When they arrived at the beach, Emma placed the baseball in the cup holder and told her friend, "You better not keep this, Killian."

He only shook his head and grinned as he told her, "I wouldn't dream of it, love." He then teased, "Although, you were wearing my hat when you caught it."

Emma rolled her eyes before she questioned, "You don't really believe this thing is lucky, do you?"

Killian thought for a moment before he told her, "If it were, you wouldn't have been gone when the kiss cam came around," with his signature smirk.

The blonde shook her head before she told him, "Considering that you couldn't handle it the first time, I don't think you would have been able to a second time."

"You are the one ran away when it was it over, and you are the one who avoided me for over a week," he smugly pointed out. Emma narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms at him in response before she got out of the vehicle.

Killian only ran his fingers through his hair before he got out and followed her. He then defended, "You do realize I was only joking, love."

She turned to face him with a sly grin and replied, "I know, Killian." He tilted his head as he told her, "You're bloody impossible, Swan."

"Yeah, I am," Emma responded before she chuckled. She then turned away from him and continued down the beach. Killian watched her for a moment before he once again followed her.

When he caught her, he observed, "So, love, this concert. Were you really so desperate to be alone with me?" with a grin.

The blonde rolled her eyes as she defended, "I suggested it so that we could all hang out. Belle and August just happened to have plans. That doesn't mean I had to change mine."

"And what makes you so sure I wanted to come with you?" he questioned.

"Well, you drove me here, didn't you?" Emma fired back. He only shook his head before he spoke, "I suppose I should know by now that I am not capable of winning an argument with you."

The blonde only offered him a satisfied smile in response as they arrived at the band stand, where the band was playing "Jessie's Girl."

Killian then said, "So, Swan, can I expect to be serenaded during this concert?"

She only chuckled before she told him, "That's funny coming from you – I don't think there's a day I've gone in your shop when you weren't singing."

"Too true, love. I do rather enjoy it – it's the reason I taught myself to play the guitar," he responded.

"You play the guitar?" Emma asked, a bit of surprise in her voice.

He smiled wistfully as he answered, "Indeed I do, love. I was encouraged by Milah, and I stopped playing after she died. But after I came back from that rather dark place I had gone, I started playing again."

The blonde nodded before she carefully asked, "Do you think you could play for me some time?"

Killian moved her hair behind her shoulder as he answered, "I'd love to, Emma." His hand lingered on her arm, and she noticed. She didn't pull away, however, and that worried her.

They stared into each other's eyes a moment too long, and Emma finally pulled away. Killian then moved his hand, and they both turned their attention back to the band.

The blonde then began singing along as the band changed songs to "Wanted Dead or Alive," and he couldn't help but notice that her carefree attitude wasn't quite sincere. He guessed that he wasn't alone in his racing heart.

But he knew that was wishful thinking, so he shook his head from those thoughts and turned his focus to the stage.

A few songs later, the band had taken a break following "Summer of '69". When Emma had placed her hands back by her side after clapping, Killian noticed something.

"Love, where's your swan bracelet?"

She turned to him with furrowed eyebrows and asked, "How do you know about my bracelet?"

Killian took a deep breath before he answered, "I noticed it the first time we met, and I thought it was rather unique. It's the reason I called you "Swan", not realizing that it was your name. But I somehow offended you."

Emma nervously bit her lip before she spoke, "I think I accused you of somehow stalking me because you knew my name."

"Yes, you did. That, and my "obnoxious flirting" as you like to put it caused you to be rather prejudiced against me," he replied.

She sighed before she told him, "I already admitted that I was wrong. Can't you just, like, drop it?"

"Why would I do that, love? It's so much fun seeing admit that you were wrong. I rather like outwitting your stubbornness," he teased.

Emma narrowed her eyes at him as she said, "Sometimes, I really don't know why I even put up with you."

Killian smirked as he replied, "That's because you rather enjoy my friendship and company," though he meant every word.

She shoved her hands in her pockets as she looked down at her Converse sneakers. She then took a deep breath and admitted, "I actually do. And I've missed it the last week," as she looked up to face him.

"I've missed you as well, love. Next to Robin, you're my closest friend," he replied. It was the truth – it just wasn't the whole truth, and he prayed she didn't catch on.

Luckily, she didn't. She offered him a bright smile as she responded, "You're one of my best friends, too, Killian."

He smiled brightly in return before a thought occurred to him. He then stated, "You didn't answer my question."

"What?" she asked. It then hit her: "Oh, the bracelet." As hard as she tried, she couldn't conceal the emotion in her voice as she answered, "It was stolen," with a downcast expression.

The dark-haired man tilted his head as he perceived, "It meant a lot to you, didn't it?"

Emma simply nodded in response. After a moment of silence, she took a deep breath and confessed, "Though I always thought I wasn't the sentimental type, that all changed when I found my family. The bracelet was a birthday present from Belle, and she gave it to me a little over a year after we had become friends. Other than the acknowledgement that I was a year older, I never celebrated my birthday – it was just a reminder that my parents didn't want me. David was the only one who knew when it was, and he let it slip to Belle. It was only couple weeks before it, and she went to a jewelry store. She special ordered a Pandora bracelet that had nothing but swan charms on it. When she gave to me, she told me it was a promise that I would never have to worry about being alone again. She told me that I was now her sister – we were family, and she wasn't going anywhere."

Killian wiped the tears that had begun to form in her green eyes. He then tried to assure her, "Swan, you're a detective. Surely with the police department's resources, you can track down that bloody thief. That is your job after all."

