So, this is a fan fiction for Once Upon A Time. I'm a huge fan of the show, and as you can tell, hopefully if you've read it, that this fic contains an OC. Dive into the story of Captain Hook and his new crime fighting team mate, Zeila. Is this woman who she says she is?

The OC is not mine, she belongs to a great friend of mine, Ava. This a collab based of a Role Play we did :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Dragon

A dark, hollow tunnel slides eerily before me. Deep and dangerous, I take a step forward to look inside. Bellows of drafted air whip me back, pushing me away from the darkness inside. I have the will to leave, but the need to vanquish the forsaken is too overwhelming to deny any longer. Orders have been given. Taking a deep breath, I step into the menacing chasm.

Clutching my sword in my palm, it's the only comfort that pushes me onward. My fingers twine restlessly around its golden handle, which lays in its scabbard, strapped to my side. I tap the handle, taking long but carefully quiet steps down through the tunnel. I was sent here to slay the beast, the dragon that taunts this town restlessly. I had heard it was once a woman, evil and dark, taking her true state as a merciless dragon. Hidden by the Queen, I was asked by none other than her majesty herself to finish the dragon off. Having been told where this beast takes rest, I was sent here to do what must be done.

Once I'm inside, I stay to the edges, looking hesitantly around. Cold and desolate, the chasm is unwelcoming at the least. I scan the rocky walls, seeing nothing but simple drips of water, which beat the ground in little patters of noise. I suppose I'm expecting a fowl-faced beast to come charging me, but nothing seems to be here. Not a slimmer of evidence proves that this cave is home to such a beast. Taking a deep breath, I step out into the emptiness.

Without warning, I hear a cascade of tumbling rocks, followed then by a heavy thud. It drives my nerves on edge, causing me to draw my sword as I pace hesitantly over to the object.

What I find shocks me. A man, shaken and weak, lays unconsciously before me. He is turned onto his stomach, his face hidden. Warily, I bend down, gently tapping his shoulder. When he doesn't answer, I worry. Clearing my throat, I begin to speak.

"Hey...are you alright?" I ask, worried that he won't reply. He suddenly gasps, sitting up and coughing. "Take it easy." I say.

"What happened?" He asks me, his dark, seafront accent ringing in my ears. He has a gentle, young face, ruggedly outlined by a raw cheek bone and subtle beard.

I gently comb back his wild hair, which has messily stuck to his forehead. "I saw you fall...from that cliff up there." I say, nodding towards the top. "From the top of the chasm."

He looks up, obviously surprised. His answer makes me smile. "Bloody hell."

I stand and help him up, taking his hand to pull him to his feet. "Are you alright? That was...quite a fall." I ask, looking warily at the slick cliff.

"I'm fine, love." He says, straightening his jacket.

Suddenly, I notice a hooked piece of metal protruding from his leather attire. I'm awestruck, but I pretend not to be. "That's good, then. Your going to have to be."

Turning away from him, I look around, my fingers still nervously wrapped around my swords's handle. I can feel the man behind me, his breath hitting my cheek. Hearing a crack, I instinctively draw my sword.

"Have anything to fight with?" I ask, gazing over my shoulder.

He slowly pulls back his jacket, revealing a sword that he draws skillfully, for a one handed man. "Don't worry about me, love." He repeats with his rugged accent.

"I won't." I reply snappily. "I don't even know you."

He comes close to me, his blue eyes penetrate into mine. "Yet." He breathes out, followed by a wink.

Rolling my eyes, I reply kidding. "Your one of those guys, aren't you?" I turn back around, looking into the darkness.

"And that, lass, depends on what you mean." He says, and I can practically hear the smirk on his face.

He's getting to me, my temper growing short. "Don't try to charm me, pirate. I hate pirates, and your no exception."

"That's funny, mate. I never mentioned I was a pirate." He says, blue eyes rocking over me.

"I can just tell. What, with your Hook? It's classic." I reply hotly.

"Anyways love, everyone loves a pirate." He smirks, quite cocky.

"I am not everyone!" I say, shoving my shoulder backwards to shoo him away.

