A/N: Sorry for the delay, but as promised, the big reveal is finally here! I'm super nervous about this chapter, and if I can keep looking at it I'll ruin it. As always, thank you so much for reading, reviewing, and liking this story. I don't know when the next update will be, but I'm working on it!

(January)

Emma's alarm clock beeps but for once she doesn't hit the snooze button. Restless all night, she rolls over bright eyed and silences the alarm on the first ring. Lying back in bed, she takes a moment to collect herself.

After spending weeks suppressing her own feelings, it was difficult finally admitting them to herself, and despite having shared her feelings about Killian with the girls, she spent most of the holiday break ruminating on the decision to tell him. To do so would require an incredible display of vulnerability and trust, something she isn't certain she is ready for.

The last time she chose to open up and trust someone with her heart she was thoroughly and utterly burned. Although it's been years and although she's long passed moved on, the memory still festers, kindling in silent warning she could be burned again.

But the simple thought of Killian, of his kindred spirit and comforting presence, his silly humor and infectious laugh, his scruffy beard and piercing eyes, is enough to quicken her heart in anticipation. She'd fallen for her friend long before the holiday break, but after weeks apart, she is eager to take a chance and open herself up to the possibility of love.

She doesn't know if Killian reciprocates her feelings - (not having allowed herself to indulge the thought despite her friends' reassurance) – and though she's certainly not going to admit to loving him, today is the first day back and she's anxious to see him, to take that next step with him.

Throwing off the bed sheets, she begins her morning routine on hyper speed, rushing Henry along and stopping only to read and respond to Killian's text.

How does a latte sound this morning, love? KJ

Emma reads the message with gleaming eyes and a schoolgirl smile, Killian's signature use of the word love quickening her already pounding heart. She's ready to take a chance, anxious butterflies be damned.

Sounds perfect. ES

-/-

As intended, Killian arrives early to the alcove, ready to share his long overdue secret with Emma. Having not slept the previous night, his stomach is in knots and pulse is pounding in his ears. Regardless of all the ways he's fantasized about this moment, no matter the outcome, it will be for Emma to decide what becomes of them.

Placing the two cups of coffee on the table, he begins anxiously pacing about the small room. His thoughts are on loop, repeating the words he's rehearsed several times since the flight over from Denmark.

He can't remember the last time he's felt so nervous, quickly brushing his sweaty palms across his jeans to dry them off. His gut is twisting mercilessly and his head is starting to ache from all the pent up anxiety. Bowing his head and clasping his hands together, he reminds himself to breath while continuing to pace about the room.

"Killian!"

Stopping in his tracks, he looks up in time to see Emma barreling into the alcove. A wide smile graces her face as she runs toward him, drops her book bag without a care, and throws her arms around him in a fierce embrace.

Overjoyed at being reunited, Killian picks her up and twirls her around as they cling to one another, his anxiety momentarily dispelled in exhilaration.

"Swan! Gods I've missed you." He sets her back down but doesn't untangle his arms from around her waist as they beam at each other.

Her arms similarly locked around his neck, not wanting to let go, Emma searches his eyes and before over thinking it, crushes her lips to his. (So much for well-intended and methodical plans.)

Killian stumbles backward in surprise, Emma following suit, but he's able to maintain his grip around her waist as he rights them back to an upright position, lips thoroughly fused together. It's the sensation of her warm and pliant lips that finally alerts his brain to the fact he is not dreaming, but actually kissing Emma.

Gripping the nape of his neck, Emma holds on tighter with each back and forth of Killian's lips against her own. Heat spreads throughout her being, her stomach doing a summersault in approval at the feel of his body pressed against her.

Drowning in the contact, Killian tentatively parts his lips, a silent request for her to further let him in should she choose. He's met with the sensation of her tongue lightly pressing against his own, allowing him access as she does her own exploration. A wave of pleasure courses through him, but instead of continuing he abruptly pulls his head away, halting the contact.

"Love?" He asks, pausing in their embrace. He's beyond ecstatic but perfectly confused; all his fantasies in the world couldn't have prepared him for this. Kissing Emma was the furthest possibility from his mind when he awoke this morning, and though he certainly wants to continue, he doesn't want to misread her.

Unhesitating, Emma smiles confidently in return, her gaze locked with his, "I'm taking a chance that I'm not wrong about you."

Killian only has a second to catch his breath before Emma dives back in for another kiss. Her lips are eager and Killian waists no time, parting her lips and exploring her mouth with his tongue, hands running up her back.

Emma lets out a soft moan as she pulls closer to him, fingers lost in the hair at the nape of his neck. Killian gently squeezes her waist in return, lifting her in the air. Her legs automatically wrap around his waist before he spins and sets her down atop the table, stepping to stand between her spread legs. She clutches the back of his head like a lifeline, her lips pulling and tugging in sync with his own as he cards his fingers through her blonde tresses.

