Heyooo! A brand new chapter with brand new freaking AMAZING art by the inifintely talented and wonderful @artistic-writer and (as you may have guessed from said amazing art) it's girls night! This chapter was sooooo much fun to write and we introduce a couple new characters here as well. Super huge thanks to @superchocovian who was my awesome beta for this whole process and thank you thank you thank you to every single one of you who gave this little fic a chance. Your comments and likes and reblogs etc make my whole day. Hope you guys like this newest chapter! Away we go!
Chapter 3
Four days after the Neal incident, as she'd dubbed it, Emma trudged up the stairs to her floor, favoring her left leg a little. The asshole she'd been hired to find by a scorned lover with a child that he'd up and abandoned saw her taking pictures of his house and vehicle and came out to confront her. When she told him the reason she was there, he pushed her and ended up landing hard on her hip in the middle of the street. Emma ended up punching him, a neighbor called the cops, long story short, said asshole was now sitting in a jail cell with a black eye and a shiny new child support order. But damn if her hip and thigh didn't hurt.
She made her way down the hallway and stopped at apartment 427, only a little ways down the hall from her own apartment, and knocked. A woman answered, pale blonde hair resting over her shoulder in an intricate braid, icy blue eyes lighting up as she recognized Emma.
"Hey, Elsa, I'm sorry I'm late. Problems with the di-i-i-fficult person I was tailing. Hey, kid!" She cut off her curse word as Henry came into view.
"Hi, Mom! I'll get my shoes!" Henry replied and took off further into the apartment.
"It's no problem, Emma, really," her friend said, sweeping the door open and offering for Emma to come in. Emma shook her head.
"No, we better head home. Once I sit down, I don't think I'll be getting back up," she chuckled.
"Did something happen?" Elsa asked, eyes widening in alarm.
"Just had a disagreement with the asphalt. I'll be alright." She shrugged.
"You're hurt! What happened?" Elsa asked.
Emma recounted the tale briefly, downplaying it as much as possible.
"What a jerk!" Elsa fumed and Emma nodded in agreement.
"He got what was coming to him," she replied just as Henry rounded the corner, shoes now in place. "Ready to go, kid?" she asked and Henry nodded enthusiastically. Emma dug in her pocket and fished out a $50, extending it to Elsa. The other blonde shook her head in refusal.
"No way, Emma. It was my pleasure to watch him. It was good to have the company." Her pink bowed mouth quirked up in a smile.
"You never let me pay you. One of these days I'm just gonna slip it in your shoe," Emma threatened and Elsa just laughed. "Say thank you to Aunt Elsa, Henry." Henry had adopted the 'aunt' title for both Elsa and Ruby as soon as he could talk. Well, Ruby had adopted it for herself and Henry followed suit with Elsa. She was grateful to have friends that were as close as family, even when she was stupidly cutting people out for Neal. They'd always stuck by her, even when she didn't deserve it.
"Thank you!" Her son threw his arms around Elsa's waist and she chuckled and hugged him back.
"You're welcome anytime, Henry," she assured him and kissed the top of his head.
"I assume he behaved himself?" Emma directed the question at Elsa, but looked at her son who nodded solemnly, his big hazel eyes sincere.
"Of course. We made spaghetti for dinner and watched a movie and Henry even helped with the dishes." Elsa smiled. Emma ruffled Henry's hair.
"That's my boy," she praised her son who beamed back at her. "I'll catch you later, okay?" She looked back at Elsa.
"I hope so. Cause I talked to Ruby a couple days ago and she mentioned some pretty interesting stuff," she replied with a raised eyebrow. Emma groaned. If Ruby told Elsa about Killian, then she almost certainly told Mary Margaret, who definitely told her brother. She was surprised David hadn't beat down her door about it already.
"Ruby has a big mouth," Emma retorted and Elsa seemed amused by her discomfort. "We will talk later, I promise."
"I look forward to it," Elsa said, slipping back into her apartment, a twinkle in her eye.
Henry was a whirlwind of energy once they got back to their apartment, telling Emma all about his time cooking with Elsa, asking what happened on her case, worrying over her slight limp, and chattering about the superhero movie he'd just watched. Emma distracted him long enough with video games that she was able to get herself a microwave burrito made and sink back into the couch with an ice pack. Just as she sank back into the cushions after eating and relaxed, as these things always seem to turn out, an enthusiastic knock sounded at the door.
