Authors Notes: Over the years Kat and I have collaborated on two other series together and in these final chapters we would like to reintroduce you to some familiar faces from them. They are the Mishap Series and the Unexpected Series. You will find them on Kat's page here and on hers and mine on AO3.

After dinner Rumple pulled all his counterparts aside for a private discussion in Rum Strogoff's study.

"I would like to unite the realms," he announced.

Rum Strogoff smiled.

"As would I dearie, and it has been a pet project of mine for years. That's part of the reason why I started checking in on them from time to time."

"Two us were brought to this world by a curse and I don't want a curse to be the way to bring us all together. And I think I have the solution."

He summoned Rum's copy of the Once Upon a Time book and it appeared on the desk. "With this. No matter what realm we come from, there is always a copy of this book. My sister made ours."

"And I made ours," said Rum.

"My grandson made ours," said Weaver.

"We can use the books to send a message to our other selves that we are looking for them and that they always have a safe haven in our territories should they need it. Do we have a deal, dearies?" Rum and Weaver shook his hands. "Strogoff, do you have copies of the books from the other realms?"

"I do and so does Weaver." Six more Once Upon a Time books appeared on the desk with volume numbers on their covers. "But mine is the original. Yours would be Volume Five, Weaver's Volume Three, Hellbrooke Volume Two and Four and Six belong to realms I haven't visited yet. However, David and Beth Molk have been in Storybrooke Four recently." Rum giggled. "Shocked the hell out of everyone but now everyone there knows there are other Storybrookes. We haven't encountered anyone from Storybrooke Six as far as I know but….if you ever want to relive your childhood, go there."

"Why?"

"Imagine how hilarious it would be having your son raise you under an age regression spell."

"What?" Rumple spit out his wine.

"Oh aye. You, Belle, Regina and Hook…but this Hook is like Rogers. Bae adopted the lad because he wanted to stay a child. Called themselves the Nevengers."

"I'm almost afraid to ask why."

"They've gotten into a few mishaps," Weaver chuckled. "Interesting reading, I might say."

"What about Storybrooke Four? What do we know about it?"

"Most of their problems during the Dark Curse were caused by street gangs…and Bae was in one." Rum frowned. "Cora was the chief architect behind that Dark Curse and targeted a specific group of people…us, Regina, Snow, Hatter and Archie because they all tried to stop the curse from being cast. She made them all suffer under that curse and a second one…a Curse of the Brokenhearted. That one was broken on their Archie's wedding day."

"…Because it had to be done by one pure of heart who found true love." Rumple added. "It seems that Cora is a bitch in every realm she's in."

"Indeed." Weaver grimaced. "The only good thing that came out of my lapse in judgement with her were my daughters. And my Zelena is no bunny boiling rabid stalker bitch!"

"Neither is my cousin," Strogoff added.

"What I am proposing is that we send copies of all six Once Upon a Time books to every household in all the realms. Let them learn about us and then we can decide on a day where we can all come together."

"And I know just the day…my mother's wedding!" Rum exclaimed.

"All of us together for Christmas! It's perfect, dearie! We can put an invitation in every book along with the means to travel here but would you be able to house everyone for the holidays?"

"Dearie, I am a demigod and so are you. We can manage it if we put our minds and our magic to it. And don't forget, we have all the mages from our realms to help."

"You're forgetting one thing dearies. Storybrooke Two has a Hook in it. How do you propose we handle that little problem because you know damn well our Emmas are gonna wanna kick his arse to Hell and back? And I want to put in a few shots myself."

"Maybe he'll do the wise thing and stay at home," Rum mused.

"Oh, I doubt that," Rumple disagreed. "He wouldn't want to miss the chance to call attention to himself. You know how he craves it."

Weaver smirked. "Hmmm….and Storybrooke Four's Belle wields a mighty broom. The Bordreaux Broom, they call it. Forgive me if I am picturing her whacking his ass with it."

