Author's Note: This was a beast to write. I'm planning on two more stories to go with this one. But, I really enjoy writing for this fandom. Mostly since I can make it as happy as I want to. So, read and review!
Emma Swan liked having order in her life. She enjoyed the fact that everything in her apartment had a spot, enjoyed that she could have a stable job in the only town she'd ever lived in for more than a year, and enjoyed the fact that not many people asked questions about her. Everyone knew her as Emma Swan, local cop, and a generally decent person on a good day. She had a handful of friends, and a soft spot for her beat-up yellow bug. Some of her friends, mostly Mary Margret, told her to be more adventurous with her life, but she didn't plan on it.
All she wanted was to keep living in her nice apartment, go to the dinner after her shift was done and trade jabs with David, her other cop friend, and go home. And everything was normal in her life. Well, as normal as it could get for Emma.
Until the empty building next door got bought.
Storybrooke was a small town; your business was typically known by the whole town that same morning, possibly the afternoon if it was dull enough. But no one knew who had bought the place. Word was that it was probably an outsider, but Emma could care less. As long as they didn't disturb her, she'd be fine with them. Nothing could have prepared her for when they actually moved in. When Emma got back from running out to the grocery store, she'd forgotten to get some more hot chocolate packets this morning, there was a moving van in front of the building. There were two men unloading boxes from the truck, which wasn't very big. And neither of them looked like they had ever lived in Maine before. She'd remember finding two…very good looking men like these.
Emma got out of her car, one hand holding the plastic bag, and walked over. One of the men, with a head full of curly brown hair, was pulling out a taped box. He straightened up when he heard her walking across the pavement.
"Good evening, miss." God, even his accent was hot. Definitely not something from Maine.
"Hi. So, you're the one that bought this place?" Emma hated to gossip, but this guy didn't look like a creep, so she took her chances.
"Yes, my brother and I decided to move here." Emma raised an eyebrow.
"Your brother?" The guy chuckled.
"Yes. I would introduce you, but he's inside setting things up." He brushed his hands off on his jeans and held out a hand. "I'm Liam Jones. My brother is Killian." Emma shook his hand and leaned against the side of the truck as Liam climbed up to grab another box.
"Emma Swan, nice to meet you." She moved her head inside the truck.
"Do you need any help bringing things in? I know the feeling of moving everything." Liam popped his head out of the truck.
"It's alright. There's only a few boxes left. Plus," Liam gave a sadder look towards the house that left Emma puzzled. "I'm not sure how Killian would take meeting you right now. Lately he liked to keep to himself." Emma wanted to ask why, but the far off look that Liam was exhibiting gave her the impression that now wasn't the time to pry. Besides, she was living next to them, she was sure she'd find out eventually.
"It's ok, no pressure. I live in the building." Emma turned and pointed to her own door. "So, if you need anything, just knock." Liam gave her a blinding smile.
"Thank you, Emma." Liam hoisted up the box onto his hip and walked into the house. Emma watched him go, wondering if she should stick around, before deciding it was time for her to head inside as well. She didn't want to become that creepy neighbor. Her feet echoed lightly as she walked along the concrete, and she kept one eye on the moving van as she fished her keys out of her purse. She didn't know why she was so curious about these people. It had taken her months before she could say hi to all the people she now called her friends.
She put her groceries away and then headed upstairs to take a shower. The warm water felt good, relaxing her body, but her mind was going a mile a minute. She wanted to know more about the brothers, especially the one she hadn't met. Was he just shy or something? She wouldn't know; she never had siblings, but it seemed like Liam cared a lot. Maybe next time she saw them they could talk more. She could ask where they were from. That accent wasn't from the states, that's for sure. Shaking her head, Emma reached out from behind the shower curtain and grabbed her towel.
The rest of the night passed in similar fashion. She'd be in the middle of doing things and then just start thinking about the brothers. It was her job to know things and people and she hadn't gotten much from talking with Liam. Her phone buzzed again; Mary Margret wanted to know if she was coming to the cookout tomorrow. Emma rolled her eyes, but sent a reply telling her that she would be there. Social events weren't her thing, but this was her town and she had to make an effort once and a while.
She put her phone on the charger next to her bed and tried to fall asleep. All she ended up doing was tossing and turning. Finally, she got up and started to wander around the apartment. It was so quiet and Emma loved it; this time of night was the most peaceful and Emma had always been one to enjoy peace. She caught a glimpse of Liam and Killian's apartment when she passed the sink. The window showed all the lights still on. If she kept looking, she might have seen the other brother, but she didn't want to be creepy.
Of course, from the minute she walked into the little party Mary Margret was throwing, she had to open her mouth and say she had met the new people. Well, one of them. In her defense, it was Henry who asked, and she couldn't deny the kid anything. Her friend had overheard, and thus so had David, so they began to pester her to give up any information she might have. Which wasn't a lot.
"Are they nice?" David asked as he grabbed another beer. Emma shrugged.
"Liam seemed nice enough. Can't say much for his brother yet." Regina perked up at that.
"He's got a brother?" Emma popped the tab open on her soda.
"He said he did. Just haven't gotten around to meeting him yet. If he's anything like his brother, he's bound to be polite, at least." And handsome, she thought to herself. She actually waited an extra ten minutes in her car before leaving for the party in hopes of catching a glance of the mystery brother, but she didn't get anything. "Look, something tells me that they aren't the type to enjoy people barging into their lives. So, go easy."
