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It was three days to Christmas and Emma finally had all her gifts in order which was no small feat since people had been vicious at most of the stores she went into. One woman had tried snatched a sweater out of her hands which resulted in a tug of war before Emma realized what she was doing and let go. She wouldn’t dream of giving Ruby a stretched out sweater anyways. Ruby was the whole reason she even had people to celebrate Christmas within the first place, if it weren’t for Ruby practically dragging Emma with her to an open call she never would be where she is with some solid friends and a nice new apartment that she and Ruby just signed the lease on a month ago. “ Oh! ” Emma thought as she passed an ATM, “I should get some money out to tip the super and other people for Christmas.”
She walked into the alcove, grateful to be shielded from the wind and snow that was falling fast from the sky. A few people walked out as she walked in, leaving only her and one other person in the vestibule. He was tall with black hair and when he looked up from his phone she was startled by just how blue his eyes were. She let herself discreetly check him out as she walked up to the machine under the pretense of getting her wallet out of her bag.
Just as she went to put her ATM card into the machine the lights in the vestibule went out and the automated door swung shut. A backup generator must have kicked in as a whirring sound started and the lights kicked back on so at least they weren’t in total darkness during what appeared to be a city-wide blackout. The man went to the door to only found that it had locked, trapping the both of them in the vestibule until the power kicked back on.
“Oh bloody hell, that’s great that is-” his words faltered once he laid eyes on her and Emma despite his very cute British accent she instantly knew he knew who she was. No doubt he had seen a large billboard with her and some others in Time Square, the commercials where she had to “walk seductively” towards the camera, or there was even a chance that he watched her walk the runway in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show clad in nothing but lingerie and a pair of angel wings so large her back hurt for days after the show. She busied herself digging around in her bag, hoping that he wouldn’t try to do anything creepy.
“ Oh my God, ” Killian thought to himself as he stared at her, “I’m trapped in an ATM vestibule with that Victoria’s Secret model, what was her name? Something Swan?” She looked up from her bag and Killian realized he had been staring at her the entire time and being incredibly creepy. She pulled out her phone, probably to text her friends about the creepy guy she was stuck with and frowned. She put it back in her bag and walked to the payphone on the wall, a relecet from the 90s, and checked the line.
“Um do you mind if I borrow your phone to call my roommate?” she asked him reluctantly. “My phone’s dead and I think that payphone hasn’t worked since 2005.”
“Yeah sure,” Killian fumbled getting his phone out of his pocket and handing it to her.
“Thanks,” she said taking it and quickly dialing. “Hey, Ruby it’s Emma.”
“Emma that’s her name, Emma Swan!” Killian thought quickly.
“I’m stuck in an ATM vestibule, where are you?” Emma tapped her fingers against the wall as she listened to her friend. “This guy I’m stuck with let me borrow his phone,” her eyes flicked to him and Killian looked down intently at his fingernails hoping that she hadn’t noticed him staring at her. “Yeah I’ll be fine, you just stay at the apartment. We can’t have both of us get stuck out here,” she hung up the phone and held it out to him. “You probably have people you need to call.”
“Yeah I should probably make sure one of my roommates doesn’t panic and eat everything in the fridge,” thankfully she laughed and Killian felt a surge of confidence as he waited for Robin to pick up.
“Hello?”
“Belle?”
“My phone’s off since we’re trying to make sure both mine and Robin’s don’t run out of battery at the same time, he’s in the other room getting candles. Where are you?”
“I stuck in the Village but listen-” Killian mumbled trying to tell Belle where he was.
“Could you repeat that?” she asked.
“I’mtrappedinanATMvestibulewithEmmaSwan,” Killian said hoping the woman in question didn’t understand him.
“Killian, what the hell are you saying?” Belle said her frustration clear.
“Just put Robin on the phone,” he said.
“Hello?” Robin said finally answering his own phone. Killian repeated his mumbled message. “OH my god!” Robin said excitedly and thankfully translated for Belle.
“That’s what you were saying?” Killian could hear Belle exclaim.
“So how’s it going there? You two huddling up to share body heat?” Killian could practically hear Robin’s smile on the phone.
