The next time they saw each other, Emma was sitting at the kitchen counter with David and Mary Margaret's son, Leo, keeping the baby occupied while his parents took care of dinner.

"Did Ruby say who this new friend of theirs is?" Emma asked.

"She didn't, she just asked if it was okay they come to family dinner. And that it's apparently one of the new professors this semester in Dorothy's department, and doesn't have many friends." Mary Margaret shrugged.

She nodded. "Oh, alright.." She was skeptical as she bounced Leo on her knee gently since it made him grin at her. Emma loved her nephew, and loved to play with the baby.

David answered the door when there was a knock and Emma looked up to see who Ruby's new friend was, and was less than shocked to see Killian standing behind them awkwardly.

Emma watched David clench and unclench his fist at the sight of Killian in his doorway. She knew he was holding back for her sake, but she wanted to punch him too. Emma carried Leo over to them, and stopped next to David.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She almost growled at Killian.

"Swan, I promise you I didn't know. If I had, I wouldn't have surprised you like this." Killian said softly.

She rolled her eyes. "I know, but you didn't recognize the house when you pulled up? You helped them move in." She sighed. "You could've done something."

Ruby folded her arms across her chest. "What is going on here? You two know each other?"

"Aye, Lass." Killian sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

Emma sighed. "Better than you know, Rubes." She mumbled, the baby in her arms was keeping her from doing something stupid. Like slapping him, or kissing him.

"Swan, I'll leave if you don't want me here. These are your friends, and I don't want to upset you.." Killian said softly, shoving his good hand deep into his pocket.

Emma could tell he wasn't lying, that he would leave if she asked him to, but she wanted to know what he's been doing over the last few years. She sighed. "Just stay, Killian. You're already here, it's whatever at this point."

He nodded. "Who is the handsome little lad you've got there?" He asked once David had let him fully into the apartment.

"This is David and Mary Margaret's son, Leo." Emma smiled a little. "He's eighteen months old, and a little charmer."

Killian smiled. "Congratulations, Dave. I know how much the two of you wanted kids."

David nodded. "Thank you, Jones." He said curtly before he moved to help Mary Margaret finish dinner.

The six of them settled into the meal, and Ruby kept looking between Emma and Killian, slightly confused.

"Were you friends, or did you date, or what? I'm dying here, Emma." Ruby groaned.

"I really don't want to talk about it, Ruby. My past with Killian is just that. Mine.. And it's in the past." Emma snapped.

"Emma.. I'm sorry, I.. I didn't mean to upset you. I won't push anymore." Ruby said softly.

Emma took a breath. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. But it's really not any of your business.." She said softly.

"Love, if you want to tell her it's fine. If she doesn't want to talk to me afterwards, I'll understand. I don't want to come between you and your friends." Killian sighed.

She looked over at him. "I just.. The only people who know what happened between us are Mary Margaret and David, and us.. I'm not exactly interested in talking about it."

He nodded. "I understand."

She sighed, and pushed the food around her plate some. Mary Margaret turned to Killian.

"How is Liam doing? I know when you moved he wasn't doing well.." She asked.

"Aye, he wasn't.. But he's been alright for about three years now. He was in a coma for almost a year after I moved back to England.."

"I can't imagine how awful that must have been for you and Elsa and their kids.." She frowned.

"It wasn't easy, but I'm glad I was there. Neither Elsa nor I would have made it if we hadn't had each other." Killian said softly. "He's awake now, and he and Elsa actually had a little girl last year.."

"I bet she's just precious.." Mary Margaret smiled.

Killian smiled at that. "Aye, she is. She's a papa's girl for sure."

Emma sighed softly, and played with Leo when she had finished eating. She was still upset about the way things ended between her and Killian, and though she was glad to hear his family was okay, it hurt that he had chosen them over her entirely.

Leo held his arms up to her and she settled him in her lap, the baby helping distract her from everything going through her head.

"You're a professor now, what made you decide to start teaching?" Mary Margaret asked.

When Killian and Emma had met he was just discharged from the Royal Navy after the incident that caused him to lose his hand. He had been working as a bartender as he tried readjusting to civilian life in a new country.

"When I went back to London, I went to get my Ph.D. and I decided I wanted to teach history.." He shrugged. "Losing myself in the difficult work of my doctorate was the only thing that kept me out of the bottle after Liam's accident. I made a promise to someone that when things got tough, I wouldn't drink. And I wasn't going to break that promise." He said softly, glancing up at Emma.

Emma blushed a little. "You.. You didn't drink?" She asked softly. "Because of a promise you made to someone you left?"

"Swan.. I made the decision to hold up my promise because I wanted to be a man you'd continue to be proud of, even if I wasn't a part of your life any longer.." Killian said softly.

Emma shook her head. She didn't know what to take from his admission. She had made him promise her that he wouldn't turn to rum like he did when he lost his hand, she never expected him to keep that, especially not when his brother was barely hanging onto his life.

He looked down at his plate. "Um, thank you for dinner, Dave, Mary Margaret.. But I really should get going. I've interrupted your night too much already, and I don't want to overstay my welcome.." He said after a moment.

"You don't have to go, Killian." Mary Margaret tried to assure him.

"I'm afraid I do, Lass. I've already upset Emma multiple times tonight, and that is the last thing I want." He got up from the table.

"I'm so sorry, Love. I never meant to hurt you, I came to Boston thinking that maybe one day you and I could at least be friends again.. But I realize I hurt you beyond repair. And my apologies will never be enough." He said to Emma softly.

She looked up at him. "I don't want to do this now, Killian. But thank you for your apology." She said softly.

He nodded and bid the rest of the group goodbye before taking his leave. Ruby sat confused, and itching to ask Emma a million questions about Killian.

Emma kissed Leo's head, and rubbed his back gently. Mary Margaret rubbed her arm gently.

"I'm so sorry, Emma.." Mary Margaret said softly. "I know how awful that must have been for you."

Emma sighed softly. "It's fine, M.." She looked up at her sister-in-law, then to her best friend. "I'm sorry I ruined family dinner.." Emma apologized.

Ruby shook her head. "No, Em. Don't apologize, if I had known you had a history with Killian I wouldn't have invited him tonight.. I don't know what happened between the two of you, and as much as I want to know I won't ask, but can you tell me if it was serious?"

She nodded. "Yes, we were very serious.. You know the relationship I wouldn't talk about when we met? That was Killian."

"I really am sorry, Emma. I just thought you two would get along so well.. You're very similar, and I guess I was right, it was just because you had already been together." Ruby sighed.

Dorothy nodded. "I won't hang out with him outside of work either, Em. You're more important to us, you're Ruby's best friend.."

"Look, he and I had an arrangement and he held up his end.. I just had hoped it meant more to him, that I meant more to him, and I guess I didn't.. You can still be friends with him, he's a great man.." Emma sighed.

David groaned. "I wanted to punch him when I saw him in my doorway. But I have my son to think about, and I promised you I wouldn't do anything stupid.." He sighed.

Emma nodded. "I know you did." She gave him a grateful smile.

Thanks for reading! I'm hoping to post at least one chapter a week on Saturday, but I might post more if I am able. Let me know what you think!