Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its lovely characters!

Part I

the princess & the pirate

maybe we could be the start of something,

be together at the start of time.

Chapter 1 - A Fairy's Promise.

"So… What do you wish to get for your birthday, sweetheart?" Snow's voice resounded against the large room's walls, making Emma's head shot up from the book she had been reading.

"What?" she mumbled distractedly, eyes finding her mother, who sat on the opposite side of the rounded table, scribbling down a letter.

"I said," Snow emphasized on the words, eyes still not raising from her task as she repeated herself, "What do you wish for your birthday, Emma?"

"Oh." Emma had been expecting the question to pop in any moment now; even though her birthday would not be until a few weeks from now, she'd always find her parents planning gifts and celebrations ahead of time.

So, every year they'd ask for her heart's desire, happy to oblige and please their only heir.

She could remember asking for storybooks at the age of six. A pony at the age of nine. A sword – it provoked a shared, surprised glance between her parents, to then make Charming burst into chuckles, claiming with pride: I told you she'd be a fighter! – at the age of twelve.

And then she was about to turn fifteen, and as her mother braided her blond hair, she'd asked: What do you want your father and I to get you this year?

And that year, Emma hesitated. She thought back to all the fine dresses she had, the precious jewels that adorned her neck and ears and fingers. She could turn to every corner of her room to see it filled with little treasures she'd gathered over the years, from her parents and friends and even from royalties of neighboring lands, wanting to pay homage to the princess.

She thought of her family, loving and wonderful, and all their friends that were just as kind.

And she wondered, what could possibly be missing in her life?

So, after a few moments of thinking, she had turned to her mother with a smile, and spoken, "I already have all I could wish for, mom."

So now, four years later, she repeated the words, causing Snow to finally raise her head from her task, rolling her eyes slightly, "You say that every year."

"And you still ask," Emma replied as she let out a soft chuckle.

"Emma, how can I not ask?" Snow continued, eyes brightened by the usual love and kindness that filled her gaze. "Our only daughter will be turning nineteen. It's not an event that can go by unnoticed."

The words made Emma roll her eyes with amusement. As of that moment, invitations were being sent throughout the kingdoms, decorations were being planned and new dresses for the queen and princess being sawn for her birthday. She wasn't sure if the word unnoticed could ever be applied to any of her birthdays.

"I'm sure it won't go by unnoticed. That's what the ball is for," Emma said, offering her mother a sweet smile. "Don't worry, mom. I'm as happy as I can be."

She believed herself to be happy, yes.

But there were times –

Like later that afternoon, as she halted from her daily ride right at the end of the bridge that joined her home with the forest, and couldn't help but sigh at the sight of green; so many large trees she could surely spend a lifetime counting them and yet she would not come close to finishing the task.

Or in the mornings, when she opens the doors to her balcony to get that extra sunshine into her bedroom – and couldn't help but contemplate the sky and sea right outside her room.

Two large blues greeting each other, and she couldn't help but feel a lot smaller.

Like she was just a little dot among the great and wide unknown. Deep down, she strongly dreamed she could be more than that.

Usually, her days went the same way.

She would spend an awfully long time reading; while it was her responsibility, study and gather information to one day be a ruler as wise as both her parents are, she had long ago realized that it was more a pleasure than a duty to her.

An escape, of sorts.

She did love her family and her life, but every now and then that the tall walls of the castle would become quite intimidating to her. Reading took her away from them, to far-off lands she'd never had the pleasure of knowing.

While geography books had already been covered in dust in the castle's library, history turned out to be her favorite subject to read. She would devour all the stories of the heroes and the adventures that led her kingdom to be what it now was. She would giggle and grin at the most recent books, which would already include bits and pieces of Snow and David's story. Those books, however, were nothing compared to hearing the story from her parents themselves.

A couple of days a week, Emma and David would spend hours at the courtyard, charging and swinging their swords at each other until the sun began to set. She was a princess, yes, but her father had been determined to teach her how to defend herself since she'd gotten old enough.

A lot of times Snow would sit by the grass and watch, laughing out loud whenever her daughter bested the king.

