23

Faith, Trust, and a Little Pixie Dust

Finally, it was time to bid farewell to the Big Apple and fly back home to Storybrooke. It had been an awesome vacation, one the Golds would never forget, but now it was time to leave, much to their regret. So they packed up everything early Thursday morning, and after making sure everything was in the limo, returned to JFK to board the plane back.

They had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast at the airport, and Regina was wired from eating a chocolate frosted donut and drinking her pint of chocolate milk. She was twirling and jumping, wearing her fairy costume, and singing, "Rockin' robin! Tweet tweet! He rocks in the treetops all day long! Rockin' and a boppin' and a singin' this song . . . tweet tweet!"

"Who taught her that one?" Rumple asked David while they waited to board.

"Snow, of course. Anything to do with birds is her influence," David said, eyeing his three-year-old resignedly. "Maybe I ought to give her one of these," he shook the bottle of meds in his pocket pointedly.

Rumple chuckled evilly. "I think there's a law somewhere that says drugging your hyperactive toddler is a federal offense."

"I'm sure whoever wrote that never had to deal with Regina," David groaned.

Regina was now waving her fake wand and singing another old but goody, "Bye Bye Blackbird". Other people sitting around them were saying how adorable she was, and Snow was beaming.

David whispered to Rumple, "Isn't there something you can do . . . magically, buddy? Maybe stick her to her chair when we get on the plane?"

Rumple shook his head. "Sorry." He tapped his cufflinks together. "I used the last of my magic this morning to make sure Belle wasn't puking her guts out on the flight home."

David stared. "You mean . . . you're magicless?"

"Just till we get home to Storybrooke," Rumple sighed. "And since the flight's only an hour and a half, I figure I can sleep through it, and then it's only fifteen minutes from Logan to Storybrooke. Fighting that miserable warlock slammed my reserves, but oh well. Que sera sera." He shrugged.

"You're rather . . . calm about that," David observed.

"Like I said, nothing I can do," Rumple answered. "Besides, I lived twenty-eight years without my powers, I think I can last a whole two hours without going crazy."

Just then they called first class and any families with small children or disabled persons. Because he'd come there with his cane, Gold had it now, and faked having his limp back as they boarded. They were seated almost exactly as they had been before, though Belle, Regina, and Snow were together in the same row this time while Alina was next to Emma and Henry had the window seat next to Bae. Gold and David were together across from them.

David, who'd taken the tranquilizer pill just before they were called to board the aircraft, put on his seatbelt and closed his eyes, relaxing due to the pill, unlike last time, when he was a wreck and scared to death the plane would crash.

Beside him, Rumple stowed his cane in the overhead compartment, took the book Belle had bought for him out of his carryon, and settled down in his seat to read until he dozed off.

They went through the standard emergency procedures, then the pilot said it would be fair weather back to Massachusetts and to have a good flight.

"Thank God, let's get this show on the road," Emma said, and closed her eyes as well.

The plane took off, soaring up into the sky like a metal winged bird.

Snow and Belle happily looked out the window as it did so.

Regina held Sofia in her arms and was rocking her back and forth, singing "Kumbayaa." She was still wearing her fairy dress and had her wand, but Snow had gently detached her wings and put them in the overhead bin just till they got back to Logan airport.

This time when the flight attendant came by with the drink cart, Rumple only ordered a ginger ale, and one for David too, who was somewhere in lala land at the moment. The sorcerer glanced at the prince next to him and saw that David's eyes were semi-glazed and half-shut, he looked very Zen and cool as a cucumber. Considering that a blessing from how he'd been last time, Rumple put his seat back and began to read.

About five minutes into the flight, they hit turbulence. The Fasten Seatbelt sign came on and the flight attendants announced that everyone should return to their seats and buckle up, as it was starting to get very bumpy.

The plane rattled and jounced along for several minutes and Rumple scowled and wondered how the hell they could miscall weather like that, it was ridiculous. After the ginger ale on his tray table almost spilled into his lap, he drank it and David's and shoved their tray tables back upright.