"Is there any way we can get out of inviting the bastard? I don't want any drama at my mother's wedding."

Rumple sighed. "There was a bit of it at her first one thanks to Meredith, but the lass has matured a bit since then. We'll have to think on this one, dearies. I really don't want to exclude the residents of Storybrooke Two because of that idiot."

"And Zelena," Rum added. "That Zelena is the original bunny boiler rabid stalker bitch and we're her favorite target."

The others groaned.

Uniting the realms would be harder than they thought.

Gold's Victorian – Mishap Series

Storybrooke Six

"Papa, Papa…book!" Rumple's daughter Miri squealed and pointed to the six books that appeared on his coffee table. He picked the first one up and saw the words ONCE UPON A TIME: VOLUME SIX written on the cover. He opened it and smiled as he reread the story of how he, Belle, Regina and Killian had first been turned into toddlers. Afterword he flipped through the pages and found the rest of their stories in there along with those of everyone else in the town. As he was about to set the book aside, two items fell out of it. The first one was a note.

You are not alone, and you will find the rest of us waiting within the pages of the other books. Read them and come to know us through them.

Your other selves, dearie!

The second item was a wedding invitation

Rumplestilskin Strogoff Gold cordially invites you to the wedding of his mother, Princess Lilliana Strogoff of Oz to Archibald Hopper. Please use the enclosed coin to create a portal if you wish to attend and lodgings over the holidays will be provided. We hope to see you there.

There was also a date and time for the wedding along with a location: a place called Avonlea in the town of Juno Beach, Florida.

"Rumple, what's Miri so….where did those come from?" Belle asked, pointing to the stack of books. Her husband smiled.

"We've been sent a message, dearie."

"From whom?"

"Our other selves."

"What?!"

He handed her the note and the invitation. "Read for yourself."

"Is this for real?" she asked him.

He took out his phone and Googled the name written on the wedding invitation. "I can't believe it! I've been buying stock for my shop off him for years! And he's ME!" He handed Belle the phone.

"Rumple, this is wonderful! We should go and meet them! I'd love to know what their lives were like!"

Killian ran into the living room. "Where we goin', Grampa?"

"Well if your father agrees we're going to a wedding, lad."

"Huh? A wedding? But it's almost Christmas! Who gets married on Christmas?"

Rumple giggled. "An Ozian princess and a cricket."

"Archie's married to Selene and she's not a princess."

Rumple patted the empty space beside him on the sofa. "Have a seat, lad. I have a new story for you…five of them."

"Cool!"

Gold's Victorian - Unexpected Series

Storybrooke Four

It was Sunday and the Golds, Hoods, Charmings, Hatters and Hoppers were gathered at Rumple and Belle's mansion for their traditional family dinner but on this Sunday the main topic for discussion was the five new volumes of the Once Upon a Time book that had appeared unexpectedly in every household in town.

"I'm assuming you've all read the rest of the books?" Rumple asked his friends.

"And David and Beth Molk were telling the truth when they came here. Parallel worlds do exist and we're in at least five of them," Jeff replied.

"Yeah but me being married to Hook in one of them….gross!" Emma groaned. "Sorry but I'll stick to this crazy hat wearing lunatic I've got."

"Thanks babe," Jeff mumbled.

"I'm a polygamist!" Archie exclaimed. "Five different wives and one of them is the Blue Fairy!? Not a chance in hell that would happen here!"

"Honey David and Beth did warn you about that," Marie pointed out. "And they said she's nothing like ours."

"Thank God!"

"How do you think I feel? I was DEAD in one of them!" Bae exclaimed.

"So was I!" Robin reminded him.

"So, what do you think Rumple? Should we accept their invitation?" Regina asked him.

"Why not! It'll be a bit confusing at first…well…we'll know which Archie we're talking to through his harem," Rumple chuckled. His brother-in-law scowled at him. "What? You're the only one of us who has five different wives."

