-K-
Killian wakes up sated, replete. In their haste to get to bed last night, both he and Emma had neglected to draw the heavier curtains, so light spills forth from the gauzy drapes now, illuminating their room. He shifts carefully, cognizant of Emma's slumbering form latched to his side (no amount of coaxing would get her to lie atop him the way he's yearned for her to do so in the last month and a half), carefully testing out his body for any signs of lingering pain.
Thankfully, he's only met with a much missed soreness that only comes from rigorous late-night activities and Killian leans over, marveling at Emma's luminescence, his fingers reaching to stroke the apple of her cheek before sliding indulgently into her tangled curls. He should let her sleep, but another more devious voice in the back of his mind is pondering if he should slip under the sheets and draw her back into the realm of the waking so they can indulge in a round of slow and sweet that they never got around to last night. ("So sorry, my love, it's simply been too long and you're too irresistible- let me make it up to you-.")
But before Killian can draw the covers over his shoulders, his phone starts ringing and he curses quietly, slipping away to silence it as quickly as possible.
"This better be bloody good, Scarlet." Killian snarls under his breath, glancing over at Emma, who's starting to stir.
"Oh, I assure you, it's the fucking worst." Will responds darkly, "Did you read the article I sent you?"
Killian narrows his eyes, wondering why Will is up so early, or if he and Emma just woke up exceedingly late this morning. But his question is answered when he hears a distinctly feminine voice speaking quietly on Will's end of the call. "Is that Elsa?" Killian blurts, not bothering to keep his voice down this time and Emma reaches for him, mumbling in her half-awake state. Killian draws her back to his side and shuffles further into the bed so she can rest her cheek on his chest, placing a small kiss there that makes Killian regret not taking action sooner when he first woke.
A quick glance at the clock reveals they have slept in a little, but they both have the day off, which begs the question again whey Will is calling and disturbing their peace.
"What bloody article?"
"I just texted it to you. Just read the damn thing. I'll wait." Will says tersely and Killian finally obliges, holding his phone out in front of him on speakerphone to pull up the link for the Portland Press Herald.
"Shit. Fuck."
Emma's head pops up next to him, looking curiously at his phone but she's still blinking sleep out of her eyes so Killian narrates briefly as he scrolls through the article.
"'It's no wonder the Lost Boy Arsonist hasn't been found yet, with Carlion's leadership in shambles. A torrid love triangle between the leaders of the town spanning the mayor's office, fire station and sheriff's department has left the once mighty town a broken kingdom… Perhaps the cause of these arsons is not so much a single perpetrator as much as it is the result of an ineffectual system… the trickle down effect of such blatant disregard for other people's welfare has also impacted the neighboring town, Storybrooke and its investigations, and must be cleansed from this land before it spreads further….'' God, who comes up with this sort of drivel? This is more worthy of the tabloids than a newspaper."
"I guess that's the end of all the help you're going to get from Carlion regarding these arsons." Emma says wearily, diving back into the blankets as if to hide from the vileness of the article.
"Who the fuck is this Greg Mendell anyway and why does he have all the details of our bloody case?" Will explodes and the quiet female voice can be heard again, soothing him.
"Elsa?" Emma yawns, pulling the blankets off her head and peering at Killian's phone as if expecting her friend's face to suddenly pop up on the screen.
"Hi," Elsa's voice appears clearer this time, likely now on speakerphone now that her cover is blown.
"Greg Mendell… I think Tamara knows him. I might have seen his name scribbled on some scrap of paper she dropped at the diner a couple days ago."
Will sighs loudly over the line, "Is this just you projecting your suspicions again? Not everything has to do with Neal's fiance, you know."
Emma bristles beside Killian, but he's already responding, "Bugger off, Scarlet."
