It's done. Finally. I'm really, really, really glad it's over. This fic has been a labour of love for csjanuaryjoy in so many ways but it's finally done and I'm definitely happy about it. I want to thank all the lovely ladies in the discord chat, you rock
It's a Broadway Princess Party AU I divided in four acts on ao3 and ffnet because, well, it's almost 20k words long. So, if you rather read it somewhere else than tumblr, I'm going to leave you the links down here. I suggest you go check the BPP playlist by the creator - Benjamin Rauhala - where you'll also find the songs I used in this fic.
There might be something legal brought up that it might not even exist so I apologize in advantage for that. Also, whenever Killian sings and mention his brother, it's actually my doing since he would be talking about his father instead and, well, we all know how that's gone.
Come say hi at my tumblr (darkcolinodonorgasm), I don't bite that much ;)
Enjoy!
Act I – A girl with no name, and no memories but these
There was something to be said about the euphoria coursing through your blood after a performance. Emma knew it very well, yet it still felt strange, almost alien.
You see, Emma Swan, the face and voice of Broadway's new show Anastasia, had always expected to be nothing, had always felt nothing. That was why her role as Anya was so important to her, because it hit too close to home and made her feel as if she was someone. Of course, she was no princess and she had no grandmother – biologically, of course, she did, but that's not the point – she could con along with a duo of wonderful men, one of which the love of her life.
Emma snorted at that. Yeah, that ain't gonna happen, she thought bitterly, keeping out all the thoughts of dull brown eyes and the promise of more and oh, the stolen watches he'd put in her freaking car. Fortunately for her, she had some brain and her super power.
Trying not to kick her shoes off and somewhere in her dressing room she would never find them again – she was indeed respectful of all the people working in the costumes department, thank you very much – Emma let herself fall onto the couch as regally as she could, just wanting to get out of the bright red gown and into a shower and then into bed with her cat on the other pillow.
«Come on,» Ruby said, entering the dressing room, «the sooner you get out of here, the sooner you can get into bed.»
Ruby Lucas was an angel – or the devil, depending on the situation – and she was Emma's hairstylist/everything. But she wasn't only that, she was also Emma's best friend. More than once she'd helped Emma with her actual hair and dragged her to the mall, shopping for dresses and shoes Emma would probably never wear.
Emma groaned from the couch, the crown starting to get heavy on her head and her scalp to hurt. Ruby first helped her out of the ballgown, hanging it carefully next to the blue one. «Alright, work your magic,» she sighed, slipping the heels off her feet and making her way to the chair in front of the mirror. There were nights on which she almost fell asleep as Ruby swiftly removed wig, caps and bobby pins from her hair, the blonde strands falling in curls around her face. Mostly, Emma tried to fight off the tiredness removing her make-up or talking to Ruby, but sometimes she would just doze off.
As usual, her room was filled with fresh flowers and gifts from fans from all over the world sent her. It filled her heart and even made her cry sometimes, people treating her like an actual princess when she wasn't one at all. At times, it made her feel like a fraud, but some other times, knowing that those same fans knew about her past and didn't care, that made her heart burst.
Next to the gifts there was always a stack of fan mail she always read, always so grateful for every word the fans sent her. Above it all, though, there was a blue and white envelope with a ribbon and a gemstone holding it to place. Emma raised her eyebrows at the peculiar sight. While many fans went a bit overboard with all the decorations and gifts, she had to admit she'd never received a letter quite like that one.
Curious – and in need not to fall asleep – Emma grabbed the envelope on top and carefully opened it. Behind her, Ruby whistled. «Secret admirer?»
Emma snorted at that. «Yeah, sure, super secret.» Her laughter died when she started to read what was written in the letter. Holy shit.
You see, the Broadway Princess Party wasn't exactly famous, not unless you were a Broadway nerd of sorts, but it was a chance to see actors singing live different songs, mostly from animated movies that didn't make it to Broadway or their musical version, or even songs from other musicals. Emma knew about the party, but had never been invited to sing. At least, not until that night.
