So I had originally planned this as a one-shot, but all the reviews/follows/favourites made me happy and a few of you requested more, so I decided a fluffy second chapter was in order. Thanks to everyone who's read/reviewed/followed/favourited this story. Over 700 views in less than a week - I can't tell you all how much it means to me!

Emma woke up the following day with a wide smile on her face and fluttering in her stomach. Today was her first date with Killian, her soul mate, and she couldn't wait to be out on the open waters with him.

Sitting up, she reached for her phone and Killian's business card, saving his number and typing out a quick text.

Emma: Hey, it's Emma. Just thought it would be wise if you had my number too. See you soon :) x

Hovering her thumb over the send button, she reconsidered the 'x' before leaving it there and sending the message. Not thirty seconds later, she received a reply.

Killian: Ahh, always thinking ahead, Swan ;) I look forward to seeing you later x

Emma smiled at the text, picturing the smirk on Killian's face. Shaking her head at herself - because seriously, since when was she one to act like a lovesick teenager - she put her phone down and hopped into the shower.

Exiting the bathroom, she opted for her favourite jeans, a cream jumper and what had become known as her signature red leather jacket. It wasn't a usual first date outfit, but she figured if they were to be sailing all day she would need to be dressed comfortably. Applying some light makeup, she decided to let her hair fall naturally and pulled on her black knee high boots.

Emma checked the time to see she had just enough time for a quick breakfast before she had to leave. She made herself some coffee and grabbed a slice of toast, munching quickly so she wouldn't be late. As she was finishing, her phone buzzed again.

Killian: It occurred to me that we failed to specify a meeting point - the docks are rather large, after all. Do you know where the boathouse is? x

Emma laughed, replying quickly.

Emma: Yeah, I know it. Be there in 20 minutes x

Killian: Great. See you then x

After putting her plate and coffee mug in the sink, Emma gave herself a once over and headed down to the docks. She didn't live far, so she decided to walk instead of taking her Bug. At 11.58, she finally reached the boathouse.

-/-

When Killian had woken up that morning, it's safe to say calm was the last thing he was feeling. He had informed his brother when he returned home the previous night that he had found his soul mate, and therefore required the day off in order to take her sailing. Liam had been over the moon at this declaration and had immediately agreed.

Killian decided to stick to his usual jeans and black leather jacket, matching it with a dark blue button up and black boots. He scoffed down a quick breakfast and packed away some food to cook for dinner later. Stopping off at the florist, he bought a bouquet of roses for Emma and then made a detour to the local diner to pick up the lunch order he had placed earlier. He then headed to the docks to prepare his ship for Emma's arrival.

As he was working on the rigging, he felt his phone vibrate. Unknown number. Opening the text, he saw it was from Emma and saved the number to his contact list. After replying to her message, he continued to fix the rigging.

It hit him then that Emma didn't know where his ship was docked, so he sent her a message to meet him at the boathouse. When she replied that she would be arriving in 20 minutes, Killian hastily finished with the rigging and gave the sails a final check, before making his way to the boathouse with the flowers he had bought earlier.

He was at their meeting point five minutes early, and the nerves hit him in full force as he waited anxiously for the blonde who had already stole his heart. He shifted from one foot to the other in anticipation, releasing a relieved breath when he saw her approaching.

"Hey beautiful," he called, holding out the bouquet as Emma came to stand in front of him. "For you."

Emma smiled, accepting the flowers. "Hey to you too. And thanks, they're beautiful." She brought the roses to her face and inhaled their scent, sighing happily. Killian smiled widely.

"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing in the direction of his ship. He held out his arm for her and Emma wrapped her hand around the crook of his elbow.

"So, which one is it?" she asked, her eyes roaming over each ship they passed.

"That one," Killian said, pointing as the Jolly came into view. Emma's jaw dropped in wonder.

"Wow," she breathed, her eyes widening. Killian grinned at her awestruck expression.

"Quite the beauty, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Emma replied, still trying to take it all in. She had spent last night imagining (and, dare she admit, dreaming) of what his ship would be like, but the sight in front of her surpassed all expectations. It looked just like the ships she had seen in pirate movies; the old wood looking worn, the main mast towering high with a large white sail attached to it and rigging so complex she didn't think she could ever get her head around it. It looked well cared for though, and she could imagine Killian dedicating days at a time to keep it in its pristine condition.

"After you, milady," Killian bowed, a hand on the small of her back nudging her gently towards the gangplank. Emma nodded and climbed aboard.

Killian followed closely behind, untying the gangplank so they could set sail. Once on deck, he pulled up the anchor and positioned himself at the helm, turning the wheel so the ship started to drift away from the docks.

"This is amazing!" Emma beamed, staring out into the expansive blue waters of the Atlantic. The sun was high in the sky, casting a golden glow, and there was just enough wind to blow her hair back gently.

"I know," Killian commented. He looked focussed on the task at hand, brow furrowed in concentration as the wind swept through his hair. He seemed to be completely in his element, and Emma just admired him from a distance.

"I can feel you staring at me, darling," Killian smirked, without turning to look at her. "But please, don't stop on my account."

Emma blushed slightly, averting her gaze. "I just... you really look like you belong out here," she stuttered.

Killian smiled, glancing at her over his shoulder. He motioned for her to come towards him. "Come, join me. The view is even better from up here."

Emma did as he asked, moving carefully as she was still finding her sea legs. She gasped as she took her place next to him. "I change my mind. This is amazing."

Killian chuckled and Emma spoke again. "So where exactly are we going?"

"As far as it takes to lose sight of the shore. There's a real freedom that comes with being in the middle of the sea surrounded only by water."

Emma hummed. "Sounds great. I can't wait." She looked around, taking in her surrounding as comfortable silence settled over them, Killian steering the ship towards wherever they were headed.

Every so often he would sneak a look at her, taking in her relaxed features and gentle smile. The sunlight reflected off her hair to give it a golden effect, and when she started humming a tune it was music to his ears.

At one point Emma caught him staring and a beautiful blush covered he cheeks. "What?" she asked, suddenly a little self-conscious.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Emma," Killian replied. He was looking at her with so much adoration that Emma couldn't help but kiss him. He returned the kiss, lingering for a moment before returning his attention to the steering.

"Could I try?" Emma asked tentatively, biting her lower lip and pointing to the wheel.

"Of course, love," Killian smiled. He moved back to allow her to squeeze between himself and the wheel and placed her hands on two of the spokes. He kept his hands over Emma's as he explained, moving in so he was standing flush against her.

"It's quite simple really. The left side is called port and the right is starboard. You turn the wheel as you would in a car, however the caveat is that you turn in the opposite direction to the way you want to go."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "Opposite? That must take some getting used to."

"Aye, it does, but you get the hang of it eventually."

Emma bit her lip again. "Did you ever turn the wrong way?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Killian momentarily released her right hand to scratch behind his ear, a nervous tell he had picked up long ago. "Once, when I was first learning to sail. We were leaving Maine after a weekend away and Liam allowed me to steer us away from the docks. I mixed up the directions however and almost crashed us into another ship."

Emma couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her throat. "You almost rammed into another ship?!"

"Aye. If Liam hadn't taken control in time it could have been a disaster. Safe to say I wasn't allowed near the helm for a while after that."

Emma continued to laugh and Killian joined her. A short while later he removed his hands from Emma's and instead wrapped his arms around her waist, allowing her full control of the vessel. Emma relaxed into him and laid her back against his shoulder, eyes still on the horizon.

"This is really nice," she mused. "I feel so peaceful out here."

Killian hummed. "I thought you would. It's perfect for escaping city life every now and then." He glanced around, satisfied that there was now nothing but open waters surrounding them. "I think we can weigh anchor here. There shouldn't be any ships this way for the rest of the day."

Emma replied with an "okay" and the two of them got to work securing the ship in place. Once they had finished, Killian turned back to Emma.

"Hungry enough for lunch yet?" he asked. It was now almost 1pm and his stomach was starting to rumble.

Emma nodded. "Starved. What are we eating?"

"Lasagna. I picked some up earlier and it should still be relatively warm. We can heat it up below deck, though."

Killian directed Emma down a hatch and soon they were in the galley, warming up the food. He showed her the liquor cupboard and asked her to select a drink. They took the food and wine up to the captain's quarter and sat at the table to eat.

"Wow, this place is tidy," Emma commented.

Killian chuckled. "Aye. My brother is always telling me I'm somewhat of a neat freak. I just think it's good to keep things organised. Makes it easier to find them when you need them."

Emma hummed, taking a bite of the lasagna. "Mmmm, this is good," she sighed, earning another laugh from Killian. "It's from Granny's, isn't it?"

Killian's eyebrows shot up. "Aye. How did you know?"

Now it was Emma's turn to laugh. "I've been going there ever since I moved to New York. Ruby's grandmother owns the place, so that's usually where we meet up with everyone for food. We make it a point to get together there at least once a week."

Killian shook his head in disbelief. "I've been frequenting the diner for the best part of four years. It's a wonder we hadn't met already."

"Looks like our charms were at work long before we knew it," Emma joked.

Killian hummed in agreement and they ate the rest of the meal in a companionable silence. Once they were finished, they returned the dishes to the galley and made their way back onto the deck. It was quite warm now, so both Killian and Emma had shed their jackets and stood against the railing, enjoying the fresh air.

"So, how often do you take people for a cruise?" Emma asked.

"For business or in private?" Killian grinned. Emma hit him on the arm lightly.

"For business you idiot."

"Usually we have three or four tourist cruises a day during the weekdays and possibly a couple more on the weekends. We take the more modern ships which were bought specifically for that purpose, though. The Jolly is only for special guests."

Emma smirked. "Does that make me special?"

Kilian raised a flirtatious brow. "You are the owner to the other half of my charm, are you not? Unless of course you stole someone else's..."

"Shut up," Emma chuckled, pulling him down for a quick kiss.

"If that's how you intend to shut me up, love, I may never stop talking," Killian smirked.

"Oh, that was just a one-time thing. Next time I punch you."

"So violent," Killian mock-shivered.

"You don't know the half of it," Emma grinned. After a few moments, she spoke again. "So what brought you to New York? I mean you're clearly not from here."

Killian sighed. "Aye, I'm from Ireland originally, but we moved here when Liam received a scholarship to study at NYU. My mother passed when I was but a wee lad and a few years later my father abandoned us, leaving Liam to care for me. He was barely 18 at the time and could have easily left me behind, but he had taken it upon himself to ensure I was looked after. So a year later when was offered a place for his degree, he brought me here with him. After his studies were complete, we saw no reason to return. There was nothing left for us in Ireland, so the Big Apple seemed as good a place as any other for a fresh start."

By the time he finished speaking, Killian's voice had quietened and he was staring blankly at the water. Emma placed a comforting hand on his forearm and squeezed lightly, knowing words such as "I'm sorry" were irrelevant.

"He sounds like a great brother," she offered instead.

"Aye, that he is. Who knows where I'd be without him."

Emma smiled. "I'd love to meet him one day," she said, earning a smile from Killian too.

"He'd love to meet you too. When I told him I would be spending the day with you today he was almost jumping for joy and insisted I introduce the two of you as soon as possible. Be warned, we may be having dinner with him within the next week."

Emma chuckled. "I won't object. The quicker I meet him the quicker I get to know all your embarrassing childhood stories."

