A little bit of a wait from the last chapter but I had writer's block about a certain aspect of this story which I think you will all like. I'm figuring out now how different this story will actually be from the canon storyline with Killian in town but as I know, this story will not diverge too much from canon storyline until we hit season two, juts tiny scene changes and my own twists for the story.

And as for the Ruby/? ship, I have figured out who she is going to be with but that is going to be a surprise for all you guys and I certainly hope you will like it.

We now introduce Emma into the storyline, along with little Henry.

Once again, I am overwhelmed by all those reviews, favourites and follows for this story, it really gets me eager to move forward with this story. I applaud all of you to continue with the support and share what you actually think, even if it's a one word review or five paragraphs long. It always means the world to me when I see them.

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of the characters that are involved with it.

Thank you all. Please enjoy the update and don't forget to leave your thoughts in the reviews.

Honestly? Emma couldn't count how many assholes she'd met in her lifetime. It was too many then a person deserved to ever meet. She arranged a dinner that night with one. Ryan had flipped the table as soon as he realised that they weren't exactly on a nice little dinner date. Typical. Emma calmly got up and followed him out of the restaurant. After all, she wasn't stupid enough to run in stilettos. Emma walked up the Ryan's car, which was failing to actually move. It was turning out to be her lucky day.

"You don't have to do this, okay? I can pay you, I've got money," Ryan begged. Emma's lie detector didn't need to go off for her to tell that he wasn't a very good liar.

"No you don't," Emma shook her head, she almost found his attempt funny if not pitiful, "And if you did you should give it to your wife and take care of your family."

"The hell do you know about family, huh?" Ryan shot back at her, clearly giving up his façade.

Emma paused for a split second. Nothing. Furrowing her eyebrow, Emma let the words sink in. What do I know about family? She slammed his head into the steering wheel before softly saying, "Nothing."

Emma Swan returned to her apartment. She not only felt physically exhausted but emotionally exhausted as well. Her whole body ached with the need to collapse from the day she just had. Kicking off those painful stiletto heels, slightly stumbling as she did so. Having to rely on the wall for support, she moved down the hallway. She couldn't wait to just sit down and let herself unwind, forget about a certain sour subject that she had once again been reminded of. Especially today. Why did he have to bring it up today? What the hell did she know about family anyway? It's not that she was ever given the chance to have a nice family, heck her parents must have taken one look at her and decided that even then they didn't want anything to do with her and dumped her on the side of the frickin' road. How loved she felt. Did they even think about her now she wondered? Did her mother wake up some mornings and think about her? Did her father ever feel the longing of having a little girl to run around after?

She set her little box that she had picked up on the way home down on the kitchen counter, opening it to show a little gourmet cupcake. She decided she deserved to indulge herself, even if it was just a fancy little cupcake. After all, if she wasn't going to celebrate her birthday than who would?

She grabbed out a single star-shaped candle, placing it in the gourmet cupcake and lighting it, "Another banner year," Emma whispers sarcastically to herself. Birthdays were always both a sad and happy occasion for her. She wanted to remind herself of how far she had gotten just by herself. She didn't know where her life was going or what she was looking forward to in life. Just going through the motions she supposed.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Emma makes a wish. A wish she had made ever since the first time she had been rejected by a foster family. She wished that she wouldn't spend another birthday all by herself, that she would have someone in her life. And she blew out the candle. Here's to the 28th year being just as exciting as the 27th.

Not moments later did her apartment's doorbell rang. It was a shock to Emma. Who could possibly want to visit her? The only reason she could think of for someone to have a reason for visiting was for her birthday. No one that she knew of knew it was her birthday, even so it didn't matter. She didn't ever talk to her neighbours and the closest friend as of late had been her goldfish Bubbles. I know, I know but Emma was never the one for originality, it was the only name that she could think of at the time. And Bubbles had kicked the bucket last week.

So Emma got up and walked over to the front door. She didn't know what to expect but when she opened the door she was slightly confused. Who the hell… then she looked down. Now she got to rephrase the end of her incomplete monologue. Who the hell is this kid? "Uh… can I help you?"

The kid was a young boy, most likely ten or so she guessed, had a brown mop for hair, a cute baby face with big brown hazel eyes. She had to admit, he was the poster child of innocence but something was telling her that he could be as mischievous as the devil himself.

"Are you Emma Swan?" The kid asked.

