A Golden Mother's Day

Dawn Sage

Beep, Beep, Beep! Baelfire groaned and rolled over, his hand peeking out from under the warm covers and groping for the snooze button. It couldn't be morning already! He felt like he'd just gone to bed an hour ago. His siblings were in the next room over trying to whisper about something or other, but failing miserably. This house carried sound like a tunnel, and when four kids under the age of 14 gathered in the same room and were attempting to whisper? Well, they might as well have been having a shouting match. Bae moaned and plopped a pillow atop his head, but he couldn't drown out the sound.

Hearing a loud thump, he jumped out of the bed and rushed to Alexander's room. That boy was always hurting himself. God only knew what he'd done this time. When he entered the bedroom, Bae saw Alexander sprawled on the floor on top of the sheep dog that his father won in a deal.

At first, he wanted nothing to do with the "furry doormat" as he called him. But he had little choice other than to bring the dog home as he was injured when he won him, after being caught in the Foxe's fence when he'd tried to escape to chase a rabbit. Rumple had planned to bring him straight to the vet and then to the shelter, but Belle had wanted to see him first, hoping they could fix his paw without paying the expensive medical bills. As soon as her husband stepped in the door though, he'd regretted it. Once the kids saw the big, cuddly dog, it was all over. Their father had tried to explain he was giving him to a shelter where they would find him a nice home, but that only caused a monsoon worth of crocodile tears from his youngest children.

Gold had tried to reason with them at first, but when Belle joined in the pleading, he knew the battle was a lost cause. When they went to pick out a collar for him and fill out the adoption papers, Casper had affectionately christened him Dolly. Bae remembered his father telling him later that he had to bite his cheeks to keep from laughing, but the more the dog lived with them, the more the name fit him. He even let the girls dress him up in Halloween costumes and put bows in his hair, just like a doll.

Dolly jumped up upon seeing his oldest "brother" enter, his tail thumping madly against the floor. Bae couldn't process anything but the large mound of fur in his sleep induced stupor, until a small cry of pain alerted him back to Alexander.

Walking into the room Bae sighed and gently pulled his little brother off of the dog. Alexander immediately cuddled up against his chest, burying his face in Bae's neck and starting to sob. Bae tried everything he could think of to get him to stop crying. He spun him around in the air like he always did when he was upset like this. He even started singing to him, but nothing seemed to work. Twenty minutes later, Alexander was soaking his shirt with all his tears. Frankly, he was surprised that Alex hadn't woken their parents.

But as his brother's cries got louder, Bae feared that's exactly what would happen if he didn't do something soon. Just as he was about to give up hope, Evelyn walked in, offering her arms out to Alex. When Alex saw his sister he practically threw himself in her arms. They both teetered for a second before the older girl regained her footing.

"It's okay, Jeffy." Evelyn cooed, using her pet name for him, since his middle name was Jefferson. There's no need to cry," she soothed her brother as she sunk to the floor with him cradled in her arms. She leant against Alex's bunk bed, rubbing small circles on his back in an effort to comfort him. "Now, what happened? Why are you upset?"

At first, her little brother said nothing, simply burying his face in his sister's night gown. Bae couldn't help but smile as he watched his younger siblings. Alexander and Evelyn were like two peas in a pod. Even though they were nearly ten years apart and Evelyn was almost 14, the two of them were still as close as ever. From the moment Alexander was born, Evelyn only ever called him Jeffy. Bae wouldn't be surprised if the Hatter himself had a hand in Evelyn's nickname for Alexander. Jefferson always came to the house bumming tea off their father and Evelyn was so mesmerized by the Hatter and his eccentric persona that she started to follow him around like a little lost puppy. The Hatter took such a liking to Evelyn and he took her under his wing as his personal apprentice. He taught her such amazing things that Evelyn just couldn't help but get excited when Jefferson came over. Now, at the age of thirteen, she was still enthralled by her godfather and all his stories, and she spent almost every weekend at his house. Thus, Alex's middle name was dubbed Jefferson, in honor of his Godfather. When Evelyn first held her brother in her arms, she smiled and called him Jeffy.

