Her neck is creaking after sitting in the same position for more than five hours. It's warm and a little stuffy so she rolls down the window and smiles when a gust of cool, damp air hits her face. Beside her, her son is dozing; his cheek pressed against the window, his phone sliding out of his hand and the game of Minecraft forgotten. A soft smile passes her lips as she tosses him a brief glance.
Most kids would have made a big deal out of being moved 1,000 miles away from everything they had known. But Henry? She was convinced he was twelve going on twenty.
The evening she had broken the news that she was being transferred, he had amazed her with his response.
"Whatever makes you happy, Mom. I can make new friends in Maine. We have the internet, Facebook…I can keep in touch with my friends here too."
She had wanted to hug him tight (and she did, until he wriggled free, wiping his cheek where she had layered him in wet kisses).
"So, I get to go to a new school?"he had asked, suddenly excited.
"I guess,"she'd shrugged in reply, having not yet really gotten down to thinking about the practicalities. "But our first job, is to pack…"
It had taken two weeks of evenings and weekends to box up their apartment. A small mountain of bags had been taken to goodwill and a similar amount to the recycling depot, until less than three weeks after she had announced the move, the two had packed up a U-Haul truck, ready for the ten hour drive.
"Mom."
Shaken from her recollections, she replies, "Hmmm?"
"Where are we?"
In just that moment, the road dips into a wooded area. A large wooden sign greeting visitors announced 'Welcome to Storybrooke.'
"We're home,"she replies with a contented sigh.
/
Kilian Jones is damn tired.
Last night's date with Ruby Lucas had been…interesting, to say the least. Mid-week socializing was not his usual style, but when a sexy brunette with legs up to her ears only has one night off, what's a man to do?
Pulling his collar a little bit higher, he smirks as he walks into Storybrooke Middle School. The memory of her lips nuzzling against his neck will certainly make the day more pleasurable. He always hated Thursdays - double English with his sixth grade class followed by debate with his homeroom kids. Yet he had a good feeling that today would buck that trend.
Sliding into the teacher's lounge, he quickly fills a glass with water to ease his mild hangover and then fixes a strong cup of coffee to rectify the tired ache he's carrying on his shoulders.
"Heavy night ,mate?"
At the sound of his best friend's voice, he pauses and turns. Robin Locksley, PE teacher and partner in crime, is sauntering towards him, a teasing smile on his lips.
"Not bad,"Killian quips, turning back to his coffee.
"Come on,"Robin pleads, moving to lounge against the countertop beside him, "You can't leave me hanging like this!"
Slowly, Killian stirs in two sugars and then lifts his cup to take a sip. Robinscowls.
"A gentleman never tells."
Scoffing, Robin pulls out his own cup from the cupboard and pours his own drink. "You, a gentleman? Pull the other one!"
And Killian knows he is right. After all, you don't get a reputation as the town's biggest womanizer with romance and red roses. He leans closer to his friend, conscious that the lounge was beginning to fill. As much as he wasn't ashamed of his private life, he didn't exactly boast about it at work. Maintaining a professional facade suited him better.
"She wears Chanel number 5 and no panties. She prefers being on top and gives amazing head. And she likes two eggs and bacon for breakfast."
Giving a quick wink, he turns on his heel and goes for the door, leaving Robin grinning and shaking his head behind him.
Ah yes, he thinks sipping his coffee as he heads to his classroom, today will be a good day.
/
"Do you have your lunch money?"
"Yes Mom."
"And you'll call me at lunch to let me know how it's going."
With a wry smile, Henry lifts his phone from his hoodie pocket.
Emma knows she is overreacting.
"Mom, I'm twelve, you know."
"I know,"she sighs, tugging him close, "I forget sometimes though."
Reaching over, she gently ruffles his hair until he laughs and grabs the door handle. She joins him outside, locking the rental car she has for her first couple of weeks in town and the two of them head for the tall, red brick building.
It's autumn, and the steps to the entrance are covered in a blanket of curling, orange-toned leaves. The wide wood and glass doors remind her of her old high school in Boston. A flash of nostalgia slips over her as they head inside and walk to the administration office.
