Pacific City, Oregon – One Month Later.


Emma looked out the window, her eyes on the waves. Neal hadn't shown up yet, but that didn't stop the texts from coming. Each week a new text from him, a reminder that he was coming. Things with Killian had been progressing. He seemed to care more for her than she ever thought. It was nothing romantic, at least she hoped it wasn't. He was too good for her, she would only break him.

Sighing she moved to her dresser grabbing out the black shirt and skirt that she wore to work. Having only been at Granny's diner for the last few weeks, she picked up everything fast. Her and Ruby worked as a team, it was as if they had a single brain when it came to orders. As she dressed she heard her phone beep twice, the fear raising in her stomach.

"Cant make it to dinner tonight, Ill see you when I get home. – K."

Emma frowned as she set the phone in to her pocket and slipped her converse on. She had been looking forward to dinner with Killian, it was always a great time for them both. Knowing he wouldn't be home, she would most likely grab something at the diner and stay later to help clean up.

The walk to granny's helped Emma get a smile back on to her face. But walking in and seeing it packed, made her frown for a moment.

"Emma dear, Do you and Killian have power at home?" Granny asked handing her the blue apron, holding the note pad out as Emma tied it on.

"We did last that I checked. Why? What's going on?" She asked thanking her as she took the notepad and slipped it into her pocket before pulling her hair up.

"Powers out. We should be bracing for a storm given the clouds coming in, and my knee is actin up." Granny said with a smile as she headed back to the stove, calling to Walsh, their main cook, an order.

Emma glanced out the window and realized it seemed darker than 1 pm. She couldn't help but smile, she loved storms. Something about the craziness of it all just seemed to calm her for a moment. Ruby walked in ten minutes later and they went to work, talking with everyone that came in as they served warm food.

Emma took her break at an empty booth in the back corner and set her feet up on the opposite seat. She was tired, they had a nonstop rush for a while but she loved it. Grabbing her phone out, she started checking her messages smiling as she saw one from Killian.

"Storm cancelled plans for the night. Ill be home. Can you bring home dinner tonight? – K."

"Got a hot date?" Belle, the second grade teacher in the neighboring town, asked as she sat down. Emma smiled and moved her feet giving her more space.

"No just Killian sending me a text. He's going to be home tonight." She said before she stopped and realized how that sounded. "We aren't together or anything. I just really enjoy talking to him." She said as she replied to him, letting him know she would.

"I think it's good you guys have each other. Will has always been worried about Killian since his wife died." She said as she smiled at Emma. "Will works for Killian at J.R." She explained as Ruby came over and took her order.

"Emma's in looooove!" Ruby sang as she walked again, causing Emma to blush and Belle to laugh.

"I'm not in love! Besides we are just friends. That's it!" She said as she tried to keep her smile off her face. She knew she couldn't have feelings for Killian, but it's not like she could stop it. She said her goodbyes to Belle and headed back to work, tossing the rag on the counter at Ruby as she picked up a few plates on the window and took them to their table.


Killian sat in the officer as he looked over the applications that had been coming in. They had placed an ad in the paper a few days ago, looking for more men for Robin and David's new crews. He wanted to make sure they had only the best and so far, only a few stuck out to him. Setting the papers down, he rubbed his face and sighed. They needed 10 men who were able to start in the next few days, two weeks at the latest if needed.

Looking to the picture on his desk, of him and Milah's wedding he couldn't help but smile some. She looked so beautiful and happy, it broke his heart how just a year after that was taken he lost her to cancer. His mind drifted to Emma, how different they were, yet how they both made him smile. He felt like he was cheating on Milah as he thought about Emma.

"I'm sorry Milah. I can't help it." He said softly as he closed his eyes. A knock at the door pulled him out of his thoughts, making him realize he was at work and had to focus.

"Come on in." He called out as he picked up the applications again and started thumbing through them.

"Hey Kill; I told everyone to clock off, the rains starting and the clouds are starting to look darker." David said as he came up and slipped his jacket on.

