Thank you all for your support on this fic, following, liking, favorting, commenting, etc. We're winding down on it, but there is still a little more story to come.
Elsa hummed a few bars of the song, her head tilted to one side and eyes hooded as she tried to find just the right inflection. It was not her usual way of recording, as her partner for the song was not even there, nor was her sister. Anna and her fiancé were doing a series of interviews about their upcoming wedding and plans for the future. Liam was working. And Killian, whose voice would be recorded with her, was at the school teaching. She wasn't sure if she should be upset about that or not, as it might be more than a little uncomfortable to sing of love and undying affection with a man who was her boyfriend's brother and her friend's fiancé.
"I'm thinking we should go softer there," the producer said into his own microphone. "I know you're famous for these big crescendos, but you can't use that on every refrain."
She wet her lips and nodded, looking over his shoulder where Emma was circling things on a clipboard and had a phone plastered to one ear. It was silly, she thought, again humming along as if a warm up to the actual song. She felt strange about this, but even more so doing it alone. Liam had told her that she would be as brilliant as always and teased that Killian might be bad enough that they would decide to call him instead.
She couldn't hear the producer's next words, as his hand covered the mic and he turned to face Emma. She quickly unfolded herself from the chair, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed into the sound booth. "Need a break?"
"I haven't recorded anything yet."
Nonplussed, Emma removed the cap and handed her the water before pulling over a stool and placing herself between Elsa and the view of the control room. "So you want to tell me what's wrong or should I assume and just start giving a pep talk."
"I'm not sure about this refrain," Elsa said, as if it was just a minor thing. "I know they want me softer there, but I can't help thinking that someone singing about love in that way should be shouting it from the mountain tops."
Bobbing her head, Emma smiled. "And that's all it is?"
"Just that and some nerves." She took a long gulp of the water. "You know that it is really creepy when you do that, right?" She crossed her arms over the thin material of her blue and white shirt that was tucked into a new pair of jeans.
"Do what?" Emma played the part of a concerned and naïve ingénue quite well, her eyes wide and hands splayed open as if offering nothing but love and support.
"Look at me like you can read my mind." Elsa tried to laugh, though it sounded forced. "You're okay with me singing a love song with your fiancé? Isn't that a weird kind of situation even for this town?"
Rocking back on the heels of her boots, Emma lifted only one shoulder, as if it wasn't a testament to her abilities to read people. "I can tell you that Killian is completely freaking out too. He's quiet about it, but I caught him singing in the shower this morning. In between the second verse and the chorus he was critiquing himself." Her tilted head seemed to lean in to interpret Elsa a bit more. Finding something, she turned around quickly and shouted to the producer to take a break that they would start up again later.
"This was probably a bad idea, me trying to fit this in before the wedding. I should be concentrating on that and all these people coming into town, not this song."
"Sounds like quite a crowd. Anna's not upset that I won't be there, right? I wish I could, but Henry's got half of his class coming over to spend the night tonight. I swear even if it is a bunch of your parents' old business associates, it is probably going to be better than 12 and 13 year olds watching violent movies and whispering about girls, weapons, and Pokémon."
"Don't forget food," Elsa teased, her eyes dropping to the ring on Emma's hand. "Don't worry though. Anna's in a world of her own right now. I doubt she'd notice if I wasn't there. Liam's nervous about meeting our aunt though. It's kind of cute."
"I knew there were benefits to being that abandoned orphan thing," Emma agreed sardonically. "Killian hasn't been judged by any relatives of mine. And I think I've passed the test for Liam. At least I hope I have." She gestured her blonde head at the lumpy and uncomfortable sofa against the wall where more than a few musicians had collapsed before or after a session. Both women sank into the leather, curling their legs up under themselves and propping their arms up on the cushioned back. "Sometimes it feels like he is more of a father than big brother to Killian."
"It does, doesn't it?" Elsa picked her fingers through the end of her hair, curling the tips around. "Does Killian ever talk about their father? Liam has only mentioned him a few times."
