A/N: I've wanted to write a multi-chapter fic for quite a while and it's finally happening. I've had this idea in my head for almost an entire year and I recently found motivation to start working on it again. I'm going off of my own experiences with camp and a lot of my own camp stories are going to make their way in here. I owe a huge thank you to miss-maximoff on Tumblr for encouraging me to actually write a multi-chapter fic. Also littlemisssunny and devoramcdumb for being amazing people and betaing this for me.

Maybe not everything was Emma's first thought when she caught sight of the new guy. He wasn't hard to pick out considering she knew everyone else. He was attractive, she had to admit. He had dark hair that looked like he frequently would run his hands through it, and stubble to match ran along the sharp line of his jaw. And God his eyes. No one's eyes should be allowed to be that blue. He was wearing a navy shirt and grey cargo shorts, and Emma noticed he wore Chacos-someone must have informed him of the typical camp footwear.

Summer was the best part of the year according to Emma Swan. She had always loved the blistering heat, because it made the cool air of entering a building more enjoyable. She loved spending time in the water and walking through the woods, surrounded by the green of the trees. She loved the way that sometimes it was so hot she felt like she could smell the heat rather than just feeling it. Summer always held a sense of freedom and adventure to her, and summer storms a thrill of excitement. It had an air about it that felt like anything was possible. But the best part of her summer was Camp Misthaven.

The camp, created solely for kids in the foster system, was situated in the Ozarks of southern Missouri, near the tiny town of Storybrooke. Emma had been going to camp every summer since she was twelve years old and a camper. Fourteen years later, and she was one of the head staffers. She loved camp for the fun activities at first, but eventually it had become her home. Having spent her childhood in the system, she knew how important it was to have a place where you belonged, and Misthaven had been that place for her. Now she made it that place for hundreds of kids for the summer.

The campers would be arriving in just one week and Emma could feel her blood singing in excitement. One week to get everything ready may not seem like a lot, but most of the staff had been to camp before and knew what they were doing. It should be smooth sailing.

If only she could get Mary Margaret to believe it. The brunette was flitting around the camp office like a bird, trying to get everything in order for staff arrival in just a couple of hours. Emma just sat watching her, her sandaled feet propped up on the desk and a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. People drink coffee year round, why not hot chocolate? Emma always said. Her long blonde hair was swept up into a ponytail to keep it off her neck.

"Mary Margaret, can you please try to be a little calm? You've been here for six years, surely you know what you're doing," Emma sighed. Mary Margaret was engaged to Emma's adoptive brother, David, but she was basically family already. Emma had been a little wary of her when they had first met, but eventually her kind eyes and soft smile had worn down Emma's tough exterior and they had become close friends.

Mary Margaret sent her an exasperated look. "Emma, just because I've done this before doesn't mean something can't happen to throw a wrench in the plans. What if someone breaks an arm, do we have everyone's paperwork and insurance forms? What if something is wrong at any of the campsites? Do we have everyone's allergies noted? What if something changes this summer?"

"I think you're over reacting. You yourself have gone over all the paperwork, I'm sure it's perfect. Robin has been out all week checking up on the campsites, they're fine. Look, in a couple hours, the staff for the summer will show up, we'll have dinner, go to sleep, and tomorrow we start getting camp ready. Just like we've done the last six years," Emma spoke calmly. She loved her friend to death, but sometimes her excessive need to make everything perfect got a little out of hand.

Mary Margaret stopped and ran her hands through her short dark hair. "I know, I just can't help it. You know it's in my nature, especially with a new staffer."

Emma opened her mouth to soothe her friend's worries when footsteps on the porch outside stopped her. "Is she freaking out again?" Emma's brother, David, directed the question at her, while smiling fondly at his fiancée and crossing the room to give her a peck on the cheek.

Emma nodded. "But of course. She wouldn't be our Mary Margaret if she wasn't."

"Well allow me to ease your worries just a little," he said, turning her towards him and running his hands soothingly down her crossed arms. "Regina wouldn't have hired this new guy if he wasn't absolutely right for the job. Plus, he survived an interview with that woman, so he's got to have what it takes," David assured her.

Mary Margaret nodded, letting out a long breath. Emma shot her friend a smug grin, which only caused her to roll her eyes and catch sight of the clock. "Emma! Tell me you unlocked the gate so they could get in."

"It's fine. We've planned for everything," she said, taking the keys to the golf cart off the hook by the door on her way out to supervise staff arrival.

