Captain Swan - Can We Just Get Closer?

Part 1/3

Emma's phone buzzes incessantly with the familiar chime against the oak surface of her desk, the screen lighting up to indicate another message has been received. As she nurses a cup of hot cocoa with cinnamon, she doesn't even need to move her eyes from the paper she's currently grading, to read the actual content of the message or the multiple previous ones.

She already knows what the messages are about and who they're from.

Christmas at Ruth's has been a topic of conversation between her family and close friends for several weeks now. Emma has a string of group messages on her Facebook messenger to prove it. The gathering is an annual tradition, and everyone looks forward to it all year long.

Everyone except for Emma. At least, not this year.

It's not that she doesn't want to see everyone or catch up with them, but since it's the first Christmas without Neal, she will constantly be reminded of how completely and hopelessly single she is. Plus, ever since Mary Margaret married into the family, she's always taken over the reins. She has her mother-in-law completely wrapped around her little finger. And don't get Emma wrong, she loves the petite brunette who'd stolen her brother's heart in high school, she really does. But every year before she'd met Neal, she was always harped on for not bringing anyone with her for Christmas. Now that she's not with him anymore, everyone will just feel sorry for her and treat her like she's a porcelain doll while trying to not gossip about what had transpired between her and Neal. However, Mary Margaret has never been known to keep something to herself, so Emma doesn't really see Christmas as being completely void of Neal gossip.

Emma's eyes eventually move to the phone laying on her desk, and she purses her lips, staring in serious contemplation. The moments hang heavy before she sets her mug down and finally picks up her phone.

There are several messages that follow Mary Margaret's inquiry about what day and time everyone will be arriving so she can start planning meals, and the last two are for Emma since she hasn't responded in the last couple of days.

When will you be here, sis?—David

Are you bringing anyone, Emma?—MM

She sighs deeply at her desk, debating how she should reply. Maybe she should just tell them she can't go. On the other hand, if she doesn't go, she'll never hear the end of it. Either way, she'll be pestered by them, but if she does go, she'll have to face them in person. If she doesn't go, she can just ignore a million messages and phone calls she'll receive.

Decisions, decisions.

A knock on the door tows Emma from her thoughts, and she's thinking it's probably one of her students who didn't show up for finals, wanting to make up for the exam they had missed, even though Emma had made it perfectly clear in the syllabus there were no exceptions for exams. Everyone was to turn in their completed exam to Emma before the end of class that day.

Before she can respond to the knock on the door, it's already being opened, and the person on the other side is stepping into her office.

"Sorry there is no makeup exam," Emma says as she lifts her eyes to the intruder who has already reached the other side of her desk.

Emma's mouth falls agape when she realizes it's not one of her students. She pulls off her reading glasses, folding them in and placing them on her desk as she stands up. "Sorry, I thought you were..." Emma smiles bashfully, stumbling for words and steering her gaze away to avoid looking him directly in the eye.

"One of your students?" he finishes when she's unable to.

"Yeah." Emma's eyes move back to him, and her breath catches as his brilliant ones meet hers. He's wearing a grin that highlights the dimples in his cheeks and is framed by a ginger stubble she's often thought about, wondering how it would feel pressed against her lips... or other parts of her body. "Sorry."