Emotions clouded over Emma's face, her lips thinning into a frown. "I know he abandoned the family when they were both young. And Killian has said that the man…Brenan, I think…is remarried and has a son now. Named him Liam as well."
"That's so…" She grasped for the word.
"Screwed up," Emma finished. "I know. I wonder about my family sometimes, but I have never had the slightest clue about them. I don't know if I could handle knowing that they have lives and moved on from abandoning me. Who does that?"
Elsa nodded her head in understanding. "I think that Liam might be concerned that Killian would want to invite their father to your wedding. He hasn't said anything much about it, but…"
Emma's eyes widened at the idea. "I hadn't even considered that. Killian doesn't really mention that man very much. Do you think Liam honestly thinks that Killian would do that without consulting him? To be honest we haven't had many discussions about wedding plans like invitations or even a date and time. It would be Killian's decision, but I'm just not thinking either of us want to go with awkward and potentially heated for our theme. I was more in favor of intimate and casual."
"I think it might be weighing on him that he's both brother and father figure to the groom."
"Kind of like you are feeling about Anna, right now?"
***AAA***
In the years that Killian had lived in Storybrooke and taught at the smallish private school, he had always lamented the darkness that surrounded his clapboard house by the water. Many an evening he had returned to it without ever flipping on a light, finding his way to his bed and collapsing there with his clothes still on his body. When Liam had moved in, the house had not seemed any different only more crowded and less like a sanctuary for him.
However, as his jeep took that final curve and the a-frame of the structure came into view, he could not help but feel a warmth at the sight of it. Emma's car was pulled up close to the porch and behind it sat Robin's truck. Henry's bicycle was propped against the tree that sat closest to the house. Every window glowed with brightness and shadows of the young boy and his friends were evidence of the life inside.
Sitting there in the cooling jeep, he wondered for a moment if this was all something he could actually handle. He loved Emma and adored Henry, but the truth still loomed that his own example of fatherhood was hardly one to write home about. Would he be any good at it? Could he be the husband that Emma needed and deserved or the friend and guide for Henry? Or would he find himself failing miserably. He shook off the idea of failure as he reminded himself to appreciate the fact that she had said yes and Henry did seem to genuinely be fond of him.
As he made his way inside he was struck again by the domesticity of it all. Killian recognized several of his students from school sitting about in the living room of his house watching a very loud movie and talking over each other with trebling voices that seemed to indicate that puberty had a strong hold. His Swan stood with her back to the raucous gang of young men, a bad strategic move, as she drizzled butter over the popcorn and lined sodas up on a tray. She was not decked out in her normal work clothing, forgoing the skirts or tailored pants for a faded pair of jeans and a football jersey with the name Swan across the back. Her hair bounced in a ponytail and her nails were painted to match the color of the jersey.
"It appears we have been invaded, love," he teased, nuzzling into her neck briefly before she shooed him away.
"None of that with the eyes of Storybrooke Academy on us," she warned, a salt shaker wagging in front of his face. "But for the record, welcome home. I missed you."
"Bloody nescience of a faculty meeting," he grumbled, digging a hand into the popcorn for a scoop. "I see you have survived though."
"Robin's been a lifesaver," she admitted, pointing her chin in the direction of Roland and his father. "I'd say he is already ready for the next few years of fatherhood."
The sound of screeching tires rang out on the screen, indicative of a car chase that was clearly enthralling the young viewers. Robin reacted with them, throwing his body about as if he were in the car too and shoving his hand in front of Roland's face before the sound of gun fire erupted in the scene. Emma laughed as the young boy's curly head tried to peek around his father's long digits to catch a glimpse of what had the older boys' screaming and cheering so enthusiastically.
Sensing a need to step in, Emma called out over the crowd that popcorn was served. The group swarmed her each grabbing one of the bags she had just filled and a soda. Their shouts of glee were drowned out by chewing and the popping of soda cans. "Hey," she said as she watched Robin struggle to both shield his son and grab a bite himself. "I need my little helper."
That was all the encouragement that Roland needed as he bounded toward her and set about divvying up the gummy worms and other sugary snacks. His early education of counting was on full display as he counted out five of each item, sometimes with his tongue poking out the side of his mouth. When Killian reached to sample of one of the items, the boy's chocolate eyes warned of impending doom for anyone that stole or made him lose count. A chagrinned Killian took a step back as Emma laughed.
"Can I have one?" she asked sweetly, propping her chin in her hand. "Please, Roland."
The little boy nodded and handed her a long green, red, and brown gummy worm. "These are the best ones."
She thanked him and sat back, dangling it in front of her before biting. "I guess we see who is more popular tonight." An affectionate hand through Roland's curls later, she winked at Killian.
"Uncle Killian?" the boy asked, carefully pronouncing the older man's name. "Is this really Henry's birthday party?"
"Aye," Killian told him, leaning down to better vantage. "He's a teenager now."
That certainly impressed Roland who was looking forward to someday being in double digits himself. He continued his task with strict focus and concentration that would have made most employers proud.
"I'm assuming the pizza went over brilliantly," Killian noted to his fiancé, looking over at the stack of empty pizza boxes that were neatly piled to the side. "You didn't happen to save any for your hard working and starving fiancé, did you?"
The long ponytail bounced as she turned away from him, looking for all the world guilty. "Sort of," she said in the tiniest of voices possible. "The boys sort of attacked when the pizzas arrived. I'm talking full on diving in without question. I was standing back counting fingers and making sure they didn't eat the cardboard. Seriously? What are they feeding kids for lunch at that school?"
"They ate all the pizza."
"Not exactly," she said, squeezing her eyes shut as her nose scrunched. "There are four slices of vegan pizza left."
"Vegan pizza?" he asked, staring at her wildly. "What the devil is that?"
"No meat or cheese."
"So it's a crust with sauce and vegetables." He was trying desperately to picture this concoction she was talking about. Curiosity getting the better of him, he sauntered over to the refrigerator and pulled out the partially empty box. Peering inside, it was his turn to wrinkle his nose. "People eat this? It smells like Asian take out. Not in a good way"
"Oh and it has a gluten free crust made of rice flour." She bit at her lip thoughtfully. "I'll make it up to you."
"I'm keeping a list, Swan," he taunted over his shoulder. "Did you at least save me some popcorn?"
***AAA***
Elsa's mother, Gerda, had always been an expert at entertaining, but Elsa felt pressure to live up to that persona when faced with those who had traveled into town for the wedding. Then there was that Mr. Harringworth who had pinched her four times as he remarked how he had just loved her parents. The senile old man was probably still confused over who exactly was getting married, having congratulated even Liam at the no longer intimate rehearsal dinner that seemed to never end.
"Shoot me now," Elsa hissed at her boyfriend, cursing herself for going with the fashionably high heels rather than something more comfortable. "Someone should get that old man for harassment."
"Just a bit longer, darling," Liam responded, his hand dipping precariously low on her back. He knew almost nobody at the party. Even his brother and Emma had the excuse of Henry's birthday to attend to and Robin had the nerve to join them. Even Ruby had only been there for half an hour before going back to check on Granny, who was well recovered and fighting against the restrictions of her new diet. However, Liam was hardly the shy one when it came to these things. He had a half dozen senior women fawning over him and asking him to say something with his "adorable" accent. Elsa was a fan of it herself, but enough was enough already.
Unlike the more introverted Elsa, Anna was in her element. She glowed with a combination of happiness and excitement that could have sold for a lot of money should someone be able to bottle it. Each and every guest seemed to thrill her. Even Kristof's adopted family, the Stones, who were generally rigid and without much emotion seemed to appreciate the bride's enthusiasm for everything.