"It isn't that simple, Killian. I didn't see the guy – or woman – who stole it t. The clasp had broken, and I took it off and set aside on a table until I could place it safely in my wallet. But then my phone rang, and it was about a case. When I had hung up the phone, I reached back for the bracelet, but it was gone. I tried searching the jewelry stores and pawn shops, but I kept hitting dead ends. Add that in to the fact that there is a ridiculous amount of both in New York City," Emma exasperatedly explained.

He sighed as he told her, "I'm truly sorry, Emma. But I'm sure it'll turn up when you least expect it."

"Now you sound like Belle. You guys really are related," the blonde commented.

Killian only offered a small smile before he told her, "Well, Swan, you have to admit that my sister is right most of the time. She was sure that we would hit it off, and she was right. We just hit a few obstacles along the way."

Emma couldn't help but laugh at his words before she quipped, "Yeah, you and your ridiculous flirting and ability to read me."

He chuckled before he told her, "Ah, there's the Emma Swan I know. The one who somehow finds a way to make everything my fault." She only shook her head at him in response.

The blonde then noticed that the band was starting back up and told Killian, "Yeah, well, you can save your comments about me until after the concert is over."

He shook his head this time before both of them turned their attention back to the stage. However, Emma soon groaned when she recognized Journey's "Faithfully."

"I know your aversion to movies about love, but I didn't think that applied to music. It's an amazing song, Swan," Killian quipped.

"I agree with you, but it is a love song. It's not exactly a song you can care freely sing and dance along to," Emma argued.

"Ah, I see, Swan. You don't wish us to appear as two awkward, smitten teenagers," he responded with a smirk.

She wanted to roll her eyes, but, as usual, he could read her like an open book. She was ready to refute when an idea hit her: "You know, if we slow-danced, we wouldn't look awkward."

Killian swore his heart had skipped a beat, and a million doubts raced into his mind. He understood her reasoning perfectly, but the thought of her being in his arms was something that he wanted so desperately that he was afraid he wouldn't be to hide it.

So, he suggested, "You know, Swan, we simply could exit the crowd until the song is over."

"Because making our way through – and interrupting – these couples is a brilliant idea," Emma sassed. Before Killian could speak again, she had pulled him close to her and wrapped her arms around his neck. She then told him, "You are being ridiculous. It's a stupid, meaningless dance."

Killian couldn't let her think otherwise, so he simply agreed: "You're right, love. It means nothing." She nodded satisfactorily as he snaked his arms around her waist.

They moved perfectly in sync to the music. As they swayed along to the music, their grip on each other became tighter, and the distance between them was shrinking. No one would ever believe they were just friends.

For a moment, Emma allowed herself to be lost in Killian's eyes and to not be scared of what she saw in them. She then laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. She felt safe. She felt longing. She felt peace. But most of all, she felt love.

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, her eyes shot open in panic. She then pulled herself from his grasp and did what she did best – run.

Killian ran his fingers through his hair and muttered, "One of these days, I'll stop chasing this bloody woman," before he took off after her.

When he caught up to her, he grabbed her elbow and spun her around to face him. He then told her, "Emma, you have to stop running away from me. From us."

"There is no us. We're only friends, Killian. I thought you understood that," she argued.

"If we were just friends, you wouldn't keep doing this. You have to stop denying what exists between us, love."

"I can't deny something that I don't feel."

"Oh, really? Then what do call averting your eyes, turning your head, changing the subject, or running away every time I do or say the slightest thing that suggests more than just friendship?"

For a moment, Emma forgot herself and questioned surprisingly, "You notice all of that?"

"I notice every bloody thing about you. The way you furrow your eyebrows if you're confused. The way you scrunch your nose up at foods you don't like. The way you clutch your pillow tighter during a sad part of a movie to keep yourself from crying. The way you run your fingers through your hair when you're nervous or agitated. The way you ball up your fists when you're impatient. I notice the way you laugh, the way you smile, and the way your eyes light up. I also noticed that even though you have the love of your family, you also want the kind of love that means sharing your life – and your heart – with that one special person. But you don't believe that you're good enough."

Emma could only stare at him for a long moment before she asked the question that she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to: "What are you saying?"

Killian took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He then admitted, "What I'm saying is that I was intrigued by you the moment I laid eyes on you. And not just because you're beautiful. But then you had formed this opinion of me, and I knew I had no chance of changing your mind. That's why I continued the playboy façade, but a small part of me hoped that somehow, someway, things would change. And then I found out that you were my sister's best friend, and I got to know the Emma Swan behind the eye rolls, the stubbornness, and the walls. And you are absolutely, bloody amazing. But I didn't quite realize all of this until you kissed me. That's when I knew I was a goner.

I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love, of my Milah, to believe that I could find someone else. That is, until I met you."

Once again, Emma could only stare at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She was absolutely speechless. How could she invoke such passion, such depth, and such feelings in someone?

Her heart and her mind were at war. She wasn't ready to deal with everything she had denied for so long. She wasn't ready to take that chance. So, she retreated inside that wall of hers.

"I can't…can't do this, Killian."

She then turned and walked away from him. He watched her go, desperately trying to fight the hopeless and heartbroken feeling that she left behind.

I feel like it's been forever since I updated, but I hope these three chapters made up for it :). I wanted to tell y'all that "Truce" is coming to a close. By my estimation, there will be one more chapter, possibly two. I hope you all have enjoyed this story, and I hope y'all are looking forward to the conclusion!