~ Feel The Love, Share The Love ~

Bae and his friends were among 50 or so people who had been detained by the police as they struggled to get the situation under control. Five of them had survived a bloody gang war and the moment they found themselves surrounded by angry protestors they had been taken back to that terrifying day when the members of the Black Dogs stormed their compound heavily armed and killed many of their friends as well as some of Emma's deputies. All of them went into battle mode, protecting themselves and each other as best as they could without weapons.

"Bae, look out!" Andi screamed as a rock flew past his head, thrown by a hooded teenager who also held a Molotov cocktail in his other hand. They could also hear breaking glass as rocks were hurled at building windows and several trashbins were set ablaze. The group made their way through the crowd as the best they could until they saw several canisters of tear gas being launched. They threw themselves on the ground as the smoke surrounded them and moments later they were confronted by several police officers.

"We weren't doing anything!" Kat cried out in Greek while she, Becky and Andi were being pulled to their feet.

"Guys, c'mon! We're just tourists!" Bobby insisted.

"We'll talk more at the station. Come on," one of the officers commanded firmly, escorting them to several police cars.

"My father is gonna have your butts for this," Bae snarled.

Once they were at the station, they were allowed to call Rumple who was the adult responsible for all of them while they were overseas.

"Hello?"

"Papa, Papa it's me!"

"BAE! Thank the gods! Are you all right. Are the others all right?"

"We're okay...but we've...we've been arrested."

"WHAT?!" Rumple roared on the other end of the line.

"They...they think we were with those people who threw the Molotovs but I swear to God we didn't do it."

His father was in tears on the other end of the line. "I know! I know! Just sit tight lad. We're coming to get ye."

"How? They have it blocked off where you are, don't they?"

"Ye think that's gonna keep me out lad? No. Don't you worry. I'm on my way."

Bae hung up the phone and smiled at his friends. "Papa's coming, guys."

"Thank God. He's gonna wipe the floor with their butts," Andi said with a smirk.

Five angry men marched into the police station a few minutes later.

"Ye arrested my son, Baelfire Gold and his friends. I want them released. NOW!" Rumple demanded in his coldest voice. "And I want to talk to whomever is in charge!"

Though the gentleman was walking with a cane and dressed in an Armani, the icy glare he gave them and the firm stance, the officers in the room realized quickly that he was not one to be trifled with and sprung into action. Rumple was taken to speak with the arresting officers while the others waited.

"Holy hell! This is worse than the riot that broke out before Regina's trial!" Robin exclaimed.

"Yeah but that one was still bad. Those idiots were gonna torch the goddam police station with us in it!" Jeff cried.

"And they tried to tie me to a tree!" Archie growled.

"Until Rumple sent them flying!" David laughed. "They were pissing themselves when they found out he had his powers back."

"Archie, you dumbass, why the hell did you think you could hold em off yourself?" Jeff asked his friend.

"I thought maybe, just maybe I could talk some damned sense into them but not with that windbag Whale leading them!"

"Rumple should've turned that piece of shit into a snail," David muttered.

"He thinks about pulling a stunt like that again and Rumple won't have to. Regina will roast his ass," Robin said with a grin. "She wanted to roast him during that summer festival when he and that girl from the Foxtrot were doing their little porn show during the kissing contest."

"Well if Zelena hadn't been turned into a goat, I would've bet my next paycheck he would've taken her in there."

"Thank the gods Marie was at the club when those damned dwarves dragged me there or I would've been filing rape charges!" Archie cried. "That...tramp ogled me like a steak until she came out!"

"And you probably would have ended up with an STD," Jeff winced. The others cringed in sympathy. "Surprised Spencer isn't being treated for one."

David laughed from his chair. "He IS!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. I heard a while back he was being treated for genital herpes."

The others started laughing. "Oh I cannot wait to tell Marie that!" Archie exclaimed. "That damned snake deserves it after what he put us through during Gaston's trial. Having the nerve to say I was the one who assaulted Marie and then trying to make her sound like a gold digger with Jonas when he was her godfather only that damned curse Cora had us under made everyone forget that...just to try to drive a wedge between us!"

"...Mr. Gold, I am so sorry about all this," one of the officers was saying.

"Officer, I can understand everyone was on edge. We had a situation like this occur back home but you have at least a dozen witnesses who verified that my son and his friends took no part in this evening's activities, they were merely caught in the crossfire, so to speak."

His eyes narrowed. "Most people in my situation would immediately file a lawsuit and being that I am an attorney, I am well within my rights to do so."

"I...I understand," the officer gulped.

"But, all I want is for my son and his friends to be released."

"They will be...with our sincerest apologies...and we hope this...incident hasn't given you a poor impression of everyone in our country."

"It hasn't, but dearies, this is quite a mess you have on your hands and people taking to the streets rioting isna gonna resolve it."

The officer nodded. "We'll need them to give us statements of what they witnessed this evening."

"That won't be a problem. Again, we are so sorry this happened Mr. Gold."

"I just want to take my son back to our hotel. His mama and his sister are worried sick."

After statements were taken from all six teenagers, they waited for him out in the hall cheering. "WHOOO HOOO, MR. GOLD DOES IT AGAIN!"

Rumple chuckled as he threw his arms around his son. "Calm down ye lot or they'll toss ye back in the cells again."

"I knew you were gonna get us outta here," Bae croaked.

"Nothin' in this world or any other is gonna keep me from getting to ye Bae. I'd walk through the fires of hell if I had to."

"I know, Papa, I know."

"Come on. Let's get back to the hotel so your mama stops worrying."

All of the women and their children were gathered in the Golds' suite, anxiously awaiting news from the men. Belle paced the floor frantically, running to the window several times to look out but all she could see on the street below was the aftermath of chaos.

"This...reminds me of what happened, before my trial," Regina said sadly.

"Only worse," Emma mumbled.

"I knew this was going to happen, I just knew it!" Sophia sobbed and buried her face in her hands. Penelope sat down beside her and embraced her. "It's only going to make it worse...and there are so many tourists here right now...they won't want to come back!"

"Not everyone will feel that way honey," Snow said gently.

"True Snow, but she's right," Regina said sensibly.

"I just want to see my son and my husband. That's all I care about right now!" Belle cried. "Marie, are you all right?"

"Am I? No! My brother-in-law, my nephew and my husband are out in that mess...and you know how scared to death I was when Archie faced off against that damned mob that went after Regina!"

"Belle, dearie, it's us!" they heard Rumple call out.

"Oh thank GOD!" she ran to the door and threw her arms around her son before he had a chance to get in. "Bae...I was worried sick!"

"I'm okay, Mama."

"BAAA-EEEE!" Adriana screamed when she ran out of the bedroom and hugged his knees.

"Holy crap, Rumplette! You're gonna cut my circulation off!" he teased.

"You scared me!" she sobbed.

He picked her up and hugged her. "I was scared myself but I'm here now."

"Everybody okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah...we're just a bit shaken up."

"What happened?" Emma asked.

"A bunch of kids wearing hoods threw Molotovs and rocks at the police," Andi answered. "We tried to get the heck outta there but we got surrounded and then the cops took us in because they thought we were part of it."

"Good God!" Penelope moaned.

"I'm sorry I froze ye down there Alessandro but you need to understand...nothing and no one keeps me from my son," Rumple was saying to Alessandro, who came up to the room with a cart full of snacks for everyone. "And don't worry. No one else will remember but you."

"It's all right," he sighed. "I've had at least a dozen guests calling, wanting to check out. Dammit, this is only going to make it worse. What the hell were those kids thinking!?"

"I don't know, dearie but as I said to those officers, this isna gonna resolve it," Rumple spoke up, sitting down on the sofa with Belle, Bae and Adriana, who insisted on sitting on her brother's lap.

Seconds later the Happy Army appeared in the room as medium sized live bears to comfort their frightened masters and mistresses. "We'll be sleeping wi' the kids tonight like this if ye don't mind?" Major Rumple said to his human counterpart.

"Actually that might be a good idea," spoke up Archie, knowing how much of a comfort his daughter's bear and her dolls had been to her in the aftermath of Gaston's assault on Marie years before and during Christmas the family had come under attack by Sid Phillips and his father in retaliation against Archie and Rumple for helping Lenore Phillips with her health issues.

"That's fine Major Rumple but ye'll need to turn back into toys before morning," Rumple reminded them.

"We should all go to bed," Snow suggested.

"Ward the rooms," Rumple instructed Regina, Emma and Henry.

"On it," Emma said and saluted before they left the room with their children. The Palakas family left a short time later. Rumple followed his brother-in-law's family back to their own room to ward it before he took Bae and his friends back to their room.

"Nothing's getting in here Bae," Rumple assured his son.

"Never can when Mr. Gold's on the job," Kat praised.

"Good night dearies, and we'll see you in the morning."

Once the door closed behind them, the group pulled the mattresses off their beds and dragged them out into the middle of the sitting room. It was how the gang slept in the warehouse with six people standing guard in shifts armed with guns. Bae rifled through his backpack and pulled out a set of colored pencils and put them in a bowl. "Eyes closed. Red pencil gets first watch," he said. They stuck their hands in the bowl and each member grabbed a pencil. When they opened their eyes and held out their hands, Bae was holding the red pencil in his hand. They dropped the pencils back into the bowl.

"Okay. My shift is midnight til three, next shift is three til six. Blue pencil. Go."

When they opened their eyes the second time Bobby was holding the blue pencil. "We gonna do one more shift or everybody up at six?"

"Everybody up at six," Bae answered.

Though Rumple's wards would protect them from outside threats, they would have someone standing guard to wake another member having a nightmare. It wasn't a luxury they'd been afforded after the warehouse battle since they'd all been seperated, having only their phones to communicate with each other.

The atmosphere in the hotel was a somber one the next morning. As Rumple as walking across the hall to the suite his son and his friends were sharing he saw a family coming down the hall with their luggage. The door opened in the suite beside them and Archie stepped out, looking as exhausted as Rumple did after being awakened in the middle of the night by their screaming infants needing to be fed, not that they slept well at all.

"Where are you headed?" Rumple asked him.

"I was going to check on Bae and his friends, make sure they're all right."

"Did you sleep at all last night?"

Archie shook his head. "Barely. Marie had a nightmare about those riots when she was a child..."

"So did Belle and then my wee imps wanted fed as soon as I tried to go back to sleep." Rumple inserted the keycard into the lock of the Scorpions door and entered the room. All of them were awake and watching a movie, sipping cups of coffee and eating doughnuts left over from Moe and Penelope's picnic.

"Morning, Papa."

Rumple gave his son a hug. "Are you all right, Bae?"

"Yeah, we're doing good."

"If any of you need to talk..." Archie offered.

"We'll be okay, Doc." Becky said. "We've got each other's backs, don't we guys?" she asked her friends. "Had to go to the mattresses."

Rumple glanced down at the mattresses, frowning. "We're going to have to put these back before housekeeping comes in or Alessandro's going to have a fit." He waved his hands and the mattresses were returned to the beds.

"We're not going home, are we?" Kat asked. Despite what happened, they all wanted to stay and see the rest of the country.

"No, dearie, we're not. This is a beautiful country and we all came here to see it, despite what happened last night. We are, however going to be a bit more cautious. I've strengthened the enchantments on our talismans so that if we're seperated again we can locate each other quickly."

"Papa, you really should try out those adventure rooms. They're great!" Bae said.

