Once Upon a Time- A Storybrooke Wedding
I wanted to have a Captain Swan dance at the wedding and this somehow grew into something bigger. It even includes a silly scene with the ouat men. I am not a writer just a fan of a show who wanted to have some fun.
It is meant to be some fluff and also set after much has happened so I am writing in some changes in character relationships. I do have reflection in an attempt to set where I am coming from, but I just hope you take the story lightly and enjoy.
I was not going to have the drinking scenes but after seeing the picture of the actors who play Hook, Charming, Robin, and Neal hanging out at a bar I felt the strong desire. This kinda just happened…
Part 1
The town was buzzing with the excitement of the upcoming wedding. Emma could see it on the faces of everyone at Granny's as they loudly conversed all around her. Emma chuckled quietly into her hot chocolate as Ruby enthusiastically explained her dress for the event in great detail. She tried to pretend she was interested, but her mind kept wandering since talking about clothes had never fascinated her. She knew weddings were a big deal, but she couldn't believe how involved everyone was getting.
Maybe it was because there had been so much hardship as of late that everyone needed to grasp on to the hope and love surrounding a union between two people. She had to admit that she was slightly surprised that everyone was so eager to attend an event hosted by the former Dark One, a man who had caused terror and grief to many. It seemed Mr. Gold had made amends through his good deeds recently. She too was glad he had not died after he gave his life to save the town from Peter Pan's evil. All were also touched when he and his true love were finally reunited after such a painful separation and set a wedding date.
Or perhaps this was just how weddings were done in the Enchanted Forest, a land that still perplexed her on occasion. Despite being back in Storybrooke as they prepared for the great battle with the Wicked Witch, the wedding would be a grand affair following many of the customs of the Enchanted Forest. There would be a ball following the ceremony and knowing Rumple's need to give Belle everything she could ever possibly dream of, this would be a night to remember.
This meant, as Ruby and Mary-Margaret pointedly said, that she would be expected to wear a ball gown. Apparently they expected her to look the princess part. Emma had groaned and argued, as they knew she would. She tried to convince them that she could find a dress that was just as pretty but would not give her trouble walking through a door.
Unfortunately, they remained adamant. They reminded her that she was a member of this town and she should honor that by participating. She was sure that she would look silly in a poofy dress, but she also couldn't argue with their logic. While the idea of the princess dress made her cringe, the thought of belonging warmed her heart and stopped her from arguing.
She had truly found her place in life. The people that surrounded her were the best family she could ever hope for and the memories she had were real. She was no longer separated from them, ignorant of their existence. She would take all the painful memories as long as she had the people that she loved.
While the year passed with fake memories in New York, she had Henry, but she also had an occasional nagging feeling in her heart that she could never shake.
With the fake, happy memories that Regina had given her she remembered great times raising Henry. He had given her so much in life and had made up for so much hurt she had from being alone in childhood and always feeling abandoned.
However, at times, she was overwhelmed by the pesky feeling that part of her life was a lie. She was always great with lies and she could not get rid of that feeling she had when she reminisced about things like holding Henry for the first time or watching him take his first steps.
She felt like she was the liar.
As hard it was to realize that those never happened, she couldn't believe that she was living a fake life and could have lived the rest of that life never remembering her family or friends. The people that were so important to her could have been lost forever. She would have lost out on all this love. If it hadn't been for him…
"Hello? Emma, are you even listening? I feel like you have completely zoned out on me. You missed the whole 'what should I do with my hair' dilemma." Emma looked up from her mug to see Ruby's bright red lips in a pout.
She gave a slight smile, "I'm sorry, Ruby. You'll look beautiful no matter what you wear. You know that isn't my forte anyway. I would talk to Mary-Margaret if you want an actual opinion."
Ruby giggled and shook her head, "I knew you wouldn't be into it but you were sitting there and had an ear to lend. I am just so excited about the wedding! I feel like talking to everyone about it. We need this."
They truly did. Any respite from the hard work they did preparing for a fight that weighed on the town each day was well deserved. It would be a good way to escape the fear and celebrate all the good things that were around. "Your excitement wouldn't also come from the fact a certain doctor asked you to be his date, now would it?" A deep blush spread across Ruby's light complexion and she glanced down as a small smile formed on her face.
