A/N: Hey everyone! So the first date chapter is finally here and I have been ready to get here for what feels like forever! In this fic, there are obviously some different dynamics at play. There is the intrigue of Killian and Emma's pasts, the mythos of shifters, and some potential future hiccups that must be faced – but in this chapter we are getting my traditional blend of CS cuteness and fluff. It's a real love fest, not going to lie. Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy and I thank you so much for reading!

Dating. As a concept, it was something that all people should be familiar with. It was a normal part of human life, and at the surface it seemed like a straightforward idea: if two people were interested in each other, they should seek out time to be together and get to know one another, thus hopefully further developing that interest into something more.

For Killian, however, dating was a foreign concept. Part of that was thanks to his roughish ways. He'd been so young when his mother died and had dedicated his life to seeking out justice, there wasn't exactly time to pursue a relationship. By the time their battle had been fought, Killian was exhausted, wary, and resigned to a life of being totally alone. But even if things had gone well, even if he had had an ordinary shifter life, dating would still be somewhat of a mystery.

As a shifter there were certain built in bits of knowledge one always carried, and arguably the most important was the meaning behind true mates and their placement in each other's lives. The instant attraction, recognition, and bond that came when mates met made typical human dating somewhat obsolete, at least the first phases of it. The weight of meaning that a first date carried in human culture wasn't present in shifter circles, because the anxiety of trying to figure out if something would work wasn't there. When destiny was a guiding light in the bond of mates, things were different. Mates craved connection to be sure, and they sought out time to be alone and together more than most, but there was never that stress of what would come next, and so, for the first time in his life, Killian was facing the first date jitters so many humans must feel all the time.

"There's no need to be nervous," Killian said aloud to himself as he looked in the mirror, adjusting the last of his clothing so it looked just right. "Emma is mine just as I am hers. She just doesn't know it yet."

The thought calmed his frayed nerves, but nothing could fully calm him. Since he asked Emma out for this evening he'd been in tumult. Part of him was anxious for this and nervous that he would somehow be found lacking or that he wouldn't be enough for Emma. She deserved an amazing date, and an amazing story (something humans always seemed rather fixated with, at least in the movies and shows Killian had seen on the subject), and Killian wanted to give that to her but he wasn't entirely sure how. The other, and undoubtedly larger, part of him however was just desperate to see her again. Worry or not, Emma's closeness to him would ease away any nerves or doubts that he had. She was the remedy to his very worst feelings, and he knew that if he could just muster up a little faith, he would find that this evening went every bit as well as he was hoping.

What may have appeared like a sudden invitation to Emma earlier this afternoon was hardly that. Killian had been planning for days how exactly to woo his woman, and eventually he'd decided on a course of action. Again, he was a novice at this, so first hand experience could provide very little information, but in all of his planning and hoping and ironing out of details, Killian had held his mother's memory close. Of all the people in his life, she was the one who somehow believed in love most. Despite everything she dealt with from Killian's father and from life itself, she never gave up on love, and she never stopped believing the magic true love could bring was out there…

Walking through the doors of his home after a long day of school, Killian took comfort in the place more than he ever thought possible.

They'd been here in London for a little more than a year, and so far things had been quiet. Killian still knew that his brother and his mother worried about the potential return of his father, but they never told him that, and they never let that worry stop them from making new, happy memories. It had been a trying year in some ways, with Killian having to adjust not only to a new school, but a new country and a new culture as well. Yet strangely he felt more at home here, half a world away, than he ever had back in America.

"Mom, I'm home. And I don't have homework," Killian said, starting out with the white lie purposefully. He admitted to himself that he did have homework, he just didn't have any he was actually willing to do. It was a wasted effort though, for a moment later his mother popped her head out of the kitchen with a look that said she highly doubted that.

"Killian…"

"Fine, I might have something. But it's dumb though."

"I can't believe that's true," his mother said as he took a seat at the kitchen table. She came over and pressed a kiss to the top of his head and gave him a hug. He accepted it, appreciating the warmth of her embrace and the way she smelled familiarly of cinnamon and vanilla. That smell had been of comfort to him since before he could remember, and he was happy they never lost it even with their running away from home.

"They want me to write a story."

"And…?" his mother asked, still not following his hesitation. "Killian, you love stories. You can't get enough of them."

"Yeah but this one's about love."

"Ah," his mother said, a bit of understanding crossing over her face. She wiped away the flour that had been on her hands from whatever she was baking and then she contemplated Killian's predicament. "That is a bit more challenging. Why don't you write about you and Liam. You love your brother, and he loves you. Just write about one of your adventures together."

What adventures? Killian thought to himself. His brother was hardly given to excitement these days. But instead he diverted with another, more pressing problem. "It's supposed to be romantic because of Valentine's Day and all."

Killian heard his mother mutter about the merits of having children write up romances, but he didn't fully hear or understand it all. Either way she eventually disregarded her disgruntled feelings and took a seat beside him at the table.

"Okay, so why don't you base your story off of a fairytale? You know enough of them to do one justice."

"I know," Killian agreed, and though he hesitated for a moment before confessing how he felt, he decided to be honest with his mother. "But it feels like a lie. Fairytales aren't real, and love like those stories isn't real either."

Killian could see the hurt that his words caused his mother and he was too ashamed to keep her gaze. He looked down at his hands, angry at himself for burdening her, while also being angry at the world and his teacher. It was wrong to pretend things were as they would never be. But after only a moment his mother covered his hand in hers and urged Killian to look at her again.

"I know that you're thinking of your father and I, Killian, and you're right, that's not the way love was intended to be. But just because we didn't have love doesn't mean no one else ever has. Your grandparents, my Mom and Dad, they had the best kind of love. They were a one in a million fated pair. Their love… well it's the kind of dream you have to believe in, because it's just so beautiful."

Killian listened then as his mother outlined the tale of his grandparents. Their love was a story of finding hope in a hopeless place. His grandfather had dealt with a great loss, the loss of his brother and the rest of his family, when he was just a young man. He'd left his home without truly believing there was more out there. But one day he'd found a partner, a love, and a light for his darkened world. It turned out that she had also known hardships, but where he was doubtful and unsure, she always held on to her faith and conviction in something bigger and more beautiful than she had so far. The two of them knew from the very first moment they met that they were meant to be, and they were more than run of the mill mates. The love they had and the spark that ignited between them was so strong it left a mark on both of them the very first time they touched. His mother pulled out her pendant that she always kept close to show him the swirls and designs he already knew by heart. It appeared a kind of similar shape had been printed on their skin, brought only by the magic of a real and true love.

"Do you have a mark?" Killian asked, forgetting himself. But his mother didn't look saddened by the question. On the contrary, she looked relieved.

"No, honey. Your father and I… we weren't entirely normal. He thought that maybe we could make something work, whether nature deemed it destiny or not, but these things can't be forced."

"So you weren't mates then?" Killian asked.

"It's complicated, Killian, and if I didn't know any better I'd say you're asking not because you're curious but because you're trying to get out of homework."

She used a teasing tone and coupled it with the action of tickling him, making Killian laugh and the moment of unease wash away. And when both of their giggles had ended, and they were left just with the happy aftermath, his mother's eyes remained bright as she left him with some parting advice.

"The most important thing to remember when it comes to love is that real love heals you. It will be your guide and your compass, but you have to trust it. Even if it's scary, you have to choose love, and you must always choose it. It's the most important thing in the whole world. Promise me you'll remember that, Killian."

"I promise." …

In the years since his mother's passing, Killian had not done enough to keep that promise. Before her death, Killian was a boy, not fixated on love or finding forever. He'd been waiting anxiously for his first shift, not distracted by girls or the promise of a future mate. Then, after she was gone, Killian allowed himself to become jaded and angry. Even when the dust settled and he removed himself from everyone and everything he'd even known, trying to numb the pain, he still didn't allow himself to believe the stories where love could be real. Like his grandfather before him, Killian resigned himself to a far more lonely life, but through meeting Emma he felt that renewed hope.