David held up his hands in a placating manner and wandered off to talk to Robin. Mary Margret stayed with her, looking strongly at her with an emotion she couldn't place.
"I think that you should invite them to the next gathering." Emma nearly spewed out her drink.
"Did you not get anything from what I just said? They probably want privacy!" Her friend shrugged her shoulders.
"They might want it, but it might be nice to get to know some people." Emma tapped her fingers on the aluminum can. The funny thing was, she didn't think that Liam was interesting in meeting new people. He seemed…cautious. Like he was protecting something or someone. Whatever the reason, the brothers would resolve to meet the townsfolk at their own pace. The rest of the afternoon went smoothly, with only a few other comments about the new people, and Emma was more than ready to go home when the event was done.
She was surprised when she pulled into her parking spot and saw Liam sitting on the front step of his house. He looked frustrated.
"Everything ok?" Emma asked as she climbed out of the bug. Liam ran his hands through his hair.
"You wouldn't happen to have the landowner's number, would you? I can't find it anywhere and the boiled won't shut off."
"Have you tried the lever yet?" At the confused look on Liam's face Emma laughed.
"Look, show me the boiler. I can fix it for you and save you a call." Liam nodded and got up. He held open the door for her and Emma couldn't help but look around while he shut it.
There were boxes everywhere, half of them opened, the others stacked against the wall. There was a bottle of prescription pills on the counter.
"Sorry about the mess. It's mostly mine, Killian being the anal arse he is already unpacked most of his boxes." Liam leads her down into the basement where the boiler is. It's stifling in here, but Emma tries not to let it show, and quickly and efficiently shows Liam how to work the boiler in the event that this happens again. Which it probably will, since the boilers here tend to run a little odd. They both walk up the stairs and Emma glances around the other rooms as Liam leads her back to the front of the house.
The bigger rooms is clearly meant to be the living room, and one of the smaller rooms off to the side might be meant for an office. The kitchen is a wreck, with half unpacked boxes of utensils and plates, and she can barely make out the sense of order. She didn't even have close to this much stuff when she moved here. And then they're at the front of the door. Emma can sense that Liam didn't want to make this drawn out, but she does have one question for the man. A pretty obvious one, in her opinion.
"Thanks for all your help." Liam is gracious, not at all what she's used to, and she means to answer back. But what comes out instead is this.
"Can I meet your brother?" Emma immediately regrets the question from the moment it comes out. Liam looks pained, as if someone is twisting his arm, and Emma can't help feeling like a complete jerk.
"I would like you to meet him, Emma. But Killian," Liam shuts his eyes and when he opens them again there's a darker tone to them. "He's going through a few things. When the time is right, you'll meet him, but no sooner than that."
Emma let the issue go. She barely knew Liam, and his brother even less, so it wasn't her place to be asking things of him. Liam held open the door for her and she walked back to her apartment. Deciding that she couldn't take the silence, she hunted up some old CD's and popped them into her CD player. Pouring herself a glass of wine, and opening a bag of chips, she kicked back on the couch. She wasted some time on her phone, but her thoughts kept going back to what Liam had said.
Liam had said his brother was going through things. What kind of things? Had there been a death or a breakup? Maybe that's why Liam was so hesitant to introduce her. But she doubted that a broken heart was the cause. You didn't need pain killers for a broken heart, but then again, she hadn't seen the name on the bottles. She wish she had, to satisfy her curiosity, but she wasn't a snoop. On the other hand, she couldn't help but think as to why these new people were so easy for her to talk to.
Emma woke up to a very stiff neck and a wine stain on her coffee table. It was Sunday, which meant no work for her, and she shuffled herself upstairs and collapsed on her unmade bed where she slept for several more hours. It was late in the morning when she finally crawled out of bed and made some food for herself. As she ate, Emma wondered what she could do today. The guys had mentioned some hunting trip but Henry was bound to be with Regina, and she knew how stressed the mayor was at the current moment.
The upcoming election was about two months away and with Mr. Gold talking about running, well, there was good reason to be on edge. Emma might be at odds with Regina at times, but Gold was someone she wouldn't trust ever. She finished eating and left her dirty dishes in the sink to be dealt with later. After messaging Henry, she pulled on a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. It was Sunday and there was no reason to be fancy today. She was just tying her hair up in a ponytail when her phone went off to signal a text message.
Henry had said yes to an adventure, the only stipulation being that he was home before dinner. Texting back quickly to let him know that she was on her way, Emma grabbed her keys off the counter and slipped on her converse. There was a nice breeze in the air and Emma instantly rolled the windows down in the bug once she was seated inside. She quickly glanced at the brother's house, but didn't linger too long. For now, she'd let that mystery go. After all, she was insanely private herself, so she could understand where they were coming from.
The drive didn't take too long. Henry was already waiting by the curb, his beaten up leather satchel slung on his shoulder, looking pretty excited. The kid was always excited about something, which was what Emma needed in her life. How ironic was it that she got assigned to the same town as the son she had given up years ago? Shaking her head, Emma focused on finding a decent radio station instead of the past. Those memories could stay buried; she especially didn't want to relive them with Henry so close. He didn't need to know.
"Hey!" Henry plopped down on the leather seat and threw his bag into the back. Emma waited until he put his seatbelt on and then pulled away from the curb. "So, what're the new people like? Mom told me that you met them already." Emma laughed as she waited at a stop sign. She figured it wouldn't take Henry that long to become interested. The kid liked meeting new people and it had been a long time since anyone new had come to town. She stalled for time, fiddling with the radio, and brushing off Henry's pestering until she had her fill.