"The point is," Elsa's voice is raised to speak over the obscenities spewing from Will's mouth, "Everything they published is unfortunately true, no matter how ridiculously it's written. But now that the whispers have been confirmed, Carlion is going to have to take a step back and focus on themselves and how to visibly show that the restructuring is under way. They plan to hand the entire arson case over to Storybrooke. Anna told me this morning while Kristoff placed the call to your Captain Lake."
"It's Tamara. It's got to be. She's been leeching information off people this whole time, just to publish this." Emma says vehemently and Killian tries to reach out to comfort her, but Emma's sitting up now, spine ramrod straight, holding the sheets to her front as she seethes.
"Well, damaging as this publication is, perhaps we'll glean new resources from the city to help with our search." Killian reasons, just as Emma's phone starts ringing.
"Great," She grumbles, "Let the shitstorm begin."
Killian swiftly switches the phone off speaker and addresses Elsa, "How's Kristoff doing with all this?"
"Well, he's a pretty level-headed guy and he's basically been in charge since Arthur lost his marbles over Cruella, so I would say okay, all things considered. There's just more pressure to get it together now, and his efforts will at least be acknowledged. I think he just feels bad that all this is taking him away from the investigation."
"Right, I- hold on." Killian cuts himself off when he catches the look on Emma's face while she struggles to untangle herself from him and the sheets, "Swan, what is it?"
"It's Henry- He's missing." Emma yells over her shoulder as she scrambles for clothes before giving up completely and beelining for the shower.
"Did you get that?" Killian jumps out of bed and hears similar rusting on the other end of the call.
"Yeah, bloody hell."
-/-
They arrive at Mary Margaret's diner after what appears to have been quite a tirade by Regina, who's still pacing at the entrance with everyone looking on with chastised expressions.
"Uh, shall we?" Graham says with a cautious look towards the mayor.
"By all means," She replies sarcastically, sweeping her arm forward. Killian approaches the Sheriff to hear the plan while Emma goes to offer her aunt some comfort or at the very least, another person to vent to.
"All we know is he came in around 9am, asked for some sandwiches to go and left to find his mom. Turns out, he left Regina with a note saying he's sorry and it's all his fault and now he's run away." Graham sums up in a lowered voice as the bundled-up search party files past them and into the cold.
"Time's a-wasting. It's below freezing and the boy's been gone an hour and a half now." Killian jumps into his car, Will and Elsa scrambling in behind him, "I've emergency supplies in the back, we can pass them out to groups once we get to the edge of the woods. Locksley's crew is meeting us there."
Sure enough, by the time the last of the procession of vehicles reaches the designated area, the paramedics and firefighters are handing out small bundles of supplies as Mulan organizes the search grid.
"When you find him, keep his core warm, then work on his extremities. Watch out for ice out there, folks. It's rough terrain." Whale calls out, breath puffing out in front of him.
"Radio if you see anything, cell service will be spotty out in the woods." Mulan calls, "Henry is believed to be wearing his navy blue coat, orange striped scarf and green backpack. We don't know if he's wearing a hat or not."
"If it gets too cold, you come back and warm up. We will have vehicles circling around the area. We don't need anyone risking exposure out there and requiring another search party to find them." Tink adds.
"Alright, let's get out there." Graham says, finishing handing out the radios. Everyone disperses to their groups and into the woods, their echoing shouts for Henry fading as they fan out.
"How far could he have gone? He's got tiny legs." Will pants some time later, pausing to help Elsa over a log which she steps over herself without a problem.
"He may be still a young lad, but he's far more agile than you, old man Scarlet." Killian retorts, looking over to Emma who's ten feet to his left.
"Henry!" She calls, but the only answer they get is the sound of the frozen ground under their boots and the whispering wind.
Killian's radio crackles where it's clipped to his jacket, "Lieutenant Jones, anything in the north woods?"
"Some cracked twigs, but with the fresh snow falling and the hard ground, it's hard to tell if it was a wild animal or the lad."
"Trust Henry to not be the type of person who litters, either." Emma's mutter travels back to Killian just as he hears Graham sigh.
