Chapter One

This morning was spectacular. First he got the news that rich great aunt Ursula died,then found out he was in her will. This afternoon was a different story.

"It says here that you can't get the money until you're married , I don't know what else to tell you,"

And this is how he ended up speaking to Emma Swan. It should be noted that Killian has only spoken to Emma five times. Once to say Good Morning, another to give her her mail, then he found her son, Henry, in his apartment. Emma Swan is a woman of few words he has noticed. He has also noticed that she was struggling to get by. He thought that this money might be able to not only save his company but help her out too. It was a full proof plan, be engaged for a month, married until the money can come in then, stay together for a month until they have a quick divorce and be a few thousand dollars richer each.

He didn't know what he was in for clearly.

"What do you mean you want to get married?" Emma Swan snapped shutting the door to her apartment and facing him in the hallway.

"I mean, I need your help and that means we should get married," Killian said but then quickly shook his head and tried speaking again, she made him nervous. "My great aunt died and i'm in her will and basically I won't be able to get my hands on it until I get married, but I have to get married before my brother to gets it. My brother with the long term girlfriend."

"You want to marry me for money?" The blonde woman asked laughing a little and leaning on the door frame. "What's in it for me?"

"You're interested?" Killian asked hopeful.

"I think you're insane but I want to know how much you've thought this through,"

"Quite thoroughly actually," Killian said only now realizing that he should be embarrassed, but he wasn't oddly enough. "As for what's in it for you, half of the spoils,"

"You sound like a pirate," Emma quipped and he felt like she was sizing him up.

"Well essentially what we are doing is illegal anyways," Killian shrugged, crossed his arms and waited.

She laughed loud and right in his face.

"You're fucking insane," she said through her laughs. "No, i'm serious, I don't even know you, who the fuck are you?"

"My name is-"

"No, I know that but like what the hell is up with you?"

Killian didn't answer. Emma smiled at him.

"Look, i'll help you-" she raised a finger silencing him "but you have to tell me how much money we're talking here?"

"Close to a million dollars."

Emma's eyes widened. Then her voice dropped to a whisper.

"You're serious about this?"

He nodded and watched as Emma made a decision. Her eyes flickered all over his face and she pressed her lips tightly together. She stopped leaning on the door some time ago, but Killian failed to notice. Her hand was hanging above the doorknob and she stared at him for awhile before opening it.

"I'll help you if my son likes you, if not, you'll have to find someone else to be your wife,"

"Ah, but Miss Swan I had my heart set on you."

Killian didn't know what he had expected from Emma's apartment. It was smaller than his, cozier, he presumes. They walked down the narrow hallway where he was instructed to put his shoes in the closet. Following closely behind Emma, half expecting to be murdered, Killian took the time to appreciate her home. Pictures were on practically every wall and artwork too. It was nice, Killian had never really been anywhere where family was the main principle in it.

"Henry?" Emma said sitting beside her son at the coffee table. She noticed Killian standing awkwardly around so she motioned for him to sit in front of them. He quickly plopped himself down and waited for her to say anything.

"Mom, i'm busy doing my homework that you refused to help me on," Henry spoke quickly and didn't look up from his paper once.

"I didn't refuse to help you, Henry, I told you-"

"I'm not a baby anymore Mom-" Henry looked up from his work his cheeks turning pink the minute he locked eyes with the man in his apartment. "Why is he here?"

"This is Killian," Emma introduced them and waited for a response.

"Yeah I know, I remember breaking into his apartment,"

"What?" Killian said coughing as he choked on his own spit.

"I mean accidentally entered your home, with force?" Henry said shrugging and looking at his homework.

"What would you say about Killian and I dating?" Emma smiled at her son and Killian couldn't help but notice how tender it was.

Henry's face fell and he looked at Killian and his mother.

"Your dating?" Henry said and Killian noticed Emma look at him before answering.

"I was just asking if you'd be okay with it,"

"Does he make you happy?" Henry inquired and Killian watched as Emma flashed him a look and responded with a timid "sure,"

"Then go ahead, I guess," Henry quirked an eyebrow towards Killian.

"I have homework," Henry said picking up the pen he was writing with before.

"Is that you giving us your blessing?"

"Sure,"

Killian smiled. Emma picked up a dirty plate and walked into the kitchen, like a puppy Killian followed behind her.

"So? What's next?" Emma asked while turning on the tap and starting to wash the dishes.

"I have a plan," Killian said drying the dishes, without being asked Emma noted. "We get eloped fast and quick, then we get the money, split it, divorce, boom, and we don't have to drag anybodies family into it."

