hey there! this story is about captain hook meeting one of our favorite characters from once before they actually met on the show. it's kind of an AU. i think you will probably figure out who it is soon enough, but if not, you will know by the end. enjoy! :)
Captain Killian Jones moved through the crowds in the small village. He pushed past a few people who were in his way. He had sailed his ship to the small harbor in search of a man that supposedly knew where the buried treasure from a lost Royal Navy is located. His crew settled the ship in the harbor as he looked for the man, but so far, there was no luck. He had spent the morning looking for a ghost. Now he wandered through the nearby village to find the small pub that he was meeting the crew in. The pirate was irritated that he was still unable to locate the treasure after months of searching.
He was so caught up in his irritation that he did not notice the small figure in front of him. She had her head down and was walking quickly through the crowds. She let out a surprised gasp as he bumped into her. Killian grabbed her waist to keep her from falling. She caught his arms and braced herself.
"My apologies, sir." The hood of her navy blue cloak left her face in the shadows. She looked around quickly, as if she expected someone to pop out and grab her. Killian looked around as well, but saw no one that she might be trying to hide from. She looked up at him and he could see the sparkle in her dark eyes. He had known her for just a few seconds, but already the mystery surrounding her intrigued him.
"It's all right, love. Captain Killian Jones, at your service." He held out his hand for her to shake. She eyed it warily but took it daintily. She looked at his hook, but didn't comment.
"Captain? Of what?" She asked. Her voice was curious, innocent.
He smiled. It didn't escape him that she didn't give him a name. "The Jolly Roger. My first love."
She grinned. "I've never seen a ship before."
"Never?"
She shook her head. "No, I've never lived near the ocean. I was just going to see it now."
Killian held out his arm. "Well then, allow me to show you the beauties of the water."
"You don't mind? Surely you were on your way to somewhere important."
He thought about the bar where his crew was waiting. His plan was to drink away his anger about losing his lead, but this girl was far more interesting. "No worries, love. I would be honored to accompany a beautiful lady to the harbor."
She bowed her head shyly. So she wasn't used to compliments. Killian was surprised. From what he could see, the girl was incredibly attractive. She looked around again, making him wonder who she was looking for. She met his eye and nodded. He held out his arm and she took it. He led her to the harbor, taking about how beautiful the ocean was as they walked. She remained silent, but he could tell that she was soaking in his words. They turned the corner and the harbor rose before them. Killian felt her stop and he turned to look at her. The hood slipped as she looked up at the tall ships in front of them.
Killian instantly realized that he underestimated her beauty. Her long raven tresses were pulled back into a complicated braid and her skin was pale and smooth. Her brown eyes shone with happiness as her lips opened in awe. He studied the small scar above her lip and wondered where she got it from. She smiled brightly and squeezed his arm.
"It's so wonderful." She looked at him and smiled shyly when she realized he was staring at her. She let go of him and moved to cover her head with the hood again. Without thinking, he quickly grabbed her wrist and her eyes widened.
"Don't." He let go of her wrist to rub his fingers lightly over her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. He continued to study her face. "You're beautiful."
Her cheeks turned pink and he found it endearing. "Thank you, but I must keep my hood on." She stepped back to distance herself and she pulled the hood over her head.
"Who are you hiding from, lass?"
"No-no one." She denied quickly.
Killian put his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. "You keep looking nervously around you as if you expect to be followed. And your hood is to cover your face, so clearly, you don't want to be found."
"I..." She looked down. She looked frightened and she leaned back on her heels as if she was thinking about running.
"How would you like to go sailing?" Killian changed the subject. It was clear that she was getting nervous and he didn't want her to leave just yet.
She looked surprised at the sudden change in topic before she smiled. "I'd love that."
Killian grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her to his ship. He carefully led her on board and smiled. He stood in the middle of the deck and waved his arm before he bowed. "Welcome aboard the Jolly Rogers, m'lady."
