AN: Emma asking Killian on the date in 4x04. Written before the episode.

This is so stupid.

Forcing herself to unclench her fists, Emma turned sharply and headed back toward the diner, only to walk right past the entrance again.

So incredibly, incredibly stupid.

Ever since Killian had made those jokes about their dates (snow monsters and ice walls, ha), the possibility of a proper one had been hanging around the back of her mind. Even then, it hadn't been something that she'd considered necessary or them, until she'd been about two seconds from seeing a whole heap of stalagmites (stalactites? she never could remember which was which) fall onto his head.

He claimed that he was good at surviving. The fact that he was a three hundred year old pirate proved that fact, but it had been a long time since she'd opened up to anybody, and every day only made her want to bring him a little bit closer inside her walls.

Those walls were pretty well fortified, mind you, and that was half of the reason why she was pacing out the front of Granny's like an idiot.

Her year in New York might have given her a tiny bit of dating practice, but even then, she'd been in a relationship with Walsh for most of that. And this was different. This was Killian Jones, who crossed realms to find her, who gave up his ship and his home for her, who followed her through time. This was... more.

She knew that it was more than time for her to make a move in return, but if she did and it didn't work out...

It wasn't that she doubted his feelings for her, or even that she was afraid he'd be scared off by the real her. He saw past her walls and masks better than anyone had before. And she was doing a pretty good job at convincing herself that he wasn't about to up and leave her of his own will - he'd proved that he was going to stick around. His words last night had been more than just a reassurance; the way he'd spoken them had been a promise. "My love, you don't have to worry about me. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's surviving."

Now all she had to deal with was not freaking out about the depth of her own feelings. Which she was getting better at, to be fair, now that she regularly had people in her life to care about, but it had been a long time since she'd cared about somebody this much.

Small steps were what she needed, to balance out the rest. Like, going on an actual date.

Or even, asking him on an actual date. Which was only going to happen if she sucked it up and went inside.

Groaning aloud in frustration, she gave herself a shake and walked up to the door just slowly enough not to look weird (weirder), but managed to show enough piece of mind to open and close the door quietly so as not to draw attention to herself.

When she turned back from the door, it was to find Killian's eyes already on her, his attention apparently drawn to the sound of the bell. He stood at the far end of the counter near Ruby, one elbow leaning casually against the surface, his hand raising a coffee mug to his lips. He smiled at her over the edge of the mug, and there was a new warmth to it that went straight through her. It had started in his softened expression when she'd told him that he was a person that she couldn't lose, and it hadn't really left.

And this was precisely why she had to do this. She had to show him that she cared, too. That she was trying, too.

Crossing the room quickly, she nodded to Ruby and was grateful when the woman turned away with a smile to give them some privacy. Not that distance would stop the wolf, but still.

Killian set his mug down on the counter, returning his smiling eyes to her, and there was a new depth to it now, a new understanding in them since she'd blurted out last night that she wasn't prepared to lose him. 'Good mor-'

'I'm here to ask you out,' she said, the words rushing out of her before she could give herself time to think them through anymore. He just blinked at her, but despite his lack of response, she felt like a knot had loosened in her stomach and smiled tentatively at him. 'On a date,' she added.

His eyebrow raised quickly, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. 'Is there a crisis that I'm unaware of?' he asked. 'Another snow monster? Or has someone else turned into an icicle? I have to say, there's a few of the dwarfs that I wouldn't miss.'

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't ignore the warmth that went through her from the way she could see his genuine happiness behind the humour. 'There's no crisis. That I know of, anyway,' she added quickly, then shook her head to clear it. 'I mean dinner. Tonight. Just you and me, and... dinner.'

'Dinner,' he said slowly. 'And champagne?'

'And champagne,' she agreed. 'You can pick me up at seven.'

Her task completed, she turned to go, taking the coffee in Ruby's outstretched hand and ignoring the knowing look on her face, but couldn't keep the smile off of hers for the rest of the morning.