Disclaimer in Chapter 1
Chapter 11
As they get closer to the school the are more and more emergency vehicles. As they turn onto three blocks from the school they are stopped by a police officer.
"Sorry ladies you can't go this way," the officer says as Emma let the window down.
"We are parents of one of the children involved. We got a call that we needed to get down here," Emma says as calmly as she can right now though Regina notices the waiver in her voice so she intertwines her fingers with Emma. Once Emma feel her, she turns and gives her a soft smile.
"Ok maam, pull your car over to the side I will get another officer to bring you closer. All parents involved we are leaving their cars here to keep the area as clear as possible," he instructs her. Emma does as she is told and herself and Regina get out of the car once she has parked. They stand together holding hands waiting for the other officer to come and get them. Regina presses a kiss to Emma's cheek and lays her head on her shoulder. Emma smiles at the gesture. She loves these intimate moments between them, small gestures that showed more than words could say. A police car pulls up beside them and an officer gets out.
"Hi, I am officer Dorothy Gale," she says putting her hand out to the pair, "can I just ask whose parent's you are?" She opens her notebook.
"Neal Swan," Emma says. It was slight but they both saw it, the slight twinge on Dorothy's face when she said his name. She takes a quick note and looks up at them with a weak smile.
"Could I get your names?" she asks a little too calmly.
"Emma and Regina Swan Mills," Emma says trying to keep the bile she feels in her throat from coming out.
"Ok ladies I am going to bring you a bit closer to the school now. We have an area set up where parents are," Officer Gale says.
"Can you tell us anything more?" Regina asks squeezing Emma's hand in her own.
"I am sorry I am not authorised too, but I promise I am bringing you to someone who can explain more," Officer Gale says sympathetically.
They get into the police cruiser and Officer Gale drives them up to the area closer to the school that has been set up. There is one of those large police trucks that you see in the movies outside banks when there are hostage situations going on. Emma feels like she is watching a movie right now and not living these moments. The car stops and Officer Gale brings them into the headquarters or whatever they are Emma thinks.
"Chief Quentin, Neal Swan's parents are here," Officer Gale informs a small but fierce woman who was talking to another officer.
"Thanks Gale. Right this way ladies," Sabine says as she shows them towards an interview room at the side of the larger main room of the truck.
"Please take a seat ladies," she says indicating two chairs in the room.
"My name is Sabine Quentin; I am the chief of this area for the police force. About an hour ago a woman entered the school building and went into the classroom of your son, Neal Swan, she barricaded herself in there with his classmates and teacher. She is demanding Neal leave with her and says she will let everyone go when she gets her daughter. So far, we have had no other communication from her," Sabine says swapping looking at both women as she spoke.
"Her name in Mary Margaret Blanchard," Emma says simply.
"Why does she think that Neal is her son?" Sabine asks.
"Because she is. I am Neal's sister and guardian since he was four years old. She is our birth mother. She is a drug addict. She abandoned me when I was a few days old and social services took Neal off her when he was," Emma says keeping her emotions in check. She knows she needs to give clear information here if they are going to get Neal and the other kids out safely.
"OK. Has she done something like this before?" Sabine asks.
"No, never. She would appear in our lives every so often and tell us she was clean and that she wanted to be a mother to us. It usually concluded a day or two later with her stealing money and disappearing. Last two times she appeared I told her no and wouldn't let her see Neal. Last time I saw her was two years ago," Emma reams off.
"So, you are the daughter she is referring too?" Sabine asks.
"No. About 2 and a half months ago I got a visit from social services saying my mother had appeared in a hospital. She had given birth to a baby girl. She was very sick. She needed a kidney and liver transplant. She received the kidney transplant. Anyways, social services as me to take my sister, so we did," Emma says.
"Wow. You have been through a lot," Sabine says with a sympathetic smile.
"Right. So, your baby sister, where is she now?" Sabine enquired.
"She is at home with my foster mother," Emma says.
"Ok, with your permission I would like to send some officers over there. This is just a precaution in case she is not working alone. We want to protect your sister," Sabine says.
Emma looks at Regina who simply nods at her.
"Great. Can one of you give me the address so that I can send them over? And could the other contact your foster mother so that you can let her know they are coming? You can give her some details," Sabine says. Regina moves to give Sabine the address and Emma takes her phone to call Ingrid.
"Hey Ing, listen, it's Mary Margaret. She has taken some kids hostage. The police are sending some officers over to the house in case she is not working alone. That's all I can tell you right now. Have Henry and Cora gotten there yet?" Emma asks.
"Yes, they just arrived five minutes ago," Ingrid responds not sure what else she can say in a situation like this. Not exactly the type of phone call you would expect to get.
"Ok. Stay safe. Talk soon," Emma says.
"You too Emma," Ingrid responds.
"Regina's parents are at the house now. So, there is three adults and two babies in there," Emma says letting them know who is supposed to be there for the officers.
"Two babies?" Sabine asks.
"We had our own child about a week after Izzy was born," Regina answers. She takes Emma's hand in hers and squeezes.
"Yikes," Sabine says "sorry ladies that was very unprofessional."
"It's ok," Regina says with a small smile.
"Can I ask is there any reason that after all these years Mary Margaret would want the children back?" Sabine asks looking at Emma. Emma looks a little uncomfortable.
"She recently found out that I was married to a woman and she didn't like it. She wanted the kids back even though she had signed over full parental rights to me a few minutes before that. We are currently involved in a court case over it," Emma says. Mal nods along.
"The rest of the parents are in another area a little way back. If you two don't mind I would like you to remain here. You are free to go back with the other parents of course, but I just feel as it is your family that is being targeted here I want you to remain here so that if anything comes up I have quicker access to you," Sabine says. The two look at each other.
"Yes, we will be fine here," Emma says, "Chief Drake?" Emma calls just before Sabine walks out the door.
"Is anyone hurt?" Emma asks afraid of the answer.
"No. We know that the teacher is tied to a chair and that Mary Margaret is armed with knives and a gun. We are unsure if the gun is loaded or not," Sabine responds.
Emma sits on the chair and places her head in her hands. Please let them all get out ok, please. Regina pulls her chair over to her wife and puts a comforting hand on her lower back.
Sabine has sent officers in the main office into a frenzy with the information about Mary Margaret. They are looking at her history and any arrests. Sabine updates their incident board so that everyone knows what is going on. Sabine takes one look for a second at the two women huddled in the room together. It makes her think of her own wife Ursula and their little one Maggie. She holds it in her heart for a minute how she would feel if she was going through something like this involving them. It makes her sad and angry, but it also places a resolve in her now more than ever to get a good result out of this. She does this on big cases to help her focus. She sees a younger version of herself and her wife in there and she thinks of the homophobic Mary Margaret in that school holding children hostage. She redoubles her efforts to resolve this peacefully.
Author's note - sorry had to pull this as a big mistake was pointed out to me. Thanks Post13Writer for the spot!