Thank you to x Captain of the Swans x for beta-ing!

The raindrops trickled down the glass from outside Emma's bedroom window, the sound soothing to her ears as she tried to sleep. She shifted slightly as she felt his warm body pressed to hers. Mornings like this were rare and far between and normally, she would use such precious moments to sleep, or to engage in other enjoyable activities with her best friend, but just being in his arms was enough. She was wide awake, anyway, even though her body was completely exhausted from an eighteen-hour shift at the hospital. It was irritating to her how all she wanted to do at work was sleep, and yet, when she got home, she could do anything but sleep. However, she could feel nothing but content with his arm holding her waist like gravity had pulled it directly to that spot. She felt safe and secure with him there, like she could just stay there forever with him. She would never tell him that though. That would be breaking one of their rules. They were already breaking the 'no snuggling in bed with their clothes on' rule as it was.

Emma had felt alone most of her life, even after she was adopted by loving parents. There was also her sister, Lily, who she fought with all of the time and had spent endless nights staying awake just talking to. She had those people in her life who loved her, but she still felt like there was piece of her that didn't fit quite right. That piece made her feel unbelievably alone on occasion, but being with him seemed to always fill that void ever since the day they met. Sighing softly, she recalled in her mind that day, not being able to believe that it had been fifteen years since then. Grabbing his hand, she threaded her fingers through his, and held it to her lips, his scent comforting to her senses. She loved the feeling of his skin on her lips. She also loved the feeling of her heart skipping a beat every time they kissed. She would never tell him that though.

Closing her eyes, her mind drifted to that significant day, the memories so vivid in her head.

Emma was sitting against a tree, holding her knees to her chest as her feet lay flat on the solid ground. It was her first day at the Neverland Orphanage in Maine after thirteen years of being in the foster system. She was a loner and always kept to herself; she preferred it that way. She didn't like socializing with kids she would probably never see again after they would eventually be adopted, leaving her there, wishing that it was her who was being taken away from this life. Emma decided long ago, never get attached. Always look out for yourself and you'll never get hurt. Which is why she scoffed when someone chose to sit next to her, so rudely invading her space. She started moving to get up when she looked over and her green eyes were met with impossibly blue ones.

The owner of those amazing eyes smiled at her and extended a hand.

"You must be new. I'm Killian Jones."

Emma suddenly found it hard to breathe. She had seen a number of cute boys in her short life, but this one in particular made her heart skip a beat. He had dark hair and dimples and an amazing smile. Her eyes drifted to his hand in hesitation before she shook it.

"Emma Swan."

When he released her hand, he scratched a spot behind his ear and she could tell he was trying to think of something to say. She leaned her head back against the tree, praying he would go away.

"So... um, did you come here alone?"

She sighed as she looked up towards the sky when her prayers were not answered. Dropping her head, she looked at him again. Bad idea.

There was such sweetness in his kind eyes, she just found it hard to abandon them. She nodded her head to answer his question.

"You?"

"No. I'm here with my brother." Killian looked down as his eyes became sad and he pulled at a patch of grass, tossing it to the ground. "Our mother died of cancer and our father left in the middle of the night."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"What about you? How did you end up here?" he asked, looking up at her again.

"I was left on the side of the road as a baby and went through the foster system." Her eyes met his and the look he gave her made her heart melt. It wasn't a look of pity or obligation, it was a look of understanding, like they were kindred spirits meant to find each other. Emma looked away again.

"Look, I don't do this."

He looked at her confused.

"Do what?"

"This thing that we're doing right now."

"And what would that be, love?"

Emma lost a breath again. The way he said the word 'love' with that silk, British accent of his gave her goosebumps.

"I'm not your love. And I don't socialize. People aren't meant to be together forever. They leave, that's just what they do. They leave and never look back."

Killian's eyes grew dark with sadness again.

"Not me. I'll never leave this place. Not until my brother is old enough to have custody of me, which won't be for another three years."

"How long have you been here?" she asked curiously.

"Three-thousand, seventy-eight days," he replied with a quick, smooth confidence to his answer. Emma arched a brow at him.

