A/N: I'M SORRY FOR ANOTHER LONG WAIT! LIFE IS HECTIC! I'm on break this week, so hopefully I'll be writing more, so yeah. Enjoy!

"That was when I went to Monte Carlo, for some festival," Killian told Emma as she swiped through the pictures on his phone, as they sat beside each other at the bar in their favorite 24-hour diner. The only other sounds in the diner were the newest pop songs pumping through the speakers and the waitress muttering to someone on the phone, which she definitely shouldn't have been doing, but Killian wasn't one to call out others doing something they shouldn't be doing during such a dull time at night.

"That's gorgeous," Emma gasped out, staring at the picture of the sunset as Killian had sat on his balcony in his hotel room. The sunset had been slowly drifting toward the coast, where the ocean would meet the bright orb of the sun. Jenny and Liam told him that it was quite the sight to see, but Killian couldn't see the colors just yet. That would come a little later.

"I brought Liam and Jenny along, for one last big trip before Jenny gave birth," Killian replied, smiling at the memory. They all had the best time there, although Killian was busier than he would've liked to be. "It really was a stunning place to be. Even if I couldn't really see all of the beauty."

Emma swiped to the left and 'awww'ed loudly into the empty diner. Killian smiled as he recognized the photo of the very first picture of him with Amelia, who was only a few hours old in the picture. The tiny newborn was wrapped in a blanket and resting in his arms and Killian remembered it as one of the best moments of his life. "Is this your niece?"

Killian nodded, leaning over his barstool to look at the picture better. (He didn't notice how a shiver shot down Emma's spine) (but he did notice how her breathing grew heavy). "Yep. That was just a few hours after she was born. Liam insisted that I hold her, so he took the picture while I did. If you keep going, I've got a lot more pictures of her."

"You said her name was Amelia?" Emma asked and Killian nodded silently, as Emma swiped the screen to show the next picture: Amelia sleeping soundly in her crib her first night home. "My two best friends are pregnant. They're already going crazy over baby names. Actually…" Emma began saying as she reached for her phone in her purse, plucking it out and scanning through her phone. "Here."

Emma laid her phone in front of Killian, showing quite the goofy picture of her with her pregnant friends.

"It really isn't the best photo of all of us," Emma told Killian, quite shyly to be honest.

Killian smirked as he continued to look at the picture. It was Emma, then her smallest pregnant friend, then the one who looked about ready to pop, standing to the side to show off their stomachs. He had to retain a laugh at Emma's face in the picture, mouth open and eyes rolling as her other friends had wide smiles on their faces.

"That's Mary Margaret"-Emma pointed to the woman with the pixie cut and small baby bump-"and that's Ruby"-Emma pointed to the other woman, with long brown hair and bright red nails. "Ruby is due at the end of September and Mary Margaret is only three months along. Well, four months now. I kinda haven't seen them recently."

"When was the last time you saw them?" Killian asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at Emma.

Emma sighed and smiled wistfully. "Actually, the day I met you."

And with that, Killian raised both of his eyebrows.

"I was just coming out of that Target when the paparazzi ran into me and well, you know the rest of that story," Emma explained, shrugging. "I've just been busy, even though we usually have a standing weekly lunch date. But I've been ditching that ever since."

"Why?"

Emma took a deep breath and swiveled in her barstool, her knees bumping into Killian's and he tried to ignore the electricity shooting up his leg from the small contact. "They're the kind of people who would've congratulated me on finding my soul mate. And as you know, I was not the kind of person that could've dealt with hearing that because I saw it as a scary, bad thing."

Killian gulped as he whispered out, "Was?"

Emma briefly nibbled on her bottom lip (which did not do good things to his imagination). "I know it's only been a month, but…I'm happy now. I mean, I'm still afraid of all of this, but I'm actually happy." Emma smiled at Killian and he felt as though his heart would explode. "I just haven't seen them because I guess I'm putting off the inevitable."

"But you're ready to tell them?" Killian asked and he hoped that Emma didn't catch the waver in his voice.

Emma's eyes lit up and bloody hell it could've rivaled the sunset in Monte Carlo. "Yeah. I'm not ready to tell the whole world yet, but I'm ready to tell my friends."

