A/N: I'm really happy that people are liking this fic! It completely came out of nowhere. It was only supposed to be a one-shot, so please excuse any missed details. I'm only now trying to flesh out what it's supposed to be.

This is only the third piece of ff that I've uploaded here, and you guys are great with responding and giving feedback! Please, continue to let me know what you think. And thank you for reading!

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"Did you need any help?"

Emma looked up to see Neal walking into the kitchen with his usual smile. It was always so warm and inviting. That was the smile that always made his eyes look bright and had them crinkle in the corner

"A little." She offered him a raised eyebrow. "Dinner in front of the TV sound okay with you?" "Sounds pretty terrific to me," he assured her.

"Then you can just take all this stuff out there. The spaghetti's done now."

Neal bypassed the table that had the dishes she had already set out for them and moved over to her. His hands found her waist easily and he placed a kiss on the side of her neck.

"Mm, there is just this intoxicating fragrance you have going on, Emma." The murmur was buried into the spot under her ear before he kissed that spot, too.

"You mean tomato and basil?" she asked lightly. Emma pushed at his shoulder, moving him slightly away from her. "Yeah, really nice."

Neal's smile turned into a grin. He took another step back and began to observe her.

"How about a bottle of wine to go with this feast?" He moved then, heading back over to the table.

Emma watched as he gathered up the basket of bread and glasses and forks and napkins, filling up his hands and arms to full capacity.

"Even better."

His last stop was to the freezer, where he pulled out a nicely chilled bottle of one of her favorite wines. It was with a grin that he backed out of the kitchen.

It left Emma with a smile on her face.

It had been a little more than two years. Just over two years ago, Emma had met Neal. And it had always been good and easy. He was one of those genuine good guys who was eager to please.

It had been easy to like him. It had been easy to love him. Because loving Neal meant comfort and simplicity. It had come with an open heart and sincerity. She hadn't known how much she had needed that until she had it.

"Emma!"

And sometimes that eagerness was on the higher end of the scale.

"I'm getting it now!" It was with a roll of her eyes that she reacted to her name.

They had moved in together after a year. Her lease had come to an end and it seemed like the perfect next step in their relationship. Things had been going great. So why not? And she had never regretted the decision. Their lives together so far had been great. If Emma had the chance to change anything about Neal, she didn't think she would. Not because he was the perfect man, she thought with a smile. But because everything about him fit him perfectly.

Carefully balancing the two big bowls of pasta in her hands, she walked slowly into the living room where he was waiting for her.

Neal was pouring ample amounts of wine into both of the glasses when she had made her way there.

"This is perfect."

Emma sat the bowls down on the table that he had pulled up to the couch. She then rose back up to look at him.

The grin was back. It was easy.

"A night at home alone. Just the two of us."

Emma lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "It's what we do." She moved then, taking the pre-offered glass into her hand while slipping herself to fit right into his arms.

She liked the way he held her. It was safe and comforting. She could feel the way his mouth moved across the top of her head so lightly.

"Dinner's going to get cold." She moved then, lifting the glass to her lips and taking a sip. "Come sit down."

"Wouldn't want that to happen. Not after you had a long day at work and still came home to cook for us."

Emma ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing the ends. "My day was fine. My schedule may fluctuate, but it's not like I'm the one pulling all of the doubles."

"Yeah, well." Neal, taking a hunk of the crusty bread, dipped it into the sauce. His eyes met hers again. "No pain no gain."

"Hmm…"

Emma liked her job. She liked being able to help those who were really in need of it. As a physical therapist assistant, she had spent time in a hospital setting, had inquired about a school setting, but had found her home at a total of two nursing homes with her physical therapist. She liked the fluctuation of her schedule. Depending on the week, she could find herself there either until the early afternoon or other times until the early evening. She found it to be the most rewarding work she had been able to do in all her years.

She guessed that Neal had found his own job rewarding. She'd never say that she really and truly knew what it was like to work in industrial field. She imagined that B & D Pallet Building & Supply was as self-explanatory as the name said. She imagined hardworking men in protective goggles and cotton gloves while making and shrink wrapping pallets, and fork lift driving. Was it a job she could picture being entertaining? No. But Neal had seemed to enjoy it.

"It's bringing in the money that we need," he reminded her.

Emma smiled over at him.

"My wonderful provider," she murmured.

Because she believed that providing for them was one of the reasons he worked so hard. And that was just one more element that she loved about him.

"I try."

He did more than try. He succeeded. And it did something to her heart.

Emma had a smile on her face when she moved closer to his side of the couch. She touched her lips to his faintly bearded cheek.

"Hey, what was that for?" he asked her softly, a mock confused look on his face. But his hand went to fall on her knee, pulling her closer to him.

"It was for being you," Emma told him. "I love you."

And his smile reached his eyes again. "I love you, too."

When he moved to kiss her once more, it was the buzz of his phone that made it only a quick little peck on the lips.

Emma watched as he pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked at it.

Text message.

There was a bit of hesitation as he read it.

Emma finally grabbed at her bowl and placed it in her lap. But it was her curiosity of the look his face displayed that drew her attention.

"What?"

Neal's fingers were hovering over the screen, but he looked back at her.

"It's Killian."

And the thought of him made her smile. "Yeah?"

"He said that he was going to stop by, if that was okay." Neal dropped the phone in his lap and moved even closer to her. "But I was sensing that things were moving towards… something here tonight." He gave her an all-knowing smile. "I could tell him not to come by."

Emma could feel her heart begin to pick up speed. Killian was coming over? It was the fact that that made her happy that caught her own attention. Although she understood where Neal was coming from- they were having a pretty nice time with just the two of them- she really didn't want to pass up the chance to see Killian.

How could it be so instantaneous? How could she go from feeling completely complacent and happy in her moment with Neal to beginning to have that desperate need to see Killian?

"No, no," she told him with a shake of her head.

"No?" With a raise of his eyebrow, he looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure? Because…"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Emma told him. "Text him back. Let him know we're having spaghetti and that we'll save him some."

She turned her focus back onto her food. Staring down into the bowl, she swirled the food around her fork.

"Well maybe he'll make it a quick visit," Neal said, sounding hopeful.

And maybe he wouldn't.

Emma smiled to herself as she listened to Neal pick up his phone.

She was going to see Killian tonight! She was used to this feeling, she noted to herself as she threw Neal a side-glance. It had been so quick- too quick?- that her heart had did that switch thing. She had been enjoying her time with Neal. She had even begun to anticipate this great night between them. And then he had mentioned Killian. And then it had been lost. It was him who drove her crazy- who made her heart go crazy.

Her boyfriend's best friend.
She was a bad girlfriend. Worse than bad, because ultimately she knew she wanted to act on those feelings. More than just a little bit…

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She didn't rush back to the living room after she was finished with cleaning up the kitchen. No, of course not. She had walked in casually, sharing a smile with both men, and took her seat on the couch.

Emma probably felt the worst when they were all together. Not all the time, because it wasn't all the time. But with him sitting there in the chair across from both her and Neal, it was a little difficult to keep her mind off of what it would be like to have him.

Tonight was a little harder than most. She didn't know why.

She found herself a bit entranced by his hands. She imagined her hand palm to palm with his. She imagined how small it would appear in comparison to his. And she imagined that hand closing around hers and holding her tight.

Emma watched as the corners of his lips lifted into a smile. She watched as his fingers found that elusive itch that was behind his ear. It was one of the most adorable idiosyncrasies that she had ever seen. There was a ray of light that made his eyes sparkle.

And it had all been for Neal. Emma was lost on the conversation. Coming in on the middle of it had not helped the situation.

It was crazy how happy he made her. She attempted to think about them as friends and what the friendship had afforded them both. She tried to keep her mind clear of the other aspect- how she physically yearned to know another side of him.

