14
Way Up High
David and Snow entered Delmonico's Steakhouse on 56 Beaver Street, having made reservations right after coming back from the Bronx Zoo. Neither of them had ever been anywhere so fancy, unless you counted The Enchanted Rose in Storybrooke, and though a very elegant place, it paled in comparison to the classy New York restaurant. This place oozed elegance and the patrons were clearly upper crust, a thing which shouldn't have bothered Snow and David at all, considering who they were back home.
As they emerged from the limo and walked up to the doors, a uniformed porter opened them and stood aside, saying, "Welcome to Delmonico's and we hope you enjoy your dinner."
Snow smiled at him, saying, "Thank you, I'm sure we will."
This restaurant was very old, the first of its kind in the city back in the 1800's, and still boasted the renowned cuisine and atmosphere that had made it famous. "Mr. and Mrs. Nolan?" said a waiter in tails with white gloves. "This way, please. Your table's been reserved over here. And there's a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon waiting for you as well."
"There is?" Snow stared at David. "Who ordered that?"
"Uh . . . I don't know," David said, puzzled. "Do you know?" he asked the waiter.
The waiter seated them before answering, pouring the champagne into two glasses. "As a matter of fact, the person who delivered this to you said to enjoy yourselves and his name was Mr. Gold, I believe."
Charming started laughing. "Good old Rumple! I should've known. Only he'd be crazy enough to spend over a hundred dollars on a bottle of champagne."
"That's how much this cost?" Snow gasped.
"Yeah, or so I've heard. You can Google it," David said, taking a sip. "God, this is like . . . ambrosia!"
Snow tasted her own, then said, "It is! Then again, it'd better be for that price!" She clinked her glass to her husband's. "To us . . . and a new beginning!"
"I'll drink to that," David said, grinning at his wife over the rim of his glass. "This is a beautiful place. I've got to remember to thank Rum for this. It's been too long since we've been able to go out alone this way."
"I know," Snow said, eating some of the delicious bread that was on a basket on the table. "Since Regina came into our lives, we've been too busy to think about anything else. But now . . . tonight we can relax . . . and enjoy each other." She gave him a sweet yet seductive smile.
He reached across the table and clasped her hand. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"
"You just did, Charming," she laughed. "What's in the white box in your pocket?"
"A surprise. You'll have to wait till dessert to open it," he said, giving her a roguish grin.
"David! It had better not be something . . . expensive. Like a tiara or something," she said, giggling.
"Now where would I get that?" he protested.
"Gold's shop," she said. "The man has one of everything in there, probably."
"I promise you, it's not jewelry," he said.
"I can't wait to see what it is," Snow cried, looking like an eager child on Christmas morning.
The server came back, and they ordered some appetizers and glasses of water. Snow had a plate of prosciutto wrapped melon with select Italian cheeses and David had a blue crab cake.
"Mmm!" Snow said, biting into her melon. "This is incredible! Here, try some." She put a piece on her husband's plate.
He returned the favor. "This is wonderful! Sweet and salty, just like you, darling."
Snow's cheeks pinkened. "I really want to know where you come up with this stuff."
"It just comes naturally, I guess," David returned, his eyes sparkling. "You said it yourself, Mary Margaret. I'm charming."
"And boy, was I right," she smirked, drinking some more champagne.
Charming flushed slightly. "But I'm not the one who can charm birds out of trees."
"No, but I'll bet you charmed every shepherd girl for miles around," Snow chuckled.
"Well, that was before I met you," David grinned. "After that, you were the only one I wanted to charm. And the only one that called to me. Even when you'd forgotten who I was."
"You know, David, I never really forgot you," Snow said, nibbling another piece of bread. "Rumple was right. The potion couldn't make me totally forget. Just for a while . . . like a patient with amnesia. And while my head might have forgotten, my heart never did."
"That's why I can always find you," he said tenderly. "Because our hearts always know."
"They do," she said, her eyes filled with love. There was another little matter she wished to discuss with him tonight, but it could wait.
"It's funny," David mused. "When I agreed to go on this vacation, I thought I was going to be bored to death . . . or driven crazy by Regina and her crazy antics. And while that last's true, sometimes, this vacation's been anything but boring, from the day I stepped off the plane."
"You can say that again!" Snow agreed. "But I've never had so much fun. I like being with our whole family. Don't you?"
Charming nodded. "I do. I've done things I've never thought I'd do, especially with Rumple."
