21

Buon Natale

After Jimmy's confession, Rumple contacted Rhea and told her what the young pirate had said, and his sister had replied that she had tangled with this sorceress before, the last time had been when she had returned with Jack to the Pearl and stopped a humungous storm from capsizing their vessel. "She's good, Rumple, but I've faced deadlier than her, my old mistress being an example. Besides, forewarned is forearmed. We can set up a nice welcome for her and her zombie army and Hook too. But even better, we can stall for time."

"How do we do that?" Rumple asked, using his communication crystal to speak with his sister.

"We send a note back written by young Jimmy there, telling them to wait till further notice while he figures out our weaknesses," Rhea answered.

"And Jimmy, of course, will write it."

"Of course, old dragon. You can persuade him to . . . and if not, I can," she replied.

"No need. I'm sure he'll see reason when I point out that if he wants to talk ever again, he'd better do as we ask," Rumple said with an evil smirk.

"And I'll help you set up some protections and so forth around Storybrooke . . . after this party Belle tells me we're going to attend tonight."

"That's right! The Christmas party!" Rumple exclaimed. "I'd nearly forgotten about it. I'd better remind Snow and David, and get Regina home for them to get her ready. After I talk with Mr. Hooked-On-Himself again."

"Have fun, Rumple! I'll see you later," Rhea said, then the crystal went dark.

Rumple tucked the crystal away in his pocket, then went and summoned a piece of paper and a red quill with refillable ink. Holding the pen and paper in one hand, he returned to where Jimmy was being held, to tell the young pirate the new terms he would be cooperating under.

After Jimmy had heard what Rumple wished, and was told in no uncertain terms what his fate would be if he refused to write the missive and tried to betray them, the pirate thought better of his first impulse, and wrote what Rumple wished, telling his father and Cora to wait until he told them the right time to strike, signing it with his name, then putting it in a magical message bottle given to him by the Queen of Hearts.

"She said to just throw this in a body of water and it would get to them," Jimmy said sullenly.

Rumple took the bottle and handed it to his son. "Bae, go and drop this in the harbor, since it's on your way home. You can meet us back at my house for the party."

"Will do, Papa," Bae said, and took the bottle.

"What do we do about tall, dark, and dastardly over there?" Emma said.

"Well, I suppose we ought to feed him and give him some reading material," Rumple sighed.

"The only material he likes to read are posters with half-naked tavern wenches on 'em," Will snorted.

"Don't have Playboy here," Emma said. "But here's some Nascar and tabloids." She picked up some magazines floating about in the waiting room and shoved them through the bars of Hook's cell. "Here. Something to amuse yourself with while you're counting the ceiling tiles." She unlocked the maglocks on him and took the cuffs with her after shutting the cell door.

She ordered a club sandwich and fries from Granny's, along with a Coke, and fed her prisoner while Bae and Henry waited for her to lock up, and Gold took the Sparrows home to get ready for the Tessaro's gala.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Rhea eyed Jack suspiciously when he came in the door of Gold's Victorian, moving with a slightly rolling gate. "Jack! Have you been . . . drinking?"

Her husband gave her a slightly guilty grin. "Why, Rhea, love, I've only had a nip or two. I needed some . . . fortification after dealing with that little wharf rat."

"He only had a little, Rhea," Rumple defended his brother-in-law, thanking God his sober-up potion had worked.

His sister rolled her eyes. "The two of you are in cahoots! I should have known. C'mon, Sparrow, time to get into your good clothes and meet Rumple's friends. You can get plastered all over again at this party . . . but any hangover you get you deal with tomorrow morning, Captain."

"Course, love," her pirate chuckled, and went to go upstairs and change.

Belle appeared with Regina in tow, and the toddler announced loudly, "Unca Rumple, guess what?"

Rumple knelt and asked, "What, little imp?"

"We won!"

"What did we win?"

"The snow war!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

He chuckled. "That's good." Truth be told, with all the excitement over Jimmy, he had almost forgotten about his little contest with Rhea. "Okay, now I think I need to get you home so your mommy can get you ready for the Christmas party."

"Yay! We's gonna go to New York, right? An' I'm gonna see Stefan an' Angel again, right?" she clapped her hands eagerly.

