Tori and Irene may as well be listed as co-writers at this point, because they keep this fic going and correct/fix a whole lotta shit as I write!
Your Case or Mine
Chapter 26
"We were about to put out an APB on you, boss."
Elsa greeted jovially as Killian arrived at their usual booth at Artie's, a half hour late and looking suitably flustered.
"Aye, sorry about that. I, uh, got caught up."
He cleared his throat and slipped into his seat, consciously avoiding the suspicious and intrigued gazes trained on him. He knew his cheeks were burning, as well as the tips of his ears, and he was just thankful that the low light in the restaurant they often congregated at was doing him a solid by making it less obvious.
"Mhmm. And how's she doing?"
Graham asked casually, the mirth in his tone obvious. Killian's head snapped up, eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights. The rest of the team all tried to hide their smirks, and Killian was pretty sure his entire body was blushing at that point.
Shaking his head, he was grateful that one of the waiters appeared then to take his order, giving him a distraction and more time to formulate a response without stuttering. He quickly ordered his usual - Firecracker shrimp and a Hickory BBQ burger - and then turned bacK to his friends.
"If you must know...when we finished today, I had a meeting with the Director. I've officially accepted the offer to head up the new Boston BAU."
There was a buzz of enthusiastic surprise and chatter, and Killian smiled. He would most certainly miss his team, and the warm camaraderie they shared. But deep down he knew he was making the right choice.
"When do you leave?"
Anna asked, torn between excitement for her boss' new adventure and sadness that they were losing him.
"HR are going to email me all the paperwork, and let me know in the next few days when I'll be expected to make the move. Probably within the month, I suspect. They want me to put my new team together ASAP, and I have another meeting with the Director on Monday, so I should know the ins and outs of it all then."
"Within the month," Merida repeated, "That's...fast."
"Aye. Which is why I've had permission granted to make Graham the interim head of the unit. I've made a recommendation for it to be a permanent thing, but they've said that will only come into effect once I've made the move. As far as any of us are concerned though, Graham is in charge from Monday. I wanted to tell you all myself first."
More buzz and chatter, and then Killian encouraged them all to raise their glasses to Graham, as they congratulated him on the inevitable promotion.
"And cheers to you, too, Killian. Here's to a successful move, and all the good things fate has in store for you," Belle smiled knowingly, tipping her glass in Killian's direction and adding, "But we all want invitations, when the time comes."
Killian was confused for a moment, before he realized what Belle was alluding to and rolled his eyes, despite the way his cheeks heated up again. They weren't going to miss any opportunity to make subtle (and not so subtle) references to his personal life. The rest of the table tittered, smirking at him, and he was relieved that the food arrived then, effectively redirecting their attention.
They chatted and laughed throughout the meal, just as they always did. Looking fondly around at his team as they talked among themselves, Killian savored the moment. They'd had these dinners at Artie's regularly when they closed cases, to the point that it had become a tradition. He was looking forward to a new adventure in Boston, but he'd always be grateful for the team that had welcomed him and become his family over the years.
After dinner, they always got some drinks at the bar until one by one they called it a night. Most of the team had retired by 10pm, with just Killian, Graham, Elsa and Anna left.
Killian hadn't wanted to broach the topic of potential jobs for the sisters in Boston while the whole team was there, and had planned to call them in for a chat first thing on Monday morning. Elsa had emailed him that afternoon on behalf of the two of them, a few hours after he'd told them about the opportunity he'd been given.
She'd tentatively said that if there were job offers for the both of them, they were eager to be a part of his new team. It would be a promotion for both Elsa and Anna, and they were ready for it.
Killian had replied that he'd float the idea to the Director. Which he had in their afternoon meeting.
"So, are you looking forward to the move?"
Elsa asked, taking a sip of her drink. Killian smiled.
"Aye. It's a big change, but I'm ready for that. And I won't have to worry about starting from scratch with a new team completely...I hope."
He made pointed eye contact with Elsa, and her entire face lit up. Anna glanced between them, her eyes wide, waiting for him to confirm what they thought he was saying.
"You mean...the Director approved it? We can go with you…?"
Elsa stared at Killian hopefully, and he grinned.
"It's not in writing yet, but if you both want to, the offer is there and I can confirm with the big boss on Monday. HR will tell you what you need to do after that in regards to contracts and all that official nonsense. As far as I'm concerned, yeah, you guys are a very welcome part of my new team, as Special Agents."
Anna squealed with excitement and threw her arms around Killian in a bear-hug. He chuckled and hugged her back. When she pulled back, she quickly spun to face her sister.
"We need to go home and start packing!"
"Anna, it's a little late-"
"Well, fine, I'll start packing, Ms. Spoilsport."
She skipped off to grab their jackets, and Elsa rolled her eyes, despite her smile and obvious amusement. The sisters were opposites in every way, but they loved each other dearly. And Killian was glad he'd have two familiar and friendly faces on his new Boston team from the beginning.
"I guess we're heading out then, boys. We'll see you on Monday...when our entire apartment will probably be packed up and ready to move, if Anna has anything to do with it."
Elsa joked, saying her goodbyes before chasing after her sister while Graham and Killian watched them leave with amused smiles and shakes of their heads.
That left the two of them, and Graham turned to his friend and almost-former boss, raising his glass to Killian.
"Here's to new adventures."
Killian grinned, clinking their glasses together.
"New adventures. Aye. And...happy beginnings."
"I wanted to thank you, too."
Graham said, placing his glass down on the bar. Killian looked at him curiously.
"Thank me for what?"
"For not being the arse I thought you were on my first day," Graham shot back, smirking, and Killian scoffed, rolling his eyes with a snorted laugh, "But in all seriousness - for being a bloody good boss and mentor over the years. It's been a pleasure to work with you, mate."
