Lila was curled into a ball in her mother' lap, even though she was almost too big for it. Her eyelids began to droop as her mother hummed a lullaby. The gentle movement of the ship rocked her as her mother stroked her hair. Lila felt herself starting to drift to sleep.

Suddenly, the sound of a door banging open awoke Lila. She bolted up, still in her mothers lap. She squinted, trying to see the man who just entered the cabin. When she focused on him, her face broke into a grin.

"Dad!"

She slid out of her mother's lap and ran to him. He smiled and swung her into his arms.

" 'Lo. Love." Lila sneakily slid a wooden knife out of her belt and pressed it into her fathers shoulder.

"I got you!" Lila giggled as her father feigned death. This was a game she regularly played with him. Her mother sighed and stood up. "Really, Killian. I was just getting her to sleep."

The pirate put Lila down. "Milah, you know the best way to get her to sleep...is to wear her out." Killian Jones began to chase Lila around the small room, as she squealed with delight. Milah laughed in spite of herself and joined in the game. Lila ran around and then hid behind a chair. She looked around the other way to see if her parents were there. They sneaked around the other side and grabbed her.

Lila laughed and squirmed away, fleeing happily to the deck. A few of the crew members smiled and greeted her with a friendly "Hello."

Lila stood out next to the door, waiting to attack. But a few minutes later, she could hear her parents arguing.

"...Not safe, Killian." She hear her mother say. "If he is now the dark one, you cannot win." Lila heard her father laugh.

" Milah, there is no reason to worry. He is still a coward, just as he was years ago."

"Killian, do not joke. He may be a coward, but now he is a coward with magic. That's a bad combination."

Killian Jones kissed Milah on the forehead. "It'll be alright. Don't worry, love. Everything will be fine."

Lila didn't think much about what her parents were saying. She merely stuck her head through the door, waiting for the game to continue. Her father saw her out of the corner of his eye and his face broke into a smile. He motioned to her mother to wait and picks Lila up once more.

"Aren't we going to play more, Dad?"

Killian Jones shook his head. "No, Love. It's time to go to sleep now."

Lila crossed her arms and looked at her dad with big eyes, which only made him laugh.

"Oh no, not going to work on me tonight." He laid her on the bed, covered her in a blanket, and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight Lila."

"Goodnight Dad," Lila replied. Milah kissed her forehead as well and said goodnight. Then both her parents left, whispering as she drifted off to sleep.

When Lila woke up, her mother and father were sitting, still whispering. "Mum? Dad?"

They stopped abruptly and turned towards her. Lila climbed out of the bed and rubbed her eyes. Milah scooped her up and sat her on her lap. Killian stood up and rubbed the top of Lila's head, messing up her hair.

"Well Milah. I will go and..." He paused, glancing at Lila. "Prepare for tonight." Milah watched him leave, a concerned look on her face.

"What's happening tonight, Mum? Is it a surprise? Is that why you and Dad were whispering last night and this morning?" Lila asked as she sat on her mothers lap. Milah sighed and smoothed Lila's hair.

"No, Lila. Not a surprise. Don't ask questions, alright."

Lila opened her mouth to ask another question, but was stopped by her mother. "Please, Lila."

"I promise, Mum." Lila jumped out of her mother's lap and onto the floor. Milah took her hand and squeezed it.

"There's a good girl. Go and play."

Lila ran onto the deck. She squinted at the sunlight and looked at the horizon. After saying hello to all the crew members, as she did every morning, Lila climbed the ladder to the crows nest. Her eyes were scanning the town when she saw her father, sword drawn, on the dock. He was slashing and stabbing at an invisible opponent.

"Dad," Lila called, waving at him. He stopped and looked up at her. She grinned and climbed down the ladder. When her feet hit the deck she ran off the deck and onto the dock towards her father. He put his sword away and smiled at her.

" 'Lo Lila. Did you sleep well last night?" While he was talking, Killian seemed distracted. His hand was still on the handle of his sword like he was expecting an attack.

"I slept fine, Dad. Can I play swords with you?" Lila pulled out her little wooden blade and stood ready, pointing it at her father. He laughed and put his hand on the fake sword, pushing it away.

"How about this." He bent down so he was eye level with his daughter."We get you a real sword."

Lila's eyes widened.

"Really? A proper sword?" She flung her arms around her father's neck. He picked her up and carried her to the deck of the ship. After setting her down, Lila ran to the weapons set against the wall. Killian put his hand on her shoulder.

"I already have one ready for you, love"

He grabbed the sword closest to the wall. It was short, just right for the little girl. She squealed and grabbed it from her father. She swung it around, getting it stuck in the wall multiple times while Killian watched.

"I was going to wait for your birthday, but..." His voice faltered as he handed her a sheath for the blade. Lila slid the sword into the sheath and strapped it to her belt.

"Now, I know giving a six year old a sword is not the smartest idea but...you promise to be careful, don't you?"

Lila nodded. "Yes, Dad, I promise. Thank you!"

She hugged her father once more. Killian then held both of her shoulders and looked at her.

"Now listen to me, Lila. I want you to practice with this blade. Learn to use it, and use it well. If anything were to happen to me you must use it to protect your mother. Understand me?"

Lila looked at her father. "Yes, Dad. But don't worry. Nothing will happen to you...right?"

Killian nodded. "Oh, no, nothing will happen to me. It's just...in case."

"Ok, Dad. I love you." Lila wrapped her arms around her father again and he did the same to her. He whispered into her hair, "I love you too, Lila."

Later that day Killian Jones left. He kissed Milah and Lila goodbye, promising to be back later. Milah had a sad look on her face when he left. Soon after, she went after him. Lila was told to stay on the ship, watched by the crew. She used her new sword to spar with some of her friends. Her parents returned about an hour later, but they were not alone.

The man with them had strange skin and clothes made out of crocodile hide. Lila began to walk towards her mother when she turned and spoke to the nearest crew member. "Take Lila below."

"Mum?" The crew member put his hand on her shoulder and led her down the stairs. She looked over her shoulder.

"Mum what's going on? Mum!" She fought against the man but he forced her downstairs. "Sorry, Lila. Your mother's orders."

Lila looked under the crew members arms. She saw the strange man talking to her mother. They were arguing while Killian looked on. Lila still struggled to get to the deck.

Suddenly, the man reached forward and grabbed Mila's heart right out of her chest. Lila screamed as she fell into Killian's arms. She finally fought past the shocked crew member and ran to her mother, whose heart was crushed by the stranger. "Mum!"

Killian stood up and walked to the stranger, his face full of pain. "You may be more powerful now, demon, but you're no less a coward"

Lila sobbed into her hands, smoothing her mother's hair against her forehead. She only lifted her head when she heard her father cry out. His left hand was gone, and the stranger picked it up off the ground.

The little girl sobbed harder, clinging to her mother's body. She felt the stranger's gaze linger on her. She looked up, tears in her eyes, and looked him right in the eyes.

The man soon left, but Lila stayed by her mother's body for a while. The hands that used to hold her were now ice cold. Killian stood nearby, his hand replaced with a hook. He placed his remaining hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Lila...time to send off your mother." Lila stood up, like she was in a daze. The crew members wrapped Milah in fabric and sent her over the side of the ship. Lila watched the body float over the water, farther from the ship.

Killian took the bean and threw it out into the ocean. A portal formed in the water. Lila held onto the side of the ship as the boat rocked. Her father walks up to her and sighed.

"Don't worry, Lila. We will avenge your mother's death." He then turned to the crew. "To Neverland!"

Lila held on tighter as the boat fell through the portal.