"Like helping him with his hangover?"
"Yeah, but . . . I mean besides that. The guy's not quite the stiff I imagined him to be . . . and I actually enjoy being around him. And that's not something I ever thought I'd say. This vacation's done more than just given us an opportunity to see Manhattan. It's given us the opportunity to get closer with each other."
"I know what you mean. I've spent more time with Emma here than I've ever done before . . . and I love it. I also enjoy being with Belle. She's like the sister I never had, but always wanted. And I think Rumple's like your brother."
"You forget, I did have a brother . . . but I don't think I'd have gotten on half as well with James as I do with Rumple. I think I'd have smashed my twin's face in just on principle," David admitted. "And while I'll admit there have been times I've wanted to slug Rumple, there've been more times I've wanted to watch a football game with him or something. Not to mention Bae too."
"So you're happy that he's your son-in-law?"
"Yeah, I am. He's a good guy . . . and Emma loves him and he loves her. I'm glad she's happy now."
"So am I. She deserves to know the love we do," Snow said sincerely. "And I hope that Regina will too once she's old enough."
"Please, Snow! Let's just get through the terrible threes first!" Charming cried. "Never mind when she's old enough to date. I might just make her first boyfriend run a gauntlet before he can take her out . . . and get Rumple to help me."
"Oh, David! You're hilarious! And God help the poor guy . . . he might end up tied to a stake if you or Rumple have anything to say about it," Snow said, her dark eyes dancing. "I just hope our little troublemaker is behaving for her aunt and uncle."
"She probably is. If not, Rumple knows how to make her mind," Charming said. "I trust him to discipline her without breaking her spirit. And that's another thing I'd never thought I'd do . . . trust the former Dark One with my baby girl. But I know nothing will happen to her with him."
"Yes. He'd die before he'd let anything harm her," Snow said. "Belle too."
"Like I said, sweetheart, God help the guy who wants to date my daughter," Charming said. "Or Rumple's either. They may just end up as voodoo dolls in Gold's shop window."
"David, you're terrible!"
"Just saying," he returned, and then drank some more Dom Perignon.
Page~*~*~*~*~Break
Their dinners arrived, Charming had the famous Delmonico steak, a boneless rib eye prepared with a secret marinade and spices and cooked to juicy perfection. It was served with new potatoes and asparagus. Snow had the equally famous Lobster Newberg and a side of garlic mashed potatoes.
At the first bite, David swore he'd died and gone to paradise. Nothing he'd ever eaten had ever tasted so damn good! If he didn't know better, he'd have said the food was enchanted, because everything tasted incredible.
Snow was equally enraptured with her Lobster Newberg, it was so good, she said, she could have eaten the plate. "My God! I'm almost too full to have dessert," she groaned and pushed her plate away.
"I know, but I really want to try the Baked Alaska here. I've heard it's out of this world," Charming said. "This steak sure was." Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out the white box. "Here, darling. This is because you've always been so sweet to me . . . even when I didn't deserve it."
Snow took the slender white box and opened it. Inside were several white sugary spun snowflakes. "Oh, Charming! These are so amazing!"
"They're candied snowflakes made from spun sugar with dark chocolate centers," David said. "I made them specially for you at FAO Scweetz. I'm glad you like them."
"I love them!" Snow said. "They're almost too pretty to eat."
"Please, eat one. They're made to eat, not to stick on a shelf," David urged her.
Snow picked one up and nibbled on it. "Mmm! They melt in my mouth . . . just like the real thing!"
David leaned over and kissed her then, one quick kiss that nevertheless conveyed all the love within him. "You're right, Snow."
"Now order that Baked Alaska thing," his wife said. "I want to see what it's like."
So David did, and Snow also ordered a coffee. When the dessert arrived, Snow decided it was time to broach the other matter she had been considering.
"David . . . I've been thinking," she began.
"Should I be worried?" he asked mischievously, licking whipped cream from his fork.
"Terrified, mister," she poked him playfully with her foot under the table. "Because I've been thinking about having another baby."
He almost choked on his coffee. "What? But Snow, we have Regina to raise."
"I know, but don't you want another little one? Maybe a boy this time to carry on the family name?" Snow asked.
"Well, sure, but . . . not right now. I think Regina needs to be a little older. Like maybe four."
"Okay. So we'll wait a bit. But I do want to have more kids, Charming. I missed out on everything with Emma and some things as well with Regina, and I want to have a baby I can watch take their first steps and cut their first tooth and all that."