"Oh, so you're laughing now, eh, Snow," had once said David between deep breaths, sweat running down his forehead. Emma had crashed to the ground as soon as the fight was over; grass tickling her skin as she caught her breath, "Perhaps you'd like to challenge me now."

Another giggle left the queen's mouth, "Careful what you wish for, my love."

So, a couple of moments later, when father and daughter were well rested and back to practicing, they failed to notice Snow's absence – that is until David heard a familiar swoosh of air that had his reflexes kicking in and making him duck; an arrow flying a couple of inches above where his head used to be.

"So, how about that challenge?"

Snow looked smug, trying to keep at bay an amused smile, bow firmly held on her left hand. While Emma was in many things like her mother, this was a skill she did not inherit. It took Snow many tries to make Emma even get close to hitting a target before they'd both decided it was best for Emma to just focus on sword-fighting.

Snow, on the other hand, could hit any target, even with her eyes closed.

David stared at his wife dumbfounded, and silence surrounded them until finally Emma let out a snort, unable to contain the laughter; it sent Snow down that same path, and while David tried his best to keep a straight face, it didn't take him long enough to crack up as well.

"You got me there, darling," he said between laughs, and Emma didn't miss the way his eyes lit up and sparkled as he locked eyes with his wife.

Like she was the only woman in the world for him.

Like she was his world.

Looking at them sometimes made her wonder if someday she'd be looked at by someone the same her father did to her mother.

The days when her father didn't have time for another practice and reading was just not enough entertainment, Emma would try to go visit her friends.

Truth was, her childhood had been lonely sometimes. She didn't have any siblings to play with, and she'd never really known kids her age. Pinocchio had often been around, still growing up they were always on different mindsets – back when she was six and all she wanted to do was run around and play, he was already hitting puberty, and was clearly not interested in the games the young princess begged for.

It was only when festive days came, and kings and lords and princesses came from all over the lands to throw balls and celebrate, that Emma found herself making friends and playing games with other princes and princesses more close to her age. They would visit her castle for a few days, in which Emma felt she had the most fun of all the year. Then they would go back to their lands, only to come back the next year a little taller, and more grown-up.

The one princess who'd come most around her castle was a dark-haired girl, a few inches shorter than her despite being older for a couple of years. Belle would come two or three times a year to visit, as both girl's parents had stuck alliance a few years back, to join forces during the Ogre's war. As the years passed, they'd come close to each other, finding they had more in common than they believed at first.

Years had gone by since the last time they'd seen each other in person, yet Emma felt glad that every now and then a letter would arrive, signed by her.

So now, a lot of times Emma would just end up hanging out with her parents' friends – though, honestly, they were all like family. She'd invite Jiminy into her room, tell him her worries and allow him to whisper bits of advice into her ears. Granny taught her how to sew and cook some of her special dishes, all while narrating tales of a younger version of herself, wild and daring and always ready for a fight.

Emma believed Red to be the most fun of them all, though. She considered her as an aunt, or perhaps even an older sister. She'd heard most of the secrets Emma kept from the world and answered the questions Emma had been too afraid to ask her parents.

She had lived her days for the past eighteen years the same way.

And usually, by the time night arrived and Emma would set the delicate crown aside on her hairdresser, it would make her feel a whole lot lighter. She couldn't quite put her finger on why, but the feeling was certainly there.

It had her wondering, as she laid on her bed, what could possibly be missing in her life?

A triumphant grin appeared on his features as he finally sets foot on land.

He was so close now, he could already see it: his sweet revenge, slowly drawn out as he made sure to capture and retain forever in his brain every second of it.

His heart sped up at the thought of it, of watching his yellow eyes become blank, void of life.

Just like Milah's had.

After hundreds of years of planning out his revenge, he was at last one step closer to it, finally free from that cursed island. He was ready to set his plan in motion, and for once, he knew just where to start looking.

You will get your happy ending.

It's so very unlike himself to be holding on still to the words of a bloody fairy. Magic, he'd always believed, never leads you anywhere; however, those magical beings were supposed to be all about truth and niceness and sparkliness, and he doubted they could even be capable of a thing such as deception.