"You keep track of the number of days you've been here?"

"Aye. Let me show you." He stood up, reaching out his hand and she took it after a moment of hesitation. They went inside the orphanage and up the stairs to the room he stayed in. He led her into the closet and turned on the light-bulb above them. There on the wall to the left was halfway covered in small tick marks representing each day he had been there. She looked at them as she traced some of the markings with her finger.

"So you see, I'm not going anywhere, Emma. I'm too old for any family to want me now."

"How old are you?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"Thirteen. You?"

"Same."

Emma woke up a few hours later to her pager beeping. She released her fingers from Killian's hold and reached for it on the night stand. There was an emergency at the hospital. She very carefully lifted his arm from her body and rested it on the mattress behind her, trying not to wake him. Reaching for a pen and pad of paper in the drawer of her nightstand, she left Killian a note to let him know she had to go to work. She ripped it out and left it next to him before she got up and grabbed her keys, purse and umbrella.

It was a ten minute drive to the hospital on a day like today. The traffic was light this early in the morning and it was Sunday. When she arrived, she quickly found an empty spot in the parking lot and rushed inside to the ER.

She was a resident at Boston's children's hospital and loved her job dearly. Being able to help sick children and save lives was one of the things that made her want to get out of bed everyday. It gave her life.

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Emma?" Killian asked her out of the blue one day as she was reading Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and he was reading Peter Pan. They met in the same closet every day since they met, exchanging stories of childhood memories, both happy and sad. After Killian had convinced her that he was not going anywhere without her, they quickly became friends.

"I'm not sure. You?"

"I just want to do something to make a difference. You know, be a hero like in these fairy-tale books."

"I thought you only liked the ones about pirates. They're usually considered villains, not heroes."

"Aye, but they're just fairy-tales. I want to be a hero in real life. Don't you?"

"Yeah. I also want to leave this place, but I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"Well, how about we make a pact?"

Emma furrowed a brow at him.

"What kind of pact?"

"When we finally get out of this place, we do something to make a difference. You know, do something good with our freedom."

Emma smiled at his optimism. He was everything that she wished she could be, and that's what she loved about him. He was kind, honest and fearless; things that she was not. Killian extended his hand for her to take and they shook on it.

"It's a deal."

Emma got home about one a.m. the next morning. The apartment was dark. Her roommates must have been asleep in their rooms. They were all doctors as well, but had worked earlier shifts than her. When she entered her room, she switched on the light and found a note in her bed. It was different than the one she had left. It was from Killian.

E

Call me when you get home.

-K

Being an ungodly hour, she decided to shoot him a text instead, in case he was sleeping. Not that it would matter. Killian had proved to her time and time again that any phone calls, no matter what time it was, he would come to her when beckoned, whether it be an emergency or if she needed a friend to talk to or even just a quick romp in the sac, he would be there. Emma pulled out her phone and started typing a text.

E: Just got home. What's up?

She received a reply not a minute later.

K: Nothing. Just missed you, that's all.

Emma smiled as she sent another text.

E: You're not allowed to miss me, remember?

K: What, I can't miss my best friend?

E: *sigh* fine, I miss you too.

K: You wouldn't have to if I were with you. Should I come over?

Emma thought for a moment. As much as she wanted him to, she decided it wouldn't be a good idea after the cuddle time they shared the previous morning. It was too much and she needed space.

E: Actually, I'm really tired. I'll text you when I wake, okay?

K: :'[

Emma laughed. She had always found it hard to say no when he pouted.

E: Fine, but I want you naked when you get here, got it?

K: Be there in five.

"Emma? What's wrong, love?" Killian found her in their closet, sitting on the floor with her face buried in her knees, shaking. She lifted her head up and she was red, her cheeks covered in tears. Killian's heart broke when he saw her like this.

"Emma... What is it? You can tell me anything."