Killian dropped his head and sighed. "You two will be the death of me," he grumbled. A moment later he continued. "How about you Swan? What brought you to New York?"

"My job," she replied simply. "After I was released from prison I worked my socks off and managed to get into college in Boston. I stuck around for a while, working as a bail bonds-person until a vacancy opened up in NYPD six years ago. It was the perfect opportunity, so when I was offered the job I packed up and moved here."

"I see. You must be quite the officer to hold such a high rank," Killian complemented.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm just really good and tracking down the bad guys."

A grin made its way onto Killian's face. "Is that so? Think you track me down if I skipped town?" he asked, humour lacing his voice.

Emma rolled her eyes and smirked. "Probably. And if you ever attempt to you can bet I'll be hauling your sorry ass back here and giving you a piece of my mind."

Although her voice was light and joking, Killian could see the insecurity in her eyes. Despite everything, she still had a lingering fear that a day may come where he wouldn't think her good enough. He pulled her to him in a tight embrace and kissed her gently.

"I will never leave you, Emma," Killian promised. "I think it would be physically impossible for me to be parted from you for too long."

Emma searched his eyes and he let her, knowing she needed the confirmation. Finally, she seemed happy with what she saw and hugged him back. "I know that now. This time yesterday I would have run from you, but I think I'm getting the hang of this trust thing."

"Good," Killian beamed.

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about anything and everything. Emma found out that Killian used to be the captain of his high school football team ("Not that football, Swan. Soccer") and Emma told him about the time she won gold in a local athletics contest in during college. Killian told Emma that his favourite movies were action and sci-fi, with Star Wars ranking highest, and Emma returned the sentiment by mentioning she was all for action and fantasy too.

They moved onto discussing music at some point and Killian told Emma he was an avid guitar player, to which Emma insisted he play for her sometime. They kept talking until they had exhausted all topics of conversation, finding out that they had a lot in common indeed, and eventually they decided to step back and simply enjoy the view.

At around 6.30pm the sun started to set, turning the sky into an array of reds and yellows. Emma gazed in wonder as the light reflected off the still water, mirroring the sky and adding to the beauty of it all. Seeing she was occupied, Killian decided it would be a good time to get the dinner started.

He had prepared it himself earlier, marinating some salmon fillets in lemon juice and seasoning them with a generous amount of salt and pepper. He'd also cut up some carrots and parsnips and had seasoned them along with baby potatoes and fine beans, ready to stick straight in the oven. It was a simple dish, but it tasted like heaven, and he was sure Emma would like it.

Excusing himself for a minute, Killian headed down to the galley to place the fish and vegetables in the oven. They would take about 20 minutes to cook, so he set a timer on his phone and stopped by his cabin to pick up a few candles and a picnic blanket. Setting the blanket and candles down in the middle of the deck, he re-joined Emma.

"I don't think I could ever get enough of this view," she said as Killian snaked his arms around her waist from behind.

"Me neither," he replied, but his focus was solely on Emma.

Emma narrowed her eyes playfully, nodding in front of her. "I'm talking about that view, Killian."

Killian smiled. "Oh? I was far too mesmerised by the beautiful woman currently in my arms."

Emma turned in his arms and gazed up at him. she smiled at the softness in his expression and stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. He was quick to respond, and soon the initially chaste kiss became increasingly heated. After what felt like hours, they pulled apart and Emma rested her head on Killian's chest.

They stood like that until the timer on Killian's phone went off. By now the sun had set and the first stars were visible in the night sky. Emma's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's that noise?" she asked.

"That, my dear, is the sound to indicate that dinner is ready. Come on, we don't want it to burn."

He took her hand and led her to the galley, plating the food skilfully as Emma watched on. Grabbing a bottle of wine, a couple of glasses and some utensils, the duo climbed back onto the deck and settled on the picnic blanket Killian had set out earlier. Once sat, Killian lit the candles and deck was bathed in a warm glow.