And Killian would take that. Killian would take that and lock it in his heart because everything was finally coming together in his life. He had his career, a fantastic apartment, dashing looks, but he had always been missing his soul mate. And now it was all weaving together and Killian had everything that he wanted-

"But I think we should head out before the waitress starts taking pictures," Emma whispered to Killian and he noticed that the waitress was still intently staring at them, as if she was trying to place his face.

"Good idea, love," Killian responded as they slid off of their stools and Killian placed a ten on the counter to cover their drinks (Emma's hot chocolate-which he had no idea how she could drink it in this bloody weather-and his chocolate milk).

They exited the diner together and stepped onto the humid sidewalk, watching as lonely taxis drove down the street. Killian glanced down at his cell phone and saw that it was nearing four in the morning.

"Fuck it's really late," Killian muttered, putting his phone back in his pocket and rubbing his now-tired eyes. "I've got lunch with Liam and Jenny at noon and I gotta get back uptown."

"Or you could just stay the night at my place," Emma suggested, a smirk playing at her lips and Killian's heart pounded.

Killian swallowed and his throat grew dry. "What?"

"You just said that you were getting lunch with your brother at noon. It'd be a waste of money and time going back to your place, since you'd just be coming back here anyways," Emma explained, holding out a hand to hail a cab (and it really should've bothered Killian how quickly a taxi pulled over, probably looking over Emma's exposed legs and low-cut dress-bloody pervs).

Valid logic. Dammit.

Killian cleared his throat as Emma swung the car door open and thought that he might as well be as honest as he can be. "We may be tempting the small bit of self-control I do have, Emma."

Emma looked back at him with a bloody devilish glint in her eyes, like she wanted him to lose control and shite he was fucked. "Oh don't worry. I don't bite, unless you're into that sort of thing."

Bloody buggering fuck.

This woman was going to be the death of him.

Killian took a deep breath as he sat beside Emma in the cab, shutting the door as Emma told the driver her address. Killian kept his face away from the cabbie, just in case he recognized him and went blabbing about how the heartthrob Killian Jones went home with another woman last night. He knew they should've been more careful in the diner, but it didn't look like the waitress correctly placed his face so he was hoping there wouldn't be any leaks. He knew Emma wasn't ready to announce it, just as she had said only a few minutes ago, and he would be damned if she was thrust into doing something she wasn't ready for just because some crazed fans couldn't keep it to themselves.

It didn't take long for the cab driver to reach Emma's apartment building, which really wasn't too far from the diner, which was only down the road from The Frozen Heart. He pulled over to the curb and Emma and Killian hopped out of the cab, after a small argument about who would pay the driver (Killian insisted and Emma grumbled out a 'thanks'). Killian followed Emma into the air-conditioned building, and as she went up the elevator and walked down the hallway. Killian couldn't help but think about the last time he walked these halls, fresh from Emma's hesitance and dismay at having a soul mate. Killian shook the painful memory away as Emma unlocked her apartment door and swung it open.

"Go ahead," Emma told him and Killian nodded silently, doing as she said.

Killian stepped into the dark apartment and Emma flipped the lock once she stepped inside. His heart began pounding because it was hitting him that he was in a small-enclosed space with the girl who he had constantly thought about ever since he first saw her eyes (those bloody eyes) and wow he had no idea how this was going to end.

(Actually, Killian thought he knew how it would end and it would end with loud gasps and sweaty bodies and sinful moans-)

Almost exactly like the moan that Emma let out as she toed off her shoes-or should he say death traps.

"Fucking killing me," Emma murmured out as she tossed them over by her dresser, where the shoe pile was growing to staggering heights. Emma sighed and walked over to her dresser, pulling open a drawer. "Now, I know I have a pair of pajama pants that were a little big on me, so I think they'll fit you. I swear I put them in this drawer-aha!"

Emma pulled out a pair of fleece, draw-string pants and no-

"I am not wearing those," Killian said, drawing back as if they were offensive. And they pretty much were.

"What? The roguish Killian Jones can't be seen wearing pajama pants with little ducklings on them?" Emma asked, raising her eyebrows as she held up the blue pants with ducklings sewn into them.

And, well, it was just far too easy. Killian stepped forward and flashed that predatory grin that brought women to their knees. And looking into Emma's eyes, he knew that it affected her. "Well, I do prefer to sleep in the nude. But perhaps you wouldn't enjoy that, so I'll take the pants."

Killian noticed the way Emma gulped at his statement, but then it began to backfire as Emma stepped forward, their toes brushing and her voice taking on a breathy tone. "Oh, I'd enjoy it. You just wouldn't be able to handle it."

And fuck, Killian was screwed as he gulped, glancing down and looking at the way Emma's breasts lifted as she breathed. He looked back into her eyes, which were growing darker by the second. "Perhaps you're the one who couldn't handle it, love."

Killian dragged his tongue across his bottom lip and Emma's jade eyes flashed darker as her lips parted and wow Killian wanted nothing more to see the way she looked on the brink of climax-

"Alright, you can go to the bathroom first," Emma said as she cleared her throat and stepped back from Killian, pointing to the door on the far side of the room. Emma held out the pants for him and Killian graciously took them, hoping that the material would be baggy enough to accommodate for the growing erection he had in his jeans at the moment. "There's mouthwash since there isn't a spare toothbrush, so use that if you need to. Shower is straightforward, again if you need it. Then you probably know how to use a toilet."

"I wouldn't mind a quick lesson on the shower, Swan," Killian said as he raised an eyebrow and he took note of how Emma's blush spread down to her neck.

"Go on, Loverboy. I'm going to change out here," Emma teased, nudging him toward the door in the corner.

Killian chuckled as he walked over to the door in the corner of the room, swinging it open and stepping into the smallish bathroom. He took a deep breath as he began stripping down to change into the pajama pants, trying to calm his thoughts and the bulge that was sticking out in his boxer briefs. He did not want to have that when Emma crawled into bed with him, as it would make things a whole lot more difficult.

(Even if he had dreamt of taking that step long before they even kissed.)

He looked himself in the mirror as he tugged his white undershirt over the elastic band of the pajama pants (bloody ridiculous pants) and crumbled his button-down shirt and jeans into his hands. He should've fucking trimmed his stubble this morning, but no-o-o-o he had to wake up twenty minutes late and bolt to the set to get to filming on time. Now Killian just looked a freaking homeless man with ridiculous pants and why was he staying the night with the woman who tempted every fiber of his self-control-

"Did you fall in?" Emma teased from the opposite side of the door, tapping on it gently with what sounded like her fingernails.

"Ha bloody ha," Killian grumbled out as he twisted the door knob and swung the door open. And of course, Emma snorted loudly as she saw the fleece pants. "Don't start."

Emma looked at him and her shoulders began shaking, as if she was trying to hide her building laughter. "What ever do you mean?"

Killian tried to roll his eyes, but he was just a bit distracted by what Emma called pajamas. He felt a knot develop in his throat as he eyed the thin white camisole and black yoga pants and Jesus he was fucked. A blush spread on Emma's face as she definitely noticed Killian's blatant ogling and he mentally shook himself for being so obvious.

"Sorry," Killian mumbled out as he scratched that spot behind his ear as a nervous tick, stepping around Emma to walk back over to the bed.

"I never thought I'd see Killian Jones blush like a school boy at a girl," Emma teased as she stepped into the bathroom.

Killian didn't have the time to respond, as Emma closed the door behind her. But, he wanted to say that she did this to him, that Killian never got so anxious or nervous around other women-which she obviously knew since she said that she's seen the magazines and tabloids and knew that Killian Jones was quite the lady's man. Killian wanted to tell her that she was different than all of the other women, but he knew that she wouldn't go for the "you're not like other women" speech. Hell, he didn't go for that speech because that's so bloody cliché and just demeaning to the other women.

Killian sighed as he placed his clothing on the ground at the foot of the bed and perched himself on the corner of Emma's bed, awaiting her return. His fingers traced the design of the ducklings on his pants (and he was never going to live this down) (he hoped Emma at least had the bloody decency to not take a picture of him) and it was only a few moments before Emma returned from the bathroom, releasing her hair from the ponytail she must've worn in the bathroom.

"What time are you getting up tomorrow?" Killian asked as Emma walked over to the kitchen and he heard the kitchen faucet running for a moment, then Emma returned to the living/sleeping area with a glass. "Just so I know when to get moving so I'm not in your way."

Emma shook her head as she sipped on her water. "My boss gave me the weekend off, since I apparently work too much. So I don't work in the morning."

Killian raised an eyebrow slightly and took note of the tone of her voice. "Sounds like you aren't too happy about that."

Emma sighed as she switched the glass into her right hand. "It's whatever."

"Emma."

Emma sighed again and rubbed her eyes (she must be exhausted). "I don't want to bore you with my own issues, Killian."

"You won't be boring me, Emma," Killian responded and Emma looked into his eyes and he hoped she could see the sincerity in them. "Our lives are intertwined, love. You can tell me whatever it is."

Emma tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as she gulped down the last of her water. He could tell that Emma was still nervous about talking about her problems, even she had already told him about her problems with her parents (the bloody idiots-how could they give up someone so brilliant?). Emma chewed on the inside of her cheek and Killian folded his hands together on his lap as he waited.

"It's just…with her giving me the weekend off, it could make the difference between me making rent or not," Emma explained finally, letting out a long breath as she looked at Killian. "I usually barely make rent anyways, and with this weekend off, I don't know if I'll be able to make it."

Killian opened his mouth to say something, but Emma continued, now on a roll. "Like, I get that Granny is trying to just give me a break, but I don't have the money to be taking breaks, you know? She loves me like a daughter, but I don't think she gets the issues I have already and that I work all the time because I need to. I know Granny thinks it's 'cause I want to avoid relationships and blah blah blah, but that isn't true. Alright fine, it sorta was, but now I don't really do that since I have you and it's just so annoying because I don't wanna make rent late and be threatened by my landlord again with his creepy-ass propositions and-"

Emma sighed and plopped beside Killian on the bed, twisting her cup in her hands. "You probably wanna run now, don't you?"

"Never," Killian said, not even a moment later. "Do I need to have a discussion with your landlord and how that's very bad form?"

Emma chuckled and ran her hand through her hair (and it reminded Killian of the way her gentle curls felt in between his fingers as they kissed after the date, and the way that Killian hasn't been able to stop thinking about it since). "No, I can handle it."

Killian gulped because he knew what he wanted to say was going to be a bad idea, but he needed her to know that the option was out there and that he cared for her. "You know, if you need anything, I have more money than I know what to do with."

Emma smiled weakly at him, but shook her head. "No, I can't do that. I'll…I'll just figure things out. It's just dumb."

"I've been there before, love," Killian told Emma, taking the empty glass from her hands as he stood from the bed. "And when I was there, I needed to know that someone was still there. I just want you to know that if you need anything, I'm here."

Killian stepped into the kitchen and placed the glass gently into the sink. But before he could turn around to go back into the sleeping area, he felt hands on his shoulders and suddenly he was being twisted around. He saw Emma's fiery green eyes for just a moment before her lips were against his and his hands were wrapped in her hair, tugging on those curls and bloody hell he had been wanting to do this again ever since the date and he hadn't been able to think straight ever since it and it was definitely showing in the filming-

Emma wrapped her hands around Killian's shirt and tugged him closer, slipping her hands under the hem and planting them firmly against his muscular back and he could feel the fire building-in his pants (which were growing tighter with each passing moment) and in his heart (which was beating faster than ever before). Emma's tongue slid across Killian's bottom lip and his knees damn near gave out under him because this fucking woman.

"Should we carry on in the bed?" Emma asked, her voice full of lust and sensuality and bloody hell.

"Are you sure?" Killian whispered back, not trusting his voice at full volume. He knew that this was going to go down a certain path that he had been looking forward to, but Killian knew it was just too soon and they only knew each other for the past month and they should wait-

Emma chuckled under her breath, like she knew just how fucked he was, and grabbed his hand, pulling him back toward the bed. "Of course I am."

Emma gently pushed him onto the bed and Killian scooted up until his head hit the pillows, and without so much as a warning, Emma straddled his hips and bent down to tangle her tongue with his again, stifling the moan Killian released when he felt her hips meet his. His hands found their way underneath Emma's cami, resting on her lower back and digging his fingers into her skin as she pressed her hips closer to his.

