Troubled Water

4. moonlight

moon·light : the light of the moon

*  *  *

"So, are you going with Peter to the Moonlight Dance?" Emma asked Red as they were walking back to their homes.

"I don't know. He mentioned going to the stream instead, which would be nice, but I'll see tomorrow." she replied. "Are you going?"

"With those rags?" Emma replied as she pointed her clothes. "And with who?"

"You could just go to have fun. Maybe you could meet someone there." Red said with a smirk.

"Everyone in town knows I'm the poor girl and my mother's the sad desperate widow or whatever they call her. Nobody is even going to talk to me." Emma said.

"Oh, Emma, stop thinking like that! That's not true. Plus, the dance is in town, not in the village. People in town barely know us." Red said, trying to convince.

"Yeah well... I don't know." Emma replied. They were reaching Red's house. "But you, yoy have fun with Peter." she added.

"Okay." Red said with a laugh. "See you soon!"

"Yeah!" Emma said and turned on her heels, follwing the path that would lead to her very small house.

She got home and found her mom lighting a fire in the fireplace. Emma took off her hood and put the small anount of money she had made that day on the table.

"How was your day?" Mary Margaret asked her.

"Okay. What about yours?" Emma simply replied.

"Great!" she said and let the fire be, then came to the table where Emma already was. "You seem preocupied." she added.

"It's just a silly thing." Emma said. "Red is trying to convince me to go to the Moonlight Dance tomorrow."

"That's a great idea!" her mother said and she was surprised. She even laughed. "What?"

"Why should I go to a dance where no one will talk to me and I'll be the only one dressed in rags?" Emma replied.

"Now, that's silly." her mother said. "I'm sure you'd have a great night!"

"Right..." her daughter replied.

*  *  *

"So, we're not leaving 'till another week?" Killian asked his Captain when he sat on their kitchen table.

"Ship's staying here for the next 8 days." he replied. "That means we'll have plenty of time to go to the Moonlight Dance tomorrow, brother!" Liam added.

"Come on, really? You wouldn't even go if it wasn't for that girl you fancy." Killian replied. "You can go, but I won't."

"Why wouldn't you? Everyone's going!" his brother retorted.

"Because every year we go and every year I stand there like an idiot looking at everyone dancing." Killian said. "I'd have more fun alone here."

"That's because you don't want to have fun! We have a little time before we leave again and that even only happens once a year. You should come!" Liam said, trying to convince his brother.

"We'll see..." Killian said and a smile appeared on his brother's face. "Hey, I didn't say yes." he added and Liam simply laughed.

*  *  *

The last time Emma came to the Moonlight Dance was when she was 4 years old, not so long before her father died. She remebered everyone dancing all around, children running everywhere and laughing and all of those lights that she thought were so beautiful. Howerver, she did not see the dance with the eyes of a child anymore. The only reason she agreed to come was because her mother came too. It turned out that Peter amd Red decided to come as well, but she barely saw them. Not so long after, as she was walking with her mother, she noticed the smile on Mary Margaret's face and saw the man she was looking at.

"I need to talk to Red." she said and left before her mother could say a word. She got away from the croud and watched her mother talk with David. The smile on Mary Margaret's face made her daughter smile as well. She was happy to see her mother happy, but she still had mixed feeling about the situation. She turned away and walked over to a bench. There was one person sitting at the other end of it, but she did not mind. She just sat there and looked at everyone.

She was right before, she should not have come.

"Forced to come here to?" the man on the bench asked and she laughed.

"Yeah." she said and turned her head to see who he was. She thought he'd be a man from the city, a complete stranger.

"And we keep bumping into each other." Killian added. "It's actually a little strange."

She laughed again. "Well, I'm not following you or anything."

"Good. I'm not following you either." he joked. "I guess people would say it's fate or something."

"Or simply a coincidence?" Emma suggested.

"That's another way of seeing it. So, who brought you here against your will?" he asked.

"My mother." said Emma. "What about you?"

"My brother." he answered.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"Do you always wear your uniform?" she asked and he laughed.

"Most of the time. That's what you get when you work for the king." he explained.

"At least it suits you." she added and he smiled.

"Thanks."

"Brother!" both of them heard and Emma saw another man in the same uniform coming towards them.

"Captain!" Killian joked and Emma was a little confused but she didn't say anything. It was porbably best for her to just sit there and shut her mouth.

"C'mon we're not on duty. I've been looking for you, just wanted to know how it's going." his brother replied.

"I was just talking with Emma, here." Killian told his brother and Emma's cheek turned a little red. Killian's brother smiled at her.

"Oh, well, hi. I'm Liam, Killian's brother." he said and she shook his hand.

"That's what I thought." she replied.

"Well, why don't you two come and dance with everyone?" Liam suggested and Emma looked at Killian.

"Well, I-" Killian started.

"Come on brother. I'm sure you both would have a good time." he added.

"Do you want to dance?" Killian asked the blonde.

"Uh... yes." she said, hesitating a little.

Hey!
What do you think of this chapter? :)
I really hope you like the story so far and it's amazing how much reads, comments & votes I get even with 4 chapters now! Wow! Thanks xx
The next chapters might come a little later
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