She then turned back to face Liam and continued, "But he did ask me to take his turn, so what am I up against?"

Liam grinned at her as he answered, "A strike. Let's see if you can beat that, shall we?"

Emma grinned back at him as she told him, "You're on." She then walked over to the rack and grabbed her ball.

Just as she positioned herself to throw, she heard "Summer of '69" blaring through the bowling alley.

Emma couldn't help but smile and shake her head as she muttered, "I should have known."

She then swung her arm back and released the ball. She clasped her hands together in anticipation as the ball rolled toward the pins.

When all of them fell down, Emma spun on her heel and triumphantly declared, "And that's how it's done," a bright smile graced her features.

Elsa shook her head while Liam rolled his eyes. He then surmised, "I think perhaps my brother's been a bad influence on you."

"I resent that," Killian chimed in as he came to stand beside his brother. He then offered, "And it is a competition."

Elsa hummed before she pointed out, "Even so, I think that Emma just told you to slack off," and she couldn't help but grin.

Emma ran her fingers through her hair as she slowly admitted, "I guess maybe we just spend a little too much time together."

"Maybe just a bit," Killian conceded as he gestured with his fingers. He then grinned at his partner, who blushed slightly.

He then offered, "And since we are in sync, it's safe to assume that the jests aren't gonna just stop."

He then playfully cocked an eyebrow at Emma. This time, she smiled at him before she added, "Unless it's too much for you two?" motioning between Liam and Elsa.

The pair of them just shook their heads. Liam then looked at Elsa and quietly surmised, "I can't say I'm surprised at my brother, but Emma doesn't strike me as someone who'd, uh, take the teasing and what-not quite so seriously."

Elsa couldn't help but smile as she told him, "Killian brings it out in her. She's more relaxed around him."

"Hmm," Liam hummed in response. He then picked at one of his nails for a moment before he told her, "That sounds a little familiar."

Elsa smiled shyly at him as she ran her fingers over her braid.

They then heard someone loudly clear their throat before they heard Killian: "If you two are quite finished with your flirting, we have a match to get back to."

A deep blush stained both their cheeks as Killian wore a grin from his place beside Emma.

He then clasped his fingers together and rested them on her shoulder before he told her, "I don't think I'll ever grow tired of embarrassing my older brother."

Emma rolled her eyes and shook her head. She then turned her head in order to look at him before she sincerely spoke, "Hey, I wanted to tell you that you picked a great song."

He smiled as he told her, "Well, I know that music helps clear your head, and Bryan Adams is one of your favorites."

Emma smiled back at him before they heard Elsa's rather smug voice: "Speaking of flirting, shouldn't you two be watching me beat you?"

Emma blushed before she internally cursed herself. Her blush soon replaced with a giggle as Killian replied, "Frankly, love, that would require a bit of a miracle."

Instead of responding, Elsa grabbed her ball and took her position at the lane. She then threw the ball as everyone watched anxiously.

She clapped excitedly as she got a strike. She then turned to Killian and offered, "You were saying?"

Killian only raised an eyebrow at her before he walked over to the rack and grabbed his ball.

He grinned as the song changed, and he belted out, "Shot through the heart, and you're to blame! Darlin', you give love a bad name!"

He then released the ball, and it sailed seamlessly toward the pins, earning another strike.

He still sang as he turned around to face his brother and friends. He wore a triumphant smile as he walked back to join them.

"Bloody hell, I don't think I can sing quite that high," Killian then said before he let out a breath.

Liam, Elsa, and Emma all chuckled before the latter offered, "To be fair, I'm pretty sure rock stars have more lung capacity than the rest of us."

Everyone laughed at that. Killian then added, "Perhaps I'll just play some air guitar then."

With a shake of his head, Liam told him, "I don't think you want to embarrass yourself, now, do you, little brother?" a grin spreading across his features.

Killian rolled his eyes as he muttered, "Younger brother." He then grinned and told him, "Or maybe you don't want to be embarrassed in front of your lovely…friend."

Liam ducked his head down for a moment. He then motioned to the bowling balls and said, "I'm just gonna take my turn now."

As he grabbed a ball, Elsa tried to hide her blush. Emma elbowed Killian in his side before she gave him a pointed look.

He rubbed the back of his head as he suggested, "Say, Elsa, why don't we take a seat? I'm rather tired of standing, and you can tell us about any new recipes you're trying out."

The blonde nodded - and shot Emma a grateful look - before the three of them walked over to the chairs.

When Emma started to sit down, however, she failed to realize that some of the chairs - including hers - were swivel.

"Whoa!" she called out as she fell down - her back roughly hitting the floor. Elsa gasped as Killian bent down beside her.

"Are you alright, Emma?" he worriedly asked her as he helped her raise to a sitting position.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Emma assured him - but she soon began holding her back.

"Oh, Emma, I'm not so sure about that," Elsa fretted as she knelt down and placed a comforting hand on her friend's arm.

"Guys, I'm really fine," Emma reiterated as she hoisted herself in a chair. She then pointed out, "I've faced way worse than this while on duty."

Elsa shook her head as she told her, "Just because you're a detective doesn't mean it's okay when you get hurt, Emma."

"You know, Swan, I have to agree with her. You shouldn't take your injuries so lightly," Killian then added.

Emma sighed before she told them, "Look, I know, okay? You guys are right - I just don't like being fussed over."

Elsa and Killian exchanged a knowing look before he offered, "Be that as it may, I'm still going to see if I can get some ice for your back."

Emma only nodded because she knew she had no hope in talking him out of it. Killian then rose to his feet while Elsa took a seat beside her friend.

"I'll be right back with the ice, love," Killian then said, just as Liam joined them.

He then curiously asked, "Why would we need ice?"

"Oh, uh, I took a pretty rough tumble on the floor when I missed my chair," Emma explained, still holding her back.

Concern then filled Liam's blue eyes as he asked, "Are you alright?"

She nodded before she elaborated, "Yeah, I'm fine. But some ice would actually help."

With a nod, Liam then offered, "I do hope it does help, Emma."

She smiled and nodded in response. Killian then spoke, "And on that note, I'm gonna see if the servers can help us. Just sit tight, love," turning his attention to Emma.

She hummed in response. The next moment, Killian then bent down and placed a sweet kiss on her forehead.

He then spun on his heel and headed to the food counter.

Emma's eyes widened in shock while Liam and Elsa looked around nervously - completely uncertain of what to do next.

Liam rubbed the back of his head as he said, "I'm just, uh, gonna go see if my brother needs any, uh, help."

Elsa offered him a nod before he walked away. She then turned her attention to Emma.

Her fingers grazed the spot where Killian's lips had been, her expression still one of shock.

The silence hinged on awkward before Elsa slowly asked, "Are you alright?"

Emma jumped at the question. She then ran her fingers through her blonde hair before she placated, "Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

Elsa took a breath as she considered her next words. She then spoke, "I know it's not that simple."

Emma only stared at her friend for a few moments. With a sigh, she then told her, "It was just a kiss - and only a forehead kiss at that."

Elsa shook her head before she took a deep breath and reasoned, "If that were true, you wouldn't have those goosebumps on your arms and you wouldn't be bouncing your leg."

Emma couldn't help but stiffen at her friend's keen observation. Feeling self-conscious, she then quickly stopped moving her leg and pulled down the sleeves of her red leather jacket.

She then shrugged and defended, "That's only because I was caught off guard. I mean, even you have to admit it was weird."

With a thoughtful expression, Elsa then conceded, "I guess it is a bit odd…"

"See? So there's no reason to make a big deal out of it," Emma then interrupted with crossed arms, determination set in her tone.

Elsa sighed as she tried to think of what she could possibly say. She then reached over and placed her hand on Emma's arm.