"Sounds good mate, I won't be staying much longer myself. I want to finish looking through these." He said as he lifted the papers up showing David how many they had to go through.

"Don't stay too late man, we can do those later." He said as he picked up a few, sorting through them himself. "How are things with Emma?" He asked, setting a few into the box Killian kept for ones that went a good fit

"Things are good. It's nice to have her around. She's easy to talk to. Thought," He paused setting the papers down and resting back in the chair. "I feel like I'm cheating on Milah in a sense. I promised her id never want anyone but her at our wedding and then she's gone and while I'm still grieving Emma comes along and starts making me smile again. Am I a bad person?" Killian asked. David set his own stack down and sat down.

"No Kill you aren't. You are a great person. But have you thought that maybe you are trying to save her and those feelings you have towards Emma as more than just friendship because you are trying to save her?" David said as he looked to him. He wanted Killian happy, he really did. But he worried that Killian would try and rush something that shouldn't have been rushed. Killian sighed shrugging it all off.

"You're right, but I'm not trying to save Emma. I'm just trying to be a friend to her." He said wondering who he was really saying it to.

Himself or David?'


Seattle, Washington

Neal stood in Seattle wondering if Emma had done anything while she was there before she got on a bus. He was angry, tired of trying to find her when she should have just came home. But he just brushed it off and focused on finding her. His brother sent him information on Emma, somehow she had ended up in the same town. It shocked him but it just made him even angrier. With a sigh he got back in to his car and started driving, ignoring a call from Tamara. She didn't understand his need to go get this necklace. She would never understand Neal's need for anything.

Maybe she wasn't the one, he thought. Maybe she was just like Emma.

He would have to test this once he got home. But for right now, he had to focus on getting to Emma and getting his necklace back. He didn't care about anything else in that moment.


Pacific City, Oregon

Emma set the bag of food down on the coffee table and moved to the fireplace starting it up. The house was cold and dark, given the downpour outside, she figured the storm was the blame for the power outage.

She sat back down on the couch and pulled her jacket tighter around her as she did her best to stay warm. Her phone chirped in her pocket making her fill with hope that it would be Killian.

"On my way. Rain is making the roads insanely crazy. Keep warm! – K."

Emma smiled as she sent a message back, letting him know that she was trying and had a fire going. She moved to get them some plates and waters, smiling as she heard the garage door open and his car pulled in. She headed back to the living room and set the plates on the table and sat down herself.

"It's a bloody mess out there." Killian said as he walked in to the room laughing. He hung his jacket up before he sat down on the floor across from Emma, close to the fire.

"I'm not surprised. Rub gave me a ride home and it took longer than it would have if I had walked" Emma said as she pushed a plate in front of him before she started eating.

"I'm glad you didn't walk home. It would have been worse." He said as he started eating himself. Emma smiled as she thought about it. It was nice to have someone to care for her.

"How was work?" She asked, knowing he had been looking for more help. She wondered if he would hire her if she applied. Granted, she had no experience. But still it could be fun to try to learn.

"It was good. I've spent most of the day in the trailer trying to find help. Only a few are passing all the questions we have. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be. No one is really willing to commute or relocate here for work. It sucks honestly." Killian said as he closed his eyes taking a breath in. Emma frowned as she looked to him.

"What kind of person doesn't want to move where work is though?" Emma asked softly as she looked to him, she would have always moved to get a job. She even told Neal that in the beginning of their relationship.

"I don't know. A few have interest in moving here on their app if they get the job. They are ones Robin plans to call and interview for his crew. They have families and Robin, being a single dad, is a huge family man. David wants to make sure he gets along with all he hires so he is a bit picky. I don't blame him though. When I first started building J.R, I wanted to make sure I only had the best. Robin barely made it to the second interview because of his son, Roland. But I wasn't willing to go against my gut and now hes my best mate and best worker I have." Killian said with a smile as he thought back to the beginning, when he was scared to take risks.

