Going back to work after vacation is always an exercise in self-control and relaxed expectations. Emma liked her job, even lived for it sometimes, but it was hard to extract herself from Killian's embrace that morning and harder still to leave him sleeping in her bed as she readied herself. She was in the shower when she heard him moving about so she shouldn't have been surprised that he made her breakfast and was sitting at the dining table when she emerged fully dressed with damp hair and her phone already dinging out alerts about calendar items and emails.
It was then that she realized living with him wasn't a bad idea at all, even though he hadn't exactly said yes when she had bumbled her way through asking him. She was still pretty sure that he was up for the idea, as he had said yes in other ways, including pouncing on her and making good the claims that he wanted to ravish her thoroughly.
Still there were unanswered questions such as where would they live if he was in fact up for it. How would that affect his job since their dating seemed to be an issue for Neal and his father? Which location would they live in, as her place was bigger but his was owned and offered other things like a yard and access to the beach and water? But she didn't ask those questions at breakfast, focusing instead on his playful banter about the number of toppings she put on her waffles or the fact that she liked hot chocolate in the summer.
She was considering those questions and a dozen others when she realized that she had not listened to a single note of Elsa and Liam's recording session. The sound guy and producer both were looking at her expectantly as she was typing out pro and con lists on her phone about keeping her apartment or letting it go.
"Sounded great," she said weakly, knowing she must have missed something by the way that the producer looked at her with utter confusion. "But maybe we can tighten up that one part."
That was either the right answer for her to have given or the producer was giving up on her. He turned back to the glass partition and spoke into his microphone with a few instructions about timing and pitch, leaving her to her thoughts. She promised herself that she would pay attention to them this time, even pulling her legs into a better sitting position and placing the phone to her right as she looked at the couple in the small studio space with a smile. It was not professional of her to be distracted with the cost of studio time, staff, equipment, and talent on the line.
However, before the first chorus of Liam and Elsa's song was even complete, the phone was back in her hand after she threw the producer an apologetic look for the ring tone that she really should have had on silent. Killian had texted her again, a selfie on his boat with some piece of equipment torn apart and different gears and greasy items strewn about on a tattered sheet. His expression was sad and pathetic, overly exaggerated pout on display.
Killian: Missing you.
Emma: I miss you too.
Killian: Plans for dinner tonight?
Emma: Dinner with the girls tonight. Ruby is feeling neglected since we've skipped the last two weeks.
Killian: Perhaps dessert then?
Emma: I'll call when we're done. You could have dinner with your brother since Elsa is coming out with us tonight. I'm sure he'd like the company and you can keep each other out of trouble.
Killian: Liam is a poor substitute for you, love. He doesn't look or smell as nice. I find cuddling with him rather awkward since his whiskers scratch me.
Emma: I'm going to tell him that you said that.
***AAA***
"So you're moving then?" Liam asked, looking at the boxes that sat in the corner of the living room space. He'd arrived just a few minutes after Killian had pulled the lunch leftovers from the oven. Adding in his own take out from Granny's, the brothers were having a filling and eclectic meal of seafood lasagna and hamburgers. "To Emma's?"
"Or she is perhaps moving here," Killian responded, scanning through the channels on the television at lightning fast speed in search of the latest Manchester match. "We haven't exactly worked out the details. Either way, we'll be combining households and that means some of my stuff and some of her stuff will be duplicates."
"Always practical, little brother," Liam chuckled. "I think it is a good thing though. That lad could certainly use a father in his life."
"Henry has a father. I'm not going to take over that role just because we're under the same roof. It should take some thought and discussion, but I don't want to infringe in that way." While he had distracted himself earlier in the day with thoughts of whose toaster they should keep and which of them had the more comfortable mattress set, he was also plagued with thoughts of his role in Henry's life. It was a big step for them, but even more so with Henry. There were bound to be questions. Would he need to step in and provide a back up to Emma's parenting? If the boy misbehaved, which he rarely did, would Killian need to step in and provide some source of punishment or redirection? He knew that the line between father and whatever it was that Killian was would be a fine one that he didn't want to cross. He'd seen it from Emma's end that she was not that comfortable with Neal's girlfriend being a parental figure in her son's life.
"All part of that modern family unit," Liam said knowingly, recalling his one class in psychology that he had taken while in the Navy. "The roles of parents and step parents are a balancing act that is always in flux."
"Prat," Killian muttered, settling on a channel. "You always sound like a combination between a fortune cookie and a textbook."