"That may have definitely crossed my mind a few times. I still cannot believe that Victor asked me. I am so excited, but also nervous. I can't wait."
She could see that Ruby was bursting with nervous energy, unsure of herself. Emma's voice took a reassuring tone as she leaned across the counter, "You will have a fantastic time and he will love however you look. He is one lucky guy to have snagged such a beauty as a date."
Ruby's smile grew. "Thanks Emma. How about you? Has anyone been lucky enough to get you to accept them as your date?" She lowered her voice and said with a sly tone, "A certain one-handed pirate with a desire to sweep you off your feet and ride off in the sunset on his ship perhaps?"
This time it was Emma's cheeks that turned scarlet as she forced out a small laugh she hoped was convincing. "Well actually I do have a handsome man coming with me but it isn't Killian." She smiled slightly at the shocked expression on her friend's face. "He may be a bit short for dancing with but we always have a great time together."
With that Ruby rolled her eyes. "I am so not counting your son as a proper date to a ball. Henry probably would want you and Killian to go together with him anyway. You know how Henry has loved spending more time with him. Especially after all the three of you went through getting back to us."
Dammit, Ruby. She was not prepared to talk about him. She felt the desperate need to get out of there and away from this topic. "Well he will be able to see Killian at the wedding."
Emma quickly checked the time and told Ruby she had to get going as she had a lot of work to do at the sheriff's office. Ruby's face told Emma that she could see what Emma was doing, but Emma really didn't care.
As she stepped into the fresh air she realized how disappointed she was that Ruby was not right. Killian had not asked her to go with him and to be honest she hadn't seen him that much lately.
He was so busy with the task that David had given him of training people in sword fighting and she was busy with other matters as sheriff. She felt a pang in her heart as she thought about how much she missed having him around constantly. She was suffering withdrawals from lack of snarky comments and those piercing blue eyes. There was a time not too long ago when they were always with each other and Henry. So much had happened and she let him in more and more.
But things had to change when they were reunited with everyone. They realized they needed to focus on preparing for a fight to save the Enchanted Forest from the invasion of the Wicked Witch and her forces. There was no time left to be alone together since the whole town was working to help.
As she walked towards her office, she couldn't help thinking of all the memories they had together and how he had fought everyday to find her in the year she lived unaware of his existence. He was true to his promise to think about her everyday and he had even attempted true loves' kiss to restore her memories when he finally succeeded in finding her. She regrets that he received a painful knee to the groin in response. He had put his heart on the line just like in Neverland to help her, but at the time, he was a stranger to her.
David and Rumple had laughed upon hearing this. Unbeknownst to Emma, David had taken Killian aside after learning that Killian was still under the impression the kiss should have worked if he was her true love. David recounted his similar experience with Snow and Killian had breathed a huge sigh of relief that hope was not lost in being the true love of Emma Swan. Until then, he thought he was fighting a losing battle. He would have spent the rest of his life trying to make her happy as he was mad for her, but knowing this information had given him a renewed hope.
Emma loved hearing her mother had roughed up Charming for his attempt of true love's kiss during her memory loss phase. She snickered just picturing it. Like mother, like daughter. She knew that Snow was badass and could imagine Charming getting beat up by her. Emma smiled betting that at that time Snow would not have guessed that the stranger who kissed her would end up her husband and the father of her two children, Emma and her baby sister Ruth.
She could not help but wonder what would be in the future for her and Killian. No she was not going there. Thoughts like that were not allowed.
Upon arrival at the sheriff's office she was greeted with the image of her mother and father sharing coffee and making googly eyes at each other before the day officially began. Part of her had the reaction of anyone catching their parents in a moment wanting to shield her eyes and yell at them, but she was mostly happy for them.
And a little something else. Jealousy? No…
She was in awe of the fact they still acted like love struck teenagers around each other and radiated love but that didn't mean she wanted to be witness to it. The sound of her clearing her throat broke their moment and turned the attention on her arrival.
