new name, same person. No worries. So happy to have the last chapter FINISHED! And I'm so happy that you all liked it so much. You rock! This last one goes out to K-the-Queen-of-Typos (hope I got it right, my friend!) and Fluffy, because you're the bestest. And Oompa too, of course. ;p

Please enjoy!
xoxo

Now, there is something ingrained in a good girl's mind that causes them to totally dread being punished and scolded by an adult, no matter their age or confidence or guilt. And Mina was very close to cowering at that point. Why did she always get into these situations!? Dr. Martin was not only bringing down the hammer, but beating her to death with it too.

"And another thing!" He ranted, waving his arms around as most of the people in the room tried to squeeze past him, warily hoping to escape his notice- not to mention, anger. "Any time Nan gets in trouble, you're there! You encourage it, don't you? I know Nan's a responsible young woman, so someone has to be influencing her negatively for such destructive instances to occur in-"

"Geez, Robert!" Nan hollered, stomping in front of Mina and glaring at her stepfather. "Would you leave her alone? God! You're so rude sometimes! Mina had nothing to do with this; I planned the whole thing! I just invited her. And I had to practically bribe her to come in the first place! Stop bullying her every time she comes over, just because you're stuck up and look down on her family because she didn't come from old money, like you!"

The silence in the room was almost music to Mina's ears. She'd never been so grateful for Nan's big mouth. Now Mina had time to actually get her face back to a normal color before trying to defend her precarious position.

Dr. Martin looked stunned by his stepdaughter's outburst and accusations. "Now… look here, young lady, that is no way to talk to-"

"To who?" Nan snapped, "My dad? Well, hate to break it to you, Robert, but you're not him."

Mina watched as his angered expression flickered with pain and, surprisingly, loneliness. The fight went out of her at that moment. While he had never been overly hospitable to Mina, she knew that Robert Martin loved Veronica and Nan deeply, and wanted to be there for Nan when her real father was not. She decided, with a resigned exhale, that getting in huge trouble was better than letting something worse happen between her friend and the doctor. If this continued, it seemed like more than the furniture and knickknacks would be broken.

"Dr. Martin…" Mina began softly, carefully placing her hand on Nan's quivering shoulder and stepping in front of her. "Please don't blame Nan for any of this. It was my fault that the fight between my-" She slowly slid her eyes over to Jared and Teague, who still sat on the floor and watched silently. "… friends… got into this fight. I apologize for the destruction of your things, and I promise I'll get a job after school to help pay back the damages…" Which would take like, what, forever? "And I'll help clean everything up, too… just please don't blame her, okay?"

There, I said it… Mina sighed, tugging nervously at the ends of her hair, waiting for her death sentence to be delivered.

Dr. Martin studied her carefully. Perhaps the anger was being replaced by his clinical, practical side, which was likely focused on the restoration of his partially-demolished vacation home, but he didn't look as furious with his 'I-want-to-send-you-to-prison-you-low-class-tramp' eyes to Mina. Maybe this was good…?

However, she could also tell that Nan was preparing to shoot that idea down and yell at Robert for another ten minutes about how mean and judgmental and prejudiced he was, where it finally ended with her calling her mother in tears and telling Veronica how entirely unfair and hateful he was being… which meant someone needed to make a decision, quickly.

"If this is true, Miss Grime, would you mind telling me what exactly could have gone on between you and these-" Dr. Martin suspiciously eyed Jared and Teague, "young men, that would have caused such a violent disturbance and the destruction of my property?" Oh, there they are- the judge-y eyes were back in her direction, full force.

She heard Nan let out an outraged scoff and knew her friend was about to start another screaming match, and Mina was about to say something herself, before he cut in again. "Speaking of these young men, would either of you like to clarify who they are? Or why such grown gentlemen are in my home with you begin with? I don't at all recall giving my permission for college-aged persons of the male variety to attend your get together, Nan."

Dr. Martin could tell that Jared and Teague were older than they let on? Such were the eyes of a physician, apparently. And his tone suggested that Nan made her 'get together' sound much more modest than it was going to be. Imagine that.

Before her friend could make up a relatively believable excuse, or Mina could apologize profusely out of nervousness, Dr. Martin did something that strangely resembled a double take, in Teague and Jared's general direction. "Wait, what are they? Twins? They're practically identical. Strange, I didn't notice it sooner…" He commented, looking unusually surprised.

But it wasn't at all surprising that Teague finally took that moment to speak up. It was a scientific fact that he couldn't keep his mouth closed for extended periods of time.

"Don't insult me." He scoffed, leaping up gracefully, very much like he hadn't just been clobbered with thousands of dollars worth of furniture. "My nose is much better than his."