Liam shifted his now empty plate away from him. "You know when I thought I was about to become a father…"
"Given how that worked out I wouldn't start any advice with that phrase, brother," Killian said flatly. "It did not make you look all that smart."
"I was going to say," Liam groused, "before I was interrupted, that the brief time I had to think about it gave me some insight. I realize that you are taking a big step with Emma. I'm happy for you. Not all men would be so willing to have a serious relationship with a single mother. And you have never shied away from that with Emma. It's good for both of you and Henry." He ran a hand through his hair before lifting his beer in an almost salute to the air. "I told you the night that I met Emma that she was a beautiful and stubborn lass, fiercely independent and determined to do everything on her own. That's admirable, Killian, but I'm hoping that it isn't necessary any longer. Perhaps she has come to trust you. She could do a lot worse."
The smile on Killian's face is proud as he turned his attention to the game on television, his cheeks pink with the unexpected compliment from his brother. "I'd say we are two of the luckiest blokes in Storybrooke."
"I would have to agree, brother. I would have to agree."
***AAA***
Emma had not told anyone other than Elsa and Killian about the offer from Zelena, which she was still letting play through her mind. The woman would want her answer soon, but for now she was content to view it as an option and not something that would be an idiot to reject. She had spoken to Elsa just that afternoon about an idea that she had, which would solve a few problems. However, she had no intention of going public with it yet. And she had no reason to reject Ruby's suggestion that the girls have their night at the Rabbit Hole that week.
The music was thumping, pounding in every part of her body as they found a somewhat crowded booth for the four of them. It made conversation a bit hard to maintain, but it felt nice for the four of them to just enjoy each other's company. Ruby was determined to have a good time, pulling them out onto the floor to dance and ordering drinks that seemed stronger than the watered down concoctions the establishment usually served.
"So you're not freaking out," Emma said to her teacher friend over the loud bass. "I know you want kids. Nobody's cut out to be a better mother than you are, but I expected a freak out."
Mary Margaret could have been a model for the perfect lipstick as she sipped on her ginger ale with a straw that had no telltale pink mark. Emma wasn't sure how she did it, but she'd loved to have known. "I had my freak out last week to Ruby."
"I'm glad I missed it," Emma said, stirring the coconut rum flavored drink with a plastic snake stirrer absently. "Ruby needs to be the voice of reason every once in a while."
Flipping her long hair over a shoulder, Ruby pouted. "I'll gladly stay out of it next time. You all make me feel like such a loser. I'm wanting to celebrate my new shoes and the fact that I got through another week without killing my grandmother or any of the customers. And you three are here with your grown up problems and triumphs."
There was a collective aww from the trio surrounding Ruby as they explained that they weren't trying to make her feel bad. And she did have plenty to celebrate. One of the local shops in town had picked up one of her dresses to sell, which was giving her good experience and a bit of extra cash. She'd submitted her portfolio for a design competition and made it to the next level. And, to her own shock and amazement, she had been out six times with Graham with absolutely no arguments or fights. "I'm well on my way to becoming one of those boring couple people," she said mockingly as she raised her glass. "At least I still sort of have Emma on my side. She may be dating, but she's the first to run at the sight of trouble or someone getting too close."
Elsa and Emma both dropped their heads and lowered their drinks at that comment, knowing that Ruby was about to have another melt down moment over the news. "Well, about that…"
"Oh God," Ruby moaned. "I jinxed it, right? You broke up with Killian? Poor guy. I knew that going on vacation with him was too much. Too much togetherness, right? He snored? Slurped his soup? Didn't wash out the sink after brushing his teeth? And he's so cute. Granny's going to be so disappointed." Her glass hit the table top with a thud and she crossed her arms over her low cut bodice. "I'm so sorry, Emma."
Emma's green eyes shifted to Elsa who did not meet her gaze, instead looking toward the empty stage as if the canned music was coming from there. "Not exactly a break up," Emma announced as though she was breaking bad news to her friend. "We're sort of discussing moving in together."
Jaw dropping, Ruby stared hard at her friend before downing the rest of the drink and giving a half-hearted signal to the server to bring another round. "Why? Why would you do that? You know that you're my last hope that we don't all have to do the fairy tale thing, right? You were the hold out, Emma. Granny sees you as the settled down and married type, but me…I know that you're not. You're like me. You want your freedom. You want your independence. You want your life without complications. Why are you doing this to me?"
"What happened to poor Killian, Ruby?" Mary Margaret interrupted, reaching over to squeeze Emma's hand on the table. "I thought you were upset she was breaking his heart."
