The Life We Left Behind

We almost had it all

8 years ago, New Enchanted Forest, Tiana's castle

He stretched in the lavish armchair by the fireplace and inhaled the delicious smell of his best friend and most faithful companion, his bottle of rum, before taking a long sip. He tried to keep his alcohol consumption to a minimum to make sure he never went back to his previous, despicable self, but after today, he deserved a drink, and more than one.

He closed his eyes and let his mind wander, saw Gothel's shocked, angry face in front of him which made him chuckle to himself, saw his little girl Alice, his starfish, and his heart grew heavy for a second. A familiar voice ripped him from his thoughts and he opened his eyes.

„You're here! I was wondering why there was still a fire burning down here." She walked over in her expansive and delicately ornamented gown and went to sit in the chair opposite of him.
„Don't get me wrong, Your Majesty, but I still can't quite get used to this new style of yours. Those princess fairy pastel colors don't suit you. I much preferred you in black leather pants."
She kept her friendly smile as she replied: „Who would have thought! Luckily for the both of us, the day I take fashion advice from a pirate is yet to come... Anyhow, I owe you thanks for helping Zelena to save my niece. She told me she couldn't have done it without you."
He waved it off, almost bashfully. „It was nothing. A sweet little lass, that girl. Smart and bold, too bold for her own good."
Regina nodded. „She's taking much after her father..."
„To be honest, I'm quite surprised you care so much about that girl. She may be your niece, but... she's also the daughter of the man you loved with another woman. Your sister. Henry told me about it. And I can't imagine how much that must sting."
„Indeed. Every day, so thanks so much for bringing it up!" she snapped at him, then added, „Either way, her father is gone. The least I can do for him now is help watch over his daughter. In the end, it's the girl's fault least of all. Here's one thing I've learned: holding a grudge against her won't change a thing, it'll just make me miserable."

„That is very true. And as for my humble self... I'm just a tad disappointed I didn't get to kick Gothel into oblivion once and for all in the process."
„Don't be. What did I just say: revenge is not going to keep you warm at night. It's your daughter you should focus on. Not her mother."
„Mother... as if", he scoffed and almost spat out that word before raising his bottle to his lips to take another sip of rum when she stopped him mid motion with a wave of her hand.
„It is customary in a castle like this for a gentleman to offer a lady a drink."

All of a sudden, two beautiful chalices appeared on the table in front of them.
„Aye... how neat", he said, while filling them up with rum, „And here I was thinking you don't drink rum."
„You're right, I don't. Usually. But I guess, today marks a special occasion that's worth celebrating."
They raised their glasses and drank.
„You know... despite the questionable fashion sense and the guyliner, which for some reason your kind just cannot keep your hands off of, you might actually be my favorite Captain Hook so far!"
„Is that so? I thought you must have been thick as thieves with my Storybrooke version?"
She scoffed: „Please! Pretty eyes and a cute butt maybe, but not the brightest candle on the cake. And way too careless and helpless for my taste! Without Emma and the rest of us he'd long be shark bait. We had to save his skin more often than I can count."
„You think I have a cute butt?", he couldn't suppress a cheeky grin.
She just shot him a disapproving look, then added quietly: „And... I still can't quite forget that he got to return from the dead while Robin didn't."
He nodded sympathetically. „For what it's worth, you're also my favorite Evil Queen."

„You knew the one in your realm?"
„Aye. Most certainly."
„How was she?"
He made a face. „I don't know. Annoying, but I guess that's part of the package. She came to me begging to help her get out after she had been defeated by Snow White and Prince Charming. She never got to cast her curse. That's where it all went wrong."
„Ugh", Regina looked honestly disgusted, „Failure, defeat and mediocrity, wherever she is now, it reeks until here. Your other version is not THAT bad, at least! It's just that I prefer men who can fight for themselves. Emma... love made him soft."
„So his fault is being in love and my advantage is that I'm miserable, desperate and lonely? Much like yourself, if I may say so."
„I'm not miserable, desperate and lonely!", she objected, but she didn't do a very good job at making it sound convincing.
„Well, all those snarky remarks you've given me so far in the few minutes since you sat down would suggest otherwise! You haven't been with anybody since Robin Hood, if I'm not mistaken? And that was what, 18 years ago? Henry said so... I take it you loved him very much."
She swallowed hard and nodded. „I did."
„Hurts like hell, don't I know about it..."
„Milah?"
„Aye."
She sighed. „Once you've lost love, it's not easy to keep believing that you will ever love again."
„Do you?"
„I don't know. I guess I have to. I've lost love once before Robin and thought I could never love again, but then... Though the question is not whether I will love again but whether I even want to."
„Why wouldn't you want to?"
„Is that a serious question? You've lost Milah, you're still grieving her, and much longer ago, you know what it feels like. I've done it twice now. No desire to go through it a third time."