Killian buried his face in his hands. "Bloody hell." His eyes then caught sight of the door - still slightly ajar.

He sighed. "Why do I always end up chasing this woman?"

He hopped off the stool and ran across the bar, leaving confused expressions in his wake.

He rushed out the door and called out, "Swan! Swan, where are you!"

His heart rate sped up at her reply: "You don't have to yell. I'm right here."

He spun on his heel and found her leaned on the wall next to the alley.

He furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head. He opened his mouth when she interrupted.

"I know you'd probably come after me, and I didn't want to make you run very far."

He couldn't help but smile and shake his head. He then took a deep breath and closed the distance between them.

"Look, we can just forget any of this ever happened. We can go back to just being friends."

She sighed. "I'm not even surprised you're trying to take the noble, chivalrous way."

A small smile played across his lips. "You know I'd do anything to make you happy."

Emma sighed once more and ran her fingers through her hair. "Don't you get it? That's part of the problem."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "How is me being a good friend to you a problem?"

She ducked her head and shook it. "It's…nothing. Never mind. Let's just go back inside."

She pushed herself off the wall and walked back toward the door. Killian grabbed her arm.

"Swan - Emma - don't you think we should talk about this?"

"No. Because then I'd have to admit…admit…"

"Admit what? What are you so afraid of?"

She ran her fingers back through her hair, her gaze lingering on his hand, which still held her arm.

She pulled away and held her head in her hands. She didn't have to look at Killian to see the worry in his blue eyes.

She then took a deep breath and gestured between them. "This is what I'm afraid of. Of us."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Then we don't have to take the plunge and be together."

"It's not being together, Killian. It's about everything - it's about the good morning texts and you bringing me lunch and you staying with me when I'm sick and how I do the exact same thing for you."

He sighed. "I guess it's worse than I thought. You're so afraid that you don't want any kind of us in the future."

Emma shook her head. "That's not it. Don't you get it? I'm afraid because I do want a future with you."

Her eyes widened, and her hand flew over her mouth. Killian tried his hardest not to smile.

He then took a deep breath and took her hands in his. When she didn't let go, he offered her another smile.

"The future is nothing to be afraid of, darling."

She got lost in his eyes before she snatched her hands away.

She crossed her arms over her chest and let out a sigh. "Don't you think, I don't know, that you deserve better than me?"

Killian tilted his head. "Are you daft? Why in the bloody hell would you say a thing like that?"

"Because it's true! What if those trust issues rear their ugly heads?"

He shook his head. "Love, I think we're rather close enough where that isn't likely to be an issue."

She dragged her fingers through her hair. "What if we got in a huge fight? Between me being stubborn and your temper, something is bound to explode."

He grinned. "At least you admit to the stubbornness." He earned an eye roll in response.

A smile then made its way across his features. He then told her, "And when we did fight, we'd no doubt kiss and make up."

She planted her hands on her hips and shot him a glare. "You know it won't be that easy, Killian."

"Well, of course not, but I do think we'd always end up fighting for each other."

He played with the ends of her hair as she searched those baby blues once more. Her heart already knew just how hard she had fallen - and try as it might, her mind couldn't talk her out of it.

She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt - but this time, she didn't stop until his mouth was on hers. He smiled into the kiss before he tilted his head and pressed her back against the wall.

He threaded one hand in her hair while his other one gripped her hip. She pressed herself further into him as her hands clutched his shirt even tighter.

The kiss lasted until they were both breathless. When they managed to pull away, Killian rested his forehead against hers.

"That was…"

"The beginning of something amazing."

He smiled and caressed her cheek. She returned his smile before she stood on her toes to kiss his forehead.

She then ran her fingers through his dark hair. She caressed his cheek as adoration filled her green eyes. He tilted his head.

"What?"

"I'm just…happy. I guess I'm just…surprised. I didn't really expect it."

"Neither did I, love." He brushed his fingers along her cheek.

He then took a deep breath. "Emma, I know this is quite a lot to take in - and I want you to know that I care for you, darling."

Her cheeks flushed red. She then took a deep breath of her own. "I…care about you, too, Killian. I'm…excited about us."

He hummed. "That makes two of us." He ran his fingers through her hair before he settled his hand on the small of her back.

Emma couldn't help but grin as she playfully punched his arm. "But this doesn't mean I'll stop giving you a hard time when I feel like it."

He grinned back at her. He then reached down and entwined their fingers together.

"Shall we go back inside and prove that the rumors are indeed true?"

She couldn't help but chuckle. Her expression then softened.

"Not just yet."

She then leaned forward and captured his lips in another kiss - this one slower and more tender. She looped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist.

The kiss held all of the love they held for each other - even if they themselves couldn't say it yet. Any doubt was erased as they found happiness in each other's arms.

Everything felt so right.

The kiss lingered as Emma found herself smiling into it. She ran her fingers back through his hair as he encircled her waist even further.

She tightened her grip around him as he lifted her without breaking the kiss. When they finally pulled away, they rested their foreheads back against each other's.

Killian placed Emma back on the ground - even though she walked on air. He nuzzled his nose against her cheek as she let out a contented sigh.

She pulled back to look into his eyes. "Even after all of this, I somehow think we'll still be best friends."

He smiled at her. "Oh, we very much are, Swan. Best friends who fall a little harder for each other every day."

She smiled back at him. She then kissed his cheek before she laid her head on his shoulder.

She then furrowed her eyebrows. "Ugh," she groaned.

"You know, Swan, that isn't exactly a reassuring sound for your boyfriend to hear."

She brought her eyes back to his. "When we do actually go back in there, everyone will figure out that we're, you know, together. And we'll still be the most interesting thing to talk about."

Killian laughed. "That's likely true - but surely, you're used to it by now."

"I mean, yeah, but I don't really want to share you - or this - with anyone."

He hummed and rubbed his hands along her back. "I can assure you, love, that we won't even notice anyone else is around."

She smiled. "We are already pretty good at it." He hummed once more and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

He then nodded back toward the door. "Shall we?" She entwined their fingers as she replied, "Yeah, let's go."

As they walked back into the bar hand-in-hand, they knew they'd still be stirring up their little town. But this time, they wouldn't deny that with each other is right where they wanted to be.

A/N: And that's a wrap! Thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoyed this story and reading about Emma and Killian accept what everyone else already knew - that they're perfect for each other :) Until next time, my lovelies :)