Her cell phone buzzed and Emma grabbed at it, fumbling the device as she tried to finish applying her lip gloss. She cursed and picked it up from where it had fallen on the floor. She touched her code into it, seeing a text from Graham. He was downstairs.

Emma took a deep breath and checked her make up and clothes in the mirror one last time. She had decided to go simple, a nice, sapphire blue dress that Ruby had helped her pick out that didn't show too much cleavage or too much leg. Shopping with Ruby always resulted in excess of one or the other, but this dress has been the exception to the rule and it proved to be one of Emma's favorites. She loved the classic style of the dress and the skirt that flowed around her legs when she moved. The neckline was just low enough that it was appealing but at the same time it was tasteful. It made her feel beautiful.

Today had been full of ups and downs for Emma. Her early shift at the station had been the highlight. She had buried herself under a mountain of paperwork as David and then Graham had gone out to answer any calls that had come in. As soon as she had any free time, her mind kept trying to wander right back to a person she had thought was out of her life for good twelve years ago.

Killian Jones.

The bastard had come back to Storybrooke, all grown up and devilishly handsome and Emma was beginning to find she didn't know how she felt about him anymore. She knew she was angry and Ruby had gotten a good chunk of her anger last night as she ranted to her best friend about Ruby's cousin until Ruby had demanded that she get over herself and focus on the wedding. Emma had agreed, shoving incredible blue eyes and an amazing physique out of her mind to focus on flowers and decorations.

But, now, as Emma stared at herself in her mirror, she couldn't help but think about him again. He was back home and she wondered how much his time away had changed him. She remembered every word that she had said to him the night before he left and even those that she had said to Milah, her high school best friend, which she late found out that he had overheard. Emma hadn't been truthful with anyone that night. She had said things that had pushed Killian away and she knew that his leaving was in some part her fault.

Her cell phone buzzed again and Emma snatched it up, grabbing her heels and her purse as she hurried towards the front door. She had a date and she knew now wasn't the time to think about missed opportunities, no matter how much she had regretted them then. She quickly texted Graham, letting him know she was on her way down, before slipping on her heels. Grabbing a jacket, she hurried down the stairs to meet her partner.

Graham leaned against the passenger side of his truck, his arms folded across his chest. He was dressed in a simple white button down and dark slacks. He smiled at Emma as she came out of her building, his eyes traveling over her. "Emma, you look… nice," he said, cringing slightly after the words were out of his mouth. He pushed himself away from his truck and ran a hand through his curly hair. "I meant-"

"It's alright," Emma said and stopped in front of him. Even in her heels, he was taller than her. She tilted her head back and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm nervous too."

Graham smiled at her, turning to open the passenger door and let her in. He stood with it open, watching as Emma slid onto the bench seat before shutting the door behind her and walking around the truck to get in on the driver's side. He put his hand on the key in the ignition and let out a deep breath and turned to look at her. "I just wanted to thank you... I haven't been on a date in awhile." He gave her a sheepish smile and then looked down at the wheel. "I like you a lot, Emma. You really made my day when you said yes."

Not sure what to say, Emma watched him, her lips parted. She blinked and then smiled at him again, feeling warm at his words. "I like you too," she said, softly, really thinking that she could love him with time. The thought played through her mind, much like it had the day she had agreed to the date. Graham was a good man and he might just be what she needed after all of these years of kissing frogs.

A genuine smile crossed Graham's face and he met her eyes again, happiness shining in them. They stayed like that for a minute or two before a blush rose on Emma's cheeks and she looked away, still smiling as she looked out the window. He might be what she needed now, despite Killian's return. The thought of him standing in Granny's Diner, older and much more handsome than her memory made her wet her lips.

"Where are we going?" she asked, shaking the thoughts of Killian from her head as she buckled her seatbelt. A little bit of anger flared in her belly at how he kept invading her thoughts when she was supposed to be enjoying her date.

Graham started the truck, the vehicle's diesel engine rumbling to life. He put it into gear and started down the street, still smiling. "The Enchanted Forest."

Emma turned in her seat, pulling on the seat belt a little. "I would have been okay with Granny's," she said. The Enchanted Forest was one of the nicer restaurants in Storybrooke, although it wasn't expensive, just an actual place where you would take an actual date. Emma was suddenly nervous again.

"This is a date, isn't it?" he asked, the low rumble of his voice wavering slightly, showing how nervous he still was, despite his happiness at her admissions.

