A/N: I told myself that I would go ahead and upload this chapter, so... here it is! I feel like I said this a lot, or maybe I just think it a lot, but I never meant for this to be an angst-ridden story. I guess it is though. I've come to terms with that. And it hasn't ended just yet. At least we get some insight from Emma, which we haven't had in a while. Sorry for not pushing them together and making them face their true feelings for one another. Maybe it'll help to remind everyone that there is relatively a small amount of time that is passing by within these chapters. Killian hasn't been back in Boston all that long. Also, I'm a fan of true buildup in relationships- in real life, and it plays out in my writing as well. But basing on past fics, I think I usually give a good payoff. Enjoy! Comments are welcomed and appreciated. Even the ones that are ready to do some hair-pulling!

Emma heard the vibrating of her phone on her desk. The sound alone had her tightening her hand over her computer mouse. She could feel the sudden change in tempo of her heartbeat at just the mere rumbling from beside her.

She took her eyes off the email that was from a potential new client and sucked in her bottom lip. There was still apprehension crawling through her body as she forced her attention down on the phone.

The feeling crept out of her in way of a sigh as she saw that it was only August. Tension that she hadn't noticed storing up inside of her escaped as her body slumped in relief. Swiping her finger over the bar, she even smiled at the thought of what this call might pertain to. Knowing him…. Well, knowing her brother, she may have just found something to occupy her time for the evening. Killian hadn't called, hadn't tried to make plans to see her… as of yet, but it was still early. She liked it better when there was an honest and plausible reason as to why she couldn't see him that day. The phone was in her hand and up to her ear in the space of a second.

"Hello, August." The edge was entirely gone out of her, and for a second she felt guilty that it was true. But she didn't want to think about that. She turned her attention back to the screen in front of her, back to the work she had to get done.

"I'm glad I was able to get in touch with you so easily." He sounded….slightly frantic, slightly book-frantic. That was… a positive sign. "Listen, I have a huge favor to ask from you. And I know that it's on short notice, but… you're my sister. And what are sisters for, right?"

Emma cleared her throat, hearing the desperation beginning to creep into his voice. It all sounded so familiar…

"What do you need, August?" she asked him, hopefully cutting off his need to go into a detailed description of everything that brought him to call her.

"Emma, please tell me that you're not busy tonight," August finally got out. "Or if you are busy. Just tell me that you'll make a little time for me."

"Why?" she asked, shaking her head to herself. "What do you need?" Her hand fell back over the mouse and she began to scroll down the page of the email in front of her.

"The additional chapter that they requested?" he asked, as if Emma didn't know the details of a rewrite. "I was hoping that you could spare me a little time tonight to go over what I have. I have five days before it's due, but I need your expertise of the subject, Emma. You know me and my writing better than anyone else. You also know what these publishers want better than anyone. So-"

"That's fine," Emma cut in, stopping the need for any further explaining from his part.

"That's fine?" August asked. She heard the slight skepticism in his voice. "Really?"

Emma laughed quietly. "Why would it be an issue, August? Of course I can meet up with you."

"Why does this feel easier than it should have been?" he asked slowly, sounding as if he truly wanted to know the answer to that question.

"What time do you want to meet, August?" she asked dryly, tapping her fingernail against her mouse. "And do you want me to come over to your place?"

She heard the huff and she considered his brief pause.

"Six o'clock. My place sounds great to me," he finally murmured. "So… see you then?"

Emma gave a firm nod. "I'll be there at your place at six. Maybe I'll bring dinner with me. Sound good?"

It was August's turn to laugh this time. "That sounds awesome, Emma. I really appreciate you dropping everything for me tonight. I hope…." He paused again, this time to sigh "I hope Killian doesn't mind."

She gripped her mouse once more, letting her finger do the scrolling.

"Why would Killian mind?" The question fell out of her mouth much too quickly, the defensive tone almost a giveaway to other thoughts and feelings. "I mean… I didn't have plans with Killian, so it's no big deal," she told him softly.

"Um… A little touchy there, Emma," August said carefully. She could only imagine where his thoughts were leading towards.

"I just…" She didn't have an explanation. She shouldn't have had to explain herself either. "Listen, August..." She attempted a light laugh. Attempted… "I have to get back to work if I want to get out of here at a decent time."

"See you this evening then." It was cheerful with maybe a hint of suspicion.

"Bye, August." Emma didn't wait to hear his own goodbye. The phone was pulled from her ear and she was quick to press the end button.

She found herself talking in a deep breath and exhaling quietly. She had plans now. It put a smile on her face. Another day taken care of. And that was all she could really do, one day at a time. Real plans made it easier to avoid Killian. Real plans gave her a way to attempt to take rein of those feelings that she had to learn to control.

She smiled again, putting the phone back down next to her. With that mattered settled, focusing on work became even easier.

"How about... "

Emma lifted her eyes, changing her focus from applying the lip liner so that she could look at Ruby's reflection.

"The black pumps?" Ruby asked cheerfully. "I like the black pumps." She moved completely out of Emma's closet, draping the pair of shoes from her fingers.

Emma turned around, looking down at the shoes. Her head tilted just so as her thoughts began to process Ruby's choice.

"My feet hurt just thinking about wearing those all night long," she muttered. Gripping the eye liner in her hand, she turned back around to focus on her nearly made-up face.

"Well, if you wanted to do flats, you should have just said 'I wanna do flats,'" Ruby threw back at her.

Emma couldn't contain the smile that broke across her face as she watched Ruby disappear back into the closet. She heard the thump and bump of the discarded pumps hitting the floor rather carelessly as Ruby went back on the hunt.

"This is supposed to be a casual meeting," she reminded her friend. "And casual doesn't entitle me to killing my feet in an attempt to impress."

"I understand that part," Ruby assured her from afar, her rummaging continuing in the closet. "What I don't get is… if you don't like this guy, then why are you going on yet another date with him?"

Emma dropped the lip liner down onto the dresser. She leaned into the mirror and surveyed the job she had done on her face. Or maybe it was a chance to concentrate on something other than her friend's question.

"One date isn't enough to say that I don't like him," she finally answered just loud enough.

"Oh, Emma, you are so right!" The sarcasm in Ruby's tone was evident even from deep inside the closet. "I mean, what's the point of facing the truth when you have someone who is willing to let you live in your fantasy world?"

Emma's eyes widened on Ruby's reflection making her way out of the closet. Lips falling apart, she watched as her friend thrust the black flats out in front of her and listened to the sigh fall out of her mouth. It was an automatic physical reaction that she couldn't hide. Ruby wasn't supposed to… She wasn't supposed to be able to follow the trail that Emma had so meticulously tried to cover.

"Ruby, what are-"

"I found this guy for you because you practically begged me to set you up, Emma," she cut in, all but rolling her eyes at her. "And there really isn't anything wrong with him."

Emma shut her mouth tight, turning her attention back to the array of make-up laying out in front of her. No, there wasn't anything wrong with Ian Turner. Nothing at all. He just wasn't… Well, he wasn't supposed to be Killian. That was the whole point, wasn't it?

"Tall enough, dark enough, and handsome enough," Ruby continued to tick off. "Smart and attractive with a good sense of humor."

"He's nice." Emma twisted around to face her friend, leaning softly against the front of the dresser. "I'm getting to know him… Ruby. So… sorry if it takes more than one date to say that I like him or not."

Ruby lifted her own green gaze towards the ceiling, her thick lashes falling. "Well… it's probably due to the fact that… you know…" She turned her gaze fully back on Emma, her eyes hardening. "You're in love with someone else. I mean..." She lifted one shoulder, her head shaking. "That's a possibility, right?"

Emma felt her mouth go dry immediately, her heart begin to race ferociously, and she felt just a little sick to her stomach.

"Ruby." It wasn't easy to laugh off Ruby's words, but she tried her best.

"Emma, don't even," she warned her, finally stepping away from the front of the closet. "I know you're going to try to put up a front about what you are currently doing, so just don't."

Emma felt the way her eyes blinked over and over again before she began to turn back around to the mirror.

"You're talking about-"

"Emma, I told you don't do that," Ruby admonished in a sing-song voice.

She watched as Ruby began to move then, making her way closer to both the dresser and her. Her own laugh cut through the room again as she picked up the lip liner once more.

"Killian, Ruby?"

"Oh my God, you're seriously about to give me that 'We are best friends. Always have been, always will be' shtick?"

Why was it so dry? Why did Ruby ask with such conviction and with her BS monitor ringing high? Her eyes had widened on Emma with that same disbelief. It was more than just disbelief. The broken stance as she leaned heavily on one foot and her head tilted sideways, those eyes seemed to be attempting to make sense of what was before.

"We are." It came out as a whisper, soft and quiet. It came out… weak. Even she was able to admit that to herself.

The pencil stilled between her fingers. She could feel the emotions starting to rise up in her and she didn't want to go there. Not when she wasn't alone.

She felt her mouth begin to move, silently because… there was nothing she should or could say. What she was doing, the way she was avoiding being in physical proximity to Killian Jones, was the right thing to do.

