Chapter 1
EMMA SWAN, NEW YORK -the beginning
Emma Swan was all business and she prided herself on it. She had been working for CompTech for several years now, working her way up the ladder. And doing it completely from her office in her home, comfortable in her pj's, her hot chocolate with cinnamon, and as always, alone. Safe.
She knew what they said about her behind her back, on a good day, she was called the "saviour" after the software modifications she often recommended that could save the system, on a bad day Hell on Heels. She was more proud of the second one. She was not here to make friends. She didn't want friends. She did her job from her home, and she was good at it. That was what mattered to Emma.
No one bothered her unless it was strictly business. No one until him. He was a faceless person from their London office, who she would never have to meet, so for once Emma gave into the temptation, and had an actual conversation with someone again.
K- I like your firm picture?
E- Who is this?
K- Killian Jones from the London office, your UK counterpart
E- Go away
K- Well, you are just as charming as they said you would be
E- What do you want?
K- I just thought I would tell you, that you might want to fix your picture.
Emma sighed, switching over quickly to the firm profile on the internet, where she knew she had deliberately NOT posted a picture at all. This was a mans world still a bit, computer program at the executive level, and they did not need the benefit of seeing how young she was, or how tolerable to the eyes.
She rolled her eyes when she discovered a picture of a fire breathing dragon that someone had hacked into the system. This is the problem when her employees were computer geniuses. And hated her.
K- I will change it for you, make it nicer
And a second later it was replaced with a different, more friendly looking dragon that Emma recognized instantly as Puff the Magic Dragon.
E- I prefer this
And she quickly changed it to a picture of a tiger literally eating a man in a business suit.
K- LMAO, yes, from what I hear that will do
E- Do you enjoy poking the bear?
K-Luckily for me, I am your equal, not your subordinate
And as he said it, her firm profile picture turned into a bear. But this time, Winnie the Pooh.
Emma couldn't help herself, she was smiling, and for reason she could not explain, switched over to his own profile, humming in anticipation. There was a photo of one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, with bright blues eyes and Emma laughed at how clever he must have been to replace his picture with a fake first.
E- Nice photo yourself there Mr. computer pirate
K- I am rather dashing and handsome, am I not love?
E- Okay, what do you really want?
K-I am BORED, and I have a big idea for a project... but I will need your help
And with that he explained the idea, sending over his proposal and specs and a partnership was formed
K- What are you wearing
E- Seriously, have you not heard the firms sexual harassment policies
K-Hmm, I just taught the course, and was sexually harassed by my own staff three times during it
E- Sure you were, stud
K- Seriously, since you are not in the office like me, I can't decide if you are still dressed head to toe in some severe office suit anyways, or secretly hanging out in your bunny slippers and snuggie.
Emma looked down at her sweat pants and t-shirt, wishing it was something more interesting
E- Go away
K-Come on, what are you doing love?
E- Don't call me love
K- I call everyone love, love, other than Mr. Gold, and that's only as a result of the most personal of reasons
E- Well unless you want a punch to the face stop it
K- You would actually have to leave your apartment to do that
E- What did you think of the modifications...
K- As always, you are bloody brilliant swan...
Once it started, it was almost everyday. They sent each other there work for second opinions, theybantered with each other in the process. It did not take long for Emma to admire his work, his approach so different from hers and yet their ideas fitting together, completing the puzzle with their separate pieces. On the days he was silent, Emma could not help but feel impatient all day, feeling the loss. And hating the time difference which limited their communication.
E- Why did I get a package from you ?
K- It is the autographed photo of me for your Killian shrine
E-Now I am even more afraid to look. Which model are you now?
K - Pardon? I assure you my own face would do fine
E- I still can not decide if you are a man whore or some nerdy ackward guy living in his mother's basement living vicariously through the computer while admiring your Star Wars figures
K-How about an nerdy man whore?
E- What is in the box Killian and why?
K- Because it is your birthday?
E-How did you know it was my birthday?
K_ I am a genius computer hacker Swan
E-Stay out of my private business Killian
K- Look sorry love, all I found was some old adoption paperwork, that seems not to have been completed... I literally only know your race, your age and that at three years old you weighed a shocking chubby 37 pounds.
E_ Seriously, stop it
Emma was not impressed that he had been poking around in her private life. She considering returning the favour, but really did not want to know, not wanting to burst the enjoyment to discover he was 600 pounds and a convicted child molester or anything. It was easier to open up and talk to him if he did not feel real, he was distant from her, so that she was still... safe.
K-Look I am sorry love, I was curious, and its like you wiped the whole internet of a trace of yourself
E-What is in the box Killian?
K_ Like I said, a birthday gift
Emma opened the box to find a beautiful leather copy of a book of fairy tales, but clearly an antique. Something was special about that book, looking both aged and loved, and she breathed in the smell before she could stop herself. There was an inscription in it, one faded with time from a father to his darling girl. The other, more recent, in a sharpe and clear print said simply "Happy birthday Swan, from Killian. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that inscription, except that it was to her, and Emma could not remember a time that she had a birthday gift, let alone one that was sent with thought and care.
She clutched it to her chest, ran her hand in wonder down its spine. She had no idea what to type, how to respond to such a gesture.
E- It's beautiful Killian. Thank you. It is my first present in a long time.
K- You deserve it Swan. I saw it at this pawn shop and for whatever reason, the book wanted you. It was between that or " How to leave home and rejoin society in 348 easy steps".
E-ha ha
E-Nice work on the project by the way. You filled in my weak pieces.
K- I hate to upset you Swan, but we make quite the team.
Within six months of this she was more than a little in love with him, him getting around her walls as he was never quite real, to far away to have a face or even a voice.
And Emma liked it that way. It brightened her days without really risking herself in the process. Or at least that what she told herself.
And how he crept into her heart without her even hearing his voice or seeing his face.
The very thought of him was enough.