He presses back, pushing me forward. "Oh, you most certainly aren't." His voices rolls like silk.

Annoyed, I elbow him in the ribs. "Let's see how far all that flirting gets you in the fight. I suppose you know about the beast?" I ask, looking playfully at him in pity.

Before he can answer, a sudden screech wails through the air, piercing my ears. I turn to see a horrific creature, not fully dragon, and most certainly inhuman. The pirate pushes in front of me.

"Let me handle this, lass."

I laugh. "I'm not a damsel in distress, pirate. I can handle it." I say, stepping in front of him.

"We will see about that, love." He smirks as he steps up beside me.

"Don't call me love." I say, not making eye contact with him. He's becoming a bigger threat than the beast herself.

He laughs, driving my nerves on edge. "You look like the bossy kind..." He steps up close to my face. "Love."

I turn round, practically spitting. "I just have that kind of face." I push him backwards. "Now, just stay behind me. Maybe that thing won't damage that pretty face of yours." I smirk.

The next thing I know, one hand is laid on my hip, and I'm being whipped backwards, until he is, again, in front of me. "Thanks for the concern, lass..." He breathes into my lips. "But I got this."

Growing tired of his antics, I take his only hand, twisting it around his back. "Touch me again, pirate, and you'll loose your other hand." I spit in his face, pulling his arm harder.

"How about if we get out of this alive, I get to do what I want?" He laughs, but I can see the pain in his eyes. He smirks, charming, but annoying.

I yank his arm harder, and he grunts in pain. "Keep talking like that, and I'm the only one who's getting out alive." I threaten, expecting him to finally lay off.

He winks one of his crystal blue eyes, throwing his arm out of mine and slinging me off. Suddenly, I feel a small peck on my cheek. It's daring, yet cold to the touch. My heart thumps for a moment, and I allow myself to welcome the kiss. I feel myself pulling away, but suddenly he's gone. When he backs away, he turns and walks toward the beast, sword up. "We'll see about that, love." He says. I'm so flustered and embarrassed I want to slap him, but I shake my head. I must focus on this beast.

I take a breath and charge forward, watching as the man in front of me swings wildly. His back is stiff, and his swings are off, as if he's hurting.

"Stay back, lass." He yells over his shoulder. The thing contorts forward, shaking the walls with a wail so pitched I have to hold my ears. "This beast is dangerous!" I hear him grunt under her screech.

I dive in, turning skillfully on my heels and slashing an ankle before jumping back to him. "Yea, I know."

I can see his eyes spark at my fighting skills, and I'm not surprised when he winks at me. He's impressed.

"So whats your name, love?" He asks as I jump forward again, taking a swing at the beast's hand.

"Zeila." I breathe out, jabbing at the beasts abdomen. "Now you can stop calling me love." I say jokingly, watching as he swings, barely missing her hideous face.

"Nice to meet you, Zeila." He says, handsome eyes capturing mine for a moment, before I look away hotly.

I take a jab at the fowl beast. "And I suppose I have to ask you what your name is too?" I ask, raising a brow at him.

The pirate smirks, eyes glistening. "If I get another a kiss, you get to know." He says before slicing a gaping wound in the leg of the monster.

"Not gonna happen, buddy." I answer him. Throwing my sword up, I run towards the beast fearlessly. Just before reaching her, a giant, disgusting hand flails aimlessly, knocking me through the air. It happens so fast, I have no time to react.

Everything goes black.

The world around me swirls, and I can here muffled yelling and a distinctive screech.

"Are you alright, lass?" I feel my head in defensive hands, tough but gentle.

Light flutters in, and I open my eyes to find myself in his arms. "What...what happened?" I ask, feeling queasy and stunned.

His rugged hand gently moves hair from my face, and his piercing eyes glow in the dim light around us. "Just rest a moment." He says. I feel him gently graze a palm over my forehead, and I'm suddenly award of a sharp, stinging pain.

Instinctively, I reach up to feel the gash on my head. I feel my fingers graze the top of his hand, and I pull away quickly.

"That's alright, love." He winks, laughing. I sit up, strong arms helping me balance myself. "It's not over yet." He warns. "Look."

