for those of you who asked me to continue this... i hope you enjoy! please let me know what you think! :)

Despite the early hour, the sidewalks of the city were filled with people. Taxis rushed through the streets as Regina raced around her apartment. She slid the other shoe on her foot before pulling her blazer on and straightening her pencil skirt. She went through the mail on the counter as she waited for the coffee to finish.

"Where are my pants, love?" Killian's thick accent sounded from the bedroom.

Regina chuckled. "Check under the bed." She added after a moment if thought. "Or behind the dresser."

The coffee pot stopped brewing and she poured the dark liquid into two mugs, adding cream and sugar to both of them. Killian buttoned his shirt as he came out of the bedroom. He joined Regina by the counter and she slid the second coffee cup to him. He pulled her closer and gave her a long kiss as he started to pull her jacket down over her shoulders. She was grinning as she pulled away.

"Killian, I have to go to work. And so do you. I'm already running late because of you."

He groaned. "We should just skip work and repeat this morning."

"I would love that, but you know we can't. I have to go." She gave him a quick kiss before grabbing her purse and heading out the door. "I'll see you tonight for dinner!"

Killian nodded. The former pirate and queen had quickly settled into a pattern as soon as they arrived in Boston. Although things weren't always easy between them, they had come to care for each other in the few short months since they had left Storybrooke. They both found jobs to occupy their days and keep them from getting into trouble.

He sighed and took a sip of his coffee. Regina had encouraged him to try the hot drink and he found that he quite enjoyed it. He looked out the window to watch Regina flag a taxi down. He had been surprised at the other side of the former mayor. It had taken him some time to convince her to relax around him, but he liked the soft side of her. She was slowly starting to show her vulnerable side and he was telling her things about his life that he hadn't told anyone in years. Their relationship was easily evolving into a friendship. He especially enjoyed the benefits. The pirate hadn't been with a woman as beautiful as Regina in years.

Killian chuckled as he thought about their early morning activities. He was a bit lost in his thoughts when the phone rang. He put his coffee mug down and answered with a gruff hello.

"You are going to be late if you don't leave now, dear. I don't want your boss calling me in the middle of a meeting this morning because you didn't show up. Again." Regina responded. He could hear her teasing tone through the phone.

He rolled his eyes. "That was once. And I'll leave in a moment. I'll see you tonight. Have a good day at work, love."

"You too." She said before ending the call.

Killian put the phone in his pocket before grabbing his mug and heading out the door. It only took him a few minutes to walk to the harbor where he worked. A few of the guys nodded their greetings when he walked past and he waved.

"Hey, Jones!" The light haired manager called him over.

He joined the man. They were similar in age and he had taken Killian under his wing. The former pirate thought of him as a friend. "Rocky. How was your night with the kids?"

"Good, good. Took 'em to the aquarium. Little Jenny loved the penguins. How's your pretty lady?"

"Lovely." Killian answered. Rocky had met Regina a few weeks ago and asked about her nearly every day since. He also told most of the other guys how attractive she was, so Killian was often asked about the nature of their relationship. While he enjoyed working with these guys, he found their interest in Regina quite irritating.

"Yeah? You ever take her outside the bedroom?"

Killian gave him a look. "We are going out to dinner tonight."

"As roommates or on a date?"

"Does it matter?" He asked as he checked himself in.

"Well yeah. If you don't treat Regina the way a woman of her beauty deserves to be treated, someone here is gonna snatch her up." Rocky followed him closely.

"Someone like you? Might I remind you that you are married? Regina is off limits. Our relationship is of no concern to any of you." Jones said harshly.

Rocky took a step back and held his hands up. "Alright. I'm just saying. You've got quite a gem there and you should admit that you have strong feelings for her before she leaves your sorry butt behind."

"Who said anything about feelings? Regina and I came here to start over. We enjoy each other's company. That is all."

"Uh huh. You keep telling yourself that."

Killian followed him to protest, but was interrupted by their boss calling out instructions. As he listened to the older man talk, he thought about whether Rocky was right. He didn't have any special feelings for Regina. He didn't even fully trust her yet. Right?

Sure, they spent most afternoons talking and most nights sharing a bed. He may have told her things about his past that he had kept hidden from most, like his short time with the boy Baelfire. He had learned more about her past, although she was still reluctant to share details about her childhood. Having known Cora, he guessed that she inflicted a great amount of pain on her daughter. Killian had tried to remain distant from the former queen, but from the first night he heard her crying over the son she left behind, he had been unable to stop himself from caring for her.

He understood her better than he understood anyone else in his lifetime. He certainly related to her pain of losing Henry. After all, he had felt it when Baelfire rejected him. He felt his heart break for her when she told him of how Henry began pulling away from her and eventually chose Emma over her. His concern and feelings for her only grew as the days passed, though he tried to forget them. They hadn't talked about their future together and the more Rocky asked, the more he started to wonder. He didn't have to be told that he was lucky to have Regina - despite her dark past she was beautiful and intelligent and had the capacity to love more than anyone. But could the two of them move beyond their pasts to have a lasting relationship? He found himself wanting to see if they could.