Bae slowly walked to where Evelyn was holding her brother and bent down. He rubbed his brother's back and slowly eased him out of Evelyn's arms and back into his. "Can you tell us what's wrong, bud?"

Alex sniffed, "they- They said I was too wittle to hel' 'em," he squeaked.

Bae scrunched his brow, "Who said you were to little to help them buddy?"

"Cas and Ami." The little boy's lower lip quivered. "They said they was gonna make a su'prise fo Mama 'cause today's her birthday o somfthin'."

Bae cringed. Today was Mother's Day. He'd completely forgotten until now; and if his two mischievous siblings were planning a surprise at this early hour, there was no telling what they were getting into.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the kitchen, followed by lots of yelling. Neal grunted. That was never a good sound in the Gold house. He better get in there before they woke up their parents with their screeching. Just as he was turning to go survey the damage, Alex pulled on his arm, "Bae?" he whimpered.

"Yeah, bud?"

"What we's gonna give Mommy?"

Bae smiled and picked his little brother up, ruffling his hair as he did so. "Don't worry, later today we'll make an extra special surprise for Mama ok?"

His younger brother nodded eagerly. "Kay Bae. What kinda surprise?"

"I don't know yet," he laughed. "First we gotta go see what your brother and sister are up to in the kitchen."

"Oooh, is they in big trouble Bae?"

Neal sighed. "We'll see munchkin."

Walking to the kitchen with his now quiet brother in his arms and Evelyn and Dolly following him, Bae whistled a happy tune that had Alexander giggling. As the trio and dog entered the kitchen, Bae stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw. He now knew why his other two siblings were trying to keep quiet. Oh boy, were they in for it.

Hearing a noise behind him he turned and saw his papa walk out of his and Belle's room with a truly happy smile on his face. A smile Bae was certain would become a scowl when he saw the mess that lay in the kitchen with Casper and Amena.

Rumple fumed when he saw the state of his once pristine kitchen. Every foreseeable space was covered in flour, egg shells were all over the floor. Juice dripped off the counter and into the open cabinet, a practically filled glass the only evidence than the beverage had gone anywhere successful. There was a mixing bowl full of what he could only assume to be some kind of lumpy batter sitting next to the stove. Casper was stirring it furiously, lumps of brown goo flinging all over the kitchen.

As if that weren't enough, Rumple smelled something burning. Stalking toward the toaster, he saw four pieces of what was once fresh bread had now turned to charcoal. The machine was smoking, the steam rising higher and higher with every passing second. Gold frantically waved his hand and the smoke dissipated just before it could reach the smoke alarm and send the fire department racing toward the salmon Victorian. He glared at his two youngest children, who he suspected were the masterminds behind this disaster. Amena's chestnut hair was hanging down, nearly white with flour. Both were wearing aprons, but the batter was all over their nightclothes even so. They winced under their father's stare and simply eyed the ground when a rogue pancake detached itself from the ceiling and splattered on the tile.

"What in blazes name is going on here?!" he bellowed at them. Casper yelped and hid behind his older sister. Gold's gaze settled and he raised an eyebrow menacingly. "Amena Rose, you have five seconds to explain what in Hades kingdom happened to my kitchen!" he threatened, "So start talking, before I lose the patience to hear it."

Amena hung her head. "We're sorry Papa. We were just trying to make Mama a special Mother's Day breakfast."

"By destroying the kitchen?"

Casper spoke up then. "It's my fault Papa, I asked Amena to help me make pancakes and French Toast 'cause I didn't have a present for Mama. We didn't mean to make such a mess."

Getting down on his knees where he was eye level with Casper, he brought one hand up to rub his child's blond hair. Casper looked up into his father's chocolate brown eyes.

"That may be so but if you're going to make your mother breakfast than you should have enlisted Bae's help. He's old enough to know what to do. I'm pretty sure he would have been glad to help you with breakfast for your Mama. Grabbing his son from underneath his arms he picked him up and handed him to Bae telling him to make sure he got a bath. Jeffy ran to his father when his oldest brother put him down and latched onto his pant leg.