“It’s a bit chilly but we’re fine,” Killian said pointedly. “I’m gotta go and save this battery for as long as I can.”
“Have fun loverboy,” Robin laughed before hanging up. Killian sighed and shoved his phone into his pocket and looked over at Emma again.
She was looking out the glass door at the dark street, “How long do you think we’ll be stuck here?”
“Hard to say, the last time I think New York had a blackout like this was over ten years ago. I’m sure someone soon will walk by us and help or call someone who can.”
“I hope so, I’m getting hungry.”
“I agree with you there,” he nodded before summoning his courage and extending his hand to her, “I’m Killian by the way.”
“Emma Swan, but judging by your phone call you already knew that,” she smirked at him as she shook his hand. HIs cheeks had never felt warmer
After an hour of waiting, Emma started to doubt that anyone was going to come for them soon. Surely there were other people who needed emergency help sooner than two people stuck in an ATM vestibule. But judging by the faint gurgling sounds coming from the guy’s (“Killian” she corrected herself) stomach she wasn’t the only one feeling desperate for some food.
She groped around in her purse hoping to find something, anything even some stale crackers she threw in and forgot about, just to take the edge off. The only food like thing she could find was a pack of gum. Maybe by chewing she could trick her stomach into thinking she ate?
“Do you want some gum?” she asked, breaking the prolonged silence that had stretched between them since the phone incident.
“Is it sugarless?”
“No?” she said looking down at the box. She shrugged and popped a piece in her mouth.
“Actually you know what it really doesn’t matter, could I have a piece please?”
“You sure?” she asked, pulling a piece out for him.
“Yeah, gum would be perfection!” he said and then grimaced, clearly regretting what he had said. Emma just smiled awkwardly and dropped the gum into his outstretched palm. He shoved the piece into his mouth, apparently too fast since his eyes bulged and he made a strangled sound.
“Are you okay?” she asked. He gave a thumbs up but clearly was not okay at all. “Oh my god you’re choking.” Emma quickly positioned herself behind him and gave him the Heimlich. He sputtered and coughed and the gum came flying out of his mouth.
“I’m so sorry,” he coughed, massaging his throat with his hand.
“No need to apologize, it’s not like you intentionally choked on it,” Emma assured him.
“Thanks, but I’m also sorry about the whole phone thing,” he said.
“It’s okay, really,” she smiled at him. “I remember when I first moved to New York I saw Mariska Hargitay walking in the park and I had an internal freakout.”
He chuckled, relieving a dimple in his cheek and Emma felt herself soften, “Clearly you are a woman of good taste. Do you mind if we just start over? Forget the phone and the gum incidents?”
“Sure, hi I’m Emma,” she extended her hand to him to share.
“Killian Jones, nice to meet you.”
“So Killian Jones, what are your plans for Christmas?”
“Oh the usual, going across the hall to hang out and eat the food my chef neighbor makes. You?”
“My roommate Ruby is hosting a big party at her grandmother’s dinner on Christmas Eve and then Christmas day we’re just going to stay in and watch Christmas movies.”
“Which diner does your friend’s grandmother own?’
“Granny’s? It’s over on 9th.”
“Wait, the one where the waitresses wear those red and white uniforms?”
“Yeah, you know it?”
“Certainly do, my neighbor actually works there.”
“Huh,” Emma shrugged. “Small world.”
“It appears so,” he nodded, “So how long have you known Ruby?”
“About two years? She was my first roommate when I moved out here, the first friend really.”
“In New York or in general?” Killian looked as if he instantly regretted it once the words left his mouth but it didn’t stop his words from hurting.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she said, crossing her arms protectively in front of herself.
“Sorry that was a little too forward,” he said looking towards the ground. Emma nodded, retreating back into herself and her purse.
“Good job Killian, really a great job” Killian mentally berated himself. Emma was clearly hurt even though she tried hard not to show it. He tried to think of a way to fix it, but instead, the silence just stretched on and on. They just stood on opposite sides of the vestibule trying not to look at each other, but on one of Killian’s discreet quick looks, he saw Emma start to shiver.
“Are you cold?”
“Huh?” she said as if he was shaking her out of a trace.
“You cold?” he repeated.