"I know what you mean," David said. "But right now, love, I think I've got all I can handle with Regina."
"She can really give you a run for your money, eh?" Snow snickered.
"She always did, even before she was deaged," Charming remarked. "I can't expect her to be that much different as a baby."
"But with love and kindness and firm discipline, she'll turn out to be much better than she did the first time around," Snow said. Then she ate another candied snowflake.
After they had paid with Gold's Black Amex, David decided to go for a walk with his wife before calling for the limo.
They strolled arm in arm down the street, enjoying the cloudless night with the moon a glimmering white lantern up above, and the city providing an interesting backdrop as they walked. They paused to look in all the shop windows and admire the crowds of posh people walking.
Snow's arm was warm in his, and David found himself longing for a quiet room where he could show his wife how much he adored her. Perhaps someday they'd spend the morning in bed while the rest of the family went to breakfast and he'd use their time alone wisely, he thought with a wicked grin.
Then he paused on the sidewalk and took Snow in his arms and kissed her senseless. Because all good princes should know how to kiss a girl breathless.
Snow melted into his embrace, kissing him back with a fire hotter than a summer bonfire. No man save David had ever made her feel so cherished, so loved, so passionate . . . and it made not one bit of difference that he had started life as a shepherd in a peasant's cottage rather than a palace. He was the love she had been searching for all her life, both as a princess and as a cursed schoolteacher, and now that they had found each other again, she would never let him go.
Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break
"Shh! Charming, we've got to be quiet!" Snow hissed as they opened the door to the suite. She kicked off her heels and clung to her husband's arm, giggling softly, feeling like a schoolgirl sneaking back into her house after a forbidden evening with her boyfriend. She knew it was ridiculous, but somehow it felt that way.
David shut the door behind them and whispered, "I'm trying, love." Then he grabbed her in his arms and kissed her again. They half-fell against the door, trying their best to smother their laughter.
"You're not trying very hard, are you, dearie?" Rumple queried from the couch where he'd been sleeping.
"Jesus Christ, Rumple!" David cried. "You almost made me jump out of my shoes!"
"You mean my shoes," the sorcerer smirked. "Or are you planning on keeping them?"
"No . . . but they are very comfortable," the prince chuckled.
"Gucci usually is," the former spinner said.
"Oh, Rumple! You scared me," Snow gasped, then she snickered. "For a minute there . . . I almost thought you were my father."
"Guilty conscience, dearie?" Rumple laughed.
"No, it's just . . . never mind," Snow smirked. "What are you doing on the couch? You and Belle have a fight?"
"No . . . we're camping out here because Regina fell asleep on me while watching the Lion King 2 and so did Belle and I." He indicated the still sleeping forms of his niece and his wife.
"We're sorry we woke you," Charming said apologetically.
"I'm a light sleeper, dearie, always have been. Did you have a good time?"
"Yeah, it was great . . . and thanks for the champagne," Snow grinned. "We loved it!"
"I can tell," Rumple said, amused.
"Well, g'night, Rumple, old pal," Charming yawned. Then he took Snow's arm and they walked into their bedroom, still giggling like a couple of teenagers, pausing on the threshold to kiss each other.
As they did so, Rumple slyly picked up his phone and took a picture. Snow and Charming, Goodnight Kiss. His eyes glinting mischievously, the sorcerer tucked his cell inside his pocket and closed his eyes.
Page~*~*~*~*~Break
The next morning, everyone was up bright and early, and wearing their hats, Hard Rock Café T-shirts, and jeans with sneakers. Even Rumple, who had put his cufflinks in his pocket just in case, was dressed casually this time. Once they had all eaten breakfast in the hotel dining room, they hopped on the subway again and headed for the Empire State Building.
Regina was like a whirlwind this morning, bouncing off the walls, and seemingly unable to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. She ran beneath the turnstyle at the subway station and Snow had to yell at her to wait as she came through it. David had to scold her twice for standing up on the seat beside him on the subway and Rumple had to snatch her up before she ran down the aisle as the car coasted to a stop and the doors opened. "Regina Nolan, you quit jumping all over like a jack-in-the-box and settle down, you hear me?" he ordered softly, accompanying the words with a Look. "Because if you run off and get lost here in midtown Manhattan, when I find you again, I'll take you across my knee right in front of all these people and spank you good."
"And so will I," David added. "So you better behave, young lady."
