Out in the parking lot, Emma and Killian waited on Liam and Elsa. He nudged her shoulder as he said, "You know, Swan, this was a rather fun and… interesting outing."

She chuckled before she told him, "And by interesting, you mean all the trash-talking and storytelling, along with me falling on the floor."

He rubbed the back of his head as he said, "If I'm honest, I could have done without the falling bit."

Emma offered him a small and sweet smile in reply. He smiled back before he moved her hair off her shoulder.

Her face heated up at his touch, and she found herself needing to quell her nerves. So, she teased, "You going soft on me, Detective?"

Killian chuckled at her words. He then threw back: "Believe me, Swan, if I was going soft, you'd know it," a smirk playing across his features.

Emma only shook her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she then saw Liam and Elsa strolling toward them.

She then nudged his shoulder and said, "Here they come," motioning with her head. Killian glanced over, and a mischievous grin appeared.

He then surmised, "If they stood any closer, a piece of paper couldn't fit between them."

She rolled her eyes before she told him, "You've embarrassed them this entire time - I think it's time you let them be."

He offered an eye roll of his own before he said, "You're quite passionate about this, love." He sighed before he relented, "But I suppose you have a point. I've had enough fun at their expense for one day."

Emma hummed in reply as she shot him a satisfied look, just as Liam and Elsa arrived. She smiled at her friends as she told them, "This was lots of fun, you guys. We should do it again."

"I agree," Liam said. He then grinned and added, "Even if you two were sore losers."

Killian and Emma rolled their eyes before he deadpanned, "Very funny, brother." He then took a breath and spoke, "But I did have a good time, and I rather think we should do it again some time."

"But perhaps with something a little less competitive," Elsa teasingly told him as she grinned at him. He rolled his eyes in response.

He then asked her, "So, love, what are you going to do with the rest of your day?" casting a not-so-subtle look between her and his brother.

To his surprise - and Emma's - the pair of them shared a sweet smile before Liam explained, "I'm actually going to take Elsa sailing. I thought it'd be nice with just the two of us."

Elsa's smile grew as she added, "Yeah, and I have always thought the water was calming - not to mention beautiful."

Emma and Killian couldn't help but smile. He then sincerely offered, "I dare say there's no better captain to take you around the harbor, love."

Liam smiled at his brother in response. The younger Jones then spoke, "You may want to grab a jacket, Elsa. The sea breezes can be quite chilly."

She waved a hand in dismissal as she said, "Thanks, Killian, but the cold doesn't bother me."

He nodded at her in reply. The four friends then bid their goodbyes before returning to their vehicles.

As they walked, Emma and Killian noticed that Liam and Elsa's hands kept brushing against each other's - likely on purpose.

The blonde then surmised, "I'd say this double "date" went pretty well," a smile blossoming over her features.

"Aye, Swan, I'd wager it did," Killian agreed, smiling as well. His smile then turned mischievous as he added, "But it won't be nearly as much fun teasing them."

Emma rolled her eyes before she knocked her shoulder against his. He did the same to her in response.

The dark-haired man then teased, "See, Swan? No good comes from causing trouble."

She raised an eyebrow at him as she threw back, "If that's the case, then you should be a walking disaster waiting to happen."

His smug reply was cut off when she began to laugh. He tilted his head as he said, "You know, love, your comebacks don't usually dissolve you into a fit of giggles."

When she stopped, she explained, "I know, but I was just thinking. I didn't expect to have as much fun today as I did - and part of it is thanks to you. With all of your ridiculousness and our banter."

Killian grinned at her as he teased, "Darling, if you found it as ridiculous as you claim, you wouldn't giggle nearly as much."

He paused before he genuinely continued, "I am glad you had a wonderful time, though. It's all I wanted for you."

A light blush stained Emma's cheeks before she told him, "It isn't all about me, Killian. You deserve to have some fun, too."

"I don't think that's a question whenever I'm with you, love," Killian told her as he smiled at her.

She blushed once more before she complained, "You've got to stop, Killian. I've never blushed as much as I have since we've met."

He couldn't help but grin as he said, "Oh really, Swan? Then I dare say I must be doing something right."

With a shake of her head, she replied, "Or you're just too much of a flirt for your own good."

Killian opened his mouth to reply when Emma interrupted, "You are a flirt, and you know it. Don't even try to act otherwise."

He grinned as he spoke, "I was only going to say that you, my darling, bring out the flirt in me."

She couldn't help but scoff at that before she pointedly told him, "Come on, that's a little much - even for you."