"I only met one of them but they seem nice." Henry smiled at that. She was willing to bet that he'd be on the lookout for Liam next time he was in town. She thought about warning him ahead of time, but decided not to; Henry was a nice kid and Liam wouldn't be overwhelmed by him. Probably.
"What about the other brother?" Henry was bouncing in his seat as he dug for answers. "Do they have any pets? Where do they live?" Emma chuckled as she turned down Main Street. They could waste time window shopping before driving back to Regina's.
"I don't know, haven't met him yet." She left out the part that Liam seemed reluctant to introduce him. Henry shrugged.
"Well, I'm sure you'll meet eventually. What about the other stuff?"
"No pets that I've seen and they live next door, so I'll probably be getting pretty familiar with them." After that, Henry seemed pretty satisfied and they contented themselves with looking around the stores. As they walked into one shop, Emma instantly picked out the guy near the back. He was flipping through some of the magazines, with one hand oddly, all by himself.
She looked around and saw Henry over by the comic books, distracted for the time being. Emma walked over slowly and picked up a random tabloid. The guy stopped flipping through the pages of his own magazine, looking at her from under his eyelashes. Silent guy was a good looking man; high cheekbones, dark eyelashes, and crystal clear blue eyes. He was stunning and Emma flipped open to a random page. It was something about a recent scandal going on between a Hollywood couples. She pointed to one of the bizarre statements printed on the top of the published piece.
"These things are the stupidest, aren't they?" Emma commented. "If only they focused as much on each other as the press does focusing on them." The guy let part of his mouth turn up, but it didn't count as a smile.
"Well, everyone knows that the press is only after one thing." He pointed out. Emma raised an eyebrow.
"And what would that be?"
"Money."
Emma laughed as she put her magazine back on the rack. She ran a hand through her hair, which did seem to get a glint of something in those gorgeous eyes, and held out her hand.
"I'm Emma Swan. One of the cops here." His hand was strong and she noted that he kept the other one firmly in his pocket.
"Killian Jones, pleasure to meet you." It was all she could do to not start jumping on the stop. She didn't need Liam to introduce them; she had found the other brother all by herself. "You don't have the appearance of a cop."
"And what does a cop look like?"
Killian smirked a bit wider than the last time. "Certainly not as stunning as you." Emma blushed as he walked out of the store.
Surprisingly, Henry didn't notice that she had been talking to the newcomer, and Emma didn't point it out to him. As she drove him back to Regina's the kid talked about some comic book character, and Emma nodded when necessary, but her thoughts were on the pair of brothers. Would it be bad to go over and tell Liam that she had already met Killian? That they could finally sit down and get to know one another like normal people? Probably not. Liam seemed like the type to be the overbearing protector, but maybe Killian had already told him.
It was dark when she pulled back inside. A couple of packages had been left on her doorstep. Knowing how confused the mail man could get sometimes, Emma checked the address, and noticed that it was supposed to go to her neighbors. If that wasn't a sign, she wasn't sure what was. The boxes weren't heavy, but the label was definitely from outside the country.
"Ireland, huh? What are you guys doing all the way out here?" Emma mused as she stepped up to the door. Shifting the packages, Emma pressed the doorbell and waited. She could hear someone walking to the door.
Liam was covered in sweat, hair going in all directions, and holding a screwdriver in one hand.
"Hi." Liam said lamely. Emma indicated to the boxes.
"The mail guy got these mixed up. Thought I should get them over to you before anyone took them. Not that they would. People aren't stupid enough to steal on this street since they know that a cop lives here." Liam chuckled and took the packages from her. He moved aside so that Emma could step through the door. It was a lot less messy than the last time she came.
The hall was more open; a small table had been set up and a bowl held a set of keys. Liam dropped the boxes beside the table and gestured his head towards the kitchen.
"Come on, I'll show you the kitchen." This room seemed to have more order to it. All the bowls and plates were put away and even some kitchen appliances were plugged in. But the whole area was missing the homey feeling. Emma chalked it up to the guys only being here for a short amount of time. She didn't feel at home in her place for several months.
"So, who gave in first, you or your brother?" Emma joked as she looked around. The walls needed to be painted. The boring beige color was awful. Liam leaned against the little island and chuckled. He looked younger when he did that.
"Killian did. Said he couldn't stand being around so many boxes." Liam tapped his fingers on the counter top. "So, get this. I finally convinced him to get out of the house, and I didn't actually think he would listen to me, but when I got back, he's gone. Then he walks in, and proceeds to tell me about this woman he met at the shops."
Emma can feel herself blushing but she doesn't give anything away. She was wondering who would break first. Maybe Killian didn't know that she and Liam had already met.
"Seems like your brother has the easy going personality for running into girls."
"Really, like blondes who're cops?"
Emma shrugs. "He was going to meet me eventually. We didn't talk much, actually, if that's what you're worried about." Killian didn't seem skittish, but Emma could tell that even that small conversation with her had been enough for him to go by.
Liam reaches into a cabinet and pulls out two mugs. Setting them down a little bit harder than she thought he should, the guy turned around and put the metal tea kettle on. He selected a wooden box from the shelf and pulled out a tea bag; he slid the box over to her and she picked out an Earl Gray one. She wasn't a tea drinker, normally, but she wasn't going to refuse it. Whatever Liam wanted to talk about had to be important. Any and all important conversations in her life had started with a piping hot beverage.
