Chapter 4 – Several Days Later

"I just don't know about this color Emma." Ruby stood atop a small circular platform, wearing a floor-length Champagne colored gown. She'd been all about the cranberry and gold color scheme so when Emma told her it was going to be this instead Ruby was a bit skeptical.

Emma had caved to the color Walsh had picked out. It has been his only real input on planning the wedding and she liked having at least one of his ideas incorporated. Her bridesmaids were not happy.

"Oh come on! It's not that bad." Emma sighed in his chair opposite Ruby, having gone over this several times already.

"Look out bride-zilla coming though!" Ruby laughed, smoothing out the edges of the gown as she watched herself in the mirror.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ruby, I love this color." Mary Margret announced as she strode out of the dressing room also sporting a short dress, flowing around the brunette's hips.

Mary Margaret was one of Emma's oldest friends. She'd met Ruby and MM around the same time.

After she'd gotten out of a mentally debilitating relationship that had landed her in prison Emma moved as far away as she could get without a passport, leaving everything reminiscent of her past life behind.

But something always felt like it was missing. And finding a "normal" job wasn't exactly easy having prison on your resume.

Somehow she'd realized how good she was at tracking people down – maybe it was the hunger she felt in her gut, aching for to find the people that'd abandoned her when she was a baby. Maybe it was the urge to find the guy that'd tipped her off to cops for a crime she didn't commit. She never did find either one but she satiated the thirst with finding other losers who tried to skip bail.

She imagined it was just as gratifying, to find these people and bring them to justice. For once in her life she was on the right side of the law. And it felt really good.

So she took from criminal justice classes at the community college. And that's where she'd met Ruby – working on her degree before eventually going into the academy. Mary Margaret on the other hand was an education major. They met by total accident. Ruby and Emma studied in the student lounge and MM asked them for a pen.

She could have asked and left but she was so nosy Mary Margaret had to know what they were studying and pretty soon it started a debate about the correlation between education and criminal activity at a young age. She wouldn't leave Ruby and Emma alone until she'd proved her point and by that time they were more than ready for a drink.

That was over five years ago.

Emma watched her beautiful bridesmaids standing next to each other and she was so thankful in that moment for these women, her best friends in the entire world. They could bicker and make their little comments about the colors but she didn't know what she would do without them.

"You both look amazing." She weaved between them, observing the different styles the girls had chosen. "But we had a deal. I pick the color, you pick the style." She heard a low murmur of agreement. "But just remember, both the ceremony and the reception will be outside. And there will be a lot of dancing! So get something comfortable and something you can move in."

"Oh, yeah speaking of which, how was your weekend visiting the vineyard?" Ruby asked, absentmindedly fluffing the dress.

"It was really great getting to see it all again."

"And it wasn't weird right?"

"Wait, why would it be weird?" Mary Margret asked.

Emma sighed, shaking her head at Ruby. This was not something she wanted to keep going on about.

"Ah, at the last minute Walsh had a work thing and I asked Ruby to go. But then she couldn't make it either so she recruited one of her friends to go with me. She thought it might be awkward since we didn't know each other very well but we got on fine." She explicitly left out the specific details that the friend was actually a really hot musician that she probably shouldn't have been alone with.

"I told you Killian really is great." Emma could have knocked Ruby off her platform with the look she shot the brunette.

"Killian? Isn't he the singer of the band that is playing your wedding?" Mary Margaret pieced it together. "Why would you go on a trip with him Emma? You're getting married!"

"I know that!" Emma hissed. Some of the other patrons were starting to look in their direction. "Listen, it was unplanned. And it worked out because we were able to establish some of the mechanics for the band. That's one less thing to figure out come wedding day."

"I still don't think it's appropriate." Mary Margaret hummed under her breath.

"Maybe not, but it happened and besides he was a perfect gentleman." Emma could feel the judgement rolling off her pixy-haired friend in waves. But she didn't care, she was a grown woman capable of making perfectly fine decisions and yes maybe what her friend was saying was true for the most part but nothing happened and it was fine. She convinced herself it was all fine.

After a long pause Mary Margaret shook her head as if shaking herself out of whatever she was feeling and she smiled.

"So David is really excited about walking you down the aisle, he was so honored that you asked him Emma."

David Nolan, Mary Margaret's other half, was also one of Emma's oldest and dearest friends. She really didn't have many but how could she not love him when he was the self-proclaimed true love of her best friend? They were one of the reasons Emma believed in love at all. Watching their love grow into something magical really gave her hope for her own future.

