Birthday gift for kat2609.
(chrissascorner and mayquita - thank you for your help :*)
Operation B-Day
Granny cleaned the spotless counter once again, and looked at the prince and the princess discussing something over their hot cocoa.
It looks like they have everything ready… but maybe there is something more I could help with…
For the past few weeks, Granny worked alongside half of the town (the half that could keep a secret) to make this evening perfect. Even though she didn't want to show it, this whole thing was close to her heart.
"As we predicted he suspects something." Granny stated to start the conversation.
"Yes, he does. He is not hiding that fact. A few days ago, he informed us during breakfast, that he won't be trying to figure out what we are doing even though this is very tough for the pirate not to try to solve the mystery." Emma answered with a smile.
"We had a similar conversation last week. But I'm pretty sure that he has no idea what "B" means. He knows it's not his birthday..."
"Yes, Henry had a great idea when he named it Operation B-Day." David interrupted her.
Granny looked at the prince in the way that suggested that even he is not allowed to do that. "He of course knows that this will be an anniversary of that day you get back from your adventure in the past and had that 'conversation' out there -" She pointed at chairs and tables outside "a conversation that our dear prince, for a long time, pretended that he knew nothing about."
Granny smiled while looking at David.
Here is little something for interrupting me.
"Emma, I got the impression that he wanted to celebrate this more privately, not with the whole town." She added.
"I know. I asked him to trust me. We both know he will love this surprise. I promised him that he will organize the next one."
Granny smiled. She loved Emma's idea and this surprise for her favorite pirate was exactly what he and the whole town needed after all these difficult times.
She was sure everyone would enjoy it and would take active part in it. She, for instance, couldn't wait to see Killian's face tonight after he would figure out what B stands for.
"Does everyone know what they should do tonight?" She asked and after a few seconds added the question she wanted to ask from the beginning of this conversation. "Is there anything I can help with?"
Granny knew that they had everything under control, but She wanted to be sure they knew they could count on her if they needed help.
"Ruby and Aurora are making sure that everything, and everyone, will be ready tonight and did not inform him about the B thing." Emma said and her father added. "We did everything to be certain that someone will be with him all day and he will stay occupied."
Emma looked at Granny. "Actually there is one thing you can help with. I know that you can persuade the dwarves to stay away from Killian… and me today. And I swear if Grumpy shows up tonight, at any moment, screaming about some sort of danger or monster, I'll turn him permanently into stone garden decoration."
Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of savior's phone.
"It's Henry. They are coming here. Is mom ready?" Emma asked her father.
"Yes. She will be here soon."
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A few minutes later Granny saw Henry and Killian entering her diner.
"How was your day so far, love?" Killian asked after he kissed Emma's cheek.
"Busy and sadly far from over. How was your sailing trip?"
"Awesome mom!"
Granny turned around to hide her smile. Both of them were so happy after that little sea trip! And she admitted to herself that the pirate and his young apprentice looked very good with windswept hair.
"Aye, it was, but I'm sure you already know that from that text Henry sent you when he was sure that I was not looking." Killian added with a huge grin.
"Oh, I know that you notice everything, except maybe that huuuge B thing."
"Don't tempt me Swan."
"You promised."
"I know..."
Emma smiled. "Be patient. It's only few more hours. Now dad and I need to go back to the station. See you both tonight." She hugged Henry and whispered "Thank you." while doing it, then kissed her pirate and left diner with the prince.
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Granny looked at the savior's boys.
"Do you want something to eat or drink?" She asked and was interrupted again, this time by Henry's phone.
Infernal devices. Life was much simpler without them.
Henry looked at the message with a smile that suggested one thing.
First love... It's so good that some things never change.
Killian saw that too because he stated. "I see that you want to be somewhere else. Go. I'm quite certain I'll have company shortly. In the meantime I'll stay with Granny."
Said lady leaned over the counter and nodded. "Go. I'll keep an eye, or even two, on him."
Henry didn't need additional encouragement – with a huge grin he left the diner.
"So captain, I see that you are enjoying this."
"Aye. I see how happy Emma is during this whole Operation BDay. That's more then enough for me. I would prefer to celebrate this alone with her but I have the feeling that tonight will be perfect because this whole thing is Swan's idea."
"I agree with you completely."
Killian sighted heavily. "Of course when everything is that perfect Grumpy shows up screaming about danger or something..."
"Overdramatic as always, captain. But fear not – your lovely Swan asked me already about my assistance in keeping that dwarf away from you two."
"So… I'm guessing that someone will appear to take me from here and Ruby comes out from whatever place she is hiding and you will prepare this establishment for whatever will happen here tonight, am I right?"
Granny made one her more serious faces, without even a hint of a smile she said. "Trust me captain, there will be no celebration here tonight."