Everyone is friendly and open (she's missed that living in a big city) and she's asked to wait while they find Henry's homeroom teacher. As it's his first day, they like to have parents and teachers meet briefly - to put a name to a face, if you will.
There is a row of plastic chairs lined along a wall outside the office. Behind them is a notice board advertising bake sales, dances, the PTA…
She feels good. This was a good decision. Moving someplace cozier, smaller- yes. It was a good choice.
Henry is fidgeting with his backpack. She knows he is a little nervous, no matter how much he hides it. It's a big thing, changing schools. And she loves that he is so open to all this.
Because yes, moving here has meant she could accept a promotion, and yes, they'll have a house now - not an apartment - and he'll have a bigger room and she'll have a nicer car…but more than that, she realized that it is a fresh start for them both.
Footsteps break her from her reverie. She turns to Henry and squeezes his arm.
"Miss - Swan?"
At the sound of her name she twists her head. And her breath catches.
The man in front of her is holding out his hand. Henry has stood already beside her. She's dumbstruck for a moment.
He's handsome. Dark hair, blue eyes…that layer of stubble that she finds so attractive on a man. Her stomach flips a little and she mentally chastises herself, feeling the blush creep up her chest as she takes his hand and shakes it.
(And hell, it's warm and large and soft and strong at the same time…)
"Um, yes,"she finally manages to say, dipping her head to hide her blushes behind her long blond hair.
"I'm Mr. Jones. I will be Henry's homeroom teacher this year."
"Mr. Jones,"Henry quips, reaching out his own hand to shake the man's offered one. Emma smirks at the expression on the boy's face - so serious and business like. "Nice to meet you."
"And you too,"Mr. Jones replies.
Emma shifts on her feet, her fingers tangling in the leather strap of her purse that she is still holding in front of her.
"So,"he begins, lifting up a sheath of papers he has in his left hand, "You just moved here? From Philadelphia?"
"Yeah,"Emma nods, feeling the heat in her cheeks cool a little, "I work for Mills Security Consultants. I'm heading up the North East division."
"Congratulations,"he smiles, his voice warm, his accent (she just noticed it - how did she just notice it…) wrapping gently around the words and she can't deny her stomach jumps a little.
"Thank you…Um, on that note I am going to be late if I don't leave now."She looks at Henry and squeezes his shoulder, "You okay?"
"Yes Mom,"he answers, his voice a little exasperated, "I'm fine. Now go, please-"
And she kinda knows that he is acting that way because the hallway is starting to fill with students and a good first impression in a new school does not involve your mom kissing you goodbye on your first day. "'Kay,"she nods.
Maybe it's a little rude, but her head's a bit fuzzy from the nerves of leaving her son at a new school and starting a new job (and, yes, her son's rather attractive new teacher), but she hauls her purse onto her shoulder and begins to walk away.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Swan."
It's him. She twists on her heels and smiles, "You too,"she replies, before dashing off to the car, her heart racing as she checks her watch.
Damn, she's going to be late after all.
/
She was ten minutes late. In the Philly office that would have earned her a disapproving look or two from some of her more obtuse (childless) colleagues. But she was surprised to find herself welcomed with open arms by the small team she was now to head up.
It had always amused her that such a big company was headquartered in such a small town, but Regina Mills, the CEO, was born and bred in Storybrooke and insisted on the company keeping its roots in Maine. That said, the small office at the south end of Main Street was run by a minimal staff, with division heads for each region that coordinated the local offices that stretched across 32 states and the executive office where the board sat.
The day flew by as she learned the ropes. Lunch was a fun occasion. The team had taken her to a local diner, Granny's, that they assured her did the best burgers in three states.
(They were right.)
She'd negotiated getting off work early three days a week so she could pick up Henry from school. It was a little thing in some ways, but something she'd never been able to do in Philadelphia. Sure, it'd mean some early starts and weekend work, but it was worth it.
So she's at the school ten minutes before the final bell. They'd agreed to meet at the office so that Emma could fill out any additional paperwork the school needed (and she was a little worried he would get lost finding the parking lot. She knew it was ridiculous, but still…).
Waiting at the same spot she had left him, she stands and takes the time to read the notice board she had previously seen.
A sudden, strange, impulse overcomes her.
There is a poster asking for parents to join the PTA.
