No Sound Without Silence

Chapter 12

Okay, she took it back. Getting herself a job at the bar wasn't a stupid idea at all. It was actually a great idea.

She wasn't that bad at memorizing stuff, so it didn't take her longer than a week to get all the mixes and the cocktails in her head. By next week, she was already behind the bar, serving drinks as if she had already worked there for a long time. She would work at the bar during the evening and in the mornings, she felt like a couch potato with the remote on her right hand and a bag of chips on her left with a mug of hot cocoa (with cinnamon, of course) in front of her.

She didn't need the money anyway. Courtesy of her magic when she was still in Storybrooke. Her heart swelled at the thought that she could finally conjure things with her magic. Even Regina praised her how much she improved, and Regina certainly didn't look like the one to praise people. Just as her heart sank when she realized how much she missed Storybrooke, her parents, and Neal. Especially Henry.

You don't have a home 'til you just miss it.

She wanted go home. Home. It sat awkwardly on her lips, but somehow it felt right at the same time. Emma Swan, the orphan girl who no one wanted, the stupid girl who ran away from the foster system, the Lost Girl, finally had a home.

Now that she finally got her home, she would do anything to protect it. For years, she'd sought for a way home. For years, she'd curl up on her bed at night, thinking how alone she felt. For years, she's stare at that single candle on top of a cupcake, lighting up the dark room. She would not lose her home again. She deserved it, she knew. And Killian was a part of her home. A big part of it. Her heart. Her soul. She would not lose him too like the others. He fought so hard for her. It was now her turn to fight for him too.

Oh, the giggling girls weren't wrong. His voice was amazing, and god, he looked completely amazing. With guitar sitting on his lap, his hand gently strummed the strings as his other hand caressed the fret board pressing lightly while his fingers changed chords. The room was dark. The sole spotlight shining down on him did wonders to his face. The shadows danced across his face, sharpening the features of his handsome face. His eyes were closed as his lips opened to breath out the words of a song Emma didn't know, as he serenaded the quiet crowd, all listening to the soft rich voice floating out of the speakers.

In the darkest night hour

I'll search through the crowd

Your face is all that I see

The lyrics hit her hard as memories of her searching through the woods alone in the middle of the night, memories of locking herself in her room crying her eyes out flashed through her mind. The song brought out all the pain and anger she felt. He ended the song by singing the chorus once more, this time his blue eyes looking into the crowd. She gripped the edge of the bar tight as she tried so hard not to let the tears fall from her eyes, as she wished no one would come to the bar and order a drink, as he smiled at the response of the crowd.

Her eyes followed him as the DJ took the stage and he made his exit. The group of fangirls swarmed around him, squirming to get themselves a selfie. If having someone at the bar was a bad thing a while ago, it was a good thing to have now. She told herself she was just relieved that she finally had something to do after a dull moment, but she knew it was actually the heavy feeling growing in her chest at the sight of the girls touching him and pulling him.

She should be happy with the unusually big tip she got (she suspected it was just because the man was already drunk) but all she could feel was the numbness his last song left her. Rob told her that employees weren't allowed to get themselves a drink during work. Her answer? As long as she wasn't caught. She poured herself a hearty glass of beer and gulped it down in go. She almost dropped the mug she was holding when a voice behind her spoke.

"Isn't that prohibited?"

She quickly turned around and saw Killian sitting on one of the bar stools with a smirk on his face. She shrugged her shoulders.

He laughed. "Tut, tut, naughty girl, Emma!"

"Don't you dare tell Rob!" she warned him.

His eyes widened in innocence, shaking his head. "Oh, my! Why would I tell Rob that the lass who I recommended broke one of his rules?"

She narrowed her eyes on him. "What are you trying to do?"

He tilted his to the side, making her stomach flip because he looked adorable. Damn him! "Nothing..."

"I hear a but coming." Emma stated.

He grinned like kid. "But I want you to make me drinks and keep me for the night."

She frowned. "You know I can't do that! There's a lot of people I need to serve!"

His face dropped and he looked down as his fingers drew small circles on the table. And her heart just sank because, crap, he still had that effect on her even though he wasn't her Killian. "I guess, I just have to tell Rob then..."

Oh, he just did not. "You wouldn't." she challenged.

"Well, Rob is my friend and I wouldn't want him to lose money because one of his employees drinks from his bar."

She ran a hand through her fair and grumbled. "Fine! Fine!"

His whole face lit up like the sun at her statement. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat because he reminded her so much of Killian, her pirate. She quickly turned around to hide the tears rapidly forming in her eyes. As she made him a drink, she could feel his eyes burning to her back and she tried so hard to wipe her eyes without him noticing. It was a good thing when she turned back around to face him, his eyes were closed and his fingers were drumming to the beat of the music the DJ was playing, giving her time to ready herself and slip back the mask.

They talked about a lot of things. A lot of random things. Once or twice, he would try to venture into her personal space, but she was thankful her skills could shift the whole conversation before she started tearing up again. There were lots of laughter and embarrassment because she could see her partner trying to keep up with the orders at the bar. There wasn't much people but it was enough to make a sole bartender work hard. She really wanted to excuse herself, but Killian here asked her partner who was apparently his friend to take care of the bar for the night as a favor.

The old Emma Swan would have been scared with how easy it felt to fall back into place, but she wasn't the same woman anymore. She felt happy as her eyes followed his face, his eyes, his smile. it felt like she completely forgot about her situation. It felt like she was free from anything. It felt like he was finally back. But every now and then it would all come back to her because she wouldn't find that spark in his blue eyes when he flirted back at her. But she also told herself it was okay because they were just starting and soon she would get him back, right?

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I have a collection of one-shots here that you can check out. It would be nice if you read it too! That song Killian was singing is X.O. by Beyonce. The first one is from Strangers by Seven Lions feat. Myon & Shane 54.

Reviews! Votes! Anything~~