Stormy Departure

Emma pulled her yellow bug up to the harbor. Mary Margaret was sitting in the passenger seat, but she was still protesting.

"Emma, I don't really feel like going out on the boat today, especially not with you and Killian. I still haven't recovered from last time I went out with you guys."

Emma's face turned completely red as she remembered the incident her sister was referring to. She had walked in on her and Killian in a rather compromising situation. They had gone down below to find something to eat, and ended up satisfying a different kind of hunger.

"It wasn't completely our fault," Emma tried to defend herself. "We thought that you were up top sunbathing. If you remember, you just walked in without knocking."

Mary Margaret took on that motherly tone that made Emma cringe. She hated when Mary thought she had to be the mother, just because she was two years older. "You were in the kitchen, Emma. Last time I checked, you didn't have to knock before entering the kitchen."

"The galley." Emma couldn't help the snotty tone as she corrected her.

"What?"

"On a boat, the kitchen is called the galley."

"Okay, whatever. You were in the galley, then. Whatever it's called, it's a public area. An area where the food is kept and prepared for goodness sake."

"Well you don't have to worry about that today. It won't be just us. Ruby went on a supply run, and then is meeting us at the boat."

"I'm not in the mood for a party, Emma."

"Well I'm not going to let you stay locked up in your room all day. You invited us here remember? Girl's weekend."

"I invited you, not Killian. And when I said girl's weekend, I was envisioning pizza and wine, staying in our pajamas all day, watching chick flicks, and having facials. Last night I let Ruby talk me into going to a nightclub, and now we're going yachting. Two things I hate."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Gheez, when did you get so boring."

"It's my weekend remember? I should get to choose how we spend it."

"Look, we're already here. Killian has the boat ready to go. Just do this one thing for me, and then if you want, we can spend the rest of the weekend slathering mud on our faces, painting our nails, and playing, never have I ever, or whatever other stupid party game you want. I'll even pretend to be having a good time while doing it."

Mary Margaret sighed as she opened the car door to get out. "I'm beginning to be sorry that I invited you along."

"After today, you most assuredly will be," Emma mumbled under her breath as she grabbed her stuff from the back seat.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," Emma said, as she handed Mary Margaret her beach bag. "Let's just get on the boat."

Killian took Emma's bag from her and kissed her on the cheek. "Hello, Love." He reached out to help Mary Margaret over the railing. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you Killian," Mary Margaret offered. "It was very nice of you to agree to take us out today."

"My pleasure, lass."

Emma took Killian's hand and gave him a knowing look. "Is everything ready to go?"

"Indeed it is." Killian raised his eyebrows in question. "Shall we shove off, then?"

"Wait," Mary Margaret said in confusion. "I thought Ruby was coming?"

"Oh, she's already onboard. She's below deck, putting away the supplies," Killian replied.

Relief flooded her features. "Oh good. I'll just go help her then."

Emma stepped in front of her. "You don't need to do that. You're the guest of honor, remember?"

"But I want to help." Mary Margaret walked around Emma and headed down into the cabin area.

Emma turned to Killian in a panic. "Are Graham and David down there with her?" Killian nodded his head in the affirmative. "How fast can you get us off shore? As soon as my sister sees that we are taking them along, she's going to want off this boat."

"Your wish is my command, Love." Killian rushed up to the bridge and engaged the engines, heading out to sea within minutes.

Emma stood next to Killian and impatiently tapped her nails on dash. "Can you maybe go a little faster?"

"We're in a no wake zone. They rather frown upon you going too fast. That is unless you want to deal with the authorities."

"Emma!" Mary Margaret's voice growled as they heard her footsteps stomping across the deck.

"Dealing with the authorities might be easier that dealing with my sister." When Mary Margaret's head appeared above the ladder, Emma turned back to her boyfriend. "Whatever you do Killian, do not turn this boat around." Emma enforced her warning with a look that let him know the kind of trouble he would be in if he didn't agree.

Emma braced herself for the coming fury. Mary Margaret was usually so easy-going and nauseatingly positive that people made fun of her for it. She let things roll off her shoulder and was quick to forgive. As a result, she didn't get angry often, but when she did she was a force to be reckoned with, and Emma knew she was going to have some reckoning to do.

Mary Margaret was completely incensed by the time she made it up to Emma and Killian. Her normally pale skin was so red that it reminded Emma of a cartoon character. Emma half expected smoke to suddenly start coming from her ears. She actually had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud at the thought. That was until Mary Margaret's seething tone sobered her.

"Emma, I don't know what the hell was going through your mind when you planned this little excursion. Well no, I do, but you can just forget it." Mary Margaret peered around Emma to lock her fierce gaze on Killian. "Killian turn this damn boat around and take me back to shore right now. I'm getting off."

