A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! To all of you with a Valentine - Congratulations! For all of you who have lost a Valentine - Hugs! And for the rest of you who really wished to have a Valentine - her is a Killian who could really use a hug. This story is based on a video by Just4FunVids925 called Killian & Emma (Captain Swan) AU - She Will Be Loved. Please check it out and leave a comment for her. She would love to hear from you and I would love to hear any and all feedback on this fic as well. I hope that all of you enjoy. My work was beta'd by the wonderful aimeeloren.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. They belong to the franchise of Once Upon A Time.

Chapter 1 - Beauty Queen of Only Eighteen:

Killian wasn't a man who cried, but he'd shed more tears in the past two years than he had ever in his whole lifetime to that point. He paced his living room twirling the ring on his left hand. He still couldn't believe Milah was gone. His only link to any family he still possessed was to be buried in two days time. Gold, Milah's ex, was making most of the arrangements, since, apparently, he was more aware of her burial preferences than Killian was. Neal, Milah's son, was to arrive that afternoon.

It still didn't make it any easier to know that her family was around when his wife was dead. Struck down by a drunk driver on the way home from the university she worked. Killian was supposed to have been with her, but he had decided to skip his last class to come home early to make a special dinner. A celebration for their one year anniversary.

Survivor's guilt, Dr. Hopper called it. As a fellow professor and colleague of Milah's, he had been trying to help Killian with his grief the last three days. It was not easy. Most of her other colleagues hated the fact that Milah married Killian, a former student of hers, and still an attending undergraduate at the university. But the two of them had been in love and despite the age difference and the fact that they had barely known each other outside of class, except for their public, but frowned on lunch dates. Then one day, they decided to run off to Vegas for the weekend to get married right before the school year was about to finish.

While to many it may have seemed sudden and rushed, to Killian it just felt right and natural. He and Milah had connected on so many levels. He had loved her wit and charm, even if it could be considered slightly self-mocking. A woman who could laugh at her flaws was something rare. And Killian had loved the fact that Milah loved him for himself. Too many women that Killian encountered had been more impressed by his outside appearance than what he may have actually been thinking, which was weird because Killian felt nothing if not awkward and gawky. Milah told him one evening, as she had smiled knowingly at him, that all those women could see his potential, just as she did. She followed it with a loving kiss and the comment, but I got you first. The day after they wed, as they laid in bed, Milah told him he was like a fine wine and he would only grow better with age. Killian had blushed embarrassed that he may not have performed as well as he had expected but Milah had laughed and kissed him and all else had been forgotten.

Yet, the saddest part about it all was the very dinner that Killian arranged so meticulously was the one where Milah planned to serve him divorce papers. Killian had found them the evening before hidden in her nightstand. He hadn't even realized there had been problems, but her letter included with the paperwork explained only some of her reasoning. He would never be able to ask her to explain fully as to why she felt she needed to dissolve their marriage.

Killian,

Happy Anniversary. I can't believe that we have already been married one

year. And while I'll cherish every memory we have shared, I have come to the

conclusion that our marriage was made much too hastily. I will always love you and cherish the fact that I was able to know you. I have put in my resignation at the university effective at the end of the semester. I know you are wondering what brought all of this on and I wish I could give you an answer you would accept, but I don't have one.

Best Wishes,

Milah

Being that he had been twenty-one when they married, maybe he hadn't been the best judge of character, led on by hormones rather than reasoning. However, despite their twenty year age difference, Killian knew what he had felt was love. Unfortunately, it seemed, Milah had not felt the same way about him.

He was about to let his emotions over take him, as he collapsed on the chaise lounge, when he heard the doorbell ring. Standing, he walked down the hall past the library, which was Milah's sanctuary within their house, shutting the door as he passed.

He had tried to go in there that morning, but as soon as he opened the door, her scent enveloped him. He left it open so it could air out in hopes that later he'd be able to actually pass through the threshold.

Killian looked outside and saw an anxious young blonde. He opened the front door, unsure of who she could be, but suspected that she was more than likely a student of Milah's despite how young she appeared. She was staring down at the ground as if fascinated by the flowered doormat that she stood upon.

He couldn't help himself as he took in her appearance, from her black flat shoes to her black tights to her pleated catholic school skirt that may men may have been turned on by, but did the opposite for Killian. Hell, those skirts didn't even look good on a Scotsman, though Killian learned the hard way not to say so. Her black t-shirt was covered by a large sweater that hung over her hands to ward off the cold day. Her chin had a dimple that he wanted to apply his thumb to and raise her face to his so he could see her eyes behind her dark rimmed glasses. Her pale complexion was almost flawless except for a few sprinkles of freckles across her nose and cheeks, something easily hidden by makeup making him realize the only makeup she was wearing was the red lipstick staining her lips. Her long flaxen tresses were pulled tight into a high ponytail.

She jumped when he said hello. Quickly glancing up, she pushed back her glasses and blinked her moss green eyes at him.

"Hi. I'm Emma. Emma Swan." She reached out a hand in offer of a handshake and he complied. "I'm here with Neal."