As the water boiled, Liam looked out the window over the sink. Emma fiddled with the paper portion of her tea bag. Finally, the older man turned around and sat down on one of the kitchen stools.
"You're the first person my brother has talked to since we left home." Those words clearly had a bigger meaning behind them, Emma just wasn't sure what it was. "So, when I kicked him out of the house today, I didn't expect much from it. Then, he comes back talking about you, and I swear this is the most I've heard him say in a while."
Emma thinks back to the pill bottles she saw when she first came into the apartment. At the time, she didn't know whose they were, but she felt more confident with assuming they were Killian's. Liam turns around as the kettle begins to go off, and Emma pulls her mug to her when it's full. The clear water begins to color from the tea.
"Why is it that big of a deal?" Emma blurts out the question before she can process it. Her filtering skills must be sorely lacking today, but she doesn't have time to apologize.
"Miss Swan," Liam's voice is hard and even without looking at him, she can tell that whatever she's about to hear isn't going to be pretty. "My brother…he was in an accident several months ago. Since then, I can count on my hands the amount of people he's talked to. And none of them have been outside of the house before. So, I just want you know what a big step this is for Killian." Emma didn't know what to say to that so she kept her eyes on her mug.
"Thank you for talking to my brother, Miss Swan."
After the small revelation in the kitchen, Emma headed home. She didn't want to stay late, plus she felt like she had intruded enough tonight on the Jones brother's life. She didn't ask about Killian, and where he was tonight, but thanked Liam for the tea, and sharing some of their story, before exiting the kitchen. Like last time, Liam escorted her to the door and watched as she got to her own apartment. Even before the key was in the lock, she could tell he was gone. She wasn't sure how she felt about that at the moment.
Big secrets weren't her thing. She didn't do well with those, even her own secrets, but there was clearly a big one with the brothers. And she was just given one tiny piece of the puzzle. Maybe it would be best to go see Killian herself, but Liam had said that she was practically the first outside person he talked to in months. What was she supposed to do with that? Follow his every move, demand his story, and then go about her life? She had to admit, the curiosity was killing her, but she wasn't going to demand information.
At a lost for what to do, she picked up her phone, curled up on the couch, and called Mary Margret. She had been her first friend when she moved here, so if there was anyone she could talk to, it was her. Pressing the FaceTime button, Emma waited as it rang. She hoped that Mary Margret wasn't doing anything tonight, but then again, she was in the midst of planning a wedding; she and David had gotten engaged several months ago, so it would be a while before the actual ceremony, but the woman liked to plan in advance.
Finally, the call started to connect. Her friend's face appeared on the screen.
"Hey, Emma!" The blonde shifted a bit into the couch and put her feet on the back end. No one was here to tell her how to correctly sit on a piece of furniture.
"Hey, am I interrupting?" The dark haired woman shook her head.
"No, actually, David just stepped out to get more milk or something. Said he couldn't use the creamer in the fridge for his coffee without dying." Emma laughed at that. David was very particular at what he put in his precious coffee.
"Good, because I need some serious girl talk." The words felt funny coming out of her mouth, but she didn't really have a lot of other people to go to. Ruby would laugh at this and then tell her to get into the pants of one of the brothers (or both), and Regina and she weren't that close. Despite having Henry bridge the gap between them, they remained civil, but Regina always thought that she was going to take Henry away from her, and Emma sometimes questioned Regina's parenting skills. So, that left Mary Margret to shoulder this lovely burden.
"Girl talk? Must be a pretty big problem." Mary Margret knew Emma well enough to know that if she was the one starting these conversations, something must have happened. She pulled her mug of tea closer, she had a feeling she was going to need it, and settled in to listen to whatever Emma had going on in her head.
"So, you know the new people?"
"The two brothers? Sure, you said they lived next door to you. Granny was talking about it this morning; she's getting anxious to see what they look like."
Emma laughed a bit at that and ran a hand through her hair to get it out of her face.
"They're gorgeous. Definitely from another country, but I can't place it." She had wanted to ask, but after the conversation with Liam, maybe holding back on the questions was a good idea.
"Ok, so we've got some new eye candy to look at." Emma rolled her eyes.
"You're engaged, M. Remember David?" Her friend stuck her tongue out and took a sip from her cup.
"I know that, I'm just saying that it'll be nice to change up the scenery at bit." Then she got a wicked gleam in her eye. "You, on the other hand, could pick one and roll with it."
Emma didn't have the best track record with guys. There was Neal, Henry's father, who disappeared to who knows where, and she didn't bother to track him down. She had a short fling with a guy named August, a chill biker dude, but he didn't stay long. There was a chance for a budding relationship with Graham, a fellow work friend, but he was killed in action before anything could happen. Since then, she hadn't bothered to put herself out on the scene.
"I don't want them to think I'm weird right away. Besides, Liam doesn't seem like the type to go for dating a girl he just met."
"And the other brother? What was his name, again? Why not him?" The thought of seeing those blue eyes again had Emma blushing.
"Killian. I don't think he'd be willing to either. Honestly, I think both of them just came for a fresh start or something." At least, that's what she thought. They both sounded foreign, and who would leave their home country if not for a chance to start over? Emma had been moving her whole life; even the idea of leaving the town was enough to make her anxious.
"Well, try and get to know them better. Maybe invite them over for dinner or something. Or you could offer to show them around town!" Emma suspected that the last suggestion was more geared towards the rest of the folks living here. Everyone had a healthy obsession with finding out the scoop on the people who lived within Storybrooke.
