Hello all. Here's a new one shot in honor of so many colleges and universities starting up again in the next few all of you who are attending, good luck and have fun! For those of you following my multi chapter fic, Betrothed and Beloved, it was updated Sunday. Please go check that out along with my other one shots.

Thank you all. Hope you review.

Emma squeezed herself into the tiny desk, settling herself and setting up her laptop. Classmates chartered amongst themselves while the processor readied himself for class. She pulled out her phone, checking the time. Class didn't start for ten more minutes, but since it was the first day of the semester, everyone got their early. It probably would be the only time that happened, Emma thought.

This experience was new to Emma. She wasn't even out of high school. Her teacher back at Storybrooke High School thought the harder English class at the college level would be good for her. Mrs. Falner even thought she could take more college classes her senior year, but they would figure that out next year.

Emma looked to the desk on her left to see a young guy, probably a freshman, sitting beside her. He had dark hair and a bit of stubble, blue eyes and a tall frame. He turned to Emma and she blushed a bit, turning her attention to the notebook on her desk to make if seem like she was doing work.

She failed.

"Killian Jones." He introduced himself.

"Emma." She turned in her desk a bit so that she could face him. "Emma Swan."

"What year are you?" Killian said.

"Junior." Emma said quickly, not realizing that he would assume she was in college. It was a good assumption though, given that they were at college.

"Junior? Great, I meet a bloody gorgeous girl and she's two years above me." He muttered, not so discreetly.

"I'm a junior in high school." Emma struggled to rebound. "My teacher thought I wasn't being challenged enough and thought I should try some college English."

"Even better-Your two years younger than me!" He threw his hands in the air dramatically.

"What's wrong with that?" Emma challenged him.

"Well, now I know you're smart and I'll feel even worse when you do better than me in the class. That, and I think you're beautiful and I'm over eighteen. You could get me arrested,love."

"You're dramatic." Emma said, blushing.

"So, Swan, how old are you?"

"Sixteen. I'll be seventeen in a few weeks though."

"When's your birthday?"

"Why do you want to know?" Emma asked, confused and a bit taken back.

"Why, love, isn't it obvious?" He asked as if she definitely knew the answer. "So, I can get you a gift of course."

"We literally met like five minutes ago. People don't give presents to strangers." She told him.

"That's what's wrong with you Americans." He stated, nonchalantly.

You Americans? The words registered in her brain. She had heard his think accent, but had simply moved past it. "Where are you from?"

"Ireland."

"What brought you here then?" She asked, trying not to sound to interested.

"I moved to the States about eleven years ago after my mother passed. My brother and I had an aunt down south who took us in for a few years. My older brother moved up to Storybrooke with his wife and daughter, so I decided to come up here to be with them."

"Wow." Emma said, instantly feeling bad for bringing up what appeared to be a sensitive topic. "How old is your brother?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"Twenty-six. He got married young and then moved up here for work."

Emma nodded. "How old's is his daughter?"

"Five months. Her name is Mollie Rowe."

Emma opened her mouth to respond, but the teacher moved to the front, signalling the beginning of class. "Later" Killian whispered to her. She just nodded.

The professor let the class out three minutes early and was acting like he was so nice for doing it. All the first day had been was going over the syllabus and stupid questions that students thought to ask.

Emma grabbed her stuff, trying to go slowly so that she wouldn't have to leave first, but not wanting to assume that Killian would still want to talk.

But he stood and waited for her to walk out with him. Emma smiled at the gesture, grabbing her things and walking beside him.

"So, love, I know this is quite straightforward, but I was hoping I could get your number?" He asked, trying to hide the hint of nervousness in his voice.

"For homework?" Emma said, not wanting to assume to much.

"That, and I think I'd rather like to get to know you better." He told her as if it were some kind of secret.

"Really, and whys that?"

"You're different. Strong, smart independent-"

She cut him off. "You've known me for an hour."

"Aye, but you're something of an open book love."

Emma thought to herself. Everyone left. No one cared. That's just how life goes. But her gut told her she could trust him-that was scary. But maybe a friend wouldn't hurt. Sure, she had some great friends back at high school-Ruby, her older adoptive brother David, his girlfriend Mary Margaret, Elsa and August. But, maybe having a friend here at college...maybe it wasn't a bad idea.

"Okay."

Killian and Emma sat at a table in the dining hall, books sprawled out and foot set in front of them. They were supposed to be doing homework, but they kept getting distracted.

Storybrooke High had had a snow day, but the college never closed, used to the harsh climates and large amounts of snow. So, Killian invited her to spend lunch with him, saying that they could get dome much needed studying done.

"So, " Emma said, flipping though the pages of her book to make it look like she was actually studying. "What do you want to be?"

He gave her a puzzled look. "Love, I've told you my major."

Emma shook her head, removing her hand from the book. "No, I mean what do you want to do with that."

"Teach." He said without even thinking. "I think I'd like to teach biology at a college one day." Killian told her. Emma knew he would make a great professor one day. "What about you? What are you going to do?"

"I'm thinking of either social work or maybe criminal justice." She told him.

"Well, love, I think you'll be bloody brilliant at either."

"Killian, we have to study!" Emma muttered, placing her head down on the table of the coffee shop her and Killian found themselves in. They were supposed to be studying for finals, but Killian kept doing something goofy in a hopes to make her laugh.

"Love, we've studied enough." He said.

"No, we haven't. And I'd like to do well so I don't get grounded over Christmas break."

"Yes, love. That would be a tragedy. Who would I spend all my time talking to if you were locked away in your room. I'd have to come rescue you."

"Wow, my knight in shining armor." Emma said sarcastically. "Sorry, but no one saves me but me."

"Aye, Swan. And I'm not much of a knight am I. I think I'm more of a pirate."

"A pirate?" Emma laughed.

"Aye, and a devilishly handsome one at that."

Emma rolled over in bed, greeted by empty sheets. She sighed, pulling herself from the now cold bed. Her alarm for work hadn't gone off yet, but she found no reason to stay in bed.

She smiled as she saw Killian adjusting his tie in front of the mirror. He was off to his first day of teaching at Storybrooke University. He was only teaching a few classes, but he would work his way up.

Emma moved slowly, still sleepy, to him and went up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and placing her head on his back. "I'm proud of you." She whispered.

"I couldn't have done this without you, my love."

She stepped away from him and he turned to face her. She took his tie in her hands, fixing it as she had done every time he wore a tie. As she finished, she tugged on it, pulling him close so that she could whisper to him. "Make sure none of the college girls try to hit on the teacher."

"I'd be oblivious to them, love. I'll be thinking about my girl all day."