(Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or it's characters. I'm just a writing with an imagination.)
So, I've been away for awhile (with the exception of that single one shot a few weeks ago). Since it's the new year, one of my goals is to write more whether it's fanfic or my own stuff, the other is to get out there and interact with people, (since I'm terrible at it). What better way than to get a fic out there and conquer both those goals right? I started this one over the summer, and thought I get back to it. And yes, it will eventually be Swan Queen.
Before I start, this is a police fic so there are mentions of rape and domestic violence throughout. I will be sure to leave notes and trigger warnings before chapters that involve those things as well. This chapter does mention rape, but there are no details.
Hope you like it!
Emma sighed as her arm flopped over the side of the bed. It didn't matter that she was usually up close to this time every day, she would never get used to it. She sluggishly climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of dark blues jeans that had been tossed on the floor from the night before. There was no time to shower; she had a fresh crime scene to get to. She snagged a fitted long sleeve blank shirt from her closet and tossed on her red leather jacket along with a black beanie and gloves. It was fall in the city of Portland, and even though there was an extra nip in the air each morning, she would wear her leather jacket until her body begged from something warmer.
Emma took the stairs down from the third floor of her apartment, hoping it would help loosen her legs that were still in sleeping mode. She looked up and thanked the heavens it was just after five in the morning, so her favorite sandwich truck was parked at the end of the block. Emma's pace quickened with the smell of Granny's fresh coffee traveling down the street and straight into her nose.
"Early morning Detective." The woman everyone called Granny announced eyeing her through her bulgy glasses that hung down too low.
"Criminals don't usually care about my sleeping habits. Maybe I should start a blog and let them know when the best times are." Granny laughed as she handed her two cups of coffee stacked one on top of the other and a bag with a freshly glazed bear claw and a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. "I swear you're psychic sometimes."
Again Granny let out another chuckle as she glanced up at Emma's apartment building. "I saw your light flick on. I took a chance."
"You're the best." Emma handed her a five and made her way to the end of the street where a Navy Crown Vic awaited her.
"That was quick." The other detective said as Emma rolled her eyes and plopped into the cop car. She wasn't a morning person as it was and now she had to deal with this one. The Detective driving went to grab one of the cups of coffee, but Emma shifted her arm away from his grip.
"And just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Oh, I just thought."
"Really? One week as a Detective with us Jones and you think you can have one of Granny's special coffees. These are earned, now drive."
The scruffy looking detective eyed her for a moment, but she had already gestured with her coffee cup for him to go forcing him to zip his lip and hit the pedal.
Thankfully, the crime scene wasn't too far from Emma's place and as soon as the cruiser pulled up to the scene Emma bolted from the car, not even caring if it was in park or not.
"Wait, what do I do?" Jones hollered after her.
"Don't care." She answered. Emma knew she was being extra bitchy this morning, but Jones was Charming's responsibility not hers.
"What do we got?" Emma asked, ducking under the police tap as she took a sip from the top coffee balancing both cups with ease.
"Looks like Scuba Man struck again."
Emma shot a glare at her fellow detective before the last words even left his mouth, "Please don't call the UNSUB that."
"Right sorry," Detective Humbert responded before going on. "Anyway, the victim was knocked over the head on the path about twenty feet down, then dragged down here where he beat her up pretty good and attempted to rape her."
"Attempted?"
"Yeah," Detective Lucas popped up from behind one of the bushes. "Looks like the Son of bitch got sloppy this time."
"That's what happens when these fuckers get greedy," Emma replied as she took another sip already collecting evidence of the scene with her eyes. "Ok Lucas, run me through it."
It wasn't a secret that every Detective had a tendency to break or bend the rules now and then, Emma included. But when it came collecting evidence at a crime scene she was strictly by the book. The last thing she wanted was for a case to come back and bite her in the ass because of a half ass job at collecting evidence at the crime scene or worse, miss something entirely and never catching the perp. In a case such as this one, where there were multiple victims, some detectives had a tendency to collect only what they knew was done to the previous victims and half ass the rest, intentionally or not. Not Emma and her team. Detective Lucas brought her over to where they presumed the attack started and went through everything the evidence had presented to them. From the victim being knock over the head, to them being dragged from one place to another, the faint drag marks in the grass seemed to highlight in Emma's eyes, ending with the struggle near the bushes. The evidence was everywhere, and Emma's team would get it all.
"Where's the victim?" Emma asked still memorizing the scene.
"St. Claire's," Humbert answered.
"Thanks Graham. Ok, I'll go and head over, you guys look like you have things well under control here."
"Need a lift?" Graham asked.
Emma peeked over her shoulder and saw Jones still in the cruiser fidgeting about like a confused child. "Nope, I've got a personal chauffeur for the day."
Graham and Ruby glanced over at the idle car and laughed. "When does David come back from paternity leave again?" Ruby asked.
"He was supposed to be back today, but he extended it a week. Mary Margaret claims she's still a little nervous to be alone with the wee one." Emma rolled her eyes as she glanced over at Killian again. "Remind me to smack Prince Charming upside the head when he gets back for leaving me with his work lover." They all laughed as Killian looked out at them with a goofy grin and waved. David trained Jones in the Academy and insisted he would be an asset to their team during promotions a few weeks back. Emma thought otherwise, but it wasn't her call to make.
