Hello! After being a member on FF for like…8 years… This is my first story. I made a new account for it too. Lol I just can't handle this break until 5B starts up again soooo here's the start to what I am hoping will be a fun story. I have an idea of where it's headed and I don't really have much going on with my life currently so updates should not be too far away. J Let me know what you guys think; if I should continue or if I should just stick to reading hahaha.

I've been listening to a lot of older Lady Antebellum music. So They are my current inspiration, hence the name of the story 'Need You Now'.

Disclaimer- A girl can dream…But let's be real I don't own squat.

Chapter One

The red lights flashed in his face as he stared at the clock 1:15 a.m., he rolled away to face the window. The rain hitting against the window, usually a calming feeling, made him uneasy. What happened? Everything was going so well, or at least he thought it was. He thought she would be the one, the one he would spend the rest of his life with. She didn't feel the same way. She told him so, "I can't. I didn't leave that life for a one so similar. I need change…Freedom. I'm sorry."

"Sorry" He chuckled lightly with a frown on his face, me too he thought. "Sorry for wasting my bloody time on you" He muttered again to himself.

Truth be told, he actually believed she was sorry. He knew she cared for him, he just hoped it was enough, but she was a free spirit. And when he woke up one morning to find the bed empty he wasn't surprised, but that didn't stop the hurt. It had been four years and he was still not passed her. Buggering hell, get a hold of yourself. He sighed and the rose from the bed. Padding lightly around the room to find his jeans and t-shirt he had thrown earlier. He looked at himself through the mirror next to his bed leaning against the wall, he looked exhausted. His dark hair disheveled, bags under his eyes, and he probably should shave. He made a mental note to trim the beard. You look like a bloody lumberjack. He made his way around the small apartment until he reached a flight of stairs that would lead him down to the bar. Shoes, right. He scanned the room and found his boots, slipped them on, and headed down the stairs.

The Bar was still open for another half hour, but it's Wednesday so it wasn't normally busy around this time. And as he reached the bottom of the stairs he glanced up to see he was right. There were a few staggered people sitting at the bar, while a few people occupied the tables surrounding the makeshift dancefloor which was now empty.

"Hey man, I told you I had everything covered tonight." His friend David brought him out of his thoughts. He turned towards his friend and gave him a small smile, "Aye, I know. I couldn't sleep. Figured I'd come down and help clean up the place. Keep myself busy, you know…"

David nodded at him and turned towards a man who was waving him down at the end of the bar.

He was a good man, David. A great friend really, he has always been there for him since day one. He considers him a brother. They met almost 4 years ago when he moved here; David met him at the bar and offered him a job and a room to rent almost immediately. It scared him how friendly and easily trusting he was, letting a stranger into his life so quickly. Of course he accepted without hesitation, he wanted a fresh start, to try to move on, and it was like if David could read his mind. So here they are, years later, best of friends. Who knew? David, probably he thought.

He went on to wipe off the counter, taking away the empty glasses to be washed, and threw out the contents of the full ashtrays that were scattered around. Not hearing or seeing someone sit down in front of him.

"Did you guys yell for last call yet?" The person asked.

"Bloody hell mate, you scared the shit out of me." He jumped back a little and looked up.

Blonde. Lots and lots of blonde. And green. Wow. It was a woman and she was beautiful. And he was breathless. He had no coherent thoughts. He was staring, he was sure of it. Had she noticed? Shit. Talk mate. You look like an arse.

"Soooo, last call? Can I get a drink or what?" She asked while raising her eyebrows, looking at him expectantly.

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Aye, sorry lass. What will you have?" Nice save you wanker.

"Captain and Coke" She responded and then added "Actually make that a double."

He raised an eyebrow as if questioning her but turned around to grab a glass and started making her drink. "So are you from around here? I don't think I've seen you around." He asked while adding coke before topping it off with a lime. He placed the drink in front of her and offered her a smile.

She picked up her drink and took a couple sips before responding, "No, I'm out here for work, just passing through."

He nodded at her response and then continued to clean up around her while they chatted lightly, and refilling her drink when she asked.

"So what kind of work do you do?" He was curious about her, pretty blonde in a bar alone and this time… must be one hell of a job.

"Bail Bonds" Was not the response he expected. He looked at her eyes wider than earlier, "Really? How did you end up in that line of work? You look more like an office job kind of lass." He laughed a little.