She then told her, "I know you're scared, Emma, but you can't keep running. You have to be willing to take a chance."

Emma looked around nervously and ran her fingers through her hair. She then huffed and said, "Don't you think I know that?"

Elsa blinked several times. She then spoke, "Then what is it? You can tell me."

Emma continued running her fingers through her hair, a silence settling over the two friends once more.

Finally, she broke it: "Fine, Elsa. I'll tell you."

She then took a breath and stated, "It was a damn forehead kiss that lasted about two seconds. How in the hell can I feel anything from that? And yet, here we are with the leg bouncing and the goosebumps and nerves taking over my entire body. All because my best friend may be more than a friend, and that doesn't scare me nearly as much as it should."

She then leapt from the chair - wincing in pain as she did so - before she marched out of the bowling alley.

"Bloody hell," Killian then complained as he watched her retreating form.

Liam grabbed the Ziploc bag full of ice from the server before he ushered his brother aside.

Killian then raked his fingers through his dark hair and lamented, "Why on earth did I kiss her? What the hell is the matter with me?"

Liam sighed before he offered, "I think that's something you really have to think about, brother. Why would you kiss her?"

With a sigh, Killian then told him, "I don't know exactly. I can't really blame it on being a habit, and I can't really say it was an accident either. That last one does sound rather preposterous," scratching behind his ear.

Liam looked at his brother for a few moments. He then perceived, "I feel a "but" coming on."

Killian continued to scratch behind his ear as she slowly admitted, "It's just that…given how I feel about her - and now that she knows how I feel, even if she isn't quite ready to accept it, yet, hopefully…but uh, it felt so natural. Like I want to do it all the time."

Silence then settled over the brothers. After a few moments, Liam offered, "Perhaps you should tell her that."

Killian raised an eyebrow and shot him a disbelieving look. He then sarcastically spoke, "Because that always works out bloody fantastic."

Liam sighed before he told him, "I know things are rather…complicated with you and Emma, but I do think she deserves an explanation. Especially given you two's reaction to the simple forehead kiss."

Killian took a long, slow breath before he conceded, "Aye, you're right. I should go talk to her."

With a nod, Liam then handed him the makeshift ice pack. Killian took it before he headed outside.

As soon as he opened the door, he spotted Emma on a bench.

He slowly approached her as he pondered his words. They truthfully hadn't had a real conversation since his admission, and their attempts at their usual banter and teasing ended up an awkward mess.

He then took a deep breath before he reached her and sat down. He then offered her the ice and spoke, "I think you could use this."

"Thanks," she replied as she took the ice from him - though her eyes lingered on the New York traffic.

She then began holding the ice on her back as the noise of the city did nothing to quench the quiet between her and her best friend.

Suddenly, Killian questioned, "Do you remember the day we first met?"

Emma turned to give him a dubious expression before she asked, "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Just humor me, love, and I promise it'll make sense," Killian told her, a look of pleading in his blue eyes.

She remained thoughtful for a few minutes before she resigned, "Fine. If it can help us get out of this…funk we've been in lately, then I'll play along."

She then took a deep breath and reminisced, "Let's see, I had known I was getting a partner for a few weeks, but I was not happy about it. I always worked better on my own, and I didn't want anyone in my way."

She paused when Killian laughed, and she then raised an eyebrow at him. When he had sobered, he told her, "I was just remembering how adorably infuriating and stubborn you can be, love. It's one of my favorite things about you."

Emma couldn't help but smile at him. She then spoke, "Well, you're probably the only one who would willingly put up with it."

He smiled back at her as he nudged her shoulder with his. He then surmised, "You're not all that bad, Swan."

"Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself once you get past the Casanova complex and all the bravado," Emma told him with a giggle.

Killian shook his head as he told her, "I'm fairly certain you used both those terms when we first met."