"Hey Regina."

"Hey Julie." Regina cheerily called to the blonde receptionist.

"Courtney is waiting in your office. She begged me to let her in." The younger girl shrugged unapologetically. "Sorry."

Regina raised her eyebrow and headed to her office. She dropped her purse next to her desk and smiled at her co-worker. She wasn't sure if they could be considered friends just yet, but she enjoyed the woman's company. Despite her tendency to be over dramatic, she was a good person. "Hi Courtney."

"Regina! It's about damn time you got here." She said with her usual dramatic flair.

"I'm not that late, dear."

"I feel like I've been waiting for hours. Anyways, I'm having a party Friday night so you and Killian better be there."

"What if I already have plans?" Regina asked teasingly as she sat at her desk and pulled out her paperwork.

She rolled her eyes. "Then cancel them. C'mon, girl this is the perfect opportunity to get all dressed up for your man. Get a little tipsy, dance a lot. It will be fun!"

Regina chuckled. "I'll ask Killian tonight."

Courtney jumped up to give her a hug. "You better be there! Both of you! Wear something hot, okay? If Killian doesn't grow a pair and make your relationship official, there will be plenty of sexy single guys there."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright Courtney."

"Don't roll your eyes at me, girl. You know you want to make it official. You need to convince him that he does too."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then it's his loss. Party starts at 7 sharp, alright?" Courtney winked and left Regina rolling her eyes again.

She sat at the desk for a moment. "Courtney?"

Her co-worker popped her head back into her office. "Yes, darling?"

"I'm going to need a new dress."

"Perfect. We will go shopping after work tomorrow night." Courtney grinned before heading into her own office down the hall.

Regina smiled and shook her head before beginning her paperwork. She found herself glancing at the clock every few minutes, wishing her shift was over so she could go to dinner with Killian. After a while, she caught herself checking the time and was surprised at how eager she was. She rolled her eyes and figured Courtney's excitement was just getting to her.

When she and Killian first moved to Boston, it was just the two of them. They knew no one and they spent most of the first week in the apartment together. Killian had been more than ready to move on, but Regina was still struggling with leaving Henry. She missed him desperately, and many of their first nights were spent with her crying. At first, she had tried to hide it from him, but he found out and held her as he tried to comfort her. They had spent the first days unpacking and talking about their respective pasts. As the days wore on, they slowly brought up the darker pieces of their pasts. They had quickly come to realize that they had more in common than they thought and because of that, they were slowly beginning to trust each other. With all of the time they spent learning about each other, they formed a close bond and Regina found that she often missed the former pirate while she was at work.

Despite that, she did not understand why Courtney was so insistent on making sure she and Killian were more than just roommates or friends with benefits. They made a good team and she enjoyed his company. That was all. But why was she suddenly so nervous for dinner? It was casual, just like all their other dinners. Regina sighed as she thought about how ridiculous she was being. She had never been nervous when it came to men. At least not since Daniel. She was so confident and sure, but Killian always managed to knock her off balance.

They were too similar, she realized. They were both stubborn and passionate. While they usually got along quite well, when they fought, it was bad. Even the smallest arguments turned into full-blown fights. It made their relationship different from any other she had. It was challenging, but she had to admit that she enjoyed it. She enjoyed the company of someone who was strong headed like her. He was always keeping her on her toes and challenging her to be better- even when he didn't realize it.

Regina was thinking about where their relationship was heading when her office phone rang. She pushed her personal life to the back of her head and focused on her work again.

Killian leaned against the wall outside the restaurant as he waited for Regina. He felt the unfamiliar feeling of nervousness as he tried not to pace. His gaze wandered from person to person on the street, as he found people watching to be distracting. After a few moments, his eyes settled on a young couple across the street. They sat on a park bench holding hands and staring into each other's eyes as they talked. A blind man could see that they were in love. Killian scoffed as he felt the also unfamiliar pang of jealously. The couple was nothing to be jealous of, but if didn't stop him from finding another group to watch as he waited for Regina. Finally, he spotted her as she walked towards him. He waited for her to get closer before pulling her into a long kiss.

"Hi." She said breathlessly.

"Hi." He said with a smile. He stepped back and held out his arm, which she happily took.

A young blonde girl led them to a booth in the back of the restaurant. They sat down and ordered drinks before the waitress left.

"How was work, love?"

"Long." Regina smiled. "How was your work?"

"Long." He repeated with a teasing grin.

She gave him a dirty look, but the corners of her lips turned up, giving her true feelings away. He winked in return. "Rocky says hello. Again."

Regina laughed as Killian rolled his eyes. "Tell him I said hi and I send my best to his wife."

He nodded. "That ought to remind him that he has no chance with you."

She smiled knowingly. "Is someone jealous?"

