Emma rolled her eyes before she watched him play. He swung at the ball - and missed it completely.

She laughed until tears welled in her eyes. When she stopped and took a breath, she asked him, "How on earth did you manage that?"

"I don't rightly know, Swan," Killian admitted as he scratched behind his ear.

His nervousness gave way to mischief as he teased, "Perhaps it's your fault - maybe you should stop being so bloody distracting."

Emma couldn't help but blush at his words. She took a calming breath before she refuted, "Maybe you should learn to focus, Detective."

"Oh, you think so, do you, Swan?" Killian began, making her raise an eyebrow.

He grinned as he continued, "Maybe you want me to be distracted so you can win."

Emma grinned back as she threw back, "Well, it does seem to work in my favor," placing one hand on her hip as she leaned against the club.

Killian nodded toward her and surmised, "Careful, love, or you may "accidentally" end up on the floor."

Emma fluttered her eyelashes as she posed, "Surely you wouldn't do that to me, would you?"

With a cocked eyebrow, Killian commented, "I dare say you are more than capable of taking care of yourself."

She only giggled, bringing a smile to his face. He then offered, "Perhaps I should take the shot again. Hopefully I'll fare better this go around."

Emma hummed in reply. She then smiled and joked, "If you want, I can find something to hide behind."

He rolled his eyes before he deadpanned, "Very funny, Swan." He then ran his fingers through his hair and surmised, "But it still may be a good idea to help myself focus."

With a tilt of her head, Emma asked him, "How exactly will you do that?"

"Singing, of course," he answered as though it were obvious. He paused to listen to the pop music playing throughout the room before he added, "Although I don't suspect I'll be singing along to anything in here."

"Yeah, I don't think you will," Emma agreed. She then asked him, "What are you going to sing?"

Killian looked thoughtful for a few moments before he questioned, "Any requests, love?" resting one of his hands on his arm.

She peered at him for a few moments before she genuinely considered his question. She then told him, "Don't strain your vocal chords, but how about "Here I Go Again"?"

He smiled as he told her, "I believe I can manage that." He then grinned and added, "But I must warn you I'll be compelled to play the air guitar or drums leading up to the rock melody."

Emma rolled her eyes before she pointed out, "You do realize that isn't necessary. You could just sing the song."

"But what fun would that be?" Killian asked her as he feigned a pout.

She shook her head at him. He then offered, "In all seriousness, love, I'm not too keen on drawing attention to myself."

"Good," Emma told him with a nod. She then tilted her head and surmised, "But you're still going to hit those high notes, aren't you?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Killian told her with a sly grin. She raised an eyebrow before he chuckled and continued, "You know how I love to sing, but I won't - as per your request - be straining my vocal chords."

With a nod, Emma then spoke, "So, now you can get on with your turn."

"Aye, aye, Captain," he replied with a mock salute. Before she could respond, he turned his attention to the ball and club.

Just as he adjusted his shot, he started to sing: "I don't know where I'm going, but I sure know where I've been. Hanging on to promises and songs of yesterday…"

He trailed off as the ball sailed toward the hole. When it rolled in, he turned to Emma and smiled brightly as he continued, "And I've made up my mind - I ain't wasting no more time."

She planted her hands on her hips and pointed out, "You're singing it too rock-ish. You're still at the beginning of the song."

He rolled his eyes as he told her, "It's a rock song, darling. I fail to see why you're making a big deal of it."

"Because you can't sing if you're not…" Emma stopped and shot him an accusatory look.

She crossed her arms over her chest and demanded, "Why do you always do that?"

"Because it's so terribly funny," Killian began with a chuckle. He then closed the short distance between them and continued, "You really are too stubborn."

With a sigh, she resigned, "I know I am." She paused before she said, "And you have way too much fun egging me on."

He only shrugged in response, receiving a head shake and an eye roll.

She then took a breath and told him, "Well, I'm singing the next part while I take my turn."

"Whatever you say, Swan," Killian replied with a smile as he rested his hands on his arms.

She peered at him for a few moments before she dropped her ball on the mat. She then carefully positioned her club and aimed it toward the brightly colored orb.

As she began swinging, she picked up the song: "Though I keep searching for an answer, I never seem to find what I'm looking for…"

"Yes!" she then exclaimed when the ball rolled in the hole. She then turned toward him and beamed.

"And now I'm in the lead. I guess singing paid off after all."

"I suppose it did," Killian agreed with a nod. He then grinned and told her, "But don't get too comfortable on top, love."

"If you say so, love," Emma threw back before she let out a chuckle.

He shook his head at her - but a smile appeared a moment later. He then suggested, "Let's see how things go at hole number five, shall we?"