“Oh, no I’m fine,” she nodded. Despite her words, Killian could clearly see her shivering.
He crossed the distance that stretched between them, shrugging off his coat. “I’m serious you really don’t need to do that,” she protested but before she could say another word Killian draped his coat over her shoulders.
“It’s the least I could do after totally cocking up our conversation earlier. Plus we can’t have you freezing to death, a Victoria’s Secret Angel becoming an actual angel seems just a tad to ironic for my taste.”
She smiled and pulled the coat tighter around herself and looked up at him, “Thank you.”
“It looks better on you anyways,” he said reaching out and pulling her hair out from under the collar. He couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling of her silky hair combing through his fingers.
“Now you’re going to get cold though,” she said apologetically.
“I’ll be fine, I lived in England most of my life I’ve seen worse,” he said.
“You’re a long way from home then, aren’t you going to miss your family this year?”
“Well yes I will but there’s nothing for me in England anymore. It was pretty much just my
brother and I and well last year he died.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said reaching out to his other hand, the hand he had tried to keep out of sight this whole time because he couldn’t let her see his prosthetic. Her hand came down to find hard plastic and she looked up at him, the question everyone always wants to ask clearly in her eyes.
“There was an accident, I mostly made it out but Liam didn’t,” Killian pulled his prosthetic away from her.
Emma was quiet for a moment before taking a deep breath, “You were really honest with me so I’m gonna be honest with you too but if you tell the press or anyone I will hunt you down,” she looked pointedly at him. Killian was too shocked to speak so he simply nodded. “Yes Ruby is my first friend ever, really she’s my first family. I grew up in the foster system never really had a family to spend Christmas with until I moved to New York and met her.”
“So I guess we found our family,” Killian said.
“Yeah, and I’d really like to get out of here so I know that I can go spend it with my weird little family.”
“I understand, believe me.”
“You do?”
“Absolutely, the first Christmas I had with my brother I was a miserable wreck. Robin’s sister Mary Margaret had to come practically drag me out of bed for Christmas dinner.”
“The holidays are a lot harder than people give them credit for,” Emma sighed.
“Yeah but I don’t know having my own weird little family makes it a lot easier. And it’ll get easier I promise.”
“Thank you, again,” Emma said and Killian suddenly became very aware of how close they were standing.
“Right well, hopefully, this power kicks back on soon so we can actually be with them,” he gulped.
“Right hopefully,” Emma smiled and Killian swore her eyes flicked down to his lips.
“This is crazy, there’s no way this could work,” Killian thought as he started to lean in. She didn’t lean away which he took as a good sign. He closed his eyes and before his completely shut he saw hers close as well. He felt her nose brush against his cheek but just before his lips could connect with hers a loud beeping noise interrupted them accompanied by the bright regular lights of the vestibule flickering on. The automated door unlocked with a loud click.
“Well I guess the powers back on,” Emma said with what sounded like a tinge of disappointment.
“Yeah well if I do say so myself I wouldn’t have wanted to be stuck in an ATM vestibule during a blackout with anyone else.”
“Same here,” Emma stepped back to gather up her things. Killian felt his heart sink, he had missed his chance with not only Emma Swan international model but Emma Swan the person who wanted to celebrate Christmas with her little found family.
“Well good luck getting home Killian,” she said before heading out of the vestibule. Killian sighed looking down at his shoes. He looked up when he heard some hurried footsteps.
“I forgot to give you your coat back,” she said pulling it off of her shoulders. “I also forgot this,” she pulled him by the collar to her lips. It was a kiss unlike anything Killian had ever experienced, it consumed him until it was just him and Emma and everything else fell away from them.
“That was-” he started when the pulled apart.
“Amazing,” she finished with a smile. “Merry Christmas Killian.”
“Merry Christmas Swan,” he said, a sudden surge of courage coursing through him, “You know I’m hosting a New Year’s Eve party, would you be interested in coming?”
“I would be but I already have plans with Ruby,” she said apologetically. “But New Years Day I know I’m going to need some greasy diner food to help recover. What do you say to a late breakfast at Granny’s?”
“That sounds perfect,” he responded already knowing that next year would be a far better year than this year had been.