Excited, Emma let out a high-pitched scream that scared Ruby. «Look!» the blond exclaimed, thrusting the invitation right into Ruby's face. «Look!»
Biting back a laugh at her friend's excitement, Ruby complied, grabbing Emma wrist to hold it still as she read the invitation. Her eyes widened. «You're going to let me help you dress up nicely for this. And style your hair! You're so going to finally hook up with someone during this!»
Of course, of course Ruby would think something like that. Emma couldn't help the laughed that escaped her lips. «Yeah, yeah, in your dreams, Rubes.»
«That's your song, girl, not mine,» Ruby retorted, brushing Emma's hair before putting away everything. «Now get ready for the fans, then you can go snuggle with Odette. God, I miss that girl.»
Emma rolled her eyes. «You've seen her two days ago.»
«Two days too long away from her,» Ruby sighed melodramatically, her hand placed upon her heart.
To be fair, Emma couldn't blame Ruby, her Odette, a white Norwegian Forest cat, was too precious for someone to not love her. Despite her breed, Emma had actually found her in an animal shelter when she'd decided she could afford a little animal she could keep in her apartment. Odette had been there, a fragile little thing someone had abandoned, much like her parents did Emma. That had sealed the deal.
Knowing she had fans waiting to meet her, Emma changed quickly into a pair of leggings, a white long sweater and her favourite boots. Fortunately, it wasn't too cold anymore, so she could wear her beloved red leather jacket, something her fans had started to associate with her since the show began almost a year ago.
While exiting her dressing room with her arm linked with Ruby's, the duo met Graham, on his way towards the exit too.
Graham Humbert played Dimitri, and some didn't understand how good he was because they didn't know how difficult it was not only talking with an accent that wasn't yours but also singing with a different accent. It always threw fans off, making their knees tremble – as if his good looks and proximity weren't enough. He also was an amazing human being, and Emma was extremely grateful she had such a professional and perfect co-star.
«Graham, Graham, Graham!» Emma exclaimed jumping up and down in front of him, «guess who's been invited to the Broadway Princess Party?!»
Playing his part, he shifted into a shocked expression, placing his hand above his heart. «Me?» he joked in a high-pitched voice before laughing and wrapping an arm around Emma's shoulders to pull her close. «I'm happy for you, Emma.»
If you think being so excited about being invited to a party many didn't know about is silly, then you probably never dreamed of being a princess or a superhero or whatever you wanted to be when you were young. Or you're lying.
Being an orphan, Emma never thought she could ever be someone, that she could even be the face and voice of Anya, inspiring other orphans like her and letting them hope in a better future, something she'd never dared doing.
Stepping out of the theatre and into the cool air of New York, Emma couldn't help the shiver that ran down her arms, a warm smile on her face as her ears were filled with screams from the fans. At the end of every show, Emma and the others usually spent almost an hour at the stage doors, chatting with the fans, taking selfies and signing autographs. Of course, Graham was the most wanted, leaving poor August third after Emma. They didn't mind, it wasn't a competition – yet, because god knew the two of them could turn anything into a competition.
Once the last fans went their own way and they'd told their goodbyes to the other members of the cast, Emma and Ruby walked towards their apartment building. Aside from being best friends, the two were also neighbours. It had been Ruby the one to suggest Emma to move in into the apartment next to hers, and thanks to her savings and her pay, Emma could now afford it without problems.
«I was thinking about the ombré dress you have, the blue and black one,» Ruby told her as they made a little detour for a cup of hot chocolate. «And the only sandals you have. Yep, totally those.» Leave it to Ruby to know the content of Emma's wardrobe.
At the mention of the sandals, Emma groaned. «You know I hate sandals,» she whined, entering the nearest Dunkin' Donuts, where they ordered their hot drinks and a chocolate donut each.
As they waited, Ruby arched a black eyebrow. «I do, but unless you want me to take you shopping tomorrow morning before the show, you'll have to suck it up and go in sandals. In your wardrobe there's nothing good enough for that dress, which is also one of the few sparkly dresses you own.»
The devil, Ruby Lucas was the devil.