"I didn't know you were such a romantic," Emma teased, pouring the wine into the glasses and handing one to him.

"There's a lot you don't know about me yet, love," Killian smirked.

"I can tell. Didn't know you could cook either."

"One of my many talents. How about tasting it and telling me what you make of it?"

"Worried I won't like it?" Emma teased again.

"Not in the slightest."

Emma gave him a sceptical look as she dove into the fish, not believing the forced nonchalance he was showing her. He watched her anxiously as she took her time to savour and swallow. Then she did the same with the vegetables, and Killian's gaze was transfixed on her face, looking for any reaction.

"So?" he asked eventually. Bloody woman was torturing him on purpose and bloody enjoying it.

"Not bad," Emma replied.

Killian gave her a bemused look. "Love, we went through this yesterday. You might as well give me your honest opinion now, because I will keep persisting until you do."

"Okay, fine. I think it's delicious," Emma laughed.

Killian grinned. "I knew you'd like it," he winked.

"Then why were you so restless for my reaction," she challenged.

"What can I say, darling. I'm eager to impress."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Well, you have. Don't let it get to your head, though."

Killian put a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "You wound me, love. I would never do such a thing."

"Of course. Whatever floats your boat," Emma replied, rolling her eyes again. Killian just smiled widely and for the next few minutes the two ate in relative silence.

As she finished her dinner, Emma looked up at the sky. "It really does feel so different at night," she mused. "The stars are so bright. We can barely see any in the city."

"Aye. Too much artificial light blocking the view," Killian replied, finishing off his meal as well. "Know any constellations, Swan?"

Emma thought for a moment. "Not really. I had a book on them once, but it was a long time ago and I don't really remember."

Killian put the empty dishes to one side and moved so he was sitting next to her. He lay back and told Emma to do the same, resting her head on his right arm. "Then allow me to show you. Firstly, that star is Polaris, the pole star," he said, pointing to a particularly bright one above them. "Sailors use it to find north, and we can use it to locate the other constellations. It's always in a fixed position, so the rest of the sky appears to rotate around it."

Emma nodded, looking at the star. "I vaguely remember that actually. Isn't it part of a constellation?"

"Aye. It's in the tail of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. Polaris and those other six stars are the main stars of the constellation." Killian pointed to six other fairly bright stars and Emma nodded again.

"I always thought the Greeks had a crazy imagination. I mean it looks more like a box with a string to me than a bear."

Killian laughed. "Too true, love."

"So what's the next one?"

"If you look to the right of Polaris, you can see a set of stars which look like a dipper." Once again he traced the constellation with his finger and Emma followed with her eyes.

"That's the Big Dipper right?" she asked.

"Aye, also known as Ursa Major, the Big bear. On the left of Polaris, slightly down, you can see a 'W'. That's Cassiopeia, the Vain Queen."

"A 'W' reminded them of a vain queen?" Emma deadpanned. "Definitely crazy imaginations."

Killian chuckled again. "Indeed. So, those are three of the most well-known constellations in the northern hemisphere since they are visible to us all year round. They never make it to the south."

Emma's brow furrowed. "Wait, so no one in the southern hemisphere can ever see them?"

"No, just as there are constellations we never see, such as the Southern Cross."

"Well that sucks."

"To an extent." Killian continued on to show Emma a few other constellations, including Pegasus, Pisces and Andromeda. Finally, he pointed to one which looked sort of like cross.

"This one is my absolute favourite. It's called Cygnus, the Swan."

"The Swan?" Emma asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Aye, the Swan. It was one of the first constellations Liam taught me, considering my charm was half a Swan. It always reminded me that my soul mate was out there somewhere, and that I shouldn't give up hope on finding her no matter what. And I did find you eventually; my very own Swan."

Emma blushed, glad that Killian couldn't see the red tint on her cheeks in the darkness. "You really are a sap, aren't you?" she teased.

