"When do you think he'll wake up?" Henry asks, sitting outside in the emergency waiting room.
"He wasn't too bad when they brought him in," Regina adds.
Regina, Henry, David and Ruby sit out in the hallway, waiting for news on Killian. Everyone else had gone home for the night.
"We'll know when Dr. Whale comes out," David says.
"I just can't believe how stupid he was; drinking and driving like that," Ruby says bluntly. "This is why I didn't want to tell Henry or him about what the woman said."
"Speaking of that, how did you find out?" Regina asks.
David gives Ruby a harsh stare.
"I listened in on the interview that David and Jack had with Gwen,"
"You realize that could be considered a criminal offense," David warns sternly.
Ruby shoots him a look. "Spare me the lecture, David. You're really going to arrest me for something minor while my best friend is missing and her boyfriend was drinking and driving. Some police force."
"Ruby, I know you care about Emma, but listening to an important witness, breaks confidentiality laws."
"I understand that, but I had to know if she really was just a bystander or if she knew where Emma was."
"Well clearly she doesn't," David says. "Otherwise, I would've been much more active and frantic to try and track the guy down if she did."
"That bastard is going to pay very dearly for all the shit he's put everyone through," Ruby says through gritted teeth.
"Get in line Ruby," David mutters.
The door to the emergency room opens and Dr. Whale steps out.
"We really need to stop meeting in the emergency room like this Lieutenant Nolan," Whale says in good humour.
"At least it's not the morgue," Ruby says. Everyone glares at her.
"How's he doing?" Regina asks.
"He's very lucky considering the damage to his vehicle. A broken leg and few cracked ribs, slight concussion and a sprained wrist, along with cuts and scrapes from the broken glass."
"When do you think he'll be released?" Ruby asks.
"I want to keep him for a few more days until his concussion is more under control, but he shouldn't travel very far and be within driving distance of the hospital."
"He might have to stay at Emma's apartment then," David says. He looks over at Henry. "Would that be okay?"
"Why are you asking me?" Henry asks in confusion.
"Well, you are the one who's living there."
"So are you," the teenager points out.
"Temporarily of course," David adds quickly.
"He'll need a proper bed and such for recovery. He'll be off his leg for six weeks," Dr. Whale adds.
Henry swallows. Sharing an apartment with his mother's boyfriend did not seem ideal at all, especially since he might have to give up his bedroom. Plus, the docks man will also need around the clock care and with school and such, it would be hard for the teen.
"Maybe he should just live at our place," David says. "We do have the extra room."
"But what about Henry?" Ruby asks. "And with the baby less than a month away, if might not be a good idea."
"I agree, with Miss Lucas," Dr. Whale says. "An injured man and newborn infant in the same house is not a good idea."
Regina sighs, knowing that she'll have to play hero once again.
"He can stay at my place; I have the extra room. I can care for both him and Henry. I work from home most of the time anyways."
"What if he just stays at Emma's apartment and you move in with them?" Ruby suggests.
"Where would I sleep?" Regina says, glaring at Ruby.
"There's always the couch," Ruby smirks.
"Mary Margret and I have a camp bed that can be used," David cuts in. "We can put it in the living room."
Regina thinks it over, not very happy that she'll have to leave the privacy of her own home and move into Emma's place to take care of her boyfriend and son. She liked living alone… most of the time. The quiet and the sort of sanctuary her apartment provided would go out the window if she lived in her friend's place. Plus, sleeping on a camp bed in the living room was hardly ideal and if Graham wanted to come over…
"We'll discuss the details later," Regina says quickly. "Can we see him?"
"I actually had to put him out for the night so you're all free to go home."
"Fine by me," Ruby yawns.
"I'll take Henry home," David says. He felt exhausted too and needed at least a little shut eye.
Regina nods and everyone exits the hospital and go their separate ways.
Ruby drives home to Granny's and helps her grandmother close the restaurant. David and Henry come home to a still hot meal provided by Mary Margret. Then Henry goes to bed after doing some homework and Mary Margret and David soon follow. David keeps his phone on in case anything happens, but he snuggles up with his pregnant wife and tries to relax a little bit.
When Regina gets home, she showers and then heats up some leftover take out. She then watches a little TV before going to bed. As she lays down in bed, trying to memorize what it feels like to have a big bed, where she could stretch out and the mattress had therapeutic benefits for her back. Spending the next month on a camp bed in someone else's apartment was not how she envisioned her life going, but Henry needed her and considering that Emma had given Regina a job way back in the day when she was struggling to make ends meet, she owed her enough to care for Killian. Just don't expect her to become a maid that's there to wait on hand and foot.
…
Arthur watches as his children fall asleep in the big bed in his motel room. He's just checked and fed Emma, who was still resistant and desperate to be free. He did park in a wooded area and let her lay in the grass to stretch out, but he kept her bound and gagged the entire time. Despite how bizarre this situation was, he knew he would have to find a way to allow her to exercise while she was pregnant, without having her run away.
He also knew that he would have to say goodbye to his children very soon. He spent as much time as he could with them, showing them different sites and doing fun activities with them. He took them to a few museums, roadside attractions, the movies and a few amusement parks. He was treasuring his last few precious moments with them.
He had a plan all set up and ready to put into action. He planned to call Gwen and give him the location of where either she or the police could pick up their children. He planned to drive back towards the state border into Massachusetts and leave the kids at a roadside stop, under the care of the waitresses or restaurant staff. He would buy them ice cream, say goodbye and then drive away for where ever the road took him. He was thinking of going to an isolated wooded area, where he could house Emma until she gave birth. After that… he wasn't sure just yet, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.
He'd bought plenty of non-perishable food and water for the trip which would likely be north of Connecticut, a place he could relax without being detected.
He'd bought a burner phone, one that could not be traced from a local drug store. He stared at it for a long time, while his kids fell asleep. He began to tear up slightly, knowing what he would have to do next.
…
The following day, Gwen was released from the hospital into the care of her parents. They were going to take her back to her house to get a few things, before having their daughter stay with them, possibly permanently.
Gwen is still crying a lot from her whole ordeal. The betrayal of her husband, the kidnapping of an innocent woman, the senseless attack on both of them, the abduction of her children and so much more. Gwen was sure she would never be able to live it down. It was so embarrassing how easily she was tricked and how their family name would now be dragged through the mud even further. The children didn't deserve this… not by a long shot.
As her father pulls up to their house, there is still police tape surrounding the house and few neighbours look on. Gwen swears that they are laughing at her. The officers let her through and Gwen is almost violently ill when she enters. She completely avoids the basement area and just rushes upstairs quickly.
Gwen goes to her room to pack as much as she can. She avoids the children's room as much as she can.
As she's shoving clothes into a duffle bag, her phone, which she had left on the nightstand began buzzing.
Gwen looks at the ID, it's an unknown number, but it might be important, so she picks it up.
"H-hello?" she says.
"Gwen, it's me…"
Duh, Duh, Duh, DUM! More to come soon. Thank you for the reviews and all the followers. I really appreciate the love and support.