Ch. 23

Time seemed to begin again after they found the girls safe. Within minutes after the call she made to Belle, she could hear the sirens and then see the red, white and blue lights flickering from the emergency vehicles coming towards them. Mr. LaBouff's car arrived just before the others. He was so relieved and elated to have the girls back. She'd never known parental love like that. It brought tears to her eyes to see them all together. Mr. LaBouff initially put up a fight about letting the girls go in the ambulance but she was able to get him to calm down by letting him know he could ride along with them so they wouldn't be out of his sight.

Agent Regina Mills was less than thrilled to find her and her makeshift team at the docks with the victims. She tried to argue with her but since the outcome was good, she lessened her bark. Regina was also pleasantly surprised to see Cobra Bubbles, apparently, they knew each other from a past mission. He managed to pull Regina back by promising to fill her in on the details she was missing in her case, specifically the ransom and drop; which was not something they were privy to know. Emma was able to convince the EMT that she should ride with Jazzy in the ambulance for protection since she'd been knocked out. She really just needed to talk to her before the police and Feds got to her. This was going to be her only chance to get information before the cops took over as well. With Regina on the case, there would definitely be no cooperation or sharing information, at least without giving up a lot to get it. She'd been down that road before and if she could avoid it, she would.

She walked over to Killian to let him know what was happening. "Hey, I'm going to ride in the ambulance with Jazzy before the Evil Queen gets her hooks into her." She said.

He cocked his head and grinned. "Evil Queen?" he asked.

She frowned. "I'll tell you later." She said.

He nodded." Good idea Love, you want me to come with you?" he asked.

She caressed his shoulder lightly. "I'll be ok. Can you meet me at the hospital?" she asked smiling.

He grinned. "Of course. I'm going to check in with the guys and then I'll be along." He said.

Emma looked over at the ambulance. The EMT motioned to her. "I've got to go. Tell them all I said thank you and that I will be buying them a round at next happy hour." She said slipping away.

He tugged her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly." Be careful Love."

She smiled." Of course. I'll see you soon. I'll thank you properly at home later." She said before running to get into the ambulance.

The ambulance was not very big inside. The EMT's opted to sit in front so that Emma could sit in the back with Jazzy. She climbed inside and saw the poor girl lying there strapped into place. She had dry, crusty blood on her forehead from where she'd been hit and tears sliding down her cheeks. Emma put her hand on Jazzy's shoulder. "Are you ok? Is there someone that I can call for you?" asked Emma.

Jazzy shook her head and spoke softly. "No."

Emma sat in the side jump seat. "Do you remember me from the sorority house? I'm Emma." She explained as she took her small notebook from her chest pocket.

Jazzy nodded. "Yeah. I remember." She said softer still.

"Do you know who did this to you?" asked Emma.

"Yeah, but I can't tell you or they will kill me." She said.

Emma bit her lip. "I can protect you if you help me catch them." She said feeling the frustration bubbling within her.

Jazzy tried to sit up. "No you can't. Besides, this is all my fault!" she cried.

Emma stood and helped her lay back trying to calm her. "What do you mean its your fault? "she asked.

Jazzy shook her head. "Am I in trouble? Are the police going to arrest me?" she asked.

"That depends on what you've done and how you help me now. I can't make any deals with you but I can promise to protect you if you help me." Explained Emma.

She felt the ambulance slowing down and going over a bump. She looked out the window and could see the hospital in sight. Emma looked at Jazzy and once again asked. "Did you have something to do with the girls being kidnapped?" asked Emma.

Jazzy bit her lip and looked away. Emma was getting more frustrated. "I know you lied about the night of the party. I know you had something to do with it. You were at the scene where the girls were found and they could have died. You could have died. I need you to start talking or its going to get worse for you." She said.

"They already tried to kill me! They already betrayed me! What makes you think they won't do it again!" she shouted.

"I can't protect you if you don't tell me who did this. We've already got Al in jail." she said.

Jazzy laughed. "That fool he could never hurt me. He loves me too much. I'm not afraid of him." She said.

Emma shook her head. "Who is they? If its not Al, then who?" she asked as she felt the ambulance come to a stop.

Jazzy started to look visibly scared. "They will come for me if they know I'm here. I know too much." She said.

"Help me Jazzy. Help me put the real people behind bars where they belong." Pleaded Emma.

Jazzy closed her eyes and let out a breath. "It was the Scots. It wasn't supposed to be like this but you had to go and arrest Seamus. Now look what happened. You have to protect me. They will kill me." She cried.

Just as she was about to ask another question, the doors opened and the EMTs were there standing with Regina and Humbert. Emma closed her eyes in frustration and tucked her notebook back into her pocket quickly. She wasn't going to get anything out of the Evil Queen and the henchman that was standing there checking out her ass.

"Swan, I told you not to get involved with my investigation and now you're talking to my witness. You need to step back and let the real police handle the job." Regina said curtly.

Emma let out a breath. She thanked the EMT that so kindly obliged her riding along and stepped out of the ambulance. Regina grabbed her by the arm. "I mean it Swan. You remember what happened last time you got in my way." She said.

Emma pulled her arm back and looked at her dead in the eyes. "Don't touch me. Ever. I'll do whatever I have to protect my town. You can't stop me." She said with full meaning behind those words. This was her town and she was going to protect it and the people she loved.

"See ya Swan." Said Humbert grinning wildly.

"Humbert, get a protection detail on the girl. She thinks they are going to come back for her if they find out she is here." Emma warned.

"I believe she already told you, let the real police handle the job." Said Humbert smugly.

Emma shook her head. "If I knew a real policeman, I'd have asked him." She said smartly before turning to walk away. Emma looked up to see her loving man leaning patiently against their blue undercover car. She picked up her step towards him. She didn't realize she had her hands in tightly clenched fists until she reached him and he reached out to pull her into a tight hug. She felt the anger melting off of her as he held her. The adrenaline had been running high in her body all day. "Thank goodness you're here." She said in muffled breath against his chest.

Her rubbed his scruffy face against the top of her head gently as he held her tightly. "Are they giving you a hard time." He asked.

She nodded into his chest not wanting to leave his warm loving arms. "How about I take you home?" he asked.

She pulled back a little to look into his eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes that seemed to calm her down even during the darkest of times. She sighed. "Yes, please. Let's go home."

He kissed the top of her head before releasing her slowly from his hold. He opened the side passenger door and let her climb inside before shutting the door behind her.

She couldn't wait to get home, wash this day off of her body, have a drink, and slip into bed with the man she loved. They had work to do tomorrow but tonight they would take the win.