"I guess I could try that." Emma hadn't the faintest idea on how to bring it up, but she could probably figure it out.
Two days later, Liam opened the door to find a small index card taped to the mail box on the side of the house.
Would you and Killian like to come over for dinner sometime? –Emma
Smiling, Liam took the note back inside. Killian was spread out on the couch, listening to the music coming from his Ipod, looking pretty relaxed. That was good; they had made it almost a full week without any need for the pain meds. The doctor back home said that Killian should see a specialist here, and a therapist, but he hadn't brought it up just yet.
"Remember Emma?" Liam asked as he sat down on the small space left on the couch. Killian pressed a button on the music player and pulled out one headphone.
"What?"
"Emma, blonde, cute, works as a cop, remember her?" The blush on his face told him that yes, Killian certainly remembered her.
"Sure, why?"
"Well," Liam handed the card over to his brother. "She wants us over for dinner. Might be nice to get out for a change." At this point, if this Emma person was the one to get his brother back into the swing of living, Liam would try it.
Since the accident, there had been glimpses of his little brother, and slowly the good days were outweighing the bad, but he still had a long way to go. It hadn't failed his notice that Killian was smiling the whole day after he first met Emma. Or how he would ask seemingly random questions about her either. Perhaps having dinner together would be a good thing. He could handle being the third wheel for one night. Killian fingered the slip of paper, and Liam didn't rush his answer. One had to be patient with Killian.
"Did she say when?"
"Does it have a date on the paper?"
"No."
"Then I guess we'll have to ask Emma when she'd like to have us, now won't we?"
Killian rolled his eyes as he handed the paper back. Liam lifted Killian's leg so he could get more of the couch and then grabbed the remote control. The television didn't have much on, but he settled on some nature documentary. Besides, sharks had always been his favorite.
"She hasn't seen the prostatic yet." There was a hard edge to Killian's voice. Yet another thing that had emerged since the accident.
His brother had never been insecure as a kid. That was always Liam's cross to bear. Killian had been the outgoing one, the wild one, the fun one. But the accident that took his hand seemed to have taken his confidence as well, and Liam was trying his best to get the normal bravado his brother used to have back. Maybe this dinner might not be such a good idea… But Liam couldn't help but notice that Emma might be a good thing. Someone new who didn't already know about the accident or how Killian was from before it.
"You're awfully quiet over there?" A slight kick to his shoulder jumps him out of his thoughts.
"Sorry, I just zoned out." Liam fiddled with a stray thread on the couch. "Look, I don't think Emma will care much about your gadget. If she does, then that's why you have me. But I think getting you out of this house will be good for you, Killy." The nickname has been coming out more and more since moving here. It's almost like he's trying to add any type of protection he can get onto his brother. He's not above doing it.
"Penny for your thoughts then?" Killian swings his legs around so he's sitting next to Liam. The closeness isn't uncommon for them; they shared the same bedroom until Liam started high school.
"I'm thinking that I'm going to tell Emma that we'd like to come over for dinner. And if she even looks like she might start insulting you, then I'll handle it."
"You don't need to fight my battles, Liam."
"There's no battle Killian. I'm just saying that if there was one," Liam points a finger to tell Killian to let him finish. "I'd be right there with you."
"I know that, you idiot. I'm just telling you that I can handle some things on my own." The younger man got up and went into the kitchen for a drink. He tossed a can of Coke to Liam and then focused back on the show. "You would be the type of person to go into one of those cages."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you're the type of idiot that likes to put themselves in danger."
"I'm not like that at all!"
"Really?" Killian cocked an eyebrow. "I seem to remember someone getting arrested for some joy riding."
"That was one time!"
"Once is all it takes, Liam." The other man glared at him before setting his drink on the coffee table. Then, with surprising ease, he pinned Killian to the couch.
"Well, I'm bigger than you."
"You mean your ass is bigger. Doesn't make you stronger, Li." It was an old argument, one that had started years and years ago, but the sense of normality was deeply missed. Killian hadn't joked like this in weeks. It wasn't long before they were wrestling on the floor, trying to best one another in their manliness. It was completely ridiculous.
Later, when they had both laughed hard enough to feel it in their abs, Liam wrote out a reply to Emma's question. The yellow bug that she drove wasn't in the driveway, so he walked up the little path and stuck it in between the screen door. Hopefully it wouldn't rain tonight so that the ink didn't run. That accomplished, he went back inside to play a few rounds of cards with Killian. At some point he'd venture out into the town and find a new hangout. Maybe even meet a few new mates to kick back with.
Oh, possibilities.
Emma was ecstatic that the brothers wanted to have dinner together. The next challenge was figuring out a date and time, and the fact that Emma couldn't really cook to save her life. In a bit of a panic, she called Mary Margret for a list of easy to make meals, ignoring all her questions of why she was asking. When she had a decent list, she went to the store and starting hunting down the items. Pasta, fresh veggies, bread that she could warm in the oven. She debated on the type of win, before selecting both a red and white option.
Did they even drink wine? What if they liked beer better, or they were allergic? God that would be a fine way to end the night. She'd be known as the cop that tried to be nice and ended up sending her guests to the ER for an allergic reaction. Her musings were halted when she felt someone stop next to her.
"You're staring awfully hard at those bottles." David's voice had a teasing edge to it. Emma shook her head and put the wine back for now. She could always come back for it later.
"Just trying to figure out which one to get."
"Don't you like red wine? I've never seen you drink white, you always say it gives you headaches." That was true. The one time she did drink white wine, she suffered from crippling headaches for days afterwards.