"We're sending folks out towards the county roads to see if he's made it to that side. The whole area has received the Amber Alert but so far the tip lines aren't giving us much."
"We'll find him." Killian says firmly, his voice carrying. Emma looks back, her face creased with worry. It's been over 45 minutes now, and no sign of Henry from any of the search teams.
"Henry!" Elsa shouts and somewhere in the forest, a small animal skitters amongst the dried leaves.
Killian clenches his jaw, glancing over at Emma again. Her fists are balled deep in her sleeves, a bright rosy hue high on her cheeks and the tip of her nose. Windchill has lowered the temps and with Henry running around without proper winter gear…
"Henry!" Killian's bellow is laced with a newfound desperation. Henry's a logical lad, whatever would possess him to run away from home in the dead of winter?
A heavy shuffle echoing along all sides brings the four of them to a halt, looking through the trees at each other.
"It came from over there." Will says, fifteen feet to Killian's right. They start veering in that direction in unison, taking turns calling out for the missing boy. Elsa lets out a faint scream when a figure shoots out from behind a tree, darting past them and nearly sending Will flying backwards.
"Mulan!" Killian calls when another figure goes streaking past them, but the deputy is too focused in her pursuit, never slowing down.
The runner is swathed in dark green, crashing through the forest without a backwards glance despite their yells and while this figure is lithe and agile, Mulan is more powerful, pushing towards the mysterious runner and closing in the distance steadily.
"Stop!" Emma yells and for whatever reason, this makes the runner turn his head back a little, just in time to reach a protruding tree root that sends him tumbling to the ground. His hood falls back to reveal a shock of sandy blonde hair and before he can scramble back to his feet, Mulan is lunging, grabbing the back of his coat and pulling him back to the ground.
By the time they reach the deputy and the runner, Mulan has the guy pinned up against a tree in cuffs, radio-ing back to command to send someone over and collect him.
"You could have radioed." Killian huffs, breathing harder from a combination of the stinging cold in his lungs and exertion.
"I had it under control." Mulan replies shortly.
"Felix." Emma stops a few feet away and stares at the face that's been plastered to their living room window for too long. The boy's hair is longer, but his visage is still as angular and menacing with the same scar slashing across his face. Before Killian can anticipate what's going to happen, Emma is flying across the small clearing, grabbing handfuls of his coat and dragging him to face her.
"Where is Henry? Where is he?"
Elsa is the first to react, tugging gently on Emma's shoulder until she releases Felix, who continues to leer at her, even as Mulan pushes him back against the tree.
"You'll never find the brat." Felix taunts, his face twisted cruelly. Killian throws out his arm, catching Will in the chest as the shorter fireman surges forward.
"Go." Mulan says sharply, jerking her head forward, "Leroy and the others should be soon to take him to the station."
Emma leads the way forward as they fan out again, yelling out Henry's name with renewed vigor, their eyes peeling for any miniscule sign of the boy. If Felix had done anything to the lad…
Will stops suddenly, drawing Killian's attention and the lieutenant stops as well, watching his friend.
"Smoke." Will says and Killian nods, detecting the faint trace as the wind blows just right. Instinctively, the firemen look up as Emma and Elsa swivel on their feet, looking around wildly.
"It's small- this way!" Will shouts and the four of them take off, sprinting through the woods.
Emma slips a little on a patch of snow and Killian catches her right before she lands on the ground, her yelp echoing through the trees.
"You alright, love?"
Emma nods, straightening up and Killian looks up, straining his ears to see if what he just heard was truly what he thought it was.
"Hello?"
Killian looks down at Emma, whose eyes are wide, just before she pulls away from Killian and advances a few steps, "Henry?"
Will and Elsa stop a few paces ahead of them, looking back in alarm. "Henry?" Elsa calls out again experimentally.
"H-hello?" God, the boy's voice is scared, feeble and Killian tries to follow the sound until the sharp smell of smoke hits his nostrils.
"There!"