"What's your gut telling you about the apps, the people apply? I know that you want someone with experience, but what if your gut says to go against that, hire someone and train them the way you want them to work?" Emma said, frowning as she watched his face light up for a moment. He jumped up and ran from the room causing Emma to worry some.

Killian ran to his car and grabbed the applications before he ran back to the room and looked to her.

"I'm sorry, if I said something that upset you, I apologize. I never wanted you to upset you." She said as she took a drink of her water, almost nervous and scared that he would hit her, the way Neal did when she upset him.

"No, no something you said made me realize I have been looking at these all wrong. That I have been wanting someone with the right experience when I could have been picking ones that even though they aren't experienced, they can be trained. This opens up so many more who want to move here or work here or help here." He told her as finished his burger and separated the applications into two piles.

"Wanna help me?" He asked holding the pile out to her smiling. "Just look for ones that are willing to relocate here, willing to train, and willing to start within the next two weeks." He said as she took the pile and started helping him. Emma smiled as they started working in private, knowing life this was was more than perfect for her.

An hour later, Emma handed Killian the last of the applications that would be perfect for him and rested back against the couch.

"This was kinda fun. I almost want to go back to school and learn more on the administrative office stuff." She said smiling as she took a drink of her water.

"Well if business picks up like it does, and you go back to school and get your degree, ill hire you, On two conditions." Killian said with a smile as he looked to her.

"What would those be?" She asked curious and almost worried. She wanted to get a real job someday, where she could have set hours and insurance. She smiled at the thought realizing she could move on from everything. She had started getting her degree, she didn't have many general classes to finish and now she could change it to business management and administrative office.

"One, you have to start letting go of your old fears, he cannot hurt you here. I saw the look as I walked back in to room and it made me worry. He can never hurt you here. Even if on some small chance he finds you, you won't be able to hurt you with all the people you have around you to protect you." He told her giving her a small smile. He didn't want her fearing anything here. She was in good hands; he would make sure nothing happened to her.

"I can't promise that change overnight. It was years with him, but It doesn't mean I won't try. You're right though, when you ran out I was scared that I did something to upset you and it scared me. When I used to upset Neal, I had to brace for my punishment. Normally it was verbal, beyond hurtful words, screams that I'm stupid or not good enough, anything he could do to break me down he did." She told him softly. "But I trust you Killian; I will try to work through them." She said softly. "What is the second condition?" She asked softly as the rain pounded on the roof more, causing them to both look up smiling.

"You have to move in to the house. I'm too worried that you are too cold out there and I have a lot of room here and its warm, on most nights." He said with a small smile. He was almost tempted to say two was a date with him but he didn't want to push his luck with her. It had only been a few weeks since they started opening up and he was worried he would be rushing it too much. Emma smiled as she thought it over before nodding.

"Okay deal. But I get to pay rent. Even if its just a few hundred or buying monthly food or something." She said smiling as she realized roots were really being planted in Pacific city and she was excited.

"Aye, deal." He said smiling. Emma stuck her hand out and Killian shook it, both laughing. "We can figure it all out tomorrow and I can help you look in to the community college nearby soon." He told her with a smile as he stood up and picked up their plates from the table and carried it to the kitchen.

Emma smiled as she sat back thinking it all over. She had girls nights with Belle, Ruby, and Mary Margaret had been planned for the next week, she was working some where she loved, she was living with a great guy who wanted to help her, and she was looking in to going back to college. She was excited to see what the future was holding for her. She looked over her shoulder at Killian in the kitchen and smiled to herself softly. Life here was so great for her, she didn't think she would ever want to leave Pacific City.


A|N: First off, sorry its late. I had planned to post yesterday like I mentioned in the last chapter but life got a little insane. But here it is! I'm loving this story and the fact that it seems so easy to write. I hope that you all Enjoy it! Please let me know what you think, what you love and what you want to see happen in the next few chapters. Right now, only 10 chapters total are planned but if it continues being so fun and easy to write and you guys continue to enjoy it, I'll keep writing it!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing! Just ideas in my head that get written down. Characters are not mine, and safe haven like areas are not mine as well! Thanks for the love!