The Cygnus had a very specific client base that came through. In fact, the coffee shop's owner, Emma Swan, could almost pinpoint what a person would order when they walked through the door. It was a gift, and she prided herself with almost always getting it right.

The College student: A red-eye, or some variation of extra caffeine coffee

The frantic mom: Latte

The hipster mom: No-fat no foam latte with soy

The world traveler: Cappuccino (and always complimenting her foam art work)

Anyone under the age of 12: Hot cocoa (on the house, of course)

And on and on. If someone needed comforting, she could whip up the perfect hot chocolate to soothe their souls, or add just the right flavoring to a coffee, transporting them back to a special place and time.

The cafe was small, residing in a little town outside of Boston, on the water. And although it was tiny, the large windows overlooking the small harbor outside made it all worth it. It was easy to find a small nook to relax in, watch the small vessels come in and out, and enjoy the perfection that was Cygnus Coffee.

It was just Emma. Emma and the coffee. And she liked it that way.

A small cough from the other side of the counter, on a typical slow Tuesday, brought Emma from her thoughts. A handsome gentleman stood on the other side. A mop of curly hair and twinkling blue eyes pulled a smile from her exhausted expression. "How about a vanilla latte with a chocolate sea salt drizzle?" she offered before he could open his mouth. His eyebrows raised. "Actually love, that would be lovely. Make it two,' he replied and Emma quirked her eyebrow at him. "Two?" she asked and he gestured to a dark-headed gentleman bent over several books strewn across one of her smaller tables. "Aye, one for my brother there too. He said he didn't care what I got, so guess what...he gets what I get," he replied in a joking manner, and Emma pursed her lips together. She couldn't get a coffee read on that one, and it didn't help that he was facing away from her.

"Sure thing. Can I put a name on this order?" she smiled brightly, and he nodded at her. "Sure love, put it under Liam," he smiled at her, giving her a little head nod and heading back to the table where his brother was seated. Several minutes later, Emma approached the table with the coffees for the men, balanced on a small tray.

"Two vanilla lattes for Liam," she grinned down as she lowered the tray, and watched Liam try to shuffle papers around on the table and closed a book that was open in front of his brother in order to make room.

"OY!" his brother yelped as the cover thudded shut. "Little brother, don't be rude. Coffee's here," Liam scolded him through gritted teeth, and kicking him under the table. The man muttered "younger brother" before moving more of the books around with a huff. Liam smiled at Emma and took the coffees from her. "Enjoy!" she chirped as she tucked the tray under her arm, and headed back behind the counter. She peaked over her espresso machine to watch Liam's face as he took his first sip. He closed his eyes as it hit his lips, and smiled. Emma always savored the moment when someone had the first sip of perfect coffee, and with a smug smile, she turned to wipe up the counter behind her.

"I don't know what you are smiling about brother. I think this coffee has salt in it," Emma heard the second brother mutter in disgust and she froze. Pasting on a smile, she headed back to the table, as Liam tried to shush his sibling.

"Oh good Killian, now you've done it," he mumbled as Emma strode over, pivoting on her heel until she was facing the man who was attempting to sip on the coffee with a look of disgust on his face.

"Sir, I hear my coffee is not to your liking?" Emma questioned him, and the dark haired man looked up sheepishly, his bright blue eyes meeting her fiery green ones.

Liam buried his head into his hands in embarrassment. "Lass I'm sorry," Liam started, but Emma held up a hand to quiet him. "Now, I take pride in making sure my coffee matches my person. How can I make this better sir?"

The gentleman looked back at her with surprise. "Uh, well...I'm not sure...this just isn't… my cup of tea?" He shrugged apologetically at the bad pun and Emma pursed her lips together and stalked away. Liam gave him a harsh look and the man scratched behind his head in embarrassment, and reopened his book, turning his eyes to the page. Liam scowled at him, spread the papers back out, and they went back to work. A bit later, Emma reappeared at the table, placed a cup in front of him, crossed her arms and waited.

The dark haired man looked from the mug and back up to her with a questioning look. "Well?" Emma asked with impatience, tightening her arms across her chest. The man took a sip and his eyes raised in surprise. "This is good," he started and Emma huffed off. Liam looked at his brother, who looked back at him with surprise. "What did I do?" he asked, and Liam shook his head at him before taking a sip of his coffee and going back to work.

