Based on the song His Favorite Christmas Story by Capital Lights

Killian Jones frequently spent Christmas alone, but that could be blamed on his work. He spent most of his time moving from town to town along the coasts selling boats, and as such his house in Boston was hardly used. This year he found himself at Christmas party being thrown in the lobby of the hotel in Maine he was staying at, and he was thinking very seriously about ducking out early when he saw her.

The woman standing across the room was a vision. Her golden hair was elegantly curled and pinned up from her face, and she cut quite the figure in her red dress and lipstick to match. She was strikingly beautiful and he felt the sudden need to hang around for a while, if only to see who she was attending with.

But as time passed, he began to realize she didn't have a date. She was standing with two people, who were very obviously a couple, and she looked the definition of the third wheel. Finally, after more than half an hour of watching her, he found himself weaving through the crowd towards her.

Here goes nothing he thought, clearing his throat. "Excuse me," and he almost lost his nerve when her green eyes flashed to meet his and bloody hell she was so beautiful. "I was wondering if perhaps I could have the honor of a dance with you?" he asked, the knot in his stomach sinking when her eyes flashed with uncertainty.

Her friend, a woman with short dark hair, pushed her shoulders gently and whispered a gentle "Go," and when the she put his hand in his and he led her to the dance floor in the center of the room, Killian felt as if the world had somehow gotten brighter.

"I admit, I was a little uncertain there for a second, love. I've been working up the courage to ask you for a while now," he said as he put his hand gently on her waist.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to either. You can thank my friend for that," she said with a cautious smile.

"Tell her I am forever grateful," he returned her smile and she softened even more.

The next few hours he spent with her flew by. When she told him she had to take a break from dancing because "her feet were killing her," he moved to let her go but she tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him to the side of the room with her to find somewhere to sit.

He learned that the people she was with were her college roommate and her friend's fiancé, and that she had spent the first few years of her life in foster care. He learned that she liked cinnamon on her hot chocolate and that autumn was her favorite season because of the colors.

At three in the morning they were the last ones in the room, dancing to music in their heads because the band had already packed up and left, with hotel staff working to clean up from the party. Her head was on his shoulder, her nose settled into the crook of his neck, and his nose in her hair and he didn't want to ever let her go. She pulled away first and he saw she was reluctant as he to walk away.

When the cab he called for her arrived and he opened his mouth to tell her good night, she leaned in to kiss him. He learned that a simple press of her lips against his could make stars erupt behind his eyes. Everything seemed to stop and the world made sense. He chased her lips when she pulled away too soon, and she lingered a few moments longer with her forehead pressed against his. Her breath was warm on his lips when she whispered good night and he lingered outside for a few minutes after the cab took her away, still feeling the electricity that had run between them and the touch of her on his lips.

It wasn't until he had settled into his bed and was drifting off to sleep that he realized that out of all that he learned about her, he had never learned her name.

~K&E~

Three years to the day since he had met her, and he still hadn't seen her again. No one at the hotel knew who she was because she wasn't a guest, and he had similar luck asking about her companions.

This year he was sitting in a small family owned diner somewhere in New York, brooding. The young waitress, Ruby according to her name tag, sauntered up to refill his coffee cup.

"Any particular reason you're alone and at a diner on Christmas?" she asked, causing him to smile. He could appreciate her bluntness.

"I travel for work. This is a frequent occurrence for me," he indicated his plate of food.

"Oh, I've always wanted to travel and see the world. Have you been anywhere exotic? Have you ever seen a lemur? Tell me a story about somewhere you've been," she said, flopping down across from him in the booth. Not that it mattered, he was the only one there.

"I stay along the east coast, so no lemurs, no," he chuckled, then started thinking over all the stories he had from his work. Surely he had many, but only one took form and came to the forefront of his mind, and he smiled.

"There's only one story I can think of. It's about a girl with no name. I met her at a Christmas party three years ago. She was so beautiful, so much so that I'm pretty sure I forgot to breathe when I first saw her. I spent a while working up the courage to ask her to dance and when I finally did and she accepted, it was perfect. We spent the rest of the evening together and by the end of it I was half in love with her. I never asked her name though, and I haven't seen her again," he finished.

"Why can't I meet someone like that," Ruby said, more to herself than to him. "But you have tried looking for her, right? Do you think you'll ever find her?"

