It was always the same dream. He was surrounded by waves, the same ones to which he had dedicated his life years ago. The water was freezing, the wind whipping his face raw. Though he was a strong swimmer, amidst the storm he was barely staying afloat. Beyond the growl of thunder and the cackle of slapping water, though, he could hear something sweet and melodic. He kept paddling toward the noise, one arm after the other, legs frantically beating against the dangerous sea.

When he finally found the source of the music, he thought he had found salvation. There she was, perched on a rock jetting out of the water, waves crashing in white foam around her. Red hair swirled around her bare shoulders as she sang, calling him closer to the rock. She was naked from the waist up, but where her legs should have been instead was a long, green fin. Her deep blue eyes were focused on him, beckoning him closer to her with simply a look.

"Killian, won't you come sit with me?" she called out softly to him. "I'm waiting here for you. I've always been waiting here for you."

He kept swimming toward her, toward her beautiful voice, but never seemed to get close enough to the rocks to hoist himself from the swirling water. When the rock was finally within an arm's reach, a huge wave crashed into him, knocking his head against the hard surface and pulling him underwater. As the ocean engulfed him, the last thing he saw was the mermaid's beautiful face, her hands reaching out futilely to save him as he sunk further and deeper beneath the surface.

Killian Jones woke in a cold sweat, sitting straight up among disheveled sheets. It was the same way he had awoken every night for the past two weeks. The ship was still quiet, but the thudding of his heart was loud enough to overwhelm his ears and fill his cabin with noise. Instead of waking with fear or apprehension, the dream only sparked curiosity. Who was that girl?

He stood from his restless bed and pulled his shirt and boots back on. He ran his hand through his dark hair before slipping his long coat over the top of his outfit. After fastening his hook firmly onto his left wrist, Killian left his quarters and headed for the deck. The Jolly Roger was still sleeping, save for the lone crewman Killian had left to man the helm. He nodded over to red-hatted man, before leaning against the railing on the side of his ship. He breathed out a heavy sigh, gulping in as much of the salty ocean air as possible.

It was cold, but nights on the ocean usually were, and it had been a long time since Killian had anyone to warm his bones. He stared sullenly out across the calm sea – it seemed as though even the waves were asleep. The moon glittered off of the mostly-still water, and for the first time in years, Killian wished he were sharing the view with someone. As quickly as the thought was there, it was gone. He preferred to be alone, he reminded himself. Companionship brought with it emotions, and those were a dangerous thing for a pirate. As long as there were waters to sail, treasures to find and adventures to be had, Killian had the only soul mate he would need – the sea.

He was about to turn and head to the helm when something in the waters sloshing off the side of the ship caught his eye. Amidst the navy and the silver of the moon and the seawater, he glimpsed a shimmer of red. His eyes focused in on the spot where the color had been, but it then appeared several yards away. This time, the appearance of the red was bright, smooth, and was followed by a flash of green. Every muscle in his body tensed as he watched the two colors dance around the water by the side of his ship.

With a curt nod and a point of his hook, he caught the attention of the pirate at the helm and beckoned him to his side. The two of them silently hoisted a thick fishing net to the top of the railing, and when the flash of red appeared directly below them, they pushed it off. As the net hit the water, the colorful creature started flailing and screaming, entangling herself further in the thick, tawny ropes. Breaking the surface, the beautiful face of the girl from his dream stared up at him, tears running down her cheeks as she pulled at her bindings. A tremor ran down Killian's spine as he made eye contact with the girl, but he quickly recovered.

"Well, Mr. Smee," he said with a wicked smile, "it seems to me as though we've caught ourselves a mermaid."

-x-

This is my first story on here, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks!