Chapter One:

Emma got dressed for her evening out. Taking her time so she didn't miss anything. It had been a rough week at work, she really needed a night out tonight. Being one of two assistants to Mr. Gold could be very stressful at times, and this week was no different. Gold was a high powered lawyer who spend most of his days giving orders and letting his assistants do most of the work for him. Her only solace was that she got hang out with her best friend Killian, whenever they got the chance. They had seen each other grow up and go through life's events, anything from hanging out after school to nasty break ups. Ever since getting the job at Gold's Law Firm and the amount of stress that came with that job, both of them came to conclusion that they get should together in order to help lower the stress level. Tonight was that night. She wore a plush red cotton shirt with mid length sleeves that hugged her arm at the base and then slightly puffed out up to the shoulder. To accent the shirt, she put on a form fitting black vest, that ended just above her hips at the bottom and slightly over her breasts, leaving her shirt and neck exposed. She then wore faded blue jeans that complimented her figure, and red ankle boots to complete the ensemble. As she looked over her outfit something seemed to be missing. As she looked around the room her eyes fell on the item she was most definitely missing. It was her rose cameo necklace, that she received it from father when she turned sixteen. As she put it on, it accented the neck of her shirt and her collar bones that peeked out from the edges. There, all done. She thought as she brushed her hair.

Within minute she was in the car and off to the restaurant. As she arrived she proceeded through the door to find Killian sitting at a booth. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a slim fitting brown dress shirt, that accented his well-built chest. He left the top two buttons undone revealing the cross necklace he had worn since his mother died.

A smile cracked Killian's face as he saw Emma walking closer to the table. He had known her for years. Seen her in her darkest moment. Even from a distance Killian could tell something was off about her, she seemed like she was hiding something. It made him uneasy to think of her in pain or stressed, in fact that was the reason he came up with the idea to get together. Killian knew working for Gold wasn't easy. It was only weeks before Emma started working for Gold that Killian gave his two weeks' notice only to start his own detective firm. He had studied under Gold for three years before deciding that it was time to leave. He knew that even though Gold could be a hard one to work under, learning from him had made Killian into the successful man he was today. His firm had really taken off and he couldn't wait to see how far it would go. Emma drew closer to the table, and as always Killian slid off of the bench to greet her.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Emma apologized giving him a warm hug. She always felt comfortable being wrapped in his arms, for some reason. But the moment he did the left side of her ribcage ached. To mask the pain, she inhaled sharply and exhaled even more quickly to hid what she was feeling. The pain was searing, Emma instantly felt dizzy, she had to keep inhaling quickly in order to smother the feeling. She also gave her head a little shake to make sure the feeling was completely gone.

"It's okay, I wasn't waiting long." Killian pulled away to see her face. Hearing her sharp inhale of air. As he pulled away he noticed her quick breathing and her shaking her head.

"Everything okay?" His voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy. Haven't eaten in a while." Emma quickly responded. Trying to shake it off. She couldn't let him know what was really wrong. Killian had always been protective of her and if he knew, he would flip, it was better that she kept him in the dark.

"Well then let's get you something to eat. I haven't ordered yet." Killian pulled away gestured to the booth, her eyes catching his. As their eyes made contact he couldn't help but be overcome by them. Her eyes never ceased to amazing him. It was one of his favorite feature about her, because they never changed.

"Oh, good. So what do you want for dinner." Emma responded to him while removing her jacket. As she did he noticed a mark on her right collar bone. What did you do to yourself now? Killian thought to himself for a second.

"I haven't decided yet. I was waiting for you" He stated seating himself in the booth again.