Her heart ached only a tiny bit at what she was doing. She was attempting to change the dynamics of their friendship, and all on her own. She was already seeing the effects of her decisions. Those effects weren't always easily transferred in her heart and mind as something good. It wouldn't be always, she knew. Once she was able to fully get her feelings in check then they could go back to building up their friendship. It was just… going to take some time.

"Oh, is that it?" Ruby picked up a tube of red lipstick and opened it. "I must've just let my imagination run wild when I saw the two of you together or the way you look when you talk about him or to him. Totally my mistake." She turned away from the mirror and looked straight at Emma, her face a portrait of yeah, right.

"You can just stop it, Ruby," Emma muttered, blinking her eyes yet again and turning back to her reflection. "Killian and I are best friends. I never even hinted to you that there was anything else between us."

"Oh, it must've been seeing the two of you together," Ruby said with a smile. "I didn't really notice it before either. Before." She turned around so that she was facing Emma, her side resting against the dresser and her arms folded over her chest. "But the moment he got here? The moment, you know, you got a life that involved a man that you were really interested in?"

Emma coughed on her laugh, Ruby's words sounding nothing but ridiculous to her.

"Ruby, I don't know what you're talking about." She took in as much of a breath that she could and she shook her head.

"Is that so?" She smirked at her this time, her eyes bright from her amusement.

"That's so," Emma assured her. It was with conviction. It was supposed to be with conviction…

"Then why are you, all of a sudden, avoiding the man like he has the plague or something?" she asked, quite amused with herself.

"I…" Emma's lips pursed for a moment as her eyes narrowed on her friend. "I talk to Killian just as much as I've always had. There hasn't been a day that I haven't talked to him." She kept herself from taking in another deep breath. Instead, she cocked her head to the side and waited.

"Ems." The smile on Ruby's face spread while her eyes widened on Emma. "When Killian first arrived here from London, there wasn't a day that you two spent apart." The look was astonishment, pure and simple. "Now? Emma, when was the last time that you actually saw him in person?"

She didn't blink at her friend. She didn't sigh. She didn't turn away. Emma held her gaze with a firmness that hinted to her conviction. But…

She hadn't seen him in person in… over a week. She hadn't been privy to his scent invading every one of her senses in… ten days. She hadn't seen those bluer than blue eyes without a camera in all that time. She hadn't… hugged him or held him close in so long.

The need to close her eyes rushed over her all too fast, forcing her to give into the feeling.

"It's been just a little while," she finally answered. "But I've been really busy. And so has he, for that matter."

"Oh, Killian, too?" Ruby asked quickly. "Because…" She scrambled away from the dressing, moving heeled feet over to Emma's bed. "In your text message thread, that doesn't-"

"God damn it, Ruby!" Emma felt the rush of heat entering her cheeks and her neck. "You went through my phone- through my messages?"

"Just a little bit," she said, the space between her thumb and index measuring only about a quarter of an inch.

Emma's eyes flew up, rolling on their way. "I can't believe you, Ruby."

"Oh, yes you can," she told her easily.

Emma looked back at her just in time to see her flop down on the edge of the bed, Emma's phone in one hand and the fingers of her other hand sliding across the screen.

"Do you think he stopped asking you out for lunch after four days because he was used to you saying no all those other times?" Ruby asked lightly.

"I…" It was difficult working her mouth the way she wanted to. "I had a really hectic and busy workload these past couple of weeks. I couldn't… I couldn't go to lunch."

"And then all those times something came up after work?" Ruby looked back at her then with a smile. "I love how Mary Margaret and I came into play."

"Are you saying that you didn't think I was spending all my free time with Killian and practically ignoring you two?"

"We're married, Emma," she told her simply. "I've been happy to see that you found someone to spend your time with as well."

"Then why are you complaining about my sudden dating life?" Emma asked with a shake of her head, her eyebrows growing together in a frown.

"Um…" Ruby lifted her shoulders in a light shrug. "Maybe because you're dating guys you have no true interest in all in the name of avoiding the one man you do have feelings for? I don't know…" Her face scrunched up in her own facade of confusion. "Maybe that's it. Yes, that's probably it."

Emma trained her eyes on her phone that dangled from Ruby's hand. If she timed it just right… she could spring a surprise attack on her friend and knock the phone from her grasp…

"Ruby." She held out her hand with a look of utter boredom. "Give me my phone."

Her smile was sweet as she looked up at her. With another nonchalant lift of her shoulder, she reached out her hand to turn over the phone.

"I've seen everything anyway," she told her sweetly with a smile to match.

Snatching the phone would be childish, but… she didn't care. Taking a good hold onto the phone, she pulled it back towards her, holding onto it tightly.

"When did invasion of privacy become your thing?" she muttered, turning away from her quickly.