Elsa swallowed a groan as her sister bounced toward her in movements that combined the unbridled passion of a colt in the pasture for the first time and a child bounding down the stairs on her birthday. "This man knew father," she enthused, dragging the aged Mr. Harrington by the wrist. "He said they used to play golf together."
To her amazement, Liam bit his lip and did not say that half the old men in the room could claim the same connection. So Elsa followed suit with a warm smile of her own and greeted the man again. "It really is so good of you to come for the wedding. I know father and mother would have been so pleased."
Their parents were certainly missed in all the celebration surrounding the wedding. Despite it not being quite as large scale as Mary Margaret's, the sisters had thrown together a spectacularly grand event in short order. The true missing piece was a father to walk his daughter down the aisle and their mother's elegant taste to guide them in the decisions. Elsa felt woefully unprepared to do double duty as sister and parent figure, but the time was growing near.
She had no qualms about Anna marrying Kristof. He had proven himself to be very much in love with the younger of the sisters and clearly thought the world of her. Though a bit rushed through the circumstances, they were both going to make wonderful parents, Elsa thought with pride. Anna's childlike exuberance and Kris with his steadfast practicality were likely to be just the right combination for the boy or girl they would soon be raising.
Liam nudged her back to reality as a late entrant arrived. The woman towered over some of the other ladies and seemed to glide with an ease and poise that Elsa had obtained as well. As she grew closer, it was clear that she had a family resemblance to the sisters' especially Elsa. However, she had Anna's similarly upturned nose and wide set eyes that both girls had earned from their mother.
"Aunt Ingrid," Elsa said, reaching out a welcoming hand to the woman. Dressed in a flowing skirt and blouse with a kimono style jacket billowing about to add to the voluminous effect, Ingrid pulled her sister's older daughter in for a hug and ripping her from Liam's half embrace. The younger blonde's words of welcome were lost in the muffled haze of material.
"It's been too long," the aunt said in a whispery sort of tone that made anyone listening lean nearer to hear. "You girls should have visited me at least once or twice."
Elsa sort of ducked her head and turned toward Liam to introduce the two. Her aunt seemed unimpressed as she shook his hand and questioned him within five minutes on his job, living situation, and intentions. She then made an excuse of wanting to have a bit of fresh air and whisked Elsa out the door toward the patio.
"Aunt Ingrid's here," Anna said less enthusiastically than she usually sounded. "Did she…did she say anything awful?"
Liam looked back toward the closed door with a simple shake of his head. "She's a bit of a whirling dervish, but I don't think there were any insults. She seemed to want to get Elsa alone though." While he empathized with Elsa for having lost her parents and being forced into that hybrid of a role as mother and sister to Anna, he had appreciated the lack of parental approval necessary in their relationship. Suddenly it felt very much like he was being weighed and measured by this aunt he had barely heard about at all.
"That's a switch," she said, wrinkling her face in an uncharacteristically disgusted way. "I'm surprised is all. She's very judgmental."
It was the worst critique he had heard from Anna, who seemed to love everyone. Killian had joked that she probably would like the devil himself if only for the boldness to wear so much red. "I take it you are not a fan of those judgments."
"I've said too much," Anna answered hurriedly. "But Ingrid and Elsa can handle themselves. Elsa always did have a weird sort of affection for that woman." Looking around at the waning crowd, Anna frowned. "You must be bored. Your brother couldn't make it? I know it's just the dinner before the wedding, but I hate for you to be stuck like this. Kris has some of his friends here. I could introduce you…"
"I'm quite content, Anna. Besides this little lull lets us get to know each other better." He had been around the younger of the sisters plenty, but it was rare they had even a moment without her fiancé or his girlfriend. "I don't know that I have congratulated you on the wedding and the lad or lass you are carrying."
Anna's normally restrained rust colored hair was loose around her shoulders and down her back the sides pulled back with a single comb. Her cheeks turned nearly the same color. "I never imagined getting married before my sister," she mused. Then she threw a single hand over her mouth. "Oh I didn't mean…I mean no pressure."
