~ Divine Blessings and A Little Roman Vice ~
The next morning three sets of parents were trying to wake themselves up over numerous cups of coffee and anything sugary they could get their hands on. Archie, Marie, and Mary had been taking care of the triplets while their parents spent their wedding night at Belle Reve along with their own twins but all of the babies had been impossible to get to sleep that night. The triplets, sensing their parents were gone, cried constantly and little Bobby, clever baby that he was, was not content until he got his father's ring off his father's finger so that he could be a kitten. He seemed happier in cat form.
"At least we only had one baby to deal with...you had five," Snow joked to the Hoppers. "And I'm still not used to my Pearl turning into a mermaid any time she comes in contact with water."
"Yeah, I thought she was gonna try to swim away from me while we were giving her a bath!" David laughed. "And she loves to splash me!"
"Rum is a lot like his father...and godfather of course," Regina chuckled. "But it's strange...when we woke up last night and heard him crying Ellie was already in the room with him and sitting on the floor rocking him back to sleep...she said she didn't even hear him cry...she felt he needed her and it woke her up."
"She and Rum have bonded more since he was born," Archie said. "But...maybe he's an empath like Adriana. You should ask Rumple once they get back."
"Honey, all of our kids have bonded in one form another. Sella used to be like that with Jonny when he was a baby and she still is," Marie pointed out. I can't say she ever sensed he needed someone before he started crying though."
"Well he still has a bit of the outlaw in him," Robin smirked. "I see him looking around, trying to figure things out...and he seems to have a fascination with Regina's locket."
"I'm waiting for it to vanish one day and be hidden somewhere," she added. "Because I know you taught Roland and Jason how to hide things and made them promise not to tell me!" She swatted him.
"Maybe Bae and his gang did."
"Oh no, you are not blaming that on a group of teenagers. You forget, I know your handiwork since you robbed me twice!"
"Three times my queen...but stealing your heart was the best job I ever pulled."
"And one you enjoyed, right," Snow grinned. "I know I enjoyed robbing Charming."
"And I enjoyed putting you up in that tree!"
"Paid for it later though."
David winced. "You have the brooms Marie, my wife has the foot!"
Just then a portal appeared on the wall and a well rested Rumple and Belle stepped out.
The sorcerer took one look at the exhausted crew and giggled impishly. "Long night, dearies?"
If looks could have killed, the poor man would have been dead where he stood.
"Our nieces and nephew were miserable without you here and Bobby somehow managed to get yet another one of your protections off so we he had an otter when we were trying to give him a bath," Archie said.
"And we put it back on thinking that was the end of it but the little sneak got it off again and turned himself into a kitten and fell asleep on my lap while Archie was singing to him." Marie showed the couple a picture her husband had taken.
"Oh, look! Rumple, isn't he adorable," Belle cooed.
"Aye but he's still a stubborn imp."
"And the girls? Anything from them?"
"No, no magical feats but quite a bit of fussing," Marie giggled.
"We think our son is an empath and he seems to be projecting his emotions onto Ellie," Regina spoke up. "Last night he woke up needing someone but before we got to him Ellie was already there. She said she felt he needed her."
"He could very well be, dearie," Rumple mumured. "We'll know more once he starts to show his auras."
Emma shuffled into the dining room with Jeff at her heels. "Somebody point us in the direction of the caffeine drip please?" she pleaded. "This kid had me running marathons to the bathroom all night and it's even worse when this lug over here has to go at the same time!"
The other men sniggered.
"Oh shut up! I'm standing there praying to the gods I don't have an accident and she's taking her sweet time!"
"I do not want to go into the differences between how men and women use the bathroom. So, what're we doing today?"
"I want to go to the Colosseum and the Pantheon again," Marie said softly.
"There are some beautiful churches here too, Archie added. "We could go to the Vatican."
"Well we don't have to do it all today," Rumple chuckled. "But it's a good start."
They planned to spend the day touring the Vatican and Angelo cooked them all a large breakfast before they headed out for the day.
"The Pulcinellos are going to be home on Saturday," he announced.
"That's wonderful! We'll finally get a chance to meet them," Belle said excitedly.
"Papa, we'd like to go to one of the clubs," Bae spoke up.
His father frowned at him from across the table. "Baelfire Gold, I dinna want ye lot comin' home drunk in t'wee hours of the morning and waking the house up...or you know what ye'll be doing..."
"Yeah, yeah, we're gonna be cleaning till this place shines like the top of the Chrysler building," his son rolled his eyes.
"Oh, that's right...they are all old enough to drink..." Belle mused.
"Not that we haven't been doin' it already," Ewan sniggered. Becky kicked his foot under the table. "What? It's true!"
Angelo laughed from his seat at the table. "You put your kids to work? The Pulcinellos should have done that more with those sons of theirs. Hellions, they were."
Adriana snorted. "Yeah you get drunk an act like goofs then you'll puke your guts out in the morning. S'what the Happy Army did so I had to ground 'em."
"Ah, they were bears. What do they know about drinking?" Bobby laughed.
"We know plenty lad...and some of us knew better than to be doing it!" Major Rumple spoke up and glared at Majors Duke and Bae. "And ye were the worst of 'em!"
"I'll say! You knocked me down the stairs. Twice!" Archie snapped at Duke.
"Not to mention puking all over the floor!" Marie lamented.
Her husband groaned. "And having to clean it up. I should've made you scrub it yourself!"
"Our bears were passed out by the time Rumple brought them home. I was dreading all sorts of chaos...I have more of them than anyone else!" Belle cried.
"They caused any chaos, dearie, and they would've regretted it," the sorcerer said direly.
"Maybe I'll have them help me around here today while you're gone...if that's all right with their young masters and mistresses of course," Angelo said.
Adriana nodded. "They's Happy Bears, so they'd love to help you, Mr. Angelo. They do stuff to make people's frownies go away."
"Yeah but what can he have 'em do...he cooks," Ellie pointed out.
