A/N: I know what you all are thinking–really, another AU, Meghan? My answer is, yep, another one.

But, this first chapter serves as sort of a prologue, since you've basically already seen it! It's actually from an AU week I did a while back, but I've revamped it and changed a few things so it would fit for the story I wanted to tell. Since you all have likely read it, I'll post this one today, but I'll post the second chapter on Saturday (which is when I'll try posting them, I think)!

Anyways, enjoy!

Emma was glad that her adoptive family was traveling away from Maine for the summer. She'd never seen any real beaches before, so on their flight to California, she was anxious (though her adoptive brother, David, had told her multiple times that it was going to be fine).

Emma was only nervous for a few hours after landing-once she was standing on the beach, her toes burying into the sand and the salty air whipping at her face, she felt like she'd found her true home.

(She of course knew that wasn't the case.)

(Though, California was suddenly on her radar-she'd transfer in a heartbeat.)

Mary Margaret, David's girlfriend of four years, finally dragged Emma into the crowded waters.

"Isn't this great, Ems?" Mary grinned as she floated beside her, grinning with her face to the sky.

"The water is so cold." Emma giggled, "But, yeah-I love this. I wish I could live here."

She sighed and closed her eyes, lying back to float in the salty, cool water.

"Oh, David's motioning for me-will you be okay out here on your own?"

"I think I'll be fine." Emma grinned.

"I'll be right back." Mary replied before swimming towards the shore.

Emma hadn't been paying much attention as she laid out in the water-that is, until something very hard bumped her head.

"Hey-!" She shrieked, standing up and turning to see what (er, who) had hit her.

There was a boy standing before her with floppy, brown hair and eyes as blue as the water that surrounded them. He wore a crooked smile, setting his hand on Emma's shoulder without any inhibitions.

"I'm sorry, lass." He spoke (with an accent!), out of breath, "My board got away from me. Are you alright?"

"I'm, uh, fine." Emma replied, shrugging his hand off her shoulder.

She happened to glance down, first noticing his chiseled torso, then the marred skin around his stumped arm.

"Are you sure? My board hit you hard." The boy replied, "Can I at least bring you to shore and buy you a drink?"

"I'm not 21." Emma replied with a raised brow.

"Alright-can I buy you a lemonade?" He grinned.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Emma replied with a fake smile before turning and walking towards the shore.

"Wait!" He called after her, and Emma could hear his frantic splashing as he tried keeping up. He finally caught up to her and took one step in front of her, so she couldn't move.

"I didn't catch your name, love."

Emma raised a brow at the nickname before sighing.

"Swan. Emma Swan."

"Killian Jones." He grinned, shifting his board to shake her hand, "Are you from around here? I haven't seen you around before."

"No, I'm from Maine-we're visiting family for the summer." Emma explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Maine? That's quite a while away, love." Killian chuckled, "Perhaps you should be staying longer than the summer."

"Cute, but no." Emma replied with a tight-lipped smile, "I'll be going now. It was nice meeting you."

"Oh, I don't even get a number?"

Emma turned on her heel and started walking up the shore before replying.

"Nope." Emma smiled as she sauntered up to their beach house.

This game of cat-and-mouse just might make this summer fun, Emma thought to herself.

"You're smiling-what'd you do?" David asked, hurrying over to her.

"Nothing." Emma replied as she continued walking. He kept her pace, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Nothing illegal?"

"Nope."

"What's with the smile, then?"

"I think I might have found something to do here this summer." Emma grinned, skipping up the steps of their pathway.

"She's beautiful, mate. I swear to you." Killian sighed as he sat beside his best friend, Robin. He'd gone into the diner knowing that Robin would be there, as usual.

"Why didn't you go after her, then?" Robin grinned.

Robin had been his best friend since they were teens-they'd taken all kinds of surfing classes together, and went through all of college. After those years (and a slew of other events), the two decided to split the rent of a small beach house.

"I don't know, she just... She kind of threw me off."

"A challenge? For the great and powerful Killian Jones?" Robin teased, earning a shove.

"Shut up." Killian chuckled, "She's a challenge I'm willing to accept."

"What if she doesn't want to be your challenge?"

"I don't see how I can pass the opportunity up, Robin. If she doesn't like me, she doesn't like me. That'll be that." Killian shrugged, taking a swig of his drink, "If she does, you owe me a new surfboard."

"What? Do you know how expensive those are?" Robin shrieked.

"Mate, you work at a surf shop. You can't get a discount, or something?"

"I mean, I do, but that's still a lot of money!"

"I won't get the girl anyways, though, right?" Killian grinned.

Robin took a deep breath before shaking his head.

"You're absolutely crazy, you know that?" Robin asked as he held his hand out to shake with Killian's.

"Perhaps." Killian grinned, shaking his hand, "So, it's a deal. If I get Miss Swan to like me, I get a surfboard."

"And if you don't?"

"I'll... I'll get back into competitions."

"Wait, really?"

"That's the price of losing, mate. You up?"

"Hell yeah." Robin smiled, "Prepare to enter into a competition-I have my eyes on that invitation in Hawaii in August."

Robin chuckled and gently nudged Killian's shoulder as he left the counter.

What the hell was he getting himself into?

Killian resorted to finishing his drink before going back out into the water. It had gotten a little cloudier since he'd last been out, making him smile.

This was just his kind of weather.

The waves were always at their peak during this kind of weather-it was far enough from a storm that the waves weren't monsters quite yet, but close enough that they were considerably larger than most waves during any given day.

And, that was what Killian Jones lived for.

He hurried out to the water, running past those who were stepping out. He smiled and shook his head, continuing into the water regardless.

Once Killian was in the mindset to surf, there was no going back-no matter how cold the water was as it soaked into his board shorts and tee, no matter how rough the waves were.

He finally set his board into the water and carefully laid on it, beginning to propel himself out further. It felt amazing to be out there, surfing away without a care in the world.

He dove under a few waves, trying his hardest to get as far out in the water as he could.

As soon as he could, he sat up on his board and turned to face the waves. He bobbed as a few smaller ones passed, counting one, two waves before the largest of the group passed third.

"Finally." He beamed as the second wave in a set passed, turning himself around and paddling quickly. He could feel the power of the wave below him, making him grin as he started to stand on his board. He carefully pulled himself up as the wave reared it's head, rolling over itself. Killian couldn't keep the wide smile off his lips as he surfed easily through the roll of the wave, cheering and flipping off his board as the wave came to an end. He pulled himself back to the surface with a laugh, rubbing a hand over his face and through his hair as he glanced around.

Another large wave was headed his way, so he grabbed his board and dove under it.

This was a good day, he thought with a smile, now, if I could have just gotten her number.