Emma expected to not see either gentleman again, so it was to her surprise with the dark haired brother showed up at her counter a few days later, especially as she danced to Christmas music in her empty coffee shop a few days before Thanksgiving. Emma yelped with a start at the amused man behind the counter watching her dance.

"Oh...um hi. What can I get you?" Emma asked, hand on her heart at the scare. The man grinned at her, and leaned over the counter. "I thought you were the expert at picking coffee?" he asked playfully, and Emma's brow furrowed in a scowl.

"Yeah, I am. Name?" she asks back with a irritated look, holding a pen over a coffee cup and looking at him a bored expression.

"Killian. Killian Jones," he answers, and she purses her lips as she writes the name on the cup. "You know, I quite liked…" Killian started before Emma held up a hand. "I've got this," she answered back, and turned back to her coffee machine. A few minutes later Emma called out the name "Killian Jones" to an empty room, standing on circumstance. Killian rose from the table he sat at, and glanced around the empty room in jest.

"I believe, mam, that this would be my coffee, if no one else in this establishment has that same name," he offered, reaching out for his coffee. Emma huffed and wiped her hands on the dishrag tucked into her jeans, before turning back to her counter and mock cleaning. Killian took a sip and nodded at her, her eyes curious to catch his first impression. "Good," he offered taking a seat at the small table and pulling out large sheets of papers that looked like floor plans. Emma wanted to be nosey, but a few customers chose that moment to come in, and she narrowed her eyes at his back before heading over to tend to their order. She couldn't figure this one out. "Good" just didn't cut it.

Killian coming into the coffee shop several times a week became a habit. He settled in around late morning, and enjoyed the quiet before the lunch crowd and after the frantic mothers and businessmen were on their way to work. Emma tried a different coffee everyday, thinking something would work, but everyday he would smile politely and sip it, but she could tell he thought it was just "ok". On one particular day, when it was slow…no… it was dead if Emma was being honest, and she had cleaned everything she could, she finally let curiosity get the best of her. Killian was at his usual seat, scratching away on paper and reading through books. She took her time making her own personal beverage, and slid into a chair across from him.

Killian's eyes rose from the book in front of him, and he cocked one eyebrow. "Yes?" he asked, and Emma tried to plaster a neutral look on her face. "Well, you're always over here, at this one table, working on something. And if you're going to be here, at the table with… let's face it… the best view, I feel like I ought to know what you're working on."

"Oh, you ought to know? He questioned, grin spreading across his face.

Emma nodded firmly, and leaned back in the chair, crossing her legs. "Yes, I ought to."

Killian chuckled, and nodded, standing up and offering her his hand. "Come on then love," he gestured, and with hesitation she placed her hand in his, and he led her to the big windows in front of them. He placed Emma just so in the window, and stood behind her, gesturing to a few boats in the harbor.

"See that blue boat?" he said from behind her, his words whispering against the back of her neck. She swallowed and nodded. "OK," his voice dropped as his hand drifted a line across the glass. "Now, follow that dock to the left, and see how it disappears behind that building?" Emma nodded again.

"Follow that line up. See that tall mast peaking over the top of the roof?" Killian asked, and Emma nodded once more. "That is what I am doing."

Emma frowned and turned to find him much closer than she thought. She took an unsteady step back, and Killian hand supported her lower back as she wobbled.

"What do you mean, that's what you're doing?" she asked, as he dropped his hand quickly from the small of her back.

Killian gestured back to the table, and they both sat down. He turned the book he was reading to her, and showed her the plans laid out on the table. "I'm restoring an old pirate ship actually. Well, it's a replica that went through a bad hurricane. Liam, my brother, and I picked it up quite inexpensively, and we're restoring it to it's former glory. Or at least, to it's most historically accurate form, which requires a lot of research," he said gesturing to the books in front of him.

Emma sat back in her chair. "You're restoring a pirate ship?" she asked incredulously. Killian scratched nervously behind his ear. "Well, yes lass. My brother and I are."

Emma paused to think. "But, why work here?" she asked, gesturing to the small tables that Killian had copious amounts of papers and books on.

Killian leaned back in his chair, and crossed his leg this time. "Well love, besides the beautiful owner who I quite fancy between her huffy fits of trying to make me the perfect cup of coffee, this is the only place in this town I can both work from and see my ship at the same time."

Emma blushed as the bells above the door rang, signaling a new customer. She ducked her head and excused herself from the table, to help the sudden influx of customers, and didn't get a chance to speak again to Killian before he left. She felt she did have a better idea about his coffee now, but in her hurry, she didn't notice Killian finishing her beverage over his.