"Probably around the same time avoidance became your thing," Ruby answered easily.

Emma spun around just in time to see her shaking her head.

"Emma?" It was almost pleading. Ruby didn't do pleading. "I've never seen you like this before with a guy." Her eyes made a path across her face before she stood up from her seat on the bed. "Emma?"

She wasn't supposed to be transparent. She felt her mouth drop open once again. Her eyes blinked back whatever emotion was threatening to surface. She was supposed to be getting herself ready for another date with another man who wasn't Killian Jones. She was supposed to be getting over certain feelings that made absolutely no sense when it came between two best friends.

"Ruby?" she asked with a sigh.

Her smile was small, but one of knowing. It was a smile of pure joy and happiness that had never been there before when it came to Emma. So why was it there now?

"You're in love with Killian!" It was a whispered exclamation that had her covering her mouth with both hands. "Oh my God, Emma!"

She choked out a poor excuse for a laugh. "Will you please just stop?" She felt the defeat in her begin to weigh heavily on her shoulders. "Will you please…" It was soft this time, and just as defeatist. "Just stop." She was slower to turn around this time, moving back towards the dresser and her make-up sitting there waiting for her.

"Emma," Ruby moaned quietly. "Really?" The playfulness was gone from her tone. So was the self-righteousness.

"I don't want to talk about Killian, Ruby," Emma told her quickly and firmly. "Now if you want to continue to help me with getting ready for my date tonight, then you can do that. But… that's it." She dropped the phone down on the dresser. Her fingers were then steady as they contemplated the different bottles of perfume before her.

Her ten days of letting the truth envelope was not going to be tainted by what her best friend thought that she knew. Emma knew what she felt about Killian. She knew the impossibilities and the absurdity of feeling like a girl with him. And she knew that it was something that she would have to get over. All on her own, and without him knowing it. So Ruby's insistence…

Emma sighed as she looked up and caught the sadness on Ruby's face.

"Killian and I are friends," she started. "No matter how much you don't want to hear it, that is the truth. As well as the fact that it'll never cross that line." She lifted one stiff and firm eyebrow at her reflection. "Do I make myself clear, Ruby?"

The sheer wolfishness of her friend's smile should have prepared her for her response.

"Emma Swan, you don't realize how clear you've just made yourself."

11:39 p.m.

Got a minute to talk?

Just for a minute.

Of course.

Do you mind if I call you?

I'm lying down in bed. Call me

There was a part of her that really struggled with keeping up with the facade. And it was a facade... Something fake that made her avoid her best friend in certain situations. Those certain situations where being around one another made her think of him in ways that were inappropriate and unsafe.

Inappropriate?

Unsafe?

She looked down at the phone in her hand as it glowed to life. His name came across the screen, making only the corners of her mouth lift in a smile. Sliding the bar over, she connected the call, she connected to Killian.

"What's up?" It wasn't quite cheerful, but it held as much pep as she could muster in that moment.

"I realized that I hadn't talked to you today." Killian's voice was a deep, thick, and rich murmur, filling her ear and partially her heart.

The smile was genuine after that initial statement. Her fingers gripped at the bedsheet beneath her, holding tight just as she tilted her head.

"Another busy day," she said softly.

"Me or you, love?" Killian whispered back.

That endearment. His chosen words made it easier to forego the question he'd asked, knowing it was more of a shot at her for ignoring him.

"I'm sure both," Emma said with a sigh.

"I'm sure."

It was short. The words were short. The need- was it a need?- to keep them at arm's length (yes, it was a need) was as apparent as ever…

"Killian?"

She heard him laugh into the phone, a quiet laugh that wasn't infused with much humor.

"I miss you, Emma," he finally confessed to her.

"You… you miss me?" She could feel the instant moment where her mouth went dry at his words and his sentiment. But it wasn't just that. It was…

It was everything. It was her own feelings for him that weren't disappearing as quickly as she needed them to. Even dating wasn't filling the void that was in her heart. It was Ruby and her sudden realization- or meddling, depending on the way she wanted to look at it. It was Killian… Killian and his voice over the phone, quiet and underlying tone of something more.

"Yes, Emma. I miss you." Killian's declaration was every bit as sincere as it possibly could have been.

"I miss you, too." Emma kept her tone light. One of them had to. They both couldn't go to emotional pieces at the mere act of having a phone conversation.

"I would say that we should try to remedy that fact, but then I wonder if it would be a complete waste of time," he admitted quietly. "Your schedule has picked up full speed these last couple of weeks."

"Don't I know about it?" It felt lame, even to herself.