"Yes but I could use some helpers for the dinner to welcome back the Pulcinellos."
"We can help," Major Rumple replied. "I help the General cook." He nodded at his mistress.
"An you do a good job..you helped us decorate Papa's birthday cake."
"Daddy...can we go see that place where those people the Doctor an Donna couldn't save lived?" Jonny asked his father.
"Pompeii..."
"There was a story about a boy and a dog that died there when the volcano blew up. Mama, you an' Papa read it to me," Adriana reminded them.
"The Dog of Pompeii," Belle recalled.
"And the dog was found with a collar around his neck with a tag that read, "This dog has thrice saved his master-once from a flood, once from a fire, and the third time from robbers." But he couldn't save him from Vesuvius," Rumple said sadly.
"I cried like a baby when I saw the Fires of Pompeii," Marie said. "And Gisella and I read that book years ago."
"Yes and then I had Daddy read it but he couldn't finish it because he cried," added Gisella.
"It reminded me of a dog I saw when we were travelling. I wanted to keep it but my parents wouldn't let me. It...it was hit by a wagon a day later..."
"Together in life and death," Rumple murmured. "I've read that the dogs are still welcome in Pompeii. That among the ruins they are allowed to live, in honor of that dog and his boy."
"You should be a teacher, Rum. You'd be good at it," said Regina.
Rumple raised an eyebrow. "Never thought about that, dearie. But I taught you, didn't I?"
"Yes you did...and since we have a magic council I propose we open a magicians school!"
"Cool, Mom! Can we name it Hogwarts?" Henry exclaimed.
"You wanna get sued?" demanded Gracie.
"We can call it Storybrooke's School For the Gifted," Rumple said. "That way only those who live there can tell the true purpose of it."
"Can non mages apply?" asked Grace.
Grace was highly intelligent, at the top of her class and also a budding inventor.
"Perhaps we can have two curriculums. One for mages and one for other students with different talents," Belle suggested.
"Yeah because Gracie, Doctor Nefario an Gru have been making some really cool stuff!" Neal praised.
"And one of the classes for both curriculums can be defense against the dark arts!" Henry exclaimed eagerly.
"We'll need that," Emma mumbled. "Though it's been peaceful lately...knock on wood."
"I can help teach art students," Bae offered.
"And I can teach cooking classes," Kat volunteered.
"Daddy, you can teach people to live green!" Jonny reminded his father.
"I could teach Celtic mythology," Bobby mused. "And Ewan could teach Scottish music appreciation."
"Aye..."
"Yes but NOT the kilt song!" Belle shook her finger at him.
"Or else you're fired," Bae giggled. "Hey, who's gonna be the headmaster of this school?"
Everyone looked at Rumple.
"You want ME to be the principal?" he asked, his eyes wide.
"Why not?" Regina asked. "You know how to keep order better than I do."
"Yeah, Papa. You'll have those kids shaking in their shoes with Gold's Look of Doom!"
"Aye, and the cane on the wall t' remind all the 'prentices to behave or else their ass will regret it!"Ewan smirked.
"I don't beat children!" Rumple protested. "You know that, lad."
"Aye, but it's the LEGEND that counts," Ewan replied. "Scare 'em enough an' they'll toe the line."
"Daddy, m'ready to go see all those old places," Neal said and stood up. David shook his head at him.
"You didn't ask to be excused," he scolded gently.
"Busted,Nealio!" Emma taunted. Her brother blew a raspberry at her.
The toddler sulked in his seat. "Hey Pearl, you wanna go swimming?"
"She can't yet," his mother reminded him.
The next thing they knew a baby otter was trying to jump up and down in his carrier.
"See! Bobby wants to go!"
The baby otter stared at his father with wide, sad eyes.
Rumple sighed. The eyes got him every time. "Oh, all right, wee imp. I suppose we can go for a quick dip."
"I think I could use one myself...it was hot last night," Marie complained.
Suddenly they heard a crack of thunder outside.
AJ, Valora, Victoria, Pearl, and baby Rum started wailing.
Maureen, sensing her brother's distress started rubbing her arm against the side of her carrier knowing that the tiny bracelet wrapped around it was the only thing that prevented her from helping her sibling and cousins be happy again.
Jonny smiled. "You can do it, Mo..." he whispered.
Finally the baby managed to get the bracelet off and smiled triumphantly as the rainclouds vanished and the sun was shining once again.
"Daddy, look! She did it!" Gisella bragged.
The Hoppers jumped out of their seats and peeked out the window.
"Amazing," Angelo breathed.
Archie picked up his daughter and hugged her. "That's my little cricket."
"We're going to have to teach the wee tempest control sooner rather than later," Rumple said, picking up the bracelet.
"Yes, I know Rumple but she can do so much good with her gift and so can the others."
The little weather mage had fallen asleep in her father's arms, exhausted.
Now that it was once again a beautiful morning, everyone went outside to take a quick dip before they started their latest adventure in Rome.
Bobby in otter form could swim like lightning, and had fun swimming rings around his papa and sliding down the slide a zillion times.
"He's making me dizzy!" Belle laughed.
Pearl was content to have her daddy hold her while she splashed her brother with her tail.
"Okay Bobby, we have to go now."
Pearl swung her tail in Rumple's direction and doused him with water in protest.
"Pearl!" Snow cried.
Then two vines from a rose bush grabbed the sorcerer as he was about to climb out of the pool and dragged him back in.
"Archibald James Hopper Junior, you let him go this minute!" Archie ordered his son.
"Whoa!" Henry and Grace stared at the babies with wide eyes.
The little otter pouted and splashed Belle.
His sisters began to scream like banshees and several of the statues in the garden were lifted off the ground and floated in the air.
"Holy crap...everybody duck!" Bae yelled, recalling the royal fits Adriana would have that included throwing everything she could around with her magic.