David was smiling a little goofily as the plane shuddered and bucked.

"You okay?" Rumple asked cautiously.

"Huh?" he blinked blearily at his seatmate. "Oh . . . fine, Rumple. I feel so . . . relaxed. Like I'm floating in the sky . . . all happy."

"Then you don't notice this plane's bucking like a damn bronco," Rumple asked, gritting his teeth.

"It is? You know, I thought I felt a bounce or two . . . but then I figured we hit some clouds . . . and was there a voice talking before . . . it sounded rather urgent but . . . frankly, dearie, I don't give a damn," David drawled.

"That was the pilot, telling us we're in for an unexpected spot of bad weather," Rumple said, clutching the seat rest. "Apparently a storm's blown up out of nowhere, wasn't on any of the radar . . ." Suddenly he stiffened, feeling the unmistakable tingle of a magical spell being cast. He looked back at his family, but none of them were casting anything, just sitting in their seats looking slightly fearful and trying to relax. No, this was not coming from inside the plane, Gold realized a second later. This was coming from beyond it. "Ah, hell! I should have known!" he growled.

"Known what?" David muttered, his eyes still unfocused.

"Known that goon Fabrizio would find a loophole around my deal and try and get us back for my kicking his ass," Rumple groaned.

"But . . . but didn't he make you a deal to leave you alone?" David asked, scratching his head.

"He made me a deal to let us all leave Little Italy safely and that he owes me a favor. But he never . . . dammit!" Gold swore as the plane bounced hard. " . . . he never promised I'd be safe from someone else in his family . . . like another magician . . . trying to revenge himself on us . . . This is not a natural storm, David. Some blasted warlock's tampering with the weather!"

"Uh . . . is that bad?"

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Nolan, snap out of it! Of course it's bad! We could crash!"

As the plane bucked again, the captain's voice came on. "Folks, I'm afraid we're in for a rough patch of unexpected weather here. I don't know how much longer this will last, and am trying to get above it, so just sit tight and relax. I'm sure this will be over soon."

"Translation—you don't know what the hell you're dealing with, but you can't say that to a plane full of people who might panic," Rumple muttered. He gripped his seat rest in white knuckled fingers while rain lashed the windows and wind tugged at the plane's wings, threatening to yank it out of the sky. "Damn you, you Frizzy-Ho!" Rumple swore, his stomach nearly coming out of his throat as the plane did a sudden yaw to the right.

People behind them were whimpering and crying in fear, even as the flight attendants sought to keep them calm.

Rumple had never felt so helpless before . . . except maybe when the soldiers had come to take Bae away to fight. But this was somehow worse . . . because it was more lives at stake, all of his family now . . . and he was without his magic to protect them. "The Lord is my shepherd . . . I shall not want . . . he maketh me to lie down in green pastures . . ." he prayed softly.

Across from him, Regina piped up and asked Snow, "Mommy, is this a 'mergency? Is the plane crashing?"

"No, honey, of course not!" Snow reassured her, trying not to show how concerned she was. "If it were, we'd all be wearing our masks and life vests, remember? Like that nice lady told us when we got on. But we're not, sweetie, so we're fine. The plane is not crashing."

So you hope, Rumple thought balefully. He prayed some more, asking whoever was around to guide the pilot through this conjured storm safely, or failing that, let somebody figure a way to get them all off the plane before it broke apart. He glanced again at David, who was muttering to himself, and thought why the hell didn't I get me some of that? Great! Now he's talking to himself. But maybe those voices in his head are a good thing.

Regina looked at Snow and Belle, both of whom were struggling to remain calm, and said in an aggrieved tone, "Aww . .. but I wanted it to be a 'mergency, Mommy! So's we could get those wicked masks like Darth Vader," she breathed loudly in an imitation of the dark icon, " . . . and wear the orange jackets like on Rescue 911. It woulda been soo cool!"

"Great, she thinks the plane crashing would have been cool," Rumple said out of the corner of his mouth to David. He was starting to sweat.

David blinked and said calmly, "It wouldn't have been so bad."

"What do you mean, it wouldn't have been so bad? I have no more magic stored up, or have you forgotten? We could all die!" snapped Rumple.

"Nah. I had Snow bring along a vial of fairy dust. Just in case," he replied, giving Rumple a beatific grin.

Rumple glared at him. "Oh, now he tells me. Thanks a lot!"

"What? You didn't ask me."

"I have to ask that?" the sorcerer rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Uh . . . yeah."

Rumple threw up his hands. "Forget it Nolan! You're hopeless, you know that?"

"What bug crawled up his ass and died?" David asked of no one in particular.

"Talking to yourself again, dearie?" Rumple said snidely, his fear getting the better of him. "Next time we go anywhere on a plane, I'm banging my head into a wall first."

"Why would you want to do that? You could hurt yourself!" David gasped, looking horrified.

"Because being brain damaged is the only way I can deal with certain family members," Rumple said snarkily.

"What family members?"

"Never mind, David. Just go back to staring at the ceiling and listening to the voices in your head. They've got something important to tell you."

"They do?" David sounded very loopy, as the tranquilizer had some very weird effects on him. "Y' mean, you hear them too, Rumple?"

Rumple sighed heavily. "God help me! Another ten minutes of this and the men in the white coats are coming to take me away."

"Where? Where are they taking you, Rumple?" David cried, sounding slightly alarmed.

"To the funny farm. Where life is beautiful all the time," he laughed nervously, that high pitched giggle he used to make as the Dark One for pure amusement and to sound crazier than he was.

"I've never heard of that place." David said, sounding puzzled.

"Just ask Belle. On second thought, forget I ever said that! Ask Archie," Rumple quickly corrected himself, wanting to bang his head into the bulkhead.

"Okay. I will," said David. Then he nudged Rumple. "Didja ask Snow about the dust?"

Rumple sighed. He hated being helpless! And he hated even more relying on fairy magic. But it looked like there was no choice. The turbulence was getting worse and he didn't want to wait until there was a real emergency. So he leaned over and tapped Snow on the arm. "Mary Margaret . . . do you have that vial of . . . fairy dust?" he whispered.

She blinked. "Why . . . yes! I almost forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me, Rumple. It's here, around my neck," she said, and pulled it free from beneath her shirt.

"Well, now would be a good time to use it, dearie," Rumple reminded her. Then a new idea came to him. "And maybe it can work in concert with some of our magic. Emma! Listen to me. I need you to link with Alina and Henry . . ." he unbuckled his seatbelt and came over to whisper instructions in her ear, explaining that the three of them were the only ones with magic on the plane since his cufflinks were drained.

"You're out of juice?" Emma hissed in dismay. "Just great, Gold! Okay, what do we have to do again?"

While Rumple was trying to explain the basics of the spell he wished Emma and the children to cast, Snow whispered to Belle, "So . . . I have the dust here, but I'm not sure how to activate it. What should I do?"

"I'd give Blue a call," Belle said reasonably. "I know one thing, never play around with magic if you don't know what you're doing. You could accidentally send us to the moon or something."

Snow pulled out her cell. "I really hope we get service here." She pressed a certain number on speed dial and prayed. Nothing. Then a weird sounding ring. Snow held her breath. Mary, Mother of God, be with me . . . It seemed someone was, because the phone crackled and then she heard Blue's voice say, "Hello? Mary Margaret, is that you?"

Snow heaved an immense sigh of relief. "Blue, we're in pickle here. The airplane is in trouble and we need to know how to activate the pixie dust! . . . uh, huh...sprinkled evenly over the cabin?. . . got it. . . and then the clapping begins. . . uh, huh. . . "I believe in fairies" three times . . . yes, got it. . . any women who are what? . . . pregnant? . . . well, eh, it just so happens there is . . um, it's Belle, actually . . . really? . . . you don't say? . . ."

"What about pregnant women?" Belle asked nervously.

"Oh, I agree, Blue, the risk is worth saving everyone on the plane," Snow continued blithely.

"What about pregnant women?" Belle repeated anxiously.

"Yes, I'll tell them. Thanks, Blue!" Snow chirped happily.

"SNOW WHITE! WHAT ABOUT PREGNANT WOMEN?"

"Well, there's a slight chance. . . minor, mind you. . . that a fetus exposed to pixie dust may acquire some special fairy powers." Snow explained, patting Belle's arm.

"Oh, Rumple's going to love that! What can we do though? If the plane crashes it's a moot point anyway," Belle sighed.

"Right. Okay . . .let's split up. You start with first class and I'll head to the tail. Sprinkle it evenly over the plane." She opened the vial and handed Belle a handful of the precious dust.

"How are we going to get away with sprinkling pixie dust over a plane full of people who know nothing about magic?" Belle asked.

"We'll tell them it's to humor Regina. She's in her fairy costume! She's a very clever girl, I'm sure she can get them to play along with her." Snow said.

"Good plan. Let's get going," she stood up and unbuckled her seatbelt.

Snow unfastened Regina's seatbelt and said, "Okay, sweetie. Now we're going to play a little game. It's called pretend we're having an emergency and the only way to save the plane is for Mommy and Auntie Belle to sprinkle pixie dust on it and you have to get everyone on the plane to clap their hands three times and say "I believe in fairies". Think you can do that?"

"I can, Mommy! I'll help!" Regina said eagerly. She ran out into the aisle.

"I don't believe this!" Rumple grunted, sitting back down. "Our lives dependant on damn pixie dust! Emma, get ready to cast when I say so."

"Will do, Master Yoda," she said, giving him a thumbs-up.

Meanwhile, Belle was going through first class and sprinkling some pixie dust, luckily there weren't too many other passengers in it besides her family, and she explained that they were playing a game in order to keep her niece from panicking, she was three and a three-year-old having a meltdown on a plane would not be pretty, and this was just some glitter.

The flight attendants tried to protest as Snow went down the aisle, sprinkling dust, but Snow just said cheerily, "This is something I learned a long time ago . . . how to calm people down. I'm a teacher, it works wonders on children if you distract them by playing a game."

Regina appeared behind her, waving her wand, and crying loudly, "O-kay, everybody! Now clap your hands three times and say "I believe in fairies", so's the plane will keep flying and not crash." She demonstrated, clapping her hands three times and saying, "I believe in fairies."

"Hey!" shouted another preschooler. "It's like Tinkerbell!" She copied Regina. "Do it, Mommy!"

Her mother also did it, wearing a secretly amused grin.

"Oh, what can it hurt?" said the man sitting beside her. "Might as well do something to keep our minds off the way this plane's jumping all over creation." Then he began to clap too and recite the words, "I believe in fairies," three times.

Rumple shook his head as Regina went up and down the aisle, exhorting people to clap their hands, for all the world like a general ordering her troops, while Belle and Snow finished distributing the dust. "There she goes. Miss Big Mouth Bossypants."

When everyone on the plane had done what she ordered, Regina came back down the aisle, her wand waving, just as Belle and Snow returned to their seats. She peered around at her family and said, "Okay, guys! Now clap!"

The rest of the family did so, even Emma. All except Rumple. "Fat chance!"

"C'mon, Unca Rumple! Clap your hands and say I believe in fairies," Regina urged, waving her wand at him like a demented chorus director.

"What? No. Just . . . no," Rumple said, cringing inwardly.

"But you gots to! Or the magic won't work." Regina cried anxiously.

Rumple scowled. "I'd rather go down in flames, dearie."

Regina glared stubbornly at him. "Unca Rumple! Just do it!"

Rumple shook his head, equally stubborn.

Regina huffed. "PLEASE!" And she gave him her best puppydog eyes.

Rumple winced, but still refused. He would rely on conventional magic before he ever trusted fairy magic again.