"It's the truth," Killian tried to defend, only to receive a raised eyebrow and crossed arms from her.

He scratched behind his ear as he admitted, "You're not entirely wrong, love - as you know, I fell into a bit of a stupor after I lost Milah. Or perhaps "bit" is an understatement."

Despite all her teasing, Emma knew he had been hurting, and he didn't quite know how to handle his grief. So, she sympathized, "I know, Killian - you were going through so much."

He offered her a small smile before the blonde continued, "But Liam and David were able to help you through it - that's how you ended up in our precinct."

"Mm-hmm," Killian hummed in response, a far-off - yet fond - look in his blue eyes. He then took a breath and continued, "Aye, love. And as you know, I don't drink nearly as much as I did, and I spend all of my nights alone."

A smile then appeared across his features as he finished, "But I still can be a flirt, and when I first saw you, I knew I was a goner. Though we annoyed each other, I knew there was something real between us - something I hadn't felt in a very long time."

"Killian," Emma began, shuffling on her feet and glancing off to the side.

He ran his hand through his hair and immediately began apologizing: "Bloody hell, Swan, I should know better than to just say things like that. I just…"

"Hey, it's okay," Emma reassuringly cut in. She then took him by the shoulders and continued, "All I was going to say is that you're really sweet."

"Really?" he questioned as he gave her a disbelieving look, crossing his arms over his chest.

She released his shoulders before she shrugged and told him, "Yeah, I mean, you are sweet when you're not being annoying."

Killian grinned and shook his head as he said, "And here I thought we were having a moment."

Emma smiled softly at him before she playfully nudged his shoulder with hers. She then asked him, "Am I driving home or what?"

Killian smiled at her as he said, "Actually, love, I have an idea if you're up for it."

She regarded him for a few minutes before she asked, "And just what is this idea of yours?"

"You'll have to wait and see, Swan," he answered - a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Emma raised an eyebrow as she asked, "And what if I don't like this surprise?"

"Trust me, you'll love it," he told her with a smile. He paused before he added, "But since it is to be a surprise, I think perhaps I should drive."

With crossed arms and narrowed eyes, she considered his words. After a few moments, she relented, "Alright, you can drive. But keep in mind that my bug doesn't have as much horsepower as your sports car."

Killian rolled his eyes before he pointed out, "It's not as though I drive like I'm racing in the Indy 500."

With an eye roll of her own, Emma told him, "Maybe not, but the bug isn't a Camaro."

"Point taken, Swan," Killian told her with a nod. He then held out his hand and asked, "Your keys, if you will?"

She dug her keys out of her jacket pocket and dropped them in his hand. She then told him, "You are not touching the radio," pointing a finger at him.

Killian bit his lip as he considered throwing her a sarcastic remark. Yet, he realized it would hardly do any good.

So, he simply replied, "As you wish, Swan." He then walked around to the driver's side of the car.

Emma couldn't help but smile before she climbed into the passenger side. Once she settled, she flipped on the radio, where she then began humming along to Bryan Adams' "Can't Stop This Thing We Started"."

Killian couldn't help but grin as he steered the bug out onto the street. He then teased, "What's the matter, love? That karaoke story make you too shy or nervous to sing?"

She rolled her eyes before she said, "I just didn't feel like singing. You don't have to make a big deal out of it."

"I was just joking, you know," he replied, quirking up an eyebrow at her.

"Of course I do," Emma began. She took a breath and continued, "And I know you're only joking, but you still annoy me, Jones."

"Well, Swan, it is rather amusing," he began with a grin, only to receive an eye roll in response.

He then let out a deep sigh and continued, "But you have to know that I'd never want to truly anger you, Emma."

She smiled at him as she said, "I do know, Killian." As an afterthought, she then added, "Besides, I don't think I'd know how to function if you weren't annoying me."

Her expression then turned solemn, and she lamented, "I guess I have been functioning these last few weeks, but it's been miserable."

Killian immediately reassured her, "I'd say we're back to our old selves, so there's no need to dwell on that. I think that bowling was exactly what we needed."

He then smiled at her and added, "And it's exactly why we're going mi…"

Emma raised an eyebrow at his abrupt stop. She then grinned and teased, "We're going where now?"

"Nope. You're not getting it out of me," Killian declared, his eyes focused on the road.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head in response. She then leaned back against her seat and rested her arm on the window, humming along to her CD.

"Whoa!" she then shouted as she lurched forward. She then looked up and realized that Killian had slammed on brakes.

