A/N: Aaaah! You guys have given me such amazing feedback for this story! I love it! So, as you're about to find out, the way this story is set up is through the months. Each chapter is a kind of view into the world of Emma & Killian-usually a pivotal point in their relationship.

I hope you all still enjoy it!

Emma found out quickly that she and Killian didn't have only one class together, but two—US History and Creative Writing, her favorite classes. And, of course, he had to sit beside her. Usually, she humored him with conversation, and even found herself laughing sometimes.

But, today was different.

"Morning, Emma." Killian smiled, sitting beside her, "How are you?"

"Fine." Emma spoke softly, trying to cover her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked curiously.

"Nothing. I'm just, um, not feeling great."

"No, you're hiding something, Emma."

"I'm not."

"C'mon, you know you can tell me anything." Killian said.

"I actually can't." Emma said, continuing to avoid his eyes. Killian bit his lip, then offered a small nod.

"Fine." He said, glancing to her again when she turned away. There was a spot on her cheek that didn't look right. It looked like she had tried to cover it up with concealer, but it didn't cover all of it.

"Emma, what's that?" He spoke softly.

"Oh, nothing. Neal was being annoying." Emma lied.

"He hit you?" Killian asked with wide eyes. Emma didn't answer.

"Emma, did he hit you?" Killian asked, "Or are you lying to me?"

"Why would I do that?" Emma replied, faking a smile.

"Because you hide things. You don't like being vulnerable."

"You don't know that." Emma spoke with furrowed brows.

"Oh, I know you better than you'd think, love. I'm the same way." Killian smiled, then let it drop, "Be honest."

"Why should I be? You never are."

"Don't turn this on me." Killian snapped, "I just wanted to help."

"I don't need help." Emma replied, turning back to her work.

"Fine." Killian spoke with the roll of his eyes, getting back to his work.

The rest of the day was spent worrying about what Killian said. Or, how he said it, really. He hit you? Killian meant it, the concern in his voice was real. Emma could tell that he they were becoming closer, and she couldn't let that happen. She had to distance herself again.

"Emma!" Killian's voice called from behind her as she walked. She simply rolled her eyes and kept walking, picking up her pace. She tugged her hood over her head at the sight of rain, bracing herself for it. Emma closed her eyes and gasped as the rain started pounding on her head, already soaking through the hood of her old sweatshirt.

"Emma!" Killian repeated, "Emma, can we talk?"

Emma looked down, chewing the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. She didn't want him to think that she needed someone. She heard his footsteps pick up over the loud rain, causing her to start walking faster, too. Until he was right beside her. Suddenly, she didn't feel any rain on her head anymore, and when she looked up, she noticed an umbrella.

"Emma, you can't just shut me out."

"I can, and I will. Watch me." Emma replied, picking up her pace again. Killian set his hand on her shoulder, causing her to roll her eyes and stop.

"Killian, I appreciate your concern, but I don't need it." Emma snapped.

"Emma—"

"Leave me alone." Emma said, her voice cracking a little as she turned away.

"All you do is shut people out, you know that?" Killian snapped, causing her to stop in her tracks again. She spun on her heel, tears streaming down her cheeks now, mixing with the rain.

"You know why? Because my whole fucking life has been a series of being shut out. By friends, by foster parents and families, by the whole school—so I've started doing it. I don't have anyone to let in, Killian, and you fucking know that." Emma snarled, walking closer, "And this mark? It's from my foster father. He was drunk last night, and instead of letting him hit one of the kids, I let him hit me. It wasn't from Neal. So, there, you wanted the truth? There's your fucking truth."

She absently wiped at some of her tears as Killian stood in shock.

"Emma, what I can I do to help?" Killian asked softly.

"There isn't anything you can do."

Killian sighed, chewing his lip before looking back to Emma.

"Come home with me."