"I do, I'm just trying to figure out what types they might like."
"Oh, that's what you're up to. Mary Margret was telling me how you were asking for cooking advice."
"Don't say anything to her." Emma threatened. She loved her friends, but they could be nosy at the best of times. David laughed.
"I won't. You're just lucky she decided not to go to the store with me. If she knew you were shopping for a dinner party…" Emma fake shuddered, but didn't try to picture the situation she could have been in. Mary Margret was a planner through and through, and meeting new people was a specialty of hers. Those two brothers couldn't have picked a more interesting town to move to. "So, what are they like?" Emma finally started to walk away from the wine aisle and headed over to the cash registers. David helped her unload her cart of food.
"Normal people. Though, I've talked more to Liam then Killian, but I think that might just be because Liam gets out more." Another reason she was excited for this dinner. Killian had seemed nice enough in the store, but you really couldn't judge a person on talking with them for several minutes, could you? David put his basket underneath the belt.
"Maybe he just hasn't had the chance to roam around. But, if they're staying for a long time, they're gonna be looking for jobs. I should ask around and see where they're looking at."
"Don't go all detective on them. They might see us a nosy town's people and flee."
Emma smiled at the cashier, one of the high school students, and payed her amount when she was finished. The bags went back into the shopping cart and Emma waited off to the side for David to pay.
"Well, if the dinner thing ends on a good note, you should introduce us."
"Why should I have to? You both have mouths."
"Yes, but Mary Margret said you warned her not to scare them off. Someone is being pretty protective of them. Maybe you want them all to yourself, huh?"
Emma frowned at the idea. She wasn't an overly attached person, and somehow, she felt that the two men next door to her weren't too keen on it either. In their defense, and hers, they had only been in town for a little over a week, and Emma was probably the only person that had daily contact with them. It couldn't be that hard for the rest of the town to introduce themselves, rather than have the brothers go out and find them, could it? Emma could only remember the early days of being a cop and being introduced publicly.
That had been the most embarrassing week of her life. Worse than any introductions she had had to do in school. Emma didn't answer David as they left the store. She spotted his truck a few rows down from her own car. Being the gentleman that he was, David helped unload the bags into her trunk, then went back to his own. Emma followed.
"I'm not saying they don't want to meet anyone. I just think that some stuff happened to them and now they're a bit… cautious of other people."
"Who do they think we are, some serial killers?"
"Well, we do have some interesting people in this town."
"Not the point." David finished putting the meager amount of bags in the back of the truck. "Look, we aren't nosy people. But, I gotta admit Emma, this is the first time you're actively reaching out to people. It's a bit odd for you."
"I can't really explain it." Emma felt exposed for some weird reason. "But, I like talking to them. And I think they might enjoy my company. All I want is a chance to get to know them more. If anything happens from that point on, great."
David gave her a look she couldn't place then nodded. He pulled the keys out of his jean pocket.
"Alright then. I hope it goes well for all of you." Emma bid him goodbye and walked back to her car. She put on the radio, smiling when her favorite song came on, and starting singing along as she drove home. The streets were clear of traffic and she was in high spirits when she got home. There was another slip of paper in her door.
Does Saturday night work? –Liam.
Emma felt so giddy that she was smiling all day.
Killian almost felt bad for watching her, but Emma was interesting to watch. She was skipping occasionally as she unloaded the car, and once or twice she would glance at the house, but she wouldn't see anything. The arm chair gave Killian a clear view of the street and kept him out of sight. Liam was off somewhere in town; he had an interview with some business he couldn't recall the name of. His phone went off.
Want me to pick you up something for lunch? –Liam.
Considering that they didn't have much in terms of food right now at home, Killian sent him a message stating that it would be a good idea. He got up and went down to the kitchen to put on the kettle. Liam always got more stressed then he should over these things, and a hot cup of tea was just the thing to get his older brother to calm down. Roughly twenty minutes later, Liam walked through the door with a paper bag. Whatever was in the bag smelled wonderful.
"How'd the interview go?" Killian asked as he pulled some plates out.
"They said they'd call in a week." Liam answered him.
"That's a good sign, isn't it?" They weren't strapped for money. Both of them were heavy savers, only buying things that were necessary, and the only time they even did spend it on something nice was for each other around the holidays or birthday. Liam took off his jacket and draped it on the chair then started pulling stuff out of the bag.
"I figured some grilled cheese and soup sounded well. Granted, the girl at the counter said that no one is ever disappointed with it, so I trusted her judgement."
"Was she a hot girl?" Killian teased him. The blush that erupted on his brother's face told him everything he needed to know. "I think I got my answer."
"Yes, she was quite a looker, Killy. Now, start eating." As they dug in, Liam noticed the small orange bottles on the counter. "How's the arm?" Killian glanced down at his left arm, without the fake hand attached today, and shrugged.
"It's a bit sore, but nothing too serious."
Liam wanted to push the whole pain medication thing, because he knew that it had to hurt worse then what Killian was saying, but he also knew that Killian was trying to get used to it. His brother had always been independent, so having his brother hover over him only made him more anxious. The only time he had allowed it was in the first few weeks of the accident.
"Ok, well if it does start acting up, please take something for it?" He made sure the words came out gently and not demanding. It worked, as Killian nodded and went back to his soup. As they finished, Liam starting looking for a good film to watch. There wasn't anything to be done around the house, so he could relax.