"How would I...with my leg?"

"Maybe you can put a spell on it that it won't bother you...it's only an hour, Papa and I know Mama would get a kick out of it. Heck, you could probably escape it. We sure as hell didn't."

"That's because you were too busy yappin and not paying attention!" Bobby scolded.

"Yeah, well, I wanna go back again and get out this time."

"Need to duct tape your mouth first," Becky muttered.

"How about we duct tape your head?" Bae teased.

"Keep it up mate and I'll be duct tapin' your nuts!" Ewan threatened.

"I shoulda shoved YOU in the freezer for that. You took some of my hair off, ya dick!"

Archie and Rumple winced. "I don't even want to know why anyone would do that..." Archie grumbled.

"And why did ye do that, lad? Tis a bit...harsh," Rumple inquired of the other boy.

"Och, that smartarse over there decided to have a bit o' fun with me while me and Fury were laying out gettin some rays. Dickhead drew a penis on me with sunscreen and I had the damn thing on my chest for weeks. Was too embarassed to take my damn shirts off in front of people!"

"Baelfire!"

"What? It was a joke."

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Well don't be getting any ideas about doin' that to me on the beach!"

"Are you kidding? I don't want my butt beat with the Cane of Doom! Do you guys?" Bae asked his friends. They shook their heads.

"Well, we'll let you get dressed and we'll decide what we're doing today," Rumple said and the two men left the room, the laughter they were hearing in the Golds' suite from their children bringing smiles to their faces.

"What's going on in here?" Archie chuckled, spotting his son sitting on the floor tickling his little brother and cousin while Adriana and Gisella mused Maureen, Valora and Victoria with little puppets Geppetto made for Adriana, while the babies cooed at them, blew bubbles and wriggled their arms and legs excitedly. All of them were trying to lift their heads and shoulders for longer periods of time and laughing at their siblings and cousins' antics.

"Now that's a good way to start a day!" Rumple said, winking at Belle. She jumped out of her chair. "Don't you even think about it, Rumplestiltskin! Ohhh!"

Rumple seized his wife and tackled her to the sofa and tickled her in the ribs. "Ohhh I am going to get you for this you...you beast...Adriana! Help your mama!" she pleaded.

"Kinda busy here, Mama, " Adriana giggled impishly.

"Marie...please...!" Belle begged.

"Sis, you're on your own," Marie cooed.

"Hopeless the lot of you...ohhhh stoooppp you're going to make me PEE myself!" Belle giggled. Rumple chuckled wickedly. Had they been alone in the room, he would have enjoyed putting a new spin on a fond memory.

It was after they'd announced their engagement and he'd chased her into the study to have some time alone though they weren't always alone with enchanted furniture living in the castle.

"...Have to catch me..." she sang.

"You little tease!" he shook a finger playfully at her. "Just wait . . ." He lunged for her, his hands trying to grasp her.

"Not fast enough dearie...and no magic..." She ran to the opposite end of the room, giggling. "Here I am...all by my lonesome..."

"You think I need magic to catch you?" He laughed. "And when I do . . .I'll make you pay all right . . .with my specially designed Stilskin Tickle Torture . . ."

He crept around the loveseat, trying to surprise her.

Curiosity got the best of her and she decided to make his quest a bit easier...

His eyes glinting, he stalked her . . .recalling long ago days when he played this same game with Bae through the little cottage.

Then he caught sight of her shapely legs underneath the curtain and yanked it back. "Aha! Got ye!" he declared triumphantly.

"Oh have you? And what do you plan to do with me?"

"Just gotta find the right spot...ahhh...there it is!"

"Not there..." she moaned. "Anywhere but there..."

"Aye lass...there..."

She could barely stay on her feet while his fingers were dancing over her ribcage, inflicting the most exquisite torture on her.

"Oh gods..."

She threw her arms around his neck and drew his head down to hers, kissing him hungrily. His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss. They slid down the wall and lay on the floor, unaware that their voices woke the furniture from their sleep.

"D'ye know what you do to me, lass?" Rumple inquired seductively.

"What you do to me..." she whispered.

They gazed into each other's eyes, speaking without words that they both wanted the same thing...to take the final step and become one in every way.

Yet as much as they desired each other...it wasn't the right time...or place.

"Belle...we...should..."

"I know..." she said sadly.

"...Darn it, Rumplestiltskin...hah! Now the tables have turned...dearie!" Belle flipped them over and yanked off her husband's slipper and tickled his foot.

"Hehehe...oh gods Belle...not there...!"

The triplets tried to raise their heads up and laughed.

"Get him, Mama! Under his knee!" cheered Adriana.

"Whose side are YOU on!?" Rumple demanded of his daughter.

"Can't win 'em all, sweetheart," Belle taunted.

On the floor, Marie winked at her eldest son and crept up behind her husband while he and Gisella was playing with the twins. Jonny ran into Adriana's bedroom and grabbed several pillows. Marie tackled her husband to the floor.

"Marie!"

"Pillow fight!" Jonny bellowed.

"Ohhhh no you don't!" Archie cried and tried to crawl out from underneath his wife.

Gisella laughed hysterically while her mother and brother attacked their father with the pillows. "You know something guys...we have one crazy family...but I wouldn't trade it for the world," she said to her siblings who smiled in agreement.

"You...two...just...wait til I get up! Sella, a little help here!" Archie pleaded.

"I'm buusssyyy," she sang.

"Traitors, the both of them, right Archie?" Rumple asked from the sofa as he tried to fend off Belle, who had found another sensitive spot on his neck.

"Belle, please...mercy!"

"Now who is the champion of the Stiltskin Tickle Torture?" she inquired sweetly. "Say it and I'll let you up."

"Never."

"You asked for it..."

"Nooo...nooo...all right...I'll right I'll say it...you win!" he cried.

