***Author's Note: There's mostly Killian and Emma interaction in this one but I promise that in the next chapter we'll finally get some time with our two leading ladies!***

Emma awakens on Saturday morning to her phone ringing. She reaches for it, checks the time and curses. It is not quite 7am and she should just leave it but she answers anyway. "What the fuck, Rubes. It is only seven. And it's Saturday. I thought you said to call you after noon."

"Oh, shit. Sorry, Harp. I finished my shift early and I forgot about the time difference." Ruby is super apologetic and feels horrible for waking her friend. "I can call you back in a few hours."

"Well, now I'm up already, you ass." Emma says playfully. "Early shift on a Saturday, you lucky brat. What are you going to do for the rest of the day?"

"Talk to you." Ruby flirts. "And maybe go shopping. If you were here, we could take a drive to the beach or something. It's super nice out today."

Emma frowns. "Aww. I wish that I was there to go to the beach with you. I do miss you, you know."

Ruby scoffs, "If you really missed me, you would call me more than just once a week. You've always been a bad liar but you're not even trying very hard to convince me anymore."

Emma sighs. "Ruby, I've been working! I worked twelve-hour days the last three days!"

Ruby rolls her eyes. "Sure, okay. But how about the four days before that?"

Emma laughs this time. "You're impossible. I was working then also. And we've been texting all week, it isn't like you haven't heard from me at all."

Ruby does know that Emma has been working a lot and both of their busy schedules along with the time difference from being nearly three thousand miles apart hardly leaves them any time for phone calls. "You need to hurry up and get your own place so I can come visit. Then maybe I'll consider not giving you so much shit." She says.

Emma squeezes her eyes shut in frustration. "Rubes, I haven't even found a real job yet. All I've been doing is temp work. I'm not going to be able to find a place that will rent to me without a stable income."

"Well, get on with it will you, Swan?!" Ruby laughs because she knows how ridiculous this whole conversation is. She knows that if Emma wanted to find something permanent, that she would have it already. She also knows by the way her friend has described Seattle that Emma is still unsure about it being her final stop. But, she does not want to push her so she changes the subject instead. "Have you talked with your mom and dad at all? Do they know where you are?"

Emma sighs. She hardly ever hears from her family. Since moving out at eighteen, she has pretty much been completely on her own. Emma's mom and dad got pregnant and decided to have another child right before she graduated high school and their attention and energy has been focused on her baby brother since he was born. Emma does not resent them for it, the reality of it is just that he needs them more than she ever did. They will reach out to her on holidays or her birthday, and once in a blue moon Emma would make a trip back home to Maine. When she thinks back on it though, she has not seen them in several years now. They still think she is living in New York. "No, I haven't. I should probably call them though. Neal's eleventh birthday is coming up soon, too. I definitely need to send the lil' squirt a card and some nerf guns or something."

This makes Ruby shake her head and chuckle. "Your parents will love the nerf gun idea, I'm sure. Why don't you get him a drum set or a trombone also while you're at it."

They both laugh about it as they imagine that Emma's parents would both be horrified by those gifts. "Actually, it's not a bad idea." Emma replies.

"So, anyway, what are you going to do today. Have you even done any sightseeing or anything fun since getting over there?" Ruby asks.

Emma thinks that she probably should go do the things that tourists do, but it feels so strange doing them by herself. "I haven't really had the time to. Maybe I'll wait until you come visit."

Ruby rolls her eyes again even though she knows Emma cannot see her. "Seriously? First of all, I already told you my conditions for when I want to visit. Second, get off your lazy ass and go do things, Harp. Go meet people! Stop being such a recluse."

"What? I am not a recluse. I meet people. I meet people all the time." Emma defends.

"Name one person that you've met then. And don't you dare name someone that works at that hotel that you're currently perched at everyday."

And before she even thinks about it she replies. "I've met this guy. His name is Killian."

"Wow, okay. Who, pray tell, is Killian? Is he some old man that you work with? What kind of name is Killian?"

"Geezus, Ruby. He's not an old man and I don't work with him. We met at a bar that he works at."

Ruby screams. "WHAT THE FUCK, Emma! Why is this the first time I've heard you bring this guy up? And you met at a bar? When did this happen? You better start talking, woman."

Emma is not at all surprised by Ruby's reaction. "This is exactly why I didn't bring it up. Because you always freak the hell out. I met him a couple of nights ago and I saw him at the bar again last night. I only hung out long enough to eat and have a drink. And before you even go there, it isn't what you think. I'm not looking for dates, or even for anything casual. It is just nice to have someone in this city that knows me by name. That's all."

As expected, Ruby ignores most of what Emma is telling her. "So, is he hot?"

"Rubes, I am not going to answer that...you are-"

Ruby cuts her off. "OH! That means he's hot!"

Emma ignores her friend. "Ruby, you're ridiculous. I'm going to hang up and go back to bed. Enjoy shopping and whatever else you're going to do today."

"That has to mean he's reeeeally-"

Before Ruby can finish her sentence, Emma ends the call. Within seconds, she gets a text message from Ruby and all it says is 'HOT'. Emma rolls her eyes. Then she puts her phone back on the night stand, throws the covers over her head and falls back to sleep.

When she wakes again, it is nearly noon. She stretches and then decides to jump into the shower. The shower wakes her up and she is feeling more energized once she has dried her hair and gotten dressed for the day. She exits the bathroom and grabs her phone to find that she has a few text messages. There is a thread of them from Ruby, calling her various names and then telling her that she expects more details the next time they talk, followed by a message saying that she loves and misses her.