Emma is already halfway towards the clearing and just around a large tree- there!
"Henry? Henry!"
Killian instantly recognizes the young lad, beanie shoved messily over his head, coat buttoned all the way up. Henry and Emma go barreling into each other the next second and Killian's breath leaves his body in a relieved whoosh, bringing his radio to his mouth to report the good news.
He listens to Graham's instructions, watching as Emma and Elsa wrap Henry in the blanket and several scarves from Will's pack while the fireman extinguishes the fire that's more smoke than anything else. Elsa's still checking Henry's extremities when Killian walks over to relay Graham's directions, taking his turn to embrace the boy who keeps chanting "I'm sorry," through his chattering teeth.
Soon, they're traipsing through the forest again, Will carrying Henry piggy-back, wool blanket tucked firmly around his back, Elsa sporting their emergency pack and Killian wearing Henry's backpack (which is surprisingly heavy).
It's silent as they walk, everyone too cold to say much while Killian leads them with Graham's help to where the closest vehicle is.
Philip is waiting outside his car when they finally burst forth from the treeline and they pile into his Suburban, which is blissfully warm and soon they are in danger of overheating as they start to peel away their layers of winter things, sweating under their coats from exertion. By the time they reach the manor, with Mary Margaret and Regina flying out from the front door, Henry's stopped shivering, though he hasn't left Emma and Killian's embrace.
There's a brief standoff where Killian and Emma keep Henry swathed and bundled between them as Tink and Regina jockey for who gets to see Henry first until Whale drags everyone inside, only to throw everyone but Regina and his partner out of the parlor so he can examine Henry in peace.
Mary Margaret wastes no time positioning everyone in front of the fire and doling out hot chocolates and coffee while they strip down to their clothes, though the mugs remain largely untouched, their fingers still throbbing as they adjust to the warmth indoors. Emma passes out blankets and they all scoot closer to the fire, sitting on the floor in a semicircle. Philip gets a call to pick up others from the woods and Mary Margaret sees him out as Emma settles in the cradle of Killian's knees, leaning back against his chest until she can press her cheek to his. Killian circles his arms around her under the blanket, feeling himself start to get drowsy.
Graham arrives about the same time Henry is banished to the fire and the Sheriff pulls aside the mayor to speak quietly with her first. Elsa and Will scoot over, leaving space for Henry to sit criss-cross in the middle.
"Henry," Emma's arm reaches out from the cocoon of blankets, smoothing the hair off his forehead, "What the hell were you thinking?"
His shoulders slump, "I kept thinking about how Felix followed me here to Storybrooke and if it wasn't for me getting adopted, none of this would have happened. No one would have written the article that's going to get everyone fired, Killian wouldn't have gotten hurt-,"
"Oh, lad." Killian cuts Henry off, with a sad shake of his head, "None of that is your fault. Firemen get injured on the job all the time." Killian says, stroking his hand up and down Emma's arm.
"Right, and Carlion has had issues for a long time. It's not your fault the article simply exposed what everyone has been suspecting all this time." Elsa pipes up consolingly, "If anything, they at least get a chance to really fix everything now."
"That's right, lad." Will adds bracingly, "Just don't make anyone go chasing through the woods again in the dead of winter and everything will be just peachy."
"Will."
Behind them, Graham clears his throat and Emma and Elsa peel their reprimanding glares away to look up at him.
"Could I get a minute with Henry?"
They all mumble, getting up and refolding their blankets to stack on the couch before ambling into the kitchen where Mary Margaret is preparing a towering platter of sandwiches.
"Thank you." Regina blurts, twisting her hands together, "For finding Henry."
There's another general mumbling of acknowledgement before Whale sweeps into the room, "Come on, Lieu, I'll drop you at your car."
"We'll be here." Emma tells him when Killian turns to her, "I'll hide some sandwiches from Will so you have something to eat when you come back," She promises, leaning up to kiss his cheek. Killian smiles at her, squeezing her waist briefly before saying a quick goodbye to everyone in the room.