"That's right. Now go get your jacket on and we can leave," he urged her.

She bolted for the closet and returned dragging her pink coat and her gloves and hat, which she had removed after coming back to the house.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

By four thirty, everyone was gathered at Gold's house, dressed in their Christmas best. Rumple had on his signature charcoal gray Armani three-piece suit and red and green striped Christmas Ferragamo, with his Gucci loafers, matching red silk shirt, his hair neatly combed. His diamond stud cufflinks winked on his shirt sleeves, fully charged with magical energy, just in case.

Beside him, Belle was resplendent in a very pretty winter knit pantsuit, consisting of gold colored pants and a flowing tunic top of gold with blue snowflakes on it and a pretty scalloped neckline. She wore lovely diamond snowflakes in her ears, a gift from Rumple, and a matching pendant on a gold chain. Her swollen feet were delicately cradled in the softest Merino sheepkin half-boots, designed cunningly so no one glancing at her feet would know they were really slippers. She had a soft blue shawl around her that Rumple had knitted for her embellished with blue rosettes.

Alina had on a very nice Donna Karin champagne colored dress with a silken peach rose print. It had three-quarter length sleeves and delicate lace ruching across the bodice. She was wearing lacy stockings and her soft leather Louie Vutton black pumps. Her hair was caught by two topaz hair combs, and she had pretty ivory rose earrings in her ears and a pendant of a rose done in tricolor gold. She had on a pink suede pea coat.

When Rumple looked at her, he wondered where the harum-scarum little girl he used to chase all over had gone and when this beautiful poised young lady had taken her place. His little girl was growing up, he thought, then he prayed she wouldn't start going out on dates soon, and put his sanity at risk. She's eleven, Rumple. You've got a few more years, he reminded himself.

Rhea came downstairs escorted by Jack, looking elegant in a beautiful midnight-blue velvet gown with glittering "diamonds" sprinkled across the bodice and frost wolf fur edging the top of the gown. An aurora borealis star brooch graced the bodice, which contained her magic in it, and matching earrings hung on her ears. She had one delicate white gloves that went up to her elbows and shimmering sapphire shoes. Her hair was piled up on her head and secured with a sparkling silver and crystal hairnet. On her left hand was her wedding ring.

Jack was resplendent in the pirate's version of a naval uniform, with a blue cut away coat in velvet with tails, with gold epaulets and gold buttons, a white ruffled shirt, skin tight black breeches and mirror-bright black leather shoes with gold buckles. His gold earring glinted in his ear and his hair was drawn back in a tail, and a black felt tricorn was perched upon his head. Around a pouch at his waist were his magic beans and his spyglass. Tucked in his boot was his emergency dagger . . . because no self-respecting buccaneer ever went anywhere unarmed.

They were followed by Will, who was dressed similarly to his father, though the rank on his coat was that of a mere ensign, and Jess, who wore a beautiful green watered silk gown with a spinning wheel pendant in gold around her neck (her talisman that stored her power) and lovely gold slippers. Her gown had a beautiful gold wire belt and on it were rubies, amethysts, and citrines. She wore a square cut emerald ring on her finger, a gift from Jack when she turned sixteen two years ago. Her hair was partially caught up in some jade barrettes shaped like dragons, which she had gotten on a visit to Mulan's kingdom with her parents last summer.

Rumple whistled appreciatively. "You all look fantastic! Jess, am I going to have to turn some poor fellow into a frog for getting too frisky with you?"

His niece laughed. "I can do that myself, Uncle Rumple!"

"And if she doesn't, I'll turn him into a rug," her mother said.

"Then she'll give me a paddle so I can beat some manners into his hide," Jack chuckled.

"And I can stomp all over him," Will added, smirking.

Jess rolled her eyes. "With my dad and brother the way they are, it's a miracle if I can even get a guy to say hello, much less dance with me."

"Well, I doubt you'll have that problem with the Tessaros," Rumple mused. "If I remember correctly, Nonna has a grandson close to your age . . . or Will's age, I can't remember which."

