Perched a Few Feet Above the Water

Chapter 19

Authors note: With my messed up sleep schedule, you'll probably be getting these next chapters a bit earlier. Yay!! This chapter we finally get Killian's POV and we learn Killian's motives behind the paintings! Once again, i'd like to gives lots of hugs and thank yous to SoMuchTea and Captainwiley for their amazing beta skills and for even more amazing friends!

Disclaimer: characters not mine

Week 4

They didn't speak a word of it. Not a sign, not a wink, not a whisper.

If it wasn't for the 'As you wish' he'd sent in return, she wouldn't have even known he read her pleas that night. But he did. And he knew.

Shit.

Now was not the time to dwell. Especially since this is the first she'd seen of Graham since that night at the hospital. She knew he came from a good place, but using her name like that, endangering Liam like that, it wasn't easily forgivable.

"Emma?"

"Graham," she sighed. "Listen, I don't really wanna talk right now."

"I'm sorry. For everything."

"I know you are. But I'm not ready to forgive you."

"I understand, Emma, but-"

"But nothing. I need to work now."

With a last lingering look at her, Graham walked away.

Maybe Killian was right. I do seem awfully good at pushing people away...

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That was the tone that set her weekend with Ruby.

"C'mmon Ems. Let's goooo," Ruby nagged from Emma's bedroom door.

"I'm not really up for an adventure today," Emma said as she pulled her blanket over her head.

"Emmmaaaaa. Don't be such a spoil sport." Ruby said as she marched over to Emma side.

"Please, Ruby. I just can't today."

Ruby had never heard Emma sound so dejected.

"Okay fine, girls night in at my place. Granny's take out?" Ruby relented.

Emma gave her a skeptical look.

"Let's not pretend you don't know he's coming to drop off another one of those gorgeous paintings today. So move your butt." At this point, Ruby was trying to physically pull Emma out of bed.

"So? I don't owe him anything."

"Of course you don't. But you owe it to yourself to see this through. You're the one who went on and on about how great he is. So why not trust yourself a little and give him a chance. And if after everything's said and done you still want him out of your life, that's fine. But you should at least let yourself enjoy being the center of someone's attention. Even for just a moment."

"I can't lead him on, Ruby. It isn't fair."

"Trust me, I get the feeling he knows exactly what he's getting himself into. You worry about you. He's a big boy, he can handle himself."

"Fine." Emma huffed.

Not even bothering to put on actual clothes, Emma and Ruby just drove to her apartment.

"Girls night in isn't complete without pajamas," was all it took for Emma to convince Ruby to change into less presentable clothing as well.

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