She was headed back into town when it happened. Stupid truck, she thought as she slammed the door shut. Why she couldn't just drive her car, she didn't understand. "It's not reliable" her mother said, "I don't want you to get in a wreck and die." She pleaded her case, a rather compelling one at that, but her mother insisted she take her father's truck. So she did and now she's stranded.

"Mom, it broke down" Emma said as soon as she answered the phone. Her mother sighed and asked what happened, causing her to have to repeat her opening statement, "It broke down."

"What did you do?"

"I drove it?"

"Did you hit something?"

"I think I'd know if I hit something, mom." She said with an eyeroll. Again, her mother sighed.

"Okay, I can't come get you right now. Your dad is at work. I could send Ru-"

"I'd rather stay stranded."

"Emma"

"She drives like a maniac." Emma said and then ran a hand through her hair, "Why can't you come get me?"

"I'm in the Mayor's office, you're lucky she's even letting me talk to you."

"Why ar-"

"The founders parade, Emma, don't you listen?"

"I listen." She said softly, "When I'm not stranded."

"How far are you from town?"

"I don't know. A mile or two."

"That's well within walking distance."

"Mom, it's almost dark." Emma said softly as she opened the door to grab the keys and turn the truck off. She sighed, "Fine, I'll walk but someone's going to think I'm a prostitute."

"I can get someone t-"

"No, it's fine." Emma hung up the phone and started walking, she made sure the truck was locked and headed out. The sky was darkening and soon it was pitch black, she may have been wrong, she was farther than she thought from town. The more she walked the longer the road stretched. She groaned.

Her parents were Mary Margaret and David Nolan, they'd made the decision to take her in when they found her alone in an alley, dirt under her nails, blood on her jeans. Just a kid, fourteen. They adopted her officially when she turned sixteen. Gave her a life she didn't dream possible. She never thought she could be wanted so badly, when the social worker said they might not be able to adopt her, they nearly broke. She met Neal at seventeen, got in some trouble, almost ended up in jail because he pinned a crime on her and she was stupid enough to believe that he loved her. When he found out she was pregnant he couldn't run faster. Saying, "I can't do this, Em." And bolted, a cloud of dust in his wake. She had Henry at eighteen, a beautiful little boy who looked too much like his father. He was four now and really smart for his age.

She didn't change her last name, it was part of her, almost adopted by the Swans and then thrown back in the system when mommy found out she was pregnant. At three. Besides, Emma Nolan didn't sound right coming off her tongue.

Emma walked, looking at her phone, it was nearly dead. She must have forgotten to charge it. Great. A light shined on her and she moved closer to the side of the road, her feet hitting the grass so she didn't get hit. She slumped a little when the car slowed down beside her and the window rolled down. She didn't stop walking, didn't look over. They probably thought she was a prostitute.

"Hey" a voice said from inside the car, a heavy accent that nearly made her melt. She ignored him, "that your truck all the way back there?" She didn't answer, didn't look over, ignored him. "If it is, you should know, someone smashed the windows out."
"What!?" she exclaimed and looked back.

"Ah, knew that'd get your attention." he stopped the car and she stopped walking, "would you like a ride, love?"

"Excuse me?"
"Would you like a ride, love?" He asked again, slower this time.

"Emma." She corrected, "It's Emma."

"My apologies."

"And no, I'm doing just fine." She started walking again, she knew better. He could be some creep. He followed with his car, slowly, watching her. "You can go."

"Are you sure?" He asked, "It's no trouble, love"

"Emma."

"Emma." He said, "I hope you like rain."

"What?"

"It's about to storm." Great. "I see you don't have an umbrella."

"You're messing with me."

"I promise." He said, "So, unless you want rained on, I suggest you accept the help."

"You could be a serial killer."

"You'd be dead by now." He pushed the passenger door open, "I'm not leaving you out here." She sighed

"Fine." She groaned and then climbed in. As soon as she buckled herself in, rain pounded against the windshield.

"Told you." He smiled and she felt her heart skip, he was beautiful. "Where are you headed?"
"Storybrooke."

"Interesting."

"Why?"

"That's where I'm going."

"Fantastic"

"You sound thrilled" He said, "So bitter and you don't even know me."

"Do you usually pick up girls on the side of the road?"

"Oh you know, just the occasional prostitute." He said and she gave him a weird look, "I'm joking."

"Uh-huh."

"So, Emma. Tell me about you."

"Why?"

"Because you're in my car and it'd be awkward to sit in silence?" He said it like a question, "Parents?"

"I have them."

"Job?"

"I have one."
"I bet they love you during interviews." He said, "Boyfriend?"

"Pardon?"

"I believe you're the one who's supposed to be answering."

"No." She said softly. "Not that that's your business."

"I struck a cord. Bad ending?"

"What about you, you seeing anyone?" She asked quickly.

"I was married." He shrugged, that's when she noticed the gold band around his ring finger.

"Messy divorce?"

"She left me." he said softly, "for death."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you didn't kill her." He said with a tiny smile. Then it was quiet and she looked out the window, they were in town now. She watched the houses pass. "Where is your street?" He asked. She asked him to just stop at the corner and she'd walk the rest of the way, to which responded with a firm no and insisted upon pulling into her driveway. She reached for the door handle and he stopped her.

"No. Please allow me." He smiled and she rolled her eyes again as he got out and gracefully opened the door for her.

"I'm perfectly capable of opening a car door."

"I'm sure you are, however, I am a gentleman. So, deal with my opening doors for you."

"Thanks." She said and started to walk up to the house.

"Emma." He called for her, "You forgot something."

"What?"

"My number."

"Wow." She turned around to look at him, "was this your plan all along?" She realized then she didn't even have his name. She looked him over, dark hair cut at the perfect length, tight jeans and a black leather jacket. The bluest damn eyes she's ever seen in her life. He was hot. She'd give him that. "I don't even know your name."

"Killian Jones." He did this stupid bow that made her want to punch him in the face, "Pleased to make your acquaintance." She was annoyed and he saw it.

"I gotta go."

"So soon?"

"My son is inside." She said as she turned, she just had to play the kid card. She hated using Henry like that, but it always scared guys away.

"Wonderful." He smiled, "I do like kids." She rolled her eyes, "Can't scare me away that easily, love."

"Emma." She corrected as she walked up to the house, she didn't stop or look back for any reason and soon she saw him pulling out of the driveway. The second the door closed her mom was on her.

"Who was that?" She asked innocently as she folded a blanket and draped it over the back of the couch.

"Just some guy." Emma said softly, "Henry asleep?"

"Yes. He had a very eventful day with David. He was so tired, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow." She sighed, "but that's not what we're talking about."

"Mom, he just drove me home. I don't know if you noticed, but it's raining."

"Well that was nice of him. Did you thank him?"

"Duh." she was headed for the stairs.

"Was it a genuine thank you or was it one of your annoyed, thanks?"

"Mom." Emma said softly, "I said thank you." She didn't, but she didn't need to know that.

"I see you two were talking for a while. Anything interesting?"

"If the weather interests you." And with that, Emma mounted the carpeted stairs up to her bedroom. Her room was basically the only one with a variety of colors. Thick blue-gray curtains, her bed was draped in deep sea blues and whites, a red dresser at the other side of the hexagonal shaped bedroom, the closet didn't have a door, so she draped a bright yellow curtain over the entrance and left it at that. May not have looked nice, the red dresser stuck out like a sore thumb against the creamy white walls. But it worked and she liked it. He room was located at the very back of the house, a long stretch of a hallway, Her parents slept downstairs, next to the laundry room, which she hated because they gave her the largest bedroom. Her mom's reasoning being "privacy" but she never brought any boys home so she tried talking them into switching. No luck.

The wooden floorboards creaked under her feet and she flopped on her bed, thankful for the change of mattresses, it didn't squeak anymore and was a hell of a lot more comfortable than the old one she had, which was still leaning against the wall by her dresser because she was too lazy to move it. There was a soft knock at the door and her mom came in.

"Hey." She said softly, "Dinner is in the fridge."

"Thanks."

"Emma."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't come get you."

"It's fine."

"It's not."

"Mom."

"I left you stranded." She sat on the end of Emma's bed, "What kind of mom does that?"

"Mom, you were busy, I'm a grown woman. I can walk." She propped herself up on her elbows. Her mom moved a piece of hair from her eye. Her hair had grown quite a bit, Emma didn't think she'd ever seen it this long before. Dark hair reaching for her shoulders. It was a nice change.

"I need to get this cut." She said softly, running her hand through it, "I don't know how people keep their hair so long. It's annoying."
"The key is satin pillows." Emma shrugged, "gets less tangly in the morning."

She woke up, unaware of what time it was, kicking herself when she saw it was nearly noon. She needed to remember to leave one of her curtains open before she went to bed, since they trapped any and all sunlight from entering her room. She groaned and got up, floorboards creaking annoyingly under her feet as she went into the bathroom and brushed her hair and teeth. She was about to get in the shower when she heard the voices drift up from downstairs.

"Thank you so much for picking her up last night. I felt awful for not being able too." her mother said

"It was my pleasure." She stopped, eyes getting huge as she walked towards the closed door to hear better. He is not in her house right now. He is not in her house right now. "Is she always so irritable?"

"She's not a people person." Her mom sighed, "she's up now if you'd like to wait. I can hear her footsteps." She sucked in a breath. She didn't want to see him. He was...something. She was slow with her shower, hoping he'd leave by the time she was done. He didn't. She came down the stairs slowly and found him in the living room with her mom, looking at the pictures on the wall.

"This one is my favorite." he pointed at the picture on the wall. Emma in a tight long red dress, a slit up the thigh and a baby on her hip, red lips pressed to his cheek.

"That was at one of David's old friend's wedding about three years ago." She smiled, "She thought the dress was too...scandalous, but I thought she looked great."

"Stunning." He smiled, "Are you going to stand on the stairs the whole time, or are you going to at least come say hello, love?" He turned and so did her mom.
"Emma, come down here." She smiled brightly and Emma walked slowly, trying not to look too annoyed with the fact he was in her house.

"Killian is working with your father down at the docks." She said.

"Fantastic."

"Isn't it?" He asked, "we should be leaving soon."

"I'll go tell David to hurry along, he's a bit sluggish today." And with that, her mother threw her a look before walking off. She wasn't going to tell him to hurry along.

"Hello."

"Hi."

"Did you just get up?" He asked and she stood far from him. She nodded and he tsked, "Swan."

"Shut up."

"Nah." He smiled at her and she leaned against the wall, stepping in her shoes and glaring when he stood looking at an old photograph of her. The one she hated, Ruby took it for her photography class. Emma only agreed to do it because she nagged for weeks. She was shirtless, her back turned, her hair loose, in front of a window in some sort of back-lighting shot. Hands tangled in the white curtains, her head turned just enough. Ruby wrote something on her back in black, "No means no." She hated that damn thing.

"Care to clarify?" He asked and she rolled her eyes.

"It was for a friend."

"Quite provocative. Don't you think?"

"For a class."

"Right." He looked at her now. "Have dinner with me." Before she could reject him, her parents came around the corner and he left with David.