Just then the doorbell rang and Emma, Henry, and Bae came in, also dressed to the nines. Bae had on a black Armani suit with a red tie and a silvery gray dress shirt, which matched Emma's elegant red dress, a silky number with spaghetti straps and stilettos in matching red leather. Her hair was left to flow down her shoulders in golden waves and she wore her silver swan pendant and a pair of swan wing earrings Bae had gotten her for an early Christmas gift.

Henry had on his good black slacks and a green button down shirt and a red tie with a black blazer. He looked very neat and had his hair combed back. He eyed Alina and said, "Hey. You look cute in that dress."

Alina blushed and said, "And you clean up pretty good too, Henry. I can't wait to see what Regina's wearing!"

Right on cue, the door banged open and Regina ran into the house, yelling her signature greeting, "Unca Rumple! I's ba-a-ack!"

"Already? I just sent you home," he chuckled, smiling down at her. "You look lovely, dearie. Like a little princess."

Regina had on a fancy coat, of white faux fur, and underneath she wore a beautiful red velvet dress with a lacy collar and three ruffled tiers on the skirt. She had on lacy white stockings and ruffled panties and little sparkly ruby shoes with red bows on them. Her hair was caught back from her face with a little tiara-like glittering silver headband, and she had a tiny red velvet purse as well.

"Auntie Belle! Auntie Rhea! Emma! Lookit!" she ordered imperiously, and then she performed a very good curtsey.

"Aww, you're so cute, kid!" her big sister laughed.

"You did a great job!" Belle clapped and so did Rhea.

"You're much better than I was the first time I tried to curtsey, at my coming out ball when I was sixteen," Jess recalled.

"Yeah, she fell right on her behind and her dress flipped up cause it was one of those hoop skirt things," Will snickered.

"Shut up, Will!" his sister glared at him and elbowed him in the ribs. "We won't mention what happened at your coming of age party, when you tripped and nearly went over the side of the Pearl because you drank one too many toasts!"

"That coil of rope was planted there!" he objected, flushing. "And at least I wasn't bawling that my life was over!"

"William! Jessalyn! Knock it off! Rhea snapped, and went and smacked her offspring on the back of the head.

"Oww! Mom, my hair!" Jess cried.

"Mom, my head!" Will yelped, rubbing it. Then he frowned at Bae, who was smirking. "What's so funny, Bae?"

"Your mama. She reminds me of my papa, who used to whack the back of my head when I was a teenager too," Bae said, his eyes twinkling.

"Don't let him get to you, Will," Emma said. "Because Rumple still does that to him when he gets out of line," she reported gleefully.

"Thanks a lot, Emma!" Bae said indignantly while the younger Sparrows and Golds giggled.

"What'd I miss?" asked David, coming in carrying a large poinsettia. He was dressed in a very nice gray suit with a green shirt and a rather goofy looking reindeer tie, which Regina had insisted he wear.

Snow followed right behind him in a gorgeous frost and icicle blue princess cut dress that fell to her calves, the bodice was delicately piped with glittering frosty fabric and her hair bore a white satin hair bow with soft white swan feathers and pearls on it. She wore simple crystal and pearl drops in her ears and an eternity knot diamond pendant around her slender neck, and her shoes were nearly transparent with tiny feathers on the front of them.

"Snow, you look gorgeous!" exclaimed Belle. "I love those shoes!"

"Thanks! These are the original glass slippers," she smiled, extending her foot.

"Mommy borrowed them from Ashley," Regina told Belle.

"You can't keep secrets around a three-year-old," Snow admitted ruefully, and they all laughed.

"Okay, are we all set?" Rumple asked, holding a velvet covered wine bottle in one arm.

When he received everyone's affirmative, he said, "Okay, dearies. I'm going to open the portal now and you're going to go through one at a time, I'll come last to shut it with Regina." He pulled the invitation from his pocket and threw it down in the doorway of the living room and cried, "Buon Natale Strega Nona!"

The doorway shifted and shimmered, running with rivulets of rainbowed light, and then it cleared and you could see a large room with hardwood floors and swags of Christmas greenery across the walls.

Belle turned and walked through the portal, followed by Alina, Henry, the Sparrows, the Charmings, Emma, and Bae. Rumple, as planned went last holding Regina, so he could shut the portal afterwards.