"What? No, I don't want—"

"Just for a little bit. Liam could drive you to your job today, too, if you want. He wouldn't mind." Killian said, "Look, I'm trying to prove to you that you do have friends, Emma. Well, at least me. I want you to know that even though you seemingly never want me around, I'm here for you. You and I… We're a bit like kindred spirits. We pretend that we like to be alone, we pretend to have our own code, to ignore society. But, deep down, we just want one person. One person to talk to us and change our view about the world. To change the tarnished image we see. So, please, give me one chance."

Emma sniffled and wiped at her tears, glancing around before sighing.

"Fine, I'll come over." She replied, making Killian smile.

"Yeah?"

"If it'll make you shut up and I can be away from that house a little longer, sure." Emma sighed.

"Follow me, then." Killian grinned, beginning to walk towards the parking lot. She followed hesitantly, watching the way he walked. He had some kind of weird swagger that Emma couldn't exactly figure out. He looked like a freaking runway model for God's sake. Emma stopped when she saw him open the door to a fancy-looking car.

"This is yours?" Emma asked.

"Actually, it's mine." A foreign-sounding voice spoke from the driver's seat replied. Emma curiously bent down to see an older-looking Killian sitting in the front seat.

"I assume Killy hasn't spoken about me then?" The man smiled, "Liam Jones, Kill's older brother."

"Liam." Killian groaned as Emma smiled.

"Emma Swan." Emma replied.

"Nice to finally meet you, Emma." Liam smiled as she slid into the backseat.

"Finally?"

"Oh, yeah, Killy's told me all about you." Liam grinned, earning a whack from Killian.

"Please don't call me Killy."

"Why? It fits you in such a lovely fashion."

"Sorry to ask, but where on Earth is your accent from?" Emma asked.

"Ireland. Did Killian not mention that he spent a good portion of his life there?" Liam smiled, "Oh, c'mon, Killy. I thought you got over that."

"Wait, do you have an accent, too?" Emma asked Killian.

"Afraid so." Killian spoke with a sad smile in that beautiful accent. Emma tried not to smile.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Killy doesn't like to talk about life after we moved from Ireland. It wasn't… The greatest, for a while." Liam replied, earning an eye roll from Killian.

"I also sound like an absolute idiot." Killian said, "No one can understand a word I say."

"I can." Emma offered.

"You're the only one." Killian grumbled.

"Don't mind Killian. He's a buzzkill."

"Am not!"

"Oh, really?" Liam grinned, causing Emma to smile. There were times where she wished that she had someone like that, a brother, or sister, to tease, to have memories with.

"Emma?"

"Oh, sorry, I zoned out."

"I was just asking where you worked."

"I work at the grocery store on Main." She replied.

"Fun." Liam smiled.

"Totally. My favorite part of my day."

"Well, I'd be more than glad to take you. What time?"

"Six."

"Need me to pick you up, too?"

"Oh, I couldn't ask—"

"I wouldn't mind at all." Liam smiled, earning a glare from Killian as he pulled into the driveway. Killian got out and started towards the house, causing Liam to shake his head.

"Real charmer, isn't he?" Liam grinned, causing Emma to chuckle as she got out. She grabbed her bag and hurried into the house behind Liam, trying to keep dry.

Killian was at the door with a towel when she walked in.

"What's that?"

"A towel. Never seen one, love?"

"I'm not an idiot." Emma replied as Killian handed it to her.

"I know you aren't." He smiled, studying her, "So, you're getting the tour of the house."

"Killian—"

"This the foyer and front room, and the dining room is over there," Killian smiled, pointing to each room, "And the kitchen and living room are back there. My room is up here."

Emma dried her hair as she followed him up the stairs to a small room. The walls were covered in maps, which surprised Emma a little.

"Maps?"

"Yeah, Liam helped me draw most of them," He shrugged, sitting on the bed, "They're my favorite things I own."

"They're incredible." Emma said, walking closer to examine one.

"I think about them a lot." Killian sighed, "With Liam leaving in a few months, every time I look at them, I think about him."

Emma turned to catch Killian's hurt expression before he offered a sad smile.

"So, why don't you speak with your accent? I'm sure you could get any girl in the school with an accent like that." Emma said, sitting beside him on the bed.