It was his turn to give her a look. "'Course not. You're my girl, so I have no reason to be jealous."

"Is that what I am?" Regina seized the opportunity to talk about their relationship.

Killian started to respond, but was interrupted by the waitress bringing their drinks. They both leaned back to get out of her way.

"Are you all set to order?" The girl asked nervously as she watched Killian.

He shook his head. "Not yet, love." He said without taking his eyes off Regina. She glanced down to avoid his eyes.

The girl smiled happily at the term of endearment. "Alright, I'll give you some more time." She give him a flirty smile before walking to another table.

Regina rolled her eyes at the girl's obvious crush. Killian leaned forward against the table again. "We've had a pretty unusual relationship from the beginning. We betrayed each other, but yet respected each other. This whole starting over thing has allowed us to get to know each other on a deeper level and I've enjoyed that. Being with you is the best thing that has happened to me for many years."

He paused to watch her blush before continuing. "You are my equal, Regina and you make me want to be a better man. So yeah, I'd say you're my girl."

She gave him a shy smile. "So that means..."

"I don't know, love. Most of my past relationships only lasted one night." He winked.

"And most of mine weren't exactly healthy to start with."

"So we will figure it out together."

"Together. I like the sound of that." She smiled.

He easily returned her smile. "Me too, love." He reached across the table to take hold of her hand. She laced their fingers together as he thought about when they left Storybrooke.

He had taken her hand then, too.

After passing the border, it took him a few minutes to realize that something was different. It wasn't his memories, those he was sure were intact. He looked at his companion, focused on the road. He glanced down and quickly found the difference.

"Regina? My hand, it's intact. My hook is gone." He said in astonishment as he held it up to examine it.

She took her eyes off the road for a moment to smile at him. "I know, dear."

The pirate gave her a look as he realized that she had done it. She had squeezed his hand and healed him, her last act of magic before they crossed the border. "Thank you."

"Of course."

It was the second time that day that she surprised him, though it wasn't the first time he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her fiercely. And it didn't take him long to realize that it was certainly not the last time he would feel either of those ways. He didn't know what their relationship was currently or where it would be in time, but he was happy to be with her.

They both picked up their menus to see their options before the waitress came back. After a bit of discussion, they chose to share a spaghetti meal. Killian waved the girl over so they could order.

She smiled at him and sweetly asked if they were ready. He nodded and ordered for the both of them.

"I'll put your order in right now."

He glanced at her name tag. "Thank you, Callie."

Callie blushed and nodded. She moved towards the kitchen.

"She has a huge crush on you." Regina said.

"I don't think so, love."

Regina leaned closer. "She keeps staring at you from across the restaurant, she flirts with you, and she ignored me completely. Trust me, dear, she's into you."

He smiled. "Is someone jealous?"

She rolled her eyes at his repetition of her earlier words, then changed the subject. "Courtney is throwing a party on Friday and she wants us to go."

"That lass throws more parties... What time is it at?"

"Seven."

"Alright. Will you go with me?"

She gave him a confused look. "Of course."

"No, I mean would you go with me. As my date."

Her face softened. "I'd love to."

"Perfect." He grinned before reaching for her hand again.

Their dinner passed smoothly other than the young waitress' obvious flirtation with Killian. After seeing their linked hands, she figured out that he was on a date but it didn't stop her from flirting with him. In fact, she began giving Regina dirty looks. The older woman would roll her eyes. At one point, Callie was staring at them from across the room, so Regina moved to sit next to him and plant a kiss on his lips. Killian, of course, found himself enjoying the possessive side of Regina. Finally, the bill came and Callie lingered as he paid for their meal. He gave her a kind smile and Regina ran her fingers through his hair and gave the girl a cocky smile. Killian saw the waitress' angry glare so he thanked her, handed her the bill, and pulled Regina out of the restaurant.

"What was that about?" He asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her back to the apartment.

"What ever do you mean?" She asked innocently.

He gave her a look. "That whole possessive side of you. It's like we were children again."

She stopped walking. "Are you saying I was acting like a child?"

"Well sort of. But don't get me wrong, I think the possessive, jealous side of you is really hot." He grabbed her hands and pulled her closer to kiss her. She responded eagerly and he had to force himself to stop before it got too heated. "Lets get back to the apartment."

Regina agreed heartily as Killian thanked the gods for the close proximity of their apartment to the restaurant. They walked quickly and he struggled to unlock their door as she ran her fingers up and down his back teasingly. As soon as he opened the door, he pulled her into a passionate kiss and slammed the door shut behind them.

She moaned his name as his lips traveled to a weak spot on her neck. He held her against the wall before tapping the back of her legs to indicate that he wanted her to wrap them around his waist. She did so and he carried her into the bedroom. As he put her on the bed, she laughed breathlessly.

"Why did we even get a two bedroom apartment? I don't think we've ever actually used the second room."

He joined her laughter. "No idea, love."

She grinned as she pulled his lips to hers again.