The little girl looked a bit sulky, but after that threat from both her father and uncle, stayed put, though she twitched her feet a little while holding onto the pole and David's hand.
Once they were off the subway, they had to walk a bit before they came to the famous landmark, and Regina grabbed Henry and Alina's hands and skipped with them down the sidewalk, singing, "We're off to see the wizard! The wonderful wizard of Oz!"
Laughing, the other two joined her in singing the familiar tune, creating a sweet amusing picture that Rumple took of them on his phone as they walked along. The Wizard Children of Oz.
But Regina's boundless energy wouldn't let her skip along sedately for more than five minutes, and she pulled free of the children's hands and raced back to where Gold was walking with Belle and grabbed his hand and yelled, "I see him! I see him! He's right here!"
"Hush, dearie," Rumple said, smiling down at the little imp. Ah, the joys of having a precocious and energetic child! "What was in that medicine you gave her, Belle?" he whispered softly to his wife. "It's like she drank ten cups of coffee."
"Nothing, Rumple!" his wife protested, smiling over at Regina, who was half-dragging the pawnbroker along.
"Take it easy, dearie. You want to pull my hand off?"
"Yup. And then you can put it back on!" Regina said. Abruptly deciding the pace was too slow, she released him and ran over to where Emma and Bae were walking and took their hands.
Just then they passed a storefront where they were playing loud music and showing some reruns of South Park on their big screen TV's. Suddenly the TV started screaming, "Kyle's mom is a big fat b*#!%, she's the biggest b*#!% in the whole wide world . . ."
Snow gasped as they went by. "What kind of song is that?"
"One that I don't want Regina hearing," Charming groaned. He glanced back to see where she was, and saw that Bae had picked her up and had his hands over her ears.
"Bae! Put me down!" Regina squirmed, wriggling like an eel on a hook. "I wanna walk!"
"Okay, minx, but you don't need to hear that song," he said, still holding her.
"Why?"
"Because it has a lot of bad words in it and you're not going to repeat them," he warned her.
"Or else I'll make you eat soap," Emma added.
"There ain't no soap here," the little scamp declared.
"I'll have Uncle Rumple conjure some up just for you," her sister said.
"Yeah, and he can conjure up soap like this," Bae informed her and snapped his fingers.
"How do you know that?" Regina asked.
"Cause when I was fourteen, I thought it would be okay to swear around him once, and I called someone a little F-bag and next thing I knew I was eating soap flakes. So don't do it, Regina," Bae warned.
Emma slanted a glance at him. "You really were a troublemaker, weren't you? Cussing out your father—"
Bae rolled his eyes. "Hold it! I never said I cussed him out, you think I'm dumb? I called an idiot who was shooting off his fat mouth at him that word and he was right there when I did it. I'll bet you weren't any angel either, Mrs. Gold. How many times did you get your mouth washed out?"
"Not telling," she smirked.
"Uh huh," he said smugly.
Regina wriggled in his arms again. "Bae! I wanna get down."
"Not here, kid. There's too many people," Bae said, continuing to hold her as they walked through the crowd that had suddenly sprang up, separating them from the rest of their family.
Regina squirmed again, whining, "I want to get down!" Her little foot poked Bae in the ribs.
"Stop it!" he ordered. "I told you, you can't get down now. You want to get lost?"
"I wanna go by Mommy!" Regina insisted, trying to get free. "Lemme down, Baelfire!" Her foot lashed out and she kicked him in the ribs.
"Oww!" he hissed, his eyes darkening. "You little brat! You just kicked me." Without really thinking about it, he gave her a firm spank on the bottom. "Now knock it off!"
Regina started to cry. "Oww! You spanked me! You're mean, Bae!"
He sighed. "You kicked me, so you deserved it." Then he tucked her under his arm, ignoring her sobs.
"Emma!" Regina bawled. "Bae's being mean to me!"
Emma frowned at her. "You're not getting any sympathy from me, kid. You were being mean to him when you kicked him. Now say you're sorry."
Regina shook her head stubbornly. Then she commenced bawling.
Bae just gritted his teeth. "Someone's behaving like a naughty little brat," he said. "And if that somebody doesn't quit it, she's gonna go to bed early once we get back to the hotel. That what you want, miss?"
"No-o-o! No-o, Bae!"
"Then quit screaming like I skinned you. Okay?"
"Little drama queen," Emma muttered.
"I sorry!" Regina sniffled, gulping air like a drowning person.