«Fine,» Emma sighed, her shoulders slumping. It wasn't as if she didn't agree with Ruby, after all she didn't have many dresses and her shoes were mostly sneakers or flats, the few heels she had nothing even remotely close to the kind of stilettos Ruby owned. The sandals had been a purchase of convenience, when she kept seeing women only wearing that kind of shoes and she'd been a tad influenced. The reason why she hated sandals was because she hated showing her toes. They weren't ugly or crooked, she just didn't like showing them.
Oh god, this means nail polish, Emma sighed internally, letting Ruby for their almost-midnight treats. After the first few months of knowing each other, money between them hadn't been much of a problem, despite Emma's reservations, and if one had forgotten to go grocery shopping, the other easily went for her or just ordered take-away for the two of them.
It was nice having someone more like a sister than a friend. Although Ruby had been raised by her Granny, she too had suffered the absence of her parents, no matter how much she loved her grandmother.
«I'm also going to work on your curls, I'd opt for a braid but Elsa and Anna will be there, too, we don't want to confuse people, do we?»
Emma turned to look at her, swallowing the first bite of her donut as they headed home. «How the hell do you know who's going to be there?»
Ruby rolled her eyes. «Well, aside from Ashley, who is the co-creator of the Party, Jasmine and Belle are there almost every time, plus they've already announced the sisters. You're going to be the special guest or something, along with someone else, probably.»
The blonde nodded. «I guess so,» she commented, wondering which song she would have to perform, though her mind went straight to Journey to the past and Once upon a December, what with those being the most famous ones.
She would have to call Will Scarlet, the creator of the event, also known as Fairy Godfairy, the next morning. Honestly, Emma didn't like the fact that it was on such a short notice, but who cared? She'd been invited to the party, that was on another level of awesomeness entirely!
Wolfing down the rest of her donut, Emma pushed open the door of the apartment building with her shoulder. «I assume asking if you'll come to the Party is useless,» she mused, checking her mailbox, grateful her fans weren't stalkers and hadn't found her address.
«You assume correctly,» Ruby agreed, her mailbox full of magazines instead. «Besides, I need you to hook up with someone, and I need someone to hook up with, too.»
Emma rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. Aside from Neal's betrayal, Emma didn't just feel the need to date someone. Sure, she saw the appeal of a one-night-stand but there was also the fact that her face was plastered all around the city and even buses, for goodness' sake. That definitely killed the mood. It didn't mean she wasn't accustomed to taking matters into her own hands.
«Seriously, Emma, I don't wonder if your hymen has grown back only because I know it's impossible.»
Emma was just grateful she'd just gulped down the chocolate.
They both burst out laughing, not stopping until their stomachs hurt and tears ran down their cheeks. Still laughing under their breaths, they took the elevator to their floor, trying to quieten down so their neighbours wouldn't complain.
«Alright, alright, see ya in the morning. Kiss Odette for me,» Ruby waved her goodbye with the hand holding the paper cup as she opened the door to her own apartment.
«'Night, Rubes.» Emma mirrored the gesture with a smile on her face, stepping inside, welcomed by a loud meow demanding attentions. «Why, hello, sweetheart.»
Odette meowed again, rubbing her head all over Emma's calves, stepping between her legs as the blond headed towards the kitchen, leaving the almost-empty cup of chocolate over the island. The white cat jumped on the marble counter, sniffing at the cup before meowing again.
Emma arched an eyebrow. «Nope, you have your own food, girl.» The cat grumbled as Emma finished the cocoa in front of the cat's big blue eyes. «Nice try, still a no.» It didn't mean, though, that she wouldn't get her snuggles.
After a short shower, Emma finally got to slip into her bed and fall asleep with her cat and a smile on her face.
Will Scarlet was… something else.
Not in a bad way, mind you, but he wasn't like Emma had pictured him at all. He was funny, that she knew from the videos, but he was also goddamn serious and treated the Party as if it was his child, something Emma could understand pretty well, but he was a whole new level of serious.
«Excuse me, lass, what do you mean you've received the invitation just yesterday?»