"I've been looking for her ever since we parted. And yes, I'll see her again. I don't know how I know it, but I do." He looked up at the clock hanging behind the counter. "I really must be heading out, I have a train to catch. But it was lovely talking to you, Ruby," he said pulling on his coat and placing some bills on the table to cover his bill.

"Thanks for the story. I hope you find her someday."

"Oh I will, the question is when," he winked at her before stepping out the door into the cold December air.

~K&E~

Five minutes later, the door to the diner flew open again and Emma Swan stormed in, her cheeks flushed from the cold as well as exertion.

"Ruby I am so sorry, Mary Margaret and David were stuck in traffic and I couldn't leave Henry alone," she rushed to explain, trading her winter coat for the red apron she wore around her waist and pulling her long blonde hair up and away from her face.

"It's not like he'd get into trouble, that boy is the most well behaved five year old I think I've ever met," Ruby teased. "But it's really no trouble, it's been slow around here anyway. Although if you had been on time, you would have met this really attractive guy. I mean he's basically in love with this girl he met a few years ago, but he was still nice to look at."

Emma rolled her eyes at Ruby's antics. "No matter how many times you try to set me up, you know Henry is the only man I have time for right now," she said.

"I know that's what you've said, but there has to have been at least one guy you've met since Henry was born that made you reconsider," Ruby pushed, and started pulling on her coat.

Emma froze, and for a second she was a million miles away, remembering dark hair and the bluest eyes she'd ever seen and a kiss that had stuck with her for the last three years. It was all the answer Ruby needed. "You're thinking about him right now, aren't you?" she smiled.

Emma shook her head, returning to the present. "It doesn't matter now, I haven't seen him in years. I can handle everything here, you go home and enjoy the rest of the day," she nodded towards the door, smiling gently at her friend. Her smile dropped the moment the door closed, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts lingering on the handsome stranger that had no idea how much he had changed her life.

~K&E~

Killian's meeting with Ruby spurned his desire to find his mystery dance partner even more. More than once he returned to where they had first met, hoping she had the same desire to see him again and would think the same way he did. He continued his travels, constantly on the lookout for her, in every town, in every face he passed at every train station because he just knew he was going to see her again, some day.

Every time someone would ask him for a story, he would tell them about her. Part of him hoped that perhaps she would do the same and someone, somewhere would recognize their story and would tell him that they knew her and be able to help him find her, but no such luck. He would get an encouraging smile and an "I hope you find her again," and that was it.

Over twenty years had passed since that night, and he decided it was time for him to stop his travels. He was getting older and wasn't as energetic as he used to be so he retired to his house in Boston that had barely been used for years. Neighbors came to introduce themselves and brought their kids along to be friendly, and their reluctance to be dragged along by their parents quickly changed to enthusiasm when they heard some of his stories. Soon he found it was a regular occurrence for a one or two to come by and ask for one, and he didn't mind. He had no one else anyway.

It became somewhat of a tradition that every Christmas Eve, all the kids in the neighborhood would gather at his house and he would tell them about the girl with no name that he had met decades ago. He told it so often he was pretty sure most of them could quote it. Every year, at least one would tell him that this would be the year he would find her and every year he would feel hopeful again.

~K&E~

It had been over twenty years since Emma had met him, and she felt every one. A couple times she tried returning to the place they had met in the hopes of finding him, but either he didn't think to do the same or maybe he just didn't feel the need to see her again like she did him. She instead focused on her going to school while taking care of Henry and afterwards she found work at a hospital in Boston. Every year, she would go to David and Mary Margaret's house on the other side of town and celebrate with the two of them and their family.

One year, she was almost plowed over by two kids running down the sidewalk in front of David and Mary Margaret's house, one of them yelling at the other for making them late. For what, Emma didn't know.

She didn't bother with knocking when she got to the door, instead walking in and straight to the kitchen where she knew Mary Margaret would be trying to keep David away from the food.

As expected, David was trying to steal some of the cookie dough Mary Margaret was in the middle of preparing when she walked in. Her entrance distracted his wife long enough for him to steal a small bite from behind her back.

"Emma, we're so glad you could make it," Mary Margaret exclaimed, enveloping Emma in a warm hug.

"I almost didn't, two kids ran into me just outside. Seemed like they were late getting home for dinner or something," she said, returning her friend's embrace.