Bae tucked her against his hip, making sure she couldn't get down, and he and Emma forged through the crowd and finally made it out and over to where the rest of the family was waiting, bunched together on the sidewalk.
"Is everyone here?" Snow called, counting heads. Then she caught sight of Regina's tear streaked face and said, "What's the matter, honey?"
Regina held out her arms to her, and Bae handed the little imp over. "Mommy, Bae spanked me."
"You did?" Snow stared at her son-in-law. "Why?"
"She kicked me and tried to get down when I told her she needed to let me carry her because there were too many people," Bae defended. "So I gave her a swat. That was all, Snow."
"You kicked Bae, young lady?" Snow frowned.
Regina buried her face in Snow's shoulder. "Uh huh."
"That's very naughty. You don't kick anyone in this family. I'm very disappointed in you," she scolded. "Now tell Bae you're sorry."
"She already did that," he said.
"Regina," Snow prompted.
"Sorry," she hiccupped.
"Okay. I forgive you," he said.
"Mommy, I wanna walk," Regina said then, after Snow had wiped her face with a tissue.
"All right, but you hold onto my hand," her mother agreed. Then she let her daughter down and Regina actually walked quietly next to her. Snow shook her head. Sometimes she didn't know what possessed the little girl. One minute she was being a royal brat and the next she was sweet as pie. It baffled her.
David glanced at his wife and small daughter and said softly out of the corner of his mouth, "Maybe we ought to have her take a nap when we get back to the room."
Snow nodded. Perhaps all the excitement was too much for the child.
They reached the Empire State Building and went on the line for people who had already purchased tickets, which was much shorter than the one for those who still had to get some.
Henry gazed up at the huge building, some 1500 feet tall, and said, "Are we gonna take the stairs or the elevator?"
"I'd take the elevator up and the stairs down," Alina said. "It sure is huge."
"I heard if you spit off the top of it, you could kill somebody," Henry remarked. "It said so on Google."
"That's gross," Alina made a face. "I can't believe we're gonna be inside the building that was in Sleepless in Seattle."
"And An Affair to Remember with Debra Kerr and Cary Grant," Belle said. "That's one of Alice's favorite movies. She made me watch it two times before we left."
"I wonder what color the Empire State Building is at night?" Alina mused. "It changes colors, you know."
"Red, white, and blue, probably, for Fourth of July," her nephew speculated. He peered up the side of the building. "I almost feel like we should see King Kong."
Rumple took out his phone and took several shots of the building with Henry, Alina, and Belle standing in front of it.
Finally, they were inside and staring around at the lobby, which had been restored to its former 1930's glory, with its glittering chandelier and marble tiles and the gift shop. There were lines for the elevator and more lines of people wending their way up the stairs, trying to get to the famous Observatories on the 86th and 102nd floor.
"What's faster?" Henry wondered. "I bet I could race you to the top, Dad."
"In your dreams, tiger," his father snorted. "You know how many stairs there are in here?"
"Um . . . no, but I can Google it on your phone," Henry replied.
"I think we should all stick together going up," Emma said. "You can race your dad and me going down, Henry."
"Okay. Alina, let's pick an elevator," he said.
They got on line to go up the elevator on the west side, and after five minutes the whole family got on and was riding up to the 8oth floor, which had an exhibit that chronicled the history of the building and had over 3,500 photos of the construction and people who built it.
After taking about half an hour to see the exhibit, the Golds got back on the elevator and went up to the 86th floor where the observatory was.
Belle looked about uneasily, and clutched Rumple's arm. "I hope this elevator doesn't get stuck or something," she murmured worriedly. She had her claustrophobia under tight control thanks to sessions with Archie, but the elevator was testing her control a bit.
"I'm sure it's fine, dearie," Rumple said soothingly, patting her arm. "Why don't you do some of your calming breathing?"
"Okay," Belle said, and started to do her exercises. She kept her hand on Rumple's arm as she did so, concentrating on slowing her breathing and relaxing while looking at her husband's hands, which were so elegant and could excite her with the merest brush of skin on skin, conjure wonders with the simplest gesture, and hold her with infinite tenderness. She pressed against him while breathing in and out, and he placed his arm around her, lending her his strength and soothing the old terror back to sleep.