After being there for a year, Emma and Killian had become best friends, never leaving the other's side unless they had to. And normally, she could tell him anything, but right now, she found it hard to break the news to him. Emma dropped her head back down and continued to sob uncontrollably. He took a seat next her and put his arm around her shoulder as tears formed in his eyes as well. He hated seeing her like this. She immediately lifted her head and pressed it into his chest, soaking his shirt as she put an arm around his stomach. She was not normally an affectionate person but when it came to Killian, there weren't many boundaries. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. They stayed like that for half an hour until she was ready to speak. She lifted her head up and he swiped her remaining tears from her cheek as she sniffled. Finally she let the words spill out.

"I'm being adopted. My new family will be here tomorrow to pick me up and take me to Boston."

A wide grin took over Killian's features.

"Love, that's a good thing. You get to be free of this place."

Emma sat up, in shock at his reaction.

"Don't you get it? If I go, I'll never see you again! I can't live without you, Killian!"

His eyes grew sad at the realization. He pressed his forehead to hers as he whispered softly.

"I can't live without you either, but this is your chance... to do something great. You promised remember? Once you get out of here, you have to do something great, okay?"

Emma nodded her head, tears escaping her eyes again.

"Okay"

She laid her head back on his chest and he kissed the top of it through her blonde hair. They stayed like that for hours until they got called down for dinner.

Killian was true to his word. He was walking through her door five minutes later. Emma stood from the bed and strode over to him, smashing her lips into his as she pulled him to her. They desperately stripped one another of their clothes until they were both naked. Emma jumped up, Killian catching her as she wrapped her legs around him and he growled as his erection was pressed against her nub. They fell into the bed and their bodies were deliciously pressed together as he nudged her entrance and slowly penetrated her. She moaned into their kiss as he stretched her walls, both of them rolling their hips into the other.

Emma loved their trysts after she got home from a long day at work. It helped relieve the tension from her body. Nothing else would ever be enough to do the same.

Killian rocked into her deeper, taking every inch of her as he nipped and kissed her neck, leaving love bites. He cupped her breast in his hand, kneading his fingers into her skin. She gripped onto his shoulders as he took her into oblivion, her walls fluttering around him as he pulsed inside of her, spilling out a long stream of his seed. They panted, trying to catch their breaths as he gently collapsed into her, laying his head on her chest.

On Emma's last day, her and Killian walked out of the orphanage hand in hand with Liam next to them as she saw her new family standing in front of their car. Her new mom had green eyes, dark hair and a pixie cut while her dad had blonde hair and blue eyes. There was also a girl her age with dark brown hair that would be her new sister. Emma was told that Lily was the reason why Mary Margaret and David had adopted a teenager, so that their daughter could have a sister her age.

Emma turned to look at Killian before she approached her new family.

"I wish you could come with me."

Killian reached a hand to her cheek, grazing his thumb across her skin.

"I know, love. Just remember-"

"I know... do something great. I will, I promise."

He stroked her hair as he managed to speak again.

"There's not a day that will go by when I won't think of you."

"Good." Emma smiled and kissed his cheek. He pulled her into a long, warm hug and she sank into him, soaking in his scent that she would never be able to forget.

"Bye, Killian." She choked the words out as tears formed in her eyes when she finally let him go.

"Goodbye, Emma." he said, smiling weakly. She gave Liam a hug, too.

"Goodbye Liam."

"Bye lass."

She reluctantly turned around and walked up to her new family, who hugged her warmly before they got into the car. Emma turned around to look at him one last time, before she got in and shut the door. When they drove away, Emma turned around in her seat to wave at them as Killian watched her until she disappeared.

Liam put his hand on his shoulder as they went inside. He couldn't speak, only cry and he didn't want everyone to see him while he did, so he went upstairs to their closet. When he entered and switched on the light, his attention was averted to a spot underneath his markings. There was writing on the wall.

K,

I will find a way to get you and your brother out of here, soon. I don't know how, yet, but I will. I promise. And when I do, I will find you.

Always and forever yours,

E

Killian smiled weakly at her words, but he couldn't stop the sudden rush of tears from escaping from his loss. He sat on the floor and rested his arms on his knees as he cried uncontrollably into his sweater where her scent lingered.