Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-2153169-20170909025746/@comment-5899967-20170922195917

LadyTremaine wrote: Chameleon-Guy wrote: The flashback... I doubt it takes place before his life in SB, I think it's during the season 6 - 7 gap. As for love, I doubt it will be with Rapunzel, but in the IGN interview the writers said a new love interest for Hook and Regina is possible. If Hook gets a love interest, it seems it will be Tiana. But if i'm not wrong A&E said no love interest for Hook in S7. Yeah maybe, they have a lot of interactions, but it could be like Hook and Belle - platonic. I also heard that there will be no new love interest for Hook this season, but the writers said they are open to it.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/08/12/once-upon-a-time-showrunners-answer-15-burning-season-7-fan-questions

Second to last question. They said "never say never", it's just that they have other things going on right now.