A/N: I'm SO sorry about the long wait between updates, I'm currently in my last term of college and I'm swamped with work and I don't always have the time or energy to write. However I think you guys are really going to love this chapter, feel free to leave me a review and tell me how you like it.

The drive from Albuquerque to the Grand Canyon was uneventful, Emma and Killian whiled away the 6 hours playing I Spy (at least until the realized the only things they could spy from the car were cactuses, rocks, and more cactuses). There were stretches of time where it felt as if they were the only two people on earth as the bug drove down the highway with the desert and sky stretching seemingly endlessly around them.

The heat was penetrating the bug despite having all the windows rolled down, its AC just couldn't handle the dry desert heat. Emma was stripped down to just a tank top and cut off shorts with her hair piled on top of her head in a bun.

"Swan I need you to pull over, I am begging you," Killian asked.

"Finally going to change out of those black skinny jeans?" she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Please Swan I'm pretty sure I'm dying," Killian wiped the sweat from his brow.

"All right, when we pass a gas station I'll pull over."

"Fuck the gas station, just pull over please," Emma looked over, Killian did look miserable and it wasn't like they were on a particularly busy stretch of highway.

"All right," Emma sighed and pulled over onto the small shoulder. Killian bolted out of the bug and got his suitcase out of the back. Emma smirked as he dropped his pants right there on the side of the highway and shimmied some shorts on. Killian shoved his jeans back into his suitcase and got back into the bug, sighing as he sat down.

"Better?" Emma asked as she started the car again anxious to get back on the road, even with such a short stop it had become swelteringly hot in the bug.

"Much," he said and took a long drink from his water bottle before offering her a drink. Emma took it gladly.

"How much longer until we get to the Grand Canyon?" she asked.

"Two hours I think," he said resting his head against the headrest and closing his eyes, "It's too hot."

"I know but talking about it isn't going to make it cooler," Emma said. "Have you heard from your roommate at UCSB?"

"Yeah, he seems all right. His name's August and he's an English Lit major from the Bay Area. What about yours?"

"She's a foreign exchange student from Norway. Her name's Elsa, she seems pretty nice based on the few conversations we've had so far," Emma shrugged.

They continued to talked for the rest of the drive about their upcoming freshman year while ignoring the big elephant in the car; whether or not they would remain a couple or if they would just remain friends.

They were able to find a hotel with some vacancy, it seemed that a lot of people had decided to make a stop at the Grand Canyon before summer was over.

"Yes air conditioning," Emma sighed as they walked into their room, they got the last room available. They had been able to get the last single king room the hotel offered; Killian stretched out his muscles protesting from 6 hours of sitting in the confined bug.

"So love shall we get some rest before we go see the sights tomorrow?" he asked. Emma smirked and laid down next to him, curling into his side and grabbing the remote.

"What do you say Jones? Some Chopped?" she asked flashing back to that first night they had shared in a hotel.

She felt Killian's chest rumble with his soft laugh, "Whatever you want love."

Emma flipped through the channels, finally stopping on Food Network and a rerun of Cutthroat Kitchen, "Close enough," she shrugged before settling her cheek against Killian's shoulder. Between the heat, the drive, and them finally being able to lie down they both managed to doze off.

"You know maybe it's better that we overslept and had to hike a little later," Killian thought out loud as they walked down the trail.

"What makes you say that?" Emma grabbed her bottle of water, the heat burning her lungs.

"Oh come on Swan, we all know that you are definitely not a morning person and I wasn't looking forward to trying to wake you up. And I must say spending some time in the pool at the hotel was also a definite perk," he smirked at her.

Emma squeezed her water bottle at Killian's direction, hitting him square in the face with a stream of water.

"What was that for?" he sputtered wiping the water out of his eyes.

"You looked like you could use some cooling down," Emma said innocently.

"Oh is that so?" Killian grinned and stepped towards her, water droplets still clinging to his hair, "Then what kind of man would I be if I didn't help you to cool off?"

"Don't you dare!" Emma cried before Killian wrapped his arms around her middle and shook his head like a dog. Water flew off of his hair and face and onto Emma who squealed and tried to get away. She found her opportunity and broke free of his grasp and ran down the trail heartily, she heard Killian's footsteps and laughter catching up with her. She stopped in the shade of a scraggly tree, her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"You okay?" Killian asked breathlessly once he caught up to her.

"Yeah," she panted, looking out at the canyon, "I'm so glad we did this, what other time would we get to see this?"

