"So… You…" Mary Margaret closed her eyes concentrating on everything Emma had just spilled to her.
"Yeah," Emma said flatly, sipping at her tea.
"And then he…" David chimed in.
"Yeah," Emma said again.
"And you guys…"
"YES," Emma slammed the tea cup down, "Am I not speaking English here?"
"Did I miss a part?" David asked confused, "Why are you a horrible person?"
Emma sighed, "Because I shouldn't…"
"Be happy?" David raised his eyebrows at her.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?!" Emma shouted.
"Emma… You deserve this. You've both been through a lot and who could understand you better then him? Both orphans… both always thrust into pain… both looking for someone to understand and neither of you will admit that it's each other," Mary Margaret said softly, rubbing her back like a mother to a child.
"I second that," David smiled at the two of them. Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. "Well great David," She rolled her eyes and he just smiled back at her until she giggled.
"Maybe you guys are right," Emma admitted softly, turning away from them. She didn't need to look at them to know their mouths would be hanging open. She heard a little squeal that she assumed was Mary Margaret.
"Just don't tell him anything yet. This is something I have to tell him. I want to do this right… Even though it's already been done so backwards," She rubbed the back of her neck and stood to leave. It was almost 10 and she needed to head to the school soon.
"We won't tell him," Mary Margaret nodded, smiling enthusiastically and nodding as Emma moved towards the door. She turned and made eye contact with David knowing full well that Mary Margaret couldn't keep a secret for the life of her.
"She won't say anything," David nodded in a knowing way and Emma nodded a thanks to him before moving back to the door. She heard Mary Margaret mumbling to herself as she closed the door behind her. Emma gave a little laugh. As much as she loved them, she knew they would ruin something.
/
"Emma pick up your damn phone!" Killian yelled frustratingly, "What is the point of these devices if you're not even going to answer it!"
"Coffee?" Killian heard a little voice in front of him and turned to see a young waitress smiling at him and avoiding his gaze.
"Uh, yes, thank you," Killian smiled at her and saw a little blush creep on her cheeks. He new Emma would have killed her just for looking at him and it make him laugh a little. He picked up his phone again.
"David?"
"Hey! What's good?" David yelled enthusiastically into the phone.
"Hey mate, have you heard from Emma today? I can't seem to get ahold of her and it's kind of important," Killian's fingers felt sweaty against his palm and he smiled graciously at the waitress as she tried to hand him his cup of coffee. He waved his scarred up wrist at the woman and she gasped a little before putting the cup down in front of him. He stifled a laugh, "Thanks for the hand mate," He laughed and she gave a curt little smile before turning away. Emma would have found that funny, He thought, before turning back to his phone call.
"She's at work, you love sick fool," David laughed.
" Uh, of course… Right…" Killian felt like an idiot for missing her but he did and she hadn't given him an answer yet to giving them a try.
"Have you talked to her today at all?" He asked.
"Yeah," David said flatly.
"Okay… about what," Killian asked, twirling his coffee with a little spoon.
"How she can't wait to run through a patch of daisies with you as you skip and sing with the birds," David teased him and Killian felt his jaw clench.
"You're a rightful ass, you know that?" Killian said back and he heard David laughing lightly.
"So you're finally going to do it?" David asked
"Yeah. It's about time she knew how I felt. It's going to be good," Killian nodded, feeling a smile creep onto his face, "I mean she already knows I'm amazing in bed it's about time she met the romantic side of me."
He heard David groan in disgust, "Too much info."
"You didn't tell him did you?" Killian heard through the phone and then he heard a "sh".
"Didn't tell me what?" Killian asked.
"Nothing. Sorry… that was Mary Margaret," David replied.
"About Emma!" Mary Margaret yelled.
"What about Emma?" Killian sat up straighter in his chair, worried now.
"Nothing. It's not our place to say. You should talk to Emma personally," David said before hanging up the phone.
"Wait what?!" Killian yelled through the phone but David had already hung up.
/
"MARY MARGARET!"
"What?!"
"CAN'T YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT FOR LIKE 5 MINUTES!" David yelled at her, his phone vibrating again in his hands, "He's calling me back. I can't do this right now!" David pushed the phone into a kitchen drawer and ran his hands through his hair looking at his lovely wife who was avoiding his gaze.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I keep every secret I have," She stated, matter-of-factly, biting her cheek and fiddling with her hands. David raised his eyebrows at her but she ignored them, giving him a little smile.