And, in the next second, everyone froze. Literally.

"And that's our cue to exit..." Teague continued, stepping on Jared and walking past the comically stiff partygoers and Taylor-Martins. "Grab your coat, darling. We're leaving." He informed Mina casually as he took a plastic cup from a frozen girl's hand and placed it over her head upside down. The soda didn't spill out, either. It was completely unreal.

"Wh-what… what the heck?" Mina managed to stutter. It felt like a movie had just been paused so they could go make more popcorn or something. Not even Jared and Ever moved from their eerily still, mannequin-like positions. Dr. Martin's normally attractive, middle-aged face was twisted in a bizarre expression of agitation and perplexity. Nan had both of her bangled arms thrown out in front of her, her face contorted into what looked like a developing yell.

It only took a minute more of gawking for Mina to realize that Teague was no longer in the room. "Hey, wait!" She hollered, suddenly overcome with paranoia that if she stayed long enough, she'd be frozen too.

Teague was leaning nonchalantly against the frame of the front door when she made it to the foyer, her sweatshirt in his hands. He looked up at her and grinned.

"This totally clashes with your outfit." He commented, changing to turquoise hoodie to a bright maroon.

Mina slowly hobbled over and delicately removed the clothing from his outstretched hand, still in semi-shock. "Why… why did you do that?" She managed, staring blankly at the doorframe a centimeter away from his head.

Teague raked a hand through his tousled raven hair and grinned at her impishly, reminding her very much of Jared in that moment. "I was really not into the whole Q&A think he was starting. And I was bored."

"Oh." Mina replied dumbly, staring off into space for a moment longer. "Why didn't anyone notice the similarity sooner?"

He shrugged his shoulders casually and opened the screen door. "Put an enchantment on the place before we got out of the car. Martin the Martian wasn't here when it was cast. It didn't take hold over him properly. And I didn't want to hear any more crap about Jared than I already do." Teague then turned away from her and lumbered outside. She didn't think he intended for her to hear, but she picked up on his mumble a second later- "Already get enough of it at home as it is."

She meant to question him on that, but all the talk of Jared made her realize something. "Hey! You can't just leave him and the others frozen like that!"

Teague swung around and smirked at her. "Oh, can't I?"

"Teague." She growled, coming very close to losing her marbles again.

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, like what she was asking him to do was hard work. "Ugh. Whatever, lame-o." Teague swiveled on his feet towards the house again and snapped his fingers.

Mina felt an electric buzz shoot up and down her spine as goose bumps sailed across her bare arms. A bright flash pulsed around the house and over the lake.

Before she could question him, Teague turned around and stomped back to his car, waving his keys at her sarcastically. "Happy now, wet blanket?"

"Whatever happened to 'angel'? And 'honeybun'?" She retorted with equal sarcasm.

Teague stuck his tongue out at her and scowled. "Get in the car, loser. We're going home."

"With you? No thanks."

"Just shut it and-"

But Teague was interrupted by the screen door of the house banging against the wall and two pairs of feet stomping down the stairs.

From Jared's expression, Mina decided, he knew very well what Teague had done back there and didn't like it at all. Ever just looked as grouchy as she normally did. Mina supposed that she just didn't have the energy to whine anymore after almost having parts of her wings shredded off by killer-splinters.

"TEAGUE!" Jared bellowed, at Mina's side before she could blink.

"Jared." The Dark Prince replied in a monotone, disinterestedly studying his nails again.

"Wait," Mina interrupted, "If everyone is unfrozen again, why hasn't Dr. Martin chased after us already?"

Teague rolled his eyes and unlocked the car, yanking open the driver side door. "Silly mortal. According to everyone at this party, including the lovely Martin-Taylor duo, you were never here, and neither was I. No ones cares what Jared and Ever were doing there anyway. It's all fixed. Isn't that what you wanted, princess?"

Mina blinked her eyes slowly, staring at him wide-eyed. "So… you did it again, huh?" She really didn't know how she felt about his talent of erasing her from other people's memories. But, as much as it had screwed her life up before, it got her out of trouble too… his habit of life-ruining actually was somewhat helpful. Not that she'd ever tell him so.

"Yep. Saved you from a trip to the slammer. Aren't I the greatest?" He replied, snidely gesturing for her to get into the car.

"Hold on." Jared broke in, looking irritated and fed up as ever. "Mina, I'm taking you home."

In her ears, this roughly translated to, Mina, you'll wish you never crawled out of your mother's womb when I'm done with you.

Yeah… she'd pass on that one.