As he stepped from his house in Storybrooke to Nona's restaurant in Little Italy, he was met by the matriarch herself, wearing a beautifully woven white and red dress with seven flounces and a silk shawl with holly embroidered all over it with pointy black shoes just like a witch's.

"Buon Natale, cara!" she cried, and went and hugged and kissed Rumple on both cheeks, Italian style.

"Merry Christmas to you too, dearie!" Rumple returned her hug.

"And look at the belissima bambina!" Nona said, and kissed Regina as well, pinching her lightly on the cheek. "A pinch to grow an inch!"

Regina giggled. "Hiya, Nona! Where's Stefan?"

"Oh, he's here somewhere, Regina. Why don't you go and find him and wish him Buon Natale, eh, cara?" she chuckled.

Rumple set her down. "Go on, imp!" he said, and sent her off with a gentle tap on the behind.

As Regina scurried off looking for her object of affection, Rumple handed Nona the bottle of wine he'd brought. "This is just a little gift from my family to yours. It's a bottle of one hundred and fifty year old red Enchantment wine, grown in my own vineyards back in the Enchanted Forest. Preserved with magic, of course."

"Ah, you are too kind! We'll have some during dinner!" Nona said, her eyes sparkling. "Welcome to our annual Christmas party, cara. And might I say you look belissimo in your Armani, Rumple!" Then she winked and pinched his behind.

Rumple arched an eyebrow at her. "Dearie, I'm married!"

Nona giggled like a wicked schoolgirl. "Sorry, couldn't resist! You're as handsome as sin, and I want a dance with you later on, Rumple. House rules."

"Gladly," he grinned and continued on into the room.

As he did so, he nearly ran into a handsome man dressed in a Versace suit with a holly tie tack pin, dark haired and eyed, who looked at Nona and shook his head. "Mama Mia, Mama! Still flirting with men at your age!"

"Oh, be quiet, Joe!" Nona cackled. "At four hundred you learn to count your blessings . . . and take your pleasures today for you never know if you'll live to see tomorrow. Rumple, meet my son, Joe Tessaro. He handles the finances."

Rumple shook hands with the younger man, who was around forty-seven, and said, "A financial wizard?"

Joe smiled. "Yes . . . and that's all I am. No magic. Welcome to our party, Mr. Gold."

Rumple looked around and saw that the restaurant had been transformed with lovely red drapes across the windows and swags of greenery with Christmas red bows tied around them along with tinkling brass bells. The tables had all been arranged on one side of the room and covered with decorative table cloths with mistletoe patterns and each table had a lovely centerpiece of evergreen with fat red candle and a frosted hurricane shade over it. Fine bone china was at each table, and each plate bore a Christmas theme, like a bell, a sleigh, a snowman, Santa, and so on. Crystal water glasses and wine goblets graced each place, and gold-plated flatware was next to them. Each setting had a Lennox reindeer napkin ring with a beautiful monogrammed cloth napkin in it.

"Your work, Nona?" Rumple queried.

"Of course. And you can find your place by seeing your initials on it," she said, indicating how each napkin had a person's initials on it, with Rumple's bearing an R and G. "They are yours to keep, Rumple. As are the centerpieces—one for each of your households."

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

Nona waved a hand. "Those are mere trifles, cara. The real gifts come later, after dinner."

On the other side of the room were several long tables, filled with appetizers, platters and platters of food. There was antipasti of all kinds, freshly baked rolls, fried calamari, white pizza dip, arrancini (Italian rice balls), zeppoli, baccala (cod) dipped in batter and fried, sausage bread, pepperoni bread, and mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce. Small plates and forks were set out before the table, and Nona gestured to them and said, "Mangia, Rumple! Some of this we cook only at Christmastime, like the baccala and arrancini."

"Heavens! Nona, if I eat all of this I'll be like a barrel," he gasped.

"Nonsense! You'll burn half of it off dancing the tarantella!" she giggled.

"I . . . never learned that one," he admitted softly.

"Ah, it's easy! I'll teach you!" she snapped her fingers and a glass of white wine appeared in her hand. "Here. Taste this, my own white pino grigio."

He drank some and said, "That's very good."

"Si! Si! Now . . . let's start the music!" she clapped her hands and music began to play, starting with the old Buon Natale by Nat King Cole.

