One week before Thanksgiving

"Do you really think itll work?" she asked, leaning forward, eyes bright and delighted.

"It's perfect!" he answered. "Trust me! Our plan will work like a charm. Just make sure you give him Miss French's flier and make him see how much you want it. I'll do the same with her. By Christmas, we'll be celebrating our success."

She grinned. "Oh, I hope you're right! Can you imagine? If we pull this off, everything will change forever!"

The morning after Thanksgiving

The alarm clock roared to life as a way, way too enthusiastic version of Jingle Bell Rock blared from the speakers of her clock radio. Emma groaned, reaching blindly over to slam the button on the top of the alarm and make the noise stop.

3 am. It was entirely too early for any sane person to be awake. Even the early birds were still peacefully snoozing in their nests. It was only the crazy humans, intent on getting the best deals on the best Christmas gifts who would submit themselves to this kind of torture.

She hoped the payout was worth it.

Her bed was so warm, so comfortable, that for a split second, Emma considered just forgetting about the whole thing and going back to sleep, but then she thought about Henry.

It had been a difficult year for him, for both of them really. They'd had a great life in New York. Her bail bonds gig had paid well enough that they could afford a wonderful apartment. Henry had lots of friends at school. She'd had a guy she loved, a guy she really thought was the one. He'd seemed great with Henry, and Henry had really liked him.

Walsh had proposed a week before Halloween, and Emma had really considered saying yes. Granted, she didn't feel the epic, sweeping, melt-into-a-pile-of-goo passion you see in movies, but she did love Walsh, and he could be a wonderful addition to the little family circle she and Henry had put together.

At least that's what she thought.

Emma had made up her mind to accept the proposal when it all went south. Turns out Walsh wasn't at all who he said he was. He'd been playing a long con on her, doing his level best to steal her money and assets right from under her nose, and she felt like a fool for buying into it his b.s. She was smarter than this! She ran the honey trap on bail jumpers; she knew the playbook. How did she fall for it?

She'd just so badly wanted that perfect, white-picket-fence life for herself, and especially for her ten-year-old son, that's how.

After everything had so epically crashed and burned with Walsh, Emma had just wanted to get away. She'd wanted-needed-a new start, and so when her brother David had mentioned the opening for a deputy in the tiny town of Storybrooke, Maine, where he lived with his wife Mary Margaret, Emma had jumped at the opportunity.

Within a week, she'd uprooted her whole life-and her son's whole life-and moved to Storybrooke. For the moment, she and Henry were crashing with David and Mary Margaret in their tiny loft apartment until Emma could find them their own place.

The move had been the most difficult on Henry. All he'd ever known was back in New York-friends, school, entire lifestyle. Small town Storybrooke was like a totally different world than the booming metropolis he was used to. Her normally happy, vivacious kid had been quiet, almost withdrawn since they'd arrived in Storybrooke.

Emma knew kids were resilient, that Henry would bounce back, but she felt so damn guilty for causing him stress.

And so, naturally when Henry had come home a week ago, excitement bumped up to a level ten, talking a mile a minute and waving a flier in her face, Emma had taken notice. Turns out the school librarian Belle French-who was also the owner and proprietor of "A Tale as Old as Time", Storybrooke's best (and only) bookstore-was holding a special Black Friday sale on a very special storybook, entitled Once Upon a Time. She had one copy, and one copy only, and the rare book would normally sell for an exorbitant price-somewhere between an arm and a leg. On Black Friday, however, she was offering the book for dirt cheap, but there was a catch. The price was only good during the special, Black Friday early bird sale. Doors opened at 4 am. First person to touch the book had the opportunity to purchase it.

Henry had always loved stories, and he'd been particularly fascinated with fairy tales. Naturally, a book chalk full of them would be right up Henry's alley. Faced with the prospect of getting Henry the perfect gift, the gift that would finally bring him some joy after the difficult last few weeks, it was a no brainer.

Waking up a few hours before the crack of dawn was a small price to pay for her kid's happiness.

Emma pushed aside the covers and got up, throwing on the first pair of clean clothes she could find, twisting her hair into a messy bun, and then downing the strong coffee her sister-in-law had set to brew for her. By the end of her second cup, she was feeling almost human, and she was ready to brave the hordes of Black Friday shoppers to attain her prize.

It was a quick, five minute walk to the center of town where "A Tale as Old as Time" was located, and Emma made it just as the cheerful brunette proprietor was unlocking the doors and letting her first customers in. Emma knew just where her target was. She'd scoped out the bookstore over the weekend, getting the lay of the land and mapping out her plan of attack. She knew just where to go, and within sixty seconds of the store opening, she'd reached her target. It was right there, in sight.

Emma reached for the book, her hand made contact-just as another hand did as well.

Killian Jones had lived a difficult life. He'd seen more heartache and tragedy in his thirty-five years of existence than most people did in a lifetime. Aye, it had been an incredibly difficult life, but it did have one bright, shining spot.

His daughter Alice.

His one-night-stand with Alice's mom, Eloise, had been a mistake of epic proportions, but Killian would never regret it, because it gave him the greatest blessing of his life, his precious little starfish.

Nine months after their dalliance, Eloise had suddenly showed up on his doorstep, placed their newborn daughter in his arms, and then walked out of their lives forever. For himself, Killian couldn't have cared less. He felt nothing but revulsion for the woman who'd gotten him blind drunk and then taken advantage of him that night nine months ago. In the bright morning light, he'd been disgusted with her, with himself, and with the entire sordid affair. He'd have been more than happy if he never saw her noisome face again.

No, he didn't care if she walked away from him, but his heart had broken at the fact that his tiny, perfect daughter had been abandoned by her mother. Killian knew from first hand the agony of being abandoned by a parent, and it tore him up inside that his beloved daughter had to deal with it as well.

Though having a child was the farthest thing from his mind at the time, there'd never been any doubt what he would do. Alice was his daughter, his precious child, and he would do right by her no matter what.

Ten years later, he thanked his lucky stars every single day that he'd made the choice to raise her. Alice was the most important person in the world to him, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

So naturally, when she came home from school all excited about the book Miss French was selling, Killian knew exactly how he would be spending his very early Black Friday morning.

He'd arrived at "Tale as Old as Time" just as Miss French opened the doors. He rushed to the back of the store, his prize in sight.

He grabbed the book just as a gorgeous blonde made contact.

"Um excuse me," she said with a frown. "This book is mine."

It appeared this shopping expedition was going to be more difficult-although possibly more intriguing-the blonde truly was breathtaking-than he'd expected.

Killian grinned. He'd never backed down from a challenge, and he didn't intend to begin now.

Notes:

-Happy Thanksgiving weekend to everyone who celebrates it! I hope you've had a great holiday with your family and friends.

-So, I didn't manage to complete my holiday-themed story this week (I had to write in between getting ready for Thanksgiving and spending time with my family), but I definitely got a start on it. Emma and Killian have made contact (quite literally). How exactly are they going to resolve the fact that they both want "Once Upon a Time" for their kid? Stay tuned for the exciting, fluffy conclusion to this story next Friday!