It was rhetoric, that she knew, but she felt herself go back to the years in which every word that'd leave her mouth would grant a beating anyway as she stood in front of him as he fumed, metaphorical smoke coming out of his ears.
Emma gulped, putting on a brave façade. «What I said,» she repeated, «I found the envelope just yesterday evening.
For a moment, she thought she was about to snap like a twig and unleash his furious when a voice interrupted them and a petite brunette reached the stage. «Will Scarlett, I told you not to trust Felix when it comes to invitations. You and I both know he's unreliable. Ashley, knows too, which is why she has me helping you when she can't.»
Belle French was a force of nature and Emma was in awe of her: she'd been the youngest Belle Broadway's Beauty and the Beast ever saw and, unfortunately, also the last one.
As many people know, the production ended in 2007, but what many didn't know unless they were in the theatre world or cared enough was that it had all come down to a scandal. Belle had been young and pretty naïve, much like Emma when she was sixteen, and had fallen for her costar, the Beast, Robert Gold. What nobody knew, not even the other members of the cast, was how crazy the man was, how obsessed he was in Belle the moment he set eyes on her. It had started out innocently, many relationships do, lots of time spent together backstage, little gifts not even so expensive, furtive touches and Belle didn't care about Gold's age, she just felt loved and that was enough. Only, it ended up being too much.
At first, Belle had not cared about the bruises, they didn't last much and they were more a consequence of sex, something about her being petite and he a bit too blinded by passion. But then bruises started to mar her arms and one night she was limping because she had "fallen down the stairs" while too caught up in a book. Then, all of a sudden, everything came crashing down on Gold, he didn't show up again at the shows and neither did Belle. She returned just for a few weeks before the last show, not before it was announced production would end.
Emma didn't know the details, at the time she was too young, but she remembered how many whispered their thoughts, thinking it had been a miscarriage that finally made Belle open her eyes, a miscarriage caused by the beatings. Belle had never actually confirmed or denied the rumours, and thankfully interviewers knew better than asking something like that, focusing on the legal battle that would see Gold behind bars for a very long time instead.
Will sighed, bowing his head, both chastised and planning the murder of this Felix. He then looked up at Emma. «'S alright, lass, we're not acting, we're theatre people and we know how to put up a show fast, am I right?» The Englishman flashed her a bright smile. «I didn't add you to the official line-up for the night because I didn't get any response from you. My mistake, I should've checked in with you. I'm sorry.»
In response, Emma blinked at him a few times, not knowing how to take his sudden attitude. «No problem,» she found herself stuttering.
A polite cough brought her attention on Belle, her smile bright and gentle. «Don't let yourself be intimidated by this one, Miss Swan, he's all bark but no bite,» she reassured Emma, ignoring Will's "oi!". «As Will said, we're used to improvising, but we have time to rehearse something. We can do whatever you want, Will is an amazing pianist, he can learn everything in so little time.»
Will's cheeks and ears were now red as a tomato, evidently not used to being praised like that. Or, perhaps, not used to being praised like that by Belle.
Emma squinted at him for a second, wondering if the two of them were dating, her curiosity momentarily winning before she squared her shoulders and gave Will a tentative smile. «I know people would want me to sing something from the movie, but I brought In my dreams at my audition and-»
«Wait,» Belle cut her off, blue eyes wide and mouth agape, «you auditioned with a song from the musical?»
Ah, that. Right. It's common knowledge that, unless the creators require it, it's frowned upon to show up to an audition with a song from the musical you are auditioning for. It shows how unexperienced someone is, and although it wasn't Emma's first time auditioning for a musical, it was the first time a song had made her cry while reading the lyrics. In the end, it had been the raw emotion as she performed the song and her powerful voice that had brought the entire table to tears.
Blushing a deep red, Emma nodded, shocking the couple in front of her. It wasn't that big of a deal, not to her, at least: she loved every song in the musical, each one making her tear up a bit every time.
«Well, then, lass,» Will smirked at her, «In my dreams it is.»