She sat up, a triumphant smile on her lips. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

In the back of his mind, a plan was forming of how he would extract his sweet revenge later on.

His brother-in-law, however was having more success, having flipped Marie over and was now attacking her and their son with the pillows. "Uh-huh...who always wins these?" he taunted playfully.

"One of these days, Daddy, we're gonna get'cha...and you're not gettin up!" Jonny challenged.

"Oh yeah, bring it pardner!"

Though the previous evening had been a difficult one for all of them, a little love and laughter was the best medicine to chase the blues away.

They booked several more times at the adventure rooms for the day to give the Golds and the Hoppers a chance to try them out before they all challenged each other to see which team could beat the Hatters' time in the Black Queen room. Belle, Adriana, Rumple and Bae were booked into the Black Queen room while the Hoppers were trying the Original game.

"It's gonna be tough, Jonny. We got out with just two seconds to spare," Neal warned his friend.

"We can do it. Daddy and Sella are really good at puzzles. They do them all the time."

"This is so exciting. I can't wait to get started!" Belle exclaimed.

Before they entered the room, Rumple put the brace he used during his curse on his leg with a special charm that would allow him to navigate through the adventure without being hampered by his old injury. It only lasted a few hours, time enough for him to enjoy the event with his family.

Bae was having much more success in the Black Queen room, his father assigning him the task of finding keys and useful items while he, Adriana and Belle worked on the puzzles, all of them keeping a close watch on the clock.

"Papa, Emma and Jeff's time is fifteen minutes...we're getting close!" Bae warned. Rumple, Belle and Adriana were working on the final puzzle to find the key but all of them were stumped, even with help from the game master.

"Anyone who can outsmart me deserves a pat on the back," Rumple mused aloud. "And I'm supposed to be so clever!"

"Papa! I've got it!" Bae crowed.

"Yay, Bae!" Adriana cheered as the door opened. They glanced up at the clock. They emerged from the room at fifteen minutes and twenty seconds, only ten seconds behind Regina's crew.

"Well at lease you escaped that time," Andi teased Bae.

"Yeah. But we're still trying that mad scientist room again. How are the Hoppers doing?"

"Cuttin it close," Neal said, checking his Minion watch.

"Hey Sella, now you can be a real Nancy Drew," Jonny said to his sister.

"You have to have a PHD to figure this jargon out!" Archie exclaimed while he and Marie were studying a formula. "And mine certainly isn't in chemistry!"

"I was never good at the sciences either," Marie confessed.

"Mommy...look...right there's a clue!" Gisella exclaimed, pointing to a spot on the board.

"Good job, Princess!"

"Daddy, we gotta hurry...time's running out!" Jonny reminded them.

The family scrambled to find the key with Gisella locating it with less than two minutes to spare.

"You beat our time!" Neal cried. "Cool!"

The two families signed their names on the walls and posed for their pictures and Regina mentioned to the staff that she was going to open her own series of adventure rooms in Storybrooke.

"That's a wonderful idea, Mrs. Hood. You're going to be able to find a few of them during your trip to Italy as well."

"We are? Awesome!" Henry hi-fived his sisters and brothers.

"And if I'm not mistaken, some places in the States have them too."

"Oh, ours are going to be a wee bit different, dearies," Rumple said with a smirk, intending to pitch the idea that one of them would be to try to escape his castle's dungeon.

"It still astounds us that children this young were able to do well in the game. Most of them are ten or older."

"So this is a franchise that operates out of Switzerland but you can apply for one?" Robin asked.

"Certainly, if you want to use our format."

"We do, but we also want to create additional rooms with our own twist on them," Regina added.

"Let me get you some information about the franchise."

"Thank you!"

"So where are they back home?"

"New Jersey and Connecticut," was the reply. "And as you wish to, they've added some extra adventures to give it a more personalized touch."

"Oh, ours are going to be personalized all right," Robin said with a smirk. "We hold a summer festival every year that only lasts a day but if we include these rooms into it, we could extend it for a few days, even a week."

"I'd love to see them when you finish them."

"We'll send you an email with some pictures and videos," Regina offered.

Before they left, Bae and his friends entered the Mad Scientist room one more time to attempt to his escape while his family members and their friends waited, keeping their eyes glued to their watches. Learning their lesson from their previous mistake, the Scorpions managed to escape with three minutes to spare!

The next day, everyone was shocked to discover that a series of wildfires blazed in the forest around Athens, further dampening the spirits of some of the natives, especially Penelope, Sophia, Kyria and Alessandro.

"When it rains, it pours," Alessandro said glumly while all of them were eating dinner at the rooftop restaurant that evening, thick smoke from the fires billowing out across the city with the strong winds and high temperatures making battling the blazes extremely difficult for the firefighters. "But we're not even supposed to get any rain."

"Mo can make it rain!" Jonny whispered.

"She could, dearie, but not enough to put out a blaze like that," Rumple said. "And unfortunately something is blocking any of us from helping magically..."

"Why?" Adriana demanded angrily.

Her father sighed. "I wish I knew but magic in this land has always been unpredictable."

"It's a sign to our people to set aside their differences and work together to get this country back on its feet," Penelope spoke up. "That's how I see it."

"But surely we can do something non-magical Rumple," Belle said.

"And we will, at the flea market. I've reserved spots for all of us where we're going to sell the items we've made and others people in the town have donated but we will make it clear that all of the proceeds are going to the people of this country, not in our pockets."

"I'm gonna sell Happy Flags, some of Papa's dolls and Happy Bears but they won't be like our happy bears," Adriana said. "Neal, you're gonna sit with me, kay?"

"Okay...why can't I sell some special Minions?"

"Cause you'd get sued, duh! Some big studio owns the Minions and they'd sue ya if you tried to make a pirate copy huh, Papa?"