"Yeah, who are you?" Emma asked the kid. How'd this kid know my name? Is he one of the neighbour's kids that they sent over? No, couldn't be, she'd never seen a kid running around and she was pretty sure that Mr and Mrs Stewart wouldn't be able to stand having a kid.

"My name's Henry," The kid even had an innocent voice to go along with the innocent look he was sporting. This kid- Henry, could really grow on you if you let him. Henry gave her a huge smile, "I'm your son."

Emma looked at him, her eyes widening at him. He would be around the age… No, Emma stopped herself, don't buy the crap this kid's selling, it's impossible, it was a closed adoption. There was no way this kid would even know who she is.

Henry seemed to notice that Emma was in a shocked state and immediately took advantage of it. He slipped under Emma's arm and casually walked into her apartment.

Emma shook her head, snapping herself out of it, "Whoa, hey, kid!" Emma blinked at him. Who the hell did this kid think he is? Oh right… Her son. She ignored the thought of, even though something was telling her it was true, that was kid was telling the truth. "Kid! I don't have a son! Where are your parents?"

The kid, Henry, turned to her, "Ten years ago," There was something in Henry's tone, and the way he said it that made Emma think that this kid was more than certain about what he was saying. That just saying those words together was proof enough for her to be able to trust him and Emma found something in herself that was starting to believe it. Which she shouldn't, she's only just met this kid. "Did you give up a baby for adoption?" Henry paused for a moment, leaving Emma a minute to think over what he was saying and for that she was grateful, "That was me."

Emma needed a minute, she needed to compose herself. If she didn't, she felt like she was going to suffocate if she stayed in the same room for any longer. This was becoming too much to take in at once. "Give me a minute," Emma made a quick escape to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She braced herself against the sink bench, taking in nice deep breaths as she did so. Her mind was reeling, spinning, with all these chaotic thoughts. If she didn't calm down at this rate, she knew she would be close to passing out.

No, no, no. How was this even possible? It was ten years ago, why was this happening now? She thought it was all behind her but now this? Why did he even come? 'Because he wants to know who his real parents are?' Whispered a little voice in the back of her head through the avalanche of thoughts that were cascading through her. Because it's what every kid whose been given up for adoption wants to do. Thinks about doing all the time when they sit up in bed all alone at night. It's what she would do if she could actually bring herself to do it. If she hadn't been abandoned on the side of the road. And that was when she was able to clear her thoughts out. The entire time that the kid, Henry, was talking, she didn't once detect a lie. Not once. And her superpower has never failed her. So why was she doubting it now?

"Hey, you have any juice?" Henry asked her through the door, snapping her out of it. It sounded as though he was rummaging through her fridge now, "Never mind, found some."

Stepping out of the bathroom, she saw Henry had situated himself on one of her bar stools and had started to drink the juice she had only recently brought. He seemed to almost mould perfectly in, not being bothered by the fact that he was in a stranger's house. Although to him she might not seem like a stranger. Emma gave him a quick once over, just to confirm her suspicion. She saw it now. She didn't see it at first but now that she knew, she couldn't deny it. Even though Henry didn't seem to take on after her, he did seem to take after him. He had the same brown hair, although Henry's seemed a little more darker than his was. He had the dark hazel eyes and maybe, just maybe, the very same sly, goofy grin was a genetic thing because every time that Henry smiled at her, she felt a pang stab right through her heart. It almost pained Emma to continue looking at Henry but Emma knew that Henry wouldn't hurt her the way he did, something about Henry told Emma, that unlike his father, Henry wouldn't abandoned her when things got tough. Henry searched her out. Henry had found her against all odds, which was more than he ever did. He left.

"You know, we should probably get going," Henry said rather matter-of-factly. What? Emma thought. Was she missing something here?

"Going where?" Emma asked him, curious and confused.

"I want you to come home with me," Henry told her hopefully. The same thing sparking in his eyes. He has to be joking. Emma raised an eyebrow at him, in a disbelieving manner. Well maybe he did get something from her, Emma thought. But why did it have to be her stubbornness? She narrowed her eyes. If he was willing to play, then she would to.

"Okay kid, I'm calling the cops," Emma threaten, making her way across the room, reaching for the phone. She wasn't really going to call the cops but he didn't know that.