She knew that many saw her as the source of Rumple's strength, but what they didn't realize was that he was her strength as well, that during the months following her episode in the pantry, he had been her rock, always there when she needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to hold her in the dark of the night. And when she had first tried to walk into her own pantry and become too terrified to move, he had come and talked her through the suffocating fear, not by telling her to be brave, but by whispering that she wasn't alone. I'm here for you, Belle. Right here, and I will never leave you. Whenever you need me, just call me and I'll be here.
His mere presence had helped her banish the fear to a secret place within her, a place only she and he knew, and as she leaned against him now, she used his closeness as a brand to light her way through the suffocating darkness in her memory. She had even developed a kind of mantra that she recited now as she went through her exercises. Shining Gold, oh so bright, lights my way through darkest night. Shadows flee, for he is with me, always there, with him I shall not know despair.
She had just succeeded in calming her racing heart and relaxing somewhat against Rumple when the elevator shuddered and stopped. Belle opened her eyes and asked softly, "Are we there?"
"I don't think so, dearie. The doors haven't opened," Rumple replied, frowning. This was strange. Whenever the elevator had stopped before, the doors had opened.
"But the elevator's stopped, Papa," Alina remarked.
Henry looked up at the panel where the floors were displayed and said, "There's no floor lit up."
"What do you mean?" asked Charming.
"On the little screen there. Usually when we're stopped on a floor, there's a number. But this time there isn't," Henry murmured.
"Uh oh. That doesn't sound good," Snow said, hugging Regina.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Emma groaned.
"Don't say it, babe," Bae squeezed her shoulder. "You might jinx us."
"Mommy, when can we get off?" Regina asked.
"In a little bit, sweetie. We just have to wait until the doors open," Snow told her, trying to sound cheerful despite her uneasiness.
"When's that going to be?" Belle wondered nervously. Her hand suddenly clenched onto Rumple's arm.
He automatically rubbed her shoulder with his hand, whispering, "Easy, love. I'm sure this is a temporary thing. It just got stuck."
"Stuck?" Belle whimpered, feeling her heart speed up.
"I'm sure it'll get fixed soon," Bae said calmly, knowing of his stepmother's claustrophobia and trying to alleviate it by remaining cool and collected.
Charming leaned against the wall and said, "In the meantime we can relax and uh . . . enjoy the view."
"What view?" Snow asked.
"The view we're going to see," he replied. "We'll be up higher than the birds, Snow. In something that doesn't move like a plane."
Minutes passed and still the elevator remained still and the doors did not open.
"Maybe we need to push the red button," Henry suggested, pointing to the red emergency button on the panel.
"I'm sure they know the elevator's stuck," sighed Emma.
Belle shut her eyes, and started breathing slowly, reciting her mantra over and over while her fingers dug into her husband's arm.
Rumple flinched slightly, but otherwise said nothing of the pain he was enduring, for he knew Belle was fighting the terror within her with everything she had, and he kept rubbing his fingers up and down her back, trying wordlessly to soother her. "It'll be okay, dearie."
Belle breathed in and out, counting silently in her head. Shining Gold, oh so bright . . . please let me get through this . . . lights my way through darkest night . . . one, two, three, four . . .
Alina was tired of standing, so she went and sat on the floor after ten minutes. "Maybe we should call 911 or something."
"Push the red button," Henry said again.
"Okay," Emma agreed, then she did so.
Nothing happened.
Snow groaned.
Regina tugged on her sleeve. "Mommy . . . I gotta go potty."
"Aww, no!" David sighed. "Regina, can you hold it?"
"David, she's three," Snow reminded him. "Baby, hang on. We're gonna get off soon."
Regina whimpered, crossing her legs. "Mommy . . . I gotta go!"
Charming looked at Rumplestiltskin. "Rumple, buddy, any chance you can magic us out of here?"
Rumple huffed softly. "There's a problem with that, dearie. My transport spell can only transport me and one other person at a time. I could take Regina with me . . . if I knew where I was going. But I can't transport myself blind, David. I need to see my destination . . . otherwise I could end up in a wall or trapped in a floor. Not a nice way to die. It's too risky."
"Great! Just great!" Emma moaned. She could see it now. They were going to be stuck in the elevator with a toddler who wet herself and a pregnant woman having a nervous breakdown. Definitely not on her top ten moments to remember.
"Okay, I'm calling 911," David declared, and pulled out his phone and dialed. A few seconds passed and he swore softly. "Dammit! My cell service isn't working."
"Let me try mine," Bae said.
"Me too," said Snow.
But all their phones said the same thing—unable to connect.