"Can you blame me?" Emma began before she elaborated, "When David first introduced us, you said, and I quote, 'I've never had a partner quite as beautiful as you,'" mimicking a near perfect British accent.

Killian rolled his eyes as he pointed out, "I was only half-serious, love. I did think you were beautiful, but I only said that as a bit of a joke."

"Yeah, yeah," Emma told him, a teasing lilt to her voice. She then said, "And after my accusatory 'Is that really how you decide to greet your new partner?' David left us to sort through it ourselves. I think he knew I was beyond reason at that point."

Killian grinned at her as he said, "Though I never would have told you back then, you were agitated beyond what was reasonable."

He then took a breath and added, "But I understand why you felt the way you did. You had a great deal of friends at the police station, but with a partner, there was that chance of coming to rely on them implicitly, only to lose them."

Emma let out a sigh at his words. She then told him, "You always did know how to read me - and it used to really annoy me."

"Aye, love, I remember," Killian surmised, a small smile playing across his features. He then added, "And you were never shy about telling me either."

Emma couldn't help but chuckle at that. She then spoke, "Yeah, I complained about you thinking you knew me when you didn't, you had no right to even try to read me, and all your perceptiveness was really just a way to get that one thing you wanted."

Killian chuckled as well before he told her, "Aye - I wasn't sure there'd ever be a time when you wouldn't berate me, but you were still a hell of a partner."

"So were you," Emma replied with a smile. He smiled back at her in response.

He then took a deep breath and told her, "And yet, despite our differences, we did - and still do - make one hell of a team, and we also became the best of friends who know everything about one another. I don't think either one of us ever expected it."

Emma grew quiet as she only looked at him. After a few moments, she surmised, "I'm pretty sure I know where this is going."

Killian couldn't help but scratch behind his ear. He then took another breath before he spoke, "I thought you might, love, but I'm still hoping you'll at least hear me out."

Once again, Emma grew quiet as she stared at him. She knew nothing could calm her racing heart, but she did know that she needed to listen to what he had to say.

So, she took a deep breath and simply replied, "Okay, Killian."

He nodded at her before he let out a long, slow breath. He then told her, "You took a chance on me as your partner, and you took a chance on me as your best friend - and we both know they turned out to be some of the best things that ever happened to you. To both of us. And I guarantee you that taking a chance on us would be bloody amazing, Emma. I can't think of anything that would make me happier, and I know you'd be just as happy."

Emma found herself rendered speechless as he finished. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that he wanted her.

After the minutes continued to drag by, Killian broke it: "Please say something, love."

She took a deep breath before she told him, "I'm just not used to having someone pour their heart out because of me. Or having a guy truly put me first. I don't think I know how to react."

"I know, Emma. I know," Killian spoke, a sympathetic look passing over his features. He then gingerly moved her hair off her shoulder and said, "Which means you only deserve it more."

Emma couldn't help but smile as she locked eyes with his. She really could get lost in those baby blues.

She managed to tear her gaze away before she admitted, "I can't keep lying to you - or myself for that matter - because there is something more than just friendship between us. But I have no idea what in the hell to even think about it, much less what to do about it."

She then took a breath and suggested, "Can we finish the game? A distraction might help me figure out…something. Maybe."

With a nod, Killian then replied, "As you wish," offering her a genuine smile.

Emma smiled back at him in response. She then rose from the bench, still holding the ice to her back.

"Are you sure you'll be able to bowl, Swan?" Killian worriedly asked her as he stood.

She nodded before she reassured him, "Yeah, I'll be able to - the ice really is helping, and I didn't fall too hard."

A moment later, she winced and added, "But you may have to bowl a couple turns for me."

"I can manage that, Swan," he told her, a mischievous grin making its way across his features.

Emma raised an eyebrow at him as she questioned, "What are you thinking?"

"That it'll be very satisfying to beat Liam and Elsa single-handedly for a couple frames," Killian answered smugly.

Emma only rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. The two of them then headed back inside.