A/N: I can't tell you how excited I was about this chapter and the next one, especially the next one, as I wrote that in two hours the night before last at 2am. I usually do my best writing late at night, but I don't always get the chance because I have three young boys. Anyway, I hope all of you enjoy the chapter as much as I did. Thank you for all the favorites and follows. I appreciate each and every one of them, and don't even get me started on reviews. They just make my day.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within this story.
Chapter 25:
Emma left a short time after Killian's revelation. Graham had come stumbling through the front door about three am, waking her from her slumber. Her head had rested on Killian's chest, his arm wrapped around her, his hair wrapped in her hair. Killian tried to convince her to stay but she insisted that she had to get home to help Mary-Margaret come morning. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but the first instinct her mind turned to in this situation, run.
Mary-Margaret was asleep in her room when stumbled in, her curtain drawn around her bed. The last thing Emma wanted to do was talk about her evening. Going up to her room she flopped on the bed, only having removed her coat and boots, and fell into an exhausted sleep.
Sometime later, she heard Mary-Margaret's sing-song voice coming from the kitchen. Emma turned over and looked at her alarm clock, which read twenty minutes past eight. Gah! She needed more sleep, but if Mary-Margaret was up Emma knew she better go down and help or Mary-Margaret would do all the chores herself.
Rubbing her hands across her sleep deprived eyes, Emma stood and stumbled to the bathroom. After going through her morning absolutions, she went downstairs, still in her clothes from the night before.
"Late night, Emma?" Mary-Margaret called out from the kitchen.
"You have no idea." Emma walked into the small kitchen and pulled down a mug. Cocoa was so in order, followed by a strong cup of espresso.
Just then Emma heard a toilet flush. Her eyes shot over to Mary-Margaret who was blushing furiously.
"I just might," Mary-Margaret admitted, as she buried her head up against her own cup of cocoa.
"Mary-Margaret," Emma scolded. "I so hope that is David."
"Well, of course it is," Mary-Margaret admonished, lowering her cup. "Who else would it be?"
Emma held up her hand in self-dense and laughed. "I wouldn't venture to guess. I guess that means you hear me come in last night."
"David did. He was worried about you when I told him you had gone out for Graham. He stayed up until he heard you come in." Mary-Margaret began to scrub an invisible mark on the counter with her fingertip. Emma was well aware that Mary-Margaret knew that Emma laughed at people who worried about her. She had been on her own for so long already, it was unusual for her to experience feeling that someone cared.
Just then David Nolan walked into the kitchen. A goofy grin lined his face as he walked over to Mary-Margaret and pecked her on the cheek.
"So, thanks Dad for waiting up," Emma teased as she punched him gently in the arm.
"Someone has to watch out for you. From what I hear you don't watch out for yourself quite enough." He sat down in one of the bar stools and Mary-Margaret handed him a cup of tea. "Mm. Earl Gray, my favorite."
Emma made her cocoa and placed in a spoonful of instant coffee into the brew, groaning with delight as she took a sip of the hot liquid. "This tastes so good right now. Hope you don't mind but I'm gonna finish this upstairs and take a shower."
She glance between Mary-Margaret and David, who now sat next to each other holding hands and reading from the same newspaper. Nope. They were not going to notice if she left one bit.
Killian woke with a start. There was a persistent knocking on his door. Pushing himself out of bed, he shuffled over to his door and opened it. Graham stood there looking almost as bad as Killian felt.
"Morning," Graham mumbled.
"Back at you, mate," Killian returned as he rested against the open door.
"I overslept. I'm heading into the station. You need anything?" Graham continued buttoning his half opened shirt and vest.
"No. I'm good. I have to head over and relieve Smee. August is spending the weekend with his father."
"Be careful will you. Gold isn't just going to take your arm the next time he gets a hold of you." Graham glanced up from his buttons, as he finished, glaring at his old friend.
Killian rubbed his ear. No, Gold had much more nefarious plans for him should they ever cross paths. "I'll do my best. Emma coming in today?"
"No. She has the day off. I think she and Mary-Margaret had plans to go shopping or something like that." Graham shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Gotta go. I'll bring back some food from Granny's later."
"Sounds great, but if I'm not here, go ahead and eat. Don't know when I'll be back. Gold seems to take perverse pleasure in collecting money right around the holidays. I think he sees it as a way to make people remember not to be too happy." His own arms crossed over his chest to keep him from wanting to hit something at the mention of Mr. Gold and his hatred of the holiday season.
Graham shook his head sadly. "You have to put a stop to his machinations."
"I'm trying. Trust me on that, mate. It's not easy." Killian reached out his hand and shook Graham's when he grasped it. "Thanks for helping me. You and your family have always been there for mine and there is nothing I wouldn't do to repay you."
"Even if I asked you to stay away from Emma?" Graham inquired sincerely.
Killian blinked. Hardly ever was he at a loss for words, but now was one of those times.
"Thought so." Graham gave him a sheepish smile and turned to go.