"And it's been a pleasure to work with you and the rest of the team. I don't think I'll ever be able to put together another group like the one we've had, and I'm sorry to be stealing two more away when I go, leaving you with two more vacancies to fill...but I have no doubt you'll lead the new team well, mate," Killian took a sip of his drink and then chuckled, "Might've had to twist the Director's arm and bribe him with all sorts to take my recommendation of keeping you on in a permanent capacity as SSA, but I have every faith in you."
He winked, his teasing good-natured, and Graham rolled his eyes with a grin. They'd become good friends in the years they'd worked together, and there was no one else Killian would've trusted to put in the driver's seat of the BAU when he left. He had enough faith in the man that he'd trusted him with Emma's and his own safety when they'd gone undercover. So, of course he knew the BAU would be safe in his hands, too.
"Boston is gonna be lucky to have you. And a certain feisty homicide detective will be, too, I'm sure."
Graham said, a knowing smile on his lips. Killian scratched behind his ear, ducking his head. He'd suspected the conversation might veer into Emma territory at some point, and it seemed his friend and colleague was intent on getting right down to it.
"Mhmm. We'll see," he replied, carefully non-committal, "Her recovery is going well, and she's starting back to work after next week, which she's obviously thrilled about. But...well, it's complicated."
He sighed, not wanting to pour out all the details of what had happened between them to make things all that more complicated. He'd broken her heart (as well as his own), when trying to avoid doing exactly that, and she'd ended up in the hospital. He knew it had been an accident, and yet he still felt so much guilt when he thought about that night, and the phonecall from Will that had haunted his dreams many nights since.
And then, she'd reached out. They'd stumbled awkwardly into a cautious friendship, which had eventually edged into casual flirting and the banter they'd enjoyed before. And then...well, it had definitely tipped over into something that could no longer be classed as platonic. Not when they'd said all those things to each other…
Killian threw back the rest his drink in one gulp, fending off the memories he was going to hold forever (and relive often), of the noises she made and the things she said. Of what he'd done to her with just his voice.
"You alright, mate?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't think you heard a word I just said and you look...preoccupied."
Killian shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and flashed Graham an apologetic grin.
"Sorry. Guess I got a bit lost in my thoughts there. What did you say?"
Graham's grin told him that the other man had a pretty good idea what - or who - was so thoroughly distracting him. Sometimes there were definitely down sides to all his friends being profilers.
"I said, you're almost definitely getting into your own head about it all. Our jobs are complicated. Moving to another state and building a new BAU from the ground up is complicated. You know what isn't complicated? Your feelings for Emma. That, my friend, is about as straightforward as it gets."
"It's not that-"
"Mate," Graham cut him off and pointed his almost-empty glass at him accusingly, "Do not give me that 'it's not that easy' bullshit. Because it is. We deal with things everyday that are messy and scary and complicated. But how you feel about her? That's not complicated at all. Let me give you the same advice you gave me all those years ago…'a man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets'. I don't know what exactly has gone on between you two to make you think it's not as straightforward as it could be, but are you willing to fight for her?"
Killian swallowed thickly and nodded. He didn't even have to think about that. He would go to the end of the world, or time, for her in a heartbeat. Graham continued.
"Then what's standing in your way? What makes you think all of this isn't easy?"
Killian hesitated. He was torn between shrugging it off and playing things down, or opening the can of worms and telling Graham what had happened to make the waters so muddy between him and Emma.
Graham had been his closest friend for years; he saw the man more as a brother than a colleague. And he needed to talk to someone about everything that he'd been pushing down and dealing with himself over the last month or so. If there was anyone he could talk to, it was Graham.
But at the same time, it was a lot to process and untangle, and he was honestly too tired to unpack all of those feelings and pick them apart. Sighing, he pushed his empty glass away and offered Graham a tight smile.
"It's getting late, perhaps this is a conversation for another night."
Graham studied him carefully for a few moments, and then seemed to decide that pushing him wasn't going to be effective. It was obvious Killian had a lot going on in his head, and if there was anyone he'd open up to, it was Graham. But he needed to make that decision for himself, when he was ready.
"We've only got a limited number of 'other nights' now. But I'm here whenever you need me, alright?" Killian nodded, clapping his friend in the shoulder in a silent gesture of gratitude, "Okay. Let's call it a night."
CS
"It feels so good, Emma. You feel so good. Come for me. Now."
Emma awoke with a gasp, her body thrumming and her heart beating double time. It took her a second or two to get her bearings, and to clear the hazy fog of sleep from her brain.
It had been a vivid dream, but she couldn't deny she much preferred waking up hot and bothered from a sex dream than sweating and shaking from a nightmare. Easy preference.
Kicking back the covers, she checked the time, and then opened her usual morning text from Killian.
"Good morning, beautiful. Did you know that sharks don't have sound-producing organs, so they can't make noise through vocalization?"
Emma couldn't help but laugh a little as she sent her reply.
"Wish I had sharks for neighbors then, instead of the couple who like to sing Disney karaoke every Friday night."
It was then that she caught sight of their texts from the night before and she froze, memories of their sexting and the resulting escalation into phone sex flooding back to her and stealing her breath.
It wasn't a dream. She hadn't conjured his responses I her own mind. It was all real. He'd really said those things to her and then coaxed her into an earth-shattering orgasm with dirty commands in a low, sinfully sexy tone, wrapping his accent around her name in the most salacious way.
With trembling fingers, she scrolled up through their texts, all her memories of how she'd casually led them into sexting with her flirting and suggestive comments coming back as her eyes scanned over their words. Her cheeks heated up and she swallowed hard.
