A/N: You guys. I am listening to waaaaayyyy too much Taylor Swift these days. I wonder if it shows…

This chapter goes out to captain swan 826 who keeps getting ahead of me and reading my mind! :)

I also have to give a big shout out to XerxesRises who is smack dab in the middle of writing my new favorite CS fic. If you're looking for some fantastic angsty slow burn with a side of adorable kidlets - you need to be reading "Make You Feel My Love" right now. Ok maybe not right now, but right after you finish this chapter. Tell 'em I sent you! ;)

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Killian closed his eyes and took a deep breath, craning his neck to each side and shaking his hands, before blowing it out again.

"Come on, mate. We're thirty points behind and they're going to make it to zero on their next turn," Robin said, squeezing the man's shoulders encouragingly, "This is it. It's all you. Seal the deal."

Killian opened his eyes and raised the dart to eye level, staring down the board before him as if he were a ruthless pirate captain surveying a fast approaching enemy ship.

With a quick, controlled flick of his wrist, he sent the dart sailing through the air.

Right into the very center of the bullseye.

The group erupted into thunderous cheering and raucous laughter mingling with the sound of the grumblings and groanings of the men on the other team, who were all pulling out their wallets, reluctantly counting out large bills and laying them in piles on the table.

Robin clapped a hand on Killian's back.

"Atta boy," He said, grinning as he swept his winnings off the table.

"You're a lucky man, Rob," Killian said, grinning as he finished off his pint of stout which tasted decidedly better than the watery pilsner the others had been guzzling throughout the evening. He took his own cash pile from a particularly grizzly looking groomsman named Leroy. "And you're too kind," He said, smiling smugly as he tipped an invisible hat at the grumpy looking man now grinding his teeth.

"Seems to me that you're the lucky one these days, Jones," Robin added, clipping an impressively thick cigar as he led his friend into the smoking room in the back of the pub.

"Aye," Killian said, nodding his thanks as he accepted the equally thick cigar his friend had produced from the pocket of his vest, "So it seems."

"So," Robin began, pausing to light his cigar before handing the little book of matches to the dark haired man, "Is she coming to the wedding?"

"I don't know," Killian replied, shrugging, "I haven't asked her."

"Why the bloody hell not?" Robin asked, plopping himself down in a luxe leather captain's chair.

"I figured your lovely bride would be none too pleased with me for adding a plus one with only a week's notice." Robin laughed out loud at that.

"Obsessive planner that she is, do you really think she hasn't already accounted for that?"

Killian raised a quizzical eyebrow at his friend as he focused on lighting his own cigar before sitting in the chair opposite him.

"She's got at least thirty open spaces at the reception for last minute plus-one's and guests who failed to respondez s'il vous plait in time." He took a big draw from his cigar and blew it out slowly, "You should ask her."

"I'm in the wedding, mate. It's not like we'll get to see much of each other," Killian replied, pausing mid-sentence as he considered what other delightful little dresses Emma might have hiding in her closet, "Although, I can't say the idea of seeing Swan all dolled up for such a formal evening doesn't intrigue."

Robin grinned wickedly at his friend, signaling to the waitress nearby that they needed two more beers.

"You're besotted," He said. Killian waved a hand as if to admit to all of it.

"Aye," He said, taking a long drag from the cigar, "I believe you may be right about that, mate."

"So what the bloody hell are you doing here, then?" Robin asked, leaning forward.

"Taking care of your drunk ass," Killian replied nonchalantly, "Besides, her best friend is in town this weekend and I want to give her a little space."

"No, you don't," Robin interjected, shaking his head with that a particularly mischievous grin on his face. "You're scared of this woman."

"That's ridiculous," Killian scoffed dismissively.

"It is ridiculous. And it's also true!" Killian gave him a sidelong glare. Robin accepted the beverage from the rather busty dark haired waitress who was batting her eyes at Killian as she served him his drink. He didn't seem to notice. Robin grinned again. "This woman has a real hold on you and you're scared out of your mind to commit to her."

"Rob," Killian began, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Let it be."

"Killian," He said, wincing at the taste of the truly awful pilsner he'd been drinking all night, "Tell me the truth. What's going on with you? You've been quiet and pensive all night. One minute you're grinning like an idiot at your phone, the next you're glaring at your pint like it's asking you to do trigonometry."

Killian couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Come on, mate. We've been friends a long time. Nothing you're going to say is going to shock me," He said, taking several draughts of the truly terrible beer, having decided the best way to go about it was to finish it quickly.

Killian sighed. Might as well, He thought.

"I think I love her."

Robin spewed the nasty yellow liquid everywhere.

"You think what?" He said, wiping his face on his arm, seemingly ignoring the busty waitress glowering at him as she began to clean up the mess he'd made.

"You heard me," Killian said, passing the woman a rather sizable tip and giving her a half-smile in silent apology for his inebriated friend. She accepted it and smiled at him flirtatiously, but Killian went right back to ignoring her - having eyes only for his beautiful Swan.

"But you've only just met her," Robin said, slowly, looking like he was finding it very hard to understand.

"I know," He said, letting the full weight of the words fall on him as he took a sip of his stout, "But I've never met anyone like her before. She's the most beautiful person I've ever met."

Killian went on to sing the praises of the golden haired goddess. How easily they seemed to fit together. How they seemed to understand each other effortlessly, frequently without use or need of words. How she'd given him hope. How even their boys had become the very best of friends over night.

Robin couldn't help the stupid smile on his face as he listened to his closest friend gush about the object of his affections. Killian was usually so impossibly analytical and far too concerned with the wisest long-term plan to be falling so completely head-over-heels for a woman he hardly knew.

"So what's the problem then?"

Killian sighed, setting his beer on the table as he leaned forward and placed his head in his hands.

"I don't know if she's ready for this. I don't even know if I'm ready for this."

"So that's why you've been sitting here brooding all night long? You don't know if you're ready to commit yourself to the woman who's totally perfect for you in every single way?"

"Aye," Killian sighed, "That's about the size of it."

"You're a bloody fool," Robin said, chuckling at him.

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Meanwhile, at the little music club, Emma was feeling thoroughly noodley as her best friend Ruby had called it.

She'd made a new friend. She and Mary Margaret had spent the entire night chatting easily over far too many drinks. They talked about Killian and David and even little Henry, each gushing excitedly about the things they loved most about the men in their lives, sharing stories and laughing easily.

She'd been texting with Killian intermittently. He'd admitted to her that he wasn't having much fun at the stag party, as he called it. She didn't quite understand the expression at first, not until he'd invited her to come to the wedding with him. She'd agreed of course, even knowing that she'd have to sit by herself in a group of complete strangers. It would be worth it to see Killian all dressed up in the designer three-piece suit he told her the bride had demanded they all purchase and have tailored to perfection.

And the music was amazing. She could feel it coursing through her veins like the wine.

"Come on, let's dance!" She said, jumping up impulsively and pulling her new friend to her feet.

"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly!" Mary Margaret insisted, all flustered and pink. Emma frowned at her and yanked off the pixie woman's cardigan and exposing her pretty royal blue dress with the cutaway sides and back, tossing it on the chair behind her. Then she ruffled her hair, teasing it a little. "Hey!" Mary Margaret protested, laughing.

"You look super hot. Let's go see if we can't get David to miss a beat."

Mary Margaret laughed, giving her new friend a side eye before deciding to just go with it. She downed her martini quickly and then nodded excitedly.

"Okay. Let's do it!"

The two ladies crossed to the center of the room, hand in hand. Emma chose a spot she knew was well within the drummer's line of sight but not right in front of him, detesting the idea of being as obvious as the trashy group of girls dancing for him. An hour ago, they'd been sexy dancing. What they were doing now looked more like some kind of rhythmic group sex foreplay. It was obscene, bordering on the kind of behavior that could get you arrested for public indecency.

And David had not once glanced in their direction, choosing instead to keep his eyes closed or focused on keeping time or synchronizing his rhythm with the bass player.

But the moment Mary Margaret had stepped onto the dance floor, he became… distracted.