"I assure you that I feel none, Anna," he said, lips shaking out a smile. "I think that might be farther down the road for us than we can possibly plan at the moment. Still it is nice to celebrate such things with our loved ones."
Her hand was still over her mouth as she nodded, reluctantly uncovering her lips after a moment. "I've always just wanted my sister to be happy. And I think she is with you. I know she is. I mean I have seen her unhappy. You wouldn't believe how cold she can be when she is like that…brrr…" Anna giggled. "I guess I'm not very good at this, am I?"
Liam's pale blue eyes blinked a few times as he tried to discern the stream of consciousness that was Anna. "I'm afraid I'm a bit lost."
"I'm not very good at giving the sister to sister's boyfriend warning. Not that you need to be warned It's more about me telling you not to hurt her. I don't think you will or anything…Oh God. I really suck at this." She tilted her head. "Let me start over. I like you, Liam. And my sister clearly does too. So don't screw it up." Breathing deeply through her nose, her firm façade of an expression melted. "Wow that sounded pretty good, don't you think?"
"Perfect, Anna, perfect."
***AAA***
"It's a bit like a refugee camp in there," Robin declared when Killian joined him on the deck. "I've never seen such a sight in the first world country." The widowed father accepted the mug of hot chocolate from Killian with a twinge of nostalgic regret. Usually the men shared a beer or a shot of something stronger, not a chocolaty drink with swirls of whipped cream and cinnamon. However, it was an appropriate choice in a house of impressionable young minds.
"Roland seems to be enjoying himself. I think that he is currently attempting to emulate Henry in any way that he can." The boy had found his cartoon laden pajamas lacking when he saw the ones the older boys were wearing. Emma had jumped to the rescue and found him a pair of Henry's faded gym shorts and an old t-shirt of Killian's that had shrunk in the wash. Both swallowed his slight frame, but he had never beamed happier than when Henry complimented him on it.
Robin gave a half smile and stared out in the direction of a sliver of a moon over the water. "You never picture this stuff, you know? Single fatherhood. I always thought that Marian and I would have at least three little ones and live in a split level house with a chained link fence. I'd be a part of the union and Marian would be considering going back to work at the bank after the youngest was in school. I thought the drama would be over whether the children needed that new game or toy and not…"
It was a rare flash into the grief that Robin had experienced after the crash. "I think she probably would have been happy with that. She had a competitive side and probably would have attempted to be the best baker in the PTA for fundraisers."
Robin had not retied his work boots when he prepared to go outside, the loose leather gaping as he crossed his ankles on the railing of the deck. "I wonder sometimes if maybe we look for the opposite of what we lost. Probably makes not a lick of sense, but…Emma, she's not like Milah, but yet you love her."
"No, they don't have much in common. Is Regina much like your Marian?" Killian knew the answer, but also knew Robin was groping about for some shared meaning and understanding. He owed it to him to try to understand. Hadn't he wondered before if Milah would even recognize his life now? Had he not looked at Emma's sleeping form and pondered if fate really worked in a way that had set him on a course for her? It had to be harder for Robin, who had Roland as a living reminder of what was lost.
"Not a bit. Marian was softer, kinder, feisty and yet loving. She wanted to change the world. She wanted to make a difference. I remember one of the last conversations we had was about her wanting to do something more with her life and feeling that she had not accomplished much of anything. She thought she had time…we all think we have time to right ourselves and start anew." He gave a sad look over his shoulder toward the house. "Regina's…she's bold. She shows no fear though I'm sure that she has them. Her whole life is about being the best and having power. But…she's different with me and with Roland."
"Do you think that Marian might have liked her?" It was another question that Killian had asked himself about Milah. Would she have liked Emma, understood his feelings for the blonde woman, even been friends with her despite their differences. The quick answer was no. He could imagine them being cordial and maybe even curious. However, he saw no reason for perpetuating the delusion that the two women would have been more than that.
