Emma was five when she first met Killian, although it wasn't a traditional meeting. She had just moved to another home where they were only using her as a means to a paycheck every month. The other children were much older than her so they didn't pay attention to her, just like the foster parents and so she was left alone most of the time. She didn't make friends with the other children in the neighborhood because what was the point? She was going to be gone in a few months any way. Still she couldn't complain too much about this house. She has her own room and three meals a day. The kids at school leave her alone most of the time as well, which is okay with her on most days. But even Emma Swan has days where she just breaks down.

About a month into her new school and Emma had such a day. While the rest of the children were running around playing, she had found herself a small corner in the play area and began to cry silently. She cried out of frustration for her situations. Why was she always given back? Why did no one want to talk with her? She just really wanted to go home and curl under the covers and sleep forever. When she finally looked up she saw a boy from the other class walking very awkwardly towards her.

'This human is too small,' Killian thought as he started to adjust to his new body. He'd never possessed a child before and wasn't really expecting the need for a lot of readjustment. Boy was he wrong. When he passed from the idiotic teacher to the child, he had to physically sit down for a few minutes to regain his composure. And then he was up and trying to adjust to the smaller body while walking over to the crying blonde on the far side of the play area.

He wasn't sure why but there was something about her that intrigued him. Unlike most of the other small ones here, this girl's soul wasn't as bright as the others. The others' souls gave off a sort of orange/yellow glow. Some days there were more bluish/grayish souls but this girl's soul was almost always a purple color, which meant she was sad and /or angry most of the time. Why was that? What made her so different from all other children in this place? He was determined to find out.

As he started to walk towards her, he tried to really walk as normally as he could but the body was still awkward to him. She looked up from her spot in the corner and he saw her face grow from scared to confused rather quickly.

'Why is Cayden coming over here?' Emma thought when she looked up. The way he was walking he looked like he was a zombie from one of those movies she'd seen her foster brothers watching after the parents had gone to bed late at night. His stance was slightly slanted, his arms were dangling at his sides, and he walked in a zig zag way instead of a straight line. Also, it wasn't like him to come anywhere near her, as all his friends in the other class made fun of her during recess. Was he coming over to pick on her alone? She picked up a rock to get ready to throw at him.

"Cayden! Go away or I'll make you regret it!" she yelled at him, the rock hidden behind her back. He stopped about two feet from her and held out his hand. What the heck was he doing? "I said go away!"

"Emma," Cayden said, although it didn't come out in his usual voice. It sounded scratchy and a little deeper than normal. What was going on?

"Who are you? You're not Cayden," she demanded and clutched the rock harder.

'Ah she is a bright one. Brighter than this dull thud I'm in.' he smirked. "You're right. I'm not Cayden. My name is Killian, Emma. Pleased to meet you." he said and held out his hand. The glare she gave him sent shivers down his human spine. Damn, this girl's stare could kill.

Emma blinked a few times and then slowly lowered the rock behind her back. She was pretty sure this wasn't Cayden. He was too stupid to try and come close to her without his posse. And his voice sounded weird.

"If you're not Cayden, who are you?" she asked skeptically. "And don't give me your name again."

Killian chuckled. This girl was amusing to say the least. "Emma, I'm not sure I can tell you. You may become scared if I tell you who I really am."

"Are you a ghost?" she immediately responded and he took a step back. The sparkle in her eyes caught him off guard. She really wasn't afraid. Hmm…

"Emma, how about I make you a deal?" he asked her, his voice becoming deeper. She just nodded in agreement. "You don't even know what I was going to say there, love. Are you sure you want to agree before you hear me out?"

Emma just stood up and walked forward to close the space between the two. "I trust you," she simply said and smiled. Killian smiled. The innocence of children was definitely one of his favorite traits of humans.

"Alright then. My deal to you is this. In two weeks' time when I'm done with my current… job… I'll come and visit you. Then I shall tell you who I really am if you're still interested. How does that sound?" he asked.

Emma jumped up and down with glee and hugged him. She didn't care that the body she was hugging was technically Cayden. Right now she hugging Killian, a potential new friend, who just promised to actually visit again. And for once in her life, she believed a promise to her was going to be kept.