She nodded before the two of them picked up their balls and headed toward the next hole, their arms swinging by their sides.

Killian hummed a few bars before he resumed "Here I Go Again": "Lord I pray you give me strength to carry on."

He then playfully nudged Emma's shoulder and shot her an expectant look.

She smiled at him before she sang: "Because I know what it means to walk along the lonely street of dreams."

Killian then hummed - and sang - the following drum and electric guitar part, which earned laughter from Emma.

He then told her, "I don't much appreciate your laughter, Swan. I tried really hard to sell the song," in as serious a voice as he could muster.

His words only made her laugh more, and he found himself joining her.

When they had stopped, Emma tilted her head in thought. Killian noticed and asked, "Something on your mind, love?"

"Uh, yeah," Emma began as she played with the ends of her hair, "Weren't you singing this song during our first week as partners?"

He tilted his head as well before he confirmed, "I did, actually." He then grinned and said, "As I recall, you kept asking if I could sing something else."

"Only because that's all you were singing," she defended as she crossed her arms.

With a shrug, Killian told her, "It was stuck in my head, darling. I couldn't very well not sing it."

"So you say," Emma surmised as she raised an eyebrow at him. He only shook his head in response.

She couldn't help but chuckle before she told him, "At least you have a nice voice," shrugging as she did so.

"And that, my love, is high praise coming from you," Killian told her with a smile.

Emma smiled back at him. She then suggested, "We may as well sing the chorus." With a wide smile, he spoke, "I couldn't have said it any better myself."

He then started to sing, and she soon joined him: "Here I go again on my own, going down the only road I've ever known. Like a drifter, I was born to walk alone. And I've made up my mind - I ain't wasting no more time."

They then came upon the next hole, and Killian said, "I think we could make it as a band. An 80's cover band," shooting her a playful smile.

"You would say something like that," Emma surmised as she rested her arm on her club.

"Well, Swan, you do know me best," Killian replied matter-of-factly before he dropped his ball on the ground. A fond smile then made its way across his features.

He then spoke, "Say, Swan, speaking of you knowing me best, what's your favorite memory of me? Or perhaps I should say us."

The blonde tilted her head as she looked at him for a few moments. She then took a breath and said, "We've spent practically every day of the last three years together. I don't know if I can narrow it down to just one memory."

"Just think on it," Killian implored. He paused before he further explained, "Telling and hearing all of these stories today has made me nostalgic."

Emma smiled as she told him, "I actually feel the same way - I'm sure I can think of something."

He smiled back at her. He then positioned his club near the ball and began to swing - all the while continuing to hum the Whitesnake song.

He swiftly hit the ball and watched as it landed right on the edge. "Damn," he cursed. He then spoke, "I suppose that hole-in-one really was a fluke."

"Don't count yourself out, Killian. We still have lots of holes to play," Emma assured him with a smile.

He raised an eyebrow as he commented, "I appreciate the sentiment, love, but it's decidedly less competitive than what I'm used to."

She shook her head before she defended, "Can't you just appreciate me being nice? We are best friends, you know."

She tried to sound annoyed, but the corner of her mouth quirked up in a smile.

Killian smiled and shook his head as he spoke, "You do continue to surprise me, Swan. I don't think I'll ever be bored with you around."

With a chuckle, Emma said, "I could just as easily say the same about you - especially since we're almost always around each other."

"Mm-hmm," the dark-haired man hummed in response just before he knocked his ball into the hole.

As he turned to look at her, she then added, "And that actually brings me to my favorite memory of us."

With a tilt of his head, Killian repeated, "Us almost always being around each other?" At her nod, he told her, "I'm afraid that doesn't give me very much to go on, Swan."

"I know," she responded with a grin. She then waltzed over and placed her ball on the ground before she continued, "Which is why you'll actually listen to my story and not interrupt."

"Now I'm really intrigued," Killian stated as he flashed a smile at her.

Emma smiled and shook her head before she poised her club behind the ball. She then began, "My favorite memory of us is, well, when I had the flu a little over a year ago."

Killian raised his eyebrows and tilted his head as he spoke, "I confess I didn't expect you to say that."

She only giggled before she took her shot - the ball also landing on the edge. She tilted her head as she looked at it.

She then surmised, "I guess we have the same luck, Jones," resting her hand on her hip.

"It appears so," he agreed. He then said, "Now if you would be so kind as to explain how the flu invokes fond memories."

"Sure. Let me just…"

Emma then took her tongue between her teeth as she concentrated on the shot - as Killian looked on with a fond smile.

Once she sank it, she picked up the story: "So, you had to take me to the doctor from the station because I had still come in anyway."

Killian couldn't help but grin as he corrected, "You mean that David pulled rank and insisted you go to the doctor because you were too stubborn to do so."