Belle sucked in a breath. Then another. Shadows flee, for he is with me . . . oh, God, don't let me lose it . . . please . . . keep it together, Belle, you can do it . . .
"Don't think about being in here," Gold said evenly. "Think about being outside, where the sun is shining, and you can breathe the fresh air."
"Mommy . . .!" Regina wailed frantically.
"Baby, try not to think about it," Snow said, feeling utterly wretched and unable to help her poor child.
"We have to do something," Alina said, standing up.
"If you've got a bright idea, Alina, now's the time to share it," Gold said, a little snippily.
"Papa, do you still have your communication crystal from Aunt Rhea?" his daughter asked.
"Yes . . . but not here. I have it in my suitcase," Rumple sighed.
"I can get it, Grandpa!" Henry said, and then he concentrated hard.
Suddenly, the oblong crystal pendant appeared in his hands. "Here!" he shoved it at Gold. "Now you can call Aunt Rhea for help."
"How can that possibly help us, Henry?" Gold wanted to know. "She isn't even in this world."
"She's a Seer," Henry reminded.
"And she can See for you, Papa!" Alina cried, catching on to what Henry was getting at. "Not the future, but the present. She can See your destination for you so you can transport out of here with Regina."
"It's worth a shot, Papa," Bae persuaded. "Otherwise we're going to have a hell of a mess in here in about five minutes," he said, glancing at poor Regina.
"Okay, I'll try and contact her," Rumple agreed, taking the pendant and placing it about his neck. He touched it and called silently, Rhea? Rhea, can you hear me? It's Rumple.
He felt the crystal warm beneath his fingers and then it began to glow with a striking blue light. Abruptly, he was seeing the deck of a ship, and not the four walls of the elevator he was trapped in. Rhea? Can you hear me?
Rumple? Where are you? Rhea's voice came to him, clear as if she were standing right next to him.
Rhea, I'm trapped in an elevator in the Empire State Building in Manhattan and I need to get out of here, Rumple thought. Do you see what I'm talking about?
He felt an odd sort of disorientation for a moment, as his sister Looked through his eyes for a brief instant.
Yes, Rumple. I can See you.
Can you See a place where I can transport to? I need to take my little niece to a bathroom before she . . . uh . . .has an accident. You know . . . Regina . . .
Gods, yes! Wait a moment, while I take a look around, Rumple.
The crystal flickered and Charming asked, "Did you get through to her?"
"Yes. She's Looking for a place," Rumple said.
A few moments later, he felt the crystal warm again. Rumple, here's where you need to go . . . Look through my eyes, old dragon . . .
An instant later, he saw a large lobby with several people hurrying to and fro, and then he saw a small alcove with a sign on it that read Family Restroom. I see it! Thanks so much, Rhea!
Anytime, big brother! You need anything else, call me. Talk to you later.
Gold released the crystal and said, "Okay, I've got it. Belle, hang on. I'll be back for you, promise." He pulled out his cufflinks and clicked them together.
"Don't worry about me, Rumple. Take Regina," his wife said, releasing his arm.
Charming went and grabbed up Regina and handed her to Rumple. "Regina, Uncle Rumple's gonna take you potty, okay?"
Rumple wrapped his arms about the child and concentrated hard, vanishing an instant later in a puff of purple smoke.
He reappeared outside the restroom and shoved the door open.
"Okay, sweetie, we're here," he said, darting inside.
"Unca Rumple!" Regina sobbed. "I gotta go bad!"
"I know," he muttered. "Okay." He gestured, removing her jeans and underwear. "Hold on, don't pee on me," he said, and put her on the toilet.
Just in time, he thought in relief, and turned his back to give her some privacy.
"I'm all done!" she announced a few moments later.
"Okay, let's get you dressed," he said, and flicked his wrist and her jeans and underwear were put back on.
After washing her hands, he knelt down next to her and said, "Regina, I need you to stay here while I go and get Auntie Belle out of the elevator. I'm going to lock the door and you just wait in here till I get back, okay?"
"You want me to stay here . . . all alone?" she asked, looking alarmed.
"It's just for a bit, sweetie. I can't take you with me, the magic won't let me and I need to get Auntie Belle," he patted her back and hugged her. "Now, can you be my brave girl and wait here?"
Her arms twined about his neck. "'Kay, Unca Rumple. Don't be long."
"I won't," he kissed her forehead and then he locked the door and transported away.