"Fuck," Killian groaned out and Emma took that as an invitation to trail her kisses down his jaw and began kissing Killian's neck in earnest. Killian dug his fingernails into her back because holy shit he was going to spontaneously combust.

"Enjoying yourself?" Emma asked as her teeth grazed Killian's ear lobe and she laughed at the shiver that Killian couldn't hide. Emma pressed her hips firmly against his again and he knew that she could feel his erection digging into her thighs. "It feels like you are."

Killian took a deep breath, really trying to ignore the way her body felt against his because someone needed to keep their head on straight. "Emma, love, I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"Oh really? Because I think this is a great idea," Emma said as she trailed her lips further down Killian's neck, moving herself down, down, down his body and Killian's self-control was wavering because this was better than his dreams and he couldn't not watch the beautiful woman reaching into his pants and taking him in her hand firmly.

"Bloody fucking hell," Killian grunted out, fisting his hands around the sheets of the bed. "Emma, this really isn't-fuck fuck fuck."

Emma licked one long stripe up the underside of his cock and her eyes gleamed with that devilish glint and dammit she was spending way too much time with him. "Problem?"

"Emma," Killian said as he gulped back the knot in his throat, "we really should stop."

"Why?" Emma asked, a smirk crossing her lips again as her lips hovered over the tip of Killian's erection.

Killian let out a deep breath. "Because we just really should."

(Before he made a fucking mess.)

Emma sat straight up and shit the look in her eyes was of pure rejection and he really should've explained that one better. She shuffled back on his legs and pulled his pants back over the softening erection and fuck he was broken by the way her eyes were shining and God he was such a prat.

"I'll just-"

"Wait," Killian said as he sat up, placing his hands on Emma's cheeks to get her to look at him. But no matter how insistently he held her face in his hands, Emma would not raise her eyes to meet his. "Emma, please look at me."

"No, it's fine, Killian. Let's just go to bed," Emma muttered out, folding her hands on her thighs and staring very intently at them.

Emma moved to get off of Killian, but Killian moved his hands down to her waist to keep her on his lap. "Emma, look at me."

Emma took a deep breath and finally met his gaze and God Killian really was an asshole. "What?"

"I asked to stop because I didn't want it to be like this." Killian asked Emma, moving his hands down to Emma's thighs and stroked her with his thumbs. "Like all this was was a one-night stand and that we'd never see each other again."

Emma raised her eyebrows at Killian and he chuckled under his breath, scratching the spot behind his ear. "I know, I know. Doesn't exactly make sense, as you are well aware of, since I've had plenty of one-night-stands, as documented in the tabloids. But, I want this to be different because this is different. You are my soul mate and I just don't want this to feel like it's something less than it is. I just want to wait for a little bit, that's all."

"I just got carried away," Emma told Killian, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Sorry."

"Please, darling, do not apologize," Killian responded, a smirk spreading on his lips and Emma smacked his shoulder. "I'm not even sorry."

"Oh I know," Emma replied and finally a smile reached her eyes and Killian's heart pounded, in a much different way than it had been not five minutes earlier. "And sorry about the whole withdrawing thing. I don't take rejection too lightly."

And Killian took that knowledge and seared it into his brain, stowing it away for a later moment when he wanted to know what happened in her past that made her feel like that-well, besides her bloody idiotic parents because he was sure that they didn't help this radiant woman in front of him with her issues, as they just left her behind when she didn't want to do what they wanted and he could murder them for that-

"Maybe we should go to bed now," Emma commented and began moving from Killian's lap.

"Perhaps that's a good idea," Killian replied as he laid back down, scooting closer to the wall as Emma took her spot beside him.

Emma groaned loudly. "God dammit. The light."

Killian laughed as Emma stood out of bed and stomped over to the light switch by the archway, which led to the entry hallway. He twisted to lay on his side as he watched Emma return back to the bed, with a small smile on her lips that Killian undeniably wanted to kiss off of her. But he knew that would send them back down the very same road Killian just mentioned not wanting to go down just yet.

Emma sighed as she resituated herself back under the comforter, her back to Killian, and said, "Good night, Killian."

"Good night, love," Killian responded, his eyes growing heavier with the exhaustion he'd been fighting all day.