"Crazy day, huh? All that shit going on in Carlion and the mayor's kid running off, all before noon." Whale remarks as they all climb into the rig, with Tink driving them back towards the woods.
"Yeah, no kidding."
"There's going to be a lot of pressure on Storybrooke now as everyone expects us to lead and pick up the slack." Tink adds, though her voice yields neither distaste or excitement.
"Are they going to clear you for the field?" Whale ponders out loud and Killian has to admit that's been his secondary thought since he finished reading the article. With Carlion in chaos, Storybrooke will be the primary responder to all calls coming in from nearby townships, along with whatever else happens within their own town limits. He has no doubt that these past few months, all the time Lancelot has been spending in Carlion has been in service of propping up their failing infrastructure, and he can't see his captain tearing himself away now when Carlion is sorely lacking in leadership.
"Thanks for the lift," killian hops out of the ambulance, lifting his hand in farewell as Tink executes a perfect U-turn. His phone starts ringing as he unlocks his car and Killian fumbles for it, forgetting which pocket he stuck it into.
"Jones."
"Lieutenant, it's Graham. We're about to start questioning Nightshade if you want to head over."
"I'll be there in 10. Is Captain Lake…?"
"Liaising in Carlion."
Killian grimaces, not envying his captain one bit, "Alright. See you soon, Humbert."
"Yup."
The next call he places is to Emma to let her know where he'll be, reminding her to keep the information between a close few people. The last thing they need is another inflammatory story rocking the town.
Killian walks into a somewhat unsettling atmosphere in the station, with phones ringing off the hook and not a single soul out by the desks.
"They'll calm down in a half-hour or so, once people realize the Amber Alert's been lifted." Graham explains from the doorway leading to the interrogation rooms. Inside the confined space, Mulan leans with her hands on the sill, watching Felix as Philip stands behind her, arms crossed and eyes similarly fixed.
"Locksley's holding the fort down at the firehouse, he didn't want to leave it unsupervised today. I know this is a bit unorthodox, but I figured you might like to be our FD rep today." Graham says and Killian nods, eyes fixed on the boy in the room.
There's a sick sort of confidence oozing from Felix as he sprawls in the rigid chair, the kind of arrogance that isn't fazed by any destruction left in his wake, perfectly comfortable with where he is, almost enjoying himself without a care in the world.
Suddenly, Mulan pushes away from the sill and marches into the room, throwing a file on the table. Felix turns his head lazily, his lips curling into a lopsided smirk.
"It's about time, Deputy Fa. I imagine you were getting antsy waiting out there."
This boy is clever. Possibly even more cunning than they originally thought him out to be.
Mulan sits, straightening the fire in front of Felix, just within his reach and folds her hands in front of her, "What were you doing in the woods?"
Felix shrugs carelessly, though Killian doesn't miss the way his eyes flicker down to the folder before wandering the room, or that he sits up in his chair slightly.
"Hm." Mulan gets to her feet, pacing a little until she leans up against the wall, right next to the one-way window. "Where have you been since you ran away from the group home?"
A bored mask slips over Felix's features as his fingers twitch toward the folder. Mulan remains standing, crossing her arms coolly as she waits.
"Here and there." Felix replies archly, flicking open the folder with two of his long fingers, but whatever he expected to find, it's not there. In a sudden, wild move, he flings the file off the table, sending the loose papers filled with legalese flying and scattering to the floor in a haphazard mess.
"I told you," Felix says in a controlled and silky voice, so different than his angry movement before that it makes the hair on the back of Killian's neck stand up. The other men in the room shift as well, and Killian knows he's not the only person unnerved.
"I'll only talk to the girl. I'll only talk to Emma Nolan."
A/N: Shorter chapter today, but I wanted to update sooner rather than wait. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting! Just a few more chapters left in this fic, hope you are all still enjoying this as much as I am!