Emma placed her hand on Killian's arm to let him know to stay the course, straight ahead. She took a deep breath preparing to face off with her sister. Mary Margaret rarely cursed. This was going to be bad. She tried her best to put on an air of innocence. "What are you talking about Mare, I haven't done anything."

"Oh, don't give me that. I know how you're mind works. You even alluded to it this morning."

"Alluded to what exactly?"

"That I should have a go with David. Use him to make Frank jealous. Did you honestly think that was going to happen? That I think so little of my fiancé, that one look at David in swim trunks and his charming smile, would have me stripping off my morals, along with my clothing? Did you put fresh sheets on the bed for us? Or should we just take a page from you and Killian's book, and try out the kitchen countertop?"

"Come on, Mary Margaret, that's not fair and you know it."

"What's not fair is you trying to manipulate me into something like this. Who else is in on this? Ruby I'm sure. What about David? Did he agree to this? Is he part of your little plan too? Is everybody on this boat just sitting around taking bets on how long it will take me to give in? I hope you got good odds Emma, because guess what, you lose."

By the time Mary Margaret had finished her rant, she was practically screaming. The dam broke as the tears came rushing down Mary Margaret's face. Emma and Killian stood frozen in place, not sure how to respond. Mary Margaret took several deep breaths, as she wiped at the tears in her eyes. She refused to look at Emma and instead focused her attention on Killian.

"Killian, why haven't you turned this boat around yet?"

Killian looked questioningly at Emma. "Maybe we should go back, Love."

Before Emma could answer Ruby appeared from the ladder. "In case any of you were wondering at all, your voices are so loud we heard everything you just said." Emma cursed, while Mary Margaret moaned in embarrassment. "David, Graham, and I followed you out onto the deck not realizing you were about to climb up here and wage war on your sister. David disappeared about the time you started shouting about us taking bets. He had no part in this by the way. It was all me and Emma."

Mary Margaret ran her hands through her hair, as she replied sarcastically. "Well great. Things just keep getting better and better."

Emma stepped forward. Her hands twitched nervously at her side, like they did whenever she allowed herself to be vulnerable, and apologizing always made Emma feel vulnerable. "I'm sorry, Mare. I don't know what I was thinking."

Mary Margaret sighed, as her anger dissipated. "I do." She reached out and took Emma's hand. "You were thinking that you were protecting me. You want me to be happy. You just need to trust that I can figure that out on my own. And that it may not look the same as your happily ever after."

Emma stuttered slightly as she answered. "I guess I can do that."

A snort erupted from Mary Margaret. "Don't make it sound so convincing."

Emma smirked as the two sisters shared a hug, "So I guess this means you're going to make me apologize to Frank too."

"Why, what else did you do?" There was that motherly tone coming out again.

"I might have sent him a very scary text describing the gouging out of his eyes, and alluding to the possibility of castration as well."

"Emma, seriously! Yes, you have to apologize."

Ruby stepped in. "Let's not get started again. We're here to have fun remember."

Killian wrapped his arm around Emma's waist. "Does that mean our little excursion is still a go?"

Emma looked to Mary Margaret for an answer. Mary Margaret shook her head, "Yes, on one condition. No more hijinks from the three of you."

The three of them chimed in at the same time.

"Absolutely."

"You can count on us."

"Wouldn't dream of it, love"

"Well then, I guess I should go talk to David." Mary Margaret wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes. "I should probably clean up my face a little first, so I don't scare him."

"You look beautiful as usual, but I have a little powder and an awesome red lipstick in my bag if you want."

"I'm just going to apologize and ask if we can remain friends, Ruby. I don't need a makeover, I just don't want to look like a splotchy, puffy, crying mess."

After a stop in the bathroom, Mary stood outside the door to the kitchen…no, the galley. She took several deep breaths trying to get up the courage to go inside and face David. She had no doubt that her words had probably humiliated him. He was one of the nicest guys she had ever known, certainly the nicest she had ever gone out with. Even though they had only dated each other for a few months, and hadn't seen each other in close to two years, she knew without a doubt that he would never have agreed to be a part of a plan like the one Emma and Ruby had concocted. It had taken a month of flirting and dancing around their almost magnetic attraction for each other, for him to even get up the courage to ask her out. He had been a perfect gentleman during their dates, stopping before anything had ever gone too far. Even when she had practically thrown herself at him, he had stopped them before things had ever gotten out of hand. If Emma knew all the details about the final moments of their relationship she would have realized that David Nolan was probably the last person she should have brought in to seduce her.