"Emma, you're a bit early. I thought you wouldn't be in until eight?" Her father smiled at her, "Come sit with us for a few minutes before the busy day gets started. We have a meeting later today to get updates on everyone and fine-tune the strategy if needed." She complied, pulling her chair from her desk closer to where they were sitting.
"Sweetheart, is something wrong? It looks like you have something weighing on your mind?" Of course her mother would be able to spot her Killian worries.
She tried to throw her off with a smile, "Nope, I'm just a bit tired." The look on Mary-Margaret's face told her that she did not buy it at all.
However she let it go and instead told her daughter, "You will have to make sure you get plenty of rest tonight then. We have an exciting day tomorrow and you'll want to be refreshed for the ball."Emma groaned. It seemed she was not going to escape this topic, which of course led to other thoughts she was trying to avoid. Mary-Margaret went on to explain that after the meeting today there will be no more focusing on the battle until the celebration was over. "We all deserve a day of happiness. We have been constantly facing a problem for too long, so tomorrow we will all be free of it." Emma noticed a look that passed between her mom and dad. She could tell that Mary-Margaret had to lay down the law because many were so consumed in preparing. Including her father and herself. "After that we can worry and organize."
Emma was about to argue that they should dedicate at least the morning to some training or strategizing but she noticed David shaking his head slightly. He had already tried and had lost. Mary-Margaret's decision was final. So they continued their conversation without fighting about the issue.
Before Mary-Margaret took off for her class on archery, she reminded Emma that after the meeting today the girls were going to get together with Belle in order to let off steam and work out last minute details for the big day. It was going to be a mellower version of a bachelorette party hosted at Mary-Margaret's new house.
With the new baby, David and her had decided it was time for more room. When they were in the Enchanted Forest they had plenty of space in the castle, but for now they were in love with their second home. Emma remained in the apartment, which was nice since weren't kept up by a crying infant, but frequently had dinners with the whole family.
Emma was actually pretty excited for tonight as it had been a long time since they all had a free night. She usually wasn't one for a ladies night, but she had grown really close to all the girls and was glad to be around friends.
She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 8:01am. Time to get on with a very long day.
The town hall was packed and everyone who needed to give a report took turns speaking to the crowd. Killian had been one of the first and was now sitting in the audience trying to focus on the information presented. It was a challenge because his eyes kept wandering to the person in the front row with the luscious, golden locks. He noticed how she kept leaning down to hear what Henry whispered to her and he couldn't help but grin every time she smiled at what her son told her. She seemed to be able to smile easier since the whole memory fiasco.
He felt a sharp jab in the side and tore his gaze from Emma to see Robin sitting beside him with a teasing look on his face. "You know the purpose of this meeting is not to stare at Emma", a smirk growing on his face, "I believe the matters being discussed are of some importance. Possibly more important than watching your lady and her boy."
Killian was caught and yet he didn't feel guilty. "Aye, but just look at that smile".
He missed being around her constantly. He had been busy with the work assigned to him, but he had also felt a shift in their relationship when people they knew once again surrounded them. He had to admit that he was worried about what she was thinking. He wanted to give her time to process and make sure he wasn't pressuring her. He had a whole year to reaffirm his devotion to her, which culminated in the kiss, whereas she had less time and when she escaped the curse he knew she was not quite in the same place he was.
The walls that were erected around her heart because of her past, the abandonment and heartbreak, created obstacles for him in his attempts to show her he was genuine. He knew she would need time to work through the trust issues and realize that he would always be there for her. They had come a long way since she chained him to the beanstalk unable to chance being wrong in trusting him, but she had to be even more careful with her heart.
Emma had given him some hope that she was feeling something right before the curse hit as they said their goodbyes. While he promised to think of her each and every day, a vow he had kept despite sometimes being painful, her response to his declaration had kept him motivated through the challenges he faced. Her "good" had meant so much to him. It was something to cling on to during the darkest times. With that one word she accepted his feelings and given him hope that she was glad he felt that way. Alas, the moment was quickly ruined because she had to get in her yellow bug and leave everyone behind.
Between the time he had shown up on her door and their return to the people of Storybrooke, which began existing again once the Savior was able to remember who she was, they had grown closer. He had endeavored to show her just who she was and once she regained her memories, he also revealed more of who he truly was. He wanted her to know that his whole life had not been tainted by hate and his need for revenge.
He spent that time falling for her even more, but clueless as to whether she just saw him as a friend especially since he thought the kiss would have worked if they were meant to be. They did have the occasional moment, but with Emma he was never certain.
David's voice jolted him from his thoughts and he realized the meeting was being called to a close. "That's it for tonight everybody. As my beautiful wife has declared we will not think of this until after the wedding is over", he nodded to Belle and Rumple who were holding hands and smiling at each other, "Tomorrow we will come together for some fun to celebrate with Rumple and Belle on their day. Goodnight everyone, we will see you at the wedding."
With that, the crowd began to disperse and Killian's view of Emma was cut off. He looked at Robin who slapped his shoulder, "Ready for the festivities? David told me we are going to take Rumple out for a drink to celebrate. Apparently in this land the men go out for a good time while the ladies have their own celebration. I believe I will enjoy this tradition as a good drink and merriment are in order. Allow me to just say goodnight to my son and lady and then I will catch up with you."
Killian chuckled at Robin's excitement for a night out. He still couldn't believe his life had changed so much that he would be going out with Charming and Rumplestilskin. If someone had told him that a few years ago, he would have made them walk the plank.
He looked down at the prosthetic hand that he wore most of the time. His friends no longer referred to him by his moniker of 'Hook' as it did not reflect who he was anymore. He no longer was on a quest of revenge, and hate did not dictate his every action. He wore a prosthetic hand, not because he wanted to blend in more but because his hook was a constant reminder of his hate. It was a tool in his malice and allowed his anger to fester over those years he spent on a revenge mission.
So much had changed within him. Ever since he had met Emma and grown closer to others he began to let go. He wanted to be more like his young self, the man of honor and kindness that he once was, the man who would have been more worthy of Emma's love.
Even Milah had not inspired this in him. While he truly had loved her, she did not bring out his better side, which was drawn out by Emma's heroic nature and the goodness of those who surrounded him. He had met her when he was only a pirate and not yet Hook, but she was looking for an escape from her life and he was able to provide that. His love for Milah was sincere but it did not change him for the better. He had still held on tightly to the grief and anger that had transformed him when he lost his brother, which fueled his bad deeds as a pirate.
He knew he could never truly go back to his younger self and nor would he want to. He was shaped by the experiences in his life. There was not going to be a true clean slate. Yet somehow the people he is now friends with accepted who he was and his past malfeasance. He was grateful for that acceptance but he wanted to be better not just for those he cared for, but also for himself. It was time his Killian side, which had been stifled by the fury of Hook for so long, bring love and kindness back into his life. He had lived too long thinking that he would never have anyone who would care for him and he couldn't believe there would be any happy ending in store for him. Now he had people who cared and he had hope for the future.
His eyes roamed over the crowd and landed on David and Henry who were on their way down the aisle to him. Killian met them halfway and spoke about how the meeting went.
Henry looked up at him with a grin and admiration on his face. He constantly wanted to hang out with Killian since they bonded on the return from New York. He was so curious about the life of a pirate and how to sail the Jolly Roger as well as wanting to practice wielding his wooden sword. Killian was glad to spend time with the lad as he enjoyed his company as well. He made sure to keep things age-appropriate after Emma had reminded him when the topic of past fights arose.
It was clear to Killian that Henry was itching to say something so he wasn't surprised when Henry interrupted David midsentence with,"Do you think we can practice sword fighting tomorrow sometime before the wedding? It's been a while and I want to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. You promised that I would get as good as you are and I can't do that when I am in school all the time while everyone else learns how to fight."
David interjected, "Henry, school is more important at your age than learning how to be a warrior." Henry made the obligatory "I know, I know" in response to his grandfather but continued to look expectantly at Killian.
"Lad, as long as you get permission there is nothing I would like more. Soon you shall be able to beat me in a duel. And with all your school work you will be ten times smarter than I could ever be." Henry beamed at that and ran off bouncing with excitement.
David smiled at his grandson's enthusiasm. "Nice work with Henry. He really looks up to you. Now it is time to be off. I for one need a drink." He smirked and added, "And it looks like you could use one as well. C'mon Captain, let's get this night started." With that he turned from the pirate to search for the other men with Killian following behind.
Robin was saying goodnight to Regina who had graciously volunteered to babysit Henry, Roland, and Ruth and had them in tow. She said she felt it would be nice to spend more time with her son and he was sure she preferred that to a night of girl talk at Snow's house.
Next they found Rumple and Neal talking with Belle, Snow, and Emma. His heart picked up pace when his eyes connected with hers. Just like a magnet he felt a strong pull to her and had to fulfill his immediate need to stand close to her. She watched him do so and gave him a quick smile. It took all he had to tear his eyes from hers and focus on the discussion the group was having about the evening plans. Even then he kept sneaking glances to his side to see what she was thinking. It gave him pleasure when he caught her doing the same.
When the group began to separate, he gave her a meaningful look signaling her stay back. "It has been a while, love. Have you been distraught at my decreased presence in your life?" He said it in a teasing tone, but he was curious and also for some reason nervous about if she missed him as much as he missed her.
Emma rolled her eyes in response but a small grin grew on her face. Her voice oozed sarcasm in response to his question, "It has been so hard to make it through the day. What ever am I to do without you and your cheeky remarks?"
He stepped closer to her with a crooked smile on his face and his eyes locked onto hers. He was close enough that when he breathed in the air was filled with a light coconut aroma coming from her golden tresses. He wanted to reach up and tuck a loose curl that was covering her face behind her ear. Despite his desires he was able to resist the temptation. "It's a good thing you won't have to find out darling. After this Wicked Witch business is dealt with you will be seeing a lot more of me."
She leaned in even closer to him and he could feel his heart pounding through his chest at the nearness of her. It had been too long since she was this close to him. The proximity made his head cloud with thoughts of her and he yearned to reach out to her. He was losing control with each passing second.
"Mom, we are leaving now. Have a good time tonight." Henry ran up pulling them out of their moment and threw a hug around his mom. She returned the hug and said goodnight. Henry then turned his attention to Killian, "and I'll see you tomorrow. Be ready for the sword fight of your life." With that confident declaration he ran in the direction of Regina and out of their sight.
Emma looked over to the side and he followed her gaze to see her parents motioning to them both that it was time for the night to begin. "Well I guess we better get going since we are being summoned to get the party started. "
"Party, eh? Are you going to let loose tonight, Swan?" He teased in a low voice throwing a wink at her.
"Well, I am owed some fun so I think it is about time for me to have it."
Her words took him back to his promise in Neverland, which seemed like ages ago. He had told her the fun would begin when they returned with Henry, but with everything that happened things hadn't gone quite as planned. "Hmmm, I do think fun is in order. It is long overdue."
He broke away from looking at her eyes when he noticed Emma was biting her lower lip. He had the growing desire to kiss those lips. After she saw she had his attention it shifted into a smirk. Emma was quiet and drew out her words playfully, "Yes. Too bad it's a ladies only night." She let that sink in for a second staring into his eyes before changing the mood by raising her volume and continuing, "I better get going. See you at the wedding." And with that she slowly walked towards her mother not looking back to see his reaction. If she had, she would have seen an expression on his face that made it clear he wished there were no such restrictions. She was going to be the death of him.
He regained his composure and went to join the circle of men preparing to leave for the bar. "Let's finally go have some fun", Neal said as he ushered them towards the door.
If only this night could have been the kind of fun Killian wanted.
The wine was poured and the important details for the big day had already been discussed so at this point in the evening the ladies were just enjoying time having silly conversations. It was nice to finally relax. Emma sat on the couch beside Ruby who had already had her fair share of wine and was teasing Belle for blushing in response to the joke she had said about the wedding night.
Soon everyone was feeling the effect of the alcohol and giggling as they began to discuss how their men would be looking all dressed up for the ball.
After Belle, Ariel, Mary-Margaret, and Ruby realized that Emma had not chimed in on the conversation they immediately targeted her for her silence. Ariel was the first to comment, "Emma who are you planning to go with?"
"She says she is just going with Henry. No fun." Ruby added with a small shake of her head.
Mary-Margaret joined in, "Oh sweetie, didn't Henry tell you that he wanted to go with Robin and Regina so he could hang out with Roland?"
No she had not been informed of this. Of course her son would want to go with another kid and not his mother.
Ruby smirked. "So that takes away your excuse Emma. Now you better find a date."
She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "You do know that I do not need a man to take me anywhere. I am very capable of going to a wedding by myself. Besides it isn't like I won't have you all when I'm there."
"Of course you don't need a date. You can go by yourself, but it is nice to have the full ball experience", her mother looked off dreamily. Emma could tell she was thinking of past balls with her husband at her side. "But you are absolutely right. You should just come with David and I anyway since you are getting ready with me."
Great. So she was going to be going with her parents. If that wasn't motivation to find someone to say you were with for the evening then she didn't know what else was. She had to admit she was glad Mary-Margaret wasn't pressuring her though. In the past she may have tried to convince Emma that she should go with Neal, but ever since the jail incident came to light her parents had stopped pushing her toward him. Surprisingly they had decided it was her business.
It had also helped that they had begun to see Killian differently as well.
Just when the conversation had shifted to talking about the dancing at the ball they heard a familiar tune cut through the chatter. Mary-Margaret leapt up to grab her phone. "David?"
"Excuse me. This is a ladies evening. We are not suppose to talk to the opposite sex", Ruby teasingly said slightly slurring her words as Mary-Margaret covered her exposed ear with one finger in attempt to hear what was being said on the phone.
Mary-Margaret began to laugh at what she was hearing. She covered the phone and quietly told the other girls, "It sounds like they have gone crazy." With that all the girls jumped over to listen in.
Emma could hear the intoxicated voices of multiple men attempting to shush each other as one voice, clearly a drunk Rumple, yelled out "This is for the love of my life Belle!" And with that the unthinkable happened.
In a drunken chorus 'L.O.V.E' by Nat King Cole was coming through the cell phone speaker. There was a definite struggle with staying in unison and she could hear that they did not all know the lyrics but they were doing it. There was intermittent laughs from the men as they sang/yelled, but Belle had the biggest smile on her face at the attempt to serenade. Emma was still in shock that this was actually happening. They must have been really, really drunk at this point. But it was sweet.
When the serenade ended with a loud "love was made for you and meeeee", there was a huge round of laughter on the men's end which blocked out the ladies clapping at the performance.
A few moments after ending the call Mary-Margaret's phone buzzed with a text. She opened it and the room burst into a fit of loud laughter.
It was a picture. One that Emma was sure the men would regret sending in them morning when they had clearer heads if they were able to remember it. Judging by the overly happy and clearly drunk expressions they may not.
In the picture Robin, Neal, Killian, and David were striking poses like they were serenading the camera. If that wasn't silly enough Rumple was in the center of the picture lying on his side on the bar top just like it was a piano. He certainly had a flare for the dramatics. This was probably the most shocking thing she could ever imagine the man she once knew only as Mr. Gold doing. And she had seen him do a lot of shocking things.
Once the group regained their composure and the ability to breathe, Ariel pointed out something important. "I bet they are going to have difficulty getting through tomorrow."
This revelation immediately made Belle start to worry. "Um, I feel as though they aren't going to slow down and I would rather have a groom who was able to enjoy the day."
Ruby made a fist with her right hand and punched her left, "Then let's go drag their butts home by any force necessary. Nothing is going to ruin your big day."
Mary-Margaret added her assent, "Hear, hear. I think these men have had enough so we should definitely make sure they get a good night's rest." Belle smiled gratefully as all the women prepared for the challenge. They didn't know what they were going to face, but they all had the skills to take these men down if needed.
They arrived at the bar with a fierce determination on their faces, but Emma was not prepared for what she saw. She was expecting them to be rowdy, singing or knocking each other around or something. However, that was not the case.
They were in a corner booth but it looked like the men had quickly lost momentum in the time it took them to get here. Neal was asleep with his head resting on the table. Rumple was staring off with a slight smile on his face. It looked like he was in his own world at that point.