"Hey! None of that, imps!" their father ordered, and the statues were suddenly lowered to the ground. "I think all of you need a nap." He picked up his son, wrapped the otter pup in a towel, then used his magic to change his son back to human form. Bobby fussed, but Rumple ignored him, calmly putting the ring back and saying, "Enough, laddie. 'Tis time for you to sleep."
Marie located AJ's bracelet and slid it back onto his wrist. The vines vanished.
Rumple rocked his son back and forth, and began to hum, projecting an air of peace, calm, and sleepiness over the babies.
Archie and Marie looked at each other in horror, both of them having been attacked by vines from a rose bush by Cora years ago at Belle Reve in order to obtain Marie's blood to cast the Curse of the Broken Hearted on them and the others.
"Archie...we can't have him doing that..."
"I didn't even know he could do that.."
"An earth mage has dominion over plants and animals," Regina spoke up. Baby Rum was sleeping in her arms, unmindful of everything. She had noticed that when her son was very tired, nothing woke him.
"Mommy, he sleeps like the dead," Roland joked. "You think maybe he's gonna be a Dracula or something?"
"No, honey. But he's a newborn and they sleep alot. He'll wake up if he's hungry or needs to be changed," his mother laughed.
"I can do it, Mommy!" Ellie offered.
"You can help me when he wakes up, okay?" Regina told her daughter, relieved that Ellie wasn't jealous of the baby. Actually she was glad her son did not seem startled by loud noises or voices, since there were so many children in her house it was never truly quiet except in the middle of the night.
"Hopefully this kid will be like that but I doubt it given its pedigree," Emma laughed.
"Yeah it's more likely to be wired and bouncing off the walls," Jeff snorted.
"It's all that caffeine you drink, Emma," Snow chastised her daughter.
Rumple's humming soon put his youngest son to sleep, and then Belle came out of the pool holding Val, who was yawning, while Bae had Victoria, who was sucking a fist, her eyelids drooping.
"Yeah, that's it shut your little eyes, babydoll," Bae crooned, wrapping her in a towel and then patting his sister on the back.
Usually what one triplet did, the others imitated, almost as if they were mindlinked, which Rumple believed might very well be the case.
"I'm ready to see Rome!" Emma stood up and brushed some dirt off her oversized tank top and shorts.
"I wanna get some gelato," the elder Bobby said, licking his lips. "I heard they have this one shop with fifty flavors . . .some of them only made on feast days."
"Better have chocolate or they're gonna feel the fury," muttered Becky.
"I heard that too," Kat said. "Maybe we can stop on the way back." She eyed Emma uneasily. "Umm . . .Emma, you might wanna get changed before we leave."
"Why? What's wrong with what I go on?"
"Nothing-if we were just gonna walk around," the small girl replied. "But the Vatican-well, it's like going to a really old fashioned Catholic church. And you don't . . .umm . . .wear shorts n' tank tops there because the priests . . .well they think it's disrespectful to show a lot of skin in God's house. Least that's what my Nonna always told us."
"Are you kidding me kid? This ain't the Dark Ages! People wear shorts to Church now! It's hotter than hell and I am not runnin around all covered up like you girls are."
"I could give you one of my gauzy shawls," Belle offered. "It's so light you barely know it's there."
"Emma, we don't want to be disrespectful...now change!" her mother said firmly.
Emma rolled her eyes. "I can't believe this! I'm being ordered around by my mother when I'm a grown woman!"
Bae gave her a commiserating glance. "Papa always says your kid's still your kid, no matter how old you are."
"That's right...and I can still turn you over my knee, Emma," her father said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Not while I'm preggers, Dad."
Bae smirked. "That's for sure. Or just tell him he has to catch you first."
It was with great reluctance that Emma finally went back into the house to change her clothes and moments later they were enroute to Rome, everyone excited for what adventures they would have.
They decided to start their tour at the Sistine Chapel.
"I wonder if the place looks like it did in Angels and Demons," Becky mused aloud.
"Well, they did film there, so I'd say some of it does," Kat said.
"I would love to see their archives...especially the books." Belle said softly.
"And the artwork is amazing," Bae whistled.
"Come on, hon, let's go see this place." Jeff took Emma's hand and Gracie carried Maggie but before they could enter the chapel they were stopped by the guards.
"What?"
"Signore, aspete . . ." one began, barring Jeff's way forward with an outstretched arm. "Hold it!" the guard said in English.
"What the heck's going on here? We didn't do anything, I swear...see..." Jeff turned out his pockets.
The guard shook his head. "I see you are wearing a hat into the chapel. It is not permitted, signore. This is the house of God."
"Are you serious? It's just a hat! Whaddya think I'm gonna do with it...rob the place?"
"Jeff!" Emma hissed. Robin was laughing behind them.
The guard frowned. "Signore . . .it would be like . . .not taking off your shoes in a Japanese house. It is the custom, si?"
"Ummm...I dunno..never been to Japan..."
"Jeff, take the hat off! I am NOT getting kicked out of the Vatican!"
"I can hold it for you until your tour is done," the guard offered. "It looks old."
"Yeah and you better take care of it too!"
"Jeff!" Emma shook her head. "You have to excuse my husband...he's slow..."
The guard's eyes twinkled. "This is-how you say-an heirloom? I will take very good care of it, signore. My word of honor." He took the hat reverently.
"Thanks." Jeff said and saluted him. Emma lowered her head.
Oh my God...we are going to get kicked out of here thanks to this moron I married. Calgon take me away!
"Enjoy, signore." the guard said. "You might want to stop and look at the robing room in the left wing. It has many hats from previous Popes displayed. Of all kinds."
"Could do that...come on gang...let's go."
"And no snide comments Hatter or I'll be using that hat to send you to the Bog of Eternal Stench," Emma threatened.
They filed past, the other guard giving Rumple, who had on a light linen Armani suit and Ferragamo tie with gold and blue gondolas, an approving nod as he walked by. "Bellissimo, signore."