Maybe not everything was Emma's first thought when she caught sight of the new guy. He wasn't hard to pick out considering she knew everyone else. He was attractive, she had to admit. He had dark hair that looked like he frequently would run his hands through it, and stubble to match ran along the sharp line of his jaw. And God his eyes. No one's eyes should be allowed to be that blue. He was wearing a navy shirt and grey cargo shorts, and Emma noticed he wore Chacos-someone must have informed him of the typical camp footwear.

Maybe not everything was Emma's first thought when she caught sight of the new guy. He wasn't hard to pick out considering she knew everyone else. He was attractive, she had to admit. He had dark hair that looked like he frequently would run his hands through it, and stubble to match ran along the sharp line of his jaw. And God his eyes. No one's eyes should be allowed to be that blue. He was wearing a navy shirt and grey cargo shorts, and Emma noticed he wore Chacos-someone must have informed him of the typical camp footwear.

"Who's the new guy?" Emma jumped when an arm came to rest on her shoulder, knowing she had been caught staring. Her face broke into a grin when her eyes landed on Ruby, one of her oldest and closest camp friends. Her grandmother had been the cook at camp for as long as Emma had been going, meaning Ruby was around every summer.

"Well hello to you too," Emma jokingly scolded, grabbing her friend for a hug. "He's the new cabin staff, I assume. I've actually never met him," she answered after she pulled away.

"He's cute" Ruby grinned, eyeing him with appreciation, which only caused Emma to snort.

"Don't let Mulan hear you say that," Emma joked, nudging her friend with her shoulder, to which Ruby only rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I may be in a relationship but I do have eyes. And besides, I was actually looking for a friend," Ruby hinted strongly, shooting a smug grin in Emma's direction.

She immediately tensed. No, it wouldn't do to have Ruby thinking like that. Better end it now, before anything could come of it. "Ruby, you know very well that I don't get involved with other staffers…" Not since him was implied.

"You mean you don't get involved with anyone" said Ruby quietly, raising an eyebrow. Emma turned toward her with a retort, only to be interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"Excuse me, I was told to look for Emma Swan?" the girls turned towards the new arrival, and Emma found herself face to face with the man himself. His eyes were even bluer up close, and seriously with the accent?

"That would be me. And you are…?"

"Killian Jones. Pleasure to meet you," he shook her hand, letting it linger just a second longer than necessary. She pretended she didn't feel the electricity that raced up her arm at his touch or the look he gave her that said he felt it too, and pulled her hand back to her side. "I'm the new cabin staff, but I'd wager you already knew that," he smirked.

"Yeah, I figured it out," Emma said bluntly, silently thanking the universe she had talked to him early and figured out he was so cocky and sure of himself. She'd learned her lesson about falling for cheeky smirks and didn't particularly feel like repeating any of it. No thank you. He recoiled slightly at her harsh tone, but he recovered quickly. She pretended that the momentary flash of uncertainty in his eyes hadn't bothered her at all.

"Well, you're going to be with Will for the summer," she said, motioning to the returning staffer unloading his car. "Dinner is at 6, and then everyone just sort of hangs out until lights out. Will can show you where to go," she said, trying to give off an air of authority-trying to make herself unapproachable.

He recognized her obvious dismissal and moved to leave but turned back towards her at the last second. "Thank you, milady," he winked, tossing in another smirk for good measure. Emma rolled her eyes, but he was already turned to walk towards Will and didn't seem to notice.

Ruby, meanwhile, watched the whole exchange with a gleeful expression. When Emma turned towards her, a warning look in her eyes, the brunette merely shrugged before tossing her hair over her shoulder and walking to finish unloading her car.

Emma remained to supervise the remainder of the staff arrival, quietly growing more and more frustrated at her conversation with the new guy. Eventually, after everyone had unloaded their luggage and begun moving towards their cabins, she got back on the golf cart to return to the office.

Of course Mary Margaret was waiting to ambush her as soon as she walked in the door, firing off rapid-fire questions at her. "Emma! Did you meet the new staffer? What's he like?"

Her frustration reached its peak at the questioning, and she started pacing the length of the office. "He's ridiculous! He's arrogant and obnoxious and so obviously full of himself it's a wonder he could get his shirt on over his inflated head!"

Mary Margaret looked shocked. "Emma, I'm sure he wasn't that bad. You heard David earlier, Regina wouldn't have hired him if he wasn't right for the job," she said.

Emma stopped her pacing to turn and face her. "You didn't see him, Mary Margaret. He had this smirk and he winked at me as if that would make me fall down in front of him like every other girl ever," she said, and leaned against the edge of Mary Margaret's desk.