Emma scarfed down her bear claw and sandwich on the way to the Hospital so she wouldn't have to talk to Killian. She didn't mind him that much, but he always tried to be cute with her and she wasn't a big people person as it was. Her lack of people skills was why when her old Captain found out she wanted to transfer from Homicide at the 54 to Special Victims at the 12th he laughed thinking it was a joke at first, but she was tired of dead bodies, and wanted to make a difference elsewhere. It took some tough persuasion convincing Captain "stick up his ass," Glass at the 12th, but he eventually caved and welcomes her in due to Emma's impeccable case closing record.
Emma left Jones in the car again as she hurried into the hospital to get the victim's statement. As much as she enjoyed her partner, David would have insisted on Killian doing everything since he was still new to Special Victims, but she wasn't the hand holding type. Plus, this victim was different than all the others and she didn't want to miss anything.
When Emma got to the ICU she sauntered over to the nurse's desk and flashed her badge with polite authority. "I'm looking for a Mrs. Mills."
The nurse's eyes flashed down to her badge then back up to Emma's warming smile. "Room 205."
"Thanks." Emma replied with an extra sparkle added to her smile. She learned early on to ask for things with a little sugar. Too many detectives loved to shove their chest out and demand things, which only seemed to stall people's responses. Emma may not have been a talker, but she knew how to get what she wanted.
As Emma approached the door to the victim's room she paused and took a deep breath before entering. Every victim was different, and it was important for her to be open and calm when approaching them. But when Emma turned the corner she could see that Mrs. Mills was sedated. She went to leave, and to come back a little later when the doctor came up to her side.
"Can I help you?"
"Oh, yes actually." Emma responded flashing her badge at him with concern in her eyes. "I wanted to ask Mrs. Mills a few questions, but I really don't want to disturb her while she's resting. Do you mind if I ask you about her injuries while I wait for her to wake up."
"That should be fine." He replied and motioned for them to step back into the hallway. "Ok, well as you just saw, she has a large contusion on her face, along with some pretty hefty ones on her arms. She doesn't seem to have a severe concussion from her head wound, but we have nurses checking on her every fifteen minutes to be sure, and she also needed stitches on her chest from the slice she took from the knife."
"I'm sorry, she was stabbed?" This was different from the other cases.
"Yes, it was pretty odd actually. The assailant only sliced her the one time in the center of her chest, but not in stabbing motion, more like a slicing one. Beside that, the only other injuries we uncovered were the head, and the multiple bruises."
"Did you catch anything under her finger nails?"
"We gathered everything we found on her body as requested, but it looks like it's mostly dirt. I'm aware of your procedures Detective. Everything we gathered is being sent over to your Forensic Office as we speak."
"Ok, great, thank you doctor." Emma said shaking his hand before proceeding back into the victim's room.
Emma walked into the doorway and took in the bruise that had raised Mrs. Mills's cheek and shook her head. No matter how many years she had been on the job she would never understand human beings and the cruelty they could show. She sat down next to Mrs. Mills bedside and went over the rest of the woman's exposed body. Her dark chestnut hair rested just above her shoulders and her fingernails were done up, but dirty and some were cracked from her attack. Most likely she was a professional business woman going for a morning run before work, like the rest of the victims were. Emma watched as the woman slept looking so peaceful now, but knew once she woke up, the hell she had experienced would plummet into her, tearing her world a part all over again. This was the worst part about working Special Victims. Yes, Homicide was rough when she had to inform the families of their loved ones passing, but being one on one with the victim, to see the pain leak from their eyes, to feel their bodies shake as some would toss themselves into her arms too afraid to ever be let go, was a lot to handle, especially since she couldn't react. Emma needed to stay strong for them, to be their rock and shield, which was something she was always good at when dealing with her own life. But with victims, ones who were so openly vulnerable, it took every ounce of strength she had not to break down along with them.
As Emma continued to stare at the woman she noticed the beautiful dark cream features hidden under the ugly marks from her attacker. Not that looks mattered in any way shape or form when it came to crime. But being a single woman for most of her life Emma took the time to take in the beauty of those surrounding her. She gazed down at the woman wondering what her story was, her life. Was it beautiful and peaceful only to have this incident shade it? Or was this just the topping on an already worn out life? Emma lost herself for a moment as she thought about all the possibilities of Mrs. Mills life only to jerk back when the woman began to move.
"Mrs. Mills." she said softly hoping to ease the woman out of her slumber. But the woman's eyes soon became wild as she scanned the area around her.
"Henry." she cried sitting up way too quickly.
"Mrs. Mills, please." Emma replied standing up over her to try to steady her back down, but she wasn't paying any attention to Emma.
"Henry!" She screamed again trying to get out of bed.
"Nurse," Emma yelled over her shoulder as she continued to try to calm the frantic woman down. "Mrs. Mills. You need to lie back down."
"Henry!" She hollered over and over again, fighting with Emma. For someone who was just attacked and lying in a Hospital bed she was incredibly strong, but it was most likely the adrenaline as two nurses pushed Emma aside to hold the hysterical woman down while another sedated her, but not before Mrs. Mills knocked one of them back.
Emma kept clear knowing the hospital staff had to deal with upset patients on a regular basis, her mind now running through this new information that fell from Mrs. Mills mouth. Who was Henry?