So, he opted for taking comfort from those words, repeating them like a mantra as the image of Rumplestiltskin's heart turned to ashes by his own hand became clearer than ever.

The conversation had happened years ago. He wasn't sure how long exactly, but it could've easily been twenty or thirty years ago. When you've lived as long as he did, in a place like Neverland, time becomes like a far-off concept.

It's all the same – days and months and years.

After all, every second he's spent waiting to kill the Dark One felt like an eternity to him.

It was all thanks to Tinkerbell. She held a knife to his neck from the very moment they met, voice low and dangerous as she threatened to end his life.

"That's not the fairy way," he had replied just as dangerously, and even though she was still firmly pressing the knife against his skin, he knew she wouldn't harm him. He was able to see right through her; she's a fairy, and he was certain that murder wasn't even a concept known to those kind and selfless beings. He appeared to be right as, after a couple of seconds, the blonde girl hesitated. He added, sharply, "Shouldn't you help me get my happy ending?"

Tinkerbell pulled back just the slightest, and he was able to hear the conflict in her voice. "I was a fairy, but my wings were taken away. I can't help you."

He scowled; in that very moment, it seemed like everything pointed at him being doomed to eternally remain stuck in that bloody island, away from his revenge. Perhaps it was cosmic punishment, to make him pay for the hundreds of evil deeds he'd done in his life.

Much to his surprise, after feeling the fairy hesitate for a moment, she took the knife away from his throat, placing it back into her belt, and sighed. "I can lead you to someone who can, though."

And so she did. She led him through the dense forest for quite a while, and he followed closely behind her, observing her as she seemed to be always looking at the ground, like trying to find something hidden at their own feet.

"Here!" she exclaimed in a sudden halt of her walking, kneeling to the ground quickly to brush her hands against the dirt in front of her.

Killian couldn't help but just stand back and stare, squinting his eyes to try to see whatever she was suddenly so entertained with, to then have disbelief plastered all over his features, as he came to a realization: "A fairy ring?"

She looked up at him, and explained: "There are more ways to contact a fairy than just wishing upon a star."

Tinkerbell was quick to place her attention back on the ground, and Killian's eyebrows raised as he watched her mouth move, mumbling words he couldn't really catch.

And then, a flash of bright blue light blinded him for a second, and out of instinct, he pulled up his good hand to protect his eyes from the light. After a couple of blinks, he found the bright light to have been replaced now by a tiny, sparkly woman; dressed in all blue and batting her wings as she floated right in front of their faces.

He swore he'd never been in a situation as ridiculous as this one, but he reminded himself that desperate times required desperate measures.

"Green," the fairy greeted Tinkerbell, as the taller woman stood from the ground.

"Blue." Tinkerbell nodded back at her, and Killian didn't miss the way she had suddenly tensed up at the older fairy's presence.

"Why have you called me here?"

"He… He wants help getting his happy ending," Tinkerbell began to explain, turning her face to him for a brief moment, and then looking back at the fairy. "I thought you might–"

"Have you already forgotten our rules, Green?" Blue inquired sternly, cutting her off.

Tinkerbell doubted for a second.

"I know, but I… I wish to believe whether they be heroes or villains, everybody deserves a shot at a happy ending."

Blue's lips then pursed into a thin line. "Very well, but still – we can only serve people of pure heart. And his heart…"

And for the first time since she'd appeared, the blue fairy stared directly at him. Her face seemed tainted with something that resembled disappointment, and for some reason, it had Killian growing anxious – which was bloody ridiculous, having that she was a five-inch-tall sparkly lass. Still, it felt like she could see right through him; see his heart, dark and rotten, thumping against his ribcage.

She turned her face back to Tinkerbell. "It is filled with darkness."

"You know, I'm right here, actually," Killian scowled, annoyed at the tone in which the fairy spoke of him, and then added, more to himself. "I should've known it was stupid to try to get help from bloody fairies."

The blue fairy seemed unfazed by his words, and for the first time in the conversation, she addressed him. "So tell me, Captain; what is it that your heart desires? And please, do be honest."

He was certain it was some sort of trick question.

"A way out of this island," Killian began, yet the look the fairy gave him said she wasn't satisfied with his answer, so he added, with a bit more honesty, "to kill the dark one."

Silence followed right after, as Blue seemed to be absolved in deep thought for a couple of seconds, before nodding. "Are you certain that's what you want? What'll bring happiness to your life?"

"Aye," he responded with a nod. "It's what's kept me going all of these years."

Blue didn't seem convinced. He understood her hesitation; as pure beings fairies are, they're unable to comprehend feelings like hatred. To them, the idea of a happy ending being brought by revenge is inconceivable, but to him, it's all he has.

Family. Love. Any chance of a happy future. It had all been stripped away from him, leaving him with nothing but unhealing wounds and bitter feelings.

Would killing the crocodile make it all better? He wasn't sure. Perhaps he was bound to die trying, and he would embrace that fate entirely. It's all he's got left to live for, and if it meant dying to avenge his beloved, then he'd die a happy man.

Silence surrounded them for a few moments.

"You will get your happy ending, captain. I cannot grant you any wishes, for you're not of pure heart. But I can tell you something. A piece of information that'll help you in your journey," Blue stated with a sigh, and then continued: "You need to look for a girl, in the Enchanted Forest. You could call her a princess. She'll lead you to what you're seeking."

The statement had him raising his eyebrows in curiosity. A princess?

Still as useful as the information could possibly be, it meant nothing to him as long as he remained in Neverland.

"And how in the bloody hell am I supposed to get back to the Enchanted Forest?"

Blue scowled at the language he used. "All in due time, Captain. The moment you're meant to leave this island will be the moment where you will leave."

Killian frowned deeply, and looked back at Tinkerbell; she shrugged lightly, giving him a look that told him, 'I can't do anything about it'. It had all been just a waste of time; he was still as far from his revenge as he'd been before. He'd come looking for a way out of Neverland, and clearly, he wasn't getting anything useful out of the fairy.

"What does your information matter, if I still am stuck on this bloody island?" he asked with annoyance.

"You fear I'm wasting your time on purpose," Blue replied, unfazed by the pirate's clear disgust. "I'm not. You're still here for a reason; this girl you have to look for – she hasn't been born yet."

The words caught him off guard, making his expression turn into one of confusion.

Blue continued, "Just be patient, and you'll find the answers to all your questions. Or perhaps, the more accurate thing to say is – they will find you. Now, I must leave you both."

Blue raised the wand in her hand, ready to poof herself out of sight; yet she couldn't leave him like that. He still had questions he needed to be answered, his mind racing from the vague information he'd just gotten from the fairy.

"Wait!" Killian was quick to stop her, taking a step forward. "How am I supposed to find the lass if I don't even know her name?"

Blue hesitated; there was a sparkle in her eyes, as she still held her wand up the air. The slightest of smiles appeared on her face.

"Belle. Her name is Belle."

And there he was; thirty years later he'd finally managed to briefly get on Pan's good side, and stroke a deal with him so he'd be able to leave the land. Finally a step closer to his revenge, and he knew exactly what his next step had to be: finding that Belle girl.

He found that gathering information about the girl was easier than he believed; she appeared to be a fairly well-liked princess throughout the forest, and people more often than not were eager to speak about her fondly. While he had no idea of what her face was or what she might look like, it's not difficult to picture her – smart and beautiful and kind.

A glint of pity would often at some point graze the faces of the people he asked about her, "Poor child, struck a deal with the dark one to stop the ogres' war. They have not bothered us since, but he took her in exchange. He keeps her as a maiden in that foul castle of his."

The more he asked around throughout the days, however, he found some more useful information about her current whereabouts – lately, a couple of commoners had seen her around the forest, walking freely for the first time in years.

And while he'd spend most of his day focused on his task, when night falls he's unable to refuse himself the enjoyment he's missed ever since being stuck in Neverland. Each night, his men welcome him with drunken cheers as he enters the tavern, as they've wasted no time to spend their riches in whores and rum since the moment they'd left the ship.