Damn.

Emma bit down on her lip as she leaned back into her seat. She had caught a glimpse of Neal out the corner of her eye on her way.

Neal.

She mentally shook her head.

Not an hour ago, she had been thinking of how good her life had been for the past two years. And it was because of him. And now…

Emma's gaze focused back on Killian.

She wasn't expecting to meet his eyes in that same moment.

That brief stare sent tingles throughout her whole body and had her breath catch in her throat. His eyes were a rich and beautiful shade of blue.

Their meeting had been all too brief. In the space of a few seconds, Killian had looked away. He had turned his attention back on Neal, as if he had not experienced the same rush of electricity that she had.

It was because he didn't…

Damn. Did that hurt?

No. Emma just wished that sometimes- like this time- Killian could feel what she felt. Because it was an amazing feeling. It had given her hope, even if it was so brief. It had made her feel…

Without warning, she was being dragged over to the other side of the couch. It was a bit jarring- Neal's arm crossing over her lap and bringing her closer to him- to be pulled out of her thoughts. Pulled out of her dreams and back into reality…

Neal's smile wasn't as infectious as Killian's. Which only left Emma curious.

"What?"

"Killian has made a request from us," he told her, nodding his head toward his friend.

Emma turned to look back at Killian. And what she saw- a hint of hesitation- piqued her curiosity all the more.

"What is it?" she asked slowly.

Killian's smile was small. Those fingers disappeared once again to some unknown spot behind his ear as a puff of air escaped between his lips. Pretty pink lips that could kiss first her cheek before moving on to other places…

She caught herself before she let her thoughts take over.

"I'm sorry/" She turned back to look all of a sudden. "What is it?"

"Apparently, our friend here has met a very nice young lady," Neal informed her with a sly smile.

And the surprises kept on coming…

The instantaneous disapproval that ran through her entire body felt cold. She forced herself to look back at Killian and not show the surprise on her face.

"Oh, yeah?"

Killian shook his head. "It's really nothing yet."

Neal's hand clamped down hard on Emma's knee,

"It's nothing yet. But it looks promising." And his smile grew into a full grin. "He wants our help, Emma."

She felt a sudden dryness in her throat. There was a large part of her that didn't want to hear whatever she had missed out of on their conversation.

"I was just thinking of getting your opinions and such," Killian murmured softly.

Emma was quick to turn back to him. She wondered what the apprehension was for. She wondered if he realized how conflicted her entire self was by this.

Of course he didn't realize. But there was something there.

"I was thinking we could all get together and do something easy," Killian explained. "Just to figure out if I'm headed in the right direction with this thing."

Emma shook her head. "I… didn't know… you were seeing anyone." How could she have not known? Were those brief and fleeting looks she'd thought she'd imagine really been over thoughts of another woman?

She felt the jealousy seep through her. It wasn't fair to be jealous when she had no relationship whatsoever with him. She had- God, her she really did have- true feelings for him. But it was one-sided. Not only that, but she had a boyfriend. A good-

It didn't stop the jealousy though. In the two years that she had known Killian, he had not been in a relationship with anyone. Brief and inconsequential encounters with women that never went anywhere.

It had been a while since the last one that she had heard about. And in that time, her feelings had grown even more. So this news was…

"Like I said, it's nothing," Killian told her. "But maybe she'll be… a new friend. So you guys should meet her."

There was something Emma couldn't read. Something strange in his demeanor. It still sent confusion through every part of her.

"So maybe dinner and a movie," Killian said, peering at her with guarded eyes.

"Are you up to doing something this weekend, Emma?" Neal chimed in. "I'll make sure to keep my schedule clear if you want."

Emma could only look at Killian. There had to be something she was missing.

As unfair and unwarranted and hypocritical as it seemed even to her, she didn't like the thought.

"Um…" She turned back to Neal. "Just give me some time to figure out… my own schedule. Then I'll let you know."

Right now would have been the perfect time for that bottle of wine.