"I'm going to take a shower." Killian walked past him, messing up his hair as he, and disappeared up the stairs. Liam waved him off and stretched out on the couch. He felt tired, not enough where he wanted to sleep. Mostly, he was feeling a bit homesick today. The town was nice, but nothing like their old home. And Ireland had always been more inviting in his eyes. Everyone they knew was there. He could still remember how angry Will was when Liam told him that he was moving to America and taking Killian with him. It went horribly.
Killian and Will had practically grown up together, and the other man was in no position to follow them. He demanded that all lines of communication be used and when he saved up enough money he was going to come and visit. Every now and again he would call Liam, but he mostly talked to Killian. That was fine; Will always talked curtly to him now, and he couldn't figure out if he was angry at Liam for leaving or for the situation in general. It was better not to ask. So Liam kept his mouth shut their friend Will.
The sound of the shower going on jolted Liam out of his thoughts and he dragged himself off the couch in search of something to do. The kitchen was clean, no laundry needed to be done, and there was nothing on the television. Flopping back down to the couch, Liam pulled out his phone. There were no new messages, but he found himself pulling up Will's number anyway. He just stared at the screen, realizing he didn't have anything to say. And no one hated pointless conversations worse than Will. Tossing the phone onto the coffee table, Liam rolled over.
Seeing a few slips of paper on the side table, Liam got an idea. Jumping up again, he walked over to the table, grabbed one, and then hunted around for a pen. When he found one, he quickly jotted down a few words and grabbed his jacket.
"I'm stepping out for a minute!" Liam called out. Then, without waiting for a reply, he darted out the door. Emma's car was in the driveway, but Liam just slipped the note inside the door, rang the bell, and then darted back to his own home. It might have looked immature, but he was a shy guy.
It was another thirty minutes before Killian came back down. He had on comfy sweatpants and one of his sweatshirts from their high school days. Liam had lost most of his, but Killian had somehow managed to hold onto those faded articles of clothing. He looked warm at least.
"Good shower?" Liam asked as he started playing some random game on his phone.
"Yep, the water pressure is pretty good here." The two of them relaxed quietly for the rest of the night, and every now and again, Liam would glance at his phone for notifications.
Emma thought that the person ringing her doorbell was some random teen. There were always a few kids in the town who got a kick out of annoying one of the cops in town. However, she was the easiest, since she lived alone and not in an apartment building. There wasn't anyone at the door when she opened it and she almost missed the paper that fluttered to the ground.
Hope this isn't weird, but in case you want to get a hold of us, here are our numbers. –Liam.
Listed below were Killian's and Liam's personal phone numbers.
She'd been given men's numbers before, but she had never done much with them. Ignoring all the drama that came with that, Emma grabbed her phone and plugged the numbers. Clicking on Liam's name, she typed out a quick message with her name and saying that this was the number they could reach her at. She didn't know if Killian had given permission for this, but the idea of getting to know him better was so exciting to her. And she hadn't been excited about meeting a person of the opposite sex in a very long time. Henry would be proud.
The kid had always been worried that she was lonely when she went back home. Henry wanted her to have a happy ending, something that sounded ridiculous in today's world, but she humored him. Occasionally she would go on blind dates, but they never went anywhere. At least now she could set the pace. Perhaps set the pace with Killian… The dinner was coming up tomorrow. Emma had spent some time cleaning her house, making sure everything seemed neat and orderly. And inviting; she wanted the brothers to feel comfortable when they came over. Emma wanted to befriend them.
Befriend them. What was she, in middle school? She was nice to people, she got along with them, so why was she so nervous about tomorrow? Maybe it was the fact that for the first time, Emma was the one pulling all the first moves. And the brothers seemed to be completely fine with it. Emma was so absorbed in her train of thought that she wasn't even aware that her phone had gone off. Liam's name was on her screen, and she swiped her thumb across to answer.
That was quick lol. Sorry about ringing your doorbell earlier. –Liam.
Ah, so that was him.
Well, why didn't you come in? I don't bite. –Emma.
Killian was in the shower. And I don't want to leave him alone on nights like this. –Liam.
Nights like this? What did that mean? Emma knew that Lima was the protective type, and Killian must have suffered something before they moved, so it clearly was having an effect now. Slightly worried, Emma quickly typed back.
Is something wrong? Is Killian ok? –Emma. Liam didn't reply for a few minutes. At some point, Emma started thinking that he wouldn't answer her. She shouldn't have asked.
He's fine. Sometimes I just get a weird feeling. Call it a big brother thing. –Liam. Emma didn't feel reassured by his answer, but she didn't pry. She would see them tomorrow at dinner anyway, no need to be all worried about them. She ended up talking with Liam for over an hour. They didn't touch on any heavy subjects, like why the brothers moved, but about other simpler things. Like their favorite movies, books, and even colors. Emma didn't feel the same spark she had with Killian, but Liam was a riot. She couldn't wait for dinner tomorrow night.
The food was ready to go, and she had even managed to convince Mary Margret and David to stay home. The two had been trying to get involved in the dinner, but Emma wouldn't hear of it. This was her thing. For once, she wanted to have the first dibs on the new people. It might have been selfish, but Emma hadn't felt comfortable with people like this in her whole life. There was an ease to the interactions that happened with the brothers. No pressure, or constant trying to be someone you weren't. Emma couldn't get enough of them.