"Of course I had to ask him! He's been like a brother to me and he's the only man in my life I've ever really trusted. You know what I mean." She added after the woman gave her a look. She trusted Walsh, of course, but not like she trusted David. David had always felt like an older brother especially when Emma started dating a new guy. He'd even given Walsh a little "talking to" when they'd gotten engaged. Emma thought it was hilarious but Walsh had been a little shaken.

They spent the remainder of the appointment talking about the wedding plans and there was no mention of Killian or her trip to the vineyard but it was still on Emma's mind. And apparently on Ruby's mind too.

"Did you something happen between you and Killian?" She asked after Mary Margaret had left and the two were left to go to Emma's wedding dress fitting. It was Emma's turn on the little platform as she wore the A-line Tony Ward dress she'd picked out months ago when she'd first gotten engaged.

"Ruby, I thought we went over this already." Emma answered as the woman at Emma's feet pinned the train for hemming.

"I know, I know. I just thought – I don't know what I thought."

"Killian is really great. We had a lot of fun together. But that's all." Memories of the dance they shared at Granny's flashed in her mind.

"I just know how he can be sometimes. He's such a flirt and he's totally gorgeous."

"You seem to like him so much, why haven't you guys ever dated?" Emma ignored the small drop in her stomach at the thought.

"We've just been friends for too long. Plus he's not exactly good at relationships. I've seen how he is with women and sure I wouldn't kick him out of bed, but I'm not going down that road."

"What do you mean 'how he is with women'?" Emma tried not to sound too curious.

"He's a sweet guy with a good heart, I know that. But the guy just has serious commitment issues. And after what happened to him, I don't blame him."

"What happened?" Ruby met Emma's eyes and realized she must have gone too far and shook her head. "Oh come on, you don't throw out that line and not reel me in!"

"It's not my business to tell. Let's just say you two have a lot in common, he was hurt pretty bad when he was younger, a lot like you. Except less evolved now."

"He told me he left England because he had nothing left." Emma stating more matter-of-factly, absorbing everything Ruby had said. She absentmindedly smoothed out the dress, avoiding Ruby's gaze.

Emma Swan stood in her perfect wedding dress, planning her perfect wedding and all she could go was think of another man. This had to stop.

~!~

Mid July

2 Months & 2 weeks until the wedding

It had been two weeks since she'd seen or spoken to Killian Jones. Had she still thought about him here or there? Yes, but only in the sense that his band was playing at her wedding. She did not think about how they spent a romantic weekend away together at her wedding destination – a small detail she'd still yet to disclose to her future husband.

She did not under any circumstance think about that weekend or about the way they walked together under the moonlight back to the hotel room. She didn't think about how he leaned in with every intention of kissing her and how for a fraction of a second that was the only thing she wanted in the world. She would not and could not allow herself to think about Killian Jones.

And she definitely was not thinking about him as she walked down a New York City sidewalk carrying two ice coffees early that Wednesday morning.

Emma had been trying to nail down a caterer for the reception and they'd narrowed it down to a restaurant or two independent catering companies. This was one particular part of planning where she actually needed Walsh's input. It'd already taken them days and several arguments to just agree on the appetizer selection for cocktail hour.

So she was on her way to Walsh's furniture store early that morning to get an idea of Walsh's schedule for the week so they could make their reservations for the catering selections.

When she got there he was just unlocking the front door for customers. "Morning darling, what a pleasant surprise." Walsh did look rather surprised to see her especially this early on a weekday. She hadn't seen him at all the past two days as he'd been working so late he'd been sleeping at the shop. She didn't mind much except this bit of planning really needed to get done as soon as possible so she thought she'd surprise him. "What brings you here, my love?" Walsh kissed her cheek as she handed him the coffee.

"I haven't seen you in days; can't a girl come visit her fiancé at work?" Emma joked, "And also ask you about the reception catering."

"Ah, so the truth comes out!" he laughed as he walked behind the counter. "I'm only joking, sweetheart. But I've got Tink on her way in so let me get her set up and then we can talk?"

Emma just nodded as he headed towards the back door. He'd just hired a new girl – Tinkerbelle – everyone called her. Emma didn't get it but whatever; she was new and finishing up her training.

It had been months since she'd been to the store, not since just after they'd gotten engaged in February. She strolled through the small shop, running her hand across the smooth surfaces. All the tables were decorated for summer with little knick knacks to make the space seem lived-in. Some of the tables even had vases full of flowers. She picked up a small monkey figurine when she heard a loud female voice coming from the back room.

A blond woman appeared wearing an emerald green dress and was walking towards her. "Hi there! I'm Annabelle, but everyone calls me Tink or Tinkerbelle." The woman, who Emma recognized as Australian, held out her hand.