"It's a good thing I can't stay mad at you," David laughed. Mary Margaret giggled a little and let David swing his arms around her. She screamed as he lifted her up.
"David! Stop!" She pleaded, laughter escaping her lips.
"Sorry. You're mine now, M'lady," David winked at her, carrying her off to their room, ignoring the buzzing phone sitting in their kitchen drawer.
/
Killian slammed the phone down on the table, frustrated and worried. You should talk to Emma personally. What did that mean exactly? Killian thought, wiping the sweat from his forehead and looking at his watch. Emma would have to wait, he had work to do. He took another chug of his coffee and slipped some dollar bills under the cup for the waitress before heading out to the docks, where the fish had been dropped earlier and now needed to be driven out to every market in the area.
It wasn't the best part of the job but it would keep him off of his phone and that is exactly what he needed right now.
"You've got 5 stops to make, you good with that?" Will asked, not even bothering to look up to see if Killian was nodding at him. Killian just stayed silent, slipping the keys into his pocket. Will gave him a nice slap on the back. "You sure you can drive with one hand there?" Will joked.
"Anything I could do with two hands, I can do better with one," Killian smirked and a group of girls giggled as they walked down the pier. Will turned and eyed them, his own lips turning up.
"Like what you see ladies?" He held out his arms, trying to show off but the girls just glared at him before turning back to Killian as they walked away. Killian ignored them, playing with the keys in his pocket and laughing at Will.
"Damn mate, you always attract quite the audience," Will smacked him in the arm again.
"Really? I haven't noticed," Killian looked questioningly at the group of girls that had moved down the pier. Will laughed. "So finally found yourself a girl have ya?"
"Why? You upset you might be losing a wingman?" Killian raised his eyebrows at him.
"Not if yer happy, and by the looks of it she's got you very happy," Will laughed, nodding to a little bruise peaking out from Killian's neck. Killian hadn't even noticed it but swore to get Emma back for that as soon as possible. It made him laugh.
"She's a bit of a minx that one," Killian winked at Will, showing off his hickey before heading for the truck that was being filled with ice and sea life. He heard Will laugh in approval before heading back down the pier to move the rest of that day's catch. It was quieter then usual because of the time of day. Killian had moved his shifts to later so he could spend more time with Emma in the morning, even if she was only laying in his arms, or on the other side of the apartment, it still made his heart pound just thinking of her.
He slid into his seat and started the truck, giving his men a little nod before heading out to make his deliveries for the day.
/
On the other side of town, Emma lectured her class, watching the sun climb over her head as the day faded away. It was an interesting lecture but Emma still couldn't bring herself to fully focus on the class in front of her. She kept her hands on her back pocket where her phone was just in case he texted her. She constantly reminded herself that he was the one waiting for her answer not the other way around but she couldn't help but feel anxious, knowing that tonight could be the night she finally admitted her feelings for him.
It made her giddy with excitement and she had to keep herself from biting her lip in front of her class. "Ms. Swan?"
"Yes?" Emma looked up at a young girl who smiled at her.
"I asked you what you wanted to be after this…" The girl looked a little intimidated and lowered her eyes as she asked.
"Oh… well I'd like to work in the FBI. I'd love to work with murders and sociopaths and see what really makes them tick," Emma smirked at the girl who seemed to nod in approval.
"Why?" Another voice asked and Emma turned to face the girl Regina who's arm was latched solidly around Graham's, her eyes looking vaguely bored as if she didn't particularly care whether or not Emma even answered her.
"Because no one deserves to feel the kind of tragedy that comes from death. I want to stop as many tragedies as I can," Emma leaned back on the desk nonchalantly.
"Have you been through tragedy?" Regina asked again, not phased by the question or whether or not it was too personal to ask in a classroom. Emma scoffed. "Unfortunately it's become a regular routine in my life," Emma shook her head, raising her eyes to the ceiling in disbelief. She wasn't one to share but she had nothing to lose at this point.
"Well I think that you'd be good at helping people," Regina nodded at her, squeezing Graham's palm in her hand and they smiled at each other. Emma nodded back, a little taken aback at the kind words coming out of her mouth.