She'd really said those things. And she'd called him when she'd been so dizzy with arousal that she'd thrown caution to the wind and let instinct take over.
He'd been wary at first, but then he'd really gotten into it. The sound of his guttural groan and then harsh panting down the line, the split second after she'd screamed his name, was something that would forever be locked into her memory.
But she couldn't believe they'd done that. So much for being friends. She'd definitely invited him to cross a line that was well outside the remit of friendship. But...she really couldn't bring herself to regret it. Not completely, at least.
She felt embarrassed that she'd lost control and texted him things that she'd never said out loud in bed before, but she wouldn't go so far as saying she felt regret about what they'd done. She hoped he didn't either.
But maybe it was for the best if she toned it back a little, she thought. She didn't want their relationship (their friendship, she pointedly corrected herself) to denigrate into something that could just scratch the itch. She didn't want him to feel like he was just her virtual fuck buddy, because that wasn't what she wanted.
She liked him for more than that. She liked his sense of humor, the way he could make her laugh so easily. And she liked that he was so thoughtful and sensitive and empathetic. She felt safe with him, even after everything that had happened. And she didn't want that to turn into something so...superficial. It meant too much to her.
He meant too much to her, the traitorous voice in her mind whispered.
Putting her phone aside, and trying not to let her mind wander back to what had transpired the night before, Emma distracted herself with her morning routine. She'd finally been able to start running again, since her clean bill of health from the hospital. She had to ease into it, but it felt good to get her legs and lungs burning a little again.
After her run, she returned home to shower, change, and run errands - grocery shopping, a HR appointment to sign her reinstatement forms (the cop equivalent of a loathed trip to the DMV, as far as Emma was concerned), and a quick stop for lunch at Granny's.
While she was savoring the best cinnamon hot chocolate in Boston, Ruby slipped into the booth seat opposite her, a glint in her eyes that immediately made Emma suspicious.
"What trouble are you trying to cause now, Rubes?"
She said warily, before Ruby even had a chance to say anything. The brunette gave her an exaggerated expression of indignation, but it gave way to a smirk as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.
"Depends how much trouble you want to get into," Ruby said mysteriously, and Emma narrowed her eyes, "You're coming out with me tonight. Drinks, dancing, and the hottest, slinkiest dresses we own. It's been way too long, and we need a girls' night out before you go back to throwing yourself into work."
Emma was about to find an excuse, but Ruby held up a hand.
"Not taking no for an answer, and I already booked us a VIP table at The Grand. It's Saturday and we need to let loose a little. God knows you've earned it. I'll meet you at 10:30pm."
With a wink to accompany the permanent smirk she wore, Ruby shimmied out of the booth and back to work, not giving Emma a chance to argue. She sighed exasperatedly, knowing it was futile to attempt any excuses anyway. And maybe Ruby was right. It had been a while since she'd been out just to dance and enjoy herself with a friend. It'd be good for her.
And it would also be nice to wear something other than yoga pants or sweats, which was what she'd been living in for almost a month.
When she returned home after lunch, Emma checked her phone, remembering that she'd told Killian the night before, after their virtual dalliance, as he would say, that she'd call him that day. So, as she made her way to her bedroom to pick out some outfit options for later that night, she pointedly ignored the stutter of her pulse knowing she would hear his voice again, and hit call.
He answered in three rings, and Emma could already hear the smile he was wearing as he greeted her warmly.
"Hello, darling. This is a pleasant surprise."
"Uh, If it's not a good time, I can-"
"No, not at all, it's a perfect time. You did say last night that you might call back today. I'm glad you did."
At the mention of the night before, Emma's cheeks immediately flushed, and she was somewhat glad he couldn't see her face. She bit her lip, silently chastizing herself for making it needlessly awkward as she stumbled over her words.
"Okay. Good. Great. So uh...how are you?"
She was not great at small talk. In fact, she was borderline awful at it, and always found it painfully uncomfortable, which was why she usually avoided engaging in it. But somehow, the desire to just... talk to him outweighed her active avoidance of small talk.
They'd fall into easy conversation, like they usually did, she was sure. It was just that she wasn't yet accustomed to speaking on the phone with him. All their small talk had been through texts before, and she could overthink and reword her responses as much as she liked.
He didn't sound uncomfortable though, and it made her relax a little as she let his voice soothe her.
"I'm doing rather well, love. Had a paperwork-filled Saturday so far, but other than that, nothing particularly exciting. Dinner last night with my team was...nice. And I wasn't too late showing up."
He joked, choosing not to add that they'd all suspected his tardiness had something to do with him being otherwise-engaged with Emma, somehow. He'd dodged a bullet avoiding further questioning on that topic, thankfully.
"Ha, yeah...sorry about that," she laughed, just a little breathlessly, "Well, I've been strong-armed into agreeing to go on a girls' night out with Ruby tonight. I was told I'm going, rather than asked. You've met Ruby, so you know what I mean," she rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see, "So I've just got home from my HR appointment and all the other boring stuff I had to get done this morning, and now I'm trying to decide what the hell to wear tonight. I haven't been out properly in a long while. I'm getting too old for this shit."
She sighed dramatically, and Killian laughed heartily on the other end of the line. Emma couldn't help but smile at the sound.
"You're not even 30 yet, Swan. Don't write yourself off so soon. And besides, I've seen how you look in one of those dresses, and you certainly don't look 'too old' for anything, if there was such a thing."
His flirty, teasing tone had her pulse fluttering, and she noted that she was already feeling a lot less awkward than she had at the start of the phonecall. He put her at ease so effortlessly, while also scaring the shit out of her and making her feel completely off kilter at the same time. It was the most confusing yet addictive and exhilarating juxtaposition of emotions she'd ever grappled with.
