Once Upon A Time

"Are you going to kill me?" Killian demanded as the Dark One stalked towards him.

"More than likely," the Dark One said as he studied him for a few minutes, "But not today…one day though. I assure you that the dark one will pay you a visit.

It was a warning that haunted Killian for the first year and he watched his back constantly for signs that the dark one was coming for him. He could handle it out on the sea because he had his ship to focus on but when he was on land it was worse. When he was on land, he had vicious nightmares that the Dark One would be standing at the foot of his bed with a dagger waiting to slash his throat.

Rum tasted like ash…the pleasant company of women was…more tedious and tiresome than it normally was when they attached themselves to him after he got what he wanted.

All because of some little wench who chose to leave and put herself in danger. Why should a powerful Dark One care about her and her family? Surely there were other men to manipulate into whatever it was he wanted. Why should some henpecked husband from the front lands make the slightest bit of difference?

The first two years passed and nothing happened. By the fifth year; he was telling the story of the Dark One and how he'd been spared because he was forgotten about. The story spread, he was sure. They had ways of doing that on the lonely ports with nothing else to do but to get drunk and outdo the other seamen with stories.

Then one day…thirteen years after it happened, a Dark One remembered hearing a story similar to that one the day he tried to get a magic bean from a dealer and the dark being inside him recognized the captain for his job in keeping Dagian from returning home.

And while Rumpelstiltskin hated to keep appointment originally designed by Zoso, this one took priority.

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Killian knew who Rumpelstiltskin was the minute that he laid eyes on this new Dark One.

So that's what the other one wanted. Interesting. Well he supposed that it made sense; Dagian might've talked him out of whatever happened that inspired him to take up the new title. He wasn't sure, but he'd heard that wives were like that.

And now it was time to have a visit paid to him and Zoso's words made sense.

Zoso wasn't going to deal with him. He was going to let the abandoned husband do so.

Rumpelstiltskin circled him and sized him up, "How did Dagian enjoy her stay?"

He knew that wench was why the Dark One was visiting but he felt his blood run cold all the same. Instead of showing his weakness however, he shook his head and feigned an innocent smile, "Who?"

Rumpelstiltskin gave him a mocking smile back, "More than happy to dig the memory out for you but…it can get really messy."

Killian swore that if he got out of this, he'd never attack beggars again, "I never put my hands on her."

Both knew that was a lie. Killian tried not to think about the comments he made, the little touches that he knew irritated her, the little pet names…and most of all, he tried not to think about that kiss he forced on her when she grew depressed after her failed escape attempt.

The dark one seemed to know the details of their little…stay together as well because his gaze darkened. He casually looked at his fingernails, "You kidnapped my wife."

"To be fair…I was hired to. Take it up with the man that hired me."

"I have. He's dead."

Killian swallowed nervously, "What do you want?"

The Dark One continued to look at his clawed nails, "I've been taught for years that when another man tries to hurt a man's wife then it's his duty to fight for her honor if she cannot defend herself."

"I already fought her other boyfriend," Killian smirked. If he was going to die then he was going to do so without fear.

"No actually…Filib fought for the right to take her off your ship. I'm fighting for her honor. Which you can hardly argue against if you are truly a man of respect like you claim you are."

He was going to drag this out, wasn't he?

The Dark One gave Killian no time to argue, "Not now though. Tomorrow at dawn. I am not a cruel man. Get your affairs in order. Also, you can spend tonight knowing, it will be your last. Maybe I am cruel. And don't think about trying to escape. Because I will find you, and I will gut your entire crew like a fish."

Killian paled. Call him a sick man…call him a disgusting man with no standards but his crew was his family. Especially the ones that raised him and served under his father.

And if this Dark One was going to defend the wife's honor then Killian was going to defend his crew's.

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Killian went to face the Dark One knowing full well that he was most likely going to die.

And as he fought the Dark One and the Dark One cheated using his magic to get Killian's sword from him and then he Killian's substitute sword out of his hand. Within the first two minutes of fighting.

"Do you know what it's like?" the Dark One taunted, "To have your wife being used as a pawn against you. It's like your hands are bound and you have no control. In fact…I'll show you."

Pain seared his wrist…an imaginable pain that brought a scream from Killian's throat. He looked down through tears of agony and saw with terror that his hand was how lying on the ground. Rumpelstiltskin smirked and picked the hand off the road. He tucked it in his cloak and sneered in Killian's direction as Killian struggled to stop the bleeding.

Was he honestly taking his hand as a trophy?

There was a puff of purple smoke and the Dark One was gone.

Killian struggled to his feet and struggled to the docks.

He needed to get to this ship.

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Killian knew that something was wrong the second he stepped on the plank and realized that his ship was a little too quiet. They were docked, yes but he left guards up for a good reason and he never let the ones that fell asleep easily guard the boat on this side of the sea.

There was something sticky on his boot when he stepped on there and when he lit a lantern he saw that James's body was sprawled next to this foot. Killian jerked away and saw through the light that his crew was lying dead…side by side. Oh, not all the crew…there were some missing. It only took Killian a second to realize that every one that was dead were the men that he inherited as a crew from his father. The men that had raised him.

Killian felt his stomach clench and he felt as if he was punched.

"No," He whispered and cursed, "No, no, no."

He was going to kill that Dark One. Even demons could be killed and he was going to find a way….

There was a bean in his pocket…he (Hopefully) had a prisoner in the secret part of the hold that still that could get him what he needed.

He would find another crew…

Probably wouldn't be hard for the hiring. After all, there had to be eight people here that could run a ship and wanted to live for centuries.

And they said you could fly in Neverland too.