"Yes well, cops are not heroes. I'm no savior for wanting to help people feel less pain. It's human nature to seek out the good in our lives and yet, astonishingly still human nature to turn our backs on it when actually given the chance at happiness," Emma tried to keep her voice from turning sarcastic as she realized she was still defining her own life, "If you take anything from this class take this, hold on to the good in your life or you'll watch your own goodness disappear." The class seemed to nod in approval and Emma shrugged, she wasn't trying to be wise or profound it was just something she had started to realize and she needed to find the good in her life and she knew exactly where to find it. Emma smiled a little. She needed to make the right decision and she think that she finally knew how to be happy.
The rest of the class seemed to drag as they went through some vocab and laws. More memorization then discussion and the class had all but forgotten the personal questions that had been shot at Emma earlier in the class. Emma looked at the clock, hoping she would beat Killian home. It was important this time.
/
It took Emma 20 minutes to get back to the apartment. It then took a half hour to get the flowers set up and hang lights from the ceiling. She smiled a little when she imagined Killian walking in and finding Emma in the center of their own personally made wonderland. She hugged herself and giggled as she looked around at her handy work.
The nautical themed accents should have taken away the romance of the scene but instead they added to it as a reminder of every caring event in Killian's life that she had forced a cheesy gift into. Emma smiled a little and moved into Killian's room where she started to throw petals on the bedspread, adding to the complete over the top cheesiness of the apartment. Emma noticed a picture on his desk that she hadn't truly noticed before. It must be new, She thought, moving towards the picture that came into her view.
It was her, Liam, and Killian smiling cheerfully at a camera in downtown New York from years ago. They looked young and wild, her hair not yet tamed. Emma held an ice cream cone that was dripping all over her pale little hands. She was laughing with Killian while Liam held his arm around her, looking worriedly at the cone that was about to fall out of Emma's hands. Emma laughed out loud at the photo. It was such an accurate description of their relationship that she couldn't help herself from laughing. Always the adult, huh Liam? Emma laughed to herself, rubbing her thumb over the picture. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't even be alive right now if it wasn't for you," Emma admitted to the picture thinking back to all the times Liam had actually saved her life. The first was when she set herself on fire, the second time a couple years after that. She had a distinct memory of crying on the bathroom floor, her arm bleeding badly.
She had cut herself on a knife in the kitchen after being told not to go in there and she had been too afraid to tell her foster parents in case they kicked her out again. Liam had found her, her face white and pale, her arm split open with blood pooling on her chest as it spilled out of her arm. She had cried for him not to tell and he had simply nodded, trying his best to bandage her up so she wasn't bleeding anymore. It hadn't worked and he went and got her foster parents who got her to a hospital.
They hadn't sent her away and still Emma hadn't talked to Liam for three weeks after that. She shook her head now, thinking of the memory. She was always the trouble maker, Killian the rebel, Liam their protector. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," Emma said, holding the picture close to her chest, feeling warmth from the picture as it touched her. He had only ever wanted her to be happy. Emma turned back to the room, flowers, candles, rose petals and all, and she knew this was what was going to make her happy. She felt warmth fill her heart and looked down at the picture and she swears she saw Liam smile at her.
/
Killian felt his head hitting the steering wheel in exhaustion. It had taken way longer then intended to finish getting the orders out and doing it with one hand was almost impossible, making him the absolute worst delivery driver on the planet. Still he had managed to finish everything just as the sun was setting over the water of the pier. He moved out of the truck, stretching his legs and making his way down the docks, just moving his legs around from the long drive through Boston.
Will was sitting at the far end of the dock, lying on the wood with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. Killian chuckled as he joined him.
"Must be a sailor thing," He laughed, as he closed his eyes, letting the sound of the waves settle through his ears.
"It's my happy place. Don't ruin it, Jones," Will laughed, his eyes still closed and focused on the sounds of the breeze and the waves and the boats rocking back and forth.
"Same," Killian admitted. His phone began buzzing in his pocket. He groaned, pressing ignore without looking at the name. If it was Emma, he wasn't ready to be rejected yet, if it was David he could wait, no one else seemed to be calling him much these days so he would deal with the consequences. Instead he pushed the phone farther into his pocket and let himself enjoy the sunset without life getting in the way.