"Mom! Someone's knocking!" Henry shouted over the electronic car sounds coming from his game. Emma tipped her head back and groaned.
"Twenty more minutes on that then it's time to get ready for bed, mister," she called back, hoisting herself from the couch with a wince.
"Okay," he grumbled. Emma hid a smile at that and made her way to the door.
She wasn't expecting Ruby, Mary Margaret, and Elsa to be greeting her on the other side.
"Uhh, hey guys, what's up?" She glanced between the three of them, each wearing a different expression. Ruby mischievously ran her tongue along her straight white teeth and produced a bottle of wine from behind her back, whereas Mary Margaret was practically vibrating out of her skin, green eyes luminous and hopeful and the board game Candy Land firmly in her grip, bright smile in place. Elsa had the good sense to look a little guilty, fiddling with the end of her white blonde braid and chewing on her lower lip.
"Girls night is what's up! You gonna let us in?" Ruby grinned, waggling the bottle at her.
"I'm still deciding," Emma retorted with a raised eyebrow. Ruby scoffed and pushed her way past Emma into the apartment. Emma groaned again, and swung the door open wider so Mary Margaret and Elsa could come in after her.
"Aunt Ruby!" An unearthly shriek was heard as the three rounded the corner into the living room and the sound of a car crashing in Henry's video game rang out as the eight year old scrambled up onto the couch and leapt into Ruby's waiting arms.
"Hey monkey man!" Ruby greeted him, hugging him tightly. Emma walked past and moved the bottle of wine out of the way of Henry's swinging legs. Henry spied the other two women over Ruby's shoulder.
"Aunt Elsa? Aunt Mary? What's going on?" Henry asked as he slid down Ruby's body to his feet.
"We just wanted a little girl time with your mom, honey, nothing's wrong," Mary Margaret rushed to assure the boy. He looked around in confusion.
"Does that mean I hafta go to bed?" His nose wrinkled at the thought and Emma laughed.
"Well, it's up to your mom, but I brought Candy Land!" Mary Margaret and Henry both turned in sync with one another and put on matching puppy dog eyes. Emma tapped her finger against the dimple in her chin in mock thought.
"Well, you were good for Elsa today, so I suppose..." Emma relented, a sparkle to her gaze. Henry broke out into a wide smile and threw his arms around his aunt with a cheer. "But, jammies and teeth brushed first, kid. Then straight to bed afterwards." Henry was off without a moment's notice to comply.
"So..." Ruby turned to face Emma and the other two followed suit.
"So..." Emma repeated, eyebrow raised. "Did you know about this, Elsa?" The bright red shade her friend turned answered her question, but Elsa spoke anyway.
"I may have not disclosed all of what Ruby and I were talking about earlier," she mumbled. Mary Margaret busied herself setting up the board game on the coffee table behind them.
"Oh sure, blame me," Ruby cut in. Emma shook her head and made her way around to turn off the game system and TV off.
"You're all in trouble," Emma hissed. "And not a peep about what I know you're here about in front of Henry. He doesn't know yet."
"Sure, sure, wait until the super smart eight-year-old is in bed before we talk about his new stepdad," Ruby grinned and Emma gave her a glare that could have set her on fire.
"Ruby!" Elsa admonished before Emma could.
"I'm ready!" Henry came bounding back in the room, one of his Ninja Turtle pajama legs hiked up around the knee and water dripping from his chin. Emma shot her friends, especially Ruby, a hard look and moved to right her son's clothing and wipe his face.
Two games (both ending with Henry as the victor) and more than an hour later, Henry was yawning and leaning heavily into Mary Margaret's shoulder on the couch. She rhythmically stroked her nephew's hair as Elsa and Emma gathered the pieces to the game and reboxed it. The clock flashed 9:23 on the cable box under the TV, almost an hour past Henry's bedtime. Ruby had excused herself to the bathroom a couple of minutes ago.
"Hey, kid, why don't you head off to bed? I'll be there in a minute to tuck you in," Emma said and Henry gave a sleepy nod. The fact that he didn't even try to fight it, especially with his aunts visiting, showed how tired he really was.