"If being a sap is what has led me to you, darling, then I accept the title willingly."

Emma's blush deepened. He was far too sweet for his own good, and he was all hers. "I'm glad we found each other," she said, smiling brightly.

"As am I, love," Killian replied. He turned his head to the side to place a chaste kiss on her temple, and then stood up.

"Why did you get up," Emma whined.

"I think it's time for a dance," Killian smiled. He held out his hand to help Emma up and she took it at once. Standing, she placed her arms on Killian's shoulders, locking them behind his neck at the wrists while Killian's held her closely at the waist.

"Killian, there's no music," Emma pointed out.

"We have the sound of the waves. No music necessary." He started to sway them slowly in time with the lapping of the waves, and soon Emma was joining in.

It was a calming feeling, dancing on the deck with only the sound of the water to break the silence. Every so often one of them would comment on something, but mostly they revelled in the peacefulness of it all.

After some time, Killian stopped. "It's getting late. I should probably get us back to shore," he sighed.

Emma checked the time to see it was already 8.30, and with the sail back it would be pretty late by the time she arrived home. "I guess," she muttered dejectedly, sighing as well.

They pulled apart with a kiss and got to work preparing the ship for the journey back. When everything was ready, Killian raised the anchor and they set off on their way home.

By the time they docked again it was nearing 10pm. Emma helped Killian to anchor the ship and tie up the gangplank, and soon they were back by the boathouse again.

"So," Emma said, not wanting to say goodbye.

"So," Killian replied. "Did you drive here or..."

"I walked. I only live about 15 minutes away."

Killian nodded. "Ahh, so you'll be walking back in the darkness?" he asked.

"I guess," Emma shrugged, peeking up at him through her lashes. "I wouldn't say no to an escort, though."

Killian beamed. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I were to allow a lady to walk home alone at this time of night?"

Emma grinned as Killian held his arm out like he had this morning, and Emma placed hers in the crook of his elbow again. They walked in relative silence until they reached Emma's apartment.

"Well, this is me," she said, turning to face Killian as they stood in front of her door.

"Indeed it is," Killian replied, resting his hands on her hips as Emma moved hers to his chest. She slid them upwards and over his shoulders until one cupped his cheek and the other toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck. Leaning in, she kissed him passionately, which he returned with equal fervour.

They broke apart when oxygen became a necessity and Emma rested her forehead against his. "I really did have an amazing day, Killian," she smiled.

"Me too," Killian replied, shifting his eyes to look into hers. The amount of love and warmth his in gaze astounded Emma, and she bit her lip as she spoke her next sentence.

"I don't want it to end yet. How about coming in for some coffee?"

Killian raised an amused eyebrow. "Coffee?" he smirked.

"Yeah, coffee... and maybe a little more," she smirked back.

Killian sobered slightly. "Are you sure, Emma," he asked, searching her eyes intently. "I'm more than happy to wait if you're not ready."

Emma pulled her lower lip between her teeth again and nodded. "Definitely. I want you, Killian, and I do believe I have a promise to keep."

She grinned mischievously and a low growl left Killian's throat. "Then who am I deny my beautiful Swan."

Within moments Emma was pulling out her keys and dragging him to her bedroom. It wasn't until hours later that they were both so exhausted that they started to drift off to sleep, with Emma curling into Killian's side as he wrapped his arms around her protectively.

This day had been far better than he could have hoped for. He had feared this morning that when he met her, Emma's walls would be back up with full force. To his delight, however, she had left herself open and given him a fair chance. Now they were snuggled together in bed and Killian had hope that this was only the beginning.

Emma smiled as similar thoughts passed her mind. Today had been one of the best days of her life. She'd had so much fun out on the ship (and in bed) that she couldn't remember the last time she had felt this happy. She saw her swan charm glistening on the nightstand and sighed contently. Perhaps he would be her happy ending after all.

Thank you all again for reading! Any comments would be much appreciated :)