Checking the next message that she received, she notices that it is from a phone number she does not recognize. She opens it to find that it is Killian asking if she has any lunch plans for today. This is when she remembers that he had asked her for her phone number on Thursday night when she was on her way out after they had talked about how she is not scheduled for work today. Killian, from what she remembers, does not have to be at the bar until later tonight so he told her that he could show her around the city if she wanted to hang out. She checks the time to see that the message is timestamped just several minutes ago. Emma saves his number in her phone and then replies telling him that he has amazing timing because she is starving. After a few messages back and forth, they decide to meet for brunch at a place that is a few blocks from where Emma is staying.

Killian is really quite the gentleman. Emma notes that he opens doors and pulls out the chair for her even though she is the type of girl that would rather do those things for herself. He is also funny and incredibly charismatic. Emma can tell that both the hostess and the server of the restaurant are smitten with him which is humorous to her because although the server is very good looking with a nice, athletic build, he is male. However, Killian not once falters or changes his demeanor and if he is uncomfortable with it, he never once shows it. He just stays his normal chatty and charming self, the whole time which makes Emma think that he is actually just as genuinely kind as he portrays. She decides it is something that she really admires about him.

Killian buys Emma's lunch and then insists that they walk around the city so that he could tell her the good restaurants to try and then show her some of his other favorite places. They walk around for about half an hour when Emma wonders again about the conversation they had that very first night she met him. "So, you mentioned before that you were passing through but decided to stay. I can't imagine it was all because of that Reuben place that you pointed out back there."

Without skipping a beat he responds, "Go and try that Reuben and then tell me that you wouldn't leave everything you know and love just to be in the same city as that sandwich."

Emma punches Killian in the arm and then they are both laughing. "Seriously. What really made you stay here?"

Killian contemplates this for a moment before answering. "Well, as I said before, the city is beautiful, so that's one reason. You joke about that sandwich shop but I have to say that it's a close second along with all the other good food and beer here in Seattle. I can't argue with what my stomach tells me." Then he hesitates again before he adds, "and I guess I did decide to stay for a girl, too." Emma does not say anything hoping that this prompts him to continue. And he does. "Her name is Elle. But we aren't together anymore."

Emma decides that now is as good a time as ever, so she asks, "So what about Regina? Are you two…?"

This makes Killian laugh. "Regina is a very, very good friend. Probably my best friend, these days. I know that she doesn't seem like it but she really is the most genuine person you'll ever meet. She tries to look and act tough but she's a big softy. And she is one of the kindest and most courageous people that I know. So, I suppose she is also one of the reasons that I am still here in Seattle. She's really the closest thing I have to family." He says the last part in a more serious tone.

Emma just nods. "Hmm...well, you and her just seem like you would make a very good couple. I mean, just from watching the two of you interacting the other night."

Killian shrugs. "I suppose you're not the first person to ever tell me that. But, I don't think either one of us feels that way for each other. I want her to find someone that makes her really happy because she deserves that."

"So, what about you?" Emma asks.

Killian chuckles and deflects her question. "What's with all the questions? How about you tell me about what you're doing here. And I mean, the truth."

"You're right. That's too many questions." Then she looks at him with a cheeky grin.

"I'll get it out of you eventually, Emma." Then he changes the subject because he knows better than to push a woman to talk about something she is not ready to talk about. "Now tell me, have you taken the Harbor Cruise yet?"

It does not take Killian very long to talk Emma into walking down to the waterfront with him. Emma thinks that Ruby will probably be surprised to hear that she is not only exploring the city and doing some sightseeing, but she is also hanging out with her new friend. The cruise around the harbor is more fun than Emma expects it to be and even though Killian must have done it before, he seems to have enjoyed it just as much as she does.

As they are walking back up the hill towards where Killian has parked, he says, "I am glad that we did this today. I hope that I've helped with your decision to stick around."

Emma sighs. "Yeah, well. I still haven't really found a job yet. That would probably help me make a decision also."

Killian thinks about that for a moment before replying. "Well, I'll need to check with Regina but you could always come work at the bar until you find something permanent. Maybe a few nights a week just to help out while you're still doing your temp work. I think that she will appreciate having a bit more time off. I know that I would love to have more days off."

Emma finds this almost hysterical. "Regina hates me. I think she'd take on extra hours and longer days before she would even consider me working at her bar."

Killian knows Regina well and she most certainly does not hate anyone. Probably not even Danielle. So, once again, he tries to convince Emma that her feelings in regards to Regina are inaccurate. "She doesn't hate you. She doesn't even know you."

"Killian, you don't know me either!" Emma argues.

"Alright, well, I know you a wee bit better than Regina does. And I know Regina. She doesn't hate you. I'll talk to her tonight to see what she thinks about maybe getting some more help at the bar. You can always continue doing whatever it is that you do now. I'm not telling you to give everything up and become a barmaid." Killians says.

Emma cannot deny that Killian may be right. She knows that serving or bartending can make her some quick cash and if she did it on top of her temp work now, she would be able to afford to rent a place. "Fine. If she says that she can use some help, then I will apply for a job. But I don't want special treatment, okay? I want her to have an actual conversation with me. I need her to know more about me than what condiments I don't want on my burger."

Killian smiles. "You've got yourself a deal."