"You're sweet," she said sarcastically, to mask how unsteady she felt, "And seeing as you've got such an expert opinion on my dresses, maybe you can help me pick one. I'm gonna send you some pictures. Hold please."
She switched from the call screen to her camera and laid out three dresses she was deciding between, snapping photos and texting them to Killian while he waited.
The first dress was a sleeveless, light khaki green, satin dress with a low cowl neck and thin straps. She'd only worn it once before, but it felt nice against her skin so it had made the top three for her. It was the longest out of her three options, reaching mid-thigh.
The second dress was a black, lace topped, sleeveless bodycon number that was quite simple but effortlessly sexy. The lace extended over the shoulders and made up most of the back of the dress. It was a snug fit and felt like a second skin, sitting high on her thighs and covering her ass with just a few inches of material to spare.
The final dress was another black one, in a wrap-around style with spaghetti straps and a plunging décolette neckline. It had a built-in bust that made her cleavage look incredible, even if she did say so herself, and a slit up one side of the wraparound, which gave a tantalizing glimpse of her leg almost all the way to her hip. It was backless, save for the thin, cross-crossing spaghetti straps, and was very slightly longer than the other black dress, but shorter than the green one.
She lay them all out carefully on her bed and took photos of the front and back of each dress. When she sent them, she made bets with herself about which one Killian would favor. And for reasons that she didn't want to think too hard about, his opinion did matter to her, despite the fact that he wouldn't see her outfit in person.
"Okay," she said finally, switching back to the call screen, "I've sent you my three options. So, fashion guru Jones, what's your expert opinion?"
He chuckled as he waited for the pictures to load, and then let out a low whistle.
"Well, I can certainly say that no matter which of these dresses you wear, whoever gets to lay eyes on you in it tonight is a lucky bastard,"
Emma felt her entire body flush with heat at his compliment, but she made a scoffing noise and pointedly ignited it.
"Pff, you're such a smooth talker. But that doesn't help me pick one."
Killian chuckled and paused for a moment. When he replied, the lower tone of his voice made Emma shiver, her breath catching at the way her stomach suddenly clenched in an instinctive response.
"I believe I could make a much more informed decision if you were to model them for me, darling. How about you slip them on and send me more photos?"
Emma swallowed, her heart racing. The picture she'd sent him wearing his t-shirt had been a flirty, unsolicited surprise. But now, after their sexting and phone sex the night before, he was a little bolder. And she kind of liked it.
"I...I guess I could do that..."
She said slowly, switching him to loudspeaker and putting the phone down on the dresser as she began to unzip her jeans with slightly trembling hands and slipped them off.
"You don't have to, lass. I was just...I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
He sounded concerned and regretful as he backtracked, seemingly interpreting her shaky response as discomfort or reluctance on her part.
"No. You didn't. I'm just...getting used to navigating...whatever this is we're doing. I'm awkward as hell on the phone, if you hadn't already noticed. Texts kinda hide my awkwardness a bit better."
She laughed nervously and pulled her t-shirt over her head, grabbing the first dress off her bed and stepping into it. Adjusting the straps and smoothing down the soft satin, she picked up her phone and switched to the camera app again, snapping a selfie at an opportune angle to capture the length of the dress while Killian spoke.
"I'm rather fond of your awkwardness, love," he said, his smile evident in his voice, "It's endearing. But I never wish to make you feel obliged to do or say anything, so you're more than welcome to tell me to bugger off if- oh…"
Emma could tell the second Killian opened the new photo, his words dying mid-sentence and a quiet curse falling from his lips. She bit her lip, her body buzzing with the adrenaline rush of hearing the effect her photo had on him.
"Bloody hell, you're a vision."
He said softly, and she knew he was staring at the photo with that heat in his eyes that turned her insides to Jell-o. She was already changing into the second dress and snapping a few selfies in the mirror by then, quickly sending them and awaiting his reaction.
"Less cleavage, more legs...and your arse looks incredible, I must say. I like it. The color of the first one would match your eyes, but the classic black suits you, love."
The third dress went on then, and Emma couldn't help the coy smile on her lips as she took selfies from the front and back in her mirror. It was probably the sexiest dress she owned, and she felt good in it. She only wished she would've been able to wow Killian with it in person. She'd have to settle for the openly appreciative glances Ruby would grace her with, though they would be a poor consolation for the heat of Killian's gaze.
"Fucking hell, Emma," Killian choked out, his voice hoarse, when he received the last pictures, "I..."
Emma laughed, shaking her head and staring at her phone as she tried to picture the look on his face.
"Wow, I've actually managed to render Killian Jones speechless? I feel like that's an achievement I can add to my résumé."
Killian chuckled in response, but his voice was still hoarse and just a little breathless when he finally found it.
"Can you blame me for being speechless, my darling? Look at you. Bloody hell. The third one is most definitely my choice. I'm assuming you aren't wearing a bra with that very enticing backless design. But your breasts look phenomenal, if you don't mind me saying so."
"I don't mind…"
She said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart was racing and heat pooled low in her belly as she perched on the edge of her bed, still wearing the dress he liked so much, and he continued.
"The cut up the skirt is...well, you and those gorgeous legs of yours are going to star in many a man's dreams tonight, when they're lucky enough to lay eyes on you. You're a vision, sweetheart, regardless of what you wear. But you cut quite the figure in that dress."
"Thanks," she said softly, suddenly feeling shy for some reason, "But I'm only really interested in being in one guy's dreams…"
She realized she was holding her breath as she awaited his response, and she heard his sharp intake of breath, followed by a beat of silence before he spoke again.