"In junior high, it was a nightmare. Kids used to make fun of me. That's when I separated myself from them. In high school, I decided that I needed to fake an American accent to blend in as well as I could." Killian admitted, "I was born there, I lived there until I was ten. Then we moved over here, and… everything was different. My mum was different, my father drank too much, Liam was less fun to be around… it's like everything shifted, and I couldn't keep up."

Emma knew that feeling. She knew what it felt like to be cast out, to be alone. And she finally understood what Killian meant about being kindred spirits. They were much more alike than she thought.

"Well, I like the accent." Emma offered, nudging his arm and giving him a small smile.

"Yeah?"

"It's different." She replied, "Good different."

"Glad you think so." He spoke in the thick accent, making Emma smile.

"See? I understood what you just said." Emma offered.

"I don't know. It's just kind of… I don't know. I don't like it."

"Isn't it harder to cover it up?"

Killian looked to his hands, and Emma sighed. She glanced up, only to be blinded by light cast onto what looked like a picture frame. Emma rose carefully from the bed and walked over to it, smiling when she found a picture of Killian with another girl. He looked incredibly happy, happier than she had ever seen him, and younger. It wasn't recent—he had to have been in either eighth or ninth grade.

"Who's this?" Emma asked curiously. Killian glanced up to see what she was talking about, his breath catching in his throat when he realized what she was holding.

"No one." He spoke softly.

"You look really happy here, Killian." Emma said, "She's obviously someone important."

"Not any longer." Killian replied. Emma decided not to press any further. She simply went to sit beside him again.

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

"How many homes have you lived in?" Killian asked softly, meeting her eyes.

"Three."

"You're lying."

"So are you."

Killian rolled his jaw before running his thumb over his lip.

"The girl in that photo? Her name was Milah. I loved her… I loved her with all my heart. She was taken from me, and now I'm here. Your turn." Killian said, earning silence from Emma.

"I've lived in twenty-four foster homes." Emma spoke softly.

"Twenty-four?" Killian repeated with wide eyes.

"Yeah. Now you know why it's so hard for me to make friends."

"How long do you think you'll be in this one?"

"No idea. I'm guessing not through next semester. I'll probably be gone by February."

Killian didn't want her to leave that soon. He hadn't even gotten to know her yet.

"February?"

"Yeah."

"I hope you're wrong."

Me too, Emma thought quietly.

Hours ticked by, and the two spent the time talking quietly. Liam ordered Chinese food before Emma's shift, then drove her to the store.

"Can I ask you a question?" Emma asked as he drove.

"Yeah, what's up?" Liam asked.

"Killian has a picture of him and this girl in his room… Milah, I think her name was?" Emma said, "He seemed upset when I asked about her."

"She was Killian's everything throughout junior high. The two were absolutely inseparable, and she was the only one who didn't care that he was a little different. They started dating early in high school, but she, um, was diagnosed with cancer early in their first year. It was too far along for doctors to do anything about it. Killian was at her side throughout all of it, and she passed away that spring. He never really recovered, and he started getting into a lot of trouble. I buy him cigarettes so he'll at least stay sort of in line. They keep him from getting in trouble with the police, at least. I'm not surprised he didn't tell you, so please don't tell him you know."

"I won't. I'll keep it between us."

"Thanks." Liam said, as he parked the car, "I need to say something."

"Okay."

"Do you know how happy you make him?" Liam asked, and Emma shook her head, "He's… He's changed a lot since he met you. He's smiling more, he's talking more—hell, he hasn't gotten into much trouble lately—you're good for him."

"Liam, I appreciate that, but I can't date—"

"Don't have to. Just… Stay?" Liam asked, causing Emma to glance over to meet his blue eyes that matched his brother's.

"Please, Emma. He needs stability."

"I'm the last person he should be coming to for that." Emma admitted, "Liam, I can't. I'll probably switch foster homes next semester."

"For now, then?"

Emma offered a small nod, causing Liam to lean over and hug her.

"Thank you."

"I'll try." Emma whispered.