"Wait- I watched The Proposal once-"

"No, I'm sorry, this is nothing like The Proposal," Killian shook his head and placed the plate on the drying rack.

"Yeah, if it was you'd be Ryan Reynolds, and obviously you aren't."

Killian put the plate down.

"Did you just call me ugly?"

"I said you don't look like Ryan Reynolds." Emma handed him another plate and leaned over to place the plate he put on the table in the drying rack giving Killian a whiff of her hair. Coconuts.

"So! Like I was saying, they had to fool everyone and then she got to stay in America,"

"Except she didn't, she fell in love with him and ruined the entire thing," Killian corrected absentmindedly.

"You watched The Proposal?" Emma said excitedly turning off the tap and wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Of course I did, how did you think I did my research?" Emma's laugh filled the room, she was enchanting, Killian quickly realized.

"This plan came from that movie?" she placed a hand on the counter and another on her heart. "You're not serious right?"

"It's going to be an amazing plan, Swan trust me,"

"I guess i'll have to at this point," The blonde said watching her son who was staring down his family tree.

"It's the stupid family tree project thing they have to do and he doesn't have anything to fill in for his dad," Emma shook her head.

" I was like him at his age, sort of," Killian tried to tell Emma without giving away his life story, they weren't friends he had to remind himself, they had only just met. But he felt comfortable with her, and he knew she felt comfortable with him too. "I knew my father and I knew he wasn't a good man, but I still wanted to know about him." Killian shrugged.

"I just worry," she told him and then proceeded to tell him that they'd talk tomorrow and exchanged phone numbers. Emma sighed once she shut the door. It was crazy, there wasn't anything else to say either then that. Emma liked to pretend that she wasn't desperate, and that she wasn't jealous of Killian when they first met, he owned a successful company and was well off - but apparently not anymore right? If hes that desperate for money then surely he can't be rich. Maybe hes greedy? Doesn't matter. If he can give her money, Emma thinks to herself, then she will go along with it. He must've known she was desperate anyways, otherwise he wouldn't have asked her.

After Henry went to sleep Emma broke into the liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink logged into facebook and looked up Neal Cassidy, Henry's father. Who had no idea he existed anyway.

She took another sip.

Emma didn't know what she would get out of this. Oh and hes engaged and happy and Emma is single and sad.

Except she wasn't.

Standing up from her chair, contemplating bringing the wine with her, and walking down the hall to wake up Killian. This was a perfect idea! She knocked the door once, then twice. Rolling her eyes she hit the door with her fist.

"Killian Jones! Open the goddamn door!" She hollered as she pounded the door. Before she even realized the door swung open and her fist collided with a ridiculously toned chest.

"Bloody Hell" Killian took a step back and both of his hands went to where she hit him. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked as Emma walked into his apartment and found the kitchen. Why was his home so tidy? She pulled out a cold water bottle and put it on where she hit him. Oh.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"I was sleeping, when I said talk to you tomorrow I meant at like one pm not - bloody hell swan - three am,"

"It's important!" Emma said snapping her fingers in his face. "I have terms!"

"To the marriage? Sure whatever you want," Killian opened the water bottle and took a gulp of water.

"You have to meet my family-"

"What- no! Are you crazy?"

"No- Killian, this is perfect, you get money, I get money, Neal gets to fucking die-"

"Who is Neal?"

"Killian! Listen to me! He's not important! What's important is that the mole rat that he is-"

"You are scaring me Emma what is going on?"

"Look, Killian, Henry's Dad is getting engaged and he's - he's - he's a swearer rat! and I just need to see him hurting for - and it would get my entire family off of my back too and it would explain to the government why we wanted the wedding to be so quick!"

"Okay, Swan, what are you suggesting?"

"We tell them that you are Henry's dad and that-"

"Are you crazy?" Killian was trying to figure out what the bloody hell was going on with her.

"Look - I don't think you'd understand - but this would just make everything easier-"

"For who?" He interjected.

"For him!" Emma realized she was shouting.

"Okay, fine," Killian sighed "for the boy."

Emma took three steps forward and gave him a hug. Quick and fast. "Thank you," she told him.

"When this is all over what do we tell him?"

"You'll visit him on weekends and stuff, but I wouldn't hold you to that-"

"Swan, stop worrying about everything. Go home. Call your parents, tell them we are coming to..?"

"Storybrooke, Maine,"

"and that we are getting married."

hi