"If it's not impertinent to hope you're referring to me there, lass...then rest assured, you will be very present in my dreams tonight. And every other night."
Her hands hadn't stopped trembling and she was once again glad he couldn't see her, so that she didn't have to mask the dreamy smile on her face or hide the blush on her cheeks. He made her feel like a schoolgirl with her first crush, and the rush she got from hearing him say things like that was addictive.
"Good," she breathed, butterflies making her stomach flip, and then she cleared her throat, "Uh, so, I have my last physio session in a bit, and then dinner at David and Mary Margaret's before I go out with Ruby tonight."
"Sounds like a productive day. Can I ask you for one small favor, Swan?"
She paused, curious about why he suddenly sounded unsure of himself.
"Yeah?"
"When you get home after your night out...would you text me? Just to let me know you're home safe. I know it probably sounds silly and overbearing and you already have David to play that overprotective role, but I, uh...I suppose with this job, the things I see every day - which I know you understand - it's made me wary and a touch protective of the people I care deeply about. I hope it's alright for me to ask that of you…"
He went quiet after his little ramble, and Emma couldn't help but feel a rush of affection towards him. He could flip from being flirty and suggestive and downright dirty one minute, making her blood run hot and her toes curl with arousal, to incredibly sweet and sensitive and thoughtful the next minute.
It was dizzying. And she loved that about him. He cared about her, more than most people ever had, and it made her feel cherished and valued in ways she wasn't used to.
"Yeah, it's alright for you to ask that. And I will. Text you, I mean. It doesn't sound silly that you asked. It's...nice. I like that you care."
"I do. Very much. Thank you, love."
He said sincerely, and Emma realized she was wearing that dreamy smile again. Biting her lip, she glanced at the clock on her dresser and sighed.
"I've enjoyed hearing your voice again and talking like this, but I have to get to my physio appointment. I'll text you later," she paused, "And...maybe I'll send you a photo when I'm all done up and ready to go out tonight."
She heard Killian's breath catch and couldn't help but smirk. He was so easy to rile up.
"I'd very much appreciate that," he said, the low register of his tone and the way his accent wrapped around the words so indecently causing her to shiver, "I'll look forward to it, my love."
CS
When Emma stepped out of the cab at The Grand Boston, she was more than ready for a drink or four. The cab driver, who was old enough to be her dad and smelled of stale cigarette smoke, had talked her ear off about politics the entire journey, while not-so-subtly checking her out in the rearview mirror at every opportunity. She'd practically launched herself out of the door the second the car had stopped.
She was relieved to catch sight of Ruby almost immediately, standing off to the side of the club and talking animatedly with another woman who was stood with her back to Emma..
"Hey, sorry I'm a bit late. The cab driver took the long way so he could stare at my chest for longer, I suppose."
Emma greeted grouchily, and then turned to offer a polite smile to Ruby's companion...but stopped dead, her eyes widening as she recognized the woman.
"Well, you do look smoking hot in that dress, so I can't really blame him," Ruby joked, "This is-"
"Mulan," Emma said, surprised, "I didn't know you two knew each other…"
Emma eyed Ruby with an edge of suspicion, and her friend smiled sheepishly.
Mulan was the only other woman in the Homicide Department. She was still a police officer, but she was close to completing the Detective Development Program to become a fully fledged Homicide Detective. Emma hadn't worked closely with her before, but she knew how hard-working and dedicated the woman was, so there was a mutual respect there.
"Ha, well, funny thing...we're kinda dating."
Emma stared at Ruby, once again surprised.
"Wait...I thought your girlfriend worked in an office somewhere near the Common?"
She recalled bumping into Ruby when she and Killian had been on their way to meet Henry and his parents for lunch. She remembered that day all too well, considering it was the same day Killian left in the middle of the night. Shaking her head to clear that not-so-pleasant memory, Emma wondered if she'd put her foot in it. Ruby had had plenty girlfriends - and boyfriends - in the time Emma had known her.
"I do some OT at the District A1 precinct sometimes, so I can get my hours in and pass the DDP sooner. Ruby and I meet for lunch when I'm over there. It's hard enough being a woman in Homicide, without everyone also knowing that I'm bisexual. I'm not ashamed of it or anything, but I just don't want to deal with the good old boys' bullshit. So, Ruby and I decided to keep it lowkey, and I get to keep my personal life away from work."
Ruby grinned at her girlfriend as Mulan slipped an arm around her waist. Emma had never seen Ruby look quite so enamoured before, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Well, I'm glad you guys found each other. And I definitely appreciate the whole 'keeping work life and personal life separate' thing. It gets…messy otherwise."
She ducked her head then, knowing she didn't need to mention Killian's name for Mulan to get it. She was sure the entire Homicide department had been rife with gossip and rumours about her relationship with Killian being much more than professional. The place was worse than high school for gossip, and she could only hope it would have died down before she returned to work.
Thankfully, Ruby changed the subject then, ushering them towards the entrance of the club. She could already feel the vibration of the music thrumming against her skin, and was looking forward to letting off some steam and dancing with her friends until her feet felt like they were going to fall off in her self-proclaimed Fuck-Me-heels.
Once inside the club, they made a beeline for the bar, before locating the small booth that Ruby had reserved for them. It wasn't a place designed for sitting and talking with friends though, with the volume of the music and the flashing lights, so they soon headed out to the dancefloor to enjoy themselves.
Ruby and Mulan danced closely, attracting plenty of attention, but Emma could feel eyes on her too. She ignored it, not exactly unaccustomed to hungry gazes when she went out dressed like 'sex on legs' as Ruby would say.
She let herself get lost in the music, accepting another few drinks from her friends and then finally heading to the bar when it was her turn to buy the round.
She was a little tipsy, but fully in control of herself, with just enough alcohol in her system to feel relaxed. She wasn't there to get flat-out drunk, more interested in the dancing than the drinking.
While she waited for the drinks, she felt a hand skim her waist from behind, and immediately tensed, not feeling particularly welcoming toward uninvited touches from strangers.
"Well, hello, gorgeous. Can I get you a drink?"
A tall Hispanic guy with a nice smile and a pretty decent sense of style asked in a distinctive accent she would hazard a guess was from Miami. He was leaning on the bar, his eyes locked on her face, and Emma hesitated.
She wasn't interested in going home with anyone that night (or ever, that familiar, traitorous voice in the back of her mind whispered), but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a dance partner for a little while.
Somewhat reluctantly, she agreed, and he didn't even blink as he paid for the round she'd ordered. Before she could pick them up though, he took her hand and brushed his lips across the top of it. She was a little bemused by his overly charming manner, but she offered him a tight smile as he introduced himself.
"I'm Nico. What's your name, beautiful?"
"Emma. Are we gonna go dance or you wanna small talk over the music for the next ten minutes about stuff neither of us gives a shit about?"
His grin widened, and he helped her carry the drinks towards the dance floor.
"You know exactly what you want, don't you, mamacita?"
"Yeah. I wanna dance. But just so we're clear from the start, dancing is all I'm interested in."
He hesitated for a moment, but then seemed to decide it was worth it, because he shrugged and continued to follow her onto the dance floor. She wasn't about to lead the guy on, and she'd made her firm boundaries clear from the beginning.
Ruby and Mulan eyed him curiously as Emma returned with a new friend, and he greeted them warmly while handing them the drinks he'd bought.
Ruby leaned close to Emma's ear so that the guy wouldn't hear.
"Is this Rebound Guy number one?"
Emma shot Ruby a withering glare, her stomach dropping uncomfortably at the suggestion.
"We're gonna dance. That's it."
Ruby didn't look entirely convinced, but she shrugged and sipped her drink as she returned her attention to her girlfriend and the changing beat of a new song.
They all danced for awhile, loosening up and making quick work of their drinks. A few songs in, the close dancing was taken up a notch.
Emma's breath hitched when Nico's confident hands suddenly found her hips and pulled her chest-to-chest with him. She couldn't bring herself to make eye contact, and panicked when she could tell he was going to attempt to kiss her. So, instead, she used the music and turned in his arms, her back to his chest.
She'd dodged a kiss and it was also easier to imagine he was someone else if she couldn't see his face. Closing her eyes and leaning her head back against him, she tried to push down the unsettled feeling tightening her chest, and concentrated on the beat of the music.
His hands pulled her hips tightly to him, fingers pressing against her hip bones, before sliding down to the edge of her dress. He grazed the bare skin of her thighs with his fingertips, one hand sliding back up along the top of her thigh that the slit in her skirt exposed. She grabbed his wrist when he tried to slide towards her inner thigh, and redirected it to her hip.
There wasn't a chance in hell she was going to let him touch her like that, especially not in public, on a crowded dancefloor. She was a cop, for God's sake, not some horny 18 year old who didn't know any better.
With both his hands moving back to grip her hips, then higher to skim over her ribs, he pressed his lips to her neck as they moved to thebest of the music, nipping at the sensitive junction of her shoulder and causing her to shudder involuntarily.
He was a lot grabbier than she usually allowed, but she was blaming it partly on the alcohol (though she wasn't fully drunk), and partly on her determination to loosen up for the night.
"God, you're so fucking hot, babygirl," he growled in her ear, his hands suddenly moving back to grab her ass firmly, and Emma fought the urge to shove him away, cringing at the endearment, "You sure you don't wanna get out of here and lemme see what you got under this sexy little dress? I'll make you feel good, babygirl."
With a grimace of disdain, her resolve snapped and she pulled away, turning to face him and shaking her head.
"I'm very sure. Does that line ever work for you?"
She asked, raising an eyebrow with her hands on her hips. He laughed and then shrugged, apparently not offended by her lack of responsiveness to his advances.
"Sometimes. Thought I'd try my luck," he grinned, "But I'm cool with just grinding and feeling you up, babe."
Emma cringed yet again, wondering how young this guy was if he thought lines like that were a turn on, and questioning why she'd gotten herself into this weird situation in the first place.
He hadn't necessarily done anything wrong, unless being a little sleazy counted, but she just...couldn't settle the discomfort buzzing under her skin and making her stomach clench unpleasantly.
It felt dirty and wrong to be dancing with a random guy like that, and letting him put his hands on her. It felt like...cheating, somehow. The acknowledgment of that made her throat constrict, and she made the excuse of going to find the bathroom in order to bolt.
She squeezed past young girls in the bathroom, all dolled up and trying to look a lot older than they obviously were as they chattered excitedly and touched up their makeup in the mirrors. The ladies' bathroom was always crowded, and she momentarily regretted not going outside instead.
Finding an empty stall, she quickly shut the door behind her and leaned against it, trying to steady her racing heart and fight back the wave of panic and emotion that had suddenly overwhelmed her on the dancefloor.
"Emma?"
She heard Ruby's voice calling her name, and took a quick, steadying breath, schooling her face into a cool mask of insouciance, before pulling open the door and stepping out.
"Everything alright?"
She asked calmly, but Ruby simply raised an eyebrow, not buying the façade. The brunette gently ushered her friend back into the bathroom stall, and closed the door behind both of them. Emma frowned.
"What's going on?"