"I'll take him, Emma, not a problem," Mary Margaret offered, budging herself and the boy from the couch. Henry trudged his way over to Emma, giving her a hug and kiss goodnight, and then shuffled down the hall to his room beside Mary Margaret.
"I'll grab some glasses," Elsa said, and went into the kitchen.
Emma walked around the room to finish straightening up, her bruised hip feeling much better after using the ice pack on it through the games with Henry. She was putting the board game on the table near the door when her phone began to ring from its place on the coffee table. Her forehead wrinkled. No one would be calling this late, and everyone who might was already there. Maybe David?
"I got it!" Ruby said, making her return to the living room. She scooped up the phone from where it lay and an audible gasp escaped her mouth before she excitedly tapped the answer button and lifted the phone to her ear.
"Well, hello, Killian." Ruby grinned like the Cheshire cat and Emma's heart jumped into her throat as she practically ran to where Ruby was. Ruby anticipated her approach and scurried around the other side of the couch.
"Oh, yes, Emma's here somewhere. Hey, thanks for the tip the other day." She darted her glittering hazel eyes to Emma as the blonde stomped her way around the couch. Ruby flitted away again to the space next to the TV, mischief shining bright in her eyes.
"Ruby, give me the phone!" Emma hissed.
"Oh, good, you do remember me. Point, Killian. I'm glad you had a good date! Emma's quite a catch, you know," she said, ignoring the demand, and Emma darted around the couch and lunged for her, sending Ruby squealing in the opposite direction.
"What? Oh, no, I thought I saw a mouse. So, calling for Emma this late? Is this a booty call?" She continued, landing herself in between the coffee table and the sofa. Emma stared her down from the other side of the table.
"I am gonna kill you!" Emma growled, stepping up and over the coffee table and tackling Ruby into the cushions, only wincing slightly at the twinge in her leg.
"Oof! No, wait, just-"
"Give it to me!"
"Ouch! You're on my hair!"
"Let it go!"
"Just let me say goodbye!"
"RUBY!"
"Argh! My arm is stuck!"
"Aha! Hello? Killian?" Emma retrieved the phone triumphantly, despite both she and Ruby ending up upside down, hanging off the couch, Emma sprawled atop the brunette.
Mary Margaret made her way back in and looked quizzically at the scene before her just as Elsa reappeared from the kitchen, a half full wine glass in each hand, utter shock painted over her features.
"Swan?" The voice on the other end of the line asked. "Have I called at a bad time?"
"Uhh, kind of," she grunted, hoisting herself upright and dragging Ruby with her. She sat on the edge of the sofa with a sigh and brushed several strands of her hair out of her face that had been loosened during the scuffle.
"I see. Well, I won't keep you. I just hadn't heard from you since our, uh, date, so I wanted to check in and see what was next on the schedule," he said. Emma shifted, then stood, intending on going into the kitchen and away from the three sets of eyes watching her every move.
"I know, I'm sorry. I got caught up with work, and the thing with my ex, I lost track of time. I was thinking we could grab coffee this weekend?" she replied, making her way into relative privacy.
"That sounds lovely, Swan. I know a place. I could text you the details, if you like, and I'm free Friday afternoon," he agreed readily.
"Okay and I'll bring that stuff I promised you," she said pointedly, not wanting to talk about paying him in case someone overheard.
"No rush, love. Whenever you can. I'm enjoying your company," he said and she felt her face heat at his words. She wanted to snap back with a 'don't get used to it', but she swallowed the words with a noncommittal hum instead.
"Ask him if he wants to come to the lake!" Mary Margaret squeaked, giving away the position of Emma's three eavesdropping friends just beyond the kitchen entrance.
Mary Margaret and David held a get together every year at their cabin at Lake Onota, a good three hours away from Boston, that David had inherited from his late father. The men fished, the kids swam, they even did a bonfire on the beach. It was usually a good time with her little family. Neal used to hate it, but even in the most strained of times, Emma had never missed it.
Emma spun on her heel to glare at them, mouthing the word 'NO' to her sister-in-law. Mary Margaret scampered fully into the kitchen, nodding enthusiastically.
"He could meet the family! Ask him!" she urged, Ruby and Elsa slipping in behind her.
"That's exactly why I'm not asking him," she replied, moving the mouthpiece away from her face.
"Come on! He'll have to meet us sooner or later!" Mary Margaret pleaded.
