Chris awoke the next morning with a killer hangover. Apparently, mixing champagne with whatever Stoner Brett had added to the torches at Kurt and Blaines wedding reception wasnt the brightest idea, but Chris hadnt been able to resist raising his glass again and again to toast the happy couple.

Learning that there might be a way for him to return to his own world had given Chris another reason to celebrate, and even the splitting headache he was now sporting couldnt dim his excitement when he remembered what Mother Goose and the Elf Empress had told him. It sounded like there might be a loophole in the spell the Fairy Godfather had cast to close the portal between the worlds, a way for Chris to get back home. Back to Darren.

Forcing his crusty eyes open with a groan, Chris looked around at the aftermath of what had been a spectacular party. Most of the guests seemed to have dragged themselves away, leaving the Ill Show You Mine covered with a festive layer of debris. Chris caught sight of the magic mirror on the floor next to him. It took him a moment to realize that it was shimmering.

Tapping the mirror, Chris smiled blearily at Darrens expectant face.

"Finally!" Darren cried. "Ive been trying to reach you for hours. This is the first time Ive woken up before you since weve been apart."

"Ugh. I think Im getting too old to party that hard."

Darren laughed. "Oh, yes. Youre practically over-the-hill at the ripe old age of twenty-two."

"Well, we cant all be perpetual teenagers like you, Dare. And I dont know what Stoner Brett dosed us all with, but I feel like death warmed over."

"Hey, before you passed out last night, did you say something about maybe finding a way to come back here? Or was that just the chemicals talking?"

"Oh — yeah! The Elf Empress has this potion thats supposed to be able to take you into the setting of any book, and Mother Goose said she has some books from our world. We were all too out-of-it to really discuss things last night, but I think it might be a way for me to get home."

"Chris, thats amazing! What are you waiting for? I want you here now!"

"Okay, okay. Hold your horses," Chris said groggily. "First Ive gotta find my clothes, and then Ive gotta find Mother Goose."

Chris dragged himself up to standing and stumbled out of the Ill Show You Mine. He found his clothes by the entrance and fumbled his way into them, blinking his eyes against the afternoon light filtering through the trees of the Dwarf Forest.

A loud snoring drew Chriss attention to a nearby patch of moss, where Mother Goose and the Elf Empress lay in a naked, tangled heap.

"Oh god," Chris muttered. "I feel like I need a drink before I can deal with those two."

"Just close your eyes and think of England," Darren teased.

Chris heaved a sigh. He grabbed a couple of cloaks from the pile of unclaimed garments that had been left in the entryway of the Ill Show You Mine and approached the women. Tossing the cloaks over them, he cleared his throat loudly.

Mother Goose roused herself with a snuffling snort. "What? What? Where am I? Whose hand is that?"

The Elf Empress hummed and pulled her closer. "Shhh… April, its just me. Go back to sleep."

"Holly? Oh, yeah… Its all coming back to me…"

Chris cleared his throat again. "Im sorry to disturb you, but you mentioned something last night about finding a way for me to get home."

At the sound of his voice, both women sat up, dislodging the borrowed cloaks.

"Chris! Oh, I almost forgot. Ive been feeling terribly guilty about accidentally trapping you here, so when Holly mentioned her potion, I thought of you right away."

Chris was pleased to note that Mother Goose seemed perfectly lucid. He figured that she was an old pro when it came to dealing with hangovers, and since she hadnt had anything to drink yet, she wasnt speaking in rhymes.

"So, this potion can transport me into the setting of any book, and youve got some books from the other world, right? Where are they?"

Mother Goose looked sheepish. Whether she was still a little buzzed from the previous evening, or for some other reason, she reverted to rhyming as she answered. "Ive been hiding out in the giants castle since my little faux pas, when I pinched the Fairy Godfathers ass and everybody saw."

"The giants castle?" Blaine repeated, as he and a delightfully rumpled-looking Kurt joined the group. "Isnt that terrifying cat still guarding the place?"

"Oh, Lord Tubbingtons been absolutely no trouble for me. I just fill his bowl with bubbly and hes tame as can be." Mother Goose winked as she took a sip from the flask that had somehow appeared in her hand.

"Good to know," Chris said. "So, can we go there now and find a book for me to travel through? I dont mean to be impatient, but Id really like to get home as soon as possible."

"Of course. And Ill come with you — dont you fear — so I can bring the Fairy Godfather back here."

"How will you do that?"

"A Treasury of Fairy Tales is the tome. It will let the two of us come back home."

The newlyweds exchanged a look. "Blaine and I have been trying to come up with a suitably adventurous honeymoon destination. Another dimension sounds like it would fit the bill. Do you mind if we join you?"

Chris didnt hesitate. The choice between being stuck on his own with Mother Goose or inviting Kurt and Blaine along was a no-brainer. "Of course you can come. Thisll be great!"

….

A deep rumbling filled the giants library that evening, as Lord Tubbington lay purring in front of the fireplace. Mother Goose leaned up against the ten-foot ball of cat, snoring. The two of them had shared a bottle of bubbly for supper, and were now sleeping it off.

Chris, Kurt, and Blaine sat together on a massive armchair, looking over the books in Mother Gooses collection.

"The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood," Blaine read. "That sounds fun."

"Or Alices Adventures in Wonderland," Kurt suggested.

Chris laughed. "Why am I not surprised that you picked the two books with the word Adventures in their titles as places youd like to visit on your honeymoon?"

"The moment I fell for this one," Blaine said, with an adoring look at his husband, "I knew my life would never have another dull moment. And I wouldnt want it any other way."

"Awww…" Darren, whod been watching and listening through the magic mirror, now chimed in. "You two are perfect for each other. But I dont think either one of you picked the perfect book. My vote is for Peter Pan."

"Says the boy who refuses to grow up," Chris teased.

"Hey! Being a grown-up is way over-rated. But if you dont like Peter Pan, what about The Once and Future King? Ive never read it, but I know its the book that the musical Camelot was based on, so its gotta be good."

"The whole point of this is to get me back home," Chris reminded him. "So Im thinking we should go with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After all, Kansas is just a short plane ride from L.A. Who knows — by this time tomorrow I may be knocking on your door."

Grinning, Darren began to sing:

Could be

Who knows?

Theres something due any day

I will know right away

Soon as it shows

It may come cannonballin

Down through the sky

Gleam in its eye

Bright as a rose!

Who knows?

Its only just out of reach

Down the block, on a beach

Under a tree

I got a feeling theres a miracle due

Gonna come true

Coming to me

Could it be?

Yes it could

Somethings coming

Something good

If I can wait

Somethings coming

I dont know what it is

But it is

Gonna be great!

With a click

With a shock

Phonell jingle

Doorll knock

Open the latch!

Somethings coming

Dont know when

But its soon

Catch the moon

One handed catch

Around the corner

Or whistling down the river

Come on - deliver

To me

Will it be? Yes it will

Maybe just by holding still

Itll be there!

Come on, something, come on in

Dont be shy

Meet a guy

Pull up a chair

The air is humming

And something great is coming

Who knows

Its only just

Out of reach

Down the block, on a beach

Maybe tonight

Maybe tonight

Maybe tonight...