Then she trotted off to see to the rest of her guests, leaving Rumple to say hello to the rest of the Tessaros and mingle with them and with his family, introducing his sister, Jack, and the Sparrow children to the Tessaros before going to the buffet to get something to eat along with Belle and Snow.

Everyone was very happy to see the Golds again, and the food was fantastic. Belle bit into a rice ball, which was white rice mixed with mozzarella, prosciutto, and spices rolled in bread crumbs and fried to a golden brown, and said, "Rumple, I have to get this recipe! These are . . . the most amazing things I've ever tasted."

"You can ask Maria," he said, eating his own. "My God! They really are. I could eat the entire tray of them."

He liked the baccala too, finding it crispy and salty and not at all greasy or fishy. The zeppoli melted on his tongue, though Maria came by and told him there were two kinds-one sweet, which were the traditional ones, with powdered sugar sprinkled on them, and one savory, which had alige (anchovies) in the middle of them. Both were delicious.

Across the room was the kids' table, where the younger Tessaros, Golds, and Sparrows were sitting, eating the appetizers and telling jokes and drinking pitchers of iced tea, soda, and a very mildly alcoholic fruity sangria made especially for them.

Angel was telling Henry and Alina about a Yankees game she had gone to see with her older cousins, she was wearing an adorable emerald green sweater and black pants, her sweater had a snow scene on it that "snowed" and she said it was woven for her by Nona.

Stefan was eating some sausage bread and drinking a cup of soda while listening to Regina chatter to him about the snow war she had participated in, then giggling when she told him about her Unca Rumple and Auntie Rhea having a contest of their own.

Regina was eating zeppoli, and getting powder sugar everywhere, but no one cared.

Luca and Teresa were talking to Jess and Will, fascinated at how they came from another realm and grew up on the sea . . . on a real pirate ship, no less!

Luca kept gulping down sangria while eyeing Jess and blushing, while Teresa did the same with Will, smiling shyly behind her napkin.

About forty-five minutes after the appetizers came out, Nona rang a bell and everyone sat down in their assigned places, and she opened the bottle of wine Rumple had given her and quietly poured some in her glass . . . and by magical spell also in the glasses of everyone else as well, even the children.

"To mi famiglia and our good paisans the Golds! Buon Natale and happy new year and may you all be blessed and happy in the days to come. Salute!" she then clinked glasses with Rumple, who was seated on her left, and drank the wine, which had a sweet yet robust flavor and sparkled faintly in the glass.

After the toast, she tapped the side of her plate and said, "Mangia, caras!"

Food appeared upon all the tables in astonishing quantity and variety.

There was cheese manicotti, a glazed brown sugar ham, flounder Sorrentino, sausage and peppers in a red sauce, Manhattan clam chowder, shrimp scampi over linguini, asparagus in a butter and breadcrumb sauce, Italian green bean salad, scungilli fra diavolo, and chicken in a garlic white wine butter sauce that Emma swore was to die for.

"Bae, get this recipe," she begged her husband. "I want to eat it on Christmas Day."

"Okay, wild swan. I'll ask Nona," he agreed. "Have you tried the manicotti? It's so good!"

"Not yet, but I will. And then I'll have to cast some spells when we get home so I don't gain twenty pounds. Aww, crap! I can't . . . because I'm pregnant . . . and pregnant women lose their magic until the baby's born," Emma groaned.

"Em, relax! It's the holidays, so just . . . enjoy yourself," Bae told her, then had another helping of manicotti.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

By the time dinner was over, everyone was feeling stuffed and sort of drowsy, as sometimes happens after a big holiday dinner. It was then that Nona handed out gifts to each of the Gold families, starting with her hand-woven blanket for Rumple and Belle. They had a beautiful gold mohair with a blue rose pattern on it, and woven into the fabric were runes for peace, harmony, and warmth.

"This is beautiful, Nona!" Belle exclaimed. "You made this, right?"

"I did, cara. It was woven with love and magic, like all my pieces," she smiled at the younger woman.

For Emma and Bae, the newlyweds and expectant parents, was a white blanket (for purity and innocence) with golden swans flying and interlocking rings of blue and pink, with charms for prosperity, happiness, and protection woven into it.