"I'm Emma, nice to meet you Tink." She replied, shaking the dainty hand.

"Walsh talks so much about you!" The girl gushed as Emma watched Walsh walk in after her.

"Not all bad I hope." Emma joked.

"No, no of course not! He's so great though, such a great boss."

"Awe, that's sweet. Well I'm glad you're enjoying working for him."

"He tells me you guys are getting married soon, congratulations!"

"Yeah, in just over two months. We're still trying to hammer out all the details but we're getting there. That's actually why I'm here. We need to make reservations for some of the restaurants that are the potential caterers."

"Oh that sounds like fun!"

"Yeah trying telling Walsh that, it's like pulling teeth trying to get him to help me plan anything." She half yelled the last bit over in Walsh's direction, who stood behind the cash register. He just shook his head and Tink laughed. "Hey you know what; maybe we can make a thing out of it? Walsh said you just moved to the city, why don't you come out with us? I'll get some friends and we'll test one of these places out. That way it doesn't feel like such a chore."

"Oh yeah, I don't really know of lot of people here yet so that would be great!"

"You should invite that guy from the band – Ruby's friend. Introduce him to Tink." Walsh said as he wondered back over to the two of them.

"Killian?" Emma asked as her stomach dropped about 3 feet into her ankles.

"Yeah, if he's single these two might hit it off."

"I don't know about that, I mean who really wants to be set up on a blind date. This was supposed to be fun." She laughed nervously turning to Tink for backup.

"No, it won't be like that. But it might be nice. What do you think?" Walsh asked, also turning to the petite blond.

"You said he'd in a band?" She asked playfully, raising her eyebrows.

Walsh just smiled, knowing that meant it was fine with her as he walked away again. "Show her the video!" He called from his office.

Emma smiled nervously at Tink as she pulled out her phone. Ruby had taken a video the day they all went to see the Crow's Nest "audition" for the wedding. It was a nice close up of Killian as he sang the Dave Matthews Band cover of "Crash (into me)".

Emma studied Tink more than she watched the video. The woman's eyes glossed over as she was entranced with Killian and Emma felt a gut wrenching twist that this might possibly be the worst idea anyone has ever had.

The video ended and she put her phone away before looking back at the woman hoping that she'd find disdain and disgust on her face – maybe devilishly handsome musicians weren't her thing.

But Tink just grinned wide and before she knew it Walsh returned and they'd made plans for that weekend with the promise of Emma contacting Killian to make it happen. How the hell she was going to even bring herself to do that?

This could only go two ways – one, Killian and Tink hit it off and fall in love and live happily ever after or two, Emma makes some kind of ass of herself. Because whatever she may or may not admit to herself she knew this was a bad idea either way.

"You said what?"

Killian hovered over a pool table in the back of a crowded bar while Robin gawked at him from behind. He was about to take his shot after he'd told Robin he'd agreed to go on a double date with Emma, her fiancé, and a blind date.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, taking the shot and missing every hole. "What was I supposed to say? Emma said she was cornered and besides it might not be so bad."

"Of course it's going to be that bad. And you could have said no! Lots of people say no!" Robin answered, now leaning over the table to take his own shot.

"I think you're over reacting, Mate. I think she will find me rather enjoyable company." He was being smug now. Of course it was going to be awful. The last thing he wanted to do was go on a date with Emma and her bloody fiancé, now it's with the added bonus of a setup. It was his own personal nightmare.

It'd been two weeks since he'd seen or spoken to Emma Swan and she occupied his thoughts completely in that time span. He had it bad.

"You haven't been on a single sodding date in over a month. And do you know why? Because you're in love with a betrothed woman." Robin sunk 3 of his 5 balls and backed off to take a swig of his beer. "I'm just saying that it's not the best idea you ever had."

"Well I had to do something…" Killian muttered nearly inaudibly.

"But why this?" Robin asked, studying Killian. "…You just want to see her again," he realized. "You haven't seen her since that blasted trip to the vineyard, she calls you out of nowhere and asks you on a double date and you're mental if you think any of this is a good idea."

Killian couldn't face Robin because he knew everything his best friend was saying was entirely true. And, worse, he'd been trying to find the best way to see her again without raising suspicion (because anything he did since that near-kiss would raise suspicion) so when she'd called and asked him out on this date he'd been powerless to resist the hope to see her again.

He'd have done anything to see her again before the wedding (the very same wedding his conscience and heart were in denial was even happening).