Looking back on it, Killian realized there was no real way to impart the feeling that came with a love like this. It didn't matter that he was only a boy when his mother told him the story. He could be a man with no burdens and no past emotional harms and he still wouldn't understand. Only in seeing Emma, in holding her, in knowing she was his and he was irrevocably hers could he fully grasp the magnitude of a love like this. Of course it was healing and light and blissful – it was like breathing fully after years of going without clean air. It was elemental but inspired, and even now, as he stared down an evening the likes of which he had never known, Killian still had hope, because he had Emma.

Finally, after what felt like forever spent waiting, the sun sunk low in the sky told him it was time. He could, at last, go and find Emma, and from there they'd both experience this newness together. He had it all squared away already. He'd made sure every last detail was together, and enlisted Graham and Tink to help him keep it preserved, and then he made himself presentable for his mate. It wasn't much, and as Killian walked towards Emma's apartment he knew that there was no comparing what he brought to this evening with what Emma brought to everything, but he still felt a lightness to his step and a pride in his heart. This was happening. He was doing this, and hopefully his instincts would prove right, providing Emma with the kind of night he deserved.

By the time Killian reached the stairs to her second floor dwelling above the clinic, his heart was pounding his chest. His body was more alive than it was on a full moon run, and his anticipation swirled in the air around him. Even a human must sense this kind of tension and desire, but when Emma opened the door to greet him, all thoughts of what she knew or thought were gone. All he could see was Emma, and all he could think was that she was the most impossibly beautiful creature he'd ever known. God, she was absolutely perfect. She was poised but still sexy in this pink dress she'd chosen, and it highlighted every last curve she had while somehow still being tasteful. Her golden curls were pulled back, exposing more creamy flesh for his viewing, and the beauty of her face was hers and hers alone. The rosy tint at her cheeks was no artifice – it was her genuine reaction, one that heated Killian through to the core and scorched him in the process.

"Hey." Her voice were husky but still completely her own, and it told him so much though she'd only said a word.

"Emma, love, you look stunning."

"You think?" Emma asked, biting her lip and looking down at her dress as she shifted a bit, letting the skirt flare out. She looked back up at him and though her question was sincere, Killian could tell she knew exactly how much he loved her in this dress.

"I know," he intoned as he moved forward, offering her a single rose. Her eyes lit up at the offering and as she brought it to her nose to take in the subtle scent, Killian caught her giving him another once over.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she said with a sultry flare and Killian grin.

"Aye, I know that too."

The point of his response was to be overly cocky, and he was rewarded for it by an eye roll from Emma even as she blushed. This was more and more interesting. It seemed that Emma liked this brand of charm, and since he had every intention of giving Emma everything she wanted, he would have to remember that for the future. For now, though, he thought he'd use her response to his advantage. He moved closer to her, taking her into his arms and moving in so he was only an inch away from her lips.

"I also know that I'm only so strong, Emma. I waited so long for this evening to come, but on one thing I can't hold back."

Their lips met at his promise, and Emma didn't need words to tell him that she agreed with his plan. Waiting for the end of the evening to kiss her senseless simply wasn't an option. He had to have her, had to taste her, and feel her in his arms right now. After a moment spent in this glorious state of heaven he would pull back, but he needed this connection to hold onto. It was like an anchor that couldn't be denied.

"I think I like it when you don't hold back," Emma murmured when they came up for air, and Killian felt a low growl emit from his chest. Seeing her like this made him crave more, and in the back of his mind he thought about how they were, at most, twenty feet from a bed where he could take her and make her his. But instead he clung to reason and to the path he knew she deserved.

"Shall we, love?" he asked, offering her his hand and she accepted it, taking one last sweep of her apartment before locking up and heading down the stairs with him watching to make sure she was safe all the way.

"It must be rather convenient to be so close to the clinic," Killian mused as they made it down on solid ground again. He took stock of their surroundings and couldn't help the smile that formed when he thought of seeing her earlier today. Stealing away that moment of time was lovely, as was getting the chance to see a place that meant so much to her. There was, of course, the hiccup with her father, but that was nothing compared to the good of seeing and being with Emma.

"Ha! That's one way to put it." Emma's eyes scanned the area critically, like she was half afraid that someone would pounce on them.

"You see it differently?"

"I see that while this is the ideal location for a morning commute, it's not exactly -," a light at the door of the clinic went on then and Emma groaned before finishing her thought. "Private."