Her knees were trembling and her heart was beating so furiously in her chest she was deafened by the pulsating sound of the blood in her ears.
Next to her, Ruby was finishing making sure her hair wouldn't fall from the bun she'd carefully styled her hair into. «For fuck's sake, you seem more agitated than you were on opening night,» the brunette hissed.
On the stage, Ashley Boyd was singing a medley from various versions of Cinderella, her voice like a dream as her free hand was placed on her swollen belly.
«Pfft, I'm not,» Emma retorted, not denying she was anxious, but nothing compared to what she'd felt the night they'd premiered, when she'd almost vomited on stage. The sound Ruby made told her the brunette didn't believe her one bit.
In the club, everyone started to clap and cheer as Will hit the final notes of Impossible. After a short bow, Ashley looked at Will, sitting next to him. «Oh, Fairy Godfairy, have you heard? There's a rumour in Broadway! It looks like they've found a Princess.»
«Oh, really?» Will feigned incredulity.
Ashley nodded. «Yes! Mind you, it's just a rumour…»
«A legend!»
«A mystery! I've also heard she may have gone insane!»
And that was her cue.
Stepping towards the stage, Emma coughed to catch their attention. The spotlight was now on her, her dress shimmering under the light. Ruby wasn't an angel, she was so much more. «I beg your pardon?» she asked them once she reached the mic stand, cocking a brow as the crowd went nuts all around her.
Will gaped at her, blinking a few times. «Your Highness! You're real!»
Emma snorted ungracefully. «Indeed I am.»
«Fairy Godfairy!» Ashley shrieked, «I'm so excited! Are you not? This is just like a dream!»
On cue, Will moved his fingers on the first keys, looking at Emma with a conspiratorial gaze. «Oh, you know a dream is a wish your heart makes, don't you?»
«A dream, Princess?» Emma asked Ashley, winking at her. «Let me tell you something about dreams.»
Briefly closing her eyes, Emma fell back into Anya, something that'd always been so simple for her because Anya was so much like her it scared her sometimes.
«They said I was found by the side of a road, there were tracks all around, it had recently snowed. In the darkness and cold with the wind in the trees, a girl with no name, and no memories but these.»
That first part always killed her somehow, because it was her story, not Anya's, Emma's. Only, it wasn't Russia, but Maine, and she'd not been a child, but a newborn.
She went on, singing about how the nurses gave Anya her name, probably knowing she was that Anastasia. Unlike her, Emma had already been named, the woollen blanket with her name on it still in her possession.
«Traveling the back roads, sleeping in the wood, taking what I needed, working when I could, keeping up my courage, foolish as it seems, at night all alone in my dreams.»
The cold winter nights spent sleeping in her Bug, the effort she put in the shitty jobs she had to take to afford enough to eat something decent, but at night there weren't dreams, nights were for nightmares.
«In my dreams shadows call, there's a light at the end of a hall. Then my dreams fade away, but I know it all will come back, one day.»
Nightmares of finding a family and losing it because of a surprise pregnancy, of discovering painful reasons behind her parents' abandonment, of boyfriends trying to make her fall for their crime.
Many times as she sang this piece, Emma found herself fighting the tears stinging her eyes. Being too emotional was frowned upon, especially if it led to crying in the middle of the performance when it didn't require it. Tonight, here, was no different.
Emma was grateful about the verses about Paris, they allowed her to focus on the song, to slip back into Anya yet never actually forgetting Emma.
«You don't know what it's like not to know who you are, to have lived in the shadows and travelled this far. I've seen flashes of fire, heard the echo of screams but I still have this faith in the truth of my dreams!»
Oh god, no, people didn't know what it was like being an orphan, always wondering why you, why your parents left you on the side of a road in a cold October night, not caring if you lived or died, leaving you to wonder why they'd not just interrupted the pregnancy or why they'd not taken her to a fucking hospital.
«In my dreams it's all real, and my heart has so much to reveal. And my dreams seem to say "don't be afraid to go on, don't give up hope, come what may". I know it all will come back, one day!»
Emma, though, had never had hope to give up, not in a long time.
The moment her voice faded away, the crowd roared, deafening her with their clapping as she gave them a grateful and slightly trembling smile, the emotions swirling inside her leaving her breathless.
Ashley stood and rushed to hug her, tears staining her face. Hormones, Emma thought, lying to herself, because even Will seemed to have been touched by her performance and there was no way he was pregnant.
After saying their goodbyes, Emma went back to Ruby, giggling like a teenager as they hugged. The experience had certainly been worth the wait.
Sitting back at the table, Emma watched the Party go on, more guests she'd already met taking the stage and making her sing a long at times as she sipped her drink.
It was towards the end of the night that he showed up.
Well, he'd been there all time long, to be fair, he just wasn't in the line-up.
«Ahoy, mate!» he shouted, catching everyone's attention much like Emma had done earlier.
Even though she'd never seen the show or even met the man, Emma knew who Killian Jones was. It was impossible not to, to be honest: it wasn't everyday that the lead of a rock band turned into theatre after three albums. He was pretty young, but he also was quite famous. And hot as hell, Emma mused, watching him swagger towards the stage and greeting Will after placing a kiss on Ashley's hand.
He was the epitome of "gentleman pirate", not only on his show but in real life, too. The way he carried himself, even before Broadway, reminded her of a pirate, no matter what kind of clothes he was wearing, whether they were black leather pants and a long coat or a pair of skinny dark grey jeans and a waistcoat over a shirt, the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows to show muscular arms covered in black hair, fingers still adorned with rings, hands Emma felt the urge to feel on her skin. Her thighs clenched at the thought.
«If you keep your mouth open like that you're going to eat a nest of flies or something.»
Ruby's teasing voice brought her back to reality long enough to cast her friend a warning and disgusted glance before Killian started to sing one of the most popular songs of his musical, Revenge is gonna be mine.
The show told the story of Captain Hook before and after he became the fearsome pirate, of how his father had sold him and his brother into slavery and how, after a tempest, the brothers were the only two survivors and were hired into the Navy. The older brother, William, would die while searching in Neverland for a cure to all evils when it was a poison instead, pushing James on a path of vengeance. It didn't stop there, the first act closing with the death of James' lover at the hand of her husband, a wizard, and the loss of his hand. After that followed "years" in Neverland battling Pan, a much darker version of him, until he found love again in a princess that was kidnapped by Pan's shadow, making Hook give up his quest for revenge for love.
It was a story worthy of a romance novel, yet Emma had heard it didn't focus much on the love story, emphasizing Hook's tragic backstory instead. She wished she could see it for herself, but her schedule didn't allow it and she just didn't feel like asking for a day off to go see another musical – or for any reason, really: people came to see her, she didn't want to let her fans down.
As Killian Jones sang, Emma couldn't help feeling drawn by him, by his low but clear voice, his British accent sending shivers down her spine and arms. Part of her wondered how it would feel in her ear, his voice low as it whispered dirty things in her ear as he pushed into her. Emma bit back a moan, clenching her thighs.
She needed to get laid, to hook up with- Oh, fuck.
«You knew he'd be here,» Emma hissed at Ruby, who merely blinked innocently in response.
«I don't know what you're talking about.»
Emma snorted. «Sure thing,» she scoffed, shaking her head. Ruby had never gone as far as sending her on a blind date with someone, leaving her freedom to date or do whoever she wanted, but expecting her to fall for someone specific? That was a bit too much even for Ruby.
«Aw, c'mon, Emma,» Ruby whispered, pointing at the man owning the stage, his dark jeans hugging him perfectly, tufts of black chest hair peeking out from the unbuttoned collar of his shirt, «you and the pirate over there are both single, hot as hell and it's about time you let yourself be happy.»
People cheered all around them as Killian finished his song, both Emma and Ruby clapping their hands loudly. He deserved it. And you deserve to be happy, Emma's mind reminded her. Yes, she did deserve to be happy, but it scared the hell out of her. Besides, he might be single, but he also could just not be interested in a relationship. Or in her.
Belle took the stage once again, but Emma's attention was caught by the man descending it, a bounce in his steps as he sat at a table on the other side of the room, two girls sitting next to him. So much for hooking up with someone.
At the end of the show, as usual, the guests would sing When you wish upon a star, something they hadn't rehearsed, which made Emma nervous as she made her way to the stage once again.
Apparently, the world, fate, destiny, something, wanted her to at least be within five inches from Killian Jones because, despite coming from the two sides of the room, they ended up next to each other. Suddenly, Emma's hands started to sweat as she lifted her eyes to meet his. Huge mistake.
Blue engulfed her, drowning her in unexplored waters she wanted to further sink into. It was like the world around her disappeared, any sound or scent just was no more. And then she heard his voice, so similar to his singing voice but also completely different, as soft as a pup's fur.
«Apologies, love,» he told her, shifting to let her step between himself and Belle, his eyes leaving her as his warm hand found her waist. Could a person melt? Emma was beginning to think it could.
«Don't worry,» she mustered with a tiny smile, witnessing his cheeks colouring red, the pointed tips of his ears becoming even more so. It was adorable.
Instinctively, Emma placed her own hand onto his waist, her fingers digging slightly into his hip as she stepped further next to him to make space to the others.
«And now,» Ashley told their public, «this is how us princesses and princes – and a pirate – say goodnight.»
Singing with other stars was a sensation she would never forget, especially when standing next to a legend like Belle. Singing next to Killian Jones, though, made butterflies soar in her stomach. Emma got part of the answer to her question: the sound of his voice in her ear was divine.
After the last round of applauses, they all descended the stage, Emma and Killian going on their way. Emma was slightly disappointed, but couldn't blame him: he didn't know her, after all. There was nothing to be sad about.
Only, there was something to be surprised about when she reached her table.
Sitting with Ruby there were the two girls she'd seen earlier at Jones' table. Perhaps not a blind date, but meddling was something Ruby would definitely do.
«Emma! These are Tilly and Margot; they're part of Hook,» Ruby introduced them, a wide smile gracing her blood red lips as Emma took a seat.
The girl wearing glasses, Margot, snorted. «That doesn't sound quite right, Rubes.» She turned towards Emma, explaining: «I'm the head hairstylist of the show, Tilly is the one actually singing in the musical.»
«Yeah, well, I'm not part of Hook Hook, that would be quite awkward and absurd,» said a confused Tilly, making a face at the thought.
All Emma could do was smile bashfully. «I'm afraid I've never seen the show before,» she admitted, but Tilly waved her off.
«Don't worry, Emma, it's understandable. I've never seen Anastasia either but I gotta say, that song needs to get a huge amount of Tonys. You should get a huge amount of Tonys.»
«Who should get a huge amount of Tonys?»
Emma's eyes widened at Killian's voice, not realizing he'd reached the table, his blue eyes lit up with mirth.
«Emma, of course!» Tilly replied, arching her brows. «Don't you think so?»
Finally, Killian's baby blues shifted onto Emma, her breath catching in her throat as their eyes met. Was it possible for her to feel like this, so light, so breathless, just by looking at him? How?
His smile widened, making the butterflies take flight in her stomach once again. «Aye, it was bloody brilliant, love. Amazing.»
He took a free chair from a nearby table and sat down next to Tilly, right in front of Emma's flushed self, completely unaware that was a set-up. Or perhaps he did know, perhaps… No, Emma, don't go there.
But when Killian kept smiling warmly at her for hours as they drank the night away, Emma couldn't stop herself from hoping that, even if he didn't know his friends were playing matchmakers, he felt the same push she did.
As scary as it was, Emma was tired of running, yet the fear of being betrayed, of not being enough was still there, lingering, reminding her she wasn't lovable enough for people to even care a little about her. Of course, she had friends who didn't think about her that way, friends who loved her and had never betrayed her, people who made her feel home.
Emma didn't know if she was ready to trust someone else with her heart, nor if she was even capable of loving someone, but her gut was telling her it was worth it. Love was worth it.