"I completely agree, bellissimo, darling," Belle murmured.
"Gratzie," Rumple said, and he gave his cane a little flourish as he walked in.
"Daddy...why're all the people on the ceiling naked?" Jonny whispered to his father. His sister giggled beside him recalling asking him the same question when they visited Rome years ago.
"It's art, Jonny."
"Yeah but if this is a holy house...an they want us to be covered, why're the people up there naked?"
Before his father could answer, the toddler walked up to their tour guide. "Ummm I got a question...we're sposta be covered up an you got naked people on the ceiling. How come that's not bad?"
"Well . . . only some of the people in the pictures are . . .naked," the guide told the child, struggling not to burst out laughing. "You see-that panel there, Michaelangelo drew Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and back then they didn't have clothes because there was no shame in being naked before God. They were innocent and pure. But then . . .do you see the next panel, where Adam and Eve are holding fig leaves in front of them? Because after they ate the forbidden fruit of the tree, they learned to be ashamed of their bodies."
"Cause they were bad? How come them gettin married was bad? Mommy and Daddy are married an that's not bad...they don't wear fig leafs."
Archie facepalmed himself. Marie giggled.
"No, marriage is a sacred thing, but in the beginning, Adam and Eve were like the bambinos over there," she pointed to the twins. "Their bodies were nothing they felt they had to hide. But once they disobeyed God, they became ashamed and uncomfortable, so then they needed clothes, because they didn't want God or anyone to see that they were imperfect. And once Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, they needed clothes to protect them from the sun, wind, rain, and cold."
"But my daddy says nobody's perfect."
"All right Jonny, that's enough..." Marie pleaded.
"True, but in God's eyes we are all perfect. It's only people who say one is better than another. Now in the next panel you can see Noah building the ark . . .and all the animals waiting . . ."
The toddlers stared at the wall with interest. "Did they build it cause they wanted to save two of every kind from the flood an they could have babies?" Ellie asked. "That's what Mommy said."
"Yes, they did, because otherwise all the animals would have been drowned in the great flood," their tour guide answered. "Actually it wasn't just animals, but reptiles, birds, and insects too. The only creatures who didn't have to worry were the fish and sea creatures."
"Cause they can swim! Like mermaids!" Neal exclaimed.
"But they forgot the unicorns," Adriana pointed out. "And the dragons. Because the unicorns were playing and they were afraid the dragons would burn the Ark down."
"You mean they died?" Ellie asked sadly. "That's mean!"
"Then they shoulda been 'rrested for animal cruelty," Maggie added.
"No, they didn't die," Adriana said. "God sent them to another world through a portal."
Rumple almost passed out. "Adriana, dearie, remember we talked about real and make believe?"
"All those animals on a boat making babies...ummm...wouldn't it get crowded?"
Emma gaped at her daughter. "Margaret Eva Hatter!"
"I think some of 'em took longer than forty days to have a baby," Adriana said. "An elephant takes two years to have one. Aren'tcha glad you're not an elephant, Emma?"
"Oh my God yes! I wouldn't be able to handle it that long!"
"I'm glad I'm a boy," Neal put in. "We don't gotta worry about that part."
"I thank God for that everyday, kiddo," Bae chuckled.
"So do I," Andi retorted. "Because if men had babies we'd of died out after you had the first one!"
"Because they can be such babies, even when they're sick," Snow smirked at her husband.
"I am not!"
"Daddy, last time you caught a cold you told Mommy you were dying and had to stay home from work to get better," his son informed him.
"And expected ME to wait on him hand and foot...while pregnant I might add."
"They're never gonna let us in here again, Gina. Archie's kid gives them the third degree about nudity on the ceiling and now we're talking about men having babies," Robin groaned.
"Hey Daddy...didn'cha rob a church once?" Jason asked.
Robin gulped nervously. "It...it was an accident...I didn't know it was a church...usually they have some sign on the door..."
"I hope ya put it back. otherwise God's gonna send his angels to arrest ya," Maggie put in. "They're the God Squad."
"Ummm...no...I spent it..."
"You'd better make a donation then," the little girl advised. "Otherwise the judges in heaven are gonna throw the book at ya."
"Daddy took that gold cause we were broke an needed food...an why'd a church have gold anyway. They're supposed to take a vow of poorness or something, right?" Roland asked their guide.
"Umm . . .yes, that's true," the tour guide said, gaping at them.
"The judge ain't throwin' the book at him, Maggie," Adriana put in. "Not if he's got a good lawyer."
"There are no good lawyers," a boy spoke up. "They're all cheats who're goin' to hell."
"Tommy!" gasped his mother.
"Hey! My papa's a lawyer and he ain't goin' to hell!" Adriana glared at him. "He helped lotsa people and he throws crooks in jail like Keith who raped Barbara Allen!"
"Gaston's burnin in hell for what he did to my mommy!" Gisella snarled.
"Sella!" her parents exclaimed.
"Well he is."
"Adriana, dearie!" Rumple groaned.
"My mom says they oughta put all the lawyers in a pool and see who floats back up...the one who tells the biggest bullcrap," said another child and laughed. "Bet your dad would!"
"Say that again 'bout my papa and I'll rearrange your face!" Adriana growled. "Then we'll see how good you talk!"
"Adriana...not in here! This is a house of God!" Belle snapped.
"Well, they-" she pointed to the two other children. "ain't bein' very Godly, Mama! Jesus said "do unto others" an' they're bein' nasty!"
"Thomas Alan Monroe, you apologize this instant!" his mother snapped. "Please forgive him, sir. I've just gone through a divorce and his dad is very bitter . . ." she said to Rumple. "Is it true you got a rapist put away?"
"Two," Marie answered. Archie put his arm around her shoulders when he noticed her shiver slightly.
"It is, dearie," Rumple replied. "For life. I'm a prosecutor."
"Then I'd like to shake your hand," the woman said, holding her hand out.