"He would have gotten over it," Ruby responded sourly. "I can't deal with this." She threw her head back as if it was all too much for her to handle.
"I think it's great," Mary Margaret said, squeezing Emma's hand again. "You two are good for each other. And you'll see how great it is to be in love and really committed to each other."
Scoffing at her friend, Emma pulled her hand back and returned to stirring her drink at the ice melted. "It's a joint lease or sharing a room, not an engagement ring, Mary Margaret."
That seemed to hurt Mary Margaret's more traditional sensibilities as she twirled her engagement ring around her finger. Clearly she was trying to think of her best argument for such a position, but found nothing.
"It's still a big step," Elsa offered. "I was nervous about asking Liam, but it's been great. And I know that Killian is crazy about you. He must have been so excited when you agreed to this." She lifted her shoulders as she smiled to nonverbally ask for more details.
"He didn't exactly ask," Emma said sheepishly over the music and Ruby's moaning about pod people taking over her friends. "I asked him. And he hasn't exactly said yes."
"Wait," Mary Margaret said, rubbing at her temples with her fingers. "He didn't say yes? And yet you are moving in together. I'm confused."
"I sort of bumbled my way through asking him and that resulted in him kissing me then other things." Emma's voice trailed off as Ruby's head raised, clearly interested in this part of the discussion.
"So you took it from his…um…actions…that he's not against the idea?" Elsa supplied, her own cheeks a bit pink from the visuals she was experiencing in her head. "I mean I don't see him saying no. I actually thought you two would take that step before Liam and I ever did."
"Neither of you have a 12 year old son to consider," Mary Margaret defended, still rubbing at her temples. "I think Emma was smart to hold off. But I'm still confused. If he didn't say yes, how are you assuming that you're moving in together?" Emma was the practical one in the group. She wasn't the romantic that Mary Margaret seemed to be. She wasn't the wild child that was Ruby.
Ruby nudged her elbow at the teacher and smiled knowingly. "He may not have said yes with his words, but his body was telling you he was all in, right?" Her eyebrows raised and lowered suggestively as she leaned forward to encourage Emma's answer.
The only response was a nervous laugh from Emma. "Okay then," Emma said, folding her hands in front of her. "So a baby, Mary Margaret. That's great news. I bet David's excited."
***AAA***
"You didn't have to do this," Emma stated as Killian turned the key in the ignition of her car. He'd had only one beer that night compared to her sampling of cocktails. So when she called to tell him that she was going to take a cab, he and Liam had come to her rescue. Liam proceeded to drive his girlfriend home while Killian was doing the same. "A cab would have been fine."
"I rather like playing the dashing knight and rescuing the fair maiden," he said, wiggling a bit in the seat to adjust it to his height. Her older car didn't have the power settings and required a bit of physical finesse. "You so rarely allow it."
"I can take care of myself just fine," she informed him, clumsily pitching herself over his lap to pull the bar that would set the seat back. She groaned as she did it, sounding vaguely weak in her attempt to right herself. "I can rescue myself."
"Of course, love," he said, pulling the seatbelt around and clicking it into place. "I love you for that streak, but it is still a wonderful treat to be needed." He looked blankly at the dash for the switch that would turn on the lights, which she easily clicked on from her spot beside him.
Shrugging in response to his quiet thanks, she laughed. "It's nice to be needed." She rolled down the window to breathe in the fresh air that she hoped would settle her stomach. While drinking to excess was not her thing, she could feel those familiar twinges of alcoholic gluttony churning in her stomach. She was about to ask Killian to stop at the 24 hour convenience store when she noticed that he had brought a bottle of water with him.
"This isn't the way to your house," she noted as he turned past the pharmacy and headed toward her apartment. "I thought we were having dessert at your place tonight. I wanted a cookie."
"It's a work night for you, love," he pointed out casually. "Your clothes are at the apartment and it will save you a half hour at least in the morning to have your own stuff nearby."
"I like your house," she said in what almost sounded like a whine. "It's cute and cozy."
He wrinkled his nose, still staring at the dark road ahead. "That's what I was going for, love, cute."
She giggled lightly, a sound that was rare in itself as she reached over to trail a finger along his jaw. "You can't help it," she slurred seductively. "You're too cute as it is." His uncomfortable chuckle turned into a moan as she replaced her finger with her mouth on his jaw and then neck.
"Emma," he warned, turning into the parking lot of her apartment complex. She was clearly more amorous while drinking, which was a benefit to him. However, she was also decidedly unsteady – a fact he learned trying to get her out of the car and into the apartment. It was again a moment he wished for two hands. Aside from throwing her over his shoulder, he had no way to get her to the door, unlock it, and get them both inside.
