Chapter Text
Emma Swan was in a bit of a rut.
She had been working in personal security for seven years now. Her boss catered to the rich and famous who preferred a little discretion with their safety. Gone were the days of Britney Spears trailed by massive men in sunglasses. Emma had the skills to blend in with a crowd. She knew how to dress up or dress down for an occasion, which of her purses could best conceal her gun, and her gut had been telling her for years how to suss out a threat.
She loved her job, but her personal life was dead boring. Emma was alone. She had always been alone, really, despite the myriad of families that had housed her in her youth. She went home after a job to an empty apartment that always smelled vaguely of seafood. She had no roots, nothing to tie her down. Perhaps that, and her seven years of excellent work, had been why Vince had sent her to a hotel in Boston for what he called a "long-term job that required creative undercover work."
Emma had no fucking clue what that meant, but it sounded different.
As Emma knocked on room #815, she quickly checked to make sure that her gun was still in her bag. Who knew what kind of creep could be on the other side. Vince said that this was bound to be a lucrative job offer, but Vince liked to coat every surface in gold paint, so Emma had stopped trusting his financial judgements years ago. The hotel was nice enough. Her clients usually frequented hotels that provided personal conceierges and all that shit. This one let her on the elevator without a second glance. Safety didn't seem to be a high priority for this client.
She was pulled from her musings as the door opened to reveal a handsome young man with an open expression and close-cropped blonde hair. He broke into a smile that dazzled Emma for a moment. He hadn't said a word and Emma was already charmed.
"Hello, you must be Ms. Swan." He stuck out a hand for her to shake. "My name is David Nolan, please come on in."
"Pleased to meet you," Emma murmered politely, following him into a spacious suite. There were two women seated in the living space. One, with a pixie cut and a sugary-sweet smile, was sitting on the couch. The other woman had thick eye makeup, shocking red lips, and red streaks through her long brown locks. David sat next to the woman with the short hair and Emma sank into the seat next to the other woman.
"Ms. Swan, I am so pleased that you were able to meet us on such short notice. We are in desperate need for a bodyguard that is willing to work an unconventional job." Mr. Nolan somehow managed to speak with authority and kindness.
Emma nodded distractedly. "So what is it?"
The three exchanged looks with one another.
"Ms. Swan," began the woman next to Mr. Nolan, "this is a sensitive issue that is not to be shared with the public and we were hoping to make sure that you could fit all of our needs before we reveal explosive details."
Emma chuckled and leaned back in her chair. "So this person's pretty famous, huh? Tabloid fodder? I understand. I've worked with them before. Reality TV stars, movie stars, singers, politicians, what-have-you. I've seen it all. And I'm sure Vince has shared my record with you. I've run into some trouble, but never anything I couldn't handle. I don't get distracted just because someone is famous. I stay focused on the job, I stay discrete, and I do my work."
The two on the couch looked impressed. The woman leaned over to whisper in Mr. Nolan's ear. The woman next to Emma flicked her hair behind her shoulder and looked at Emma with an appraising look. "This is a long-term job. We're hoping it only takes a few weeks, but it could be longer. Are you capable of going undercover and infiltrating an entorage of people? The only ones would would know of your status are the three of us in this room and the client. Could you play a part 24/7?"
Emma shrugged. "Depends on the part. I'd do much better being myself a bit. But I can be a best friend. I can be a girlfriend. I can be a family member. If I can keep my personality, then I can keep up at it for months if you need."
The other brunette leaned forward. "What about your family? Friends? Are you in a position to pack up your life and leave them for an indeterminate length of time?"
"Yes I am. If you let me run to my apartment and pack a bag, I could be ready to go in an hour."
The brunette next to her smirked. "That's not necessary. We would pick up expenses for a new wardrobe and personal items you would need. Actually, it would be better that way."
Emma started to wonder if this woman, wearing a tight red minidress, had just insulted her fashion choices. She fought down a glare, and settled for looking back at David Nolan.
"Ms. Swan," he addressed her, smile lighting up his face, "I think you are the perfect candidate for this job." He reached into the briefcase beside him and pulled out a file. Mr. Nolan handed it to Emma. The file fell open on her hands to reveal a TIME magazine cover of Killian Jones, lead singer and guitarist of the glam rock band Jolly Roger. His heavily lined bright blue eyes stared up at her.
The long-haired woman spoke up. "We have reason to fear for Killian's life."