"Swan? Do you need to go?" Killian's voice asked from the phone.
"I-" she started.
"Emma wants to invite you to a barbeque!" Mary Margaret said loudly towards the phone.
"Uh... what?" Killian's confused voice replied.
"I don't think he's quite ready for that, Mary Margaret," Emma replied so Killian could hear, hoping he would take the hint and say no. She should have known he wouldn't.
"I do enjoy a good steak," he mused, humor coloring his tone, and Emma didn't know whether to scowl at the phone or her friends.
"You don't think it's a little sudden, you know, meeting my whole family?" she asked through clenched teeth, furious with all of them for this.
"Nonsense, love. It seems like it would be good practice, actually," he replied, much too casually for Emma's liking.
"Practice for what?" Elsa screeched and Emma jumped, not realizing her quiet as a mouse friend had snuck up behind her and had her ear essentially pressed against Emma's phone to hear what Killian was saying.
"Elsa! God!" Emma stepped away from her and in the moment of discombobulation, Mary Margaret plucked the phone from Emma's hand. "Mary Margaret!"
"Yeah, practice for what, Emma?" Ruby insisted, drawing her attention away.
"Hi, Killian? Yes, this is Mary Margaret, Emma's sister-in-law," the petite phone bandit started.
"Dammit, can I have my phone back?" Emma held out her hand expectantly, arching a brow and setting her mouth in a thin line. Mary Margaret only held up one finger and ignored her, a bright smile spreading over her heart shaped lips.
"Yes, well, we were just talking about our annual barbeque weekend at the lake. It's overnight next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and we would love it if you would join us," she continued, running her fingers through her short dark hair. Emma wanted to melt into the floor.
"Mary Margaret," she tried feebly one more time. Of course she was ignored once again, Mary Margaret instead expressing her exuberance at Killian's apparent acceptance, then rattling off the address and directions. Emma could only stand there and watch, helpless.
"If you see the yellow gate, you've gone too far. Emma will show you. Right. Okay, Killian! I'll give you back to Emma! Bye," she said and handed Emma the phone. Emma snatched it out of her hand and glared, to which Mary Margaret rolled her eyes.
"I'm so sorry about them," she said, turning away from her friends but keeping them in her line of sight. Mary Margaret picked up the two remaining glasses of wine from the counter and ushered Ruby and Elsa out of the room with her. She walked after them and stopped at the counter where she could see into the living room where they were settling onto the couch, making sure they were out of earshot but within her vision.
"Don't fret, Swan, they're just happy for you. I gather that love has been all too rare in your life," he mused, sounding surprisingly not scared away in the least.
"Uh, yeah, you could say that. And you know, I know a family weekend wasn't part of what we discussed. You don't have to go. I can make up an excuse," she told him.
"Do you not want me to go, love?" he asked. Emma sputtered in response.
"Uh, n-no, that's not what I meant, I mean I can't afford anything extra really, just what we discussed, and my friends are a little too invested in my life, and I just don't know how this is going to be a good idea when this all ends." She leaned forward on the counter on her elbow and with her free hand, she rubbed circles into her temple, trying to soothe her overworked brain.
"Emma, trust me, it will be fine. I don't expect anything more from you. This is all part of our original arrangement, as far as I'm concerned. And we will work something out when this is all said and done. I'm confident we will have a plausible story by then. We can discuss it over coffee on Friday," he said soothingly. Emma was oddly comforted by his reasoning, even though an unexpected pang reverberated in her chest when he mentioned the end of their arrangement. If only she could find someone this flexible and understanding that she wasn't paying.
"Okay. I'd better go. They're all chomping at the bit. I'll let you know everything I tell them," she replied.
"I appreciate that, Swan," he said with a chuckle. "It was lovely to speak with you and your friends tonight. I hope you have a good rest of your evening."
"Yeah, you too. Night, Jones," she said.
"Good night, love. Sweet dreams," he replied and they ended the call.
Emma took a deep breath and grabbed the bottle of wine off the counter. She settled herself on the vacant far left cushion and set the bottle on the table.
"So..." Ruby began and Emma held up her hand, effectively silencing her and picking up the lone glass remaining on the coffee table. She drank it down in one go, then refilled it slightly more than it had been before. She sighed.
"Proceed," she said, irritated already.