He was fumbling a bit with her key ring when he realized she was no longer leaning on his shoulder. His neck craned to catch sight of her, which he did two doors down. Her hand was poised to knock and wake her neighbor at that obscene hour.
"Bloody hell, get back here," he hissed, jogging over to her. "You don't need to be waking your neighbors love. They are likely sound asleep."
"I don't socialize enough," she informed him, nearly dropping the half full water bottle on his feet. "I wanted to ask them over sometime."
"We'll do that at a decent hour," he promised, plopping his left arm around her waist and again sliding the key into her door lock. "But for now I think I'd like to keep you to myself."
"And do what?" she practically sang, stumbling into the apartment. "You like my bed, don't you? You always look so comfy there."
"Do I indeed?" he asked, pulling her along with him after locking the door. She was more inebriated than he had first thought upon picking her up that night. However, there was an adorable openness to her state that he did appreciate. Still he had to get her settled in and ward off any chance of a hangover. She was somewhat agreeable and certainly pliable as he undressed her and got her into the fluffy bed. Her protests died down when he returned with more water and some aspirin.
"I don't take drugs," she said pointedly as he closed her hand around the little white pills.
"They are simply aspirin, love." He couldn't help but smile at her innocent expression that he was sure must be a clue to how she appeared as a child. "You don't want to awaken with a headache."
"So they aren't funny drugs?" she asked, holding her hand closer to her eyes to stare at the two tablets.
"Nothing funny about them, Emma. Now drink up like a good girl."
She was sleeping before he returned, hugging the pillow that he would have normally used to her and curling herself around it. Her blonde hair spread out around her, something that she would complain about when she tried to style the tangled mess in the morning. However, he was not about to try to braid it for her. They still needed to talk about their plans, but he was content to slide in next to her and replace the pillow in her arms with himself. She took to that easily, burrowing into his neck and whispering something about wanting a cookie.
***AAA***
Liam had an easier time with Elsa who had not had nearly as much to drink. Still, he took advantage of the state and carried her bridal style to their bedroom as she laughed at his antics.
"So dramatic," she stated when he dropped her unceremoniously onto the mattress. She kicked off the heels she had been wearing and spread out as if to make a snow angel on the covers. "I like that about you."
"I would think there are a number of things you fancy about me," he said, disappearing into the adjoining bathroom and pulling his shirt up over his head. "And someday I may have you enumerate them for me."
"Your ego doesn't need the boost," she told him, scooting up to a sitting position. "But I might offer a few suggestions at some point."
When he returned back to the bedroom, she had undressed and replaced her tight dress with one of his shirts that she had commandeered. "I might have been planning to wear that to an interview tomorrow," he said with a laugh. "I wasn't, but I might have."
She watched him through the mirror on the dresser as she finished readying herself for bed. "I don't know about you and the guys, but I've only ever worked with Regina at the label. Her sister hasn't been very involved in everything. I probably couldn't even pick her out of a line up."
"She's her half sister?" Liam said, trying to conjure up an image of the woman while trying to decide why Elsa was bringing this up now. "Accent, strawberry blonde? Zelda or something, I think."
"Zelena," Elsa corrected, removing her earrings one at a time. "Anyway, Emma was telling me before her vacation that Zelena has bought the Rabbit Hole. Isn't that interesting?" She was facing the mirror, but caught his gaze in the image and smiled. "And I was just thinking…"
"I know I need to find a job, but I'm not sure I'm up for being a bouncer in a bar, darling." He laughed at himself as she shifted her weight and set about removing the rest of her jewelry. "Out with it, Elsa. You know you can tell me anything."
"Not many people know this, but Zelena offered Emma a job managing the club. There are a lot of changes going to happen and she needs someone who is a good manager and capable of keeping the place afloat. Emma's not so sure she wants to change jobs and well, we thought you might be interested. No guarantees, but Emma said she would talk to Zelena about the possibility." With the moonlight streaming in through the transom windows, Elsa's hair was almost white with the glow. She looked ethereal as she spun around with her lips slightly parted and her eyes downcast. "I don't mean that in a 'will you please get a job and get off the couch' kind of way. I just thought that it might be something you are interested in doing until the band really takes off."
He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes. "I don't know that she would consider me a good choice. I tended bar for a bit after I left the Navy, but I haven't exactly been a regular in the industry. Wouldn't she prefer someone with a bit more experience?"
