Chapter 1: Arrival

"Help! Someone open up! Help Me!" Emma's fist pounded on the door so hard it hurt. But she didn't care all she cared about was getting away from him. She looked over her shoulder and saw his car racing down the long driveway. "please! He's getting closer! He's going to hurt me! Help!" tears were streaming down her face as he got closer. Images of what he has done to her while drunk flit across her mind. She opens her mouth to shout again as the door is thrown open. A man in flannel pajama pants thrust a phone in her hand and begins to make his way to the car in his driveway.

"Get inside and call the police. Tell them I have a gun." He demands and lifts his hand holding said gun as if to prove to her he does. Emma quickly shuts the door and dials 911 with trembling hands.

"911 what's your emergenc-"

"he's going to hurt me! He's outside and I have a gun. I will use it if he tries to hurt me" so what if it's a lie? She was willing to say anything as long as the police get here. And she sure didn't have time to explain everything on the phone. It's a miracle the woman over the phone was able to understand her through her sobs.

"alright hun I need a location so I can send some help." the operator said soothingly. how she remained so calm and collected was beyond her.

"um, I-I don't know. I'm i-in someone's house. On-n Carpenter road uh- past th-the McDonalds."

"okay sweetie help is on the way. I need you to stay on the line with me. You said you were in a house? Whose house is it?"

"yes. Um I don't really kno-" the man in pajama pants walked into the house and slammed the door.

"he's gone for now. Shouldn't be back tonight. I think I scared him well enough," he said with a slightly proud tone to his voice.

"oh, um-" she redirected her attention back to the operator and watched the man leave into a back room. "he-he's gone now"

"oh that's excellent news! The police will secure the area so if you see anyone around the property, it'll be them. Could you give me a description…." The questioning commenced for about 10 more minutes. After answering the questions and receiving a few comforting words from the surprisingly personable operator, she hung up the phone and handed it to the man who had returned from the back room.

He handed her the small pile of folded pajamas he brought with him, "here. They're my girlfriend's. if you want to stay for tonight until the police have made sure he's gone, you're more than welcome."

"oh uh, I don't think I should-"

"you want to go around with him still out there? Drunk, desperate men are very dangerous."

She hesitated a moment before taking the clothes. This guy can't be too bad. He did just save her, a stranger to him. she'll leave before he wakes up. "thank you."

"bathroom is down the hall to the right."

After taking some time to change and wash her face, she composes herself and makes her way to the front room. She walked out and saw him draping some sheets over the couch. "oh please stop, I've got that. I don't want to keep you up any later." She moves to grab the bedding from his hands but not before she moved them out of her reach.

"I don't think so lass. A gentleman always helps a damsel in distress." He says with a wink. She was taken aback. His anger earlier had obviously been diminished. Emma couldn't help but notice the thick Irish accent he spoke with. How could she not have noticed before?

Same reason you didn't notice how sexy he is in just his pj pants. You were in a panic.

Shut up brain.

"im not in distress! I am perfectly fine!" she flashed him a smile as if to prove her point.

"sure you're not. Especially not after what just happened. You've got it all under control don't you?" he responded sarcastically and flashed a bright smile right back. "perhaps a compromise? I'll prepare your bed and you can choose a film. Hows that?"

Well that's a stupid compromise if I've ever heard one. She smiled and rolled her eye, then begrudgingly obliged. She turned to the bookshelf next to the tv, full of vhs tapes.

Seriously? VHS? Talk about a throwback.

"101 Dalmatians? Hercules? Are all these Disney movies for your kids?" her fingers ran along the row of classic Disney tapes. There were three entire rows dedicated to Disney movies.

"I don't have any children lass. They're mind. I watch them when my girlfriend is away because she won't watch them. She hates them" his voice had a sad, empty tone talking about his girlfriend.

"what?! How do you hate Disney? I'm pretty sure that's a sin.

"Right? She's insane!" they both laughed at that while she put the movie into the VCR. After many years of not seeing, or using one, she remembered how to use it, as if it were muscle memory.

She sat in one corner of her makeshift bed and wrapped a blanket around her legs. After a couple old 1950's trailers, the man receded from the kitchen with a large bowl of popcorn. "want anything to drink? Water, pepsi, beer?"

"it's really late sir. I don't want to keep you awake. It's 2 a.m"

He must've been startled at being called sir because he quickly and finally introduced himself. "oh gods how rude of me! Im Killian Jones. And it's not a problem. I would've been up and about with or without you here." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. She could tell he was lying but gave it up. "drink?"

"alright. Um beer is fine." She followed him into the kitchen. "I'm Emma by the way." She took the can from his hand

"I know. Your drunken friend said so earlier." He poured half a can of pepsi into a glass, and filled the rest with rum. She looked down to her unopened can and back to his glass.

"can I trade this for one of those?" this drew a surprised look from Killian.

"of course! I didn't peg you as a girl for hard alcohol" he took the can from her hand and put it back in the fridge, bringing a pepsi in its place.

"oh I can handle my liquor just fine. And after everything that's happened, are you surprised?" they both gave a small chuckle. How is that she has just met this man, yet she felt so comfortable with him? So at ease. As if they've always known each other. As if her former boyfriend, Neal, had never been a problem.

"I suppose you're right." He pushed the glass, soda, and bottle towards her. "I don't know how you like your drink. Might wanna mix that yourself so I don't poison you." He gave her another wink. He appeared to be just as comfortable.

After preparing their drinks, they both returned to the couch. "ah, I see you went with Peter Pan. An excellent choice." He sat down on the opposite side of the couch from her, placing his drink on the coffee table and the popcorn in between them. After a few moments of silence between them, he spoke again. "Emma?"

"yes?" she turned to look at him and saw a concerned look cross his face.

"what happened?" he didn't need to specify. She knew exactly what he meant.

"he's my boyfriend- or was- not anymore. That was his problem." She took a deept breath before beginning her story.