"Yeah well I have three different husbands," said Emma. "One I would rather bury six feet under and the other one I'm a Mrs. Robinson to."

"I hope Hook's the one you wanna bury!" Jeff exclaimed.

"Yeah…or I'll just send him through your hat somewhere really unpleasant."

"Then it's settled dearies. We have a wedding to attend."

Storybrooke Six

Two days later

"I call this meeting of the Nevengers to order!" Killian announced and banged his toy gavel on the table in his room. "Ummm…have you guys heard the grownups talkin about goin to some wedding in Florida over Christmas?"

"Yep," Roland replied. "Mommy says we're gonna meet our twins there, 'cept yours is grown up. They're not really twins more like clones or something but not those nasty alien ones."

"Are we gonna make 'em Nevengers?" Annie Carlyle inquired.

"Yep. We're gonna go global!" Killian rubbed his hands together gleefully. "A club of Nevengers in every port, mates and bad guys and girls better just retire to the old folks home 'cause we're gonna outnumber 'em."

"Ummm….we gotta warn 'em 'bout Sapphira though. She's out on parole," cautioned Devon Molk.

"Aww crap! Forgot about the Butthole."

"Why can't she just stay home?" Bobby whined.

"Ummm…'cause she and Melanie were invited too…and Mister Strogoff didn't wanna be rude, ya know? But we're gonna be watchin her and if she tries anything we're gonna lay the smackdown…right?"

"Right!"

Killian took out a piece of paper and his crayons and started to write a note he hoped his grandfather would somehow deliver to the children in the other realms prior to the wedding.

Kids of Storybrookes,

Wanna live a live of 'venture, kick butts and have lotsa friends? The Nevengers want YOU so sign up mates! No age limits! See ya at the beach!

Capt. Killian Gold

Avonlea Mansion

Juno Beach, Florida

Two days later hundreds of RSVP cards appeared on the desk in Strogoff's study while Killian Gold's Nevenger invitations appeared in the bedrooms of all the children in the realms. The decision had been made to seek the advice of Storybrooke Two's Rumple whether to invite their Zelena and Hook to the wedding. Rumple, Strogoff, and Weaver traveled to Storybrooke Two to meet with their counterpart at his shop. He was working on a new jewelry piece when a portal opened in his workroom.

"Hello dearies," he greeted warmly. "I've been expecting you." He gestured to the bench in front of his worktable. The three men sat and Rumple conjured cups of coffee for them to drink. Gold smiled faintly, reminiscing about the days when he was able to wield magic as easily as they could.

"I think about those days too dearie," said Weaver.

"How do you get through it?"

"Too much goin' on in Seattle to think about it."

"And you two still have your magic because you're descended from gods."

"There are a few reasons why we're here to have a little chat," Rumple began. "The first involves two people you have a history with."

"Oh? I have history with everyone in this town."

"I was referring to Hook and Zelena."

He snorted. "What about them?"

"I've invited everyone from the realms to my mother's wedding but I want to leave the decision up to you whether those two will attend or not," Strogoff spoke up.

"Why me? It's your mum's wedding, dearie."

"It is but I don't want one of us being uncomfortable. I dinna ken how you tolerate being around them now after what they've done."

"For Belle."

The others frowned.

"She wants you to make nice with the woman who tried to kill your son and tried to kill her how many times? Oh, four. Oh, and let's not forget how many times he tried to kill you," Weaver said bitterly. "My Belle never asked me to do such a thing to that bloody pirate. He was long dead before I met her. I didn't kill him sadly."

"Are you truly happy being this way, dearie?" Rumple asked him.

"Honestly? No, but I don't want to lose Belle or my sons again and I will if don't….walk the line as the song says."

"You shouldn't have to walk the bloody line!" Strogoff raged. "Those two idiots would have deserved every bloody thing they got had it been ME in your shoes!"

"Aye, they would have had it been me," Weaver agreed.

