Troubled Water

9. home

home : the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives
: a family living together in one building, house, etc.

*  *  *

Emma came home and suprisingly found David waiting at the doorstep alone.

"My mother's not there?" she asked him.

"No, I was waiting for her. Do you know when she'll be back?"

"I have no idea. I don't where she went, she was there when I left." she explained and noticed the sword he had at his belt, hidden it its scabbard. "You know how to use a sword, right?" she asked him.

"I do. I learned it a few years ago." he told her as he got up.

"Could you... teach me?" she asked him and a smile grew on his face. It probably was the first time that she made a move towards him.

"I'd be happy to." he replied.

* * *

David trained Emma a lot in the two following days. Mary Margaret was simply happy that Emma finally accepted to let David in. She'd watch them from inside the house.

Emma was really good, she learned really fast. She loved it, even if they were just practicing with sticks at first or some old wooden swords that David found in his things.

So David and Emma were practicing sword fighting when someone showed up.

"You're not bad." he commented. Emma turned on her heels and saw Killian.

"I'm just starting." she said.

"Would you mind if I try?" Killian asked, looking at David. He seemed to hesitate for a moment and passed the sword to Killian. Emma brought the sword in its place, prepared, protecting her face.

"Ready?" he asked her.

"Yes." she replied.

Emma was the first to attack, but Killian, given that he had way more experience, blocked her easily. One after the other, they tried to win that small fight. Killian had to admit was pretty good, for the little training she had. Without it being a real surprise, he won.

"You're really good." he commented after he dropped the sword.

"Thanks." she replied.

"You haven't seen her with a bow and arrow." Mary Margaret said from behind. She came outside after seeing Killian arrive.

"Ah, well, in that discipline you would easily beat me. I've never used a bow and arrow." Killian admitted.

"I'm only good because I got the best teacher." Emma said to her mother, teasing her a little. "Can we try another time?" she then asked Killian.

"If you insist." Killian replied and picked up the sword as they got into another friendly fight.

*  *  *

Emma noticed the red cloak in between the branches. She got out of the forest and sat next to Red.

"Em! Hi!" she said when she saw her friend. "I'm sorry I meant to come over but my Granny and I have been so busy."

"It's fine. I'm still here if you need any help, you know." Emma said.

"Yeah, I know. So, is Killian back?" she asked, being a little too excited about it as always.

"Yes. I saw him two days ago and today." Emma said. "He is going to leave again soon, though."

"Hey, that's new." Red said as she pointed out the ring on Emma's finger.

"Yeah, i-it's an old ring from a shipwreck..." she started.

"Wait, did he give it to you?" Red asked as her smile grew on her face.

"He... did." Emma admitted.

"Aw! That's so cute! How can you guys be so cute and not be together?" she said.

"Because he's my friend and because... me? Being with someone? I always thought of that as a joke. I have no idea how... I just don't know what it is." Emma said. "The only ones that ever really loved me in all my life were my mother, the father I had but died and you. A guy falling in love with me, I always thought it was impossible. And Killian's not falling in love with me and I'm not falling in love with him, we're friends." she confessed.

"Em... You don't have to know how it works to be with someone. If you both love each other you'll accept each other and... you just let it go, you'll see it's beautiful. It's not impossible for a guy to love you. It's possible that he is falling for you. I mean, the ring is a really good example. And maybe you both need more time? But you are not a hopeless case, there will be someone and I hope that someone is Killian." Red told her, very seriously. Emma sighed.

"Thank you." she said under her breath. Red put her arm around her best friend's shoulder and they stayed like that for a while, talking about plenty of things and looking at the view.

* * *

Emma came back from the market in town with a loaf of bread, some fruits and a few half-pennies that she had picked up from a counter. She felt bad, as always, because she had not paid any of these. She let everything on the table when her mother arrived.

"We really need to stop doing this." Emma said to her mother.

"I know..." she sighed. "I talked to David and he said we could have a better chance if we went to his village with him."

"He's leaving, he's going back?" Emma asked, surprised.

"He's thinking of it. There's nothing for him here just like there's nothing for us." Mary Margaret declared.

"Well I'm not going anywhere. Maybe we don't have a lot but it's home. I can't leave here, everything I know in this village and town." Emma replied.

"I did not say we were leaving but maybe we should consider it." her mother said. "And wouldn't you come with me?"

"I'm staying here and I am old enough to take care of myself. I should be married to someone I don't love right now only for money anyway, I'm not really supposed to be living with my mother. I'm sorry, but I am not leaving." Emma said before she left, right to her really small room where she laid on the bed and closed her eyes as she sighed.