Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time
Part I
Uh, oh, oh, uh, oh, oh
You were in college working part time waiting tables
Left a small town never looked back
I was a flight risk with a fear of falling
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts
"Mine" Taylor Swift
Emma bit her lip as she hovered over her criminology text book, pen in hand as she scribbled notes in a spiral notebook. Her hand reached out blindly to pick up her hot cocoa. "Shit!" She muttered as she knocked it over, scrambling to pick up her book and spiral before the hot beverage could spread over the pages, standing up. "Shit." She muttered again.
"Hey, it's okay, lass." Her head spun and she knocked over the chair behind her at the voice, "Whoa." The man caught the chair and smiled softly at her, "Let me help you."
He was carrying a bin filled with dirty dishes, an apron tied around his body and a rag thrown over his shoulder. "Thank you." Emma murmured, a flush rising to her cheeks as she dropped his stare. His eyes were almost too blue. And the accent she'd heard, her body hummed slightly as she stepped back.
He dropped the bin of dishes unceremoniously on another chair at the table before he leaned down and wiped the table, "I can get you another coffee."
"Um, it was hot cocoa actually." She whispered, "With cinnamon on top."
He quirked an eyebrow at her, "Interesting. I'll have to try it one day." He patted her arm lightly, "I'll be right back, lass."
"Thank you." Emma murmured as he picked up the now empty mug and walked away. Sitting back down, Emma spread her things out again, attempting to dig back into her studies.
A moment later a steaming mug was placed in front of her, looking up, her eyes connected with the busboy's, "There you go, lass." He winked at her, "Enjoy."
Biting her lip, Emma smiled softly, "Um, thank you," she paused at the end.
"Killian." He held out his hand.
"Emma." She shook it.
Winking at her, Killian tossed his towel back over his shoulder, "See you around, Emma."
Emma felt the flush return to her cheeks as she ducked back into the book once again, determined to finish outlining the chapter.
OUAT
"So did you get anything other than his name?"
Emma rolled her eyes and looked back down at her textbook, "Yes, Ruby. I also got his date of birth, his social security number and his passport number." Emma muttered.
Slamming her hand down in the middle of the page of Emma's book, "Em, this is the first guy you've even mentioned since Neal. Well, other than David and Victor and they don't count." Ruby told her.
Emma sighed and poked her friend, Ruby's, hand with her pen, "Move your damn hand and there's nothing to tell. He was just a hot waiter."
"We're so going there tomorrow for lunch." Ruby informed her, "Mary Margaret," Ruby grinned as their girlfriend approached their library table, "We're going to Granny's tomorrow for lunch."
"Granny's?" Mary Margaret grimaced, "I thought we agreed after David got food poisoning there we weren't going back."
She sat down and quirked an eyebrow at Ruby who was glaring at Emma, "Well," Ruby began, "Emma went there to study yesterday and she met a guy."
Emma groaned, "I did not meet a guy." She snapped.
"Oh, touchy." Mary Margaret grinned at Ruby, "So, Rub, who was he?"
"His name is Killian. He's got an accent."
"Like northern or southern or"
"Like Irish." Ruby's eyes glimmered, "So I'm thinking we ditch the dudes for lunch tomorrow and have lunch there."
"I think it sounds like a plan. Don't you, Emma?" Mary Margaret asked.
"No, it doesn't, but something tells me if I didn't agree Ruby would drug me, tie me up, put me in her trunk and then tie me to a chair in the middle of the stupid diner anyways." Emma quipped.
"Something like that." Ruby agreed.
OUAT
Emma crossed her arms and frowned at Mary Margaret and Ruby who were seated in the booth across from her, "Are we seriously here?"
"Yes we are and I want to," Ruby's eyes lit up, "oh my." She murmured.
"Where is he?" Mary Margaret asked quickly.
A moment later a mug was set in front of Emma. Emma looked up startled, "Killian." She murmured.
He grinned down at her, "Hot cocoa with cinnamon." He winked at her, "And you were right, it is delicious."
Emma flushed and wrapped her hands around the mug for comfort, "Thank you."
He tore his eyes away from her and asked, "And what can I get you lasses?"
Ruby's eyes were simply gleaming, "I'll just have a coffee."
"Same." Mary Margaret sang out.
"Thank you, Killian." Ruby called out as he walked away.
Emma's head fell to the table, "Holy shit, you two are humiliating."
"Oh my God, she definitely likes him." Mary Margaret leered. "This is going to be so much fun."
"No, it's really not. And no, I really don't." Emma's protests were muffled by the table.
"He remembered your order." Ruby nudged Emma's leg with her calf, "He likes you too."
Raising her head, Emma replied, "No one likes anyone. Can we just finish up and leave, please?" Emma asked.
"Ugh, you're so no fun." Ruby whined.
OUAT
Emma bit her lip and looked down into her Solo Cup of beer. Her mind was still on her criminology exam from earlier in the day. "You did fine, Ems."
Emma looked up at David's voice, "I don't know." She admitted.
Rolling his eyes, he took her cup, dumped the warm beer out and refilled it with a cold cup, "Try to have fun tonight. It's a party. The semester is done. Forever." He grinned. "Well forever for everyone but Victor because that dumbass is going to medical school."
"Smartest dumbass I've ever met." Emma quipped.
"No joke." David gently rubbed her shoulder, "Come on, Robin just showed up with some guy he knew back home who just moved to town." He nudged her forward, "Come have fun with the rest of us."
Emma rolled her eyes. Robin was a late addition to their group who brought a sometimes pleasant Regina (his girlfriend) with him. His girlfriend could be enough of a dramatic evil queen, she could only imagine how his friend was. "Fine."
"Hey, the guy's nice." David told her. "Have you seen Mary Margaret or Ruby? I want them to meet him too."
Emma shrugged, "No, I've been hiding." She scowled, "Unsuccessfully though since you found me." She sighed, "So what's this guy's name?" Emma asked.
She stopped as they stepped on the patio. "Emma?"
David frowned and looked over at Emma who simply said, "Killian? You're Robin's friend?"
"You're David's friend?" Killian asked.
"You two know each other?" David asked.
"Hot cocoa with cinnamon." Killian smiled at her.
Emma found herself flushing as she looked at her feet. "Um, what am I missing?" David asked.
"Oh what a nice surprise." The patio door opened again, revealing Victor who found Ruby and Mary Margaret, "Mary Margaret, look, it's Killian." Ruby grinned widely at Emma.
OUAT
XOXO
MAS