He then seethed, "Bloody hell! You can't decide to put a bloody blinker on when you're at the damn street."

When he had taken a deep breath, he asked, "Are you alright, love?"

She nodded before she told him, "I'm just really glad that you have sharp reflexes."

"That makes two of us," Killian conceded before he resumed driving - only to slow down for a red light.

Emma then curiously looked at her surroundings, her green eyes focused on each of the street and building signs.

When the light had changed to green, Killian found himself chuckling as he drove forward. He then reasoned, "Considering that New York City has a population of 8 million dispersed among five boroughs, I don't think you have much chance of narrowing down exactly where I'm taking you."

"I don't have much of a choice because you won't tell me," Emma told him as she raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

Killian glanced over at her stance and chuckled once more. He then offered, "You're quite adorable when you're frustrated."

She blushed lightly and twirled the ends of her hair. She then deflected, "Yeah, yeah," before he continued, "I know patience isn't exactly your virtue, but you'll have to wait it out."

Emma sighed before she attempted one last plea: "Can I at least have a hint?" Killian only shook his head at her. She shrugged as she said, "I had to at least try."

"Oh, believe me, Swan, I know you did," he replied, raising an eyebrow.

She couldn't help but giggle before the two of them settled into a comfortable silence, save for the humming and singing.

After driving along for a few minutes, Killian made a left turn. Emma perked up in her seat as she re-examined her surroundings while her best friend shook his head.

She then pointed to an apartment building outside the window and spoke, "Isn't that where we had our first case?"

Killian glanced over to where she gestured before he confirmed, "Aye, love, it was." He paused before he recalled, "Let's see, it was a break-in where the assailant wanted to steal fine jewelry in order to make herself quite a bit of cash."

Emma nodded before she added, "Yeah, and she was crafty. It took three more break-ins for us to catch her."

"She kept us on our toes, that's for sure," Killian surmised. He then smiled and offered, "But it did show us that we make a great team."

She smiled back as she said, "Yeah, we do." She then chuckled and added, "Even if I didn't want to admit it at the time."

He chuckled at that before he pulled into the parking lot of a neon-lit building. As he pulled into a space, Emma tilted her head and spoke, "This is that arcade and mini-golf place."

"Very observant, Swan," Killian told her, a teasing lilt to his tone. She rolled her eyes in response.

She then said, "You know what I meant, Killian. Why are we here?"

He scratched behind his ear and glanced down at his lap, earning a raised eyebrow from Emma. He took a deep breath before he sheepishly explained, "Uh, this might be presumptuous on my part, and I, uh, probably should have run it by you. But, um, I thought it'd be, you know, nice?"

Emma couldn't help but smile at his nervousness. Though she wasn't sure she'd say it out loud, it was really cute.

She then reassuringly told him, "Come on, Killian, just tell me - I'm sure your idea is great, and I'll love it."

Killian offered her a small yet genuine smile. He took another deep breath before he said, "It's just that you mentioned one time that you thought mini golf would be a rather fun and interesting, um, date. That even though you're quite the tough-as-nails detective, and you're closed off to people who don't know you, any guy who managed to break down those walls of yours would know that you'd prefer something low key that didn't have the pressure of a first date - and he'd be someone you could truly be yourself with. You're not opposed to nice, sit-down dinners, and you'd rather like it, but for the first outing together, you'd just like to do something that's purely fun."

Emma's green eyes widened in surprise - not from the implication but from the fact that he remembered all of that.

At her expression, he quickly covered, "Not that I'm suggesting that we're on a date because I would never assume anything of the sort, but I know how much you love mini golf, and I thought it'd be a way for us to reclaim our friendship by just us hanging out."

He then nervously cleared his throat and added, "And I wanted you to know that I'm always thinking of you, love."

Emma smiled at him as she tentatively placed her hand on his - he initially jumped at the contact but soon calmed when she began to speak.

"I really do appreciate it, Killian. No one knows me as well as you do, and it means you always put me first."

Killian smiled back at her before he gently - and cautiously - rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. To his pleasant surprise, she didn't pull away.

After a few moments, Emma pulled away and suggested, "We should head inside and get started on those 18 holes."

"As you wish, Swan," Killian began. He then grinned and continued, "But don't think I'll go easy on you."

"Good. I wouldn't want you to," Emma replied as she grinned back at him. She then climbed out of the car.

He shook his head at her before he stepped out of the bug and followed her into the arcade.