Mary Margaret grinned up at her in understanding. "So he tried to flirt with you and that's why you don't like him, is that it?"

"No," Emma said, unable to keep herself from sounding too defensive. "God, not you too. I already heard it all from Ruby just now, I do not need another lecture about my love life."

Mary Margaret sighed and leaned forward to rest her arms on her desk. "Emma, I know you're cautious about opening up to people, and I know you're scared to try again after what happened with Neal-" Emma looked down at her with a silent warning. "Look, all I'm saying is that wall of yours may keep out pain, but it also might keep out love."

Emma stared at her, mouth agape for a few moments. Eventually she shook herself and said "Trust me, I am not going to fall in love with Killian Jones."

"I didn't say you had to. I just meant you should be open to the idea of letting someone in," she assured, to which Emma didn't have a response.

Instead she shoved herself away from the desk and settled in her own chair. "I don't need a relationship in order for me to be happy, Mary Margaret. And I need to focus on the campers, not a guy," she insisted, opening her email to sort through some last minute emails before dinner, anything to stop herself from thinking about Killian Jones and his stupid smile and blue eyes.

Killian couldn't stop scolding himself the whole time he was walking away from Emma Swan. Two seconds into meeting her, and he had already put his foot in his mouth. She had fire, and he liked it. Not to mention the fact that she was bloody gorgeous with her green eyes that were so guarded and made him want to know every secret they held.

He approached who he assumed was the Will that Emma had indicated he would be working with, who was in the middle of unloading his luggage from a black Jeep.

"Excuse me, are you Will?" Killian asked, holding out his hand. "Killian Jones, I was told to come find you."

"That would be me. Will Scarlet," the other man said and Killian noted his accent, and the two shook hands. "Although, Emma Swan is usually the one to meet new counselors and show them the ropes. She's just over there, actually," he said, nodding towards the blonde who was studiously not looking in their direction.

"Yeah, about that…" Killian trailed off, tearing his eyes away from her and nervously scratching behind his ear.

"You tried to hit on her, didn't you," Will smirked at Killian's sheepish nod. "How'd that go over for you?"

"Well, considering she not only shut me down but apparently pawned me off on to you, I'd say not too well," Killian said.

"Ah, it's not you, mate. She's real closed off, plus she doesn't date other counselors. I wouldn't take it personal," Will said, lugging the last of his bags from his car. That only sparked Killian's interests even more. Surely the reason for her walls was related to her rule of not dating people she worked with.

"I can show you to the cabin if you're all ready to go," Will offered, nodding in the direction of what Killian assumed was the boy side of camp. Killian hurried over to his truck to pick up his bags before following Will up the hill.

The air conditioning was already on when Killian and Will arrived at the cabin, and it was a welcome relief after the sweltering heat of the mid-afternoon sun. When Will had said 'cabin', Killian had thought of something a bit more rustic with rough wood and cramped space that smelled like the dirt, but that was the exact opposite of what he found. The front door was in the middle of the cabin, and the entire left half was taken by the multiple bathrooms while the right had about ten bunk beds for when the campers arrived. Killian and Will had their own twin size beds, one right by the main door, and one next to the door that led to the back porch that looked out over the hill and towards the rest of the camp.

"You can take the bed by the back door. I've always liked this side better," Will offered, and Killian nodded his thanks. They spent the next couple hours packing clothes into the drawers under their beds and into the staff closet in the back of the cabin. They talked about growing up in England and how it was different than the States, and Killian learned that Will was dating Belle, another cabin counselor.

The two started towards the dining hall about fifteen minutes before dinner was supposed to start. When they arrived, everyone was hugging and catching up on the last year. One woman broke off from the group to take Will's hand and introduce herself, although Killian already guessed this was Belle.

Will noticed his unease and smiled at him knowingly. "I remember being the new guy. Trust me, everyone will-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence because the brunette that had been standing next to Emma earlier hurried towards him, dragging an Asian woman with her.

"Hi Killian, we sort of met earlier. I'm Ruby, and this is Mulan." the brunette, Ruby, said in a rush. After a sidelong look at Will, Killian fell into easy conversation with the two of them. Every so often, someone new would introduce themselves, and the whole affair was a whirlwind of new names and faces. The door opened again, and a tall blonde man walked in holding the hand of a woman with short brown hair, but Killian's attention was quickly drawn to Emma Swan, who trailed behind them. He was so fixated on her he didn't notice Ruby nudge Mulan and the conspiratorial grin shared between the two before Ruby leaned over to whisper in Belle's ear.