"What can I do?" Gold spread his hands helplessly. "She's left me before when I backslided. I love her. I'm sure you all understand that, so I made…compromises."

"There's a difference between compromising and losing yourself and you are losing yourself," Rumple said. "This is not who you are."

Loki's great-grandson shook his head. "When I was reunited with my Belle, I promised her to never use my magic for dark purposes again. However, I never promised to give it up. She understood that the magic is part of me, and I could no more renounce it than a bird could stop flying. But I could renounce the darkness, and that is what I did. The magic was never the problem. Being cursed was. But once my curse was broken by true love, I became what I was born to be-a Guardian."

"When I was reunited with my Belle she made a promise to me that we would fight the darkness within me together...and we did. She didn't fear my magic. In fact, she wanted to learn it for herself. She wasn't aware she was also born with it because she was chosen to be my Guardian," Strogoff added.

"My Belle and I broke my curse together but even though I no longer had magic, she encouraged me to be anything I wanted to be. I did own a shop for a few years but after some snot nosed punk tried to rob and kill me I decided I would spend the rest of my life trying to get scum like him off the streets. So, I became a cop," said Weaver.

"I can't go back."

"We're not suggesting you become the Dark One again. What we are suggesting is that you stop trying to be what everyone else thinks you should be and be yourself! And if they cannae accept it then are they really worth it?"

"My family is..."

"It has been my experience that family loves you for who you are, not what they wish you were," Rumple interjected. "You accept, you do not dictate."

"Exactly," Strogoff agreed. "They take the good with the bad. We all make mistakes in life, but we learn from them."

"And can those who judge you honestly say they're perfect. I think not dearie," added Weaver.

"They try to," Gold said bitterly. "Hook being the worst of the hypocrites. His 'good man' act is a farce and he proved that when he was the Dark One...and before. And Miss Swan, who prides herself on being able to tell when someone is lying, lies to herself the most about the man she's married."

Rumple grimaced. "Aye, 'tis the only way she could be able to stand that niding, as Loki would say."

The others laughed. "That what?" Gold asked.

"Niding. Tis Old Norse for someone who is less than nothing," Rumple explained. "He called Hook that. It's considered one of the worst insults."

"Oh I know a few in Gaelic, Russian, Italian and Ozian," Strogoff giggled.

"I can imagine," Rumple grinned.

"Then how do I explain this to Belle in a way she can understand?"

Rumple thought. "Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe our Belles should." He looked at Strogoff and Weaver.

The two men nodded in agreement.

"But will she listen to them?"

"Oh my Belle will do more than just tell her. She'll show her some things that will wise her up," Strogoff added.

In Ozian magic he learned that hearts revealed truths the mind concealed or distorted.

Rumple sighed. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And if she won't talk to them, Loki can. No woman can resist his silver tongue."

"Now then...the Hook and Zelena situation..."

Gold sighed. "You can invite them to keep the peace since Emma and Regina will most certainly object if they're not allowed to come."

Good Gods Rumple...what have they done to us in that hell? Strogoff sent to Rumple. He's a shell of his former self. Jiminy warned me but dammit, it's worse than I thought.

He's been manipulated into becoming what they think he ought to be, Rumple sent back. Blackmailed by the person who was supposed to fight for him.

It ends NOW!

Aye it does. Rumple agreed. But we need to be careful. Rogers and Jimmy will not be happy to see a version of Hook at the wedding. And Jimmy will behave, but only so long. I fear what may happen if Hook tries to cozen up to Miri. Not just from Jimmy. Loki will take him apart.

And Jiminy had his own history with our Hook. Tried to rape his wife. Our Hook was supposed to simply be beheaded in Oz but while Wyatt was the Dark One he enchanted the executioner's axe to chop him into pieces."

Rather gruesome way to die but you won't find me shedding any tears over it.

Me either. Rumple snorted. And you know what happened to Zelena from my realm. She was the feast for cannibal Barbies and the flying monkeys.