"She would have hated her," Robin answered with a bitter honesty. "Marian was not pretentious. She would have hated the idea of being replaced by someone like Regina. She wouldn't have said anything hurtful to her because that wasn't who Marian was. Yet I know that under the surface she would have despised her." He took another sip of the chocolate. "She wouldn't see what I see when I look at Regina. She wouldn't see the woman who built herself up into this powerful being because of the pain and hurt she has experienced. She wouldn't see that sometimes Regina is…"
"You don't have to explain it to me, mate," Killian offered, elbows resting on his knees as he stared out at the same nearly dark ocean before them. "I don't know that we can ever explain why we love the women we love. Perhaps it is some greater force directing our steps to the lives we are meant to live. Or perhaps not. That hardly seems fair to our first loves. And who is to say that we are not drifting without direction now. We can't get caught up in the shoulds, woulds, and coulds."
"Sage advice over a horribly sweet drink. You've changed, Killian." Robin settled the nearly two-thirds full mug on the arm of the chair. "And for the record. I think you are on the right path."
***AAA***
Elsa's cheeks hurt from smiling at the handful of out of town guests who were coming to Anna's wedding. It had seemed rude not to invite them to rehearsal dinner, even though it was originally just supposed to be burgers and fries for the smallish wedding party. Some of the men and women had known the sisters since childhood, having been in business with their father or served on charity boards with their mother. Even their Aunt Ingrid had arrived with her usual way of speaking so quietly and yet forcefully about everything.
"Your aunt is a piece of work, darling," Liam said, moving out of the way when his girlfriend kicked off the heels she was wearing with a little too much force. "Did she ever even talk to Anna?"
Ingrid was one of their mother's two sisters. Like their mother, she was tall and regal, and had very similar coloring to Elsa's pale features. Even when they were young, Elsa and Anna had realized that the woman rarely associated with the outside world. Their mother had called her a "tender hearted eccentric," while their father preferred the term, "fruitcake." On the occasions that she did venture in from Vermont, she tended to spend most of her time associating with Elsa and telling her all the things they had in common.
"She tends to gravitate toward me," Elsa said, distractedly trying to remove her bracelet from her wrist. The clasp remained firmly closed and no amount of arm slinging seemed to help. Offering Liam her best pout was all it took for him to step over to her and try his best to unfasten the silver and blue braided jewelry.
"I know the feeling." He successfully unlatched the bracelet, tossing it aside and tugging her toward him. "Though I rather I think my affection for you is a bit less familial."
"I should hope," she said against his lips. "I like the way you gravitate toward me."
His hands skimmed down her back, searching for the zipper. Tugging on it with a bit more force than needed, she squeaked against him in protest. "No ripping the dress," she reminded him.
"Apologies. I don't know what came over me." Though still insistent, he tugged it down and pulled the black material away from her. "Perhaps I was just anxious to help you escape."
"Always looking out for my best interest."
***AAA***
Emma blinked up at the ceiling, her eyes adjusted to the dark of the bedroom and ears perked and ready for the slightest sound of mischief in the living room where all of the boys were currently in the throes of sleep. Hardly naïve, she wondered if they were just waiting on her to surrender to sleep too before tearing the house apart in some ritual that will make her an outcast of the PTA.
"They're sleeping," the voice next to her mumbled against her shoulder. "We should take advantage of this break and get some sleep too."
"You are a teacher," she reminded him, fingers trailing lightly on the forearm wrapped around her middle. She couldn't forget that not so long ago his handless forearm was not something he used in snuggling up to her. He would pull it back when she attempted to caress or touch it. Maybe it was a testament to his tired state or his comfort level, but he did not flinch when she caressed the scarred flesh with gentle touches. "You honestly think it is safe to turn your back on a sleeping bear?"
"They are children, love, not exactly…oh right, I suppose you have a point." The whiskers of his upper lip and chin brushed her bare shoulder. "What do you recommend? Counter attack? Should we approach from opposite sides?"
"They are children," she repeated. "I don't think we need battle plans." She huffed at his exasperated explanation of naval commands and how cute she would look in the uniform, but it was a cute explanation.
