Emma's phone began to ring whilst she was helping Killian unload the crates of flowers into Ariel's florist. "Pass me that crate, love, then you can answer your phone," he offered.
Emma stepped away from the doorway and walked back to the truck as she answered her phone. Killian cast a quick look back before proceeding with the crate of flowers. He placed it on the counter before Ariel, "You know I could bring them round the back,"
"It's quicker if you bring them here, then I do. Plus I know how I like to organise things," the red-haired woman replied. "Where's Emma?"
"She had to take a phone call,"
"How long have you known her?"
"It's about two months now," he smiled.
"You like her don't you?"
"What's with all the questions? You don't hear me questioning about what's going on between you and Eric,"
"Who told you about me and Eric!" Ariel exclaimed,
"Tink,"
"Ah, yes, of course she did,"
"Is it going well?"
"We've only been on a couple of dates,"
"And by that smile on your face I would say that it's going extremely well," he smirked with a quirk of his eyebrow. Ariel moved her hair out of her face as a pink blush tingled on her cheeks.
"We aren't talking about Eric and I, we're talking about you and Emma,"
"There is no me and Emma. We're just friends."
"I see the way you look at her. You'd like there to be something more, and you always talk about her," Ariel smiled knowingly,
"I've never mentioned Emma to you."
"But you have to Tink, and you know what she's like,"
"Yeah, she's more focused on other people's relationships than she is her own," he retorted.
"It's okay to like Emma, Killian. It's okay to want something more than a friendship, you are allowed to feel like that,"
"Ariel, I don't need you to get all Tink on me," he told her warningly, indicating he wanted this conversation to stop, now. Luckily Ariel couldn't continue as Emma walked into the shop with another crate and a pensive look upon her face.
"Everything alright Swan?" Killian asked her as he took the crate from her and placed it on the counter next to the one he had brought in.
"I'm going to have to reconvene on lunch," she told him apologetically. "That was a friend of mine, with some info, I've got a work thing I need to get on."
"Oh," he said doing his best to try and hide his disappointment. "Well, we're almost finished here, I'll give you a lift back home?"
"I can just get a taxi,"
"Honestly Swan, it's no trouble. We do live in the same building, so it's not out of my way."
"You've already done enough for me today,"
"One more thing won't make a difference."
-x-
Killian peered over the banister to see the man standing outside Emma's door. "She's not in," he called down,
"I'm sorry?" Walsh's head turned around looking for the voice and then spotted Killian,
"She'll be away for the rest of the weekend, she's got a work thing,"
"Oh," Walsh stated sadly, "I just wanted to check on her, after this morning. Is everything alright with your friend Will?"
"Yeah, every things better now, thanks mate."
"Would you be able to pass a message onto Emma for me, because I must have the wrong number for her, as when I called it some man answered? Will you tell her that I had a great time last night and that I hope to see her again. And the fact that I have the wrong number,"
"Of course," Killian smiled as real a smile as he possibly could. Then left abruptly from the banister and returned to his flat.
-x-
"I'm so tired," wined Emma as she slumped down on the ice-blue armchair in Elsa's living-room.
"Come on Emma, you promised," Elsa told her friend sternly with her hands firmly on her hips as she stood looking over at her friend.
"But I've just had a very busy few days!" Emma closed her eyes.
"And you promised!"
"But I had the whole Walsh fiasco, then I was with Killian at his allotment then I had to go drive to Boston, all in one day. Then had two days of trying to track down this woman, it was a lot harder than anticipated and I've only just got back!"
"Emma!" Elsa reprimanded.
"Please. I just want to sleep,"
"You. Promised."
Emma slowly opened her eyes to see the unamused look upon Elsa's face. It was the death glare. "I'll go get washed and dressed," she sighed.
"Good," Elsa nodded victorious, "karaoke night is going to be great."
"Is it though?"
"Look Anna was the one who suggested it, but I'm sure it'll be great fun, all our friends will be there,"
"All the couples," Emma corrected, "your sister and Kristoff, Mary-Margaret and David, Regina and Robin."
"Don't be so grumpy, you love them all. Plus I'll be there, and August, we're single as well, so you won't be the only one who'll be getting the inevitable questions or having to deal with the loved up couples. Now chop, chop, I thought you said you were getting washed and dressed?"
-x-
Anna's hand was waving frantically when she saw Elsa and Emma walk into the pub. Elsa lifted her hand and gave a small almost regal wave in acknowledgement of her sister. "You can get me my first drink," Emma told Elsa, "payment for dragging me here."
"I didn't drag you! I made you uphold your promise," retorted Elsa but she agreed anyway to buy Emma her drink, so Emma went over to the table her friends had collected around. Once all the hellos and pleasantries were exchanged she took a seat between David and August.