"I could ask you the same question. I saw you before you bolted down here. You looked like you'd seen a ghost. Did that guy say or do something to you? Do you want me to sic Mulan on him?"
Emma rolled her eyes and sighed, folding her arms and scowling at her friend.
"No, he didn't. He was flirting, that's it; nothing I couldn't handle. I don't need anyone to fight my battles for me and I can take care of myself, Ruby. You know that. He backed off when I said no anyway," she gave a nonchalant shrug, "I just needed the bathroom. Stop worrying about me."
Once again, her friend was clearly not sold on her slightly defensive and overly indifferent explanation. Ruby had seen the flash of panic on her face before she'd practically ran off the dancefloor, which was why she'd followed her down to the bathroom.
"Look...I think you and I both know you've got a lot going on up here," Ruby tapped the top of Emma's head gently, "And I saw the look on your face, the guilt, when I called the dude a rebound. Killian's still on your mind, that much is blatantly obvious. But you haven't done anything wrong tonight, Emma. You know it's not cheating when you're not actually with someone, right?"
Emma's eyes widened, and her cheeks immediately flushed, while she stumbled over her words in an attempt to make excuses and deny Ruby's astute assessment of her internal dilemma. They'd been friends long enough that Ruby had become uncannily good at reading her, so she often had a hard time lying to the woman and getting away with it.
Shoulders slumping, she gave up the stumbling attempts to explain herself, and found her vision blurring with tears. But she refused to cry. She'd spent too damn long on her stupid makeup to ruin it with tears. And there was no good crying over something she couldn't change either.
"I...I know I'm not cheating."
She said quietly, her chin trembling a little. She stared at the tiled floor of the bathroom, suddenly feeling exhausted and completely defeated.
"But it felt that way? That's why you bolted?"
Emma hesitated for a moment but finally nodded with a sad smile, running a hand through her curled hair.
"Yeah. I guess it did. It just felt...I don't know. Wrong? I tried to ignore it, because I knew it was stupid feeling like that. But then I just...I got overwhelmed when I realized that I felt like I was doing something wrong, when I knew I wasn't. And I guess I panicked, because all I could think of was how I needed to get the hell off that dance floor, and how hard it was to breathe. It's so fucking stupid. Why am I like this?"
She banged her fist half-heartedly against the stall door in frustration, and Ruby immediately covered it with her own hand, lowering it away from the wall and pulling her friend into a comforting hug.
"Maybe because you're in love with him, you idiot," she said exasperatedly, feeling Emma tense up and hugging her tighter in response, "And because your head knows you weren't cheating, but your heart knows who it belongs to."
Emma didn't reply, scared to even think about Ruby's words too much. She may not have been drunk, but she'd had too many drinks to think so philosophically. Thankfully, Ruby didn't seem to expect a response, as she pulled back from the hug and canted her head to the door.
"Come on, let's go back up, have one more drink, five more minutes of girls only dancing, and then we'll call it a night. A few hours here is plenty; we're getting too old for this shit, huh?"
Emma laughed and nodded, more grateful for her friend than ever. She followed her out of the bathroom and the two headed back to find Mulan, who was waiting for them at the bar.
CS
When Emma arrived home, her mood had dramatically improved. The extra drink and carefree dancing with just her friends had been exactly what she needed. By the time they left the club almost an hour after her heart-to-heart with Ruby in the bathroom, she was well into the realm of tipsy, and her feet were killing her. Both signs of a good night out, in her book.
She'd barely even closed her apartment door before she was fumbling for her phone, remembering her promise to text Killian. She smiled dreamily at his name on her phone screen...and then, with the alcohol to blame, she hit FaceTime.
It was almost 2am, and she wasn't even sure he'd be awake, so she almost hung up after two rings when the tiny slice of common sense she had left reminded her of that.
But he answered after the second ring.
He was sat up in bed, sans shirt, and Emma's heart stuttered wildly as she stared at him again, face to face (virtually at least) for the first time in over a month. But it felt like so much longer.
"Hi you," she breathed, biting her lip and trying not to be too obvious in her appreciation of him, "Uh, oh, yeah...sorry about the time. I didn't realize til I hit call and then it was kinda too late and I thought you might be sleeping and I was gonna hang up but then you answered and...here we are…"
"Here we are, indeed. And hi to you, too. How did your evening go, darling? You look ravishing, I must say."
In an attempt to toe off her heels whilst thoroughly distracted by Killian's voice, Emma almost tripped right over one of them. Giggling at her own clumsiness, she carefully kicked the stiletto out of the way and padded towards her bedroom barefoot, sighing in a borderline-indecent way at the relief it gave her to finally have the shoes off.
"It was...good. It ended up being good anyway. Ruby's dating Mulan, which is cool, because they make a good couple. A hot couple too. And they're so into each other. I danced a lot, had some really good cocktails, and...did I say I danced? Yeah. There was a guy who was handsy as hell, and he kept calling me 'babygirl', which made me wanna heave, 'cause who seriously uses that? And he put his hand up my dress in the middle of the dancefloor...like, is that what kids do now? I'm pretty sure he was like, 21, max. And I am way too old for the club scene now, clearly, 'cause I swear I counted at least a dozen underage kids in there. But did I mention the cocktails? Babe, they were so good. I have no idea what they were called, but I'm-...oh shit, sorry!"
Throughout her rambling, Emma had been fumbling around getting her pjs out and taking out her earrings, but as she paid attention to her phone screen for a second, she realized the camera was angled very opportunely down the front of her dress.
It wasn't anything Killian hadn't seen before, but she quickly corrected herself, propping the phone up on the dresser so he could see her face instead, and giving him an apologetic, sheepish smile.