Robin, David, and Killian on the other hand…
"I love that tattoo. A lion, how freaking awesome. Lions can roar so loud." David was examining Robin's arm and whined, "You both have tattoos on your arms. I don't even have one. Snow probably wouldn't like it."
"You are Prince… Charming. I don't think princes are allowed to have a tattoo." Killian smirked for a second but he saw his drunken friend's disappointed face and he continued, "But you know maybe Snow would like it. You never know, mate." David's face lifted at the hope that his wife would be into it. Emma shot a quick glance to her mother's face and could tell that was never going to happen.
"You men are great… I would have you both as my Merry Men…" Robin seemed to drift off for a second then returned with a goofy smile on his face. "We could share many great times and have many drinks."
"Can a pirate be a Merry Man?" Killian seemed very concerned with the possibility of being excluded. Emma couldn't help but think how much he must of drank to be in the same state as the other men. He had to have a much higher tolerance because of his constant drinking, so he must have had more than them. Of course, she also had noticed that he wasn't tied to his flask of rum like he used to be.
Robin boomed, "Of course he can! We could have the greatest crew that ever lived." Killian and David smiled at that. They began planning the greatness of a crew of Merry Men that they were a part of.
"Aye, we could use the Jolly Roger and travel to far off places. I could teach you how to sail her!" He smiled and Emma knew it was the thought of his beloved ship. "And we could sword fight and search for treasure." This stimulated more drunken excitement before they began to lose steam.
Then, right before it looked like he was about to doze off David seemed to have a revelation. He shouted with widened eyes, "You know you would also make great knights too!" David put his arm across his friend's shoulders. "We could go off on adventures together. And we could get tattoos of knights. Or dragons! Maybe we should go get one now!"
The ladies had amusedly watched this all from the bar stools that were in earshot but conveniently hide them from the men's sight. It was all so ridiculous to see these grown men acting like children. With the talk of tattoos from David reoccurring Mary-Margaret jumped up from her seat, "Okay I think we better put this to an end."
"Yeah it seems like this bromance is ready to be shutdown or they might run off to go have adventures." Emma scoffed at the thought and led the charge to the table.
David was the first to catch sight of them approaching. "Snow! I want to ask-" but he was interrupted by Killian when his eyes found Emma.
"Swan." A smile erupted across his face. "You came to have some fun."
She tried to hide her smile but was pleased at his evident happiness at her arrival. "It looks like you've had plenty of fun for the both of us. We are here to take you home." The men found this very disagreeable and immediately began complaining trying to convince the girls to stay for one more drink.
They took some motivating to get up and the only one happy was Rumple who was eager to spend some alone time with Belle as she walked him home. Neal had to be supported by Ariel and Ruby since they discovered he could not walk on his own. Mary-Margaret escorted her husband and Emma could hear David trying to persuade her that they should go to the tattoo parlor.
Which left her with a grinning Killian. "Trying to get me alone, Swan? Are you planning on taking advantage of my inebriated state?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, to which she rolled her eyes.
Emma could not help but wonder how the hell it was that he could look so good after a night filled with drinking. She had already lost the buzz that her drinks had provided so she knew she was seeing him clearly. His dark hair was tousled but it looked very intentional like a hair artist had gotten a hold of him knowing that it would only make him look more desirable. His cheeks were slightly flushed and his bright blue eyes were shining. He looked so alive.
And it should have been illegal the way he was looking in his pirate outfit with the red vest that she loved. He didn't wear the leather all the time now, which made her appreciate it even more when she got to see him in it. The only thing he was missing was the coat. The one she had once grabbed passionately during the most fantastic kiss…
No, focus.
Emma reminded herself this was not a good time. Not when Killian had been drinking. She finally responded a bit flustered with, "You wish." But after seeing his face drop she added, "You need your rest tonight for the wedding tomorrow."
"Ah so you are looking out for me, love? How sweet. Well, then why don't we depart?" He offered her his arm which she took for the sake of making sure that he was able to walk straight and they headed out into the cool evening in the direction of the Jolly Roger. Although he had lodgings at Granny's, most nights he had been found to stay on his ship.