It had been two years ago since her relationship with David had ended, yet sometimes it still felt like yesterday. She had known when she met him that he had just signed on with the Air Force and was scheduled to leave for boot camp at the end of the summer. Still, she had been shocked when he had left without so much as a good-bye. She had to admit that it had hurt…that it still hurt. Ruby had to be wrong about him still having feelings for her. He was the one who had ended things between them without a word. No reason. No last goodbye. Not even a breakup text message.

She entered just as David was popping the top on a bottle of beer. He looked up, unable to hide the startled look from his face when he saw her.

"I could certainly use one of those?" She said to break the ice, as she pointed to the beer.

He silently handed her the one that he was holding and crossed to the refrigerator to get another one for himself. After opening it, he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms in an effort to look casual and unconcerned, but instead looked nervous and stiff. Mary was surprised by how well she could still read him. She remembered them joking about how they always seemed to know what the other was thinking, and often finished each other's sentences. She had thought it was a sign that they were two halves of a whole. That they had been destined for each other. How wrong she had been.

David took a big swig from his bottle, before breaking the silence between the two of them. He focused on the ground, unable to make eye contact as he spoke. "I'm really sorry Mary Margaret."

Mary Margaret quickly interrupted him. "I'm the one who owes you an apology."

David finally looked up and caught her eyes. "No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I did. I never should have said those things. I knew you had nothing to do with whole situation." Suddenly she stopped with a start. Why was he apologizing? Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought. A lump formed in her throat as she asked him. "You didn't know about it, did you?"

"No, no I didn't," David assured her. "But I still owe you an apology. I shouldn't have come. I knew that you were engaged, but I thought…" David didn't finish his sentence. Instead he nervously picked at the label on his beer bottle.

"You thought what?"

"I saw the pictures in the news. They said that he was cheating on you. I assumed that meant you two we're breaking up."

Mary Margaret crossed her hands over her chest and took on an offensive tone as she answered to the allegations on her relationship. "The news media is just trying to create a story where there isn't one. Frank is not cheating on me. We are not breaking up."

David took a step back and put his hands up in front of him defensively. "Woah, okay, I'm sorry I said anything. I didn't know."

Mary sighed as she gave him a look of atonement. "I didn't mean to attack you. It's just that everybody seems to have it out for Frank. I'm tired of my sister and my best friends thinking they know better than me what I need, or who I should love. Why can't they believe me when I say I'm happy?"

Mary closed her eyes to the tears that she could feel starting to form again. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of David. She scrunched her face as hard as she could, but it was no use. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to look at him, as she mentally tracked the wetness of a single tear making its way slowly down her cheek. She felt the gentle touch of his fingertips as he wiped the tear from her face. She slowly opened her eyes to meet his, so startlingly blue that they still took her breath away.

"I am happy." She tried to infuse her voice with as much confidence as she could muster.

She thought for a moment that she could see the beginnings of tears glistening in his eyes, but just like that it was gone. He smiled as he held his hand out, waiting for a handshake.

"Well hello, Happy. It's nice to meet you. I'm Grumpy."

Mary just stared at him in confusion. "Are you making fun of me?"

David pulled his hand back and placed it in his back pocket. "It was a joke. You know, Happy and Grumpy are two of the seven dwarfs. You said you were Happy." When Mary Margaret didn't say anything, and instead just continued to blankly stare at him, he shrugged his shoulders, "I know it was lame. I was just trying to get you to laugh."

Finally Mary Margaret cracked a smile. "It was kind of dopey."

It took a moment for his brain to click. "Wait, I see what you did there. Dopey. Good one Mary Margaret." The tension left the room as the two of them enjoyed a much needed laugh together.

When the laughter stopped, David met her eyes. "I'm glad you're happy. I want that for you. You are truly amazing, Mary Margaret, and you deserve to be happy." Those words were true, but the next ones were not. David forced himself to say them. The ones he did not mean. The ones that encouraged her to marry someone else. "If you've found that with Frank, then I think that you should marry him, no matter what anyone else says."

"Thank you," was her simple reply.

She wanted to ask him if she was so amazing then why had he just up and left without saying anything? And why was he here now? Now, when she was trying to move on? The fact that he thought she was breaking off her engagement wasn't enough of an answer. Not when he could have had her two years ago. When he did have her….heart, body, mind, and soul. She wanted answers to all these questions. She wanted to scream at him, maybe even hit him, but she didn't. She simply swallowed the questions and smiled at him.

"Friends?" David asked, holding his beer bottle out to her seeking her acceptance.

"Friends." She agreed as she clinked her bottle neck with his.

He offered his hand to her. "Shall we rejoin the others as a united front against their schemes?"

"Yes, let's." She smiled as she placed her hand in his.

Together they made their way back up on deck. Both of them ignored the surge of electricity that seemed to hum between their linked hands.