"Sorry, love, there's a lot to digest there. Firstly, I am not going to complain about the view you just gave me," he chuckled as she rolled her eyes, "but can we just backtrack a little...some guy tried to put his hand up your skirt?! Are you okay, love? I hope your fist acquainted itself with the tosser's face."
Emma hesitated as she grabbed her makeup wipes, the familiar flash of guilt she'd felt in the club washing over her once more. She squashed it, and turned to face the camera once more.
"I'm fine, honestly. He was harmless. I was...dancing with him. And he backed off when I said no. So it was fine."
She busied herself with taking off her makeup, avoiding looking at the camera; the idea of seeing hurt or betrayal on his face when she talked about letting another man put his hands on her was too much. She wasn't sober enough to deal with that.
He remained quiet for a second, and Emma swallowed the lump of dread that had suddenly lodged itself in her throat.
"I'm glad he respected your wishes," he said softly, and when Emma finally, hesitantly, lifted her gaze to the screen, he smiled warmly at her, "It sounds like you had a good evening other than one handsy bloke, darling. I'm happy to hear that. You deserved to blow off a little steam with your friends, after how hard you've been working, in therapy and physio and such. And I'm glad you called, too. I didn't expect a video call, so this was a wonderful surprise. Did i mention you look beautiful, Swan?"
Her heart skipped and she smiled back at him, her makeup almost all removed by then.
"You might've mentioned it once or twice," she giggled, "How has your evening been anyway? I've rambled on about mine enough."
"Not particularly exciting. I helped some friends to pack up for a big move, and then we grabbed some dinner. I was home by 8, and I've been binging some utter nonsense on Netflix since then," he paused for a moment, and then softly added, "I wanted to stay awake until I knew you were home safe. I'm glad you called."
"That's very sweet of you. And I'm glad you answered the call…it's nice seeing you again. Virtually."
There was a moment then, so many unspoken words hanging there in the 600 miles between them that had been reduced to inches thanks to a phone screen. Emma's pulse was racing, and she couldn't help but wonder if his was, too.
He cleared his throat, breaking the loaded silence, and smirked.
"So, as you've got my full and prompt attention, and have graced me with the ability to see you as we talk...would it be cheeky to ask if I can see this incredible dress of yours in 3D, seeing as you're still wearing it?"
He may have worn a smirk on his face, but Emma could hear the note of thinly veiled nervousness in his tone. She'd spent enough time with him to see through the bravado. Biting her lip and giving him a coy wink, she stepped back from the dresser, so that he could get a better view of her outfit.
Slowly, she turned around to give him a good look at the back too, which she felt made the dress that bit sexier. His breathing audibly hitched, and he cursed under his breath when she looked over her shoulder at him with a seductive smirk of her own.
"Like what you see, Jones?"
She asked, her tone a low purr that she knew did things to him. Another breathy curse from him.
"You know I do, darling. Very much. Bloody hell…"
It was then that a truly wicked idea popped into her head. No doubt another thing she could attribute to being tipsy. But the way he looked at her, and how it made her feel, was addictive, and she didn't want it to stop just yet.
Keeping her eyes on him over her shoulder, she slowly reached for the thin straps of the dress, and slid them off her shoulders one at a time.
"W-what are you doing, Emma?"
He practically whimpered. She simply smirked, keeping a slow pace as the top of the dress slipped down to pool at her waist. With a slow shimmy of her hips, she pushed it down further, and then let it drop to the floor, leaving her standing with her back to him in nothing but a black thong.
"Worth staying up for?"
She teased, still holding his gaze as she stepped out of the dress and grabbed the FBI Academy t-shirt she'd pulled out to wear to bed.
"Bloody fucking hell, Emma. I am definitely up. And you are more than worth it. Do you know what you do to me?"
His voice was strained, and it gave her such a thrill knowing how much she affected him.
"I've got a pretty good idea."
Seeing his labored breathing and the way his pupils were blown black made her blood run hot. Pulling on the t-shirt, she turned to face him, and then slipped the thong off, making sure he saw her sliding it down her legs, so that he'd know she was sleeping in nothing but his shirt. She was sure it made him as hot as it made her.
Excusing herself for a moment, and leaving the phone on the dresser, facing her bed, she quickly brushed her teeth and returned. He still looked just as flustered and affected as he had a few minutes earlier.
"Sorry, I was just brushing my teeth. You okay there?"
She smiled innocently, switching the lights over to the softer bedside lamp and slipping into bed with the phone in her hand. He huffed in frustration.
"I am not, Swan. You're a bloody siren," he turned serious then, his expression softening as she yawned and lay down in bed, turning on her side and propping the camera up to face her on the opposite pillow with a throw pillow behind it, so that he could see her face properly, "It's late, darling. You're tired."
It amazed him how he could go from wanting to fuck her seven ways from Sunday one second, to simply wanting to stroke her hair and feel her fall asleep in his arms a second later. She was intoxicating in every way, and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to sober up.
He changed his position then too, and Emma's heart skipped a beat as she smiled at him. He was mirroring her position in his own bed, and it almost felt like they were lying next to each other. It made her heart ache a little, if she was being honest.
"This is nice."
She mumbled sleepily, her eyes feeling heavy as a sense of utter peace washed over her. Killian smiled, aching to reach out through the phone and brush his fingers across the high set of her cheekbones, tuck an errant blonde curl behind her ear, and press a tender kiss to her lips.
He could feel every single one of the miles between them in that moment, as he watched her eyelashes flutter , and yet, she still felt almost close enough to touch.
"It is," he said, voice barely above a whisper and his heart fuller than ever, "Now sleep, my love."
CS