To her luck and amazement, morning finally broke with no major incidents. Killian announced they might have to become short order cooks after they managed to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs for the group of them, utilizing Robin to wrangle them into one location and encourage that the sleeping bags and pillows be picked up before someone fell on them. She only laughed at little when Robin was the first to trip on someone's bedroll. By 10 the other parents had picked up their bleary eyed offspring and Robin had offered to drop Henry off at Neal's on his way to put Roland back to bed.
As much as she might want to, Emma knew she had to ready herself for the wedding and try to encourage Killian to get dressed as well. It was only a little distracting when he had suggested a joint shower. But being human she had agreed and became reminded that his blue eyes were even more blue with his hair wet and plastered haphazardly framing his face.
She was shimmying and contorting her body to zip her dress when he emerged from the still steamy bathroom. "You need a hand, my love. I believe I have one to offer."
In the mirror's reflection she could see his raised eyebrows and his fingers wiggling at her suggestively. The more pragmatic and sarcastic side of herself might have rolled her eyes or even shot him the bird in her attempt not to laugh at the silly but still sexy sight of him. They had just had sex, but the man was still flirting with her in that seductively awkward way that he had. "In the interest of time, the zipper needs to go up," she instructed, lifting her freshly dried hair off her back.
It took him only three striding steps to reach her, his hand gliding the zipper up effortlessly. "You weren't so worried about time earlier." Caressing her shoulder with his warm lips, he caught her gaze in the mirror. "Not that I'm complaining."
"And look where that got us," she chided, pressing back against him briefly. "We're running late. What are we going to tell Anna?"
"Soap's slippery?" His arms wrapped around her waist easily, shoulders hunching as he rested his chin at where her shoulder met her neck. "I highly doubt that she will notice. Kris said there was quite the guest list. We'll simply slip in behind the other celebrants."
"You are a horrible influence."
"To the contrary. I do believe that I have brought out your best traits. It is you who tries to distract me with these little dresses and your beauty. When you smile at me or pull me closer, I struggle to even breathe or think." As if to display his lack of control around her, he descended on her lips at the moment she turned her head in his direction. The movements of his mouth hot and insistent, as she turned in his arms to allow better access. "Bloody siren you are."
***AAA***
Liam chuckled as Emma and Killian slid into the row beside him, his brother muttering an apology and Emma blushing and looking about the nearly filled area. "Glad you could join us, brother," he teased. "I was beginning to think I might have to sit through this one alone."
"Emma and I had a bit of trouble getting ourselves pulled together after the party for Henry last night." The lie was pretty obvious, especially when the younger of the two brother cleared his throat and ran a scratching nail against the skin behind his ear. "And we aren't so late as to have missed anything."
Liam rolled his eyes, tapping his fingers against his knee. "Lovely to see you, Emma. You're looking grand today." He winked at her, earning the frustrated grunt from Killian. "Perhaps we could share a dance at the reception. I'd be happy to show you that not all of the Brothers Jones are wankers when it comes to rhythm."
Placing a soothing hand on Killian's arm as if to say that she had this, she smiled sweetly at Liam's teasing expression. "I don't know. I don't think I've ever danced with…wait, what is it that you and Killian call each other…a prat?" Both men chuckled at her somewhat muddled attempt at their accents. "But I might be game if Elsa doesn't mind."
Liam might have offered a comeback, but the music change stopped him. The soft trickles of a generic song were replaced with the stronger notes that signified the beginning of the ceremony. Kristoff and his best man, a cousin or some sort that he had grown up with, walked purposefully toward the altar. His normally stoic and solid presence fading as he stared toward the back of the sanctuary for a glimpse of Anna.