"Papa, please! I don't wanna die at age eleven," Alina jumped in, and gave him puppydog eyes also.

"Rumple . . . you want to see your baby get born, right?" Belle asked, frowning. Damn the man! He could be so stubborn sometimes! Rather like Regina, now that she thought about it.

"Uh, of course, dearie."

"Then clap your hands! Come on . . . I'll do it with you," Belle urged, and started clapping.

"Okay. Only for you," he said, and started clapping and reciting that dreaded mantra.

"Isn't this great?" Snow said, smiling in relief. "Group cooperation! Excellent, boys and girls! Now let's all have a sing-a-long. I believe I can fly . . ." she started singing the old tune in her cheery soprano.

"Emma, where's your gun?" Rumple hissed. He was starting to feel nauseous.

"Couldn't bring it," she said regretfully. "Now when should we cast the spell?"

"Right now," the master magician replied, as several people started in on the chorus of "I Believe I Can Fly" along with Snow, Regina, and David.

Emma grabbed Alina's hand and Alina grabbed Henry's. "Ready?" she asked the two fledgling magicians. "On three. One. Two. Three. Concentrate and make a shield about the plane." She lowered her head and did just that . . . and her power awakened and flowed through her, mingling with that of her son's and sister-in-law's, to create a multi-faceted glowing shield about the plane until they managed to get far enough away from the storm.

The shield could not be seen except by magic wielders, but everyone felt the difference as the plane stopped shuddering and bucking. Several people heaved vast sighs of relief and a few crossed themselves.

Snow buckled herself and Regina back into their seats as the plane sailed smoothly past the conjured storm and up into the higher levels of the atmosphere at last, escaping the Fabrizios' vengeance.

The captain's voice came over the loudspeaker, telling everyone to relax, they were out of danger, and they could move about the cabin freely. The Fasten Seatbelt sign went off.

Henry nudged Emma. "Mom, you can stop now. We're okay."

Emma opened her eyes and stopped concentrating, feeling a sudden wash of exhaustion sweep over her. "God, I feel like I ran a marathon twice over."

"You all right, babe?" Bae asked, concerned.

"Uh huh. Be fine with some sleep," his wife yawned, then said, "But at least we're all alive and in one piece."

"And I have something that'll make you feel better," her husband said, smirking. He held out his phone. "I recorded Papa and Regina arguing about clapping their hands. It's hysterical."

"You didn't!" Emma gasped. "Baelfire! That's so . . . sneaky," she grinned at him conspiratorily.

"I learned from the best," her husband winked, and indicated Rumple, who was now leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed.

Emma took the phone, snickering. This had been some vacation!

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Finally, the plane landed at Logan, and everyone got off. David's tranquilizers were finally wearing off, and he said to Rumple, "Well, that was a nice flight, wasn't it?" as they walked down the carpeted ramp.

"Sure . . . if you were drugged to your eyeballs," Rumple snorted.

"Huh? What happened?"

"Tell you when we get back home. It's too complicated to say here, and I only want to repeat it once," Rumple stated, anxious to not share the fairy dust incident more than once.

Ten minutes later, they had all collected their bags, and Rumple had paid some valets to retrieve their cars from remote parking.

As they waited outside with their suitcases, Regina, still wearing her fairy costume, said, "Am I goin' to drive with you back to your house, Unca Rumple?"

"Yes, imp. Just like we did when we came here," he said. "But lose the wings, dearie. They don't fit well in your car seat."

"Okay! Here, Mommy! You hold these till we get to Unca Rumple's house," Regina handed her the wings.

"All right. You did a wonderful job back on the plane, Regina," Snow praised. "Now, you're going to be a good girl for Uncle Rumple and Auntie Belle, right?"

"Uh huh."

"And not drive poor Uncle Rumple crazy?" David added.

"I'll be good," the little imp promised, giving Rumple an angelic smile.

"Sure you will, dearie," he nodded, then he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Who am I kidding?"

A/N: Special thank you to cynicsquest for helping me write part of this one! One last chapter to go, dearies!