Cora, the mother of the cunning Regina Mills. Of course that's who Hook would get involved with. Yes, pirates have reputations of making risky deals, him included, but... Could he really be that naive? Did he really think that The Queen of Hearts, of all people, had his best interests at heart? This was laughable at best and disastrous at worst.

She'd managed to get her slimy hands on the compass that you (the heartless Aurora, Mary Margaret, and Mulan) needed to get back to Storybrooke. When she showed up, she held the compass out, noting that she made good on her promise to Hook; That she'd found a way to bring him to Rumplestiltskin. She was going to help him get a headstart to skin that crocodile.

Just as Hook put his hand on the compass, the portal opened, and he and Cora were ready to make their solo return to your home. Mulan threw her sword. The blade hooked into the chain of the compass, knocking it out of their hands and into the deep sand below.

With Mary Margaret's go-ahead, you started toward the two. You all needed that portal way more than a wicked witch and a smarmy bastard of a captain. Cora vowed to "take care" of the rest of you. Not happening. You picked up the sword Mulan had thrown and found yourself locked in a clash with the gothic man. The metal of the blades screeched as the edges scraped against each other. And, really, you had to hand it to him. For only having one hand, his sword work wasn't bad. At all. You began to doubt your chances at getting the compass back upon that discovery.

You dropped the sword and lunged at him. Stupid, really. He managed to catch YOU off guard and dodge the blow. He grabbed your ankle with his good hand, dragging you away from the sword. It was officially out of reach, and you were about to be at his mercy, surely.

Just as Mulan was about to land the deathblow on Cora, she disappeared in a purple plume of smoke and sparkles. As she made her grand exit, she dropped the satchel containing Aurora's heart, which was sent flying up above the portal. As it made its quick descent, you watched wide-eyed. It could NOT fall in. If it did, you'd fail Aurora, who definitely didn't deserve to be caught up in this in the first place.

Before even one more distressing thought could stumble its way into your mind, the pirate leaned back and caught the bag containing Aurora's heart by the strap, thanks to his hook.

"I may be a pirate--" He started, wrenching the bag off the metal attachment and chucking it at Mulan. " But, I bristle at the thought of a woman losing her heart." He sounded almost... genuine? "Unless it's over me." Until he didn't.

He picked his sword up once more. You echoed the sentiment, Mulan passing her sword off to Mary Margaret and beginning the trek back to Aurora. "I didn't know you had such a soft side." You extended your arm, holding the sword in front of you, on the defensive.

"I don't." Hook looked you up and down with a cruel smirk. "Looks like a fair fight." So he was outright saying you were shitty with a sword. I mean, he wasn't entirely wrong, but now was not the time for a petty spat. Metal clashed against metal again as you teed up. "Good form." He sneered, pushing hard enough to knock you back. "But not good enough."

You held the sword up toward him the second your back hit the ground. He followed you down, sliding his sword and hook down the blade. He tilted his head as he spoke, like this was just playful banter. Foreplay, even. "Normally, I prefer to do other, more enjoyable activities with a woman on her back."

You struggled to push back against him as his weight kept your back pressed to the sand. "But, with my life on the line..." He continued, leaning down so his face was just above yours. "You've left me no choice. A little word of advice?" You let go of the sword with one hand, forcing it into the sand. You felt the cold metal of the compass. "When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it. You might want to quit."

But now, with the compass white-knuckled in your grip, you had the upper hand.