(AU setting in which Emma Swan is a criminal private investigator. Her life takes a turn when her boss tells her she must now work with a man named Killian Jones who doesn't even have a clue what a private investigator does.)
Emma Swan rushed into the kitchen grabbing her thermos. She went into the fridge and quickly took out the lunch she had prepared the day before plus an apple and stuffed it in her bag. She scanned the large apartment making sure she hadn't forgotten anything and noticed the folder on the coffee table.
"Dammit. Almost forgot that."
She ran to get it, grabbed her car keys hanging near the door and shut the door behind her.
Emma didn't usually wake up late, but she was up all night putting the finishing touches on her project proposal for her boss so she slept through her alarm. Emma paid no attention to speed limits hoping she would not be stopped by a cop. She could not be late today.
At 7:56 she was rushing into the building.
"Just in time." She whispered, proud that she was able to make it before 8:00.
She ran up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, placed her stuff on her desk and quickly walked into conference room her folder in hand.
"Emma! I knew you wouldn't be late," her boss exclaimed as soon as she walked through the door.
Emma nodded. "Couldn't miss such an important meeting." She took a seat next to her coworkers.
Robert Jones, her boss, was a nice man who cared a lot about work production. That is why he liked Emma so much. Out of all her coworkers she had been the one to solve the most cases in the past year. If you asked anyone else working in the company they probably might tell you that Robert Jones liked Emma like a daughter. He trusted Emma with the toughest and delicate cases and Emma had never let him down. For this reason, Emma was 100 percent positive that the folder in her hand would please him.
Mr. Jones had asked all his employees to come up with an innovative idea that would improve the company. He had given them all a month, but Emma had already been planning an idea long before that. Four months of coffee driven late nights laid in the folder in front of her. Today was going to show all her coworkers that she did deserve all the praise given to her by . This was her chance to show them if the greater things she could achieve. Emma thought proudly.
took a seat and started talking again. "Well now that we're all here, it's time to make an announcement. As you know I have asked you all to come up with an idea to bring something new to this company. We've gathered all here to share our ideas, but there's been a change of plans."
Emma panicked. She hated when there was change especially when she didn't expect it.
"I realized that I'm getting very old and that means that I can't run this company forever, but I do hope to keep it within the family. That is why today I'd like to introduce you all to my son." He signaled towards the door behind me.
"Killian, come in."
Through the door walked in a dark haired man, blue eyes and a stubble beard. The first thing that Emma noticed were his dark clothes. Black dress shirt, leather jacket, black jeans and black dress shoes. Emma didn't know Mr. Jones had a son. Mr. Jones never mentioned him, not that he said much about his private life and Killian had never been at any of the companies parties or social gatherings. This man certainly looked nothing like, Mr. Jones. Instead of Mr. Jones' kind eyes this man had fierce eyes and instead of a welcoming smile he had a forced smile and a smug look.
"Hello everyone." Killian greeted with an accent as his eyes darted across the conference room. He didn't look happy to be here.
Mr. Jones put is arm around his son. "Killian here will be sort of like your vice president. He has no experience yet, but in good time I'm sure he'll learn everything he needs to know about Jones and Co. Here's the even most exciting part. After he's got everything under control he will be picking one of the ideas that you have brought with you today."
Emma almost broke the pencil in her hand. The guy who Mr. Jones just said did not have any experience was going to pick the company project? How would she be able to prove herself now?
"Yet another announcement!" Mr. Jones exclaimed happily to everyone's bored faces.
"Killian will be working with one of you to be able to learn how our crime investigating company works. After a lot of thought I decided that it would be best to place him with someone with a lot of experience."
Emma crossed her fingers. She hated working with people and thought she always did a better job alone. In that moment she would have given anything for Mr. Jones to say any name but hers.
"Killian will be working with Emma." He applauded and everyone slowly joined in. Killian gave her a small smile.
Emma smiled back and nodded, but in her head all she could say was Great. Just my luck.
A couple of minutes later, the man Emma still didn't believe was Mr. Jones son sat by her desk with his feet propped up on her table.
"Are you sure Killian wouldn't work best with someone else? I mean I just think I work best alone."
Mr. Jones laughed as if she had just said the funniest thing in the world. "Nonsense. I know Killian will work faster with you."
Emma looked back as Mr. Jones walked away to answer a phone call. She saw Killian messing around with the pencils on her desk. Then he looked up and winked at the woman, Emma's coworker on the right desk who had been starting at him.
"Unbelievable." Emma said under her breath and walked towards her desk.
He stood up as soon as she neared him. "Emma swan. Pleased to meet you." He extended his hand and Emma took it reluctantly.
"Kilian Jones, at your service." He slightly bowed then sat back down on her seat, stretched back and placed his get on top of her desk yet again.
"Okay...first things first. Feet off the table." Emma hadn't spent two minutes with the man and she was already thinking he was the most annoying thing. Killian slowly put his feet back on the ground.
"So tell me what you know about criminal investigating."
Killian scratched his beard thinking. "Well, I've read a few mystery books and have watched my fair share of crime shows. Practically the same thing right?"
Emma narrowed her eyes. How infantile was he to think that reading a couple of books and tv shows could make him an expert at this job.
"No. Not the same thing. This is an actual job. Let's start easy. You have heard of a stakeout right?"
Killian furrowed his eyebrows. "A what?"
Emma resisted not to slam her head against the wall in frustration and instead simply lifted her hands with impatience.
"Do you know anything about what we do in this company?"
Killian grinned. "Honestly...not a clue."
Emma shook her head. She couldn't believe how proud he seemed that he was clueless of what would now be his job. A job that he didn't have to work hard for since it was just given to him by his father. Not only did she got stuck with a partner when she didn't want one she also got stuck with a man who was irritating and arrogant.
Killian picked up the stapler and started opening and closing it. Apparently he had Emma's anger was showing because he said,
"You know...you don't seem happy to have me here."
Emma took the stapler from his hands and almost slammed it back down on her desk.
He looked up at her with that smug look she already despised.
"If you can't handle it I could always ask my father to give me another partner."
He raised his eyebrows at Emma's coworker. "Like her. I'm sure she'd be happy to work with me." Emma's coworker looked back and her eyes seem to melt with delight.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh I can handle it. The real question is can you handle this job?"
"Of course I can. Just wanted to make sure you weren't discontent." He seemed to give her an almost mocking smile.
Emma forced a smile back. "Yes. It's fine. It'll just take some time for me to get used to playing mentor."
As much as Emma hated it she didn't want Killian to change partners. Her boss might see that as her letting him down and she definitely did not want that.
"Good." His voice got low. "Because if we're being honest I was hoping my father would pick you. You were the prettiest one in that conference room." He smiled flirtatiously.
"What?" Emma asked befuddled. She did not expect to hear that. And what did that even mean? Was he trying to mess with her?
Killian stood up quickly before Emma could say anything else.
"It was nice talking with you but my old man said he'd give me a tour of the building."
He tossed up the red apple from Emma's desk from one hand to the other then took a bite out of it.
"I'll be seeing you later. Can't wait to start working." He winked at he and with that he left, but Emma wasn't impressed she was furious. Who did he think he was talking to her like that?
She sat back down at her desk fully emerging herself in work and forgetting about Killian.
Please let me know what you think. Would any of you be interested in reading the rest?