"I don't know love," he wrapped his arms around her middle and placed a kiss on her hair. "But I'm glad I got to see it with you."

Emma smiled softly to herself and leaned back against his chest, taking in the view of the canyon as the sun continued to set. She let herself enjoy the moment, trying not to think of how in just two days they would be separating once she dropped him off at UC Santa Barbara. She tried not to think about how there was a chance he could want to just remain friends and she didn't want to admit how much that scared her.

"I can practically hear you thinking you know," Killian whispered in her ear.

"I'm fine," she said, stepping out of his embrace, "Come on we should get back to the bug before it gets too dark."

She heard Killian sigh behind her and his heavy footsteps follow her. They got to the bug just as the sun set over the horizon and drove back to their hotel. Emma opened the door to the room, their silence still sitting heavily over them.

"I call the shower first," Emma said quickly before Killian could ask her the question she knew he was going to ask. She barricaded herself in the bathroom, she placed her hands on either side of the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. Emma looked completely wrecked, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "Come on Emma get it together." She turned on the shower and stepped under the spray, hoping that the water would wash away her problems. After probably too much time hiding in the bathroom, Emma finally emerged to find the room empty. Killian had left a note saying he had gone in search of some food that wasn't from a vending machine. Emma laid back on the bed, which now felt much too big and lonely without Killian's presence, and tried to distract herself on her phone. She hadn't gotten a chance to check her Facebook or play her turn in a Words With Friends against her dad. As soon as she opened the Facebook app her messenger app pinged with a message from Ruby.

Ruby: How's the road trip going? I miss you guys, Storybrooke is so boring without you and Killian!

Emma: It's been interesting to say the least.

Ruby: Ooooo do tell! Give me the deets girl! Did you and Killian finally hook up?

Emma: What do you mean finally?
Ruby: OH MY GOD YOU DID! TELL ME EVERYTHING MISSY!

Emma: How did you know?

Ruby: Please you and Killian have been on the verge of getting together since like 6th grade. You two were so obvious with your yearning looks and doey eyes.

Emma: …. I don't yearn

Ruby: You totally yearn. Now PLEASE GIVE ME THE DETAILS!

Emma: Okay okay, we kind of admitted that we had liked each other for a while and then made out in the rain.

Ruby: Oh my god it's like a movie! How is it going in your new relationship bliss?

Emma: It's not exactly bliss.

Ruby: Wait what? Why?

Emma: Well I mean we're going to two different schools like 6 hours apart. What if he meets someone at his school?

Ruby: He's not Neal, he'd never cheat on you.

Emma: But what if he does?

Ruby: Emma, that boy would rather walk through hot coals than cheat on you. He is the most loyal person I have ever met. You know Killian, you know that's not the kind of person he is. You just need to trust him and yourself.

Emma: You think so?

Ruby: I know so, I've known you guys for forever. And you deserve to be happy, nothing has ever stopped you from getting what you want. So stop second guessing yourself.

Emma heard the key slide into the slot and the door unlock; she looked up to see Killian walk into the room with a togo bag clutched in his hand.

"I come bearing sustenance," he grinned at her, "I got your favorite."

"Grilled cheese and fries?" she asked reaching for the bag.

"Onion rings," he smirked at her, "Come on Swan what kind of best friend would I be if I didn't remember your preference for onion rings?"

Emma swallowed thickly at his word choice and looked down at her sandwich.

"Emma, something's bothering you," Killian said, he didn't even have to ask. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"How are we going to make this work?" she asked, her voice wavering.

Killian sighed and sat down next to her, "Well we try. We have FaceTime and texting and if we're really missing each other we can visit each other. My roommate will have his car with him and I can catch a ride with him if he decide to go home for a weekend. Emma I want this to work and I need you to put your faith in me and in our future"

"You think we can have a future together?"

"Yes, I'll never stop fighting for us. All you have to do is trust me; Emma this will work," Killian brushed back a lock of her hair and cupped her cheek.

"How do you know?"
"Because I love you and nothing is going to change that."

Emma felt warmth spread throughout her body as she let Killian's words wash over her, "You love me?"

"Since we were twelve," he smiled shyly at her, "But I didn't really realize until we were 16. I never told you this but the reason Milah broke up with me was because she knew I would never love her as much as I loved you."

"I love you too," Emma breathed before leaning in and crushing her lips to his. Emma had always scoffed when people used the phrase 'make love' but that night she understood exactly what they meant.