Emma teared up when she opened it, then muttered something about, "Those damn hormones," and Bae just handed her a napkin.

For the Charmings there was a soft cream colored blanket with compass roses all over it and charms woven into it for protection, strength of heart, and serenity.

"Wow!" David said upon opening it. "This is like the softest blanket I've ever owned."

"It's amazing!" Snow cried. "I love it!"

For Rhea there was a shawl of lovely icy blue and lavender mohair, with the ancient runes for warmth and healing stitched into it. Jack and Will had scarves that would keep them warm throughout the deepest chill, Jack in crimson and Will in navigator blue. For Jess there was a hat in a raspberry color with runes stitched in the brim for warmth and protection.

"A raspberry beret!" she cried, hugging it.

"Like the song," Luca chuckled.

"What song?" she asked, puzzled.

"That's right, you wouldn't know it," he said. "But . . . maybe I could sing it for you."

"You ought to feel honored," Maria said. "My brother only sings for family."

Luca blushed, though Jess looked very interested.

Suddenly, the invisible DJ began to play Dominick the Donkey, sung by Lou Monte, and the Tessaro children began to clap and sing along.

Regina giggled and clapped too, even though she didn't know the song, she got into the spirit of things because Angel and Stefan were doing so.

Then as the song ended, real bells were heard jingling, and a donkey's bray sounded outside the door.

"What's that?" Regina cried excitedly.

"Just wait!" Stefan said, grinning from ear to ear. "You'll see!"

There came a knock at the door, and Nona gestured and the door swung wide . . . to admit Santa leading a little gray donkey with a pack full of presents on his back.

Regina gasped, her little mouth opened in shock.

"It's Dominick the donkey!" squealed the Tessaro kids. Then they ran forward to pet and hug the little donkey.

"C'mon, Regina!" Stefan said, and led the little girl by the hand over to him.

Santa laughed a great big belly laugh then cried, "Buon Natale!"

And Dominick brayed happily, and bent his head so the kids could pet him.

Once all the children had stroked the donkey's velvet soft nose, Santa turned and opened his pack, saying, "And here's something for all my little paisans who have been behaving this year!" He pulled out a baseball mitt and called out, "Angel Tessaro!"

"Here!" Angel cried, and she skipped up to receive her gift, which was a signed catcher's mitt from all the current Yankees. "Awesome!"

Next Santa had a present for "Alina Gold!" and he gave her a stunning blue Murano glass unicorn that ran about on her palm before becoming still.

Then there was one for, "Henry Gold!" and he received a book of Italian fairy tales, whose pictures moved when they were read.

Santa called Stefan, and gave him a pendant that would protect him against the four elements, shaped like a seven pointed star.

Finally, the jolly old elf turned and said, "Is there a Regina Nolan in the house?"

"Me! Me! I's here, Santa!" the toddler squealed, jumping up and down in front of Dominick.

"Oh, there you are!" Santa chuckled, his belly shaking. "Have you been good?"

"I twied very hard," she told him earnestly.

He winked at her and said, "That's what Noel tells me. And here's an early Christmas gift for you, child." And he pulled out a boy ragdoll dressed in traditional Italian clothing. "This is Louie, he's lonely for a friend, and I think your Sofia would like to be one."

"Yes! Now I's got a boy doll an' they can get married!" Regina shrilled. She hugged the doll close and then hugged Santa, saying, "Thank you!"

"Buon Natale!" Santa called, then he clucked to Dominick and they turned and went back out into the night, vanishing without a trace a moment later.

Regina turned, hugging her new doll, and ran over to where Snow and David were seated. "Mommy! Daddy! Lookit what Santa brung me! A new doll!"

"He's sweet, Regina," said Snow, examining him.

"His name's Louie, an' I petted Dominick, the Italian donkey," she prattled.

"Was he nice?" asked David.

"Uh huh. He licked me!" his daughter giggled. Then she took Louie and ran over to where Rumple was sitting and crawled on his lap. "Unca Rumple! See the new doll Santa brung me!"

"Very nice, dearie!" Rumple said, noting how fine the stitching was upon the doll and the clothing.

"An' Santa knew what Noel told him," she said seriously to her uncle.

