A/N I don't own any part of the movie nor the characters (what a shame I know) except for the two brutes and Inez's friends and the officers whom I made up. I know I made Amber nice but I don't think underneath shes all bad..just been influenced by her mother. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. please R/R...


4.

Thirty-five minutes later they pulled up to the curb in front of the record store. Corny got out first followed by Inez, Seaweed, Penny, Tracy and Link. Corny opened the door for the five teens. Inez walked in first followed by Seaweed, Penny, Tracy and Link. Tracy held onto Links hand. Maybelle hopped out of her chair and ran to Inez.

"Oh baby, Are you alright" she asked her pulling Inez into a monster hug.

"I'm ok momma except that I can't breathe" Inez replied.

"Oh sorry honey. I'm just so happy to see you" Maybelle told her.

"I know momma. I'm happy to see you too"

The minute Tracy walked in her parents jumped out of their chairs and her mom engulfed her into a big bear hug. She had to let go of Links hand but he didn't mind knowing how worried her parents had been.

"Oh my baby girl did they hurt you" Edna asked

"I'm fine ma" she replied.

"She looks fine doesn't she hon" Wilbur said. Tracy hugged him.

The others crowded around Tracy and Inez telling them how happy they were to see them. One person in particular interested Tracy

"Amber you were out searching for us" she questioned looking at her.

"I know that our past has been sordid but I wanted to help for Links sake. Now that I'm with Duane I think I understand how you two feel about each other" Amber responded.

"Thank you" Tracy simply stated.

"What happened to you two last night" Noreen asked them. She and Doreen were happy to see Tracy and Inez but they were also curious.

Tracy and Inez sat down on the couch. Link sat next to Tracy and took her left hand with his right. Inez sat on her other side. Edna, Wilbur, Maybelle and Corny sat at the table they were at earlier. Seaweed and Penny sat next to Inez. The others sat around Tracy and Inez wanting to hear their story. Inez went first. Tracy gave her an encouraging look

"I was at the carnival with Joanna, Sue and James. It was getting late so Sue drove all of us home. I was the first to be dropped off. I walked up to the door and was ready to look for my key. Sue already drove off since she had a curfew. When I stopped someone put an arm around my neck and covered my mouth until I passed out. I think it was a piece of cloth. Next I knew I awoke in a dark room. I was sitting on a mattress and I must have moaned since Tracy heard me. You go ahead Tracy you can tell the rest" she said getting fatigued. She leaned her head back on the couch.

Tracy squeezed Links hand for support and he squeezed back giving her the confidence to go on.

"Well Link, Penny, Seaweed and I were at the carnival as well. It was getting close to curfew so after the fireworks we left. We dropped Seaweed and Penny off first then Link drove me home. We said our goodnights (at this she grinned and turned slightly pink) and I walked inside the door. As soon as I climbed the stairs someone grabbed my neck and covered my mouth with a piece of something, cloth maybe, and I passed out (at this Link kicked himself for not walking her to her door). I awoke on the mattress and heard Inez. We both had our hands and feet bound. I found a wire almost by accident for it was sticking out of the mattress and I took it trying to undo the ropes on my wrists. I managed to break free from those ropes and freed Inez too. Then I tried getting us out of the room by picking the lock but those two guys heard us and moved us into the closet where we were found" Tracy let a breath out after telling her story.

"And we tried to kick the door open but it wouldn't budge" Inez added.

Link just looked at Tracy with pure admiration. He then decided to kiss her cheek. She looked at him and grinned. She kissed his cheek then rested her head on his shoulder.

"Whatever made u think to pick the lock using the wire" he asked her.

"I saw it in a movie once. It worked for the character" she responded.

"Little darlin that was movie. This was real" Link replied chuckling a little.

"Well, I thought it was a good idea" she told him.

"Do you know the guys who were holding you captive" Corny asked curiously.

"No, but I know Mrs. Von Tussle is behind this whole thing. I heard her voice" Tracy replied.

"You sure it was my mom" Amber asked obviously shocked at Tracy's answer.

"I'm sorry Amber but yeah I'm sure" Tracy said looking sympathetically at her. It wasn't Amber's fault that her mom was cruel.