She rolled her eyes before she chided, "Do you want to hear the story or not?" planting her hands on her hips.

"Apologies, love," he sincerely offered. He then handed her the golf ball as a peace offering.

"Mm-hmm," Emma hummed in response as she gave him a knowing look. She then turned and headed for the sixth marker.

She stopped, however, when she didn't hear footsteps. She then turned around and asked, "You coming, Killian?"

He jerked his head up and told her, "Yes, love. I was thinking about how enter… uh, that is, interesting it was watching you try to negotiate yourself out of staying home for a week."

With a shrug, Emma defended, "I just hate being sick - it makes me feel, I don't know, useless."

She then shook her head and continued, "Besides, it's not like you would ever let me leave my apartment anyway."

"I had to make sure you were taking care of yourself and getting well," Killian told her, sincerity shining in his blue eyes.

"I know," Emma told him with a smile, her voice softening. He smiled back at her.

She then took a deep breath and said, "Even though you called me at least five times a day and texted me at least ten - along with you dropping by every day - started to get pretty annoying…"

"That truly wasn't my intention, love. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Killian then interrupted as he raked his fingers through his hair.

Emma couldn't help but smile as she finished, "I really liked having you there. It was nice to have someone looking out for me and to, like, take care of me."

She then took a deep breath and added, "I didn't know what that was like until I got the job with David and made all of these friends. And then you… you always put me first," a light blush staining her cheeks.

Killian smiled as he told her, "And I always will," brushing a few blonde strands off her forehead.

Emma stared at him as she pondered what to say next. She then slowly surmised, "Even if it meant giving up the job you love. I still can't believe you'd do that."

He sighed deeply before he admitted, "Don't you know by now, Emma? I'd do anything for you."

She smiled at the sentiment, and her heart swelled with an emotion she couldn't quite identify.

She then pushed her hair behind her ear and took a calming breath. She then spoke, "I think maybe I've always known it - I just didn't notice it before."

"Well, that was rather the idea," Killian sheepishly admitted as he scratched behind his ear.

Emma reached over and tentatively gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He smiled at her in response.

He then looked around and said, "Seeing as we're at the hole - and we've likely been here for a while - perhaps we should stop dawdling."

"Can I…"

Emma then cast her eyes downward as she kept tossing her ball in the air.

"What is it, love?" Killian then asked as he curiously studied her features.

"I just…wanted to ask you something," she answered - though she refused to meet his eyes.

"Whatever it is, Emma, just ask," Killian reassured her. He then placed his finger under her chin and tilted up her head before he offered a smile.

She smiled back at him before she took a calming breath. She then nodded, and he moved his hand.

With another deep breath, Emma then asked, "When… when did you know it was me?" Killian only tilted his head, so she clarified, "When did you know you had fallen for me?"

His mouth fell open, and he stood agape for several seconds. He then cleared his throat and questioned, "That's what you want to know?"

She shuffled on her feet before she told him, "I know it's, uh, odd, and I don't, like, you know, question how you feel because I can see it in everything you do and say - but I just want to know when you first knew - like when I became special or whatever."

Killian raked his fingers through his dark hair. He then stammered, "I, uh, you see, love, it's… just that, um, well…"

"Hey, it's okay," Emma assured him. She then said, "I didn't think you'd be quite so nervous."

"It's not that exactly," he began as he rubbed the back of his head. He then took a breath and elaborated, "There was the moment I knew, and I felt as though my heart might explode because I didn't think I could feel that way again.

"But I didn't exactly share it with anyone because, well, things were complicated. Of course, they figured it out because I'm bloody awful at being subtle."

"I'm not much better apparently," Emma commented with a wry grin, making him chuckle.

She then took a breath and told him, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. God knows I have no reason to push you."

"I appreciate that, love," Killian told her as he smiled at her. He then took a deep breath and said, "But I'll tell you - perhaps it'll give both of us some clarity."

She smiled back at him. He then took another deep breath and began, "As you know, it was two years ago. It was our day off, and I dropped by to see you after lunch. I saw a bit of smoke coming out from under your door, and I confess I was rather worried."

He tried - and failed - not to laugh as he continued, "Only to discover that you had simply set the kitchen on fire - or near about."

"I remember that!" Emma exclaimed, "Elsa had made some of those amazing cookies of hers, and I finished off the ones she gave me. I wanted some more, so I decided to make them myself."

"Which clearly turned out splendidly," Killian teased with a grin. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

He then leaned against his club and recalled, "Let's see, I rushed in and asked what you were doing - to which you sarcastically replied, and I quote, 'Oh, I'm just doing a little redecorating. What does it look like I'm doing!' Looking back, I really don't know how else I expected you to respond."