Eventually, it was starting to get late, so Emma bid Liam goodnight. She double checked to make sure that the front door was locked, then went upstairs to get ready for bed. Pulling out a pair of old sweats and a ratty shirt, she jumped in the shower. As she squirted some shampoo into her hand, she started wondering how tomorrow would play out. Maybe Killian would talk to her more. Liam probably had some good stories, and she could even tell some of the funnier stories that happened in town. Emma might get them to open to some more!
When she was done with her shower, she finished getting ready for bed and took a few minutes to brush out her hair. After she had done that, she slipped in between the sheets and turned the light off. She could hear a few cars in the distance drive by, and soon it wasn't too hard to start drifting off. A couple times that night Emma would roll over and find herself awake. This wasn't a new thing; sometimes she had trouble staying asleep. Deciding it might be best to help her body relax further, she went back to the kitchen.
There was a box of chamomile tea in the back of the cupboard. She filled a mug full of water and stuck it in the microwave. She didn't own a kettle or anything like that. When the water was hot enough, she stuck the teabag in, and then went to the back porch. There wasn't a sound outside. Sometimes, she would hear a car, but it was mostly quiet. The stars were out as well, so Emma drank her tea and kept her gaze upward. If she had been paying attention, she might have noticed the two brother's outside.
Before she knew it, Saturday was here. Emma had a nice morning, then she started making sure she had everything before she started cooking. She made the dessert first, since the pasta dish wouldn't take that long, and she turned on the radio as she mixed in all the ingredients. The windows were open, letting the nice breeze in, and soon the kitchen was filled with the smell of fresh baked goods. When the cake was done, Emma set it on the counter to cool. Despite the mess, Emma was having a good time making the food for tonight.
At seven o'clock, the doorbell went off, and Emma hurriedly washed her hands and ran to the door. The brothers were dressed in a pair of jeans, since she said it wasn't a fancy thing, and both of them were holding something. Liam had a bottle of red wine and Killian had a bouquet of flowers.
"Evening, Miss Swan." Emma stepped back so they could come in and directed Liam on where to put the wine. Killian offered her the flower and she could help but blush. He seemed to be going a bit red as well around his cheeks.
"Hey. Thanks for coming." She told them that the pasta would be done in a few minutes and offered to take their coats. The brothers helped out with a few last minute things and then it was time for them to start eating. They were already laughing, since Liam tried to be all cool with the salad tongs, and nearly fell out of his chair when one went flying out of his hand. Killian then started to tell her about all the time his brother tried to be cool in school, and often had to be rescued from his adventures.
"I can't believe you caused that much trouble!" Emma couldn't remember the last time she had laughed this hard. Liam was bright red from embarrassment and Killian was having trouble catching his breath. They had finished eating a long time ago, but the conversation was too good to interrupt it.
"Well, this one," Liam pointed over at Killian. "Tried to pull a prank on me once and ended up dying his hair pink by mistake." Killian's mouth dropped open.
"That was one time! And you agreed not to speak of that again!" Emma had tears running down her face laughing.
"His hair was like that for months. God, all the pink panther jokes that came out because of that." Liam was bent over at this point. Killian was glaring at his brother, but he was smiling. Emma had a feeling that this was how the brothers interacted most days.
"Oh, my god. My stomach hurts." Emma gasped out as she tried to regain her breath. To take a break, she started gathering the dishes. Both men jumped in to help her. She had to witness a competition as to who could clean the table off the fastest, then who could help Emma wash the plates quickest.
They decided to wait a little while before getting the dessert out. Liam then started asking about the town and Emma did her best to inform him. Killian spoke up when he felt like it, but Emma could tell he wasn't as worried his brother.
"I'm hoping I hear back from the offices. It's not that I need the money, but I like to keep busy." The contracting company that operated out of Storybrooke was good at getting back to people.
"You probably got it. If you have the experience, they'll hire you, Liam." Emma looked over to Killian. "Any ideas on where you'd like to work, Killian?" The man looked uncomfortable for a moment before shaking his head.
"I think I'll be taking a break from the workforce for now. We aren't in a panic about our savings, Swan, but I think it might be nice to enjoy the free time." Emma wanted to ask why he wasn't looking for a job, but she felt that it fell under 'things to ask another time'. Liam, thankfully, wasn't giving her any indication that she needed to put her foot in her mouth right now.
"There's a lot of great things around town if you want something to do. There are the seaside shops, and then there's the library, and there are even some hiking trails, if being an athletic person is your thing." Emma gave him the full rundown on the town, and she could tell Killian was grateful for the subject change. Liam refilled their drinks and they started to play a random card game. She couldn't remember the last time she kicked back and had fun like this. Maybe before she had broken things off with August. That was over a year ago.
"How about a friendly wager? Whoever wins the most out of ten rounds, has to serve dessert?" Emma smirked. Liam seemed a bit hesitant, but Killian was grinning about as much as her. He held his hand out and she dealt him his stack of cards.
"I think this is a game I can get in on." He looked over at his brother. "What's the matter, Liam? Scared of getting beat by a girl?" Liam's face started turning red, but Emma was excited as he held out his hand. Emma dealt herself her own hand and then began playing.
It was late by the time the brothers headed back to their own house. Emma was smiling as she made sure everything was cleaned up before she started to get ready for work. Spotting her phone on the counter, the blonde snatched it up and opened up her messenger app. Selecting Mary Margret's name, she turned off all the lights and locked the door.
Dinner was great. I can see myself hanging out with them more. –Emma.
Her friend's answer was all in caps, mostly emoji's, but Emma could tell she was excited. For once, she wasn't dreading having a good old fashioned girl talk.