Rumple shook it firmly. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Mr. Gold."
Belle beamed with pride. Even though he was no longer the Dark One, he certainly proved he was still a force to be reckoned with and his best demonstrations of it had been in court where he won justice for those he defended...Regina, her sister and Barbara Allen.
The woman nudged her son, "Thomas, what do you say?"
The boy looked at his feet and mumbled, "Sorry, Mr. Gold."
"You're forgiven, lad. Next time, don't jump to conclusions."
"Huh? What's a-conclusion?"
"He means don't listen to your father," his mother sighed.
Several other women were now giving Gold approving glances.
"Do you handle patent fraud? My boyfriend stole my computer program for a new video game."
"Are you taking new clients?"
"How much do you charge for a consultation?"
"Err . . ." Gold coughed, alarmed now as he was surrounded by several women.
"Ladies, he's on vacation," Belle informed them. "But here's his business card." She dug into her purse and handed out several of them.
Marie laughed beside her. "Wonder if they've seen his video.."
One of the women smirked when she approached him. "I've been wanting to meet the star of my favorite video."
"Excuse me?" Rumple stammered. Oh . . .my . . .GOD! he thought in horror.
"I knew I recognized you...without that little gold number..."
Rumple felt himself blush sharply. "Umm . . .that wasn't MY idea . . . my friends played a joke on me for my birthday . . . I can't believe you actually remember. . ."
"How could I forget...you sexy thing..."
Belle's hands longed to have her broom in them to teach this hussy a lesson.
"Ma'am . . .while I'm flattered . . .I'm also married with children." He gestured to his triplets and Adriana and Belle.
"So? I can still look. Not against the law."
"Look with your eyes, not with your hands," he said quietly. He could kill the Mad Crew right about now.
"Oh, fine!" she huffed and walked away.
"Is there a library here?" Belle asked their guide.
"Yes. The Vat is in the palace. It's a research library and is open to any who display certification for research on law, philosophy, theology, history, and science."
She was a grade school and middle school teacher and didn't think she had the qualifications to gain access.
"Is this for a course? Or would you like to just look around?"
"I would love to look around."
"You would have to make an appointment, as space is very limited. Since it's a manuscript library, only 200 scholars are permitted within the rooms at a time."
"That's so the manuscripts, some of which are hundreds of years old, don't become damaged by too many people handling them or breathing and oxygenizing the illuminations and artwork on some of the texts."
"Where can I make an appointment?"
"I can give you a pamphlet after the tour is over here. It will tell you everything you need to know."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
"You are most welcome," the tour guide beamed.
"The guide told me you have a collection of hats. May we see them?" asked Jeff.
"Now don't be rushing the poor woman along, Hatter!" Emma scolded.
"Daddy, don't try em on like you did at that other place an got kicked out," Maggie warned.
"Thanks, Mags!"
Now all eyes were on the portal jumper.
"I just tried a hat from a wax dummy on! "
"The hats in the wardrobe room are behind glass cases," the tour guide remarked.
"Do you have the robes too?" Belle inquired.
"Yes we have robes from several different Popes over the centuries."
"How bout the bad Borgia guy?" Jonny asked.
"Yes," she responded.
They were having a wonderful time touring the Vatican and as they were leaving the chapel the kids wanted a picture with the guards.
"We're allowed to do that aren't we?" Adriana asked her mother.
"Yes, if they don't mind."
Adriana walked up to one of them and imitating Puss In Boots from Shrek she gave them the sad kitty look. "Can we get our picture taken with you?"
The other children followed suit.
"Pleeeaaasse," they chorused.
Their parents shook their heads and laughed.
"Of course you may, bambinos."
The children were all smiles as they posed for their pictures with the guards while their parents took pictures with their phones. "Now what do you say to the nice men?" Belle asked them.
"Thank you!"
Their next stop was St. Peter's Basillica.
"Mama, is this where all the people come when they wanna see the new Pope?" Adriana asked.
"Yes, sweetie."
"You think we're gonna see him?"
"I don't know."
"On Sundays you could. We almost did but we didn't get here early enough, did we?" Archie asked his wife. Marie shook her head.
"I was a bit disappointed that we didn't because we heard he sometimes comes out and blesses the crowd."
Bae studied the statuary and artwork on the walls and ceilings in fascination, inspired to do some of his own once he got back to the villa. Artists paid homage to their own gods in their world but he'd never been inspired to recreate their likenesses on canvas as he was with the religious figures in this world. He was no Michaelangelo but every stroke of his brush or pencil was made from the heart and in his mind that was what made one truly an artist.
"I wanna go up on the roof!" Henry cried.
"Well I'm gonna be taking the elevator kid because that's too long of a walk for me and the baby," Emma insisted.
"You can go in the elevator. We're gonna walk." Jeff bragged.
Emma grinned at her husband. "You'll be whining halfway through and begging to come on the elevator with me."
"Maybe you should take the elevator Dad," Gracie spoke up.
Jeff frowned at his daughter. "Oh ye of little faith!"
"You guys can go to the roof. We're going to the treasury," Robin announced.
Rumple laughed. "Hands off the merchandise, dearie."
"Look, I may have robbed a church by accident once and I'm sure as hell not gonna do it again since I had some bad karma follow me for years afterwards!"
"Where would you like to go, Belle?" Rumple asked his wife.
She thought for a moment. "I'd like to see the tombs of the previous Popes."
"All right. Bae, are you and your friends going to be here or do you want to go with one of the other groups?"
"Ummm...Papa...I think we're gonna go into town if you don't mind. Bobby's been whining he wants some gelato."
"All right. But be back at the villa for supper," Rumple agreed.
"We will."
"Do you have money?"
"Yeah...but if you're handing out..." Bae joked and held out his hand.
"Gimme monnneyyyy!" Becky sang.
"Here. Now don't spend it all in one place." He handed them all several Euros.
Their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He'd given them at least a thousand dollars.