"Mm-hmm. It served you right," Emma chimed in with a grin.

He chuckled before he said, "I admit I should have realized things weren't quite so dire. But surely you can't blame me."

"I guess not," she agreed with a small smile. She then crossed her arms and surmised, "I'm really lucky I didn't set off the smoke alarm."

"I dare say your landlord and neighbors wouldn't have been too pleased," Killian supplied as he grinned at her.

Emma couldn't help but chuckle at his words before he continued, "At any rate, the smoke pretty much contained itself to the kitchen, and it proved relatively easily to fan out. Not too much harm done."

"Unless you count the fact that I burned the cookies and destroyed my kitchen," Emma added as she planted her hands on her hips.

"Mm-hmm," Killian hummed as he scratched behind his ear. He then took his club and gestured toward the hole and spoke, "Uh, perhaps we should take our next turns."

With a tilt of her head, Emma asked him, "Why are you so nervous all of the sudden?"

He ran his hand over his face before he said, "Darling, do you not remember why I'm telling this story?"

"Of course I do," she replied, her voice soft and sympathetic. She then took a breath and spoke, "But we walked to the bakery after all of that because I still wanted cookies. You paid for it because I was still kind of a spaz about the whole thing. I was thinking maybe you thought about what it would be like for us to date - and your feelings just, like, snowballed from there."

"I'll admit the thought crossed my mind, but that isn't exactly the reason," Killian told her as he pulled at the collar of his black leather jacket.

Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she questioned, "Then what else could it be?"

"It's you, Emma," Killian answered as he smiled sweetly at her. He took a deep breath before he continued, "Even while you were covered in flour, sugar, and chocolate chips with your hair in an extremely messy ponytail, you were never more beautiful. Because it just shows how incredibly stubborn you are because you didn't ask for help when things went south. Hell, you didn't want my help after I was already there, but you knew you didn't have much choice.

"It's just the best part of what makes you you, and I wouldn't have you any other way. I realized it was one of the many reasons I had… fallen in love with you."

He let out a deep breath as he finished while Emma stared at him with wide green eyes.

After several minutes of silence, she took a deep breath of her own. And another one.

She finally asked, "And you really gave up the chance to be happier than you've ever been - for me?"

"Aye," Killian answered with a nod.

Emma smiled at him before she grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled her mouth to his - their clubs and balls clattering to the ground. His eyes widened in surprise, and he stiffened against her.

His shock then gave way, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. She smiled into the kiss before she moved one of her hands and ran it through his hair. He pulled her even closer as he ran his hand up and down her back.

Passion turned to tenderness as the two of them poured all of their feelings into the kiss, savoring each and every moment.

When they finally pulled away, Killian breathed out, "Bloody hell. That was…"

"A long time coming," Emma finished with a bright smile. He smiled back at her in response.

She then took a deep breath and told him, "I can't pretend I know what I'm doing - I haven't been in a relationship that wasn't doomed from the beginning, but I want this, Killian. I want you.

"You're the best friend I've ever had, and you're someone I could always count on – even when I didn't know I needed it. And I know that you'll be just as great as my… boyfriend."

Killian smiled brighter than Emma had ever seen him. He then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her once more.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers. He then spoke, "You have no idea how happy this makes me. It's everything I've ever wanted," running his fingers through her hair.

Emma offered him a sweet smile. She then pulled back in order to look at him before she told him, "I know. And I'm happy, too - I didn't think I would find this. It turns out you found me - and you've been there all along."

Killian smiled at her once more before he kissed her forehead. He then said, "Well, love, I'll always be there. Whether it means chasing down criminals or showing you all the reasons why you're bloody amazing."

A light blush stained her cheeks before she smiled and told him, "Good."

She then rested her hands on his chest and suggested, "How about we make this our first date?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Killian told her before he kissed the side of her head.

He then glanced around and chuckled when he spotted their equipment on the floor. He picked everything up before he offered Emma the ball and club.

"For my lovely and beautiful girlfriend."

Emma smiled and shook her head at him as she told him, "Take your turn, Killian."

"As you wish, Swan," he replied before bowing dramatically, earning a laugh from her.

When both of them had taken their turn, they walked hand-in-hand to the next marker - both of them imagining the happy days ahead.

As detectives, Emma and Killian both knew that risks didn't always pay off. But, as they entwined their fingers and shared a smile, they knew that love was always worth it.

A/N: Hey everyone! Thank y'all so much for reading "Love in the First Degree"! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it :) And now that this story has come to an end, I hope you guys are all looking forward to my other stories. Until next time, my lovelies :)

P.S. During this crisis, I hope all of you guys are staying safe and healthy! Stay strong, everyone :)