"Really?" Her question was dry, she didn't look amused. "No, not really. But I am a little surprised"

"I'm good at finding people. It just made sense, I don't know how I really got into it. I just kind of happened." She ran a hand through her hair. She knows how she got into this position, she wasn't going to let a stranger in on her secrets though. No matter how beautiful he is. Stop drooling.

"What about you, Mr. Bartender"

He froze a little and then scratched behind his ear, "Ehhhh, the owner of the place was the first guy I met when I moved here a couple years back. Really great guy, helped me with a job and place to live. Been here ever since." He waved to David who had been busy cleaning the other side of the bar, but was now watching them.

"Ohhhhh, I get it." She blushed a little and shook her head. He gave her a quizzical look and then his eyes went wide at the realization "NO, no no not like that" He laughed, but this time it was a real laugh, one that reached his eyes. "David is a good guy, a married fellow. Lovely Wife named Mary-Margret." He looked at her straight now "I'm NOT gay; to answer the unasked question here." He winked at her.

She laughed too, but more at herself smooth, real smooth. She straightened up a bit "Hey, do you know where I can get a room for the night… I don't exactly plan on driving after this." She motioned to her almost empty drink. The bar was closed now; she looked up to the clock above the bar 2:05 a.m.

"Granny's B&B down the road, you can't miss it. When you walk out of here go left." He responded without looking, clearing her empty glass into a bin he's loaded with dishes.

"Thanks…errr" She paused, she didn't know his name. Why would it matter? You're leaving, stop trying to make friends. You don't do friends. She fought herself internally.

"Killian" He turned to face her and offered his hand with a grin.

"Swan" She returned while shaking his hand.

"Your name is Swan?" He raised an eyebrow again at her.

"Yes…Well no, it's my last name. I don't make a habit of giving out my information to strangers and you know too much already." She smirked and with that she hopped off the barstool and walked towards the door. As she opened it she turned back towards him and called out, "Have a good night, Killian."

"You too, Swan." He winked at her and with that she was gone.

He finished cleaning up and grabbed a bottle of rum. Taking a seat on a barstool when David walked up to him, "Made a new friend tonight?"

"Just being friendly"

"Right well, it was nice to see you enjoy someone else's company outside of your usual group." He gave Killian a pointed look and the headed for the door. "It's okay you know"

"What is" Killian asked looking over his shoulder at David.

"To miss her… But it's also okay to meet new people too. Make new memories, you know?" David offered a small smile before heading out into the warm summer night.

Killian turned back in his seat, picked up the rum and took a swig straight from the bottle.

Milah he thought with a frown, he want's nothing more than to forget her.

But then he sees flashes of blonde and green and he smiles.

A faint whisper escapes his lips "Swan"

He wanted to see her again.

It felt like somebody was crushing her lungs, but she was so close. "You're making this a lot harder than it has to be!" She yelled ahead of her, just a little further she thought.

"Need to take a break, princess?" She heard a voice call out. She pushed herself more, dodging the trash cans the man had now knocked over.

"Keep running asshole" She muttered, turning a corner to follow him.

"You don't give up, do you?" The man looked over his shoulder back at Emma

"Not a chance Ryan, you have a date with a bunch of other embezzlers who are locked up and I got bills to pay." Yelling back to him, so close.

It's too early for this shit. She had gotten home, or rather checked into Granny's Bed and Breakfast at 2:20 this morning. Even though it was late when she got in bed, she couldn't sleep. She had replayed events from that night in her head.

She followed Ryan here to some little town called Storybrooke, Maine from Boston. She wasn't going to let a little distance keep her from a big payout. So when she arrived to Storybrooke around 10 p.m. that night she parked outside of some house across the street and had herself a little stakeout. She watched him for a couple hours, not wanting to disrupt the people who owned the house he entered. Not like it would matter if she did get him tonight. She did not want to babysit until morning when the cops would actually take over.

When she was satisfied that he would stay there for the night she made her way down the street and parked her yellow bug behind a library. Hiding it behind a building Ryan would never go near, he won't know she followed him.

She walked the streets of Storybrooke for about an hour, trying to get to know the place knowing she would be running around it tomorrow. They always run. Finally stopping when she found a bar "Who names their bar The Rabbit Hole" she muttered and then pushed the door open.

She didn't expect to end up having a conversation with the sexiest looking man she has ever seen, sexy…really? She rolled her eyes at herself.

