This is almost a complete and total AU to the point of near-crack! You have been warned! (But still... enjoy!)
Killian Jones did love his brother, really he did, and he even put up with their bumbling cousin, William Smee… but he was pretty fed up with the royal navy. He was done with the navy in its entirety, actually, and unfortunately that meant saying goodbye to Liam and Smee as well.
The truth was that Killian really wasn't the most upright person in all the realms anyway, and that had ultimately made it a little easier to turn his back on his family and boot them from the Jolly Roger. He had better things to do with his life then obey orders, and spending the years since abandoning his brother and cousin as a pirate had given him the freedom he craved, even if it had made him a wanted man in the process.
It was strange knowing that he would do well to look over his shoulder constantly, but the stubborn, temperamental parts of him didn't want to care. Now that he'd found a true love in Milah and she'd joined him on his ship in Neverland, he cared even more then before – because he didn't want to be made to leave her – and less too – because he wanted to live life in every moment with her.
After years with no real emotional connection, he wanted to savor having a sense of family with Milah.
And it only got better when her son suddenly dropped onto his ship.
It was awful to be desperate, Baelfire thought listlessly, moaning as he landed sharply on smooth wood. His mother was as hustler who had abandoned him and his father eight years ago for a con-artist pirate and a life on the waters of Neverland, but after Rumplestiltskin had taken on the Dark Curse, she was still his better option. So he'd begged a spell off of the Blue Fairy that would take him directly to her. Now here he was; he could hear the commotion his falling from the sky had caused and he knew he would have to explain his appearing. He would have to explain that Rumplestiltskin had gone back on his deal when he realized what Bae meant to do, released his hand, and let him fall through the portal.
He felt tears welling up at the remembrance of his father becoming yet another person to let him go, but at the same time he could hear that he wasn't alone. He'd had the wind knocked out of him and was fading into unconsciousness, but he remained awake just long enough for Milah to recognize him and cry out his name. Relief overwhelmed him when he realized that she was glad to see him, and the world went black around him.
"You're sure the lad is Baelfire?" Killian asked, glancing between Milah and the fourteen year old passed out on the cot below deck.
"Yes!" Milah answered firmly. "I may not be the world's best mother, but I do recognize my own son – and he wouldn't be here without his father unless circumstances had forced him to be." She paused before saying solemnly, "He needs us, Killian. I know you've been getting restless; maybe this is a sign that we need to relocate to land – have a complete change – settle down and raise him right."
"That idea makes me feel as miserable as it makes you look. Staying on land I can handle, but not settling in one place; the boy has to know that. We'll wait until he's awake to talk to him, and at the very least remain at sea for a month. But you know what we are – a wanted conning pirate and a now equally wanted hustler. Being on land won't – can't – change how nomadic we are. I can adjust to keeping him with us, but raising him right… just isn't an option for us."
Milah stared thoughtfully at the teenager on the cot, gnawing on her lip before she decided, "I'll take it."
Ever since fleeing for her life from the Evil Queen, Snow White had been a thief, through and through without apology, but every once in awhile she would add a touch of dramatics to the routine for a change of pace. Quite frankly, the simple shepherd and his mother that she'd stumbled upon were going to be easy enough to steal blind, so she might as well spice it up.
"I'll flirt with the shepherd," she decided aloud with a giggle.
She was going to have a little fun with this!
Snow made sure she looked appropriately destitute – easy enough when she actually lived alone in the woods – and approached the blonde man herding sheep into a pen. "Do you have any water to spare?" she asked softly.
The shepherd jumped in surprise as he turned to look at her, saying with an easy, trusting smile – and, wow, Snow realized suddenly, he was actually gorgeous – "Yes, of course." He put away the last of the sheep and led Snow to a well, informing her, "I'm David."
"I'm Mary," Snow lied easily… or not so easily.
She'd given false identities dozens of times, but she found herself genuinely not wanting to lie to him… and wanting to see just how far she could take her flirting.
No! She was a thief, not a… a floozy. What was she thinking? Being on this farm was a mere business trip and nothing more! That was the plan; that was the only plan!
But for the first time since she'd fled at the hunter's command… she felt like herself again, she felt something for someone else, something good. From the moment David had smiled at her, her plan had completely derailed.
And it only got worse – or was it "better?" – as time went on.
Snow spent a whole week on David and Ruth's farm as "Mary," enjoying living a good life, being good… and falling in love with a shepherd whose trust she did not deserve. But by the beginning of her second week on the farm, Snow had already started to ponder staying forever. She was happy here and she could continue to be happy here… until everything was turned on its ear.