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Present Day

Dagian stared frozen at the blue eyes that stared across from her from the living room, blocking her access from the front door.

The pirate hadn't changed much from the memories she just had. He still had the cold blue eyes that were masked with empty promises of passion and lust and his smile was charming at first but upon a deeper look it was certainly the same malicious mocking vicious smile that he had when he spent time with her.

"Oh Dagian," he said and let his eyes travel over her, "Still lovely to look at in that cold …ice queen way of yours."

Her kitchen was to her back, her kitchen knives…if she could get to them….

Killian would tackle her before she could close her hands over the weapon. He'd slam that hook in her neck and kill her then or worse yet, she'd be left bleeding out on the floor.

He tilted his head in curiosity, "How did you live for so long?"

"Good anti-aging cream," she said and felt her back hit the wall when he took a step towards her.

"I suppose that your dalliances with the dark one are probably what got you to still be alive today," He said and gave a faux pout, "I can't believe you picked him over me. Was it a power thing? Tell me it was at least a power thing, love."

Dagian said nothing.

"Or the fact that you had his son once?"

Dagian looked up sharply.

"Oh, I Know about that," he said with a smirk, "Your husband inadvertently put me in contact with someone who could me get hard-to-find people and things who figured it out…you should know him in this world…his name is Smee. And the things he told me he'd heard about the Dark One's wife…well…I blushed. Which is a big deal for me. I suppose it does rather fit. You seem to have a walking target on your back...and when Smee told me about how the Dark One had a wife that he just forced back to his side and a son…well…it all fell into place."

He took another step forward and then stopped when he heard something.

The baby was crying. Dagian felt the blood drain from her face as she saw him smile.

"Well now," he said and turned to the noise, "isn't that interesting. I thought she was the child of your cravat wearing friend…"

Dagan didn't know what came over her then, but the minute his attention was placed on her daughter, she flew into a rage. She raced at him before she even knew what she was doing and threw herself over on him. He tried to slash her with his hook but she blocked it and slammed her fist as hard as she could against his nose.

He grabbed her by her hair and slammed her face against the table. Stars exploded in front of her eyes but she recovered and pulled herself up. Her hand closed on her purse strap as she jumped on him and wrapped it around his neck.

He was in the same house as her daughter…

He grabbed the strap with his hand and moved backwards so that her back slammed into the corner of an end table. Dagian screamed in pain and loosened her grip. The captain turned grabbed her by her neck and shoved her backwards against the wall, "Oh how I've missed this little cat and mouse game we used to play. But unfortunately, to business…it's high time you return to your second home…"

Dagian grabbed the lamp on the end table and slammed it across his face. He stumbled, released his grip and Dagian shoved him away and ran up the stairs. If she could get into the nursery and get to her daughter then she could barricade herself in and either climb down with her child from the porch roof or scream out the window until someone came.

The former was riskier but if she didn't climb down then she worried that he'd kill her and the baby before someone heard.

Dagian slammed up the stairs and heard her attacker give chase. Unfortunately, her centuries of sleeping and her 28 years of being awake and in one place and a content housewife had made her a bit slower than what she used to be. The captain caught up with her by the time she hit the top step and before she knew what happened, a sharp pain hit her back. Tears filled Dagian's eyes at the agony and she screamed. She tried to move but the hook that she now realized was in her back was now deeper.

The captain used his good hand to twist in her hair. He used both to pull her terrified sobbing body closer to him, "I'll put the hook deeper in if you continue to struggle, there are several important things located in one's back, love. Don't make me hurt you and I really don't want to hurt your baby. But I will if you make me."

"I can't make you do anything," she whispered with clenched teeth.

"We could argue that all day but I have things to do." He whispered in her hair. She shuddered at the feel of his breath, "I need you to come with me back to the boat…"

"I'm not going with you."

"Then I need you to tell me what your husband's weakness is," he released her hair and his good hand went to her waist, "Your husband has another woman on his arm, surely that must anger you."

"Just kill me," she whispered, "I'm not telling you anything."

"I'll kill your daughter," he threatened.

The threat sent a jolt of anger through her and she slammed her heel between his legs. He choked out a cry and she pulled away. The hook ripped through her skin. It hurt but it could be ignored for now. He threatened her daughter's life. She turned and kicked him hard enough to send him down the stairs.

Before he hit the bottom, she braced against the wall and raced to the nursery. She slammed the door closed and pushed the bookshelf in front of it.

Lily was still crying but definitely not as hard as Dagian was.

Dagian threw the window open and picked up her baby, "It's okay, Lily. It's okay; we're just going outside for a bit."

She crawled on the porch roof, as far away from the window as she could. The action immediately drew the curious gazes of people passing by. Dagian was certain that she heard her backdoor slam but she wasn't going to go back in that house and risk it.

In the end, it was James or Charming or whatever his name was that came out on the porch roof with her. He didn't understand her through her tears but he convinced her that this was no place for a baby and she needed her back looked at.

He helped her through the window; he had offered to hold Lily so she could climb through but she refused. Lily was her daughter and she was now under threat. Dagian wasn't going to let anyone hold her daughter that wasn't herself.

Jefferson was in the crowd when Charming escorted her out. Dagian was shaking but the minute she felt her boyfriend touch her face and say her name, she looked up. She wanted to say she felt safe when she looked at his horrified eyes but she couldn't.

"Dagian," he whispered, "Let me have the baby."

She held her daughter tighter, "No, it's too dangerous."

"Dagian."

She looked at him, "He was here."

The blood drained from Jefferson's face, "That's impossible."

"It's not, he was in the house."

Jefferson hesitated and then nodded, "I'll follow behind the ambulance."