"Come on Ryan, we've been going in circles for 20 minutes now! Give it up." She was tired and about to give up.

"Awww come on Swan, can't ke…"

Her eyes snapped up at his loss of words and she smirked. He tripped over someone's dog.

"ahh"

Ryan yelped a little when he felt the pressure of her boot come in contact with his back. "You missed your court date. Why don't we go find the local sheriff and fix that" she gave him a smug smile before cuffing him and yanking him to his feet. "Start walking" and she pushed him along.

Her thoughts of last night caught up to her again, Killian. He was something else and his accent oh god what was that…Irish? It was fantastic. Too bad she was leaving after this. Always Running Emma, she thought.

"Look alive Ryan, we're here…I think" Emma looked up at the small sheriff sign and then pushed the door open.

"Hello?" Calling out through a hall while pushing Ryan forward.

"Door on the right" She heard a man with an accent call out.

"Walk Ryan, I don't want to spend all day here."

They walked through the door and came face to face with the sheriff, "This is Ryan, he skipped town before they could lock his ass up. Normally I would drive him back myself but I'm not headed back that way yet. You think you could help me out…uhhh" Emma asked as she looked at the man. He was attractive but not like Killian; she read his name tag "Sheriff Graham".

"Eh, sure…what's your name miss?"

"Swan, Emma Swan. Look normally they give me cash for this but…" She went over to his desk and picked up a piece of paper and pen, writing down a P.O. box on it, "Just have them mail a check here and I'll pick it up when I get back in town." She handed him the paper.

Emma turned to Ryan who was fumbling around with his handcuffs, "Stop skipping out, even though it's my job, it's annoying. I'm tired of coming after you" and then turned back to the sheriff "He's all yours, If I don't get paid I'll be coming after you next." And with that she pushed Ryan his way and walked out the door.

Freedom

She always wondered why she kept up with this job. It payed well and she's free, but she was lonely. Why was she in this line of business again? Oh, right. Neal. Her thoughts always going back to him. The guy who set her up to take the fall, the guy who said he had loved her, who was supposed to marry her. Instead he got her arrested for crap she didn't do, for a life he was hiding from her. Piece of shit. The second she got arrested she made a deal to help them find him, it turns out she is good at finding people. So they kept asking for her help and well... here she is.

Emma sighed. She doesn't want to think of him, thats why she wandered into a bar last night. To forget him. Boy did she forget him. A flash of blue eyes ran through her head. His eyes were SO blue, like the ocean. She smiled.

Emma's stomach rumbled and she glanced at the clock tower, 1:15 p.m.… Jesus, she spent all morning getting that guy. Realizing she hasn't eaten today she walked around the town until settled on Granny's for food, she hadn't checked out yet so might as well kill two birds with one stone.

The door to the diner swung open before she could pull the handle and David walked out with Mary-Margret in tow, almost knocking Emma over.

"Whoa, slow down buddy"

David looked up "Oh god I'm so... Hey you're the girl from the bar last night!"

"I'm sorry?"

"You were still there after we closed? You were the girl sitting at the bar talking to Killian, right? Bartender guy- tall, dark, and broody? I'm David! I own the bar and this is Mary-Margret, my wife!" David rambled off to Emma who was just staring wide eyed.

Mary-Margret quickly took over the second she heard her name, "Welcome to Storybrooke, we don't get many new people around here. It's really nice to meet new faces! How do you know Killian!?"

Emma stood there dumbfounded. Never in her life has she met someone so excited to meet her, let alone two people. "Uhhh…" She was a little as loss for words but eventually formed a coherent sentence.

"I actually don't know him; I was just passing through for work. But now I'm checking out now and I'll be on my way soon." She said slowly, not wanting to upset the happy couple.

"Oh, well you should stay awhile. At least get to know it before you leave!" Mary-Margret stated with excitement.

They looked disappointed though she thought, "Right, well it was nice meeting you…excuse me" She added quickly and walked into Granny's.

Emma peeked a glance back outside to see that the couple had walked away. The town did seem nice; maybe she didn't have to leave yet. Thinking back to that man with the accent, dark hair, and strikingly blue eyes maybe she would stay for one more night. Just one.

Emma smiled when she thought about him, Killian.

Maybe she would like to see him again.

I hear crickets… lol Seriously let me know what you think please!

Also, if there are any mistakes let me know please! No one else has read this so far except me!

Thanks, xo

Emily