Through the darkness, I can see a slithering life form shaking on the ground, somehow weakened. The pirate must have knocked it out.

I can feel warm liquid flow down my face, and the glow in the dark room begins to fade. I fight the dizziness away. "Let's end this, once and for all." I say, grabbing my sword from the ground and walking towards the reviving creature.

Once again, he steps in front of me. I feel him take the sword from my weakening hands. "Sit down, love. Your not able to help."

I forcefully take the sword back, yelling in his face. "I can handle it, and I need to help you with this!" I turn back towards the beast, but I'm too tired to fight the dizziness any longer. The world grows dark again, and I'm swaying back and forth in a last effort to keep my balance.

Suddenly, I feel comforting arms wrap around my waist, stabilizing me. "That's an order, mate." I can't argue as he sets me against a rock. I can barely make out his dark shape as he rips a piece of fabric from his shirt. Gently, he wraps the piece around my head, slowing the gaping wound. I want to push him away, but I allow him to help me.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, fighting by yourself?" I ask, my head pounding.

"Why, do you think I won't?" He says, turning to face the beast.

"I just don't want you to die out there." I tremble as I look over. The monster is beginning to shake, rising slowly but surely.

He turns to look back at me. "Well, if you really want to know my name, I guess I'll have to live, won't I?" He winks, his lips smirking into a self centered smile. He turns back and runs at the dragon, slicing her bloodied body quickly.

As I watch him, I wonder why I even care if he lives or not. Could it be that I really want to know his name? Or is it something else?

"Watch and learn, love." He says, leaping forward and stabbing the beast in the chest. It wails terribly, it's eyes gleaming in pain and pure hatred. The pirate twists his sword skillfully, and with one last shriek, she falls to the ground. She's dead.

I slowly stand, shakily making my way to him. Laying a hand on his shoulder, I complement him. "That was kinda of impressive." I admit as I glance from the body and back to him.

"Impressive enough for that kiss?" He smiles.

"Maybe some day." I laugh.

His lips bend into a frown. "Your bleeding through your bandage."

Bringing my hand up to feel the soaked fabric, I hold my fingers in front my face. Blood drips to the floor.

He clears his throat, ripping another shred from his shirt. "Here, let's wrap it again." He comes to me, trying to take the bandage off.

"Stop, your ruining your shirt." I shake my head. "Besides, it's only a bit of a headache." I lie. The pain is excruciating, but I don't allow it to show.

"I could always take the shirt off." He replies, a smug grin resting on his chapped lips.

I let out a small laugh, rolling my eyes. "Are you always like this?" I say, turning to exit the chasm. As I head for the tunnel, my sight goes dark and my head swims. I feel myself hit the floor once more, and then everything is lost.

I wake up to a consistent, annoying beep. My eyes flash open, bright light fuming in and making my head pound. I feel around blindly, until my eyes are adjusted enough to open comfortably. The pirate sits on the end of the bed I lay in. "What happened? Where am I?" I put my scraped hands to my forehead, feeling a new and proper bandage around my head. "How did I get here?" I say, confused and disoriented.

When I look into his eyes, it's almost as if they've changed. The blue seems brighter, friendlier, more welcoming.

"It's alright...I brought you to the hospital." He takes my hand. Its charming, but I almost pull away.

"You carried me all the way from the chasm?"

"Of course. I wasn't just going to let a lass lay dying." He smiles, scooting closer to me. "How's your head?"

I smile back. "The headache is gone." I squeeze his hand. "Thank you for doing that, you saved my life." I raise my voice, realizing he truly saved me. I could have easily died with the severity of my injury.

"I'm just glad your ok, love." He says, his voice deep. I can hear the relief in his tone, and it makes me smile.

"And I'm glad you didn't die out there, it was really brave to fight that monster alone."

"I know, I had no help at all." He winks, making me roll my eyes.

"Hey, it's not my fault someone made me sit out the rest of the fight." I playfully shove his shoulder, and he laughs. He looks to the floor, not making eye contact with me. Suddenly, he leans into me, and I feel a gentle kiss fall on my cheek.