Elsa shrugged, crossing over to slid between the pale green sheets. "Emma doesn't really have any experience with that sort of thing either. I think she is more interested in someone she can work with than one with loads of experience. Either way, think about it. I know it would be a load off of Emma to be able to recommend someone rather than just turn it down flat."
***AAA***
Emma was dragging a bit the next morning, more from lack of a full night of sleep than an actual hang over. Slipping into an oversized dress with leggings and a pair of ballet flats, she emerged to find that Killian had made her coffee.
"I might just have to keep you around," she muttered, holding the mug up to her lips and breathing in the aroma slowly. "You're almost better than Granny."
"So much for your compliments, love," he said, dropping a kiss to the crown of her head before sitting down next to her. "Last night I was cute."
"Last night I was drunk," she clarified. "You're lucky I didn't serenade you with some Celine Dion as I've been known to do with a few too many."
"I would pay to see and hear that, love. Any plans for tonight? I will be sure to provide the libations." He waggled his eyebrows and unfolded the paper. It was one of the things she had learned about him on vacation. He loved to read the actual newspaper, page by page, story by story. Online news sites were useful, but he much preferred the rattling crinkle of unfolding the paper and the soft gray newsprint on his hands. She called it old fashioned, but it was something cute about him that he did as he sipped on black coffee and slowly woke from the night's sleep.
"I was thinking we could talk," she said after a long drag of the coffee. She felt much like an addict taking that first hit of their drug after months of sobriety. There was guilt for needing it, but so much pleasure in consuming it. "About moving in…I don't think we've settled everything."
"Aye, it would be good to know what are plans are in terms of that. So what do you say Granny's take out and a little planning session?"
"Are you going to pull out a white board and color code everything?"
"Perhaps," he answered, popping the last p as his eyes sparkled back at her. "I know you want to talk to Henry about what he wants, but it wouldn't hurt to lay out our options in the mean time."
Emma hummed her appreciation, closing her eyes and trying to will the coffee to do its magic. It was usually about this time that she reminded herself why she didn't drink that much and why she was way too old to deal with night clubs, bars, and trying to drown her feelings at the bottom of a glass. However, reality had other issues when her phone buzzed with Henry's distinct ringtone. Even though it was only a text, she twisted her face into a smile as she went to read it. Perhaps it was the same thing as turning down the radio when looking for a specific address.
Henry: Dad is doing a flying lesson today. He said I can go if I ask you. Can I?
Emma hesitated over the message, her mother instincts not liking the idea at all. Henry was a kid and kids were safer on the ground, not in small aircraft piloted by a man who could actually count the number of hours he had been behind the controls. Grunting her displeasure at the phone didn't exactly give her son the answer he wanted, but it was all she could muster as she reread the message.
"Something the matter, love?" Killian asked, looking up from the newspaper's front page story about the upcoming mayoral election. "Work?"
"Henry," she bit out. "Neal wants to take him flying. If I say yes, I may be endangering my son's life. If I say no, I'm the mom who won't let her son do anything fun and stood in the way of some male bonding with his father. I'm not sure which one of those two I am right now." She set the phone aside and took another gulp of her coffee as if it would act as some liquid courage to do the right thing.
"Ahhh," Killian said, wiping away at some crumbs on the table. "He mentioned something about his father's interest in obtaining a pilot's license last week. I suppose he must be going through with it."
"You knew about this last week?" she asked, studying him hard as he maintained his focus on the newspaper. "You didn't tell me?"
"I encouraged Henry to speak to you on the subject. Was I wrong to do that?" He looked almost confused that she would consider this some breach in protocol.
"No, it's not that," Emma explained, not sure how to word her discomfort. She hated that Tamara seemed so adverse to Neal helping to raise Henry. While she wished the woman was more supportive of her son, she knew she wouldn't like it if Tamara was more like Killian either. Killian had a bond with Henry already as his teacher, but the idea of secrets and conversations that she was not privy to made her feel uneasy. Yet she didn't want it the other way either. "I'm being silly I guess. It's not like he stole the plane and is doing this alone for the first time. There's an instructor and it should be perfectly safe."
"Aye, but you're the lad's mother. It's only right that you worry about his safety."
She frowned as she typed out her acquiescence reluctantly. "Neal's not a bad guy," she mused after hitting send. "I mean he has to realize that Henry would love this. And he's being that weekend fun dad."
"But you…"
"I wish I got to be that sometimes. Henry's quite lucky that way, you know. He has a father taking him flying. You take him sailing. I make him eat his vegetables and do his summer reading. I'm not sure I rank."
