Leather Goddess | captain swan au

chapter 17

Emma had been looking for Killian in the packed club but couldn't find him. She'd been stopped by dozens of people congratulating her on her engagement, and she'd stood and talked to all of them for a few minutes. She was starting to think Killian had left the club just to get away from the well-wishers.

Belle was on the stage, singing a slow love song, and Emma wanted to dance with her man. She thought about asking Robin if he'd seen him, but his head was lying over on Regina's and they seemed to be having a moment; Emma didn't want to interrupt.

"Hey," she asked her brother, sitting on a stool at the bar, "have you seen Killian?" She looked over and smiled at the brunette that may as well live in the club. "Hi, Mary Margaret."

"Hey Emma," Mary Margaret said, smiling. "I saw Killian earlier, but I haven't seen him or Graham since."

"Yeah, me either," David said, leaning across the bar to kiss Mary Margaret quickly on the lips.

Emma had found the couple sort of odd at first, but she figured that's the same way people looked at her and Killian; plus, they worked. Mary Margaret soothed something in David that no other girl had ever been able to, and he made her laugh. Emma was happy for both of them.

The song ended and she sighed. Maybe they could dance during the next slow song. She pushed away from the bar and kept looking, surprised that she couldn't find Killian. "Hey," she said to Belle, finding her friend at a table, surrounded by fans. "Are you taking a break?"

Belle nodded, signing autographs and smiling for a picture. "Okay, I'll do more later, okay? I need to talk to my girl." The fans left, to Emma's surprise.

"I thought fans were supposed to stalk you and not let you have any privacy?" she said, sitting down.

"They know I mean it when I say I'll sign the stuff later," Belle said. "And they told me that I could take a break right now because another act was coming on for a few minutes."

"Really?" Emma asked. "I wonder who it is?"

Belle shrugged, taking a sip of her Coke. "Don't know. Graham went to grab us some food; I'm starving."

"I can't believe Graham's still around," Emma told her friend, grinning. "You've never kept a boyfriend for longer than a month."

Belle nodding, smiling back at Emma. "Graham's different. With most guys, you can't trust them when you go on the road or they're whiny and clingy. I trust Graham completely, and he knows that I've got to do what I've got to do. It works." She looked around a bit, and then leaned over the table. "I think I love him."

Emma's eyes widened as she stared at her friend. "Really? Graham?"

Belle rolled her eyes, laughing. "Yes, Emma, Graham."

"But he's so...Graham," Emma said.

"If by that you mean adorable, gorgeous, smart, funny and sweet, then you're right."

Emma grinned, looking down. "I'm sorry, Belle. Graham is a great guy. It's just that he's like a little brother to me. An annoying little brother."

Belle laughed. "Thankfully, he's nothing like a brother to me."

Emma reached across the table and put her hand over her friends. "I'm happy for you, Belle. I really am. You and Graham are perfect for each other."

"I think so too," Belle admitted. "Even though the boy compares being in love to a stomachache." She shook her head, still laughing.

The music for Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" started and Emma grinned. "I love this song," she told her friend. "Let's go dance." She'd find Killian when it was over.