"Better hide that good mate or somebody's gonna try to steal it!" Ewan cautioned.
"We'll see you later, Papa," Bae called out as they were leaving.
"Be careful!" Belle warned.
"Dearie, they'll be fine. If I know one thing, I know our son has a good head on his shoulders," Rumple reassured her. "And they've survived worse than walking about a strange town."
"I know."
"Papa, the...the Popes aren't gonna pop put and scare us like those kids at that house we saw on Halloween, are they?"
"No, that was a pretend thing, Adriana. But this-this is real and no ghost will haunt you here. Dead is dead, dearie, and the Popes are in heaven now with Jesus." Gold explained. "All that's here are their remains, which are holy."
Belle took her daughter's hand and held it while they passed each tomb. "Papa, do you ever wish you woulda seen one of them?"
Belle smiled. "I know I would have loved to have met a few of them and would have asked them so many questions, especially St. Peter."
"Well, I might have . . .though I don't think they would've wanted to meet me," Rumple said softly, thinking of when he was cursed.
Adriana and her mother both scowled at him. "Why not? You're not bad, Papa and maybe they coulda helped you break your curse early!" Adriana argued.
"And I don't want to hear that talk again," Belle added.
"All right, perhaps I was wrong." Rumple conceded. "Sometimes I think if I had met you sooner, Belle, my curse would have been broken before Cora ever cast hers."
"Papa...I feel something in here...kinda like...peaceful. Do you feel it?"
Rumple cocked his head and listened, but not with his ears, with his heart and his magical senses.
Slowly, he nodded, as a feeling of extreme peace and goodwill flowed over him, such as he had never felt before, except perhaps as a baby long long ago in his mother's arms.
"Maybe that's them telling you they woulda wanted to meet you too," Adriana suggested.
His eyes narrowed, as his magical Sight caught a rainbowed aura surrounding the dead Popes caskets, all blue, gold, rose, and purple running in rivulets all over the gold cased caskets and spreading over the room. He put a hand to his eyes to shield them from the brilliance.
"Rumple, what is it?" Belle asked.
"Mama, they're blessing Papa!" Adriana cried excitedly.
"Belle . . . the light . . .the aura . . . it's everywhere in this room . . .I can feel it . . . like sunlight on me . . ." Rumple declared in hushed tones of awe and wonder. He held up a hand, which was bathed in rainbowed light that only a mage accustomed to Seeing into the astral would be able to distinguish.
Again the feeling of welcome and peace flowed over him, followed by a soothing wave of belonging.
Belle moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "There...you see...they've accepted you as you are, as you were...like I have."
Rumple put his head on her shoulder, squinting. "I . . .don't understand . . . I'm a white mage now but . . . the demon left his mark on me . . . yet they say . . . I belong . . ."
"They want to make you happy Papa. Let them," Adriana advised. "And maybe they'll talk to you..."
As if in a daze, Rumple walked forward and put his hands just above the casket and let the brilliant aura run over him again. This time he heard . . .words . . .or perhaps they were feelings . . .and he listened hard . . .
. . .what's important is not that you fall . . .but that you rise again stronger than before . . .out of darkness comes light . . .if your heart is filled with love . . .you shall know Grace . . .
"Mama...they're talking..." Adriana whispered.
it brought tears to Belle's eyes to see her husband so filled with joy, his confidence restored with the blessing of those closest to God and if they could believe in him, he could believe in himself.
. . .to forgive is divine . . .and if you repent all shall be forgiven . . .
"Even me?" Rumple hissed.
Yes . . .you love, therefore you are loved . . .
This time the aura flared like a star gone nova and for an instant a shadowy figure in robes and a miter appeared.
"Peace be upon you, Rumplestiltskin Gold."
Then it was gone, as if it had never been at all. But the overhwleming feeling of love lingered in the room, along with the aroma of fresh baked bread and fresh cut flowers.
"Papa, who was that? Was it St. Peter?"
"It was . . .one of the great ones . . .a messenger . . ." Rumple said, awed. "It wished me peace and love."
"Thank you," Belle whispered to St. Peter's tomb.
Rumple was smiling now. "Come, let's move on, dearies. Although, perhaps Gina needs to visit here as well."
"That's a wonderful idea!" Belle said. They encountered the Hoods when they came out.
"Rumple, you're...practically glowing..." Regina murmured. "Did you feel something in there?"
He nodded. "You need to go there, Gina. The whole room . . .it's filled with the most amazing aura . . .and a Light One visted me . . ."
"I don't know if he would visit me..."
"Honey, you won't know unless you try," Robin encouraged, knowing his wife often struggled with her own confidence issues because of her troubled past.
"Go. I didn't think so either . . ." Rumple urged. "The worst that can happen is nothing, dearie. But if a messenger came to me . . ."
"I'll try," she said softly and entered the vault, expecting that she would be unworthy of such a blessing.
Robin held her hand as they descended into the vault. "Do you feel anything honey?"
"Rumple was right. I DO feel...a presence here. Or it was here," she frowned.
Then she squinted as a rose gold aura was coming from the casket, almost like the sun rising. "Oh!" She bowed her head.
"See Rum...they're gonna bless Mommy!" Ellie cooed to her baby brother.
The baby began cooing and holding his hands out, as if he was trying to hold the motes of sparkling lights he could see with his magical Sight.
The aura spread around the room and a feeling of utter delight and peace stirred the air around them, like a caress it ruffled the heads of the children and their parents.
Regina raised her head, weeping softly. "Even after everything I've done...you think me worthy..."
"Because they see what we do, my queen," Robin murmured.
. . .to forgive is divine, and you are forgiven your sins, child . . .out of the shadows into the light . . .
"Never again will I surrender myself to darkness..." she vowed.
If the Evil Queen and the Dark One can be redeemed, so can others...if they have the desire to, she thought.
The redeemed are thrice blessed . . .God loves all his children . . .even those who stray . . .if they ask . . .