"Why didn't you tell us you had a boyfriend?" Mary Margaret blurted. Emma stared at her.
"This. This is the exact reason why. You're all crazy," she said and Mary Margaret looked offended. Emma hated lying to her friends about this, but it was better than them knowing the truth. This had already gone further than she'd expected it to. "I love you, but it's true. Look, we just wanted some time to ourselves, to get to know each other."
"Makes sense. But if he can't handle our crazy, then he's not the one for you," Elsa pointed out with a teasing smile.
"Well you haven't scared him away yet," Emma mumbled, taking another sip of her wine, the sweetness of the liquid washing away the bitterness of her dishonesty.
"What was Elsa talking about when he said he was practicing or something?" Ruby interjected. Emma's heart skipped a beat when she recalled his declaration of "practicing" just before he'd kissed her. She shoved that thought aside.
"Uh, he's going to be my date to Neal's wedding," she admitted. The room fell so quiet they could've heard a pin drop.
"Whoa." Elsa was the first to break the silence.
"That's... huge, Emma!" Mary Margaret cut in.
"It's not that big of a deal. I needed a date. We're seeing each other. Made sense." She shrugged.
"Please, Emma. This is a very big deal and you know it." Mary Margaret tutted and took a sip from her wine glass.
Emma wanted to scream "it's not a big deal because I'm paying him! It's not real!" But she bit her tongue and took another long drink from her own glass.
"Not to mention the fact that you were planning on introducing him to your douchebag ex before us," Ruby interjected.
"I just wanted to keep it quiet for a little while. It all happened kind of suddenly," Emma defended herself.
"It hasn't been that long since she and Neal broke up, Ruby," Elsa pointed out. "It makes sense she would want to stay under the radar. It never hurts to be cautious in these situations."
"I don't know, maybe Emma's been living a little too cautiously," Ruby mused. "And you guys haven't seen him. I mean he's like," she waved her hand in the air as if she was visualizing him, "the total package. Best way to get over someone is to get under someone else and I bet he does just fine over, under, sideways, backwards-"
"Ruby, don't be gross," Mary Margaret chastised in what Emma liked to call her 'teacher voice' that she was sure after her sister-in-law spent the last five years heading a fifth grade class that she didn't even notice she used anymore. "Emma deserves love. Yes, she's recently out of a long term relationship, but that was not a very good situation to begin with. This could be a second chance for her to find the real thing!" She practically squealed the last part.
"Okay, I am going to stop all three of you right here," Emma butted in, cheeks flushed hot and her eyes looking sternly between the three of them. "First of all, I'm right here. No need to talk about me like I'm not in the room. Second of all, I am being cautious, we are not labeling this with a big red 'true love' stamp, and what he does in bed is none of anyone's business." Not even mine, she added to herself bitterly. Elsa and Mary Margaret sobered slightly at her scolding but Ruby's salacious smile only widened.
"You're right, Emma, we're sorry." Mary Margaret reached out and patted Emma's hand that wasn't holding the wine glass in a death grip.
"Okay, so we will meet Killian at the lake. But are you sure bringing him to Neal's wedding is a good idea? Is Neal going to be okay with that? Is Henry?" Elsa asked apprehensively. Emma shrugged, taking another sip of her drink. She was starting to feel warm from the amount of wine she'd already consumed.
"He sent me an invitation with a plus one on it. If he wasn't okay with me bringing a date, then he wouldn't have sent me something like that," she replied nonchalantly. Emma wasn't entirely convinced that he didn't send it like that by mistake. Or worse, that he'd meant to do it to pour salt in the wound of her being alone.
Ruby snorted. "Please. He didn't actually expect you to bring anyone. He was just being an asshole," she said, clearly feeling the effects of her own alcohol by the rosy flush to her cheeks and her looser than normal lips. She obviously bought into theory number two. She leaned forward, licking her lips, intent on continuing. "He is gonna flip his shit when he sees Killian, and it serves him right. Stick it to him, Emma." She nodded and raised her glass to Emma in a mock toast before tipping back a drink. Emma felt herself relaxing slightly, a small smile even creeping onto her face. That was something she could get behind. That was the purpose of this whole thing, after all.
"But what about Henry?" Elsa asked, big blue eyes searching Emma's.