"What are we going to do about the kitchen, Papa? Mama will be up soon."

"Well, after Evie helps Amena take a quick bath, she's going to come down and help us clean up this mess. After that, we'll make Mama the best breakfast in bed that she's ever had."

Evelyn took Amena's hand and led her upstairs while the others began to clean the kitchen. They'd gotten most of the batter cleaned up and the flour swept when the others came back down the steps. The others pitched in and the kitchen was cleaned in no time.

"Now that the kitchen is cleaned, we'll start breakfast for your mother. Why don't Evie, Casper, and Alex go out and pick some flowers for the tray and Bae, Amena, and I will cook the breakfast and we'll serve it together for Mama?" Rumple asked his young ones.

"Okay, Papa," the children replied in unison.

Evelyn took Casper and Alex by the hands and led them out to the garden of flowers as Rumple prepared to make French toast and eggs with bacon for Belle.

"Papa, do you think Mama will like our surprise?" Amena asked her father.

"Darling, I think she'll love it. Your mother loves everything that you children do for her. I bet she'll cry happy tears," Rumple said to reassure his little girl.

Amena smiled as she helped Bae crack the eggs for the French toast while her father was frying the bacon. They worked diligently as they prepared the breakfast and it wasn't long before Evelyn had come running back in to get him.

"Papa! There's something wrong with Cas! He's swelling up!" Evelyn exclaimed. Rumple left Bae in charge of the bacon as he ran outside to check on his son. Casper was on the ground and wheezing. His face was swollen and his lips were turning blue.

"Evie, what flowers were you picking?" Rumple asked his daughter.

She handed him the bouquet that they had been putting together. He saw the tulips right off. Tulips made Casper go into anaphylactic shock and honeysuckle caused hives and sneezing.

"Did your brother touch the tulips?" he asked frantically.

"Yes, Papa," Evelyn answered, scared for her little brother.

"Evie, run inside and tell Bae you need Casper's epi-pen. Hurry!" Her father ordered.

Evelyn ran to the house. Rumple picked Casper up and carried him in after her. Jeffy followed behind them, his little lip trembling, as he didn't know what was happening or if his brother was going to be okay.

Rumple carried Casper to the couch and laid him down gently. Evelyn came in with a pen-like item in her hand.

"Here, Papa. Is Cas going to be alright?" Evelyn asked nervously.

Rumple took the cap off the pen, the cover off the needle, jabbed it into Casper's thigh, and injected the medicine into his son. He looked over Casper as he regained his color and the swelling went down considerably. Rumple sighed with relief.

"He's going to be just fine, Evie. It was just an allergic reaction," Rumple said, "Remember when we told you that he had an allergy to certain flowers?"

Evelyn nodded.

"Well, tulips are one of those flowers and the others are honeysuckle. Since he touched the tulips, it caused his body to react badly. He swelled up and couldn't breathe," Rumple told his daughter as he stroked his son's hair.

"I'm so sorry, Papa! It's my fault! I should've watched him more closely!" Evelyn exclaimed.

Rumple got up and pulled his eldest daughter to him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"No, sweetheart, if anything, you saved your brother. You did everything exactly right! If you hadn't told me what had happened, he would've been worse than he was, baby. You helped him like a big sister is supposed to and I couldn't be more proud of you," Rumple told her. Evelyn looked up at him.

"Really?" she asked with tears in her eyes. Rumple nodded and wiped the tears away.

"Papa, Cas gon' be okay?" Alex asked.

"Yes, son, your brother is going to be fine," Rumple said looking at Alex.

Bae came into the room and looked at his little brother who laid on the couch. He then looked at his sister and father.

"What happened, Papa?" Bae asked as he saw the remnants of tears in Evelyn's eyes.

"Cas got into some tulips and had an allergic reaction. He's going to be fine. Let's just get the rest of breakfast and take it to Belle. Then we can help the little ones make gifts for her," Rumple said.

Walking towards his and Belle's bedroom Rumplestiltskin slowly pushed the door open, Belle was just getting up. Seeing her husband and their brood of children behind him, she smiled.