He reappeared back inside the elevator. Everything was unchanged.
"Rumple . . . how's Regina?" Charming queried.
"She's okay. I left her locked inside the restroom," he replied. "Belle, let's go." He embraced his wife, clicked his cufflinks, and teleported away again, reappearing back inside the restroom.
"Auntie Belle!" Regina cried, running to her.
"Hi, sweetie!" Belle said, picking her up. "Rumple, go and get the others, if you can."
"I can, dearie," he assured her.
It took him several more trips, but eventually all of the family was transported out of the elevator and into the restroom.
After he'd come back with David, who insisted on being the last one off, Rumple sagged against the wall for a moment, feeling a sudden exhaustion.
"Hey, you all right?" asked David.
"Yes. I just need a minute. I haven't done that many transport spells in awhile," Gold said.
"Rumple, do you need anything? Food? Something to drink?" asked Belle, concerned.
He closed his eyes and did a few breathing exercises.
Not liking how pale his grandfather had become, Henry whispered something to Alina and Emma.
Suddenly, the three apprentices linked hands, and then Emma reached out a hand to Rumple, and Alina did the same on the other side.
"What . . . are you doing?" Rumple asked wearily.
"Helping you, Papa," Alina said, then she concentrated, as did her fellow students, and suddenly they all began to glow with green light, as Emma used her talent of enhancement to strengthen Alina's healing spell and Henry gave her some of his magic also. Green magic flowed into Rumple as his apprentices gave him some of their own Power, which acted like a Restorative Cordial, relieving the exhaustion he was feeling.
Rumple lifted his head. "You didn't have to do that."
"Yeah, we did," Emma said. "You saved our asses, now we do the same to you. Family helps family."
"Thanks," Gold said, and gave her a smile.
"Don't mention it," Emma said. "Okay, now let's see what this observation deck is all about, shall we?"
They all filed out of the bathroom.
Most of the people were too busy looking out of the round observation deck to pay attention, but a teenage girl and her friends were staring as all the Golds walked out and one said, "Tricia, what the hell is going on in that bathroom? There's like ten people in there!"
Her friend shrugged. "Maybe they all had to go at once?"
"All together? Girl, that is one screwed up family!"
Page~*~*~*~*~Break
"Wow! We can see the whole world from up here!" cried Henry as he peered over the top of the railing at the skyline of Manhattan.
"Look at the people! They look like ants!" Alina said, pointing.
"It's like seeing a city in miniature," Snow said.
"Like one of those scale models," said Bae.
"Or like we were giants," Charming said.
"It's breathtaking," Belle remarked, hugging Rumple.
"You can say that again, dearie," he smiled at her.
Emma and Regina gazed out at the spectacular view and Emma looked at her little sister and said, "What do you think, Regina?"
"It's like wicked cool, Emma!" the little girl said. "Look, a bird!"
"Yeah, that's a pigeon," her sister said. A second later she cried, "Aww . . . crap!"
"Eeww! Emma . . . that birdie pooped on you!" Regina cried.
"Figures," her sister grumbled, fumbling in her purse for some tissues to wipe off her forehead. "Birds are our friends, my ass!"
"Ooo, you said a bad word! I'm telling Mommy!"
"Shush, kid! Before I tell you the tale of a fateful trip," Emma warned.
Just then she heard the familiar click of a cell phone camera.
"Bae! I'm gonna kill you!" she shook a fist at her husband, who was smirking.
"But you looked so cute, hon. Like some nature goddess!"
"Nature goddess! That's it, buster! You're sleeping on the couch!" Emma snapped.
"Why?" asked Regina innocently. "Does he steal your pillow, Emma?"
"Yeah . . . and my blankets," her sister said, then she cracked up.
"You're such a liar," Bae protested. "At least I don't beat people up in my sleep."
"You drool though."
"I do not!"
"Guys, you'd better knock it off!" Regina ordered. "Or else I'm telling!"
"Who you gonna tell, imp?" Bae asked, snickering.
"I is telling Unca Rumple," she declared, crossing her arms over her chest. "And he'll make you stand in the corner and go to bed early."
"Oh, boy, Emma. Guess we better behave," Bae said, his lips twitching.
"Yeah, you better."
Emma looked at her husband and started laughing. "What for? Going to bed early sounds good to me."
Regina gaped at her. "You is crazy!"
Emma just laughed harder. "Never mind, squirt."
A/N: Hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am! Thanks everyone for R & Ring!