"You look very happy to be here," David whispered into her ear, "You get dragged along as well?"
"Yep," she nodded.
"Everyone who has gotten up so far has been bad, not bad entertaining, just bad," August informed her. "I'm glad you're here, being surrounded by couples at a karaoke bar was not how I had imagined my evening."
"We can wallow and complain together now," Emma smiled as she nudged her friend's shoulder with her own.
"Is she already complaining?" came Elsa's voice as arrived at the table and handed Emma her drink.
"I'm surprised you even managed to get her here," Mary-Margaret stated,
"I am too, how long did it take to get Miss Swan to agree?" asked Regina,
"Not as long as it could have been," laughed Elsa as she took her seat between next to her sister and Mary-Margaret. "Have any of you gone up yet?"
"I think we need a lot more drink in us before we do," commented August, "Are you going to be the first then Elsa?"
"No," she said quickly. "You will not catch me singing."
"Oh come on Elsa! We always sung together when we were younger. You have a lovely voice!" Anna told her sister.
"I'm here to hang out with my friends. Not to sing, and you cannot make me,"
"Get enough drinks down her and she will," smirked Emma as she took a sip of her cider.
Sure enough two hours or so in and Elsa and Anna were on the stage singing a duet whilst their friends all whooped from their table. They all banged their glasses and were cheering when the sisters had finished and headed back to their table. "Brilliant!" shouted Kristoff as he kissed Anna on the cheek.
"I think it's your turn next Emma," August suggested,
"I am not singing. I cannot sing,"
"Everyone else has had a go. Even Regina."
"Yeah, come on Emma," David nudged her. "You have to do it. It's rule. You can't not sing at karaoke!"
"I can,"
"Oh come on Emma!" then Elsa started up the chanting of her name. "Emma! Emma! Emma!" They were banging the table and shouting extremely loud, as David and August jostled her on her seat.
"I hate you guys," she said bitterly as she downed her shot of vodka and stood up. They all cheered. "I expect you all to buy me drinks after my performance. Because I am going to need a lot in order to forget it."
Emma walked up to the man in control of karaoke, the person currently singing was a beyond drunk man who was slurring all his words that you could hardly even work out what he was singing. "Hi," she said to the karaoke man, turning her attention to him and away from the singer.
"Alright? You wanna go next?"
"I suppose so,"
"Right, what do you want to sing?"
"I'll pick for her!" Elsa shouted from behind Emma. She hadn't even realised that Elsa had followed her up.
"You are not picking for me. I do not trust you,"
"Oh come on emmy-wemmy, let your bestest friend in the whole wide world pick for you. After all I technically get to as you picked my solo song for me,"
"I knew that would come back to bite me on the arse,"
Elsa nodded and Emma couldn't help but notice the mischievous look in her eyes.
Emma wanted to kill Elsa as she stood up on the stage and the music started. She looked to her friend, who had the biggest grin on her face. Emma shook her head at Elsa, who just grinned even wider at that. "Go on Emma!"
The words appeared on the screen before her. Emma knew it was either go big or go home, because if she just fumbled her way through it embarrassed then embarrassing is exactly what her performance would be. But if she just went for it and had fun, well, that would be the best option.
She stepped towards the microphone and took hold of it with one hand.
"Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules, to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white night upon a firey steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and dream of the one I need!"
-x-
"Ooooh karaoke!" pointed out Tink as she Killian and Will wandered past a pub after Will had gotten them chucked out of the last one. "Let's go in!"
"Let's not," Will said, which Killian agreed to.
"No, we're going in," the pixie-like woman told them and grabbed both their hands and dragged them into the pub.
"I need a hero!" sang someone as they walked in. The person wasn't exactly great at singing but at least they sounded like they were having fun.
"I'll get the first round," Will said,
"Yeah, you better after you got us thrown out of the last place," Killian told him light-heartedly.
"I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero!"
Killian turned to look at who was singing and his mouth literally fell open at the sight of Emma Swan standing on stage belting into the microphone swishing her hair around, dressed in just a pair of jeans and a vest top that under the lighting was slightly see-through and his mouth went dry at the sight."Do you know her?" Tink asked as she noted her friend's response to the woman singing
"I'm holding out for a hero till the morning's light
He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life"
"Aye, I do. That's Emma Swan,"
"That's the Emma?"
"Yep,"
"Will!" Tink shouted jabbing him in the side,
"Oi! What the bloody hell is that for?"
"The woman singing, that's the Emma Swan," she told him with a playful smile upon her lips,
"No!"
Thank you so much for the continued support I have recieved from reviews and follows and favourites. Just seeing one brightens my day.
The song lyrics used are from the song - "Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler"