Barely Breathing

Chapter 1: The Beginning

       Emma

<***>

I guess it all started when I had to replace my cannula. It was just a normal appointment. Well, normal for a CF patient. They checked my  lungs, made sure my airways were free to breathe. Everything checked out and I left with my new cannula and oxygen tank. I was rounding a corner and I ran into a tall brooding figure who apparently was holding a bunch of papers. As you can probably guess, the papers went flying everywhere in the hospital corridor. As I was making a big ordeal rambling on about how sorry and clumsy I was, I noticed the papers looked like release forms. I stood up as gracefully as I could with an oxygen tank and handed him the papers I caused him to drop.

        "Big day, huh?" I asked referring to the release papers. When I looked at him I was greeted with a piercing blue-eyed stare. 

        "Yeah, that's for sure," he replied in a thick Irish accent. "I mean, I've been here over a month."

        "Well, congrats. You a long way from home?"

        He let out a small laugh, "You could say that." I gave him a questioning look. "I'm from France, but I came here to visit some friends I met in college, and then my condition decided it was a great time to act up," he explained. 

        "Then what's with the accent?" 

        "You sure ask a lot of questions for someone I haven't met before, let alone know their name, blondie."

        "You have a point there Blue-Eyes. The name's Emma. Emma Swan."

        "Killian Jones at your service."

        "You still didn't answer my question Blue-Eyes. What's up with the accent?"

        "Since you like asking questions so much, let me take you out to dinner and you can ask as many questions as you want. I'll answer them on the condition you'll answer some of mine."

        I narrowed my green orbs, searching his face to see if he was joking. To my surprise he was serious. "Deal. Friday, seven p.m., Neverland Diner. See you then," then I walked off before the blush rose to my fragile skin. 

>***<

        It was five thirty. An hour and a half before I had to be at Neverland and I couldn't figure out what to wear and I had yet to take a shower. I decided to hop in the shower before it was too late. After my shower I went through my closet and finally decided on a red leather jacket, a black skater skirt and a navy top with combat boots. I then did my make-up and hair and slipped my cannula back into my nose. By the time I had finished it was a quarter to seven so I left my small apartment and hopped into my yellow bug, oxygen tank in tow. 

        Killian was already there when I arrived dressed in dark blue Levi's, a black shirt, and black leather jacket. When he saw me, a smile was already forming on his face and I couldn't help but return it. I sat down and picked up the menu even though I already knew what I wanted. The thing is, I came here a lot and the owner is actually my best friend's aunts. My best friend is Aurora Bouregard and her aunts are Flora and Marriweather, the nicest women in town. 

        When our waiter came around I noticed it was Belle, my mom's best friend, and I hid my face behind my menu so Belle wouldn't give me grief that I was on a date. But since luck seemed never to be on my side, it was too late and Belle had already taken notice of me. She gave me a knowing smile and winked causing a subtle blush to rise to my cheeks. "Would you like the usual, Emma?" she asks. 

"Yeah that'll be great thanks," I replied quickly then looked down sheepishly.

"So, you two know each other?" Killian inquires. Belle answered before I had the chance to open my mouth.

"Yep. Her mom and I go way back. Her best friend's aunts own this place, actually," she said. "Are you ready to order sir?"

"Yeah, I'll have the chicken alfredo with extra sauce."

"Coming right up," Belle chirped, then took our menues and headed to the kitchen. 

        Killian looked at me and smirked. "I take it you've been here before." 

"Now where would you get that idea?" 

"I seem to remember you saying I could ask you questions."

"Hit me with your best shot," challenged with a grin. By then our food had come. After taking a couple bites of his food he asked me the first question.

"How old are you Emma Swan?"

"Really? You could have any question and you choose that one?" I asked, unbelieving. "Fine. Whatever. 25. What about you?"

"27. What was your major?"

"Sociology"

"What's your story?" I was taken aback by his forwardness. I was about to tell him about my Cystic Fibrosis but then he spoke again, "Not your illness. I wanna know what made Emma Swan decide to major in sociology. Her backstory. Her history. I want to know you because whatever your sickness may be, it's not you." 

I looked at him dumbfounded. Curious by his genuine interest in me. No one has ever been this, well, interested by me. Ever. It was a nice change though. It made me like him even more. "Alright. But, I'm warning you; it's intense," I finally said. 

I explained how I was an orphan with my older brother most of my life until my biological mother and father found us again when we were eighteen and twenty-five. I noticed Killian's eyes were focused on mine the whole time. I thought me mentioning my condition would scare him off but to my surprise he didn't even seemed fazed by it.

When I was done answering his questions, I started asking some of my own. "So you said you're from France yet you're accent is Irish. Care to explain?" I inquired.

"I grew up in Dublin and went to France for college. I loved it so much I decided to move there. I guess my accent never went away," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Okay, what is your story? Your major, your history. The whole shabang," I said.

He told me of his father's disappearance when he was ten and how his mother raised him and his brother on her own. Then he explained he was in love before, but tragedy struck and she was killed car crash. I reached across the table and took his hand in my own when I noticed his eyes tearing up. "Hey, it's okay Killian. You can stop talking about this if you want," I said softly, staring into his intense blue eyes. He nodded; grateful. We moved on to talking about literature we shared an interest in and music we both liked. He even told me he played guitar and sang a little himself. I told him how I wrote songs from time to time and he joked that we should record something together.

~***~

When we finished dinner and some milkshakes we left and he walked me to my car. "It's a shame you drove here yourself," he said smartly.

"Why is that?" I played along. 

"I was hoping we would spend a little more time together."

"Well, I never go all the way the first date. But we can still do this," I then brought my lips to his and melted into the kiss. I could almost see the fireworks it felt so right. When we finally broke apart I felt instantly colder. I bit my lip slightly.

"Bye Swan," he said tentatively. Then just like that, the date was over and he was walking away. I reluctantly got into my yellow bug and drove home. Even though it was only the first date, I knew it was the start of something special. 

I just never knew what kind of special it would turn out to be.