And almost without hesitation, Henry replies, "And I'll tell them you kidnapped me." This kid was good. It's almost like he knew exactly what she would have done if she was in his position. He may look like his father but she almost felt pride that, personality wise, he took after her. Emma thought for a moment, she wanted to help this kid, reach out to him and finally be a mother that Henry thinks that she is. Her mind, however, knew from experience what happened when she leaves her heart out in the open. It gets crushed by the people she cares about the most. Because that's what people do. They leave and she was left picking up the pieces of her broken heart. She didn't want that to happen to her again. That's why she had walls, that's why she built them up so high that no one could get in. But she also didn't want it to happen to Henry. She didn't want him to have these high expectation of her, only to be let down by her.

"And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother," Emma slowly put down the phone, relenting to Henry, for now at least.

Henry nodded, "Yep." Emma almost laughed, she could definitely she herself in this kid. And now she could start to see how annoying that might be.

"You're not going to do that," This kid was smart but hopefully like any other kid, he would back down as soon as reality hits them and besides she knew he wouldn't tell the cops she kidnapped him.

"Try me," Henry challenged her, not willing to be the first one to back down yet in this little battle they were having.

Her lie detector went off then and she knew she had him. This kid wouldn't tell the police that she kidnapped him, he was a good kid after all and wouldn't risk it. He wanted her more. He just wanted her to go home with him. Emma's heart softened at the thought of it. Going home. With this kid. With a kid that might actually be hers. But she couldn't just let that crumble down her walls, not just yet.

"You're pretty good," Emma said, but her tone suggested that she had caught him out, and by the look on his face, he knew that too. "But here's the thing, there's not a lot I'm good at in life, but I have one skill. It's called a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are."

Henry's face soon dropped at this new revelation and Emma soon saw new desperation break though on the kid's face along with sadness. Emma felt sorry for being the one to make Henry look that way. He seemed like any lost kid that she had seen before, and she had seen many. "Wait," Henry paused, swallowing, "Please, don't call the cops," Henry begged her, "Please come home with me."

Those big brown eyes stared at her, and Emma soon gave into him. She wished that could just send the kid home. It would be so much easier than getting involved but maybe a part of her wanted to get involved. "Where's home."

"Storybrooke, Maine," Henry suddenly perked up at her sudden change. His voice quickly becoming excited at the idea that she was actually coming home with him. Maybe he thought that she would be staying. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea but she couldn't just let the kid wandered around Boston alone, he was somewhat her responsibility now.

He was joking right? Emma raised an eyebrow at him, "Storybrooke?" Storybrooke? Really? Does anyone actually buy that cheesy name? Who the hell calls a town Storybrooke and expect people to not laugh at it? Maybe it was like one of those tourist destination town. Were there Disney characters running around just like in Disneyland?

Henry nodded at Emma, making a noise of agreement to confirm that, yes, the town he lived in was indeed called Storybrooke. He obviously didn't see how ridiculous it sounded.

"Alright, then," Emma said, "Let's get you back to Storybrooke."

Killian Jones was sitting in the library on the reception desk, letting his legs hang limply over the edge as he idly stroked Figaro. What concerned him, however, was that Henry normally showed up at around four and it was 5:30 p.m. now. He commonly closed the library earlier on Sundays but there was an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something that was telling him to stay late. So he stayed, as a wave of home-sickness washed over him and settled in the pit of his stomach. Figaro noticed Killian's unrest and quickly made to comfort him, laying now in his lap. Although Killian did not go down to the docks. He loved to pour over books that told of tales on the ocean. Pirate lore was somewhat of his favourite. Although, every now and then he felt personally connected with the stories and there was one book in particular that drew him closer yet he didn't dare touch it for some reason. It was old, leather bound, and dusted, pages stuck out unevenly and curled with age. It was on the Brethren of the Coast, mainly on their code. Other books in the library spoke of them, of the Pirate Lords but nothing too detailed and Killian for some reason never touched that tattered book. But mulling over books did nothing to ease him. Tonight felt different however. It was a different kind of home-sickness. Killian half blamed it on his worry for Henry, the other half he couldn't figure out. It was a bundle of nerves, anticipation making waves through his body every time he breathed. He had had that same feeling all throughout the day and now his whole body felt light, like he wasn't even there. His nerves had become numb with anticipation. It was a sense that something was coming. That something was about to change but he just didn't know what it was. But he didn't know why it was making him feel this way and it was very odd for him. Was more odd, was that whenever Killian thought about it, about someone new coming to town, he couldn't remember it ever happening. No one ever came to this boring little town and that also struck him as weird. This was a nice little town, surely it was be a nice little getaway spot for tourists.