For a moment, the line went dead. Before…

"Why don't you tell me something good, Killian?" It was bubbly. It was as bubbly as she could muster up at that time. "What have I been missing since work and life has gotten in the way of being able to see each other?"

"Well," he started with a huff. "Since you've been busy, it's been up to Liam and Elsa to do some entertaining. Or perhaps it's been my job to come in between the two." He laughed that time, a quiet laugh.

There was something quite genuine about that moment. So much so that Emma found herself smiling.

"What happened?" she asked, because she saw herself being easily caught up in him.

"Oh, their relationship-"

"Their relationship or their friendship?" Emma asked, cutting him off.

"Exactly," Killian murmured. "I don't get it. I don't understand why either one of them is hesitant to come out in the open. You can see it for yourself. It's not that they try very hard to hide the way they feel about one another."

"They just choose to keep it between them and no one else," Emma added quietly. "And that's better than other alternatives, I guess." Her mind drifted, drifted off to that place where hidden feelings could be a person's undoing.

"Other alternatives?" Killian asked softly, a tinge of curiosity in his voice.

"Like-"

"Like if they didn't even have that much?" he asked quickly. "If it was hidden from each other as well and they kept it only to themselves instead of with each other?"

Emma lifted her eyes, settling on a spot on the ceiling.

"That's one alternative," she agreed with him quietly, hoping that it was her imagination when she thought she heard her voice break just a little bit.

"Yes, that sounds quite awful," Killian added just as quietly. He cleared his voice, a quick huff of breath before he continued. "I find myself quite tempted to confront my brother on the matter."

Emma smiled at that, almost rolling her eyes as well. "What would you say to him, Killian? It's their business if they like to stay secretive."

"Perhaps he doesn't like it anymore," Killian suggested easily. She could imagine him lifting a single shoulder in a shrug, and it made her want to see him. "Perhaps… perhaps he just doesn't know how to take it to the next step because... they've been this one way for quite some time."

Her smile faltered and she took a tiny bite of her inner cheek. She could feel the start of her heart. Emma could feel the light moisture beginning to build in the palm of both hands.

"Maybe it's for the best, you know?" she finally said to him. She strived for strength and ease in her voice. She wasn't sure how successful she was with that.

"Why would that be for the best, Emma?" Killian asked, sounding truly confused.

For a second, she shut her mouth tight as she thought about his question.

"Maybe they're happy and they don't need to rock the boat. They have each other. It's only that they don't choose to come out and flaunt their relationship for the world to see."

"And is that what you would want, Emma?" Killian asked her. This time, it sounded as if he was pushing her, trying to get her… somewhere. "To stay in that comfortable spot it life and not dare rock the boat? Is it better that way?"

Emma sat there quietly, her eyes blinking on the wall this time. She didn't like the parallels, she didn't like recognizing those similarities between what she and Killian were going through in comparison to Elsa and Liam. There weren't supposed to be parallels because, no matter what barriers they put up around others, it wasn't hard to see that Elsa and Liam were a happy couple together. That wasn't Emma and Killian. What they were, always had been, were best friends. So the fact that he was asking…

"Sometimes… comfortable is good," she whispered into the phone.

"And other times…" Killian paused, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowing. "Other times, comfortableness doesn't get you what you really want."

"True…"

Because she still wanted him. Everything that she was doing had yet to take away those feelings she had for him. At least, not enough.

"Killian?" Emma asked quietly.

"Do you have to go, Emma?" There was just a hint of a smile in his teasing voice.

Emma shook her head, her hand closing even firmer over the phone.

"I can't wait to see you again," she confessed. And it was a confession. It was an honest declaration that she wished she hadn't made, wished she didn't have to make.

"I can't wait either," Killian told her. It was firm and resolute. True and real. "Hopefully, it'll be soon."

She nodded to herself. "Yes, hopefully."

Again, the line went silent. She didn't want to concentrate on the way her heart beat rhythmically in her chest, or how her palms were still damp from moisture. What she knew was that she wasn't ready to let him go just yet. She didn't want to run off the phone and be away from him like she'd been for so long.

"Emma?" It was quiet, her name falling from his lips.

"Yes, Killian?" Her head tilted as she waited for his next words.

"How was your day?" he asked her, just as he'd done so many other times in their lives.

Emma almost laughed, feeling happy for this normalcy. She didn't want to concentrate on the rest of those feelings, and she didn't have to.

"You want to hear about my day?" she asked lightly.

"I'd love to hear about your day."

With another quick nod to herself, she let out a tiny sigh. There were other things that, if she was honest, she would admit to wanting in that moment. But what he'd offered?

"My day was great," she began cheerfully. "You'll never believe what August told me…"