She swallowed and nodded, shifting in her seat to look out the window, all of her fears resurfacing. A date after all of these years, she thought. She hadn't been on a real one in a few years. Not since Walsh, who had tried to wine and dine her a little too quickly for her tastes. The man hadn't shut up about his furniture story in Boston and how much she would love it there. They had broken up on less than amiable terms after Emma told him she wanted to stay in Storybrooke. She had a career and family here. Walsh hadn't understood and went back to Boston, saying it had been a waste of his time to come to the little town to see her once a week. Was Graham going to decide that she wasn't worthy of his time too?

The drive was short and Emma spent it deep in thought, her nerves rattling and making her want to ask Graham to take her home instead of to the nice little restaurant that overlooked the sea. The forest ran right up to the shore there and it was a beautiful setting, the driveway lined with twinkling lights that led up to a small parking lot that stretched to one side of the building.

Graham parked the truck and walked around to help her out, offering his hand. She slid her hand into his, wincing slightly at the clammy feeling of her skin against his. Her eyes met his again and they paused, green meeting the deep, honest grey of his eyes. She smiled at him and they started to walk across the parking lot.

As they made the short walk, she studied his profile in glances. He still seemed nervous, but at peace. Graham had feelings for her that ran beyond friendship, he always had. When they had started working together, she had let him down gently and they'd become friends. Her not being interested then hadn't lessened his, though. He'd just been patient. He waited for her. Another sign that she might have found someone she could enjoy being with, even if she didn't love him. Yet.

The Enchanted Forest was a beautiful, single story restaurant with a large patio out back that they mainly used for parties. There was a section set up for seating for the restaurant too. The patio overlooked the bay, providing an amazing view. Ruby had talked Victor into having their rehearsal dinner on the patio just a week ago. In the front of the building, they set up a waiting area, a little deck that stuck out just enough for a pleasant view while you waited for a table.

"Ah, shoot," Graham said, pulling Emma's attention back to him. She furrowed her brow as they stopped at the stairs that led up to the front door and the waiting patio. "I left my wallet in the truck. I'll be right back."

Emma smiled and let go of his hand, watching him hurry back across the lot. She climbed the stairs to the waiting area, chewing on her bottom lip and walking to the railing. There were a few people, a dark haired man dressed in a white dress shirt and slacks and a small family, waiting. Emma studied the dark haired man for a moment. Broad shoulders, trim waist, the dress clothes fit him well. She thought he looked familiar and the memory of last night in Granny's diner hit her. "Killian?" she asked.

The man turned around, a friendly smile on his face. The smile grew once he saw her. "Emma," he said, his eyes growing wide as his eyes traveled down her body. "You look," he bit his bottom lip, his eyes meeting hers, "beautiful."

A smiled blossomed on Emma's face at his words and she could feel the heat in her cheeks and see the appreciation in his eyes that only served to make her heart flutter. "Not really," she said softly, smoothing her hands over her skirt and trying to keep her heart under control. She felt like she was in high school again and the boy she liked had finally noticed and appreciated her for the first time.

Killian scratched behind his ear. His eyes were on hers, briefly, then away, and then back to her. He chuckled nervously. "Really, Emma, I mean it. You are a vision," he said, a light blush gracing his cheeks too as he held her gaze again.

Emma shuffled nervously, her cheeks growing hotter and her eyes moving away from his. She could hear the sincerity in his words as she tried to find a lie. "Thank you," she said, raising her eyes to his again, her heart fluttering again. It was the same as it had always been, Killian wouldn't lie to her.

They stood in companionable silence for a few more moments before Killian scratched behind his ear again, the nervous habit he had since as long as Emma could remember. She could imagine this being their date, dressing up for him, enjoying dinner with him, kissing him good night. Killian cleared his throat and pulled Emma out of her thoughts, away from all of the 'what ifs'.

"So," they both started at the same time and stopped. She couldn't find the anger that had ruled her last night, it had dissipated so quickly, like seeing him again was reassuring her that he wasn't going to vanish so quickly again. She smiled to herself. Emma looked at him and started again. "So, what brings you here tonight?"

Killian put his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "Dinner with my mom and her new boyfriend. She wanted a fancy dinner for him and me to get to know each other." He rolled his eyes. "I spent enough time in Marco's shop with August when I was younger, but she insisted."