There was only a few moments of silence when Emma spoke up again. "Killian?"

"Yes?"

"Could you-umm-could you spoon me?" Emma asked and Killian could almost see the blush rising on her cheeks.

Killian smiled and chuckled under his breath as he scooted forward, throwing his arm around Emma's waist and pulling her in tightly. "Of course."

His eyes began slowly closing, ready to give himself over to slumber, when he felt Emma suddenly press her hips back against him.

Killian groaned. "Swan."

"Sorry," Emma replied and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"No you aren't," Killian responded because he knew what went on in that mind of hers. Open book and all that.

Emma giggled (and God what a delightful sound it was). "Fine. No I'm not."

"Bloody minx," Killian grumbled out and the last thing he heard was Emma's responding laugh, before slumber took over and thrust him into darkness.

It was the loud ringing of a cellphone that woke both Emma and Killian up the next morning. It continued to chime in the apartment, the sound of it breaking the peaceful silence, and Killian whined, digging his head further into Emma's hair (which smelled of vanilla and lavender and it was bloody hypnotic).

"Is that your phone?" Emma asked, her voice still heavy with sleep.

Killian nodded into her hair. "Yes."

"You should get that."

"Not bloody likely. Too comfortable."

Emma laughed under her breath as she stepped out of bed, leaving Killian to grumble and whimper and when did he allow himself to turn into this around a woman? He sighed as he watched Emma walk over to his pile of clothing at the end of the bed (and he did not stare as she bent over to fetch the phone) and Emma glanced down at the ID.

"It's Jenny," Emma told Killian and handed the phone over to him.

Killian rubbed his tired eyes and noticed that it was nearing eleven. He yawned loudly as he answered the phone call. "Hey there, Jenny."

"Killian!" Jenny exclaimed in a panicked tone.

Killian sat up straight in the bed, noticing the loud chatter in the background. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

Killian had only heard that tone once before.

When Jenny had called to tell him that his aunt had died when he was filming the show last year.

He could tell that Jenny was on the verge of tears and fuck there was no way this was anything good. "There was an accident. Oh fuck, there was a car accident."

Please please please no.

Killian shut his eyes to silence the panic building. "Jenny, please, what's going on?"

"It's Liam," Jenny told Killian and Killian almost had to place a hand over his heart to stop the pounding because this couldn't be happening; he couldn't be going the same way Milah did and please no. "There was an accident and we're at the hospital right now and he's in surgery and just please come Killian."

Killian flung the comforter off of himself and rushed off of the bed. He began pacing because this couldn't be happening. "Which hospital?"

"New York Presbyterian," Jenny responded back and he could tell she was sobbing over the phone now. "Just please, hurry, Killian. I can't do this by myself. Please."

Killian pinched the bridge of his nose and clenched his jaw, forcing himself to remain strong because he knew Jenny would need him when he got there. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Just focus on Amelia right now. Don't think about it, alright? Just stay at the waiting room and I'll be there soon."

Killian hung up the phone and he could feel the panic setting in. Liam couldn't be dead. No, it was impossible. Liam was invisible. He had been in the Navy for years before settling down with Jenny and nothing ever happened to him. No, Liam had to be okay. He couldn't be dying the same way Milah did, with crushing metal and screaming and blood everywhere-

"Killian, what's going on?" Emma asked as she stepped in front of him, placing a hand on his cheek.

"It's my brother. He's in the hospital. I've gotta go," Killian rushed out and wrenched his hand through his hair because this can't be happening again.

"Oh my God. Alright, do you want me to go with you?" Emma asked, as if it was the first thing that came to her mind.

Bloody hell, he was already half in love with her.

"Please," Killian responded and he hated the way that his voice sounded so utterly broken, like a bloody ragdoll.

"Alright. Go shower and then we'll head out," Emma told Killian and her thumb stroked the apple of his cheek. "It'll all be okay, Killian. He'll be okay and everything will be okay."

Killian nodded, even though he knew that nothing was ever okay and that this would be the end of him if Liam was gone and he couldn't go through his pain again. Especially with what happened with Milah and fuck he was going back down the rabbit hole and he was never going to be the same if Liam was dead-

Killian just hoped that Emma would be there to help pick up the pieces.