He felt so weird that he had even refused drinks with Leroy, Smee, Will, and Anne that night. When he knocked off, he went straight to the Rabbit Hole for a few drinks. They had invited him out for drinks at the Rabbit Hole that night, it was somewhat their weekend get together but Killian refused, saying he wasn't feeling up for spending a whole night listening to a drunk Leroy ramble on. Smee, Will and Leroy had made a comment about how he was getting old and that they should start getting him to use his senior citizen discount to buy them their drinks now. Anne and Killian merely laughed at this but didn't make any further comments. Anne was a hardy lass, fiery with a courageous temper but a dear old friend of Killian's. He felt like he had known her for two lifetimes over. He couldn't exactly remember when or how they had even met and became friends, they just always were and maybe that was enough.

Killian was startled when the library door opened, now today was getting really weird. Killian looked up to find Graham in almost a fluster, Killian was about to make a comment but when he looked at Graham's face a sense of seriousness took over him. He knew then that something was very wrong. Killian and Graham got along well. Extremely well in fact. They were childhood friends. There was always banter between the two, however, when Killian looked at Graham as he had walked into the library there was no light heartiness on Graham's face and that was how Killian knew something was seriously wrong. Graham was always the optimist in the group. Killian was going to ask exactly what had happened but Graham had beaten him to it.

"Have you seen, Henry?" Graham asked, glancing around the library expecting to find Henry probably tucked away in some corner. It had happened before. Whenever Madam Mayor had been particularly hard on Henry that week, the library had become Henry's safe refuge. Figaro looked up, sensing the shift in the atmosphere and reading Killian, moved himself off of his lap to allow Killian to jump off the reception desk and walk over to Graham.

"Haven't seen him this afternoon, why?" Killian's voice was laced with concern, it had happened before when Henry had gone to the library but Killian knew Henry wasn't here and Graham had never looked this serious.

Killian sorted through all the possible places Henry could have gone off to. Although Killian didn't particularly like helping the town mayor, especially since Regina Mills was said mayor, mainly when it was telling them where Henry was. That she-beast was the embodiment of Satan if he ever saw one but he didn't exactly say that to Graham in those particular words but he did make his distaste for the woman well known. At first he could handle being a respectable citizen towards the Mayor but over the years as he saw what she was doing to Henry and that all quickly changed.

Henry had escaped one time to the junkyard, which was owned by Amy and Mark. Both were lovely people but Killian had warned Henry about going there afterwards. Especially since their neighbour was Thelia, who in Killian's personal opinion was a greedy, self-obsessed hag. But Henry only went there because of Thelia's daughter, Vanna.

Killian had then scratched behind his ear, Henry mentioned that it was somewhat of a nervous tic of his. He cared for the lad greatly. Henry was the Mayor's young lad, adopted, and he was smart lad, more aware than some would think. Killian thinks that's the reason he doesn't socialize with other children his own age and much prefers the company of other adults. Which was strange at first, because what kid prefers the company of adults to children. Henry sees things that most people tend to ignore. Killian made sure to visit the young lad whenever he could, although it wasn't easy with Regina hovering over the boy all the time and giving Killian a glare of distrust. He remembered the first time Henry trusted him enough to allow Killian to his 'castle' and tell him about everything. When Henry told him everything, the curse, them being frozen in time, he felt a pang of… familiarity strike him, something important that he should remember but he couldn't. Killian was more inclined to read that tattered book in the library then, feeling as though it called for him. When Killian asked Henry why he had trusted him enough with that information, Henry said he was different, that he felt as though he could trust Killian with this information. From that moment Henry and Killian had formed a special bond with each other, a friendship that had been made strong with trust and Henry started visiting Killian more frequently.

Killian looked at Graham, Graham's face wasn't light and easy as it normally was. Killian's stomach started to knot and his thoughts went to Henry. "What's happened, Graham?" But Killian felt like he already knew, deep down he knew he wouldn't like to hear what Graham was going to say. "Has something happened?"

Graham gave him an exhausted look, "Henry didn't show up after school, he's gone missing. I thought he might have come straight here and lost track of time but…"

Killian's stomach dropped completely at those words. He had hoped that it would never come to this but it was as to be expected. The lad was more independent than most children, he was more than likely to pull a stunt like this. But if Henry was going to do something along these lines, why hadn't he told Killian. Probably because he knew that Killian wouldn't allow it. All that he could think of now, was where had Henry gone off to?

They haven't finally met just yet but it's coming soon so you have that to look forward to. Thank you all again for your support.

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Until next time...