Across town, Emma hung up her phone, waiting anxiously for Killian's arrival as she curled up alone in his bed, her eyes feeling heavy. She let her breathing slow as she dazed in and out of consciousness, hoping for Killian to come home soon.
/
The sky was dark by the time Killian made it home but he finally parked his car and moved up the stairs, ready to crash in bed and sleep for eternity. It had been a long day and he needed rest.
Moving methodically through the apartment, he didn't bother to turn on the lights in case he woke Emma, instead he just moved to his room, removing his shirt and slipping on some sweatpants before sliding into bed and feeling a warm arm against his shoulder.
"BLOODY HELL EMMA!" Killian just about jumped out of the bed, falling flat on his ass as Emma shot up a little too fast.
"Killian? What are you doing?" Emma reached for the light, turning it on to lighten Killian's figure in the shadows. He was standing from the floor rubbing his lower back.
"I could ask you the same thing love," He laughed, assessing the situation in front of him.
"I… you were supposed to come home sooner," Emma said annoyed, pushing herself out of Killian's bed.
"Why? What's so important about today?" Killian asked before realizing that David had told her something important was happening, "Is everything okay?" Emma laughed a little at Killian's concern before shaking her head.
"This wasn't exactly how I planned it but life has never really given us a fair hand has it?" Emma gave a little shrug. Killian looked down at Emma, her hair looked like she had curled it, her leather jacket still slung around her shoulders, her jeans a little crinkled across her legs.
"What were you doing in here when you fell asleep?" Killian asked her, looking around the room now, mostly wondering if something was going to pop out at him. He didn't see anything until his eyes reached the end of the bed, where a few petals lay across the bed covers.
"You weren't supposed to see those first," Emma blushed and Killian felt his heart beating through his chest.
"Emma…"
"I guess I should just start explaining. Well I know this will be difficult and we're not supposed to do this and we're horrible people…"
"Emma…"
"But I'm only happy when I'm with you and I've thrown that away too many times…"
"Emma…"
"I just… I can't do this alone. You're my best friend. You make me smile when no one else can, you… I don't know I'm not good at this," Emma fiddled with her hands, looking away from Killian's gaze.
"Emma…"
"What Killian?!" Emma looked up annoyed, realizing Killian was just inches away from her face. As soon as their gaze met his lips were on hers, pushing her farther back on the bed, until they were both in a heap on the covers, her arms tangled around his neck holding him close to her. His lips moved down her neck and she felt a smile spread across her face.
"Emma if you're saying what I think you're saying then you've made me the happiest man in the world," Killian gave her a crooked smiled and she bit her lip sheepishly.
"I tried to set up a romantic scene in the living room," Emma laughed. Killian raised his eyebrows at her before pushing himself off the bed and laughing as he looked out into their living room and turned on the lights. It was a pitiful romantic scene, with strings of lights on either side of the room and some roses across the floor. Killian shook his head turning back to Emma who was looking at the scene proudly.
"I love it," Killian pulled her close to him, kissing her nose, "thank you." Emma giggled and raised her lips to meet his, feeling his heartbeat falter at her touch.
"We can make this work," Killian whispered to her, letting his hands work through her hair. She nodded at him before slipping her hands around his neck and pulling him back to the bed with her.
"I want to try. I can't promise you the world, but I can do my best," Emma nodded at him. Killian's smile didn't fade and Emma felt herself relax.
"I'm not asking you to be anything more then you are love," He whispered against her neck, letting his breath move across her skin. He felt her shudder, "But I think I owe you a hickey," He growled, raising his neck a little so she could see the bruise peaking out from his shirt. Emma blushed. "Oh god, I'm sorry."
"No you're not," Killian shook his head.
"You're right I'm not even sorry," Emma raised her eyebrows and Killian's mouth feel open a little.
"You want me to give you a hickey," Killian growled, feeling the arousal in his pants strengthen at every breath she took.
"I think you know what I want Captain," Emma bit her lip, making his insides squirm with want.
"Oh yeah. We can make this work," Killian smirked at her and hearing her laugh before his lips met hers and they both fell on top of each other, hands moving down bodies and his lips moving down her chest. Finally, He thought, before turning the lights off and moving his lips farther down her body.