Emma was losing her mind. It might have been the lack of sleep from reading file after file, or the endless hours searching through transcripts from interviews with MissMatched's competitors. It could also be the way she had kept one ear on the ground, hoping for any piece of gossip she could turn into information, any lead she could find that would untangle the scam of all time.
But. There. Wasn't. Anything.
She took a deep breath as she reviewed the cases in front of her. It was time to go back to the source. To the one case that, according to Liam Jones, started it all.
Mary Margaret Blanchard-Nolan was the modern version of a fairytale princess. From her tender smile to her gentle eyes to the way she remembered details about everyone in the office. The smell of baked goods wafting from the box in her hand only reinforced Emma's belief that it was simply impossible for this woman not to care.
Mary Margaret placed the box on the conference room table and opened the lid to show a neat row of chocolate chip cookies.
"These are Liam's favorites" she announced as the man of the hour sauntered over and grabbed a few before pressing a kiss to Mary Margaret's cheek.
"You spoil me rotten," he said with a twinkle in his clear blue eyes.
"Please, someone needs to take care of the two of you, and since you still haven't settled down, it's up to me."
Killian's voice cut through the room as he stole a few cookies. "You're too good to us, Mary Margaret."
"Why are you even here?" Emma asked, eyeing him as she debated grabbing a cookie for herself. "I thought this was Liam's success story."
"Oh, Swan, when you taste the cookies, you'll know why I'm here." Killian bit his lower lip and waggled his eyebrows at her before exiting the room as he gulped down one of the cookies.
"I suppose I should leave you to it." Liam bowed his head at them. "Mary Margaret, please tell David I'll drop by tomorrow to watch the game?"
Mary Margaret beamed. "He's looking forward to it."
She watched both men leave, with a daydream expression on her face, before she turned to Emma. "Let me tell you, if someone had told me that having those two move in next door would change my life, I never would have believed them."
"Is that how you met?" Emma asked, making a few notes on her notepad.
"Yes, they had just moved to the city and they ended up in the apartment right across the hall from me. They were both bartenders at a friend's bar and the building was within walking distance. I woke up one morning to bickering in the hall. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and they both turned around with those dazzling smiles."
Emma could picture it well, and part of her wondered how Mary Margaret was able to survive such thing.
"We became instant friends. Liam and Killian didn't know many people in the city and I didn't have many friends myself, you know…" she trailed off, her tone tinged with sadness, clearly touching on a period she wasn't that keen on revisiting. "They took me under their wing, as much as I did them, to be honest. I don't think I laughed so much in my life before I met them."
"And David?" Emma asked, wanting to understand how he came into the mix.
Mary Margaret's eyes shone brighter as a slight blush came to her cheeks. "He - he was a regular at the bar. He used to drop by for a beer after work - he worked at one of the local animal shelters - and he and Liam became close. I - I never met…" She gave Emma a rueful smile. "When Liam mentioned he had a friend that he wanted to introduce me to, I refused. My last few attempts at trying to date hadn't ended well, and I just didn't want to try. Not again."
"That doesn't seem -" Emma cut herself off when realized she'd spoken out loud, her eyes widening in embarrassment. But Mary Margaret didn't seem offended as she chuckled lightly.
"That doesn't seem like me, right?"
"I've only known you briefly, but you don't seem to be the type to give up on hope."
"I'm not. But at that time, I had. If it hadn't been for Liam and Killian's pestering, I wouldn't have risked putting myself out there. And when I met David - it was love at first sight. I know it sounds cheesy and out of some fairy tale no one believes in, but that was exactly what it was."
Mary Margaret sighed, her attention obviously shifted to somewhere else, somewhere Emma couldn't meet her at. There was something peaceful in her expression, something that made Emma want to believe people were good and love was all around them. Suddenly, another piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
"You were the one who convinced them to do this, weren't you?"
A blush crept across Mary Margaret's cheeks as her hands fidgeting over the table. "Is it that obvious?" She shrugged before Emma could answer. "When they couldn't keep their jobs at the bar…" she stopped, seeming to realize she had said too much, which only peaked Emma's interest. "The thing is, they gave me my happy ending, and I was sure that with a little nudge, they will be able to give others the same."
Emma pondered the words, finding it hard not to believe the woman sitting in front of her. "And you think they've succeeded?"
The smile Mary Margaret gave her was sure and steady. "Look around you, Emma. This place is filled with hope and love, and people determined to find everyone's fairytale love story. There's nothing but happy endings here, and it's thanks to Liam and Killian." She sighed, a hint of sadness escaping her lips. "If only they could give themselves one… well, Liam is almost there, if he'd only dare to go for it. But Killian -"
She seemed to really care. Genuinely. Emma wondered what it'd have been like to have people like her in her life. Caring so much for others. Mary Margaret tilted her head, her eyes studying Emma carefully.
"You don't believe in any of this, do you?"
Busted. Emma shrugged, glancing away as she doodled in her notebook. "I refuse to believe it. I'm a cynic, lady. There are no happy endings where I come from. Just people telling you what you can't do your entire life."
Mary Margaret was silent for a long while before she reached out to squeeze Emma's hand and command her attention. Emma looked up to find nothing but hope and concern in her eyes.
"Maybe the reason you want to prove them wrong is because deep down you desperately want to hope they are right."
"I don't do hope," Emma stated, not ready to let her walls down, not even for someone who seemed to be the kindest woman on earth.
Mary Margaret sighed, standing up and securing her purse under her arm. "All happy endings start with hope, Emma." She turned around to face a sheepish Liam Jones, who seemed to have made his way into the conference room without them noticing. "And that should go for you too."
Something resembling ache passed through Liam's eyes, before he looked away. "Mary Margaret," he started but she cut him off with a hand on his arm.
"Liam, you know I'm right." She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and nodded at Emma before exiting the room.
Liam stood there, his eyes lost and his shoulders slumped in defeat. Emma felt sorry for him.
"Is everything ok?" she asked with what she hoped was an encouraging smile.
He shook his head and plastered a smile on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yes, Miss Swan, it is. Do you need something else from me regarding this case?"
"No, it's ok, I just want to finish my notes and I'll be out of your hair."
"Take all the time you need, love." He nodded briefly before he exited the room and left her to concentrate on her thoughts.
Unfortunately, it seemed her peaceful solitude wouldn't last long. A few minutes later, Killian Jones entered the room holding a mug. He placed it on the table and took the seat next to her. Emma peeked at the mug and lifted an eyebrow - it was hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon swirling on the surface.
"Wow this is- How did you know? I didn't write any of this on that flimsy piece of paper you made me fill out."
"I'm quite perceptive."
There was that smug tone that Emma simply wanted to banish from him.
"Are you?"
"Indeed." His tongue darted out to wet his lower lip as she took a sip of the mug. It made Emma lose her concentration for a fleeting moment, but soon she was back to the business at hand.
"Mary Margaret seems to be very invested in your happiness. In everyone's really. But especially in yours and your brother's."
Killian smiled fondly. "She would be a great asset to the company if we were ever to convince her to give up teaching. She wants everyone to find true love."
Emma studied his features carefully. "And you're not up to the quest? The man who finds love for all others doesn't want to find it for himself?" She wasn't sure why she was asking, only that she wanted to know more about him.
He took a moment to reply, as if he was pondering his words carefully. "Why don't I see you hammering my dear brother over this?"
He was deflecting and Emma knew it. It only fueled her want to know even more. "Well, because according to you - and the painful look in his eyes I just witnessed - he has found his true love. It's just not working out for him at the moment. Whereas you, Killian Jones, seem to be the eternal unattached bachelor, according to sources."
She didn't want to say more, choosing to give him a look that she hoped conveyed what she wasn't willing to admit. If he was able to read her like an open book - like he claimed - he would have no issues figuring this one out.
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and averted his eyes. "I didn't know this included a deep dig into my personal life." He was closing off, Emma could tell. It took an expert on doing the same to spot another doing it.
"It shouldn't," she started softly, hoping he would meet her eyes. "But things are usually connected, and especially in this line of business people talk. I've heard a few things."
"They were probably true."
He still wasn't meeting her eyes and Emma couldn't take it anymore. Her hand darted out to graze her fingers on his cheek. He finally looked at her.
"I'd like to hear them from you."
He swallowed, his eyes almost filling with tears. "I truly loved someone once. She was older - and married. It didn't end well. After that, I figured it was easier to help others find love than focus on my own. It would prevent me from moving on from something I had no intention to get over with."
She shook her head in disbelief. "So you're cynical of love yourself. You built all this and you don't even believe in it?"
"Oh no, Swan, make no mistake, I'm a firm believer." The passion in his voice took her breath away. "I just don't think it's meant for me anymore."
The words echoed deep within her, to that part of her heart she always kept from others, in the place she never went back to. But now she found that she wanted to. "You sound like me. I was in love - once."
Killian didn't say a word, letting the silence stretch between them, giving her the chance to stop the conversation. But she didn't want to.
"I was young and stupid, and I thought he loved me. It cost me a stint in juvie when I got busted for collecting some watches he'd stolen. He was supposed to meet me after I got them. He never showed up." The words came out fast, like ripping off a bandaid. It hurt less when she didn't dwell on it. "After that, I really didn't care much about finding love. A few years ago, I met this guy who seemed nice and things were good - not great, but solid. Until I realized he was cheating on me."
Something that looked like anger flashed in his eyes and he clenched his jaw. He was angry on her behalf and a part of Emma was happy he'd reacted that way. She quickly ignored those feelings. When he spoke, his voice was strained.
"I can see why it would be hard to trust people after that."
"Yeah, keep that in mind when you find me my match," she teased, trying to ease the tension that had built up in the room.
"I'll do a very thorough check, don't worry."