Emma giggled excitedly, surprised at her own giddiness. The joy and excitement and tension building between those two, almost tangible despite the distance, was just irrisistably adorable. And Emma found herself rooting for them.

The more Mary Margaret had shared with her about their story, the more giddy and excited Emma found herself. And the more she longed to have Killian there with her.

Beyond all logical explanation, Emma felt her eyes drawn to the door.

And sure enough, there he was. She laughed, covering her mouth in disbelief, watching as he guided his very drunk friend into the club. She tapped Mary Margaret on the shoulder to get her attention and pointed in his direction, grinning like an idiot.

"Is that him?!" Mary Margaret gaped.

"Mmm hmm," Emma replied, biting her lip and nodding excitedly.

"He's cuuuute," Mary Margaret replied, her eyes wide as she checked him out.

"Cute?" She said it like it left a bad taste in her mouth, "He's a bonafide sex god."

"I thought you hadn't…" Mary Margaret said, her voice trailing off as she eyed the blonde woman suspiciously.

"We haven't," Emma replied, sipping her wine as she watched him lead the group of men over to the pool tables at the back of the bar. "But I just know he is," She said, grinning wickedly. Mary Margaret gave her a playfully scornful look and Emma shrugged, quickly finishing her glass of wine, "What? A girl can dream."

The band finished their set then. The crowd erupted with a cacophony of hooting and hollering and clapping and cheering. Mary Margaret turned to her friend excitedly.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh!" She'd begun to hyperventilate as she watched David stand up, take a bow and begin to make his way over to them, "What do I do?!" She whispered, her eyes wide with panic.

"Don't overthink it. Just do it," Emma replied, placing her hands on Mary Margaret's arms and giving them a reassuring squeeze as she coached her. Mary Margaret nodded and Emma spun her around to meet the handsome man standing just behind her.

"Mary Margaret! You came!" He said, his face lit up with the most charming smile as he wrapped his muscular arms around her.

"Of course I did," She said, smiling up at him as he pulled back to look at her.

Emma was shocked when Mary Margaret rose up on her tiptoes and planted a tender kiss on his lips. David seemed to be just as surprised, both eyebrows raised as his eyes automatically slid shut. It only took a moment for him to catch on, draw her closer, and deepen the kiss.

Emma grinned and excused herself silently from their presence.

She made her way to the back of the bar where Killian was leaning up against a pool table with his back to her. He turned to look over his shoulder at the clock on the wall as he took a long slow drink of his beer. Emma could see his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed and it made her ache with desire for him.

Deciding to take a page out of Mary Margaret's book, she snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Swan!" He cried, his face lighting up as he turned around and saw her standing there.

She smiled at him and slid her hands slowly up his broad chest before taking hold of the lapels of jacket, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. Killian was just as surprised as David had been just moments earlier, but like David, he chose to simply embrace the rather surprising public display of affection from the woman who was now molding her body to his in the most delightful way.

She broke the kiss long before he was ready to let her and his lips seemed to follow her of their own volition.

"I missed you," She said, grinning up at him.

"And I, you," He admitted, his breath warm and laboured.

"Wanna get out of here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Killian hesitated, but only for a moment. He didn't want to leave his friend in his present drunken state, but there were a whole team full of groomsmen with him and they were unlikely to get into much trouble in the last hour that remained before the bars closed.

Any reservations he felt about leaving the bar completely dissipated when he saw the way Emma was looking at him, a smirk playing about her lips, her pupils dilated and green eyes sparkling with desire.

"Yes," He breathed, pressing his forehead to hers, unable to tear his eyes away from hers, reveling in the way she was looking at him.

She smiled and placed a quick kiss on his lips before taking his hand in hers, turning for the door.

Robin looked at him and grinned, waving to dismiss him. Killian shrugged apologetically before grinning like a little boy who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"You lucky dog," Robin called after him.

"I prefer dashing rapscallion," Killian called back, laughing as he helped Emma into her coat before heading for the door with his arm around her.

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A/N: Did you see the meet-cute coming? Three cheers for CS smooching! Who knows where they'll end up now!