She laughed, the sound full of happiness. The sound was beautiful and Killian decided that he wanted to hear more of it. "Your ship is amazing."
"That she is." He smiled before holding his hand up for her to wait a moment. He needn't have done anything, because it was clear that she wasn't going anywhere. She studied the ship and moved to the opposite side. She looked out over the bright ocean. He watched her for a moment before going back onto the docks. He undid the knots that tied his ship to the dock and headed back on board.
He joined the girl at the edge of the ship. She gave him a huge smile before focusing her gaze on the water again.
"Are you ready to sail?"
"Absolutely. Are you able to sail on your own?"
"Yes. I only need a crew for a long journey. We won't be going far." He answered. He moved to pull the anchor up so they could go. Once that was done, he steered the ship away from the docks. The wind knocked the brunette's hood down again, but this time she left it there. She was relaxed and happy as she leaned over the side to see the ocean parting as the ship moved forward. He felt the rush of excitement that he always got when he was on the ocean. "Would you like to learn how to steer?"
She turned, her eyes sparkling as she nodded eagerly. He waved her over and she hesitantly placed her hands on the wheel. He put his hand over hers and guided her through steering. She relaxed after a moment and leaned back into him. He removed his hand from hers and placed his hand and hook on her waist. She tensed briefly before resting her head in the crook of his neck. He pulled her closer and softly pressed his lips to her neck. "Whoever you are running from won't find you on the high seas, love."
"He will always be able to find me. He has many people at his disposable. They will track me down and bring me back to him not matter where I go. I only left for the day. I need to be back at the inn before he returns. He must never know that I left." She turned to face him, her eyes full of fear.
"Who is he?" He asked softly.
"My husband." She responded.
He looked surprised. Though it was customary for girls to marry at a young age, he was surprised that she followed that custom. "He must be a powerful man."
"He is." She looked away.
He understood why she had been so nervous earlier. She feared being recognized by someone that would tell her husband. It was more than that, though. He slowly unbuttoned her cloak and allowed it to drop to the floor. She watched as he rolled her sleeves up. His fingers ran across the bruises that covered her arms. She closed her eyes, but said nothing. He shook his head. "How could someone do this to you?"
She tried to pull her arm away, but he held onto it gently. She sighed. "Maybe we should just go back. I shouldn't have left, if the guards realize that I'm gone- I don't want him to know."
Killian shook his head. He cupped her face in his hand. "You don't have to go back there."
"Yes, I do. You have no idea how powerful he is, Killian."
"I can protect you, love."
"No, he will have us both killed." She looked panicked as she started to pull away. He didn't let her though.
"Just relax, my love. He won't know, alright? I'll return you to the inn before they even realize that you are gone." He rubbed her back soothingly. She relaxed and leaned into him. Her head rested against his chest and listened to the steady thrum of his heartbeat.
Killian held her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed. He didn't want to return her, especially since now he knew that her husband hurt her. Instead, he wanted to make the man pay for what he did to the girl in his arms. But he knew that she was far too afraid to leave him. Whoever he was, he had power over her and she would never agree to joining him on the seas. Killian felt a powerful connection to her, despite the fact that they only just met. He wanted desperately to protect her.
He kissed the top of her head. She tightened her arms around him. "Thank you." Her voice was only a whisper, but the breeze carried it to him. She looked up at his face. "For the first time in a long time, I feel free. You showed me all this." She gestured to the ship and the ocean. "And I will never forget it."
"It doesn't have to end just yet, love." Killian leaned closer to her. His lips were inches away from hers, but he paused to give her the chance to back away. She gave him a brief smile before pressing her lips to his. He responded eagerly and she tilted her head back to give him better access. They were forced to separate due to lack of oxygen a few minutes later.