"Actually, there's this man that lives a couple streets away that used to travel a lot. They were probably on their way to his house to listen to his stories. They do this every year," David said, looking up from the bowl of cookie dough, from which he had stolen another bite.

"He must have some exciting stories then," Emma replied, pulling off her coat and draping it over the back of a chair. "Henry called, he's going to be a little late, but he promised he'd be here."

The rest of the night went just like any other Christmas Eve with her friends. They and Henry were her family, and all she really needed.

~K&E~

Another twenty years had gone by, and Killian knew he didn't have much time left. He was old and weary and his heart couldn't handle much more. It was Christmas morning, snow was falling outside the window and all over the city there were families together and celebrating. The children from his neighborhood had their own children now and he was alone. For the first time in years, he felt hopeless.

He still hadn't found her, and perhaps there was some life after death that he would see her in because this just couldn't be how it ended.

A nurse walked into his room to check on the machines monitoring his heart. She was about his age, but he could tell she had been absolutely stunning in her younger years. "How are you feeling, Mr. Jones?" she asked.

"I could be better, but seeing you sure has brightened my day just a bit," he winked.

She laughed, turning from the monitors to face him. "The other nurses warned me about you, sir, say you flatter every one of them."

"They're not you. I haven't seen you before, what's your name?" he asked, wanting to keep her there as long as possible just so he would have someone to talk to.

"Emma. I only come in a couple nights a week, so that's probably why you haven't seen me before." she smiled down at him.

"Emma," he repeated. "Lovely name for a lovely woman," he said, causing her to laugh again.

"Is your family coming in to see you today?" she asked, and his smile faltered just a bit.

"Actually I don't have any family. I've been on my own for a while now," he said, trying to keep his tone light, but he saw her face fall.

"Well, my shift is over in twenty minutes. I can come back if you'd like," she offered. He told her he would like that very much.

~K&E~

Emma knew all too well what it was like to not have family. For years she had no one and those years had left a permanent mark on her heart, to the point that she couldn't stand the thought of anyone else being alone. Especially on Christmas. Plus, there was something that was drawing her to Killian Jones in room 311.

She returned to his room and found him resting, just as she'd left him. He was obviously hurting and he looked so tired. She knew it would be a miracle if he made it through another night, and she decided she wasn't going to leave him.

He smiled when she approached him, and she settled into the chair next to his bed and reached for his hand.

"How about a story, lass? I'm sure you have many from working in a hospital," he asked, and she knew he was seeking a distraction from the pain he was obviously in.

Her mind ran through all the years she had been a nurse, but she felt the need to tell a different one. She hadn't told anyone about her mysterious dance partner in years. Not since David and Mary Margaret and once when Henry asked, but she wanted to tell Mr. Jones the story.

"Once, before I was a nurse, I was at a Christmas party in Maine with my friend and her fiancé, but I was feeling really out of place. Then this man came up to me and asked if I would dance with him. My friend pretty much accepted for me, but I'm so glad she did. We danced the rest of the night and they practically kicked us out so they could clean up. I never caught his name, but I've always felt that if I had gotten to know him more my life would have been different. I never found him though, so I'll never know," she told him the story, and his eyes slowly filled with tears as she spoke.

He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on her hand. "That's a lovely tale, lass. Perhaps you'll see him again, one of these days," he said.

"I hope so," she sighed. "I've spent the last forty years half in love with a man I don't even know his name. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?"

"I'm pretty sure I can relate. I've spent that same time searching and half in love with you too," his voice quivered when he spoke. It took her a moment to understand his words, but by that time his eyes had fallen shut and his chest stopped rising.

~K&E~

His funeral had been small; he wasn't lying when he said he didn't have any family. A few young people came, saying they had listened to his stories for years. When they found out who she was, they told her he had always had hope that he would see her again someday. She only regretted that she was too late.

A week after he was buried, Emma found herself standing by his grave, both thanking it for giving her closure and cursing it that she hadn't found him until he was on his deathbed. A cold wind stirred across the grass and whipped her now-grey hair in her face, and she felt a sense of calm come over her.

She realized she was feeling what the then-children had been talking about before, about knowing he would see her again. She hadn't felt it, that sense of knowing, for almost half a century but she did now. Somehow, she would see him again, because when two people felt as they did, there was no force in the world that could keep them apart forever.

With a watery smile, she laid a single rose on top of the stone before she turned and walked away, feeling lighter and warmer than she had in years.