Reader's POV

You smile as you place your mug down on the bar in front of you. "I think I'm winning." You say a playful smirk filling his face.

"Is that what you think Princess," Killian jokes before he downs the rest of his ale. Since the return of your hatter you used one night a week to go out and spend some time with your now best friend Killian. Of course, what you guys did was always different but it mostly revolved around alcohol. It never turned romantic, which was a good thing considering you were engaged; it was just all buddy, buddy, and jokes.

"Oh that's what I think Cap." You say as you wave for the Bartender to bring you another drink.

"I don't know if you remember but I'm a pirate, I have more Rum in my veins than blood."

"Oh Cocky, are we?" You joke a smile filling you face. As the bartender places your newly refilled mug down in front of you, you smile and thank them.

"No, just stating the facts." He replies motioning for a refill.

"Okay, whatever cap." You say as you take a sip from your mug, the cool liquid burning as it slides down your throat warming the rest of your body.

"So where's the Hatter tonight?" He asks his eyes moving back to his mug.

"Daddy daughter dance." You answer making the pirate choke on his drink.

"Your Serious?" He asks and you nod a smile on your lips.

"Yup," You giggle as you continue, "You should have seen the look on his face when Grace walked out of her room in the dress she and I picked out. He was borderline in tears. It was so cute."

"I'll take your word for it." He says once again bringing the mug to his lips. After he takes another sip he takes a deep breath and says, "So have you two picked a date yet?"

"Look at you all curious and shit." You say turning toward him on your barstool. "Not exactly but he's not the problem," You pause as your turn back to your mug and gently run your finger around the rim of it.

"Having second thoughts?" Killian asks and you smile softly as you slowly turn to him.

"No, I can't wait to marry him."

"Then what's the problem?" Killian asks sitting up straight.

"I hate planning. My mother wants to give me a traditional big poufy extravagant wedding dress wedding,"

"And you want something simple."

"Yeah, but I don't want to hurt her feelings by telling her."

"Why don't the two of you just elope?" Killian says making you cock an eyebrow at him. "I mean you can always have the big wedding, later right?"

"Killian," You lean over and gently placing a kiss on his cheek smile brightly as you say, "You my friend are a genius." You finish your mug and tossing some money down turn to leave the bar when he catches your arm.

"Hold up lass, I'll walk you home." He says as he uses his free hand to finish his mug and drop some money on the bar before he follows you out.

"Aren't you being a proper gentleman."

"I'm always a gentleman love." He says as the two of you pass out the door and into the cool night air. You chuckle as you wrap your arm around his and let him lead you through the town. Storybrooke at night was surprisingly peaceful. The town liked to gossip of course and since you came back with two men fawning over you it was ever the talk of the town. As you walked past a few people your arm wrapped around Killian's, you could hear their whispers and furrow your brow.

You didn't care about what anyone thought of your friendship with Killian. He was your best friend. He knew loss like you did and also came from a shitty childhood. The list of things you had in common continued to grow every day. There was a stupid saying that a man and a woman couldn't be friends without it turning romantic but we were proof they were wrong.

"What time is that dance supposed to be over?" Killian asks making you look down at your watch.

"In an hour or so, it's surprisingly late for a middle school dance."

"What time do they usually let out?"

"Around nine or ten, at least that's when they did when I was younger."

"I bet you wore something pink and fluffy." He says and you pull away from him with a cocked eyebrow.

"You obviously don't know me as well as you claim too."

"Well you were young and it was a different time." He jokes his face remaining serious.

"I have not, nor will I ever, wear a pink fluffy dress." You say as you start to walk off without him.

"Course not, you look better in black." He says as he catches up to you.

"I guess I take after my mother in that retrospect too." You say as you tighten your coat around your waist.

The two of you continue to walk to Jefferson's house talking about random things, joking about random things, pretty much the usual things friends do. When you reach Jefferson's house you notice the lights are on and you narrow your eyes. "That's strange." You look back at your watch to see that only a few minutes had passed making you furrow your brow. "I guess I must have left the lights on."

"Isn't that hatter's car?" He asks motioning to the car under the awning.

"Yeah, I wonder why he's back so soon. I'll see you later Killian." You say placing a kiss on his cheek before you head off into the giant house. Opening the door, you look around as you call out, "Jefferson?"

Quiet.

"Jeff? Grace? Are you home?" You call out. Cocking an eyebrow at the lack of a reply you start to walk through the house until you find Jefferson Standing next to the fire place a glass of some sort of liquid in his hand. "Jefferson, what are you doing home so early?" You ask as you close the distance between the two of you and wrap your arms around his waist hugging his back.

"A few minutes ago." He answers and you cock your eyebrow at the slight anger in his tone.

"Oh well you should have texted me. I would have been home sooner. Where's Grace?"

"Staying the night at a friend's house." He says before bringing the liquid to his lips. A strong scent fills your senses and you realize he is drinking whiskey.

"Are you okay?" You ask as you pull your arms away from him and move in front of him.

"Fine," He says his eyes not meeting you and you narrow yours a him.

"Okay that's clearly a lie," you say folding your arms over your chest. His eyes shoot to you and you can tel he's angry about something. "Why don't you wanna talk about it? Did something happen at the dance?"

"No, the dance was surprisingly fun." He answers as he pulls away from the fireplace and moves away from you toward the kitchen.

"Jefferson talk to me." You say as you follow after him. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing!" he yells out spinning on his heel to face you making you jump slightly in shock.

"Why are you yelling at me?" You ask fear in your voice.

"Why? Why you ask? Maybe because I caught my fiancé kissing another man!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" You ask confusion lacing your voice as you narrow your eyes.

"I saw you kiss Killian at the bar." He says as he throws his drink across the room shattering it.

"I kissed him on the cheek. I always do." You say anger filling your body.

"That's not what it looked like to me."

"Well, obviously, you saw wrong." You retort angrily. "He's my best friend, I don't see him like that."

"Then what did I see? Huh?" He asks angrily and you scoff as you turn rom him and head toward the door. "Where are you going?"

"Home, because obviously, you won't believe me even if I tell you the truth."

"Home, yeah right, you're probably going down to the docks to see your lover." He says and you freeze in your steps before you turn back to him angry tears threatening to fall.

"Do you really think so little of me?" You ask clenching your fists. Anger and disappointment flood your body and you scoff as you say, "Wow, and to think I was planning on coming back here to tell you that he suggested you and I elope and bypass all this wedding bullshit. Glad I know that won't be happening anymore."

"Wait what?" He asks the anger disappearing from his voice and worry filing his eyes. "(Name), what do you mean?"

"I can't marry someone who doesn't trust me." You say your heart clenching. Without so much as another word you turn and walk out the front door.

"(Name), (Name) wait," He yells as he follows after you. Ignoring him you grip tight to your coat as you start to walk down the street him racing after you. "Please STOP!" He yells making you stop in your steps. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I didn't stutter Hatter." You say as you continue to look ahead of you.

"You don't want to marry me?" He asks and you gulp down a breath of air.

"Of course I want to marry you Jefferson, I love you; but if you can't trust me than, how can I?" You ask as you finally turn toward him. "Killian is my best friend. I haven't had one of those in a while. He's someone I can tell everything too, because he has been through some of the same hardships. He's helping me get over what I did to Gothel and also what my father did. You heal my heart and he heals my mind. Can't you two just get along?"

"I don't like that you kiss him." Jefferson answers plainly making you bite you lip.

"So what you're saying is that you did all this; picking a fight with me, almost losing me, because you were jealous?" You ask as you cock an eyebrow at him.

"Maybe," he answers as he avoids your eyes.

"Seriously Hatter! You almost lost me! I was seriously gonna leave and not come back."

"I realize now that it was stupid. I let my anger get the better of me."

"No shit. Oh, and by the way, I'm not cleaning up the glass from your temper tantrum." You say and he lets out a heavy sigh as he remembers what he did.

"I'll clean it up."

"Are you done being jealous? Can we start over?" You ask and he nods. You let out a sigh of relief as you walk back over to him and reaching up cup his face in your hands. "Good, because I like the idea of eloping a lot more than I thought I would."

"You still wanna marry me? Even after this?" he asks and you nod. He reaches up and gently pulls your hands down to hold. "You must be mad."

"It takes one to love one." You say as you lean up and place your lips on his. He smiles into your lips before he deepens your kiss making you weak in the knees. After a few minutes he pulls away leaving your breathless. "What was that for?"

"Disinfectant." He says and you roll your eyes.

"I only kissed his cheek."

"Doesn't matter, your lips need to be disinfected." He says as he kisses you again. This time he reaches down and placing one arm on your back and the other in the crook of your knees he lifts you off the ground and leads you into the house and straight upstairs to the bedroom. As he made love to you, you couldn't help but think about the future you were about to start and you couldn't be happier.