"That's right, dearie."

The Scorpions started laughing. "Ohhh if they only knew.." Becky murmured.

"Ye keep your pirating activities to yerself, young lady!" Rumple scolded.

"Oh, come on! Been outta the game for a while."

"I wish we could hold a festival like we do back home," Bae said.

"You can't but this will help." Moe said.

"And another thing we need to do is sell the tourists on visiting the tables of the locals. Rumple, you can talk someone outta their underwear if you wanted to," Jeff said.

"As long as it's not a female or else he and it get the broom!" Belle said, her eyes flashing.

"Oh for God's sake Jeff, he's not running a con!" Archie exclaimed. "My parents, however, would have jumped at the chance to do it. It's a great idea Rumple and we'll be happy to help."

Later on that night after the others went to bed, Rumple met with his three apprentices to discuss charms they were going to place on the items they would be selling. Though they were prevented from combating the wildfires with their magic, he sensed that the powers had relented to allow him to assist the people in another way, by lifting their spirits as the group had done so many times to their own people through troubled times.

Everyone awoke early on market day, all of the items that would be sold packed into bags. They didn't dare risk using Mary's magic bags in case someone saw them and questioned it. When they arrived at the market, several stand owners gave them cold glances, furious that tourists were attempting to cut in on their business until Rumple visited each stand to inform the owners about their plan.

"Why would you do this?" one man asked him. "You are on vacation, not here to work."

"We know what hard times are like, dearie and this country and its people have been kind to us. This is our way of giving back to you."

Adriana reached into her bag and handed the woman one of her flags. "Hang this up and every time you feel sad you can look at it and it'll chase those frownies away," she said softly.

"Did you make this yourself, sweetie?"

"Uh-huh. Papa taught me how to spin."

"It's wonderful!"

Rumple set one table for himself, Neal and Adriana where they would sell her flags, Rumplette rag dolls and Happy Bears. Belle, Marie and Gisella would be sitting at another table selling some of Rumple's shawls and afghans. Regina, Emma and Snow had their own table where they were selling plastic bracelets with various inspiring messages along with some of Rumple's homemade jewelery that he'd summoned from Belle Reve. He'd intended to give all of it to Belle but she joked there was so much of it that she'd never be able to wear it all in a lifetime. Most of it sat collecting dust in his workroom and she'd begged him several times to sell in in the marketplace while they were spending their time in the Enchanted Forest but he'd never gotten around to it.

Becky, Grace and Kat were operating a table where they would be selling girls' and womens clothing donated by Maleficent and Princess Tiana as well as several of Rumple's designs. The two women were the town's premiere fashion designers and they'd been begging Rumple to go into business with them for years but he always refused, claiming he never had enough time between running his shop and raising his family.

Archie, Jonny and Roland's table featured items from Geppetto's shop including puppets and custom clocks and Geppetto had also sent them a copy of August's completed novel that Rumple magicked into copies of hardcover books. The clockmaker was hoping that it would generate enough sales at the market that it would at last be noticed by a publisher and help boost his son's spirits.

Jeff, Henry, and Maggie's table was a book lover's paradise. Belle asked Rumple to summon some of the books from their libraries, many of them current best sellers and she had him make copies in several different languages. They also had copies of the Once Upon a Time book for sale but Rumple went through it and made certain that enough details about all of them were changed so that no one would suspect the book was their story.

Robin, Ellie and Jason's table was selling some of the items from Rumple's shop, a mixture of new and old, all of the items kept in pristine condition. Ellie would also host little tea parties for some of the children that came around to look at the items they had for sale.

Bae, David, Bobby and Ewan's table would be the home for all of Bae's artwork. He brought along some oil paintings, sketches and even carvings he made out of wood that had been recovered from the bombed warehouse and restored with loving care by his father. Most of his art was from the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke but he also included a few sketches of the historical sites around the city.

"Where did you get all this stuff!?" Alessandro asked, his eyes wide.

"We sent word back home and everything just 'popped' in last night," Rumple giggled.

"Even the flowers?" Sophia asked Moe, who was operating a makeshift Game of Thorns stand with Penelope.

"Even the flowers."

"Oh my God...you could make a fortune here!"

"We hope to...but not for us."

"Hey Gold...I got another idea...why don't you summon some of our clothes back from your shop...would bring the cosplayers in droves!" Jeff announced.

"Dammit! Now why didn't I think of that before?"

"On it!" Regina stood up ran down the street into an alley. Robin and David got up from the table and followed her, the three of them pushing racks holding the group's Enchanted Forest clothing on hangers, most of them from Regina's own wardrobe.

In order to boost sales, the women decided to hold a mini fashion show posing in their old clothing. A group of young women immediately flocked to them.

"Oh my God! You look just like Belle in Beauty and The Beast!" one girl exclaimed when she approached Belle. "Do you cosplay?"

Belle laughed. "No, but I did dress up as Belle once for a party while my husband played the Beast...and we even recreated the ballroom dance scene...with people playing the enchanted objects."

"That is awesome! I really would like to buy that dress! How much do you want for it?"

Rumple had advised the group to do a little haggling, not wanting anyone to try to cheat them when most of the items they had on sale would be worth a small fortune in either world.

"And this isn't just any dress. It was a wreck when I got it but my husband restored it and even added his own embellishments to it as well as making the Beast's costume himself."

"I'm serious. I want to buy it and the Beast costume. My boyfriend wants to cosplay them at a convention this year."

Belle named her price. "My mom is gonna flip out I'm spending this much money but I don't care. I HAVE to have this set!"

"It's for a good cause too," Belle reminded her. "Before you go, stop at some of the other tables. There's a man a few tables down from us who is selling some pottery if you are interested."

"I sure am! Been trying to do it in school but I suck at it!"