"Well, hello. What's all this?" Belle sat up in the bed as her family piled on beside her. Even Dolly decided he could be on the bed and snuggled right up against Belle.

"It's Mother's Day, sweetheart." Rumple cupped her cheek and the couple met in a slow but sweet kiss. "Happy mother's Day, my love." The kid's just ewwed at their parents kissing, Bae chuckled.

"Happy Mother's Day!" The children said in unison. They all gave Belle their recently made presents as she ate. Evelyn recited her mother a lovely poem that was just so Belle. Alexander and Amena made their mother art. Casper had gotten his mother a book series; Bae had taken him shopping and he immediately thought of his mother upon seeing it. She loved the Howl's Moving Castle movie, so he knew she'd like the books even more. Baelfire had spun her a coat a few months back, Belle hugged and kissed all her children, Bae included, and thanked them all.

Once Belle was done opening her children's gifts, Bae ushered his siblings out. He grabbed Dolly and the now empty tray that had held his mother's breakfast followed them shutting the door behind him to give his parents some privacy.

Rumple settled on the bed beside Belle, Belle snuggled up against her husband, Rumple wrapped his arms around her shoulder and Belle snuggled against him her head lay on his chest and she basked in the comfort of her true love.

"Thanks for everything, Rumple. I appreciated it and just loved it. I also appreciate the view of you. I love seeing you so casual, the white button up and these jeans, they are very attractive, fuels my fantasies." Belle leaned up and Rumple met her in a kiss.

"Happy to fuel them fantasies, love. But first before these fantasies of yours come to play I would like to give you your Mother's Day gifts." Rumple gave Belle a few nips on the lips before he pulled away.

"Why can't you just be my Mother's Day gift? You can wrap yourself up in a bow and I can open you and have my way with you."

"You, my love, are insatiable. Would you like me to just stay in bed wearing nothing but a bow?" Chuckling at Belle, Rumple snapped his fingers and in his hands appeared the wrapped gifts he had gotten for his wife.

"I'm pregnant, Rumple. I'm supposed to be insatiable. Oooh, you in nothing but a bow. I love it." Belle took the gifts from her husband and snuggled back against him, she started unwrapping the gifts as Rumple leaned his chin on her shoulder watching her do so. "Oooh, books. I love books." Belle spread the books in front of her and read the titles, "The Rowan, Damia, Damia's Children, Lyon's Pride and The Tower and the Hive. Thank you Rumple, I've wanted this book series for a long time. It's one of my favorite series that I've read." Belle turned around and kissed her husband.

Chuckling at her, Rumple returned her kiss. "You're welcome." Belle giggled as he gave her a kiss on her neck. "Don't forget your last gift." Holding it up where it was eye level with Belle the Dark One grinned as his wife just smirked at him, she took it out of his hand and unwrapped it. Seeing the red velvet heart shaped box Belle looked at him.

"Rumple?" Belle questioned as azure eyes locked with chocolate brown eyes.

"Go on, open it. You'll love it, Belle." Belle slowly lifted the lid and let out a gasp as she saw what it was. It was a simple diamond encrusted rose necklace on a silver chain, the diamond had a bit of a blue tinge to it. On closer inspection Belle saw her and Rumple's name engraved on it with the words true love by it.

"Oh, Rumple. It's gorgeous. I love it." Belle hugged Rumple and the two just stayed on the bed held in the other's embrace.

Pulling away from Rumple, Belle held out the necklace to him and turned around, pulling her hair out of the way. Once it was on and clasped together, Rumple kissed the back of Belle's neck and trailed kisses to her neck, Belle threw her head back and moaned, the couple met in slow kiss, turning around Belle fell towards the mattress with her husband and clothes were shed and the two true loves were lost in the pleasure of one another.

Best. Mother's Day. Ever, was the last coherent thought that ran through Belle's mind as her husband took her as only he could.

The End

Beta-ed by: FaerieTales4ever

Written by: FaerieTales4ever, Emilie Brown, Ladybugsmomma

For: Cover Bunnies Contest