Again Killian was in a situation where he should arguably have seen this coming. If he wasn't so taken with Emma, he might have been able to give her some warning that this thing she feared was coming. But when Emma's father and the small woman he knew to be her mother exited the clinic, stumbling upon them hand in hand, Killian wondered if he ever stood a chance. Mary Margaret Nolan had a reputation that proceeded her, and from everything he had heard from Emma and for others, he would not put it past her to be a master of slipping by without detection. Human or not, Killian reasoned that any mother of Emma's must be a fearsome thing to behold, but she came wrapped in a happy, friendly package here in this moment.

"Oh, Emma! There you are. We didn't expect to see you."

"Didn't you?" Emma grumbled and Killian tried his best not to laugh aloud. As awkward as this situation could have been, he could feel nothing like discomfort. Instead he sought to sooth Emma with a look and a last squeeze of her hand before he offered his in greeting for her mother.

"I don't believe we've met, Ma'am. Killian Jones."

"Mary Margaret Nolan," she said, sounding thoroughly charmed. Her voice held a tone that was chipper and fresh, as if a long day of work hadn't passed her by. "You know my husband, David."

Killian and Emma's father shared a knowing nod, and in David Nolan's gaze Killian could sense a number of things. There was the protectiveness of a father, who was fiercely dedicated to his only daughter, but there was also a bit of apology for his wife. This transparent ploy to meet him which was being played off as accidental obviously wasn't David's idea, but Killian respected a man who did what he could to make his partner happy. Since he had every intention of doing that for Emma, he could more than empathize. He just wondered if Emma would be a similar kind of meddler to her mother. When they had children, what roles would they play? That thought was a rabbit hole that could lead him into a string of fantasies all evening, so he shook them away, reminding himself not to move too quickly and to stay in the moment.

"So, might I ask where you two are headed off to tonight?" The question from Emma's father was mild and calm on the surface, but Killian could tell it was also a test. He wanted to make sure his daughter was getting her due respect. Killian only wished he could make Doctor Nolan see that she would always find that in Killian.

"It's actually a bit of a surprise," Killian confessed, his free hand coming up to scratch behind his ear. When he looked at Emma she was smiling at his tiny display of bashfulness and immediately he felt relief. Despite her current discomfort, Emma was still happy and still with him, and that meant more than anything else.

"Don't worry, Charming. Graham told me all about it, I'll fill you in later." Mary Margaret made the promise to her husband before turning to address Emma and Killian once more. "Now you two go have a wonderful time. And Killian, make sure Emma brings you over for Sunday dinner this week. We'd just love to get to know you better."

Killian heard the strangled sound of shock that came from Emma at her mother's words, but her parents had left, heading in the opposite direction before she could speak. Such an invitation was big and bold. It also instilled a lot of faith in Killian and Emma's connection. This was their first date, but for some reason Mrs. Nolan believed this wouldn't be their only one. She was, it seemed, so certain that he was being invited to a family event, and while Killian was all too willing to oblige, wanting that intimacy with Emma as soon as he could have it, he would never rush Emma into something she wasn't ready for.

"I can't believe she just did that," Emma stated, her lingering dismay apparent as her brow furrowed. "I'm so so sorry."

"Don't be, love. I haven't had a chance for family togetherness in years. I'd love to join you, if you're up to having me of course. But perhaps we should make it through this date before committing to such an outing."

"You're seriously okay?" Emma asked, as they started walking towards their final destination. "You're not totally freaked out by my overbearing parents. I mean they were waiting for us. You realize that, right?"

"I do, but no I'm not 'freaked out.' Your family is a part of you, Emma. They are the people in your life who matter most. For that reason I want to know them, and whenever you're ready, I'm hoping to get that chance."

A quiet moment passed between the two of them where Emma seemed lost to her own thoughts. Killian knew his words packed a powerful meaning, and he hoped that she knew he was speaking in earnest. It might be a lot to confess, for it implied that he saw a substantial future between the two of them, but it felt right. To assure Emma that she need not worry, he had to be honest with her, and eventually she spoke again, confessing her own thoughts in the process.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're actually real."

"I can assure you I am, love. But if it makes you feel better, I feel the same about you. To go from what I've always known to life with you in it has been a transformation. It's hard to imagine something like this exists."

Emma smiled at that, leaning in closer to him. Their bodies were melded together as they walked in the direction of the beach, and it felt so natural. This might be their first time on such an outing and with such a blatant display being together, but Killian could picture doing this for all his years to come. Walking down the main streets of Storybrooke with his Emma's hand in his was intoxicating, and though they had to brave the looks and inquiries of some of their neighbors, Killian was proud to be seen with Emma at his side, and even happier to know that by morning everyone would know the two of them were together.

"So Graham knows about this? How? Why?" Emma asked as they drew closer to the beach.

"I needed his help in securing things."

"So you're, what, friends now?" Emma asked, shocked but not hiding her contentment at the fact that whatever their old issue was was now resolved.

"We have an understanding," Killian said with a shrug. That was the truth after all. Killian couldn't exactly picture himself grabbing a beer with Graham any time soon, but the hostility was gone and a truce had been secured.

"Right. Well I smell a bromance coming on, because this is a complete one-eighty."

Killian laughed at her joke and it was full and long, the kind of laugh he'd been denied for ages. Still they were normal when he was in Emma's company. She was smart and funny and she had a way with words that got him every time, but though he loved to linger in the happiness she brought him, he sobered up when they got to the spot just before his plan would become visible. In doing so he managed to hear every part of Emma's reaction, from the gasp of surprise to the way her heart beat skipped and she hummed out a happy sound of satisfaction.

"Wow. This is… gorgeous." Emma said, looking at the cove out here on the beach that was sectioned off for them.

On the sands there were blankets and cushions set up for a picnic as well as all the food and drink they'd need. He'd packed everything that he thought Emma would want and then some, wanting to be prepared for whatever may come. The main attraction tonight would be the sunset, which while not happening directly over the water, would paint the clouds on the horizon in brilliant shades of pink and orange. But in preparation for when that was done, Killian had set up candles and a few old-fashioned lanterns for them. The candles were nestled in the rock linings of the cove, and he was happy they'd lasted in his time away. As he'd expected the walls of the place protected the flames from too much breeze. Either that or Tink had been by to keep an eye on them.

"You really did all this for me?" Emma asked, her voice unsure. Killian turned to her, seeing how overwhelmed she was by emotion. Her eyes were misty but bright with a want and desire. They told Killian that she loved what she saw, she just couldn't quite believe it was real. As such it was up to him to prove it to her and to make her see that this was all real and all for her.

"I would do so much more, Emma," Killian promised as he brought her hand up to kiss gently. "This is only the start."

From there, Killian acted out the plan he'd been clinging to for days. He led Emma to the picnic he'd procured for their meal, watching with delight as she reacted to each choice. It seemed the intel he'd collected had been correct about what Emma might like in this situation, and he largely had Elsa and Anna to thank for that (for both sisters had been very forthcoming with Emma's preferences after being there when he asked her out). He made a mental note to tell them how much he appreciated their help, but it was only a fleeting thought, as his focus remained solely on Emma and their lively, enjoyable conversation.

In choosing a picnic set up, the obvious thought of an outsider was likely that this was a romantic ploy, and in part it was. Killian wanted Emma to have something different and special. He wanted them to share a story that was sweet for their first date together, but this set up also paved the way for seduction as well. Seated together side by side and somehow always touching, a picnic felt more intimate than dinner at a table or in a booth. It enabled Killian to linger in Emma's direct presence, and as the meal unfolded they both grew bolder in their closeness and connection. Soft grazes moved to more defined touch, and though there was still an innocence that hung around them as they sought more pieces to the puzzles of their lives before meeting, there was also a growing flame between them to match the candlelight all around.

"So your mother calls your father 'Charming,'" Killian commented at one point when they'd moved on from dinner and into dessert. The sun had set by this point, and they were nestled underneath a twilight sky, but as the day faded, a new light shone on Emma that was just as beautiful as the one before it. It was effervescent and captivating in a whole new way, and it spoke to the light of the moon that would be coming soon, which Killian couldn't wait to see. "Is there a reason for that particular moniker?"

"It's an inside joke," Emma explained with a laugh as she cuddled in closer to him, not having any care or worry for being too close despite it being their first date. "I know it doesn't seem this way, given how she is today, but my mom was somewhat of a hell-raiser in her youth. At least that's what Dad tells me."

"I can see that," Killian acknowledged and when Emma peered up at him he clarified. "She had to learn those sneaking skills from somewhere."

Emma laughed and the reverberation of it went through Killian. For a second he closed his eyes, soaking it in and he inhaled he was surrounded again by her sweet, luscious scent. It was the perfect mixture, made even more luxurious by the feel of her fingers tracing unknown shapes against his arm, and when he opened his eyes again, he looked back down at her and awaited her story.

"Very true. Well anyway, when my Mom and Dad first met at college, Mom was going about her business, completely oblivious to guys and dating and all of that. Where everyone else was there to party, she was there to build a future for herself. She wanted to take the world by storm, and she was squarely determined not to fall in love or get attached to anyone until she'd done that. You see she'd recently lost her father, and her stepmother was… difficult to put it nicely.

"Anyway so it's the first week of school. My Mom is taking all honors courses and already kicking ass, and she's so busy with all her work that she doesn't realize she's got an ardent admirer."

"Your father?" Killian asked and Emma nodded.

"Oh yeah. Turns out he saw her at orientation and just knew, and he couldn't really figure out how to make his move. Finally he goes up to her and tries to talk to her, but she tells him flat out she's not interested."

"Only she absolutely was."

"Totally," Emma agreed. "She just didn't want to admit it. But my Dad respects her wishes. He gives her some time, but not a ton of space. He keeps popping up places, and apparently every time they run into each other he's got some witty, charming thing to say. Of course my Mom secretly loved it, but she tried to deflect and she dubbed him 'Prince Charming' and not in a good way."

"Ah, so she worried he was too good to be true then."

"Exactly," Emma said with a soft, thoughtful smile, as if the story of her parents love occupied a special place in her heart. "Luckily for both of them she caved a week later and let him take her out. Then he turned out to be exactly who he said he was, but the name still stuck. They finished college and grad school, Dad started his practice while Mom worked for the town and still he was her 'Charming.' When I was a little girl they even made a whole to do about me being a princess. If my father was a prince then obviously I was royalty too."

"I'm sure the world has never known a better princess," Killian said and he watched as Emma blushed at his compliment.

"What about you? Do you have any family?"

"I did," Killian whispered, and though he felt the pain of his loss, it wasn't as bad as when he was alone. Emma's being here helped him, and the weight of that ugliness didn't have the chance to settle or stay when she was here. "A mother and a brother, but they're gone now."

"I'm so sorry."

"It was a long time ago," Killian reasoned, but Emma saw through that.

"But you still miss them."

"Aye, I do," he confessed. "But I carry them with me, and I know now that things happen the way they do for a reason."

"That's very mature of you," Emma said, and he gave her a small smile. "I'm sure it took a lot of work and thought and faith for you to come to that realization. I can't even imagine…"

"Alas it's a realization I've only just stumbled upon. In fact, it took meeting you to really accept it."

"Do you believe in fate?" Emma asked, not shying away from his words, but rather jumping to a new level Killian never expected to encounter tonight. This was early days, and for humans such deep talk would likely be frowned upon, but Emma seemed eager to ask and he was more than willing to oblige her. Her hand had come up to his chest, resting above his heart and she was close enough that he could feel her breath against his cheek as he replied.

"I do. And if I didn't before I certainly would now." He left unsaid the fact that she was the source of all of his hope, but somehow he knew she understood him. He didn't need to confess everything, because the bond they already had without even cementing their mated status was stronger than anything he'd ever known before.

"I just feel like I know you, or maybe like I'm supposed to know you? I don't know it's hard to explain but it's also simple…"

"It's like everything is new and familiar at once."

"Yeah," Emma murmured. "We barely know each other, but it doesn't feel that way. We met and I instantly knew that you matter and you matter to me especially. I don't know why or how but I know that you fit in my life and in my world. It's like you found me, but I didn't even realize that I needed to be found."

