Song I listened to for this chapter: Lullaby by Nickelback.

A dark-haired, blue-eyed man is standing tall on his ship; his hook on the wheel guiding the ship as he watches his crew scramble around, getting things to rights for their landfall.

Killian Jones, better known in most realms as Captian Hook, is standing on the Jolly Roger looking out on a world he hasn’t seen in years.  He is thinking of all in his past that has brought him to this time; to fulfill the prophecy of his homeland and to find what at one time he had thought to be ripped away from him.

Six hundred years ago, he had been born into a land of Magic. However, because of that same Magic, he had been taken outside the land to be brought back at a later time for training.  He had been taken to a land without Magic to protect him from the people who would have raised and used him for their own gains. But he never knew this, so he thought no-one wanted him when he discovered that he was adopted.

When he was 10, his adopted family abandoned him and he was brought back to his birth-land.  Again he was abandoned and because of this he hated adults because, in his mind, growing up meant you abandoned people.  Simple logic, but then, he was only a child.   There was no need for him to do anything but be the child he was at that point.  He also refused to grow up, and ended up gathering boys like him that he promptly named the Lost Boys.  The leaders of the land at that time decided that since he was already showing hints of his destiny, they would start to subtly teach him about his future.

Two hundred and sixty-six years later, he left his birth-land again for adventure.  He had been subtly guided to the point he wanted to grow up. They had needed him to leave and age for the prophecy to come about; the prophecy that would save all the worlds.

At that time, he dropped the moniker he had used when he had been in that land and started to use his own-Killian Jones.  He had been taken aboard The Revenge as a cabin boy and those years had been the best he’d ever known. Killian loved the Captain of the ship as a father, just as the Captain cared for him as his son.  He taught him all he knew of fighting, sailing, and about the world itself.

He also taught him some lessons of his own, guessing whom he had taken in.  He purposely stayed away from the Enchanted Forest until he had taught the young man how to defend himself.  He had been mightily impressed with the boys’ intelligence and did everything he could to encourage him to think.  Roberts had added a library to the Captains’ cabin and used it to educate the young lad.

Killian had come across the idea to map out everything they could and those maps were quickly coveted for their use in navigating the magical waters of the realms.  There had never been anyone who had mapped out as much as they had, nor were any maps out there as reliable.  They had many people barter to just be able to glance at them and ended up making a tidy profit using Killian’s skills as a draftsman to copy the maps for a high price.  At this time, Roberts came across one of Killian’s powers, since the maps only lasted as long as the owners bargained for them; not being able to be copied.  He quickly passed around the rumor that he himself was the one who spelled the maps, not wanting anyone to think of taking Killian for themselves.

With this in mind, the Captain tasked Killian with making copies of the more sensitive of their books; burning them after making sure that they matched.  There were too many witches and other creatures out there that would do anything for some of those books.

When Killian turned 20, Roberts decided to retire.  The duo thought of an idea to allow Killian to continue as Roberts and, in turn, have Roberts fade into the background as Killian’s own reputation grew.  They had started to make the transition when Roberts came across a young man whom they captured.  Finding out that the young man was in love, True Love, Roberts dragged Killian and the young man into his cabin.

The conversation that came about impressed upon Killian the importance of True Love and the job of everyone to help it out.  Roberts also told him that those who tried to stand in the way often came out on the other side dead-if they were lucky.  The magic of the realms would not allow True Love to die. It was too rare and too precious a commodity to allow evil to split it up.

So, with this in mind, Killian agreed to leave the boat, allowing the young man to take his place.  Before leaving, a fairy friend from his past came to tell him that there was a boat waiting for him at the port for King Henry’s Kingdom. The three looked at each other and nodded.  They made the switch and the reputation of the Dread Pirate Roberts came alive again with some help from the fairy as thanks for taking care of Killian.  This gave them the time to be able to train up young Westley to be able to take over the name.

When they sailed into port, there was a boat there that took Killian’s breath away.  It was beautiful and well suited for him.  When they sailed closer they saw the name painted on the bow; Jolly Roger.  Captain Roberts clapped him on the shoulder.

“That’s a ship to be proud of my boy.  Let’s get you a crew and transfer your copies over.”

The ship had been made in his homeland and sailed there for his use.  She was going to be crucial to Killian’s future and because of where the ship was made, and who its master was, it would be nearly indestructible.  It will, once it’s Master comes into his legacy, be able to sail the seas of any world. Plus there was more than a little magic woven into the ship itself, and Killian will be the only one who can command that magic.