It took Killian a minute to process all Graham said. He couldn't believe Graham just asked him to stay away from Emma. If anyone knew how he felt about her it was Graham, but Killian also knew how Graham felt about her too. He ran after Graham. He slammed his hand against the front door of the apartment, preventing Graham from leaving.
"I would die before I let anything happen to Emma. If I truly believed that her life would be better without my presence, I'd leave town the moment Gold received his comeuppance. But, I won't," Killian proclaimed.
Killian ran his hand through his unruly hair. Graham stood before him, his stance one ready for battle, his hands fisted at his sides. The last thing Killian wanted was to fight his friend over a woman, even if that woman happened to be Emma.
"Get out of my way, Killian. I have work to do," Graham demanded roughly.
"As do I, but this has yet to be settled." He could feel the rage bubbling to the surface. So much anger, that all he wished to do was slam his good hand against a wall until it bled.
"No, it hasn't. However, we are at an impasse. We both care about Emma. I just don't want her hurt." Graham crossed his arms and glared at Killian.
"And I will do all in my power to see that she isn't. I have people who I employ watching over her every movement. Gold may well go after her to hurt me, and I refuse to let that happen." Killian stepped away from the door and began to pace. "In fact, I believe he has already threatened her. Thus the note she left for you."
Graham walked to the door and held the handle. "If she gets hurt because of you, Jones, I swear on everything I hold dear to destroy you."
Killian whipped around and faced his friend. "Not before I destroy myself."
Graham stared him down for a good minute before he nodded. He grabbed his jacked from the coat rack and turned to leave. "I believe you would."
Killian stood there rooted to the spot after Graham left. His jaw ached and he realized he had been clenching it for the better part of a half hour, as he had talked with Graham. If this had been some sort of test, he was pretty sure he passed, but definitely not with the flying colors he was so used to having. Now he just had to keep his promise not only to Graham but to himself. And that meant he had to get ready and relieve Smee from his post. He was so close to having enough proof on Gold he could taste the victory on his tongue.
Emma had met up with Henry, who was off from school and gone shopping. People were excited about the start of the holiday season and milled around the snow-lined streets shopping for holiday presents.
Henry had purchased Regina a new pair of earrings and a robe. Apparently, he had snuck away and purchased Emma a present as well. Emma was beyond excited and kept pestering him about what the present could be. She hadn't celebrated Christmas since she lived with Johanna, all those years ago.
Emma had seen a pair of shoes that Ruby would love and asked for them to set aside for her to purchase later, as Ruby had chosen that moment to walk in arm in arm with Dr. Whale. In Emma's bags, she acquired a monogrammed handkerchief for David, though she planned to now tease him the "D" was for Dad. She, also, bought Mary-Margaret a beautiful sweater set and a silk bra and matching panties, which Emma suspected would end up being another present for David. There was also a new vest for Graham and a video game for Henry. And tucked beneath all of that was a beautifully framed drawing. The majestic figure of a brig sailing the high seas, was so magically rendered it could have been a photograph. It was titled "Jolly Roger". She thought it appropriate for the man who carried the nickname Hook in the navy.
It was probably too much and she should return it. She didn't even know if he had a place of his own in which to hang it, but, when she saw it she just knew Killian had to have it. Yeah, it was definitely too soon for presents in this… whatever this was that they had. She should take it back. No, she'd wrap it and just leave it at Graham's house with Killian's name on it.
"You staying for dinner, kid?" She asked Henry to distract herself from her inner struggle.
Henry looked up at her as she fished around for her keys to the apartment. "For tacos? You bet!"
"Mary-Margaret, we're back. Apparently, tacos are not a big seller in Storybrooke," she called out before she stopped dead in her tracks. She reached over and grabbed Henry, covering his eyes.
"Why are you guys in bed?" He asked, before she completely blocked his vision.
Mary-Margaret pulled the sheets up and covered herself blushing furiously. While David just grinned, looking between Mary-Margaret and Emma and Henry.
"I was… I was resting," Mary-Margaret stammered as Emma led Henry over to the kitchen.
"And I was trying to help her…rest," David said with a laugh, as Emma glanred over her shoulder at them.
"You know you could put a sock on the door or send a text or something. It's not hard," Emma scolded them.
"Oh, it was definitely hard," Mary-Margaret said before she covered her mouth in shock.
Emma could feel her mouth opening and closing, but no sound was coming out. In her head she could hear two voices. One sounded remarkably like Mary-Margaret screaming her own name in disbelief. The other sounded like Ruby congratulating her for having the guts to say it. Neither sounded like Emma, who was too traumatized by the whole escapade. It wasn't like she had parents of her won to have dealt with this situation… well, ever.
"You two do whatever. I'm making tacos," Emma finally choked out. David and Mary-Margaret's giggles followed behind her statement. If Emma wasn't so embarrassed by the whole predicament with Henry there, she might have just laughed along, happy her friend was showing the gumption to actually find her own happiness despite all life threw at her.
If Emma had been that brave years ago, she and Killian might have found a different path than the one they were on. She knew she had left a big opportunity slip away when she let Liam take Killian home to sober up all those years ago.