Hey guys! Another chapter so soon, it can't be?! :D Enjoy the chase and adrenaline rush of the first few moments of the rescue of little Victoria as I think of other interesting things to put in the following chapters! :D I love the reviews, thank you so much and...what can I say, keep 'em comin'...pretty please? :D

xoxo

Tasha V.

As they exited the plane onto Gold's personal little runway, Emma let Regina enter the waiting car that was to take them to the main house.

''Stay here. I need to talk to David.''

Her voice was all tension and nerves and Regina tried to calm her by flashing one of her best smiles, the ones that didn't quite reach her eyes. She forgot Emma was one of the rare people who could now read through said smiles and call them a different name – worry.

''It's okay, I got this... trust me.''

''I do.''

The way Regina uttered those two words made it sound almost as though she was saying them under a arch of flowers about to become Emma's partner forever. Realizing that should everything go well, that was a future most definitely in the cards for the two of them, Emma smiled, some of the tension gone. Regina kissed her, murmuring against her lips.

''Go. Be my saviour.''

David was about to enter the car but Emma's voice stopped him as she waved him over to her side.

''Emma?''

There was hesitation in his voice, but also a kind of readiness, like he wanted with all his might to help, because he knew it was help she was going to ask for.

''How well do you know Gold's son?''

David's brow furrowed in thought, and he fought hard not to let all the negative things he had to say about the deviant of a man slip.

''Well enough.''

Emma smiled knowingly, now assured in her doubts that David would be an ally, most definitely not a hindrance.

''I have a problem. Can I count on you?''

''Yes.''

''Well, that was an awfully quick reply. You don't wanna take a minute to think about it?''

''No. I will help. No questions asked. It has to do with Mrs Mills, that much I know. It's been a while since I got a call to pick her up from the middle of nowhere on such short notice. And by 'while' I mean - never. And he...well, let's just say he really rubs me the wrong way.''

Emma nodded, grateful that her decision to talk to David had been the right one.

''Okay, then, can I trust you to let me know when and if you get a call to pick up Neal and bring him here?''

''I already have. He's been at the ranch since last night. His flight to Vancouver had been canceled and he turned around, deciding to come here instead.''

Emma's face went pale. She almost lost her footing, knowing what this news implied. Victoria could already be Neal's hostage.

''Okay...David, what I'm about to say is as serious as hell. Shit has just hit the fan, and the proportions are epic. Take us to the main house. During the ride I'll talk to Regina. And then...then we'll just...have to think of something.''

David nodded, not asking anything else, for which Emma was more than grateful.

''Regina...breathe...calm down...''

Regina was beyond calming down at that point, and her jaw was set tight, her eyes almost deranged with the fire of revenge burning hard and deep.

''I will end his miserable little existance if it is the last thing I do. He hurts a hair on her head, he's a dead man. He lays a hand on her, and he's a dead man. And when we do get her back...believe me when I tell you...He is. A . Dead. Man. ''

Emma couldn't help but be in awe of the way Regina said the words, her voice not wavering, determination carved onto her features ever so irretrieveably.

''Regina, you know you can count on me. Emma filled me in on everything. Anything you want me to do, I will. Neal is a lunatic, I think we all know that. Like father like son.''

''Thank you, David. I'm so sorry you're going into this blind not knowing precisely who, what, or why, but...I promise, when this chapter of my life is over, I will thank you properly. ''

''No need, Regina. I've witnessed Neal treat you and everyone else around him with nothing else but disdain. Taking him down in any way will be reward enough. And whoever this person you're talking about is, she is very important to you. She's valuable to you more than life itself. I can relate. If anything happened to Mary Margaret I would react in the exact same way. So you can count on me to act as if I was working to save her.''

Emma saw him smile encouragingly through the rearview mirror and a large whoosh of air exited her lungs.

The car veered off the main road leading to the house and charged for the house Victoria lived in. Regina's heart leapt to her throat as they neared the drive way.

Emma could make out a figure of an old woman outlined against the porch lights. She deduced it must have been Fiona, the woman who had been posing as Victoria's grandmother ever since the girl was born. She had her hands clasped tightly and tears on her face. Before the car even ground to a halt, Regina was out and running towards her.

''What happened? Fiona, where did he take her?''

''I...I don't know. She didn't want to go, Regina. He kept telling her that they'd have fun, like they always did, and in the end he simply dragged her away. I'm so sorry, there was nothing I could have done.''

Regina hugged the older woman to provide some sort of comfort, telling her it wasn't her fault.

''Do you have any idea where he might have taken her? Fiona, this is really important, you know the kind of man he is...''

Regina's voice cracked. Emma grasped her hand.

''I think he mentioned something about the stables. But, would he actually take her there?''

''Oh yes. That is the one place he would take her alright. And he wanted me to know.''

Regina stalked back to the car and before David and Emma knew it she was in the driver's seat.

''Regina, you're in no state to drive, let David...''

''No! She's my daughter! Now you can either get in or stop wasting my time.''

Relucantly, the two got in the car. Emma watched as Regina frantcially searnched her handbag for her father's weapon.

''I have it. I saw and grabbed it when you were freaking out in the motel room.''

Regina's head whipped to the passenger's seat for an instant.

''What? Give it back, now!''

''No. I'd wager both David and I would be better with it. We'll be able to use it with a clear head. Regina, please.''

Regina's anger deflated slightly as she nodded almost imperceptively.

''It's fully loaded and recently cleaned. If you need to shoot, you'll get six chances to hit your target. ''

''I'll only need one.''

Then, Emma turned to David, a question in her eyes, and subsequently on her lips.

''You packin'?''

He smiled and showed them his own tiny , but rather efficient Smith & Wesson which was tucked safely against his ankle. Emma's eyebrow shot up, impressed.

''When you work for Gold as his personal pilot, being his escort during a lot of less than proper business meetings you learn that self-protection may not be such a bad thing.''

Regina snorted in defeat and fury.

''Well, that's great. I don't feel left out at all.''

''You don't need firepower. You can have this, though.''

He handed her a small, flat, rectangular device, the size of a slightly larger cell phone.

''What is it?''

''Well, let's just say you get zapped with this thing, it'll take you a considerable while to make a comeback.''

As she drove, she threw ocasional glances at the taser in her hand and imagined using ot on Neal. The image gave her the boost needed to believe she would get her daughter back safely. Her lip curled back in a snarl and a subdued growl came out.

''Mommy's coming, baby.'', she thought to herself as she saw the dimmed lights of Gold's stables about half a mile in the distance.