Emma smiled, knowing that he would do anything for this mother. She'd heard from Ruby that Adelaide received letters from her son almost every week over the past few years. At first, it had made Emma angry when she realized that he wasn't going to write her too. That was before she realized what a mistake that night had been and how she didn't have anyone to blame but herself for the words they had shared. "They're really cute together," she offered. "I've seen them around Storybrooke."

He smiled at her, his eyes dancing with happiness at her words. "That is good to know."

The smile still on his face, he stepped closer to her, his eyes darkening a little, like he was thinking about something other than his mother and her new boyfriend. Emma didn't move away as he moved closer, warily watching him. She tilted her face up to him, the tension between them like a living thing curling in the air between them. Thoughts of his family and her date fell even further out of her mind. "I-"

Killian tilted his face to hers, enough space between them that she couldn't feel his breath, but he was already in her personal space. Her body hummed with his closeness, and she wanted to feel his body pressed against hers, his lips pressed against hers. "I've missed you, love," he said so that she was the only one that could hear him, the family shuffling past them to enter the restaurant. Her breath caught in her throat and she knew she'd never forget the way his voice sounded as he spoke, the way his accent he'd never been able to get rid of curled around his words. "I've never stopped-"

"Emma?"

Graham's voice made her jump back from Killian and she turned to her date. "Graham!" she said a little too brightly, feeling guilt rise in her chest.

The deputy stopped next to her, his steely gaze on Killian. Killian looked taken a back for a second, his eyes moving quickly between the two as Graham took Emma's hand in his. "Ah," Killian said and a rueful smile appeared on his face as he made is obvious he saw their hands linked together. He stuck his hand out to Graham. "Killian Jones. I went to school with Emma."

Graham didn't smile back, but shook his hand. "Graham Humbert." He didn't add that he was Emma's date, but by the look on Killian's face, Emma knew that is what he was hearing.

Emma's eyes moved quickly between the two of them, the tension in the air growing by the second. She chuckled nervously and tightened her hold on Graham's hand. "Graham, let's go inside?" Her eyes darted to Killian and she gave him a quick smile that she knew didn't reach her eyes. "It was nice to see you, Killian." She turned to pull Graham towards the door.

"It was good seeing you too," Killian replied and Emma didn't turn around. His voice sounded off, unlike a few minutes ago when he had been shy and serious with her. She wondered what he had been about to say when Graham returned. It could have been anything, she thought, not wanting to hope that Killian had missed her just as much as she missed him and that maybe, just like her, a part of him never let her go despite leaving her.

"Emma?" Graham asked her, holding the door for her. "Who was that?" He glanced passed her, back outside as she stepped around him.

"Just someone from high school," she replied quickly, glancing back to Graham behind her, letting her eyes move past him to Killian, looking at her like he had looked at her so many years ago when she had rejected him. Her chest ached and she quickly looked away.

Graham followed her inside, his hand on her back to guide her to the podium as she tried to push Killian out of her thoughts. But, she couldn't. Memories washed over her.

Teenage Killian striding up to her as she quickly stood up from her seat on the bleachers, moonlight washing over them. The night had been perfect, warm and you could see the stars. Emma had smiled nervously at him as he fidgeted through his words, telling her that he wanted to date her, that he cared about her more than just friends. He'd looked so hopeful and then she'd denied him, telling him she didn't feel the same way, lying to herself and him. He'd believed her, telling her that he had hoped it wasn't true when he had heard her tell Milah earlier that evening. Then, he'd left her standing by the bleachers, hurrying away before she had started to cry.

"Emma?" Graham's voice cut through the memory and she was brought back to the present before she could dwell on the details.

Her eyes darted to his and she was worried that he had been speaking to her and that she hadn't heard him. "Hmm?"

The hostess caught his attention and he made an apologetic face before he gave the hostess his information and she checked his reservation. She grabbed some menus and smiled politely at both of them before leading them into the restaurant.

Emma followed her, Graham behind her with his hand on her back. His hand was a warm presence on her back and Emma wasn't sure if she enjoyed it. It wasn't anything compared to the feeling of Killian being so close to her. His hand felt just like body heat, not like the warmth of a growing flame. She shook her head as Graham held her chair for her, clearing her mind of thoughts of Killian.

Graham didn't comment on her distraction, only starting to smile and tell her what he liked about the menu. The conversation began to flow, awkwardly at first and then easier as Emma relaxed and let everything that was Graham flow over her. The conversation ended up being good and she laughed as they talked about his pet, a half wolf, believing that this could be it, this could be easy and not complicated.