"There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." – Oscar Wilde

XXX

She liked it here.

She liked the smell of rum and sweat and salt air. She liked the way everything gently swayed underneath her. She liked the warmth of the bed. But most of all she liked the man lying in the bed beside her. Maybe she even loved him. For a moment she imagined making this her life. Traveling the seas with him, having adventures, fighting, taking whatever you wanted and not caring about what was right. Always traveling to some new port, never knowing what danger might be waiting for you just over the horizon. And best of all… all her nights would be spent here, with him.

She wanted it. Wanted it so very, very much. To just leave it all behind and live only for herself. She wanted to forget the misery of her existence and just start over. She spent another minute imagining it. Then she tossed aside the blankets and slipped out of bed to begin putting her clothes back on. She tried to be quick and quiet, but she still woke him.

"Where are you going love?"

"Home," she answered and continued to dress.

He reached out with his right hand and took her wrist, forcing her to momentarily stop. "It's early yet, come back to bed."

Milah shook her head. "The sky's already beginning to lighten, it's almost dawn."

"You don't need to go back," he tried to pull her once more into the bed.

She shook his hand off and began to sinch up her dress. "I have to go Killian."

He sat up in bed. "No you don't. Milah, I'm leaving with the tide today. You can come with me. We can be together."

She waited until her clothes were all neatly in place before turning around to look at him. Gods he was so handsome! So full of life and fun! He was everything she wanted. "I can't. I want to, I truly do, but I can't."

"Why not? Don't tell me you actually feel sorry for that cripple."

"Rumple? You think I'd stay for him?" She actually laughed. "If it were only him I'd leave with you today and forget this place. But he's not the only one in my life."

"Your son."

She nodded. "I can't abandon him. What sort of mother would do that?"

Killian paused then. She was glad to see him hesitate. He had a fearsome reputation, but a good heart in spite of it. The fact he didn't let the matter drop showed he wasn't completely noble though. "We could take him with us. He could serve as cabin boy. What boy doesn't dream of living aboard a pirate ship?"

"No. A pirate's life for me, but not for my son. I don't want this for him, I want him to grow up somewhere safe."

"World's a dangerous place love, no guarantee he'll stay safe here either."

"I know, but some are more dangerous than others," she leaned in and gave him a long and passionate last kiss. "Goodbye, my handsome captain."

"Milah…"

She hurried out of his cabin before she lost her resolve.

XXX

The sun still wasn't up by the time she made it back to the wretched little hovel that she called a home. Milah wasn't surprised to find her husband up, spinning at his wheel. She was willing to admit that he did work very hard to try and provide for them. He was weak and a coward and she loathed him, but he was at least hard working. Rumple stopped and looked up at her with those sad, pathetic eyes of his. She expected him to begin weeping. Milah closed the door and stood her ground.

After a moment he lowered his gaze. "Bae is still asleep."

"I'll make breakfast then."

He quietly nodded and started spinning again. As she began to cook Milah thought about Killian and the Jolly Roger and what might have been.

XXX

She held her son and gently patted the top of his head. "It will be all right Baelfire, it will be all right."

"That's right boy, it will," the soldier said. "They'll toughen you up at the front, make a real man of you."

"Please don't take him," Milah pleaded. "He's just a boy!"

"He's old enough to hold a sword. Besides, it's the king's orders."

"Where is poppa? Why isn't he here?"

He is a coward and ran away again. Milah thought. Rumple had sworn he would protect Baelfire, but what could a cripple like him do against five armed men and the Dark One? Though she had nothing but contempt for her husband she knew how much her son still loved him, despite the shame he'd brought on all of them. Her son was about to be taken from her, so she decided to give him what comfort she could.

"I'm sure your father will be here soon. You know how much he loves you."

"If he wants to say goodbye to the boy he'd best hurry. As soon as our master arrives we go."

A moment later a hooded figure walked out of the wood and towards them.

"Looks like old hobblefoot will have to write you his farewells," the man grabbed Baelfire by the arm and began to drag him away.

"No! Don't take him!" Milah cried.

"Momma!"

"Take your hands off my boy."

The man stopped and turned back around to stare at the figure who approached him. "Who?"

The hooded figure had a dagger in his right hand. In a flash he ran up to him and drove it into the man's heart. The other men were caught by surprise, but tried to draw their swords. The cloaked person cut them all down with his dagger. Milah and her son stood and watched as five men were murdered right in front of them.

Then the figure turned in their direction.

Mila squeezed Bael as tightly as she could to her chest, certain the two of them were about to die. "Please," she begged. "Please don't hurt us."

"What's wrong? I just saved our son, and I'll never let anyone hurt either of you."

The voice was one she knew. "Rumple?"

"Poppa?"

He pulled down his hood. His skin had a greenish tint to it and she saw his teeth were rotten, but it was her husband. He was smiling at her, and his eyes had a wild shine to them.

"What's happened to you?" Milah asked fearfully.

He glanced down at the bloody knife in his hand. "Something wonderful. I'm not a coward anymore Milah, I'm not afraid of anything."

She could feel her son trembling, but she nodded and forced herself to smile back at him.