Killian's attention was pulled from Emma when the two people that came in with her approached him.

"You're Killian, right? I'm David, and this is Mary Margaret, my fiancée," the blonde man said, indicating the brunette woman next to him, "and you've already met Emma," he continued, but Emma herself seemed very interested in looking anywhere that wasn't at him, her mouth set in a firm line as she brushed past him to greet a woman he remembered to be named Elsa.

David started asking Killian about his life back in England while they moved towards the table and Killian moved to take a seat next to David while Mary Margaret moved sit opposite the table from her fiancé. It was then that Ruby, Mulan, Will, and Belle began moving around so that the only seat that remained for Emma was the one directly across from him. Emma noticed to, and if looks could kill, Ruby would have been six feet under.

Eventually, Emma sat down and Killian tried not to focus on the disappointment he felt because she was so determined to avoid him. Serving plates of food started being passed around but it wasn't a full minute before Killian heard an exclamation from the other side of the table.

"Elsa, I am your sister and you know I'm starving, how could you?" a girl Killian remembered as Anna was glaring at the woman across from her with her hand outstretched in front of her.

"Consider us even for that time you put all my stuff at the top of the rock wall, I still cannot for the life of me figure out how you did it," Elsa fired back, completely unfazed.

Killian's brow furrowed in confusion and looked around for an explanation from the rest of the staff, most of whom were laughing and joking about Elsa drawing first blood. Eventually Ruby noticed his confusion.

"We call it the winking game. If you make eye contact with someone and they wink at you, then you're frozen until someone touches you. One time Will here messed up so Belle froze him and wouldn't let anybody free him for twenty minutes," she grinned.

"Funny, he's been much more careful around my books ever since," Belle said nonchalantly and grinned at Killian.

Anna's boyfriend Kristoff took pity on her and unfroze her, and the table descended back into separate conversations.

"So Killian, I'm curious, how did you come to hear about Camp Misthaven?" Mary Margaret asked him. She seemed to be a very kind and welcoming person, and Killian felt at ease around her instantly.

"I'm a friend of Wendy Darling's. We worked together in Boston for a while. She told me about the opening and that I should apply. She can't stop talking about this place; says it's the most magical place on Earth," he explained.

Mary Margaret perked up at his explanation. "Oh, how is Wendy? She was so sweet, we miss seeing her."

"She's doing fantastic. She got her degree and is working on opening a shelter for domestic abuse victims in the area. She found out there are more people seeking assistance than the shelters are capable of providing and she wanted to help. She credits her time here for her desire to help those in need," he explained.

"Yeah, this place has a tendency to change lives," David grinned. "Do you miss being back east? Probably a lot more to do there than in the Midwest, right?"

Killian shrugged. He didn't really feel like explaining his reasoning for leaving Boston, but he knew he should give a more satisfactory answer. "There wasn't really anything that was keeping me there. If I were to miss anything it would be sailing, though. I've always liked being near the sea."

"Missouri doesn't really seem like the best option then," Emma spoke up, as if she hadn't been ignoring him since she walked in the door.

He looked at her, shocked that she had acknowledged she had been listening to the conversation. He cleared his throat before answering her, choosing to maintain giving as few details as possible. "Like I said, there wasn't much there for me. A fresh start somewhere I'm able to help people seemed like a good change. Plus," he leaned towards her, a slow smile growing on his face, "I think there's plenty of beauty here to put Boston to shame." He threw in a wink for good measure.

Emma inhaled sharply and Ruby started laughing from her seat next to her. "Killian, you got her. No one is ever able to freeze Emma, I'm impressed."

Killian grinned as the rest of the staff turned to see that Emma was indeed frozen with half an onion ring in her hand. She was looking at him intensely, but it wasn't quite the icy glare she had fixed on Ruby earlier in the meal. It was more like she was trying to get a read on him, trying to see below the scarred surface and see what exactly made him up. It threw him off and he covered for his uneasiness by stealing an onion ring off her plate and taking a bite out of it. Her gaze immediately darkened, but he smiled at her the whole time before reaching across the table and tapping her hand.

"I hope you know I'm going to get you back for that one, Jones," she threatened lightly, but he wasn't particularly worried.

"And I look forward to it, Swan" he straightened, barely noticing the people around them because he was more fixated on the way her cheeks flushed at the use of her surname.

Review maybe? Bonus points if you can guess which part came from a camp story.