Emma Swan: security expert, great with a gun - not with a baking pan, joining the PTA? She wants to laugh.
But then she's at the office window, filling out a form as Henry trundles towards her.
"What you doing, Mom?"
"Joining the PTA,"she quietly replies, feeling a little embarrassed even in front of her son.
"You?"he cries incredulously.
"Yes, me,"she sniffs, the tiniest bit offended at her son's response. "I'm new here too, you know."
She shrugs, "Might be a good way for me to meet some new people."
Henry's face softens and she knows he gets it. The whole focus on this move has been him and how he will be happier and he will be able to make all these new friends. It must never have occurred to him before that his mom was making a big change too.
"Actually Mom, that's a great idea."
She smiles. Sometimes he was too damn mature for his own good.
/
The teacher's lounge is on the top floor of the building. It's large, deep windows overlook the front of the school. School finished five minutes ago. Students are starting to disperse. The fall winds are shaking yet more leaves from the trees as Killian watches, nursing his sixth cup of coffee of the day (but it was worth it, right? he tells himself).
Robin is beside him before he realizses - he smells like locker room sweat. "You need a shower,"Killian quips.
"You're not overly fresh yourself, mate."
Killian smiles in reply. A hangover plus a packed schedule have look him looking a little worse for wear.
"Good day then?"Robin asks, the tone of his voice laden with innuendo.
"Yes. Very good."
He stills when he sees it. That long blonde hair, being whipped up by the wind. Her fingers are clawing it away from her face. Henry is beside her.
"Hmm?"he asks, realizing Robin had said something.
"I asked if you planned on round two with Miss Lucas, but you seem a little distracted."He nudges his friend and points at the street below, "Who is she?"
Killian rolls his eyes. Was he really that transparent? Robin knew him better than anyone and even he seemed to think that Killian's mind was only ever on one thing - women.
(Which, yes, it was at the moment…)
"Miss Swan. Just moved here, her kid is in my homeroom."
The two watch as she unlocks her car that was parked twenty yards or so away from the entrance. She bends down to open the door, giving the two a very nice view of her pert derriere.
"A parent? That's a new one, even for you Jones."
"No,"he begins, tearing his eyes away to look at Robin. He sees the playful glint in his eye. "She's attractive, but you know, I like to separate work and pleasure."
"Losing your touch?"
Killian feels his pride a little wounded by the insinuation.
"Never,"he snips, draining his coffee.
"Well, if you're not interested, I might try my luck…"
"And what would Regina have to say about that?"
Robin's face turns red. His not-so-secret on/off affair with the head of the town's biggest and most successful company was a sore spot. "Nothing at the moment."
"You've broken up again?"
Robin shrugs and Killian chuckles. Give them a few days and things will be back on. It was always the same with those two.
"Look, I didn't say I wasn't interested I just don't want to dip my nib in the office ink, so to speak."
They both laugh. Saying that out loud sounded ridiculous, even to him.
"You see, I think the problem is that you can't do it. I think, that she would run a mile from you, especially when she hears your reputation."
"Seriously?"
Robin nods.
The car has driven off now and the two turn back into the room. It's empty. Most teachers leave as soon as they can after school, Killian prefers to get all his work done there, keeping that distance between work and home.
"I can see you are trying to goad me into something here, Locksley…"
Robin grins.
"A bet."
Killian raises his eyebrows.
"You try and seduce Miss Swan."
"Try?"He licks his lips. He was never able to resist a challenge.
"Yes, because when you fail, you will be fronting my bar tab at The Rabbit Hole for the next month."
"Interesting,"Killian hummed, bringing his hand up to scratch behind his ear as he thought. "And if I do succeed?"
Robin folded his arms, "What do you propose?"
An evil little smile lit up Killian's face. "When I succeed, you will stop arseing around and finally take that woman of yours out on a date. In public. And three weeks bar tab for me too."
Eyeing him, the edges of Robin's lips curve into a smile.
"Time table?"
"Give me a month,"Killian replied confidently. It was an over-estimation; of course, it had never taken him more than a few days to talk a woman into bed (usually only a few hours- if that).
"Deal,"Robin agreed, holding out his hand to shake on in. Killian grasps his friends hand and squeezes tight. "Now go get laid,"he laughs.