This is it... this is the end of the road. Thank you all for reading this and if you haven't go check my ongoing canon reversal Time Upon Once :)
I found your match. Meet him at the entrance of The Steel Rose at 8.
Emma hovered her fingers over Killian's message, reading it over and over again. Trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach, she finally locked her phone and grabbed her keys and black coat. She gave one final look in the mirror to ensure she looked her best and was out of her apartment and on her way.
Her hands reached to straighten her pink dress as she walked the short distance to the restaurant where she was supposed to meet her date. A part of her wanted to show up in jeans and her red leather jacket, but at the same time, Emma wanted to look her best. She knew Killian had put his heart and soul in finding her match and she wanted to honor that occasion with the attention it deserved.
However, Emma couldn't help but feel a strange dread all the way to the restaurant. It was almost as if she didn't want to face who her perfect match might be. Emma knew by now that Killian was telling the truth and that his business was the real deal.
And if Killian had texted her that he'd found her match, it could only mean...
It meant it wasn't him.
The thought sobered her and Emma shook her head in an attempt to chase away those thoughts from her rambling mind. It wouldn't do her any good to fantasize over something that clearly wasn't there. Something that had been nothing but a man being subjected to an investigation while trying to do his job at the same time. Over the past few days, Emma had worked hard to convince herself that it all had been a figment of her imagination, that being surrounded by all those love stories had made her believe that perhaps there was something between them.
Sighing deeply, Emma turned around the corner and she stopped abruptly. She had to do a double-take in order to ensure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. But no, right ahead, on the next corner, stood Killian Jones.
He wore black slacks, a white button up, and a grey vest. His trademark black leather jacket rested on his arm and he seemed to be waiting for something.
Emma took a few more steps and he turned around. His eyes focused on her and his smile widened. Emma's heart beat frantically in her chest as she approached. She was only a few feet away from him when her self-defenses kicked in.
"Are you here to ensure I won't bolt before my match gets here?" she teased in greeting, carefully working to keep her tone nonchalant as her stomach fluttered under his intense gaze.
His eyes scanned her face as he bit his lower lip and tilted his head to the side. "Actually no." His voice was barely above a whisper, and it made Emma shiver. Clearing his throat, he reached to scratch behind his ear. "You'll be happy to know that my big brother is currently taking the Evil Queen out to dinner."
Emma was a little taken aback by the news and the clear nervousness that had taken over Killian. Taking a moment to answer, she finally said, "So that finally worked out."
"Indeed. There was love after all for Liam Jones."
"And I'm on my way to meet mine, so now all there's left is you."
Killian's smile faded for a moment and he averted his gaze. "Aye, that's why I'm here…" he trailed off, shuffling his feet before meeting her eyes again. "Because I've found my perfect match too."
Emma's heart sank in her chest, and she fought the tears that were coming to her eyes. "Who is it?" Even to her, her voice sounded small and broken, and she glanced away to avoid Killian reading her sadness.
She felt him take a step towards her and his hand reached to caress her face, making her look at him. "Don't you know, Emma? It's you."
He slowly closed the distance between them, his lips closing over hers, his hand caressing her face as the other came to rest on her waist. The moment she responded to his kiss, he pulled her towards him, pressing his body against hers. The kiss went on and on, everything else around them seemed to stop, allowing for nothing but the two of them in that moment.
When they finally broke apart, his voice came out breathless. "Can I buy you dinner?"
She bit her lower lip and gave him a teasing smile. "No, but you can escort me home. I'm suddenly not hungry."