"He hasn't met him yet. I was waiting for the right time," she said. Truth was, when she thought this plan up, she'd completely forgotten Henry was going to be there. Now she had no choice but to introduce Killian to her son. She was going to have to lie to her little boy, and that thought sat like a lead weight in her stomach. Mary Margaret must have saw the panic written on her features because she reached out and put a comforting hand on Emma's thigh. Emma snapped her eyes to hers.
"It's okay, Emma. You don't have to make that decision right now. Henry is remarkably well adjusted and he will be okay," she assured her. Emma nodded and drained the rest of her wine glass.
"It's not like Henry would expect you to stay single forever. I mean, look at this whole situation with Fuck-head and Skank-face," Ruby said, and Elsa and Mary Margaret both made noises of disapproval at her nicknames for Neal and Tamara. "At least Killian is clearly not the sole object of your focus like she is to Neal. How many times does this make it that Neal has dropped him back early or cancelled on you in favor of that homewrecker?"
And there it was.
"Neal loves Henry," Emma defended weakly in lieu of an actual answer.
"No one said he didn't, Emma. Just that his priorities are not in the right place sometimes when it comes to her," Elsa placated softly. "He is kind of a Disneyland Dad. And he gave you far too much grief when you were together."
"Henry heard us fighting the other day. I was crying and it upset him," Emma admitted. Her heart was still heavy with the shame of what happened on Saturday.
"The bastard," Ruby growled. "What did he do now?"
"He asked who I was bringing to the wedding because he was worried I was going to bring David and he was going to beat him up," Emma started and Mary Margaret scoffed.
"He would never," she rebuffed, and Emma looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Mary Margaret blushed a little before conceding, "Well, maybe he might. I had to stop him from coming with me tonight and giving you the inquisition. I convinced him that babysitters are too expensive and we were getting wine, so he's home with Leo." Emma groaned at the confirmation her brother was aware of her (faux) beau's existence. Thank god she had an adorable 6 year old nephew to run interference.
"I'm assuming that you told Neal it was Killian you were bringing instead?" Elsa pulled the focus back to the topic. Emma nodded. "And he didn't take it well?" she guessed.
"He kinda did? But he thought I should have told him I was seeing someone and then told me he needed to know who I was bringing around Henry," Emma said, anger rising in her belly again at the memory. Ruby snorted. Mary Margaret gasped. Elsa scoffed.
"Like he told you he had Skankzilla floating around," Ruby retorted. Emma nodded.
"I told him that, and I told him to never question the company I keep again, but he just got under my skin. Saying all those things out loud to him just pulled up all those old feelings and I couldn't help it. So I told him off and slammed the door in his face and I cried a little bit and Henry saw and heard and I hate myself for putting him in that position," Emma said angrily, tears pricking the back of her eyes even now. She blinked them away before they could manifest.
"Okay, here's what I think. Henry loves you both. He wants you to be happy. If Neal is happy with Tamara, that's his prerogative, but there is nothing in this that says you can't be happy, too, Emma," Mary Margaret said, taking Emma's cheeks into the palms of her hands. "Have fun with Killian, keep doing what you're doing, just--let us share in your happiness. That's all we want for you, too, is to be happy."
This time there was no holding back the tears that spilled silently from Emma's eyes, caused by a mixture of love for her friends and guilt about lying to them. She chuckled, embarrassed. Mary Margaret looked about ready to cry herself, wiping the tears from Emma's cheeks with her own thumbs.
"Here, here!" Ruby cheered loudly, making Elsa laugh and they all moved to surround Emma in a group hug.
Maybe this thing with Killian wasn't real, and maybe it didn't need to be. She could have fun with these little 'dates' they had planned. She would be showing pieces of herself in a no pressure environment. Killian knew there were no expectations except to put on a show in front of her friends and at the wedding. Maybe this could be the kind of rebound she needed to finally move on with her life.
The women laughed and disentangled themselves from one another, moving on to chat about other things in their lives and current events, simply enjoying one another's company. Emma told them about her night with the jerk who pushed her down, Elsa talked about what she had planned for her final year of medical school come fall, Ruby talked about Victor, and Mary Margaret talked about what they were going to do at the lake, which happened to be the same as most every year. The clock was nearing midnight when Elsa yawned, causing a chain reaction amongst the others and they agreed to call it a night, promising to get together before the lake again.