A few bottles of rum later, Killian would often grab one of the girls that had sat with him during the evening, and take her to his ship.

It's pure lust, of course; just pleasure and release for him, nothing else. He can't remember any of the women he's slept with since her – he's usually too drunk to remember their faces.

And even if he were sober enough to make out their features, it still would not mean a thing.

This one has brown eyes and black hair.

And still, she was just a blank space to him.

He knows Killian Jones, a man of honor, would hate the idea – thinking of women as objects, only meant for him to succumb to his carnal desires and get him to those short seconds of bliss, where he could briefly empty his mind and just feel.

But, the thing is, Killian Jones had died an awfully long time ago.

Or at least, that's just what he wants to think – just because it's a lot easier, separating his persona into two; two different people that could never coexist with each other.

Past and present. Good and bad.

Killian Jones, the loyal lieutenant.

Captain Hook, the ruthless pirate.

It could never be that easy. He knew it, felt it in that sinking guilt, the emptiness that followed him after he crashed next to the woman, still breathless from his release.

As much as he tried to deny it, he's afraid he never will be able to fully get rid of the good, weak part of him.

He's still Killian Jones, deep down.

And so, he searches for Belle during the day, and celebrates with his crew during the night; until a couple of weeks pass, and he'd finally found a piece of information useful enough to make him gather his crew and set sail.

A couple of days later he found himself making port in another town, walking into the small tavern word said she'd supposedly last been seen at.

Killian sat on one of the stools by the bar, and asked for a glass of ale, taking a big sip of it once it was handed to him.

He didn't take long to ask the old man behind the bar about it, and as usual, the answer he got wasn't an easy one.

"Yes, I remember her. She'd paid to stay the night over one of our rooms," the man spoke thoughtfully, recalling the moment. "She didn't stay, though. Left with a couple of men – didn't say where, son, and it couldn't have bothered me enough to ask."

Killian chugged on the remains of his glass, thumping it loudly against the wooden surface. He then pulled out a small fabric filled with small golden coins, much more than what the glass of ale costs, and handed it to the elder. "If she or any of the men you saw her with come back here, let me know, aye?"

"Of course, captain," the man replied quickly, slightly cowering at the annoyed tone in the pirate's voice.

Killian exited the bar with disgust clear in his face – the lass was quickly becoming a pain in the ass to find, and while Killian believed himself to be a patient man, he'd waited two hundred years already, and his revenge being held back by a sneaky princess wasn't an idea he enjoyed.

However, he couldn't help but be somewhat amazed at the lass. Not many get away from the Dark One's claws, much less break deals with him and remain unscathed.

He understood now why Blue spoke that name to him – as Belle is probably the only person who had lived close to the dark one in very many years; if anyone had any information of where he and his dagger lies, it's her. He just needed to find her.

Blue's words echo inside his head, perhaps, the more accurate thing to say is – they will find you.

Perhaps, he thought, he just needed to wait for the right moment.

Whatever thought followed after that, completely vanished - as just right at that moment, he saw her.

She was alone, picking strawberries from a small booth, placing them in a small basket she carried in her left hand. A large part of her face was covered by the hood placed over her head, but still, from what he could see she was one of the most beautiful girls he's laid his eyes on.

He felt even if she were in the middle of the largest of crowds, he still would've seen her.

Something about her just popped out – it's almost as if she glowed, irradiating an energy that kept his eyes glued to her.

Or perhaps, it's just the fact that between her delicate looks and the flawless white robes she wore, she probably is the most expensive thing he's ever looked at.

She looked like a treasure to him.

And so, like the pirate he is, he began to move towards her.

A/N: I know nothing much is going on in this chapter, but it serves as a brief introduction for the first part of the story (which'll be divided into three parts)! Don't worry, our babes will be meeting already next chapter mwahaha.

Also, just to clear some things: while I'm going to be basing a lot of things in this fic off of OUAT canon, some details will be changed and played with just so it fits with the story. I'll be changing some of the characters' ages, just as I'll be playing with the layout of the lands and kingdoms in the EF.