Enchanted Forest, centuries past:

The Dark One just couldn't resist the chance to toy with people, especially those who had humiliated him as poor, cowardly Rumplestiltskin. So when he found himself unoccupied while waiting for Smee to produce the promised magic bean and happened to run into a familiar crew of pirates, what followed was almost inevitable.

Outside the tavern, his clothes smoothly transformed into a beggar's rags and he stooped over, feigning feebleness. Let's see if the high-and-mighty Captain is still as arrogant as he used to be. The Dark One told himself that this was a morality lesson—if it turned out that the Captain was now kind and polite to those less fortunate, then the Dark One would allow him to go on his way in peace. Any harm that befell the pirate from this encounter would be his just desserts for his arrogance and cruelty towards a helpless beggar. In hindsight, Rumplestiltskin knew better—no matter how the Captain might have reacted when the 'beggar' jostled him, the Dark One would have found some fault to punish. The Dark One did not forgive humiliation. And besides, the Captain was his most convenient route to the one he really wanted to hurt: Milah.

As it happened, the brash young pirate was just as arrogant and high-handed as the last time they'd met, pushing the 'beggar' around and mocking his appearance. The Captain's expression as the Dark One revealed himself was gratifying. To the Captain's credit, he didn't crumble or grovel as he realized the implications of the Dark One being his lover's abandoned husband and a man he had humiliated. Hmm...the pirate's talk of courage wasn't mere bluster after all. For the first time, Captain Jones captured Rumplestiltskin's attention in his own right. After all, integrity was the deal-maker's stock-in-trade. Rumplestiltskin had encountered a lot of bold talk about courage, but very few men who lived up to that talk when facing the Dark One in the flesh. How odd that a pirate, of all people, would be one of them. Yet another reason for Rumplestiltskin to wonder about the relative character of common villagers vs. pirates...

Still, there were more interesting topics than a pirate's integrity. For example, "How's Milah?"

The Captain claimed to have no idea who he meant. Rumplestiltskin didn't believe him for a second. He'd already admitted to recognizing Rumplestiltskin, even covered by the scaly skin of the Dark One. Why would he remember a brief encounter with a cowardly villager, other than by association with Milah? Was this courage, denying the Dark One what he wanted? Or cowardice, hoping the Dark One would forget his role in taking Milah away? He pressed again.

"She's dead. Died a long time ago."

Oh. That was unexpected. And disappointing. He'd wanted Milah to suffer over what she'd done. To make her regret her actions and see the horror in her eyes. The pirate seemed regretful. Surely, he hadn't actually loved Milah? Rumplestiltskin had never imagined that. I suppose she did have a talent for wrapping men around her finger, although I wouldn't have expected such naivety or sentiment from a pirate. He shook off his distraction. There was still the matter of teaching this arrogant boy a lesson. He laid down the rules of their "duel" to be fought on the morrow before leaving the pirates. Not what he'd hoped for, but it would have to suffice.

The next day, he was again mildly impressed by the pirate's courage. Not only did he show up for his scheduled demise, rather than risking his crew in an attempt to flee, but he took the Dark One's tricks with resignation rather than fear. Indeed, it appeared he was genuinely trying to win their duel. Apparently, pirates are not immune from naivety after all, Rumplestiltskin mused. Or is that just arrogance still? Even when he knelt defeated and disarmed at the Dark One's feet, he did not plead, just waited for his death, even calmly challenging Rumplestiltskin to finish the job.

This whole encounter was turning out thoroughly unsatisfying. The Captain was exactly who claimed to be, a man of courage, integrity, and his own strange brand of honor. One who did not protest Rumplestiltskin making sport of him in the same way he had made sport of Rumple in the past, but accepted it as fair turnabout. There was nothing amusing or satisfying about killing him. Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath, summoning up all his ire at Milah's betrayal and his former powerlessness, and focused that pent-up rage at the only target available. Killing a man with his own sword was an amusing punishment for a swordsman's arrogance, not the destruction of Rumplestiltskin's family. It wasn't...personal enough. No, tearing out his heart was more appropriate. His hand plunged into the Captain's chest and he was finally rewarded with an cry of pain from the pirate.

And that's when Milah appeared. Alive and well and begging him to spare the pirate. The Captain wanted her to run and save herself. Oh my god. The stupid boy does love her. So his earlier refusal to talk about Milah had been courage, an attempt to protect her. And she spoke as if she loved him as well. How disgusting! Rumplestiltskin would enjoy killing him after all, if only to see Milah hurt.

First, she had a deal to propose—the magic bean for their lives. In the end, it was for naught. Rumplestiltskin got his revenge: Milah's heart, crushed in his hand. The pirate looked genuinely heartbroken. Rumplestiltskin was almost sympathetic, although he told himself that he was really doing the pirate a favor, saving him from the inevitable greater heartbreak of finding out it was all a lie. Rumplestiltskin, too, had once believed Milah loved him. He knew better now.

Naturally, the Captain did not see it that way. He was grief-stricken and angry, daring the Dark One to kill him, but Rumplestiltskin no longer had any particular desire to see him dead. Milah was dead; that was enough. Killing the pirate wouldn't hurt her any further, and Rumplestiltskin found him rather interesting. He did want the magic bean the pirate was holding, and he certainly couldn't let people think the Dark One was going soft...Very well, let them think I'm sparing him a punishment rather a mercy. The hand holding the bean is all I need. The Dark One's magic even cauterized the wound, so the pirate would not bleed to death, and set it well on the path to healing.

Rumplestiltskin wasn't surprised when the Captain responded by trying to stab him. His courage and determination were what piqued Rumplestiltskin's interest in the first place. They wouldn't be enough, of course. His bold claims of figuring out how to kill the Dark One in revenge were as absurd as they were admirable. It was like a minnow vowing to kill a whale.

Rumplestiltskin vanished, letting the hook clatter to the deck, fully expecting that to never meet the troublesome pirate again...

Storybrooke, present day:

That stubborn, thick-skulled, overly-romantic, overly-ambitious, blasted pirate! He'd tried to kill Rumplestiltskin in the Enchanted Forest. Multiple times, in fact. Rumplestiltskin had patiently and tolerantly let all the attempts go without reprisal. He had killed the woman Hook loved, after all. He'd actually been impressed by the creativity of several attempts. But now the pirate had crossed a line. He'd threatened Belle, an innocent in this conflict, and stolen the Gold's only link to Baelfire. He'd die to protect his crew. He'd die to protect Milah. But he'd threaten an innocent girl just to hurt me? Apparently the "noble" Captain isn't so noble after all. No more mercy. Gold swung his cane down hard.

End