Killian's mind is telling him to stop, slow down, not having yet shared his secret, but his body and heart are telling him to let it be for the moment.

Another soft moan escapes Emma's throat and Killian finally pulls back to give them some much needed air. Keeping his forehead pressed against hers, he basks in her sigh of contentment, attempting to gather his courage. It's now or never; long past time Emma learn the truth about his identity. Stepping back from their embrace, he takes hold of her hands and clears his throat.

Emma gazes at him curiously, eyes still hopeful despite Killian's palpable shift in demeanor.

A small frown pulls at his lips, eyes laced with worry as he reaches over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Swallowing his fear, Killian cups the side of her face, and lightly brushes her cheek with his thumb. "Love, I - this is everything I want, but I have to tell you something first. I - "

Smiling encouragingly at him, Emma nods her head, "Yeah?"

"Love, I - "

A brilliant flash of light and the sound of a shutter startle them both. Dazed, Killian turns his head in time for another flash of light to blind him followed by a string of questions.

"Prince Killian another smooch!"

"Prince Killian who's the blonde?"

"Is this your latest squeeze, your Highness?"

Without sparing a thought, and with a speed developed by years of practice, Killian tightens his hold of Emma's hand, grabs their book bags, and pushes his way past the two photographers, including Sidney Fucking Glass. Adrenaline spiked, he races out of the alcove pulling Emma along as Robin comes barreling in and tackles one of the paparazzi.

Continuing to pull Emma along, Killian sprints across the main library and out towards the western student parking lot, glancing over his shoulder and past Emma to ensure they're not being followed.

Bloody buggering fuck, how did they find him?

"Killian! Killian what was that? Who were those guys with the cameras?"

Uncharacteristically, he ignores Emma's questions and her attempts to escape his grip, thinking only of the need to run until they are clear from the campus buildings. They continue running until they reach the hilltop of a grassy knoll behind the student parking lot. Now that the paparazzi have found him, the notion of privacy is a joke, but for the moment the cropping of trees allows for some seclusion.

Still holding Emma's hand but attempting to catch his breath, Killian finally turns to explain when she forcefully yanks free of his grip.

"What the hell was that?"

"Emma, I'm so sorry –"

"What the hell was that?" She repeats, eyes seething with anger and confusion.

"I didn't intend for you to find out this way. This was all a mistake! It wasn't supposed to happen like this." Killian swipes a hand over his face in frustration, meeting her squarely, not wanting to back down from this royal fuck up that is entirely his fault.

"What wasn't supposed to happen? And who were those guys and why were they calling you 'Prince Killian'?" Emma's voice is sharp as she moves toward him, face colored in distrust, demanding an explanation.

Killian's jaw ticks in discomfort, and he briefly drops her gaze before exhaling sharply and continuing, "Because that's my name, or more accurately, my title." He can't help his bitter tone at the word 'title', but resigning himself, he straightens and meets her gaze once more. "My name is Prince Killian Bartholomew Frederick Christian Jones I. My father is the reigning king of Denmark, not a corporate CEO as I have led you to believe. As prince, I am to follow in his footsteps as next in succession to the thrown."

Emma's eyes widen in surprise, her cheeks darkening a brilliant crimson shade in mortification to rival the leather jacket she's wearing. A prince? All this time he's been lying about who he is - a fucking prince? Her breath hitches as feelings of betrayal and panic begin to take root as her thoughts begin to spiral. A prince she stupidly and naively believed to be her friend, believed she'd fallen in love with? A prince she willingly introduced and allowed to befriend Henry?

Shaking her head in bewilderment, but unable to stave off the assaulting thoughts, feelings of consternation and embarrassment turn to incense. Her pulse continues to pump in adrenaline, and she welcomes the old familiar sensation permeating her body – the instinctual need to run. So much for taking a leap of faith and allowing herself to take a chance.

Emma's gaze sharpens and betrayal laces her features as she moves away from him, arms raised defensively, her head silently shaking in a vehement, 'no'.

Killian's heart quickens in alarm as he recognizes Emma's fearful eyes signaling she's going to run. Stepping forward, his own arms raised in a placating gesture, he pleads, "Emma, please don't run away from me. I'm so sorry to have deceived you. I know I should have told you the truth from the moment we met, but I was a coward. There were so many times I wanted to tell you but I didn't."

Voice hitching in self-loathing, he continues, "You allowed me the great privilege of being your friend and I couldn't bring myself to reveal my title because I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want to risk our friendship. Please know the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you Emma, that was never my intention. I was too scared of losing you and Henry, of losing what he have. Love, Emma, I am so, so sorry."

Killian steps forward but she reciprocates with another step back. Not wanting to further upset her, he stands in place and gives her time to digest his confession.

Standing with one foot behind her ready for flight, her face pensive, Emma attempts to absorb his words.