"Of course he did. After all, Noel's his scout elf," Rumple said to her.

"Yup!" Then she climbed down and ran to show Emma and Bae also.

Once the excitement had died down from Santa and Dominick's visit, the Tessaros served dessert and coffee. There was homemade New York cheesecake, cannolis, Italian cookies, spice cookies, and tiramisu.

The Italian cookies were phenomenal, they were buttery cookies with a cake like consistency dipped in sweet vanilla icing with colorful sprinkles on them. "Now these I want the recipe for," Rumple said, eating four of them with his coffee.

"It's yours, Rumple," said Nona. "After you dance with me at least once." Then she winked saucily at him.

"Mama!" Joe cried, hitting himself in the forehead.

"Be quiet, sonny! He's in no danger from me . . . though were I two hundred years younger . . . I might kidnap him from you, Belle, and hold him for ransom in my tower!"

Joe looked like he wanted to crawl under the table, Eva and Analisa just laughed, and so did Belle.

"I understand completely," she said to the old Italian witch.

Nona snapped her fingers and the invisible DJ started to play a rollicking Italian tune, the familiar tarantella danced all along the Southern coast of Italy.

All the Tessaros got up to dance, showing their Gold friends how it was done. Then they separated and each of them chose a partner, with Stefan showing Regina and Luca partnering Jess, Maria with Will, Angel with Henry, and so forth, down to Rumple and Nona.

Rumple was skeptical at first about being able to learn the quick steps required, until he likened it to some of the circle dances in his village back in the Enchanted Forest. Then he grasped it quickly enough, and soon he and Nona were flying across the floor.

To his shock, the elderly witch proved she still had plenty of life left in her ancient bones, and twirled and leaped, kicking up her heels and dancing her younger relatives into the ground.

She almost danced him into the floor, but with his healed leg he proved able to keep up with the feisty old lady, and the two had the rest of the couples panting and gasping trying to keep up with them.

"My God! What'd he take . . . some kind of youth potion?" gasped Joe, twirling about with Snow.

"Do they have . . . umm . . . magical Viagra or something?" Snow asked naughtily.

Joe almost choked on his laughter. "Hell if I know, but Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, my mama can dance us all under the table , and I've never seen anybody but him able to match her!"

"My God, Emma! What was in those cookies, liquid speed?" panted Bae as he jigged and twirled with his wife.

Emma just laughed, and said, "Who cares, Bae?"

Nona and Rumple danced up and down past the buffet table twice before finally halting just as the music ceased. Both of them were smiling and laughing.

"Ah, cara, I haven't danced like that since my Mario died," Nona said with a wicked grin.

"My lady Tessaro, you almost danced my feet right off," Rumple admitted. "But that was such fun, dearie!"

"See, what did I tell you?" Then she gave him a sly pinch on the behind and cackled softly before sauntering back to the table to grab another Italian cookie.

Rumple made his way back to Belle, who had watched and clapped through the whole thing, and said, "Well, sweetheart, this will be one Christmas party we'll never forget."

"And you must come next year, cara!" Nona invited.

"Wouldn't miss it, dearie. And I think I speak for all of us," Rumple said, then drained his coffee mug and ate another cookie.

Rumple's Recipe Corner:

Arrancini (Rice Balls)

2 cups of long grain Carolina rice

1 lb prosciutto, chopped

8oz mozzarella, shredded

1-2 egg whites, beaten

Parsley

Bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Bread crumbs for rolling

Cook rice according to pkg directions, approximately twenty minutes, adding a bay leaf to it before boiling. Cool rice thoroughly and discard bay leaf. Mix rice, prosciutto, parsley, mozzarella, pepper and salt and egg white together in large bowl, making sure there is enough egg white to bind together all ingredients. Shape into balls, approx. the size of a golf ball, then dip in remaining egg white and roll in bread crumbs.

Place on wax paper. Heat oil in frying pan till med-high heat and then fry till crispy, turning once. Drain on paper towels and serve.

A/N: Sorry i haven't updated this one in awhile, got sidetracked watching Robert Carlyle movies and writing Wicked Fantasy. If you want to listen to the songs they play at the party, just go to youtube and type in the titles/artists. Thanks for reading, and who knows the song Luca referred to?