"Ooh… sorry, Jare-bear." Mina said with bravado she normally did not possess in the face of his simmering fury. "No can do. Teague and I… were actually going to stop by the florist today! So yeah, can't meet up with ya now… you can call me later, though. Bye!" She then made a mental note to have her mother change their home phone number as soon as humanly possible.

With that saucy statement, Mina twirled around and sprinted to Teague's muscle car. He was already in the front seat, jabbing the steering wheel impatiently with his keys.

"Hey!" Jared yelled.

Teague let out a bizarre cackle and magically slammed Mina's door shut behind her. "The lady said NO, bro. You gotta know when to give up!" And with that, he jammed the keys into the ignition and peeled out of the long, gravel path wildly, not even glancing behind him.

For perhaps the fiftieth time that day, Mina couldn't help but think that she'd made an enormous mistake. Then again, YOLO. Better than being eaten alive by Jared…

"Sucker!" Teague laughed, tearing out onto the highway and swerving into the proper lane. At least, Mina hoped it was the proper lane. She was having a little trouble telling left from right at the moment.

"Uh, Jared did drive here… don't you think he'll follow us?" She asked wearily, peaking out of the incredibly unused rearview mirror.

Her partner in crime snorted. "Actually, he'll find four slit tires that just don't want to be fixed by magic… will have to change them himself if he wants to catch us. The poor dear."

"Oh." Mina replied. Well, that made for a slightly less stressful ride. Slightly.

Teague continued down the surprisingly vacant road only a few dozen miles over the speed limit. It was better to ignore the issue than address it, she decided.

"So." Her favorite prince said, a few minutes later.

"Mm." She mumbled, more focused on the blurry trees they were zipping past than him.

"Well, that was lovely. We should really do it again sometime."

"Mm."

"I was thinking, say, next Saturday."

"Can't. I'm having a headache that weekend." She answered dully, picking at a corn dog crumb on her shorts.

"Hmph." Teague pouted, "Hey now. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. That's how it works on this plane!"

"I'd rather not touch your back at all."

"You know what I mean!" He retorted, sending her a glare. He somehow managed to look scary and like a five year old at the same time, the freak. "I was your escort to that horrid event. Now you have to be my escort."

"I'm not interested in being your arm candy." She replied, stubbornly staring out the window.

"What, so it's perfectly fine for me to be yours, though? Sexist!" Teague whined.

She continued to ignore his demonic puppy dog face, which was the weirdest expression she'd ever seen on another person in her entire life.

"Come on! My super fat and wrinkly cousin is getting hitched, and to a tree nymph! And I think it's pretty clear she's just a gold digging hooker, but does anyone listen to me? No!" He continued noisily.

"Imagine that." Mina murmured, playing with the strings on the sweatshirt in her lap.

"So I really need a date that will actually be some fun-"

"I don't think I like your version of fun." She broke in.

"Ohohoho," Teague replied confidently. "Just you wait! We'll trip the old bats on the dance floor and throw cake and caviar at people! It'll be amazing!"

Mina let out a soft chuckle. He is something else. "I'll, uh, bring it up to my mom."

"Good!" He said, "And don't worry about the dress. I'll take care of it. Because it's pretty clear which one of us has an actual fashion sense, if you know what I'm saying. And also- OH!" He broke off and his hand shot towards the stereo volume dial, turning it all the way around. "I love this song!"

Oh, he certainly did love it, considering the volume was turned up so frigging high that her seat was vibrating! Mina almost yelped at the sudden music being shot out of the speakers like an atomic bomb. It took a minute for her temporary deafness to wear off, and then she vaguely recognized that the song was one of Taylor Swift's new hits, and that Teague was singing it at the top of his lungs.

For such an attractive person, he certainly was tone deaf. But it didn't surprise her that he apparently knew all the words. If his outburst in front of Dr. Martin was any hint, the Dark Prince was no stranger to Tay-Tay's artistry.

"GOT A LONG LIST OF EX-LOVERS." Teague was making such creative faces to go with his karaoke breakout too. Wonderful.

"THEY'LL TELL YOU I'M INSANE!"

"Yeah, no kidding." Mina grumbled, covering her head with the sweatshirt on her lap. Maybe it would block out something.

"BUT I'VE GOT A BLANK SPACE, BABY-"

Oh Lord. Now he was looking at her. Teague somehow managed to appear both playful and utterly terrifying as he leaned in close and gave her a slow wink…

"And I'll write your name."

°****۵****°

Hmm, haha! Perhaps a sequel, eh?

THE ADVENTURES OF TEAGUE AND MINA: WEDDING CRASHERS ADDITION

:p Love you, dear reader.