"What was this morning about? Were you ever going to tell me the truth about yourself?" She doesn't know why she asks; her internal lie detector clearly hasn't been working if for months she missed the giant whopper of him being a prince.

Killian nods solemnly, his eyes laced with contrition. "I've debated with myself for months about imparting my secret, but it became clear over the holiday break I could no longer be deceitful. This morning I had every intention of telling you the truth, but then you were kissing me and I was selfish and couldn't pull myself away from you. Then I did, but the bloody infuriating paparazzi arrived and now here we are."

Emma's breath hitches, her mind scrambling to make sense of each new confession. Brow arching in trepidation she asks, "Those pictures, are they going to be in the paper?"

Exhaling, he nods guiltily once more but keeps her focus, not wanting to cower from his shame. "Yes. Before Storybrooke, after Liam passed, my life was one indiscretion after another. My behavior was unruly, I was derelict in my responsibilities, and I was dating the wife of a successful tabloid owner. It was all cannon fodder for the gossip rags. Thus the reason my father shipped me off to finish my studies here - as a means to avoid further public embarrassment for the royal family."

Emma swipes a hand over her face, brushes away a fallen tear she hadn't noticed formed and rubs at her temples. Too much. This is all too much. "Anything else?"

"Robin… he's not simply my friend, he's also my personal bodyguard and occasional advisor. It's why he follows me to classes and why he kept post at the library."

Emma snorts at this admission but Killian ignores the well-deserved slight and continues, "Swan, I am so sorry for my deception. I swear everything else I've shared about myself is true."

Indignation flares and she involuntarily steps forward in objection. "Why should I believe you? I trusted you and you lied to me!"

"Yes I lied to you! I lied to you and I'll never forgive myself for doing so, for hurting you! But Emma please, you have to know what I feel for you isn't a lie."

"What you feel for me?" She asks incredulously, shaking her head in admonishment.

Killian grits his teeth and walks toward her determinedly, closing the remaining gap between them, effectively rooting her in place. Her emerald eyes are moist with tears, and his heart lurches at being the cause of her pain. Tentatively, gaze pleading, he gently caresses her cheek with his knuckles, wipes away a fallen tear and whispers, "Emma please, you have to know, I love you."

"You love me?" She breathlessly whispers, not in question but in accusation.

"Yes, I do." He's resolute, unwavering in his affections now he's admitted the truth. It may be poor timing, but he can't let her go without knowing everything, including his love for her. "Emma, I am very much in love with you."

The old familiar sensation to run roars to life again at his declaration and this time Emma chooses to listen to it. Taking a small step back, she shakes her head as a sharp "No" escapes her tongue.

"Emma – "

"No!"

Killian moves to step forward but Emma raises her arms and forcefully shoves him backward, causing him to stumble. Turning abruptly on her heel, she breaks into a sprint.

As Emma races across the parking lot she hears him shout, "Swan!" but doesn't stop or turn around. She continues running, pushing her legs faster and willing her lungs to breath evenly as she dashes from the western side of campus to the eastern side, dodging academic pedestrians and campus shuttle vans without slowing down. Once in the Bug, she jams the key in the ignition and puts the car in gear, not bothering to let it warm up.

Emma's chest aches as her heart beats frantically, her lungs burn and constrict, and she knows it's due to Killian's confessions and not the Olympic feat of sprinting eight hundred yards – (twice) - within twenty minutes.

This morning her walls were down and heart unguarded because she trusted Killian. Now, driving away from him with tears clouding her vision, she's cursing herself for being so foolish.

Lost girls don't get honesty and love; they don't get happy endings, and they certainly don't get princes.

-/-

Killian's world shatters around him as Emma takes off like a bat out of hell. He deserves to be left alone after deceiving her so thoroughly, yet he continues to call out and chase her across the parking lot.

He's gaining pace when he sees her blonde hair and red leather cut across a walkway toward one of the outer campus buildings. He could easily dart in the other direction and meet her from ahead but instead, decides to stop as realization strikes - she's running because of him.

Breathe leaving him, Killian collapses to his knees. Emma's gone and it's entirely his fault. One moment she was in his arms, kissing him senseless, and the next she was running away, petrified of him. Swiping a hand over his face in exasperation, he's pulled from his sulking thoughts at the sound of his cell phone.

"Aye, mate, I know. I'll meet you at the car." He swiftly disconnects the call before Robin can utter a word.

He stands and wipes the gravel from his hands before proceeding to trudge his way across campus, making sure to avoid the direction Emma had taken.

There will undoubtedly be retribution to pay for the scandal about to unfold back home - (those opprobrious photos being the first in years) - but right now, he doesn't give a damn. His only concern is Emma, and right now she wants nothing to do with him.

A/N: I may have borrowed from the movie, but I liked that scene and always imagined Killian's secret being revealed this way, so I hope it was an enjoyable read. Also, first time ever writing a kissing scene… feedback?