It was stupid and he hated himself for even thinking it but something in his gut couldn't let go of the idea that this wasn't entirely one sided. Emma was a careful woman but not so careful he didn't notice the way she looked at him sometimes. A small glimmer of something more than just admiration danced in her eyes when she thought he wasn't looking. Or when she leaned into him that night outside of the Vineyard.

He was most certain that she wanted to kiss him just as badly as he'd wanted to kiss her. She'd looked up at him and he could see the longing in her eyes. It was bloody torture and took everything in him to step back.

He knew, he bloody well knew it was complete rubbish and he should not be love with a woman betrothed; hell, he shouldn't and wouldn't've allowed himself to be in love at all if he could help it. But he didn't think he could help falling in love with her the moment he saw her in his club.

"Helloooo." Robin waved his hand in front of Killian. "You in there?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"It's your shot."

The game ended shortly thereafter – an astonishing defeat for Killian. They made their way back towards the front bar so Killian could buy another round, a victory beer for Robin.

He was handing off the bottle when he saw a familiar face walk into the bar.

"Oi!" Killian waved him down and over walked Walsh, Emma's fiancé. And he was not alone.

"Hey!" Walsh acknowledged Killian but Killian couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful redhead on his arm. "This is my associate, Zelena Mills. Zelena, this is Killian Jones." Walsh introduced as Killian held out his hand. The woman smiled and took his hand with unabashed elegance.

"Pleased to meet you, Zelena. This is my bandmate and dear friend, Robin Loxley."

Robin held out his hand for the redhead. Both men were unapologetically in awe of this beautiful woman, although the only thought running through Killian's mind was what the bloody hell this smarmy git was doing with her.

"So what brings you two out tonight?" Killian shamelessly asked.

"Zelena is a business associate; we were just in a meeting." He turned back towards her, "let's go get some drinks?" She nodded and they disappeared into the crowd towards the other end of the bar.

The distain on Killian's face was clearly visible as the two walked off.

"So that was Emma's fiancé. Bit dodgy, yeah?" Robin sipped on his beer.

"Something's not right. What was he doing with that woman? And where's Emma?" Killian searched the back of the bar, eyes landing on the laughing figures of Walsh and Zelena.

"He did say they are work associates. Don't make this a bigger deal than it is."

Robin's words were lost on Killian as he watched the two of them at their table.

"Bleedin' tosser, that bloke."

They stayed for another hour and every few minutes Killian would glance at Walsh's table, keeping a close eye on the two of them. They certainly didn't look like just associates. They were too close and Walsh kept talking into Zelena's ear, finding different ways to touch her – her arm, her shoulder, her hand.

Even if there was nothing going on between the two of them (which he highly doubted) it was no way to act as a betrothed man.

He knew how that sounded in his head. He'd been on the other end of it, in Zelena's shoes, with Emma. But something told him it wasn't the same. They weren't full of pent up tension like he was with Emma, begging to touch her in any way that was appropriate. No, these two just went for it, casually touching and laughing. If Killian didn't know any better he'd say they were together.

"I'm telling you Ruby, something was not right about these two. Have you ever heard him mention a redhead named Zelena?"

A few days later Killian had finally managed to get Ruby to come over and see him. His urgency on the phone must have alarmed her because she was usually so much more difficult to get through to, these days at least. He couldn't wait to talk to someone about his encounter with Walsh and the only logical person seemed like Ruby.

"No I've never heard of her. But that doesn't mean she's not just a colleague. He deals with a lot of different people in his line of work. He couldn't possibly tell us about all of them." She protested his suspicions but Killian could hear the apprehension in her tone. She wanted to believe the best for Emma and Walsh. He couldn't blame her, except that if Walsh was cheating on Emma she deserved to know she was about to marry a lying scumbag.

"Yes, but spending a late night out at the bar for over an hour in such a cozy fashion did not seem all too platonic."

"I don't know what to tell you Killian. I wasn't there. I can't just go off your jealous assumptions that he's cheating on her."

"Jealous! Pardon me for looking out for a friend."

"Oh come on, you think I don't see what's going on here. While, I love you and I love Emma, this has to stop. Emma is getting married to Walsh in a few months and you have to forget about whatever this is."

Killian sighed, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't even look at Ruby and he couldn't play dumb when she saw right through him.

"Ruby, I wouldn't purposefully sabotage Emma's relationship. I'm not lying about what I saw. And I'll have you know I have a date this weekend."

"Oh, dear." Ruby sighed from her seat on the couch across from him. "Well at least we'll all be on the date with you for support."

Killian looked up at her, eye brows raised.

"I'm bringing the new boyfriend. Very new, so be nice."

"Hey, I'm always a gentleman."