"Looks like you are saying the truth but please forgive me – I don't believe you."
That's good. It's better that way. But you couldn't be more wrong, young man.
In that moment Snow ran into diner.
"Killian, I'm glad to see you here. Remember that you promised to show up in your pirate outfit at school at 5 pm. David will be waiting there for you."
"As I promised, I'll be there. It will be a pleasure lady Snow."
"Killian! So happy to see you! I need your help in the library."
"Of course lady Belle. I was certain that I would not be here for long."
Belle, who showed up like from nowhere, looked at Emma's mom. "Don't worry Mary Margaret, both of us will be there at 5 pm. I prepared one of my favorite dresses for this occasion!"
"Thank you so much. We will meet at school, I must go, I have lots of things to prepare. See you later." And she disappeared as quickly as she showed up.
"I think this is a brilliant idea." Belle stated after Snow left. "Our children should remember where we came from. Sure, we live here now, but what if we return there? Anything is possible. Kids need to know The Enchanted Forest culture."
Granny sighed. She loved the idea 'help our children to remember where we are from' and would participate in it but it was critical for Operation B-Day success that this school event was today. And she will be too busy with the B thing to show up at school.
Maybe another time.
And out loud she said. "Kids will learn and adults will use this opportunity to dress in their old outfits and talk about our land."
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After Belle and Killian left her establishment, she didn't wait long to do exactly the same. She had so much to do! She was certain that Ruby and Emma were waiting for her help with the final preparations. Luckily her outfit for the evening was ready and locked at the back of her diner. And yes… she needed to talk to Grumpy. Like now.
All that didn't bother her at all. She was happy. Things were finally the way they supposed to be. But she couldn't stop herself to add one final thought.
We must enjoy it while it least. This is Storybrooke after all.
That was what long experience taught her.
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At 7 pm everything was ready and she was at her post behind the counter in her diner.
When David and Killian came a few minutes later, it looked as she didn't leave it at all.
She couldn't hide a wide grin when she saw them. Yes, she did miss Hook's pirate outfit and it had been too long since she last saw Charming in his prince clothes. Definitely, this was the sight she could watch more often.
"Granny! Emma texted me that there is some kind of emergency and to meet her here? Where is she?" Granny's grin become even wider, if that was even possible, when she saw how confused Killian was while his eyes was searching the empty diner.
"Dear captain, I know you were expecting some kind of celebration here, but as I told you before there is none. At least not in here. Sorry to disappoint you but I'm sure you will feel better when you talk to your date, she is waiting outside." Granny nodded in the direction of her patio where Emma dressed as a fairytale princess was waiting for her pirate in exactly the some spot where certain conversation took place. The conversation of which anniversary they were celebrating tonight.
Killian only needed a few seconds to be at his true love's side.
"How much do you need to get ready, milady?" David asked while looking at his daughter's happy smile.
"A few minutes. Wait here. And I see you – you can't pretend in the future that you didn't witness this 'conversation'". She disappeared in the back before the prince had chance to answer to that.
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A few minutes later she took prince's arm and they walked together towards City Hall.
"We don't have to hurry – Emma and Killian seem to be very much 'occupied' at this moment. We have a lot of time before they join us." She said and laughed at loud when she saw David's face after her comment.
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The hard work and lots of magic turned the big room used for town meetings into an exact replica of Midas's ball room.
The same walls, same music and food. Everyone was dressed in clothes from The Enchanted Forest.
To celebrate this important anniversary Emma recreated, with help from her family and friends, their first ball together. Her first ball, ever.
Granny remembered the conversation between Emma, Snow and Ruby, the conversation that she totally heard by accident.
When explaining her idea, the savior said that, while dancing with Killian during that ball she forgot about everything else and that she wanted it to never end.
That there and then she had one of the first moments in her life when she felt that she found her place. There and then in Killian's arms.
And that all of that ended to soon before she, or rather they, had the chance to enjoy it fully.
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Granny and everyone else waited full hour before happy the couple appeared.
And seeing amazement and absolute delight on Killian's face when he understood what B meant was priceless and even better than she imagined.
And when they started to dance…
Yes, she saw that.
There were just them. For him, her eyes were his whole world. For her his.
They danced the whole night. Till morning, she didn't see that – her body demanded rest before she could witness it.
But she heard from a reliable source that when the first rays of sunshine appeared over the horizon they were still dancing and didn't noticed they are alone in the empty room and the magic box was playing their favorite songs over and over.
I hope this happiness will last forever. They deserve it.
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Surprisingly no one noticed that Grumpy was absent.
Granny locked him in his own bathroom – just to be sure that everything would be perfect.
When she unlocked him next morning, she found him sleeping in his tub.