They were mostly quiet on the walk just taking in the peaceful night and each other's presence. Surprisingly, he was able to hold his own pretty well only veering occasionally, but she began to suspect he was doing it for her reaction, as she had to pull him closer to steady him. The sneaky bastard. Though she had to admit she didn't mind enough to tell him to knock it off.
When they were in sight of the Jolly Rodger they both slowed their pace. She wasn't eager to be separated from him and it seemed he felt the same.
If he felt that way then she was confused as to why he seemed to have no interest in accompanying her to the wedding. Seriously? He would not stop pursuing her all through Neverland and then he decides to not woo her lately? There is a freaking ball and he is not going to sweep her off her feet? Did he not know that in the fairytales the ball was the golden opportunity to get the girl?
She was frustrated with him but she was also kicking herself for feeling this way. Why did she care? He should not have this kind of effect over her. Yet he did. She couldn't help it and for the most part, she didn't want to.
He must have noticed the conflict on her face for he had stopped to face her. "Is something on your mind, lass?" His eyes were full of concern and curiosity at her warring thoughts.
"What would make you think that?" She continued to walk, this time a little faster, and he stumbled a bit trying to catch up.
"I suppose it could be that you look like you are fighting with all you have to not say something to me. If that is it, then I must inform you that you can tell me absolutely anything." He was being sincere in his concern. He must realize the difficulty she was having and he knew not to joke about it.
Should she tell him about her disappointment in his lack of pursuit lately? That she missed having him there with her? Emma was not sure she could handle the answer. She looked down keeping her eyes glued on the docks they were now on and forced out a laugh, "I…I was just thinking about the stupid dress I am being forced to wear tomorrow and how bad it will be when I fall over."
She cursed herself for such a dumb answer. You are Emma Swan and you thought the best topic would be dresses? He will know for sure that you are lying. She braced herself for a teasing comment she felt was owed as a response to her silliness.
It did not come. Instead as they approached his ship he stopped her in her tracks and turned her to face him. He reached his hand out to her chin and lifted her face so that their eyes met. She found it hard to look in his eyes because she felt he could see right through her. She had never liked being emotionally exposed; she tried her best to keep her feelings hidden in order to keep her heart protected.
He lowered his hand from her chin now that she no longer had her eyes glued to her feet. His face told her that he knew she had not revealed her true concerns, but he did not try to get her to admit the truth. She felt a new warmth in her fingers as his entwined with hers. Her skin tingled at the contact and she felt a sense of comfort wash over her. "Don't worry for a moment love. I will be there to catch you if you do."
A simple answer, but there was so much behind it. She had no idea how to respond. Was she reading too much into it?
He brought her hand to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers, and gave it a gentle kiss. Her heart danced around in reply and she fought to keep her face neutral. "Thank you for seeing me home safely."
He released her hand and she immediately felt disappointment at its absence. "It was no problem. Didn't want to see you to accidentally fall in the water." They shared a smile, both seeming to find it hard to say goodbye.
Finally with a sigh Killian was able to tell Emma goodnight. "Sweet dreams, Emma."
"Have a good night, Killian." And with reluctance they both turned to separate for the night.
Emma could still feel where his lips had touched her skin because it was blazing with heat. She realized that whether he asked her or not, she wanted to go with him tomorrow. She wanted to have an excuse to spend more time with the man she had seen so scarcely as of late. And despite the fact that it meant she was going to have to put herself out there, something she avoided like the plague, she was also the kind of woman that went out and got what she wanted.
She took a deep breath collecting confidence before she turned on her heel. She spurted it out quickly wanting to get the embarrassment over as fast as possible. "Would you like to go with me to the ball?" Why was this so much harder than fighting a dragon? She spat out the last bit and it almost sounded a bit too much like a command, but she was flustered and just wanted this to be over. "Be my date tomorrow."
He turned slowly to face her and revealed that there was a grin fixed on his face. He only replied with three little words spoken softly. "As you wish."
With that Emma smiled at him since she could manage no words. She quickly turned towards her home trying to maintain a calm exterior despite her racing heart.
She couldn't believe that tomorrow she was going to a real-life ball and she would have a real-life pirate on her arm. Talk about a twist in the story.