Once more there was a swift surge of energy, as if the light of a thousands suns was suddenly in the room.
Then a figure appeared against the dazzling brightness and laid a hand upon Regina's head. "Go with the grace of God, Regina Mills."
"Mommy...didja see that! Lookit Rum!" Ellie exclaimed.
"I didn't see anything," said Jason.
Regina crossed herself. "Thank you...thank you so much," she sobbed.
The baby was laughing, waving his arms excitedly, then suddenly he rose up out of his carrier, and hovered above it, babbling joyfully.
"Whoa! He flies like Superman!" Roland gasped.
"Rum...oh my...come down before you fall!" Regina cried and tried to reach for him.
"I've seen lots of things fly but I've never seen a baby fly...and now my baby flies!" Robin stared at his son in amazement.
The baby flew for a few moments more, his eyes sparkling with joy, then he slowly drifted down into his mother's arms, smiling.
"We're going to have to keep that under control, sweetheart. What other surprises are you going to have in store for me?"
Tired from his surfeit of magic and happiness, Rum yawned and rubbed his eyes. Then they closed and he was asleep, still smiling.
"That was so cool! We gotta tell Mister Rumple!" Ellie was practically jumping up and down by the time they emerged from the vault.
They met up with the others in the square. "Mister Rumple guess what...Rum can fly like Superman!" Ellie announced.
"Really, dearie? When did this happen?"
"In the vault...after...oh Rumple...you were right...they blessed me!" the former queen sobbed joyfully.
"I know. I can See it," Rumple said, and embraced her.
"That is so cool! Why's he sleepin? It wear him out?" Maggie asked.
"Yes, it would at this age," the elder magician said, gently peering at his slumbering namesake. "Oh yes . . .his gifts run to Air and Transformation . . . and Spirit...like my Adriana . . .he's an Empath."
"I thought so, especially since he bonded with Ellie so quickly."
"Uh-huh and I'm gonna take real good care of him til me and Jonny have lotsa kids," Ellie declared.
"Ummm...Ellie, we gotta get married first," Jonny pointed out.
"Can we get married when we's sixteen? Mommy said they did that in our old world."
"NO!" two sets of parents shouted.
Their yelling woke Rum, who was cranky, and howled angrily.
"Oh dearie dearie dear," Rumple shook his head. "C'mere, little sprite." He picked up the wailing infant from the carrier and walked away from the others, crooning softly in Gaelic to the upset baby.
Rum's howls faded as he promptly fell back to sleep, feeling the soothing aura of peace that still clung to his elder, sucking on a fist while Rumple patted his bottom.
"You'll wait until you're twenty-one and not before. Do I make myself clear, John Wayne Hopper?" Archie demanded of his son.
'Ummm...yeah..."
"That goes for you too, Ellie," Robin said to his daughter.
"Sorry Rum, didn't mean to wake you up. You forgive me, right?" Ellie asked her brother.
"We're lucky mine didn't wake up or we would've had utter mayhem on our hands," Belle said.
Rum sniffed and yawned, snuggling into Rumple's shoulder.
"That's for sure," Rumple agreed. "There now, sprite, go play in dreamland."
"M'getting hungry," Neal grumbled.
"My legs are killing me...this kid needs to pop soon," Emma groaned.
"Papa, can we get pizza?" Adriana begged.
"Yeah real Italian pizza!" Henry was nearly drooling at the thought.
"I see a pizzeria!" Grace cried and pointed.
"Daddy, that's the same one we ate at when we came here!" Gisella exclaimed.
"Oh, yes it is. I wonder if Paolo is still working there."
"C'mon, let's go!" Henry cried, dragging Emma across the street. "You can sit down there, Mom."
They all traipsed across the street to the pizzeria, Rumple still holding the sleeping baby Rum in his arms, for the child was so peaceful he hated to disturb him.
"Thank God I saved some room this morning..." David whispered to Snow. "Everything smells so good in here."
"You need to try their mozzerella sticks. They're fantastic and homemade..." Marie suggested.
"Yeah just don't be making gooey eyes at each other while eating them...Mommy and Daddy did that and some guy came up to us and told them to get a room," Gisella muttered while her parents blushed.
"And we're gonna need a LOT of pizza so I hope they got enough ovens!" Jeff laughed.
"And garlic bread," Henry reminded them.
"And lots of forks and knives," Gisella said. "Because that's how they eat pizza here."
"Huh? Why?" he brother asked her.
"Because the pizza's so thin and hot you'll burn your fingers trying to pick it up," she replied. "And that's just how they eat it here."
"We...I...had to learn that the hard way," added Marie. "My fingers were sore for hours afterwards."
"So where do you think my grandson and his cronies are?" Maurice asked his son in law.
"Probably eating gelato somewhere by the Spanish Steps," Rumple remarked.
"I'm having a wonderful time and I do appreciate you all inviting us," Penelope said, including Kyria.
"We're happy to have you with us," Belle said, smiling.
"The news from home is a bit better...but we still have a long way to go."
"Changes start small and grow slowly," Rumple added. He was cradling Rum in one arm and sipping some Pellegrino Italian soda with his other hand.
All of the babies stared at the food with interest. David was holding Pearl in his arms while the Gold triplets and Hopper twins were in their carriers and the staff had been kind enough to give them another small table to set them on so that the babies could see their family members and Roland, Jason and Neal, deciding to be a bit mischievous started teasing them while they ate.
"Betcha wish you could eat this, huh?" Roland asked. Valora and Victoria's eyes narrowed to slits. Little Bobby yawned. Neal took his time eating a piece of garlic bread while his sister glared at him.
"Keep it up Nealio and she'll find a way to get even," Emma warned.
"What's she gonna do...she's a baby."
Pearl dipped her fingers in the garlic sauce beside her father while he was holding her and threw some at Neal.
"Warned ya!" Emma snickered.
