All things truly wicked come from innocence.
-Ernest Hemingway

"Set the sails, mates!" Killian Jones, captain of the Jolly Roger, bellowed from the helm. His men scrambled to do as he said, and the pirates hollered their approval of another adventure. They were off to chase another ship. The king had run them before, and now they were off to run down the king's men. Never again would they be under the foot of such a deceitful man. Killian would never allow that same king to forget the name of Jones. His brother's name would never be forgotten by the man who had caused his death.

The woman beside him stood with a triumphant grin on her face. Her dark hair whipped around her pale face with the strength of the wind. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and excitement. She had drawn her cherry lip between her teeth in anticipation. Killian couldn't help but admire her. She looked the part of the most fearsome pirate. Her leather pants curved tightly to her legs coming up from dark leather boots. A corset tugged in her already small waist and up to a white shirt billowing out. Overtop, she wore her ruby red jacket, and a leather piece was tied in her hair.

"Ready to sail, love?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

Her head turned towards him. "Always," she said with a wide smile.

"My, my, Ruby. You have become one hell of a pirate," Killian commented. While others might have meant it as an insult, Ruby knew all too well that it was one of the highest compliments Killian could give. Well, besides his proclamations of love, which were never lost on her.

As they sailed fast and hard towards the king's ship, Ruby could see Killian's eyes light with excitement. It touched his eyes every time he saw one of the king's vessels.

This was his true revenge. As much as he had plotted against Rumplestiltskin for the death of his love, it didn't compare to his distaste for the king. Ruby had finally accepted herself as a wolf, but she couldn't deny her lust for adventure. Being a pirate may not have been a great profession, but she loved it more than almost anything. She had lost her love, and she needed to find something to do. She couldn't be as good as she once was. Ruby had gotten tired of being feared. As a person, she was innocent, but the wolf was not. At least as a pirate, she could be feared for herself and not just the wolf.

Not only was she feared, but she was loved. Ruby had found a home aboard the ship. The crew had grown to love her despite the beast within. Killian, however, had grown to love her with the beast. He had seen her wolf, he had seen her innocent, and together they were wicked. Together, they attained what neither could get alone.

Ruby may not be truly wicked. She didn't kill unless absolutely necessary, which Killian very rarely allowed. The one-handed pirate was very adept with a sword, and yet he rarely killed either. He took what he could from the ships, on occasion offered places among his crew, but otherwise did not sink ships. The loss that they had both faced taught them that being killed wasn't a punishment, but living with killing was.

The Jolly Roger caught the opposing ship. True to his nature, Killian plundered all he could. Rations, the few jewels aboard, and supplies for the ship were brought over after the crew had been trapped in their own hull. When the crew had finished their plunder, Killian threw the key to the door behind which the crew was trapped down into the hull.

The men of the king's ship scrambled for the key to release themselves and get to the pirate that had cost them their profits. By the time the door was unlocked, the Jolly Roger was already on its way past and moving fast.

"Why did you give them the key so easily, Killian?" Ruby asked as they sailed along. "We're still in range of their cannons!"

Killian chuckled. "You forgot one important thing, my love." Ruby tilted her head questioningly at the man beside her. "Never leave them with ammunition. All of their cannon balls are sitting pretty on our ship."

The woman let out a melodious laugh. "Why would I ever doubt your wickedness?" she asked, her eyes flashing yellow for a brief moment.

"For the same reason I sometimes doubt yours. We may be wicked, but we still have some good within us." He took his hook and brushed back a piece of deep brown hair to tuck it behind her ear. "But there is no doubt that we are wicked," he breathed in her ear.

Ruby's breath caught in her throat. Apart, they had been innocent until wickedness had gripped them. Together, they were a wicked pair that challenged each other perfectly. Neither would yield to the other, and yet they loved each other with all their wicked little hearts. But they knew they could never be as wicked as they were before each other. Together, they were pirates, but not killers.