Her words made Killian shiver slightly because they were so powerful and profound. They were an exact reflection of his thoughts about her, but they meant so much more because he never expected them to come. With Emma's being human he imagined things would be so different, but here she was confessing that she was nearly as wrapped up in him as he was with her. Yet underneath his gratitude and growing love for his mate, there was a tiny thrum of anxiety: this recognition and this sense of rightness had everything to do with his being a shifter and their being a fated pair, but she didn't realize that.

Emma didn't know the whole truth of who or what he was and what this was by proxy. She also didn't know that he had found her before, and that this wasn't the first time they'd crossed paths. They'd met in Boston years ago, during a time she'd begun to talk about tonight that he knew had been so hard for her, and she'd made an impact on him even then. Surely he must have done the same since he was a wolf and one whose presence and power defied human logic or explanation. Still, while he wanted to come clean and confess everything to her, Killian couldn't bring himself to do it right now. Maybe that was selfish of him, but for some reason his heart told him that it still wasn't the right moment. As much progress as they'd made the past few days, they still needed more time, and though it hurt him to keep things from Emma, he had to trust his instincts, which had gotten him this far and to this perfect woman.

"I feel the same way, Emma. I know it's fast, and maybe you think it's far too soon to be making such statements, but you mean…" he hesitated but ultimately decided to confess as much as he could. "You mean everything, love. I've been anchorless in recent years, wandering and wondering what it all means and what my purpose really should be. But in meeting you I feel like I've found that. I know I am exactly where I'm meant to be, and though I don't know exactly what the future holds, I find myself hoping and praying that whatever is in store we'll see it through, together."

Emma's eyes were brimming with emotion and Killian didn't know what she would say to respond, so when she pulled him down for a kiss he was relieved and ecstatic all at once. Feeling her acceptance and tasting her agreement and desire first hand was indescribable, and in the face of her want for him, Killian let rational thought flee for quite a while. The kiss grew deeper, hotter, and more demanding. The two of them were intertwined more fully, neither wanting even the tiniest bit of space, but just when things were about to dip into more intimacy than was right, Killian pulled back and Emma did the same. Without conversing aloud, they both knew how far this could go, and whether that was the mating bond or a shared concern for seeing this miraculous connection preserved, Killian couldn't say. He could only think that he was the luckiest of men to be living out this beautiful dream in real time.

"So in this future you were picturing… do you stay in Storybrooke past the summer?"

Though Emma's breath was shaky from the kisses they'd shared, Killian could still hear the slight sense of bashfulness her question prompted her to feel. She didn't want to be digging for more it seemed, but Killian immediately set out to ease her fears and worrying and he did so while pushing back a strand of her golden hair that had fallen out during their heated exchange.

"I stay as long as you want me here," Wherever you are, there too will I be, he thought to himself.

"Well after tonight I can see that being quite a while…" Emma said with a smile that drove him half mad. There were just so many layers: her relief that he was staying, her hope for the future, but also this air of teasing and knowing exactly the kind of effect she had on him that wasn't bloody fair. It was the smile of a siren, and it fit exactly with the challenge she laid before him. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Aye, love. In more ways than you know."

With that promise they gave into another heated embrace out there underneath a growing moon. It was steamy and surreal and so utterly serene that Killian wished it would never end. But eventually the end of the evening did come. Their private cove under the stars must be left, and Killian saw that Emma made it back home safe and sound. And though it was hard to say goodbye, harder than nearly anything he'd ever done before, Killian was assured that he would never really say goodbye to Emma. For in finding her he had cemented his future, and though he couldn't say exactly how it would all turn out, he knew it would be everything because he'd have his one true mate.

Post-Note: So there we have it. I hope this first date chapter lived up to people's expectations and I am really excited to see what you guys think! Now for the bad news… because of all the other chapters I have planned to post in the next few weeks it's going to take a little longer to get the next chapter to you guys. Instead of two weeks from today, it will likely be three. BUT, despite having started up at school again, I have managed to write up through chapter 11 of the fic, and I have got big big pay offs coming when I can eventually post. Hope you guys will forgive the extra time off. Either way thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great rest of your day!