"What should we do now" Link inquired. He noticed that Tracy's breathing had become steady and her grip on his hand loosened slightly. He suspected that she had fallen asleep. He looked at her confirming his suspicion.

Noticing her daughter contentedly sleeping on her boyfriend's shoulder Edna smiled.

"I think that we should all go home and get some sleep. It has been a long night and your parents must be starting to worry about you all" she told them. (meaning the ones whose parents weren't in attendance at the store)

"What about Velma though" Link asked her.

"Well I'm sure by now she has been notified that Tracy and Inez are gone from the warehouse" Corny said.

"Should we call the police" Wilbur asked.

"That sounds like a good idea" Maybelle told him. She walked over to her phone and dialed the police.

About twenty minutes later two officers knocked on the door. One was short with black hair and brown eyes. The other was taller and balding. When Corny opened the door they introduced themselves as Officers Williams and Jones. They seemed taken aback at first at seeing Corny there since Maybelle had called. They hadn't expected to see him in that neighborhood either. But they soon recovered. Corny let them in and explained the whole story to them using the information given earlier by Tracy and Inez. The officers took notes.

"You should have called us when they were first discovered missing" Officer Williams told Corny.

"We weren't thinking straight officer" Edna told him.

"Well, we will start looking for this Mrs. Von Tussle. Why don't you all go to your homes and rest. We will let you know what we find" Officer Jones advised them. "Later we will need to get statements from Miss Turnblad and Miss Stubbs. We would like Mr. Larkin, Mr. Stubbs, Miss Pingleton and you Mr. Collins to make a statement as well" he added.

The adults nodded. "Thank you officers" Corny said shaking their hands. Link, Seaweed and Penny nodded.

"You know my daughter loves your show Mr. Collins. We think it's great that it was integrated. She's going to flip when she finds out I met you" Officer Jones informed him.

"She's welcome to come see a live show anytime" Corny said smiling.

"That would be great" he replied.

After taking down names and phone numbers of all those immediately involved in the rescue the officers left and Maybelle looked at everyone.

"I think its best now to all go home and get some rest like Miss Edna here said earlier as well as the officer just said" she told them. "Thank you all for your help" she added.

The council kids started to get up and head for the door. Link looked at Tracy who was still asleep and kissed her forehead. She said "hmmm" and snuggled into his shoulder more. Link chuckled.

"Trace, wake up doll" he told her rubbing her arm.

Tracy moaned a little and opened her eyes a bit "I don't want to go to school today ma" she said her voice muffled.

Link grinned at how cute she was. "No Trace, there's no school. Your parents want to take you home" he told her.

"What" she asked before picking her head up and looking around, everything flooding back to her memory. "Oh" she mouthed. She rubbed her eyes. She noticed her parents looking towards her and stood up. Link stood up besides her.

"Link could you drive us home" Edna asked.

"Sure Mrs. Turnblad" he replied.

Before heading out the door they all said their "thank yous" and "goodbyes". Tracy hugged Corny for helping find her and Penny and Seaweed and Maybelle for all of their help. Penny told her that she'd call later in the day while Seaweed walked over to where Inez fell asleep and carried her to her room. Penny followed them. Link, Tracy and her parents walked to Link's car and Wilbur and Tracy slid in the backseat while Edna sat up front. Link slid into the driver's seat and drove them home glancing at Tracy in the rear view mirror every chance he got. He pulled up to the curb and opened the door for Edna and helped her out followed by Tracy and Wilbur.

"So I guess I'll see you later" Tracy told Link giving him a small kiss on the lips.

"Later then" he replied a little disappointed that they weren't alone for he would've liked to have kissed more. "Bye Mr. and Mrs. Turnblad" he added looking at her parents.

"Bye Link. Want to come by later for dinner around 6" Edna inquired.

"That sounds great ma'am thanks" Link answered grinning at her. Tracy smiled at Link before turning and walking inside the building with her parents. Link turned back to his car and drove home. He explained everything that had happened to them which surprised and horrified them. Then he went to his room and fell asleep the minute his head hit the pillow. Later he awoke and showered putting clean clothes on which consisted of a nice blue shirt and black slacks. He headed over to Tracy's for dinner.

Tracy had also showered and put fresh clothes on. She wore a blue sundress and left her hair as it was for the pageant pushing it off her face with a headband.