Killian felt a rush of sympathetic allegiance to the man, knowing that he would be just as nervous in that situation. While they had not discussed the roles of their friends and loved ones yet, he knew that he would wish for his brother to stand up beside him. He might have to choose more groomsmen, as Emma would not want to leave out one of her close friends. He didn't quite care how many of her friends tromped down the aisle so long as he knew she would be walking toward him. Traditional gown of white or some modern and slinky number made by Ruby – he didn't care so long as his Emma stood across from him as they exchanged vows and rings.
"Killian?" Emma whispered to him as the officiant got a bit long winded about how Kristoff and Anna were meant to be together. "I was thinking…"
He smiled, his arm finding a way around her waist to pull her tighter. "Yes, love?" he asked. They had done very little talking about the wedding itself, Emma not wanting to plan anything until things settled back down again. And while he was not inclined to long strategic sessions about seating charts and flowers, he was anxious to get started in this new life they would share together. Wedding or just a quick trip to the justice of the peace, he was already thinking about the rest of their lives. However, her soft nudge made him wonder if she was perhaps being inspired by the recent focus on weddings.
"Maybe we should…" She lowered her voice even more as another guest gave her a look for talking during the ceremony. "Look in on Mary Margaret's plants. She and David are running late. I'd hate for them to come home to brown and dead flowers and plants."
"As you wish, love."
***AAA***
Liam nursed the watered down amber liquid, watching as Elsa hugged her sister for maybe the fourth time in as many minutes. When Granny had told him of the blonde and why they would be perfect together, she had warned that Elsa was not overly affectionate or outwardly loving. "She's the opposite of her sister, but still a wonderful girl," the widow had said. "I think you'll get along great."
There was no lie in Granny's statement, but Liam couldn't help but be somewhat proud of the strides Elsa had made in showing her emotions. The role of sister of the bride, maid of honor, and mother figure had clearly worn her out. Yet she was still so happy for her sister that she beamed brightly in each picture and had wished the couple well no fewer than a dozen times since the start of the reception.
"I think they are happy," a soft voice said from behind him. Not knowing many of the guests at the event, Liam had relegated himself to a table out of the way of the reunions that were occurring. He might be Elsa's date, but she was busy with family duties that he did not feel quite comfortable in joining yet. They shared the occasional look and he was introduced to more people than he could possibly remember, but this day was about Anna and Kristoff and not him. So he had sat making small talk with Ruby until she had to run back to check of the feisty and reluctantly resting Granny. Emma and Killian checked in from time to time, but had been pretty wrapped up in each other on the dance floor for the last half hour. "Elsa too, maybe."
The glass in his hand nearly tilted as he spun in his seat to find the girls' aunt, Ingrid, standing alongside an empty chair. "I…I believe they are…"
She did not wait for an invitation, sliding in with a sigh and brush of her hand to ward off the invisible crumbs she seemed to have spotted. "I didn't get the opportunity to talk to you much last night at the dinner. Liam, isn't it?"
Resisting the urge to click his heels and bow to a woman who had an even more impressive regal air about her, he simply nodded. "Yes, I'm Liam Jones."
She barely smiled in acknowledgement. "And you're the one dating my little Elsa, right?"
Calling the statuesque woman by such a diminutive name seemed wrong, but he did not challenge the reference. According to Anna and Elsa both, the woman viewed the sisters as perpetually childlike. "Yes, we've been together about seven or eight months." He almost mentioned that they lived together and that it was clearly more serious than a few dates as her tone seemed to insinuate, but he didn't bother.
"You know without her father and mother to look after them, Elsa's taken on the role of mother to Anna. I'm not sure the opposite is true though. Everyone should have that protection. Everyone should have someone looking out for their best interests."
"Aye, it is important, but if you are worried about my intentions toward Elsa…well, I assure you that I am not planning anything nefarious. I am in love with her and she with me."
Ingrid held her hand up. "I don't doubt that, as she has told me as much too. I just want you to understand, Liam, that my beautiful girl won't be hurt by a man like you. I'll see to that." She smiled then, a disingenuous sort of expression that did not reach her eyes. "Now I'm going to get back to this lovely event. Have a nice day, Liam."