Killian parted from that stage of his life, knowing that his father was proud of him and with his own fondness for his brother, Westley. Through the years, he and Westley had joined forces more than one time and those times shone brightly in Killian’s memories of the long years.

Killian spent the next couple of years being the captain of his ship and his future.  There was no port that they wouldn’t go into but secretly, Killian’s heart was breaking for the children of the realms that were being forced into the Ogre Wars.  He himself took on who he could, relocated them to other ports, even giving some of them the choice of becoming a Lost Boy.  That was how he came to find his replacement as their leader.  Tootles was not happy leading them and this made everyone happier since Rufio could actually wield his old sword, which showed his ability to lead.

One day during this period of time, they pulled into a port.  Killian had no shame being a lady’s man; he was a true pirate and had a lady in every port, but he treated them all as a gentleman should, guaranteeing that upon his return he was welcomed by the lady.  He honored his father and his teachings of True Love this way, guarding his heart for the chance of True Love.  After seeing Westley so happy he wanted nothing less than that.  However, in this port, he met a fiery woman who captured his attention.  And he thought, Maybe…

So they spent a longer than usual amount of time docked, loading supplies for a trek across the seas to a destination that Killian had pieced together from his books and maps.  He was looking forward to the adventure of finding new lands and to adding to the map collections of Roberts, Westley and himself. Once a pirate, always a pirate.

At least that is what he told himself.  In reality, he could not get enough of Milah.  She entranced him like no other woman.  He fell in love with her, and from her own reactions, she fell in love with him.

Then he was jerked to a halt when a man entered the pub they were in and asked for his wife, Milah. The man’s son followed, calling for his mother.  Killian made a joke of it, but his heart was already breaking. There was no question that this man loved his wife, and together they had a child.

That night after she had left, Killian made his way to his ship.  He was halted by a hauntingly familiar voice calling his name, “Killian!”

He closed his eyes against the pain in his chest, then turned to see her-his love-standing there, who was the wife of another man. His eyes glared at her.

Milah stared at him warily then came forward to stand in front of him.

“Killian, listen to me.  I don’t love him.  I have lost even my respect for him.  He is a coward.”

Shaking his head, he told her, “But love is worth fighting for.  He deserves the chance.”

He truly believes that after hearing Westley’s story.  You fight for love; it is too precious in the realms to let it go.

Milah stared at him then asked, “Are you willing to fight for it?”

Closing his eyes, Killian sighs. “Yes.” He may be dammed for it, but his own beliefs wouldn’t allow him to let her go if she loved him and wanted to come.

Milah came to him, saying, “I am miserable.  I love you, but am chained to a man I hate.  Do I not deserve a chance, Killian?”

And with that, the fates of so many were sealed.

The following day, before they left port, the man came on-board and Killian challenged him to fight for Milah, stating, “A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.”

When the man didn’t fight for her, Killian comes to conclusion that he must not want her, must not love her as much as Killian does.

Watching the man with a heavy heart, Killian did what he needed to get the man off the ship, and to keep the woman he loves.

 Years later, when the Ogre Wars were over, Killian made port in another random village.  As he and his men made merry, he bumped into a man and in that one moment, Killian found himself in a losing position.  There was no one who could stand against the Dark One.  This particular incarnation of the man is the same man who was married to his Milah. And he wants her back.

Killian swallowed, and agreed to meet this man for a duel.  That night, he made arrangements for his crew and the woman he loves.  He also spent a couple of minutes in sad reflection that he will not see his homeland one last time, but he will not back down since, as he stated before, you fight for love.

They met on the Jolly Roger. To his shock, as he is losing the battle to the man that reminds him of a crocodile, Milah stepped forward as the imp has hold of his actual heart.  He was thrown to the side as she confronted the man, trying to get to his feet, but the shock and pain of the Crocodile’s hand in his body was enough to disorientate him for a few minutes.  He finally made it to his feet, ready to rescue Milah.

Surprising both the Crocodile and Killian, Milah tosses him the bean that she had gotten from a man in a red cap, and he grabbed it out of the air, switching it to his other hand.  Throughout the argument between his love and her former husband, he was unable to do anything, as though there was something holding him back.  Milah begs forgiveness for leaving the man.  The Crocodile smiled and told her that he forgives her.  Then in front of him, the man reached in and pulled Milah’s heart out of her chest, telling her that he is unable to forgive her for giving up their son. Killian was finally able to move and caught Milah as she fell to the ground. She looked up at him and told Killian, “I love you.”

With that statement, Rumpelstiltskin crushed her heart in his hand.  Killian cried out for the death of the woman he loves, then stood to kill Rumpel.  He stabbed a hook he had picked up into Rumpel’s chest, but the Crocodile laughed.