She smiled and leaned her forehead against his. He returned her smile and intertwined his fingers with hers. He led her through the ship to the Captain's Quarters. As soon as he closed the door, her lips were on his again. They stumbled to the bed and he slipped her dress off. She blushed as he admired her body. He was thankful that the bruises didn't go any farther than her arms. She grinned as she sat on the bed and pulled him with her. It took her only a minute to pull his clothing off as well.
"Are you going to tell me your name?" He breathed against her neck. She chuckled.
"No. Now kiss me before I change my mind." She said with a smile.
He grinned and pressed his lips to hers again.
Killian woke up to a noise. He sat up and realized that the girl wasn't in his bed anymore. He remembered falling asleep with her in his arms, a feeling of happiness cloaking the both of them. He looked around, noticing the door to the bathroom was closed and the dress was still on the floor next to his bed. He smiled, remembering the passion he saw in her eyes as they made love.
The door opened and she walked out, wrapped in a black cloth. She looked up and smiled when she realized that he was awake. "Good evening."
"Good evening." He smirked. "What are you wearing?"
She spun for him, and he realized what the black cloth was. She gave him a teasing smile. "You failed to mention that you are a pirate, Captain Jones."
He studied the skull and crossbones flag she was in with a smile. They usually took it down when they neared a harbor. Without the flag, the ship looked like a regular vessel and didn't call the attention of anyone. "Aye. Captain Hook is my more colorful moniker."
She didn't look surprised and he figured that she had released that awhile ago. Apparently, it hadn't bothered her to know that he was an infamous pirate. "That doesn't bother you?"
"No. I feel safe with you. I was afraid that my husband's men would find me, but when I ran into you, that feeling just... disappeared." She smiled before joining him in the bed. She lay in his arms, moving the blankets to cover them both. He nodded understandingly. He had forgotten his own irritation the moment he set his eyes on her. She studied his face, running her fingers across his jaw. "What brought you to this village?"
"I was here to find a man called Murphy. Supposedly, he knows the location of the lost treasures of the West Kingdom's Naval Fleet. The Fleet was chasing after a pirate ship when suddenly, all of the ships sunk. One by one, the pirates watched as the ships disappeared into the ocean. Some say that they managed to steal most of the treasure before the last ship sank. They buried it so that no one else could find it. Most of the crew was later hanged by the King. For many years people have been searching for the buried treasure. This is the closest I've been to finding it, but Murphy has proved to be difficult to track down."
"Wow." She breathed. "That sounds like quite the adventure. But I have faith that Murphy will turn up somewhere."
"He damned well better. Although I suppose being here was not a complete waste of time. I did meet you, after all." He gave her a charming smile before kissing her sweetly. She returned his smile before resting her head on his chest.
"Is this what a pirate's life is like? Freedom on the open seas. Falling asleep to the gentle sway of the ship. It's wonderful."
Killian chuckled. "Mostly it's trying to out-sail a royal vessel that was sent to arrest us and ignoring the drunk singing of the crew." He paused to listen to her laughter. "But, you are welcome to stay and find out."
She chuckled before looking up at him again. "I would love that." She hesitated.
He knew what she was about to say, so he stood up and grabbed his pants. He slid his clothing on as she watched, the pirate's flag covering her chest. "But you need to get back to your husband. I should turn the ship around now before it gets too late."
A look of regret crossed her face before she nodded. He couldn't handle the thought of having to let her go soon, so he walked to the main deck. He turned the ship around with ease and studied the shoreline, unwilling to think about the pain he felt in his heart. The emotions he felt for this girl were so strong and so vivid, despite the fact that he had only met her just a few hours before.
The pirate sighed as he felt her arms wrap around his waist. She pressed her face against his back and breathed in the scent of his leather clothing. He turned so he could hold her in his arms. He leaned against the wheel and kissed the top of her head, running his hand down the fabric of her dress. "I don't want you to leave, love."