.

Killian arrived at his usual time on a Tuesday, and Emma proudly handed him a cup of coffee. "I think I finally cracked it," she said smugly, and Killian took the cup with a surprised face. A sip later he smiled. "It's really good lass. Is that rum flavoring?" he asked, and she nodded. "Well, it's delicious. I'm not sure it's my favorite yet, but it's quite good."

Emma's face fell as he went to his usual table. "Shit," she grumbled and went back to the drawing board.

As December continued, small spurts of snow began to pepper the town, and it was on one snowy evening that Killian showed up at The Cygnus, hands in pocket. The snow stuck in flecks to his beanie, and he was tightly bundled in a scarf. He shuffled his feet on the mat before striding into the store. There were a few students studying for exams, but otherwise the coffee shop was quiet.

"Evening Swan," Killian started, and Emma looked exhausted. "Killian, I don't have it in me for the guessing game tonight. What's up?"

Killian smiled softly at her. "I would like to show you something. Would you accompany me somewhere this evening?"

Emma looked at him skeptically. "Where?"

Killian cocked his head to the side, "Now Swan, where is the fun in that. I promise, you shall be completely safe… on my honor. I just ask that you bring a thermos of your favorite hot beverage, and meet me at this address around 8 pm."

Emma took the piece of paper with an address written on it from his gloved hand, and stared at his hopeful face for a few moments before nodding yes. "Ok, I'm in."

"Brilliant Swan! I'll see you then," he chirped out before leaving.

Emma showed up a few hours later, a thermos in hand with two mugs. "Hello Swan," Killian greeted her with a bright smile, and offered his arm to her. She linked hers with his, and they began strolling down towards the wooden planks of the docks.

"I think it's very festive this time of year," Killian mused, the twinkling Christmas lights shining off the water.

"Is that why I am here Killian? To look at Christmas lights?" Emma asked.

Killian chuckled, "Alas, no Swan, although I feel that you don't even appreciate them. You're here, because I want to show you this."

Killian stopped and turned down a dock, and Emma let out a little gasp at the size of the large boat sitting at the end of the dock. "That… that's a huge boat," Emma stated, and Killian laughed.

"It's a ship Swan. Come now…" he teased, and guided her down to the end of an adjacent dock, and gestured to a plaid blanket laid out at the end. "Mind if we sit?" he asked, and Emma shook her head.

"Well she's beautiful," Emma stated as she took a seat cross legged on the dock, "Wait… she is a she right?"

"Aye," Killian confirmed, "Actually, I brought you here because Liam and I finally decided on a name for her."

"Oh?" Emma asked, curiosity in her voice as she poured two mugs from the thermos.

Killian nodded. "Can you see what is painted there?" he asked, gesturing to the side of the ship. Emma squinted to read the writing, and then looked with surprise to Killian. Cygnus 2 was written in large, neat letters on the side of the ship, along with a small painting of a swan folding neatly into the shape of the number two. Emma looked back to the ship, and then to Killian.

"But…why?" she asked, and Killian smiled warmly at her. "Well, we wanted to give her a strong name. And swans are strong. This one particular one I've gotten to know… she's strong, stubborn as hell but relentless. She seems to know just what people need. And I want this boat to inhabit all those qualities. Plus, the Swan I know is awesome enough to let two Brits take up her best table for weeks at a time."

Emma was at a loss for words, and Killian could tell. He lifted the cup towards his lips, "What's the drink tonight love?" he asked. Emma shook the thoughts from her head, not believing what Killian had just told her.

"Um… that's just… that's just my signature cocoa. I really made it for me as I had a hankering, so I am not sure if you will like it but…." Emma started to explain, but as the cocoa hit Killian's lips he sighed and closed his eyes. Emma froze looking at him. This was the cocoa she had served him the first day they met, when his coffee order wasn't what he wanted. And the one day that she misplaced her cup after their talk… did he drink it?

"Wait… this is your drink?" Emma asked with a laugh, and Killian shrugged. "I love it. And in my defense, I did try to tell you that I loved it the second time I came in, but your stubborn ass wouldn't hear it." Emma shook her head and laughed into her cocoa.

The duo sat out in the light snow and watched the water reflect off the Cygnus 2 for a while longer, enjoying the cocoa and the lights. And when it was time to leave, Emma allowed Killian to wrap his arm around her on the walk home. And when he kissed her goodnight, she tasted like his favorite thing in the world.