"Aww shuddup!" Neal whined while his mother wiped the sauce off his face and shirt with some napkins. Pearl wore a smirk of satisfaction as did the other babies. Belle, Regina and Snow took the triplets out of their carriers to give them the bottles they'd packed while Archie and Marie gave the twins theirs but all of them kept trying to grab at what was on the table. Maureen managed to get her hands on her father's slice of pizza and mashed sauce and cheese through her fingers then patted his cheek, splattering sauce and cheese all over him. Henry and Gracie laughed and snapped a picture. Not wanting too be outdone by his sister, AJ imitated her and splattered sauce and cheese all over his mother.
Bobby tried to grab at the bottle of beer sitting in front of Jeff. "Oh no, no sweetie. You can't have that!" Belle cried. Jeff and Emma started laughing.
"Kid knows where the good stuff is."
"Yes, well my son is not going to be drinkin'." Rumple said and moved the bottle away from the infant.
Valora reached one of Snow's cheese sticks and was about to put it in her mouth when she stopped her. "No, no honey…"
Regina was having an equally difficult time trying to keep Victoria from snatching one of her sticks of garlic bread. "I think these ones have inherited your love of food, Rumple."
"Uh-huh," Adriana agreed. "Valora and Victoria sometimes have to be in the kitchen with Papa n'me while we cook but Bobby not so much. He just wants to go outside."
"Cause he's like me an AJ," Jonny said.
After lunch they spent the rest of the afternoon touring the rest of the museums around the Vatican and Belle made an appointment to visit the library later on in the week. Angelo called Rumple and informed him that the Pulcinellos would sometimes go to St. Peter's square on Sunday for Mass and also to try to see the Pope. Everyone agreed that they would attend at least one Mass before they left Italy.
When they returned to the villa later on that evening Angelo had a grand feast waiting for them and was pleased to report that the Happy Army had been well behaved. Rumple kept checking his phone for messages from Bae. Bae's last update was from the cafe where they enjoyed the gelato and were going to try to find an art supply shop so that Bae could stock up on supplies.
Later on that evening they decided to visit one of the clubs and to their surprise no one carded them as they would have in one of the clubs in the States. The group claimed a table near the bar and ordered their drinks. After having one beer Becky stood up. "C'mon, I wanna dance!"
"Go on. We'll join ya in a bit," Ewan said. The boys stayed at the table having another drink while the girls got up and danced. A short time later two women approached the table and slid into the booth beside Bae and Ewan. "You are from America, si?"
"Ummm…yeah…" Bae answered.
"What is your name, caro?"
"Ummm…Baelfire.""
"And what is yours, caro?" the other woman asked Ewan.
"Ummm…Ewan…ahh…girls…ye...ye see we're not here alone…"
"Ohhhh that accent. You are from Scotland like Jamie in Outlander?"
"Ummmm…yeah…"
Bae began coughing nervously when he felt one of the girls put her hand on his leg under the table. "Ummmm…excuse me but…"
"Shite!" Ewan cried and jumped up. "Lassie what d'ye think ye're doin under there!"
"Is it true you wear nothing beneath kilts?"
"Never ye mind!"
Bobby spit out his beer. "Oh my God Ewan they're…."
"We know!" Bae cried. "Hey lady, watch where you're puttin the hands!"
"We can make your night a bit more interesting, caro," one of the women promised.
"Yeah well, we're not interested!"
"There a problem here?" a tall Italian man demanded as he approached the table. "You pay," he ordered the boys.
"Like hell!" Bae snarled and glared at him. "We came here to have a good time not get picked up by a bunch of hookers!"
The man grabbed his collar and pulled him up. Ewan grabbed a beer bottle off the table and smashed it against the side of the man's head. "Fury, Shad, Wraith! Let's get the hell outta here!" he yelled over at the girls.
The girls, seeing their boyfriends were in trouble sprung into action. Kat grabbed a hot pizza off one of the other tables and threw it at the man. It struck him in the face and stunned him long enough to drop Bae. Bobby punched him in the face and tackled him to the ground. One of the girls grabbed Becky by the hair and Andi tackled her to the ground while Kat held the other off with her cooking spoon.
"Think about coming any closer skank and you're gonna find I don't just use this for cooking!" she snarled in Italian.
The woman advanced toward her, her fingers curled into claws. Kat swung her spoon and smacked the woman's hand. She sank to her knees moaning in pain and cursed at Kat while the bouncers approached the table and hauled the women and their companion out. Several of the patrons filmed the incident on their phones.
"We've been having some trouble with that crew," one of them said.
"Yeah...well, we better get going," Bae said. The last thing they needed was having to spend another few hours in a police station having to defend themselves but fortunately a few of the patrons came to their defense and explained how the older man provoked the boys into the fight. They caught a taxi back to the villa.
Archie and Rumple were sitting in the living room reading books when they walked in. Rumple took in his son's dishevelled appearance and frowned.
"Baelfire Gold! What trouble did ye get into now?"
"Papa, please let us explain before you bite my head off," the teenager pleaded and he, Bobby and Ewan began to recount the incident at the bar with the girls adding the rest of the details. The sorcerer shook his head.
"I'll be putting stronger wards on ye next time," he sighed.
"So we're not in trouble?"
"I just don't want you getting in any more fights. This is a strange country and can be as dangerous as any other realm we encounter so I cannot beg you enough...please be more careful!"
"I will Papa. We all will."
"Go on to bed," Rumple murmured. The exhausted teenagers filed up the stairs and went to bed. Archie lowered the book he was reading and frowned at his brother-in-law.
"Trouble seems to find us anywhere we go, doesn't it?"
"It worries me more when our kids find it," Rumple said.
"I know. All we can do is try to protect them the best we can. Hopefully we won't have any more craziness on this vacation."
They could hope all they wanted but they were learning quickly that there were just as many if not more unexpected surprises outside their safe haven. It had been a day of divine blessings with a little bit of vice and they wondered what awaited them tomorrow.