"I don't want to leave either. But I must. We should have hope that maybe someday we will meet again." She kissed his jaw. He sighed again before studying her face. He hoped to memorize every inch of her so he would never forget her. She gave him a small smile before pulling the flag out of her dress. She held it out for him but he shook his head.
"It looks better on you than it does the Jolly Roger. Keep it as a way to remember me."
"Oh, Killian. I'm never going to forget you." She said softly. She intertwined their fingers. "I know that we've only just met, but I am so sure that it was meant to be. I-I love you."
A smile lit up Killian's face. He pulled her closer to him. "I love you too."
She kissed him passionately as she used her free hand to wrap her fingers in his hair. He pulled back after a moment, picked her up and spun her around. She laughed happily. "Killian! You have to steer the ship before you crash it and kill us both."
He put her down and kissed her again. He pulled her against his chest so he could continue to hold her as he steered. She giggled and leaned back into his chest. He relished the feeling of her in his arms as he brought them back to the port. She sighed as she gathered her cloak and put it back on, pulling the hood over her face. He hopped off the ship and tied her to the dock. He stepped back and held out his hand to help her off. She paused to look at the sunset over the water, but squeezed his hand and allowed him to pull her closer. They walked to the town in silence, unable to break the happy moment with the painful truth.
Both of them knew that once they separated, it was unlikely that they would ever see each other again. Talking about it made it more real, so they just avoided the topic. Once they reached the inn, however, there was no avoiding it.
She turned and pressed her lips against Killian's. "I will always love you. Be safe, alright?"
"You are the one that needs to be safe, lass. But I love you too. Even if you still refuse to give me your name."
She gave him a flirtatious smile. "Regina. My name is Regina." She glanced at the inn behind her. The back door was open slightly and they could hear people talking. "Goodbye, Killian." She kissed him again before letting go of his hand and moving quickly to the door. She blew him a quick kiss before disappearing.
"Goodbye, Regina."
Two months later found Killian Jones in a shady bar with his crew. They had sailed to another kingdom after giving up on finding the buried treasure of the lost Royal Fleet. He sat at the bar nursing a strong drink while his men laughed and flirted with the women around them. Once again, he was reflecting on the dark haired beauty he missed desperately. One day with her and his life was changed forever. It was truly love at first sight and every single day since he had regretted letting her go. Her dark eyes haunted his dreams and filled him with regret. He sighed as he sipped his drink, watching the liquid roll around.
"Killian Jones?"
He turned to see a royal guard standing behind him. He vaguely recognized the uniform as belonging to the North Kingdom, but he didn't recall being a wanted man there. "Aye. I'm Captain Jones."
"Come with me, please." The guard requested.
Killian raised his eyebrow. "What for, mate?"
"I was sent to give you something by a friend of yours." He replied. He didn't wait for Killian to answer before he left the bar.
Killian shrugged and followed him to a small dwelling in the forest. He looked around for a moment before his gaze settled on the man that was tied up and guarded by a few men dressed in the same North Kingdom uniform. His face was obstructed by a bag and Killian gave the guard an odd look. The man handed him a notice. The outside was addressed to him with his full name and title. Killian opened the paper and his eyes studied the elegant handwriting.
My Dearest Killian,
I told you that my husband was a powerful man. Luckily, I was able to use that power to find someone that you desired. These guards have the man you were looking for when we met. He will tell you what you wish to know about the buried treasure. I wish you luck in finding it.
All My Love,
Regina
The note was brief, but it brought memories of that day back. He pressed the note to his chest and took a deep breath. He figured that Regina didn't want the men to know anything, which is why the note wasn't overly emotional or revealing. He nodded to the guard closest to the man kneeling on the ground. The guard pulled off the bag and the man blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. It was Murphy.
Killian smiled and silently thanked Regina. She found the love that was buried in his heart, and now she was helping him find the more literal buried treasure.
Although he missed her, he was glad of the short time he spent with her. Perhaps someday, he would meet her again. But for now, he would discover the treasure in her name.