"Alright dearie, we'll try to keep the peace but your days of letting others dictate your life are over," Weaver said firmly.

And if his wife couldn't accept it they would find him one that would.

"And the operative word here is "try"," Rumple interjected. "We can't guarantee that if this Hook doesn't behave the others won't retaliate. I can keep Jimmy in line only so far and Loki does what he wants-especially if Hook tries anything with his daughter."

"Oh...that reminds me...I know at least one of you has a history with the Blue Fairy...well...my Archie is married to the one from Weaver's realm."

"Tracey and Strogoff's Blue aren't like the one you and Rumple have to deal with," Weaver pointed out to Gold.

"I figured that out the day Archie brought Tracey to Storybrooke. She lost her powers years ago and took a job as a wedding planner. They met when they started studying Christianity together."

Strogoff's eyes narrowed. "Storybrooke Six's Blue has been deaged to a child named Sapphira and she will become the next Dark One."

Gold rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I know I'm not," Rumple said. "And Loki is going to have a talk with my Blue. About what was done to his granddaughter and the fact that nothing was done by her to protect me from my father as a child. Basically, I think he's going to rip her a new one."

"He can have a talk with the Blue in my town while he's at it," Gold muttered. "That gnat couldn't keep my mother from trying to ruin my second son's life."

"I think he will love to," Rumple giggled. " The fae are on Loki's List of Pieces of Shit right now and he's not pulling his punches."

"Tracey and Strogoff's Blue are off the list though."

"Yes, they are." Rumple nodded.

"But first we need to get you back into shape," Weaver said to Gold. "No more of this obeying orders shite."

Gold knew from his reading that all the Rumples had Belles that had accepted him as he was...except for his.

He doubted their wives would be able to convince his Belle otherwise. She was stubborn as he knew well and still held onto her belief that all men should be like the hero in that damned book her mother had given her. Oh, the times he thought about tossing it into the flames!

Rumple made a mental note to have a talk with his own wife once they got back and the others felt the same.

"They should've left me stay dead," Gold muttered.

"I don't want to hear that come out of your mouth again," Rumple said angrily. "We are going to fix this."

"My Bae feels the same way since he was brought back...lost without Emma," Gold confessed sadly.

But it wasn't just losing Emma that had been devastating for Gold's son. He'd returned to find his own son was now a man with a family of his own...and considered HOOK to be more of a father to him.

"This realm is all kinds of screwed up," Weaver muttered.

"I'm afraid so," Strogoff agreed. "Gold's grandson went through a portal after his college graduation...to find himself as he put it and got himself into a bit of trouble in your realm. And you know time moves differently there. He was only gone six weeks here but ten years there. He came back with a daughter and a wife."

"Aye. Our Cinderella. Her stepmum dabbled in dark magic and so did her daughter."

Rumple made a face. "Nine Hells!"

Gold smiled faintly. "Lucy comes 'round to visit me. She's a good lass."

He took out his wallet and showed them a photograph of a little girl. "That's my great-granddaughter. She comes to see Bae too. I think she has a wee bit of the empath in her because she is always trying to look after Bae and me."

"All the more reason you need to stick around!" Weaver argued.

The three other Rumples looked at each other, deciding to recruit young Lucy Mills in their quest to heal their broken brother. And he was broken.

In the meantime, it would be up to their wives to talk some sense into their stubborn other half and God help her when they did.

Meanwhile, in Avonlea, Loki was giving his daughter and nephew a Very Disappointed Look. Loki could do more with a glance than half his pantheon could by shouting-a fact which his mischievous brood knew very VERY well.

Both Miri and Modi hung their heads, chastened, feeling worse than if the elder god had taken a switch and beaten them. "We're sorry, Papa."

"You ought to be," her father scolded. "Your mother is probably worried sick over the fact you just disappeared."

"I left her a note," Miri defended.

"That was when I decided to go find her," Modi put in. "So you ought to thank me, Uncle Loki."

Miri facepalmed herself. "Seriously, cousin? Are you really THAT dumb?"

"Why? I'm serious!" Modi objected.

"I should THANK you for disturbing the Balance?" Loki repeated softly.

"Umm . . .well . . ." Modi sputtered.

"If I were you, cousin, I'd shut my mouth," Miri interjected.

She knew well when to keep her own shut when Loki was angry.

She was dreading his reaction when he discovered she had a new love interest.

She was planning on waiting until he was calmer to break the news, but feared Modi would shoot off his mouth to take the heat off him.

"I didn't mean to!" the younger god whined. "I was trying to help rescue Miri, sir."

"What have I told you about interfering in Midgardian affairs?" Loki lectured, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Not to...but...she...she was..."

Miri wisely said nothing. She knew she was in enough trouble for sneaking off with only a brief note to explain her sudden absence and Sigyn would have been tearing Asgard and half of Midgard apart looking for her.

"The Balance has already been disturbed enough in the past few days without you two making it worse. I am very disappointed in both of you."

"I would've stayed home had SHE not decided to play Wonder Miri and go rescue that former pirate she's sweet on!" Modi blurted.

"Modi!" Miri hissed.

"It's true. You were spying on him in your seeing globe."

"Modi, shut up!" she cried.

"By the Nine! Miriamele, what is he talking about?" Loki demanded. "What haven't you told me?" His eyes seemed to see into her very soul.

"Ummm...well...ahhhh...I sometimes watch events in Midgard through my seeing globe as Modi said and I saw this boy was in trouble so I...so I came down and helped him."

"Hah! You did more than that!" Modi taunted. Miri glared at him, wishing she could put a zipper where his mouth was or just make it disappear entirely.

"Modi, I'm talking to Miriamele. That means you keep quiet." Loki interjected.

"But Uncle Loki-you wouldn't want her courting some scrawny mortal-"

"Jimmy is NOT scrawny!" Miri snapped.

"Jimmy? Jimmy Gold?" Loki asked, recalling Rumple's adopted son.

"Umm yes..."

"When did this . . . attraction start?" Loki began. He could not believe his little girl was now old enough to even notice boys, much less be getting involved in saving their lives. Jimmy's one saving grace was that he was Rumple's adopted son. Loki knew Rumple was a good judge of character and to not judge a person by who their father was.

"Ummm...from afar at first but once I met him..." She blushed.

Modi snorted.

"Girls! Always act like they're in the movies...oh Gawd he's sooo cute!"

He made little hearts appear over her head and laughed.

Miri rolled her eyes. "He's not just cute-he's smart and funny. And he's a gentleman."

"Yeah and I've got another hole in my butt!"

"Keep it up and you will!"

"Enough, the pair of you!" Loki snapped. "You are both in trouble when we get back home."

"You mean she's in trouble, right?" Modi said, trying to get out of his own punishment.

"Yeah you think!" Miri taunted.

"I said both of you and that's what I meant," Loki repeated. "You are both on restriction for two weeks. Which means extra chores to be determined by me and your aunt once we are home, you know the drill by now."

"Yes," Miri said softly.

"She should get more than me!" Modi protested.

"Do you want more chores added on Modi?" the god demanded.

"No, sir."

"And don't think you can get out of it by going to your father, young man," Loki warned. "You know Thor and my rule."

Knowing his father, Modi suspected he would have another long list of chores waiting to be done at his own house.

Miri would take her punishment willingly if Loki would give his blessing to Jimmy's courtship.

They heard a knock on the door and Modi opened it and found an impatient little girl on the other side.

"My Daddy says dinner's almost ready and you better get your butts in the dining room or you don't eat." She grinned.

"Who're you to tell us what to do?" Modi asked indignantly.

"I'm Hope Marie Strogoff that's who!" she retorted.

Loki smiled at the child. "Reminds me of you, Miri. We're finished here. Come, let's eat."

"Good cause we don't wait 'round here," Hope said and ran into the dining room.

Since there were so many guests, Belle Strogoff with help from her daughter-in-law and cousins used the magic to expand the room to accommodate everyone and there were several buffet tables set up for the guests to serve themselves.

Little DJ Molk shifted into his monster form the moment he saw the trays of cookies on the desert table.

"Mama...Dada...OOKIES!"

"Later," his mother said firmly.

"He is so cute," Meredith said to her father.

"Adorable! Papa, he's a baby shifter," Miri exclaimed.

Little Elsa Molk held up a plush Grinch. "Inch says hi," she said to Miri.

"Hi! He looks very huggable." Miri smiled.

"Uh huh an he and Daddy tell the monsters in my closet to hit the bricks."

"Hey, Elsa better get in line or you're gonna miss out on all the food," Regina cautioned. "Oooh you gots pizza...but why I gotta eat it with a fork?"

"That's how the Italians do it, darlin'" Loki drawled.

He got on line and so did Miri and Modi.

"You're going to love Zee's pizza," Bae Strogoff said.

"I'm sure I am. I spent quite awhile over in Rome and Florence," Loki told him. "Nobody cooks like an Italian."

"Hamburgers!" Belle exclaimed.

"Did you really expect me not to have them?" Belle Strogoff joked. "Rumple, don't you dare! You're on a diet!" she scolded her husband when he picked on up. He groaned and slapped it on Rumple's plate.

"Thank the gods I'M not on a diet," Rumple muttered. Strogoff was about to grab a plate of wings when he was stopped with a look from his wife. Those too ended up on Rumple's plate.

"Papa, can you fix it, so Mr. Strogoff can eat what he likes without it hurting him?" Miri whispered to Loki.

"Oh, I love eating rabbit food," Strogoff said sarcastically.

"You'll get nothing and like it!" his son joked and everyone at their table burst into laughter.

"Och Bae not that Caddyshack crap again!"

"Hey, it won us a country club, didn't it?"

"I can help you," Loki said. "It's just a matter of fooling your senses." He waved a hand and the salad Rum had on his plate morphed into a juicy burger with all the fixings, fries, and chocolate cake. "You'll taste and feel like you're eating what you want, but it's actually what is on your diet."

"And no more gallstones?"

"No. It's a divine illusion."

"Thank you, Loki. Now come, sit at my family's table. You too!" he ordered Rumple.

Loki made his way to the table, his plate filled with delicious food. His daughter gazed at him pleadingly and he gave a nod. She hurried over to sit at Jimmy's table. Loki noted the young man stood and held a chair for her, and his manners pleased Loki.

Rumple stood up, his wineglass in his hand. "I would like to thank our hosts for welcoming us into their homes and for coming to our aid during this recent crisis. When I think of all of us, the Hawaiian word 'ohana' comes to mind. In my eyes we're all family, even when we live in different realms and have made different choices with our lives. My fellow Rumples and I have decided that we are going to try to unite the realms and we can't think of a better time to do it than at Christmas and the second wedding of Archie and Lilly."

Strogoff stood up next. "And as our gift to the newest members of our family, we will be performing one of the most powerful acts of Ozian magic that will bind the life forces of true loves together in this life and beyond."

The two Rumples faced each other and clinked their glasses together. "To our family."

"We're family now Meri," Regina said and clinked her glass of grape juice against Meredith's.

"We always will be Gina," she said softly.

Regina stood up in her chair. "I wanna make a toast!" she announced.

Rumple giggled from his seat. "Always have to have the last word, don't you, dearie?"

Regina held up her glass of grape juice. "I wanna thank everybody for making that mean Queen of Hearts go where the goblins go!"

"I'll drink to that, little mischief maker," Loki grinned, and saluted her with his glass of Moscato.

Regina smiled over the rim of her own. "This is gonna be the best Christmas ever!"

She would soon find out how true that statement was.