Once Upon a Time Gold-Family Adventures: The ball-pit

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own once upon a time or it's characters :( if I did, this wouldn't be a fic, it would be real.**

Belle had insisted that their daughter was the perfect age for her first time in the ball pit of the local children's center. Rumple was reluctant (as he always was when it came to his daughters adventures), but he was able to partially relax once he saw his darling Coraline's face as she flailed around in the colorful plastic balls.

It had been nearly 30 minutes since the Gold family had arrived at the children's center, or the "germ incubator", as Rumple called it. Although he was quite enjoying having his beautiful Belle tucked under his arm, pressed flush against his side, watching the product of their love having what seemed to be the time of her life, both parents were anxious to get home (it was date night after all). He could have swore he had only drawn his attention away from his daughter for 10 seconds to whisper his love into his wife's ear and kiss her temple, and in that 10 seconds Cor had disappeared (they preferred the nickname Cor, over Cora, as the latter brought back…unpleasant…memories). Belle and Rumple didn't lose their daughter often, but they would be lying if they said it didn't happen at least once a month.

The first time Cor had escaped her parents sight, was the first time she had spent the night with the Charmings so her parents could have some…alone time. When they showed up the next morning Snow and Charming were frantically searching for Cor and her partner in crime, Prince Neal. It took the four parents close to 30 minutes to locate the children, who had apparently taken up camp with a box of fish crackers, in the hall closet amongst the piles of shoes and fallen jackets cluttering the floor. Since then it had happened several times; it mainly happened at home, but she managed to allude her parents nearly every time she accompanied her parents to work at the shop.

Now, however, was a much more stressful situation. At the Charmings there were only so many places a child could hide. But here, in the maze of slides, and tunnels, and screaming children, there were endless places for such a tiny little girl to hide from her parents, and the Golds were getting anxious. Rumple frantically called Coraline's name as Belle ran around the seemingly infinite tunnels, looking up each one in hopes of seeing a pair of mischievous crystal blue eyes looking back. Suddenly Rumple had an idea, and though under different circumstances Belle would have felt very strongly against it, she nodded her consent when her husband made a "magic?" Type motion toward the ball pit. With one swift flick of his wrist, every godforsaken ball in that death-trap vanished. Lo and behold, in the center of the square pit, with a very pleased smirk on her gorgeous little face, sat Coraline. Rumple quickly lifted his still-smirking daughter into his arms, and the two of them were immediately crushed by Belles embrace, and forehead kisses. Both Belle and Rumple let out a sigh of relief, but they had apparently been too quick to be relieved, as they became aware of the death glares they were receiving from every corner of the building. So maybe using magic in a establishment meant for small children, where the majority of the parents still remembered Rumplestilitskin as the all-powerful Dark One, might not have been the best idea. The Gold family certainly would not be returning to the children's center any time soon…even if they were allowed too.

After magicking the balls back into the pit, and being lectured by the mob of parents who's children were supposedly "traumatized" (Rumple thought that was quite dramatic. His daughter has grown up around magic and she's turning out just fine!) the family was more than ready to retreat to their home. Of course a serious talk with Cor was in order, and there wasn't a dry eye between the emotional parents as they explained to her that losing her was their biggest fear, and it hurt mommy and daddy's hearts when they thought something had happened to her. Coraline seemed to understand how worried her parents had been, and gave both her mommy and daddy kisses before being taken to her room for nap time (she was absolutely tuckered out after such an eventful day).

Rumple settled onto the couch sighing heavily, and Belle followed, resting herself against his chest as he gently stroked her hair. They decided they couldn't leave Cor tonight. As much as they wanted a special evening together, they needed to be with their daughter. To most, the ordeal would have been something that could be laughed off. But Rumple and Belle had lost so much already, Rumple had lost his son more than once, and Belle had lost Rumple so many times. The mere thought of losing their daughter terrified them more than any curse or evil queen ever could. So that night, instead of a fancy dinner, and a night of mommy-daddy-alone-time, the couple sat with their daughter snuggled between them, a bowl of mac-and-cheese in each of their laps, and watched Frozen for the umpteenth time. But they didn't care, this was _exactly_ where they belonged.

***a few months later at Coraline's 5th birthday***

Rumple glared down at the enormous box sitting at his feet.  
'Inflatable ball pit! Safe and enjoyable for ages 4-8!'  
"Safe my ass" Rumple muttered under his breath, earning himself a playful slap on the arm from his much to amused wife.  
"This is just not funny" He added.  
Rumple was, apparently, the only adult in the group that wasn't amused by the Charming's birthday gift.  
This was going to be returned before Cor got her hands on it.  
"Daaadddddddy! IS DAT A BALL PIT?!"  
Dammit.

*end*

**Authors note:**

**the name Coraline wasn't influenced by the OUAT character Cora in any way. My math teachers baby is named Coraline and i love the name so i decided to name my OTP's love child after her xD**


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Once Upon a Time, Family, Humor