"The names Hook. Captain, that is." He smirks.

I smile when he kisses me. "Nice to meet you, Captain." I raise an eyebrow at him. "Looks like you finally got that kiss then." I laugh, releasing his hand and rolling my fingers through my messy hair, causing it to fall in my face.

"You could have made it a little easier, Zeila." He smiles gently, sweetly brushing my hair back.

I feel strangely comforted by his gentle touch, and I let out a relived sigh. "Funny." I say. "I thought you were the type of guy who liked a challenge." I tease him, and he smirks his sea-kissed lips.

"I never said I wasn't." He leans over again, and I expect to find another kiss on my cheek. I'm ready to accept it, and I'm excited for it. But then something tackles my lips, and I can feel the heat in my cheeks and the saltiness on his lips. All at once I taste the ocean, the tang of brisk ocean winds, the shock of cool breezes from it's sun-warmed waves. I pull away, staring at him in surprise. He looks hurt, and it jabs my heart as I speak.

"Hook...I just met you today." I say, looking at him.

"I'm so sorry. You just look so much like..." He trails off, and I can hear the pain in his voice. Deep sorrow spills from his lips, and I feel bad about how I reacted to his kiss.

"I look like who?" I ask curiously, leaning towards him.

"No one." He clears his throat. "It's not important." He tries to smile, but I can tell it's fake.

I lay a hand on his back, pity pouring from my voice. "It obviously is important. Who is this person?"

He looks up at me, his blue eyes fluttering in remembrance. "It's funny, your names even sound alike. She...she was the only woman I ever loved. A man took her from me, killed her in cold blood. I watched her die..." He says, and I've never met so much sorrow in all my life. His shoulders shudder. "You just remind me of her." He smiles, his eyes meeting mine. "Hey, lay down." He lays a gentle hand on my shoulder, guiding me down.

I lay there, shocked. My heart burns with sorrow for him, and his lonely eyes. "I'm so sorry...I didn't know". I sit up, stroking his dark hair from his face. All of the sudden, i'm hugging him, and I can feel the loneliness spilling from each breath that he lets out.

"It's alright, love. I'm a pirate, I'll get over it." He says.

I keep my arms closed around him, but lean back to look into his eyes. "It doesn't sound like it. It sounds like you really loved her..." I smile gently at him. "I can't imagine what it was like to watch her die." I say, feeling the horrific words on my tongue. But this is a lie. I do know what its like to watch someone die. I shake the thought.

"You make me forget her." He says, and I can see so deeply into his eyes that I feel his soul. "I'm sorry. That was...rude." He says, looking at the floor shamefully.

I take a moment to lay my hand softly on his cheek. "It's alright Hook, you want to forget the pain of losing her. Trust me, I know what that feels like." I feel my heart pounding so loud I'm afraid he will hear it. "Just...if I do decide to be with you, can we take things slow?" My heart flutters when he looks up and our eyes meet, suddenly sharing a new understanding.

He smiles. "You'd want to be with me? With this old, bloody thing?" He says, lifting his hook into my lap. I trace my fingers over the silver, cold medal.

"This doesn't change who you are, your still a great person. You saved my life, Hook! At first, I thought you were just another heart breaker who would use me and never speak to me again..." I trail off, smiling at him. "But I was wrong."

He swallows, and his voice grows dark with regret. "I'm not a great person, Zeila. I've done..." He shifts his weight and shakes his head, sighing loudly. "I'm just glad you trust me."

The ways his eyes darkened, the way they dropped, sparks my attention. I'm suddenly nailed with thoughts of what he's done, why his eyes are so dark and regretful. I look at my lap, my voice growing small and flat. "I trust you..."

He senses my change in mood, and he frowns as my trust falls. I feel him gently lift my chin, looking at me in the eyes. "I'll tell you everything, in time. Then you can decide if I'm good or bad."

I smile weakly. "The past doesn't define you, as long as you've changed. I don't even know what you did, so I can't judge you." I sigh. As I stare at him, his blue eyes cause me to wonder about everything he regrets.

What have those eyes seen? And what do they plan to do next?