"Well then, maybe he can give you some pointers."

Another group of young women flocked to where Regina and Snow were standing while they did a mini-sketch of a Snow White rivalry.

"Your gown is wayyyy better than the ones I've seen for the wicked stepmother," one of the women was saying to Regina. "And I like the idea of Snow White being an outlaw."

"We wanted to put a bit of a spin on it," Regina joked. "She does have that hideous blue and yellow dress though."

"I hated that thing!" Snow laughed. "But...David and I wanted to be Snow and Prince Charming for the party so we showed up like that."

"Please, please...pleeeaasse tell me you have a costume for him. We're having a Halloween party at work in the fall and everyone has to dress up but I had no idea what to wear. I want to go as Snow White and my boyfriend can be Charming!"

"The hell with that...I want to wear what she's wearing!" her friend said, gesturing to Regina's gown.

"I want that dress too!" another cried.

"Ladies, you're in luck. I've got a whole wardrobe up for sale so everyone can be the Evil Queen for a day," Regina said with a smile. Laughter was heard at the tables behind her.

"That's a scary thought!" David joked.

"Watch it Charming or I'll use my poison apple on you!"

"Bring it on! I broke your curse before. I can do it again!"

The Scorpions decided to take a break from their own tables and don their old Forest clothing and the boys were immediately mobbed by a group of girls.

Bae had on the outfit he'd worn the most last summer-a pair of leather pants, lace up boots and a summerweight light cotton shirt colored a soft teal with a black vest over it.

One of the girls stepped behind him, eyeing his backside appreciatively.

"Who were you supposed to be?" she cooed.

"Just the son of a spinner," he replied casually. "No one in particular."

"Don't look like it to me..."

"Where the HELL is his mother's broom!" Andi growled.

Bae coughed. Then he pulled out three soft stuffed balls. "I can juggle, see?" He began doing so with ease of long practice. Juggling kept a thief's hands dexterous and something he used to do all the time back when he was cursed.

"I really like that costume...do you come with it?"

"Noooo," Andi muttered.

"Sorry, I'm unavailable." Bae said inbetween catching. "I already have the best girl I could ever want."

"I would like to buy that suit anyway...but I doubt my boyfriend would look as good in it."

"It's very comfortable. And the shirt's loose enough to be worn by almost anyone." He named a quick figure. "Boots are extra."

"Even if he doesn't wear it all...I will..." She grinned.

"You could. You know a lot of girls back home dressed up like this . . .for Halloween," he amended quickly.

"Does that cologne you're wearing come with it?"

"Umm . . .no. It's umm . . .a custom scent . . ."

His friends snickered behind him.

"Oooh tell me it's for sale somewhere!"

Bae looked at Andi. "That's my girlfriend. She made it for me."

"You did? Oh God I can't get Matt to even make a date on time let alone a perfume!"

Two other girls were circling Bobby and Ewan. "Sooo is it true about what you don't wear beneath those kilts?"

Andi laughed while her friends were glaring daggers at their boyfriends' 'groupies'.

Kat walked over to Bobby and said softly, "It's also true that when a Scotsman gives his heart, it's forever." She was dressed in a cotton dress that flowed about her like a green crystal swath.

Bobby put an arm around her. "Aye, to this bonny lass." And he grinned at her irresistibly.

"And my heart's yours, my Fury," Ewan murmured to Becky.

Becky showed them a charm with their symbols, a flame and dirk.

"These would be great for a con for Outlander!" one of the girls exclaimed.

The group of girls decided to buy all of the outfits and one of them asked Bae to give her a brief juggling lesson.

Bae agreed, saying that you had to keep your eyes on the balls.

Unfortunately one of the girls was keeping her eyes in a more uncomfortable direction.

It took every ounce of self control Andi had not to want to scratch the girl's eyes out.

And Bae was oblivious, focused on his student.

At the end of the lesson, the girl asked Bae if he wouldn't mind giving her more lessons over Skype once she returned to the states and even asked if Andi would like to talk to her over social media.

"I can do that," he agreed. "My Skype name is Bae Gold," he spelled his name for her.

"That's a cool name...Celtic."

"Yes . . .my papa's family are from Scotland."

"Well, I gotta get going. It was nice meeting you...catch ya later!"

Bae waved. "Bye!" He turned to see his girlfriend glaring at another girl. "Hey, Wraith, you look like you're gonna murder someone's ass."

"Did you SEE where she was staring!? Holy crap I thought she was gonna get out a ruler next!"

Bae found himself blushing hotly, like his papa he was shy about discussing those things in public, and his father had raised him to not speak about such things in female company. "Umm . . .no . . .I didn't. Really. I only notice when YOU look at me like that."

"Well she's lucky she can still see because I don't want any more girls looking at you like that."

"It's the pants. For some reason they make women wild."

"When your dad gets his out there will be chaos."

"And my mama's gonna be getting out her broom, I'll bet. Or something like it," Bae predicted. "Because Papa looks even better than me in them."

"Speak of the devil..."

All heads turned to where Rumple was standing in full Dark One regalia with Adriana and Neal beside him. He was wearing his brown leather pants, dragonscale vest and boots with a yellow silk flowing shirt, even carrying a plastic dagger with his name on it.

"If the real Rumplestiltskin looked like you, I'd make any deal he wants," one woman purred.

"Well, I'm also the Beast too, dearie."

"You can be my Beast," she offered.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you dearie, but I already have my beauty...and a few little imps."

"Yeah my papa's taken!" Adriana piped up.

"Pity because I could take you around the world on my yacht..." She murmured and stepped behind him, pinching his backside.

"Hands off the merchandise, dearie," he giggled.

That is one of the worst pickup lines I've ever heard you tart, Belle thought, her mind drifting back to another day in the dark castle when she'd been forced to witness a female guest's unwanted attentions. Her name was Melisande and she'd come to Rumple to ask him for a potion to make men notice her.

"Oooh Rumple-you don't mind if I call ya that, do ya?" Melisande giggled.

Belle gripped the handle of her broom so tightly her knuckles were white. If she looked one more time...

And call him Rumple? No you may not you tramp!

"That's my name, dearie, why should I mind?" he replied, writing out instructions in his swift neat hand. "Here." He handed the buxom lass the potion and the parchment. "Now, you follow these instructions here as I've written . . .if you don't . . . it won't work."

"Don't see why she even needs it," Belle muttered.

Melisande nodded, taking it. "And . . do you have any . . . other instructions for me?' she asked breathily, making sure to lean over so he got the full view.

That did it. Belle swung her broom out and swatted.

"Uh . . . err . .. " Rumple was tongue-tied because her breasts were practically in his face and he didn't want to touch them lest she think he was groping her.

"Yeeoww!" screeched the maid. She turned around. "Hey! What's the big idea, you stupid girl? I'm not the floor, you ninnyhammer!"

"Hands off the merchandise, dearie!" Belle sneered.

"Why? He's the Dark One . . . and I'll stare if I want to!"

She thrust her hand with her engagement ring on it into the harpy's face. "He's TAKEN, you trollop!"

"Belle . . .it's not what it looks like . . ." Rumple stammered.

"Oh isn't it?"

Melisande goggled. "You . . . and HIM? You actually . . . are gonna marry . . . a MONSTER?"

"Oooh so now he's a monster, eh?" She swung the broom again. "Take that!"

"Nice looking one . . . but yeah . . .what else would you call that skin and those eyes . . . of course-owww! You bloody bitch!" Melisande yelled, clutching her backside. "You gonna let her do that? I'm a client!"

"Our deal is struck, so not anymore," Rumple declared frostily, angry at her words to Belle.

He had been rather flattered at her attention . . . until she had revealed that like almost everyone else . . . she still saw him as a monster . . . just a nice looking one.

"You insulted him so you're lucky he doesn't take back what he's given you...personally I would turn you into a frog."

Melisande snorted, saying to Rumple, "Anytime you get tired of this wench, come on down to the Thirsty Goose and you can have yourself a good time . . . drinks on the house . . ." and she sashayed pointedly around him.

Belle struck again. "Now run along and try to work your charms on some other man because you and every other woman in this realm will NOT be getting MINE!"

Yelping Melisande fled, one hand clutching the potion and the other her behind, all the way back down the winding road to the village below.

"Good riddance you piece of trash!" Belle yelled after her.

"...Well, maybe I can make my own beast with this outfit. How much would you like for it?"

Rumple quoted her a price that the woman happily paid and Rumple suggested she visit a few of the local tables during her visit as well as recommended several cafes.

"Thank God she's gone or I was going to have Regina get my broom," Belle muttered.

"They can look all they want mo chroi, but you're the only one who can touch the merchandise," Rumple murmured softly.

"How about later on I perform a detailed inspection," she whispered.

He smiled. "Tis an inspection I'll be looking forward to."

Several other women approached the sorcerer, asking him questions about the other items he had for sale at the rest of the tables and his spinning and weaving. Adriana even showed them some of the flags she made and the rag dolls.

"These are adorable. My grandchildren would love them!"

"So would mine!"

"And these dolls an' bears help keep frownies away," Neal added. "Right, Driana?"

"Yup."

The group of ladies purchased most of the dolls, bears and flags and even two of Rumple's shawls from the other table. At their table, Archie, Jonny, and Roland were holding a puppet show with Geppetto's puppets, taking Archie back to his early years, travelling with his parents while they held their own shows except this time he wasn't sneaking about picking the pockets of the patrons. Rumple and Adriana then joined in. Archie's puppet was him in his cricket form.

"Mommy, lookit...it's Jiminy Cricket!" a little girl cried out and ran over to the table.

"Honey, that doesn't look like Jiminy Cricket."

"He's the Jiminy Cricket in that book you just got!"

"Ohhh...there's the Beast too!" She pointed to where Rumple was sitting holding his own puppet. Soon a large crowd of children gathered around the table.

"Hello, dearies," Rumple called out.

"Can you sing "Wish Upon a Star?" a little girl in a wheelchair asked. She was from a nearby village.

"We certainly can," Archie said softly.

Rumple wheeled the little girl over to the table and both of them danced their puppets for her as they sang, their wives watching them with pride...and love.

"Disney eat your heart out," Emma joked while Henry recorded the moment on video. Rumple even lifted her out of her chair and allowed her to sit on his lap as they continued to sing to her.

"I wish the stars could make me walk again," the girl said sadly.

Adriana grabbed one of her Rumplette dolls and handed it to her. "Maybe if you keep telling her your wish it'll come true," she said when Rumple gently helped her back into her chair.

"The doctor says it can't."

Adriana frowned. "Dunno...maybe they're wrong," she said set the flag on the girl's lap. Rumple and the other mages could see a faint gold light surround the girl's legs.

"Did she just..." Marie whispered to her sister.

"I think she did," Belle whispered back.

"Hey, can you do the part in this book where Beauty and the Beast dance?" another girl asked Rumple.

"We certain can. Belle, would you mind helping me with this?"

"Not at all."

Rumple and Belle danced their puppets across the table, singing Beauty and the Beast together amongst cheers from little girls who all wanted to be Belle and find their own beast to tame...and love.

"...Miss Belle, Miss Belle, the master's waiting for you!" Tobias cried excitedly.

"Go! Your betrothed awaits!" Cosette urged. "One last dance, honey! Give us something to dream about. Go!"

When she stepped out into the hall she saw him waiting patiently at the top of the grand staircase, as handsome as ever in his own outfit that complimented hers.

He held out a hand to her. "Are you ready, sweetheart?"

"I have been my whole life," she whispered. "For you...and only you..."

"Then shall we dance?" He led her down the staircase, processing into the ballroom, which had been newly cleaned by him and Bae, and an invisible orchestra began to play as they stepped onto the polished golden floor.

"This...is even better than at Papa's ball...no one here but us..."

"Aye only you and I, mo chroi . . ." he grinned, that impish smirk she loved so well. Then he put an arm about her waist and began to waltz with her.

She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, praying to every god and goddess she knew that the time the curse was active would go by quickly and she would be back in his arms again, this time as his wife.

"I love you, Rumplestiltskin...with all my heart."

Up above, on the grand balcony overlooking the ballroom, a door opened and Cosette, Lumiere, Cogworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Gabby, Misty, Tobias, Wesley and many others gathered along with Bae to watch the master and th mistress dance together . . . and celebrate hope and love in a world that was going to fade into darkness someday soon.

"And I love you, Belle . . .forever and ever . . .through all that may come . . ."

Then he leaned forward and kissed her.

Let this be the first memory I have when I awaken, she prayed.

There was a collective sigh from the furniture and even Bae smiled. Then he took out his sketchpad and began to draw rapidly. He wanted to preserve this moment and the only way he knew how was to capture it on paper.

It was a beautiful scene...a beauty and her beast...a tale as old as time with the truest love there could be.

And though a curse might separate them for a time they would always find their way home to each other, for their hearts were entwined with a bond that would not break, and endure to the end of all things.

"...Mommy, I like their Beauty and the Beast better'n the cartoon."

"Me too. Why'd he havta change?"

"He was boring as the Prince."

"Why does your Beast kinda stay the same?"

"Because honey, the true beauty of a person is in the heart," Belle said softly. "Our story shows that everyone is beautiful in their own unique ways," she said, her eyes meeting her husband's.

"...Hey, can you do the scene where Jiminy gives the girl a rose?" another child asked Archie.

"How's he gonna do that? He doesn't have a girl puppet."

"I don't need one," Archie murmured.

Be still my heart...Marie thought dreamily and joined her husband at the table. Archie 'walked' his puppet over to Marie and handed her a rose, gazing deeply into her eyes as they recreated one of their fondest memories.

Marie had been a late sleeper most of her life and tended to be cranky in the mornings and one morning while they were both staying in the castle he'd made the mistake of waking her early. She was cranky and he was determined to cheer her up...and try to tell her how he felt without actually saying it.

"...Are you going to be cross with me all morning?" he demanded. "It doesn't become you."

Truth be told, she didn't like staying angry with him now. She spent most of the week in bed sick, miserable and missing her daughter terribly but he was always finding ways to bring a smile to her face with his stories about the Charmings and little adventures he had with his friend Geppetto.

She patted her shoulder and he flew onto it then she took him out to the gardens, loving the scent of the red roses that bloomed there. Jiminy flew off her shoulder and down to the roses and took one off the vine by biting into it. It fell on the bench beside her.

"Jiminy….that's so sweet of you…thank you," she said softly as she picked it up and sniffed it.

"Now that's the smile I was looking for."

She laughed. "You won't let me be unhappy for a moment, will you?"

"No."

"Why?"

Because you're even more beautiful when you smile and if I were human again I'd bring you a dozen roses every day just so I could see you smile.

"You deserve to be happy, Marie…that's all," he said shyly.

But you're not human and you can't be, not right now. It's too dangerous. Any day now Cora will cast her curse and take you all away…and the only way you can protect yourself and her is to stay as you are and try not to get too close.

They had to try to get into Cora's vault one more time. Too much was at stake now to let the curse be cast and once again he was willing to die to stop it if that was what it took. She was worth dying for.

"I have my daughter, my family and a few friends….what more do I need?"

You need a man who will love you more than anything else in the world. I can be that for you. I want to be that for you! And I know I'll love your daughter too if I get to meet her!

"You don't think you need anything else? What about love?"

"Love's for everyone else…not me," she said sadly. "I thought I was in love once…but he died."

"You can love again. You just have to believe in it, in yourself."

And in me.

"No, Jiminy…love's not for me. It never will be."

"What if someone proved to you it would be? Would you take the chance?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I think that's what is missing in your life…a man to love you…and a father for your daughter."

Now why can't a MAN treat me like this? Marie thought bitterly. She despised insects yet this one acted like he was still a human being and if he were one she could even fall in love with him. Could it be possible HE was the man she would meet in the new land? No, it was too much to hope for.

"Well I won't find him here…if I ever will so there's no sense thinking about it!" she cried.

His face fell. "What do you mean?"

"Rumple….he said in another land I would find a man who would love me and Gisella….but it's too much to hope for," she sobbed.

"...So did he get the girl?"

"You'll have to read the book and find out, honey." Marie said softly while Archie reached across the table and took her hand in his.

"Rumple, you are not gonna believe this but all of our stuff is sold out!" David said when he, Robin and Jeff approached them with thier children in tow. They glanced down the street and saw some of their customers visiting the tables of the natives and even some of them were reporting that their merchandise was sold out. An hour later all of the tables were empty and the families began to pack up.

"Papa, how much money did we make?" Adriana asked her father.

"I don't know yet, dearie. I have to count it."

"How are we gonna donate it all, Rumple?" Regina inquired.

"By shopping of course!"

The group spent the rest of the afternoon travelling from table to table and all of the shops and cafes in Monastiraki, distributing all of the proceeds they made from their own tables amongst the natives who felt that Christmas had come early for them at a time when their country's future was so uncertain. The following morning, a little girl who had given up hope that she would ever walk again took her first steps in ten years, her doctors baffled and her grateful parents began to believe in miracles again, thanks to the kindness of strangers.