While Link, Tracy and her parents were having dinner later that evening the phone rang. Wilbur got up and answered it. After several minutes he returned to his seat.

"That was the police. They found the two guys from the warehouse. They were driving a stolen van heading out of state when the state police brought them in for driving erratically. Their names are Stu Perkins and Hal Fisherman. They are being held for drunk driving and in connection to your kidnapping"

"What about Velma" Tracy asked.

"She still hasn't been found yet. But Mr. Perkins and Mr. Fisherman told the police that

she hired them to kidnap Tracy and Inez. She was going to try to blackmail the studio into giving her two million dollars in exchange for two of the stars from the Corny Collins show. After talking to Amber Von Tussle earlier today the police feel that she chose Tracy and Inez because she saw Tracy as being the instigator that began all of the change to the show leading to her being fired. Inez took the Miss Teen Hairspray crown away from her daughter" Wilbur told them all.

"So basically she wanted revenge on us and hoped to gain some money from the whole scheme" Tracy assumed.

"Oh I hope they find her soon. I don't want her coming after Tracy again" Edna stated a little worried.

"I would never let that evil woman near her" Link assured Edna. Edna smiled at him and Tracy looked at him and smiled.

"I'm sure you wouldn't my boy" Wilbur said to Link.

"Thank you sir" Link simply replied. Wilbur grinned.

"Do they know what was used to render us unconscious" Tracy inquired.

"Officer Williams said chloroform" her father told her.

The rest of the dinner passed by without any more news. Link said goodnight to Tracy's parents. Tracy then walked Link to the door closing it slightly for privacy. She kissed him deeply on the lips.

"What was that for" he asked her.

"What do I need a reason to kiss you" she answered.

"You may kiss me like that anytime you want" he replied grinning "Just wondered if there was any reason behind it that's all" he added.

"It's just I didn't get to properly thank you for rescuing me earlier" she told him.

"I'd rescue you any day especially for a kiss like that" he told her.

Tracy grinned and kissed him again. This time he tugged at her lower lip asking for entrance which she eagerly granted. Her hands rested at the nape of his neck while Link's arms encircled her waist. They stood there kissing until they ran out of oxygen. Foreheads still touching Tracy grinned, her lips swollen.

"I love you Link"

"I love you too Trace" he responded smiling face flushed.

"I should probably go in" Tracy said.

"Do you have to" Link asked disappointed.

Tracy giggled. "Unfortunately yes. I don't think my parents would let us stay out here all night like this"

Link sighed. "Oh well, I'll see you tomorrow then"

"Tomorrow and this time I will be there"

Link grinned at her and kissed her gently. "Goodnight Trace"

"Goodnight Link" she said. He waited until she closed the door then walked down the stairs to his car.

Later that night Link heard the phone ring. He cautiously walked out into the hallway remembering what happened the last time he picked up the phone. Dismissing those thoughts he picked up the receiver. He silently blew a sigh of relief when he heard the voice on the other line.

"Link they caught Mrs. Von Tussle!" Tracy squealed with delight.

"Where was she" Link asked her delighted himself that he didn't have to worry about that vile woman being on the loose.

"She was at a gas station by the state border when a police officer pulled into the same station and recognized her from her description. He arrested her and took her to the police station. Apparently she was going to head up to Pennsylvania to a country cottage to lay low for a few days" Tracy told him. "I called Penny and they were notified as well" she added.

"The two hired guns must have called her not long after we left like Corny predicted" Link said.

"Yeah. We still have to go make our statements" she replied.

"I'll pick you up at noon. We can stop by Maybelles and pick Penny, Seaweed and Inez up and go to lunch then head over to the station" Link told her

"That sounds like a plan" she responded.

"Good. I already called Seaweed and they agreed"

"You called them before talking to me" she asked

"Wanted to save the best for last doll" he replied. He could sense her grinning over the phone.

"You and your lines" Tracy said.

"You love my lines"

"I do. I also love you" she told him

"I love you too Trace"

"Goodnight Link"

"Goodnight" Link hung up the phone and grinning walked back to his room. Just hearing her voice made him happy. Tracy hung up her phone and walked to her room with her own grin. Link always had that effect on her.

TBC...