“Oh dearie, it will take more than that to kill me!”  And with that, he cut off Killian’s hand, then disappeared.

Killian’s crew scrambled out of everywhere, having honored their captain’s request to stay back, but they quickly took care of him.  Once his arm was wrapped, his doctor adding a prosthetic to the end after a few weeks of healing, Killian came out onto the deck of his ship.  The man who had the Bean was there waiting on his displeasure.

The crew had seen the marked change in him, and they worried for him. It seemed as though he had hit the bottom.  He stared out at the man in front of him and demanded his name. They bantered back and forth until Smee agreed to follow him.  It was the last time in two hundred years he will show mercy.

Killian, at that time wanted, no needed, to head to his homeland.  He threw the Bean and told them, that they were headed to Neverland.

When they surfaced, Killian collapsed.  The ship was instantly covered in fairies who came down and took the only man born in Neverland.  They brought him to Tatiana and she tried to heal him, only to find that there was a deep hate in him.  She sighed in defeat and told them to take him back to his ship; that they needed to give him time to get over his loss.

For the next two hundred years, Killian became Hook, a man obsessed with revenge.  He also devoured all the information in Neverland, trying to find a way to defeat the Dark One. The Lost Boys were saddened by the change in the man who used to lead them and after consulting with the Council, Rufio commenced a long battle with him, allowing Hook to release some of his pain, a thank-you to the man who had brought Rufio to Neverland.  Their battles made their way into legends, but Rufio couldn’t help but laugh when they confused him with Peter Pan.  It was somehow fitting for Hook to battle Peter Pan in the legends.

But after two hundred years, the Council came together and summoned him.  When Hook strode into the hall, he stood tall as he stared at the Queen of the Fairies, the Chief of the Indians and the leader of the Lost Boys, as well as the other members of the Council.

The Queen of Fairies looked down at Hook.  Killian was still in there and it was their job to get to him.  He had spent the last 200 years hunting for revenge, and since there was no problem allowing him to vent his frustrations, they allowed it but the time of the Prophecy was approaching and they needed him to be healed and whole for the Prophecy to come to pass.

She sighed, then asked, “Hook, what do you remember of the Prophecy of Neverland?” She was straight to the point.

Standing there, Hook cocked his head to the side, then told them what he remembered from finding the Prophecy in a book that Roberts had in his Library.

“There will be a babe born to the land.  He will endure loss and pain that will drive him as none before.  But True Love will reveal him to be the one who will lead the realms to peace.  His beloved will be hailed as the Savior, and with her at his side, they will bring magic back to all the realms.” He looked up at the Council trying to see what their point was.

Great Big Little Panther nodded to the man below him. “Hook, you are that man.”

Shaking his head, Hook replied, “I lost my Love.  If I am this man, then the Prophecy is false.” He is steadfast in his belief.  It is what drives his need for revenge after all.

Tatiana smiled down at him. “Hook, your True Love has not been born.  Milah was your love but your True Love is coming.  Now, do you want to give up the chance at this True Love for a woman who has died?  Think carefully, and think of what Roberts had taught you.”  This was it.  This was what may bring back Killian to them, leaving Hook behind.

Hook stood there, angry as hell.  Milah was not his True Love?  What did they want him to do, give up his vengeance of her?  Even if she wasn’t his True Love, she was someone he had loved and had her heart ripped out cruelly due to the hate of one man who needed it no more.

Then he remembered what Roberts told him and Westley.  True Love was worth everything.  It changed people, made them more than they were.  Westley had suffered greatly and his reward had been well worth it.  Hook stared at the ground and then looking up, he candidly said, “I will not give up the chance of True Love, but at the same time, I will not give up on revenge.  The Dark One has done nothing but cause misery for the realms.  Why can I not get my revenge for what pain he has caused me and the rest of the worlds?” He stared at them, challenging them.

The Chief seemed to think over his words.  Then he asked, “If it came to revenge or True Love, which would you choose?” This was the important part.  They needed him to realize that the choice may come.

Hook seemed taken aback.  He thought for a while then looks to them. “Do you promise that my True Love is coming?” He would give up everything for True Love.

Tatiana smiled, lighting up the room.

“My dear boy, not only do I promise she is coming, but we are wanting to teach you how to recognize it; how to be able to know for yourself when she is here, when she will need you.  There is so much to teach you, Child, that it will take many years.  Are you willing?” She started to glow, her inner happiness showing to everyone.

Hook stared at her, measuring her.  Then he finally nods. “I am.”

Final count, 3,216 words.

Fairfarren~Wendy

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