Chapter 8: The Plan
Emma woke as the sunlight reached her face. She snuggled down into her blankets, enjoying the warmth they provided to her. The blankets were plush and soft against her skin, something she did not have the luxury of having the last ten years. Henry and Emma had been afforded a single woolen blanket that they shared on their old mattress in the basement or whatever room he would trap them in for the moment. Many times, in the winter, they had huddled together using her body to keep her son warm.
Looking over she watched with gratitude as Henry was curled into the comforter, Rogers nuzzling against his chest, a smile on the boy's face.
She heard a noise echoing through the house, the clang of metal in the distance. She sat up, yawning before stretching her feet to the floor and wandering into the bathroom. She found a brush in the bottom drawer, one she recognized as hers, and ran the bristles through her hair. Killian had left two new toothbrushes on the sink for her and Henry.
When she finished getting ready, she slipped quietly out of the room, Rogers following at her heels. She found Killian in the kitchen, hunched over the stove while he stirred a pan of scrambled eggs. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants, and nothing else. Emma stood in the door frame, admiring the man in front of her, she had forgotten what it was like to desire someone.
She had determined that even ten years later, he was still the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. His body had changed in the years since she had been with him, but he had stayed in excellent shape, his back was firm and taut, even though she could tell he had gained weight since they were together, but it made him even more attractive to her. By the time she realized her gaze was lingering over his firm backside, Rogers betrayed her by drawing his attention toward her.
"Morning, Emma. Hope I didn't wake you. I thought you and Henry might want some breakfast before we met with David."
He turned, leaning against the stove, crossing his arms in front of his chest. She mentally reminded herself to keep her eyes on his face, not to trail down his body or spend time wondering if he still went commando when wearing sweatpants.
"Emma?"
She flinched, realizing she had been stuck in her head, staring at him. "Sorry, still sleepy." She laughed. "Um, breakfast sounds great. I'll get Henry up."
She retreated quickly to the bedroom, waking her son to ensure they had time to eat and make it to the station before 8am.
By the time they pulled up to the station, they were ten minutes late, and had missed multiple calls from David who was clearly concerned about Killian making good on his promise to return Emma first thing in the morning.
"Sorry, I'm not used to getting a kid out the door in enough time to get across town." Killian replied honestly as Robin glared at him as soon as they reached his desk.
"Hello again, Emma." Robin smiled, looking over at Killian with concern. "Captain has a guest in his office, he wants to see you both. I can watch Master Henry."
Emma followed Killian nervously through the building toward the Captain's office. The blinds were closed, and they knocked before entering the room. When Emma stepped inside, she recognized the woman sitting across from David at his desk. She had met her twice in the hospital after more than one brutal attack she had received from Neal.
"Jones, Emma. This is Mary Margaret; she works over at Harbor View Medical Center."
The woman looked up and stared at Emma. "I remember you." She said softly.
"I remember you too, Emma. I'm so happy to finally see you again." The woman stood from her seat.
"Emma, we would like to be able to use your hospital records as evidence." David declared.
"I didn't use my real name." She said with a frown.
"I actually flagged them after trying to report your injuries, I figured it wasn't your real name and you were always gone before I could alert security, but I hoped that one day I would see you again. Your injuries were especially memorable, and no one should have to continue to live with that."
Emma glanced at Killian nervously, swallowing before speaking. "Can I…can I talk to you privately?"
Mary Margaret looked at David, and he nodded, "We'll just be outside. Take your time."
Killian lightly grazed her shoulder and she turned toward him with a nod, offering him a shy smile before he followed David out the door.
"How are you doing, Emma?" The woman asked taking a seat and offering her a chair beside her.
"I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for me in the past. I know you tried to help, and I wasn't very cooperative."
"Emma, you did what you had to do to survive. No one faults you for that."
"I had to protect my son. Neal never let him come with me to the hospital. He always kept us separate so that I wouldn't do anything."
"That must have been terrifying." She said softly, reaching out to take her hand. "How are you coping with being away from him?"
"I'm…" She sighed, guilt overcoming her as she turned her eyes to the floor. "I feel like I've done something wrong. By leaving him. How fucked up is that?"
"Emma, you were with this man for ten years. He conditioned you to be afraid of him, to want to please him. It's natural to be scared or feel that you've disappointed him in some way."
"How long am I going to be like this?"
"I can't answer that unfortunately, I can recommend you a good therapist. Dr. Hopper is the best around."
"Therapists are for weak people." She grunted.
"Therapy is to help you talk about how you're feeling and the way those feelings cause you to interact with others. It will help you resolve what happened to you. It doesn't make you weak. You are a very strong woman to have withstood the violence and emotional abuse you suffered."
"Will I always be afraid of being close to another person?"
"How do you mean?"
"Killian, he's my…my husband." The woman looked confused for a moment before the realization of her words were met with understanding.
"I'm sorry, Captain Nolan didn't tell me you were married."
"It was complicated." She said with a light snort. "But now, every time he touches me, I flinch."
"It's going to take time for you to react normally. The important part is for you to know that you are in a safe environment. He'll need to be patient, take things slow. Try the little things until you feel like you are ready to move to the next thing. Start with something small, like holding his hand, or a hug. It may be easier if you initiate contact with others for a while, until you get used to someone else showing you affection. But there is no right or wrong way to heal, Emma. Neal broke your self-esteem, took away your ability to trust and violated your will to choose, only you can take back what he stole from you."
She smiled at her, looking down at her hands, feeling comforted by another person.
"I'll leave Dr. Hopper's card with David."
"Thank you for talking to me. I don't know what to say to Captain Nolan or Killian."
"They both seem to care a great deal about you, I have a feeling they will let you take all the time you need to come to them." She paused. "How is Henry handling things?"
"I'm not sure. He doesn't trust a lot of people. He seems to like Killian, but I know this isn't easy on him."
"Dr. Hopper sees kids too; it might be a good idea for both of you to have someone else to talk to."
"Thank you, I will look into it."
She was happy to have had the opportunity to speak to the woman. Not that she felt better, it was just nice to know that what she was experiencing was normal behavior. Emma laughed to herself, it wasn't like anything going on around her was normal.
When they stepped out of the room, David and Killian were huddled in the corner with Robin. A man and woman, she thought were named Belle and Will who had been their back up the night they got Henry out of the house was sitting with her son, who was currently laughing loudly at something the man had said to them.
Neal's picture was displayed on the wall at the back of the room, her own photo was below it, she cringed when she realized that it pointed toward Officer Perry. She made her way to the men in the corner, taking note of the way that Killian stared at her with concern in his eyes as she approached.
"So, what's the plan?" She said shyly as she approached.
David turned around, "Ah you're done, let me see Mary Margaret out, Killian and Robin can fill you in."
"We're gonna have you call Neal from a phone in the building, tell him that you got picked up while you were shopping. Just tell him that the officer told you they have Henry. It's going to be really important for him to believe you are desperate to get him back."
Emma nodded. "Ok, he'll believe all that, he's not exactly smart. But how is that going to get him to you?"
Robin pointed at the map on the wall. "We want you to tell him to pick you up on the docks, here." He said as he pointed toward the map. "Will he come get you? Or will he expect you to come to him?"
"I'll tell him I need him, that always gets him to do what I want."
Killian's jaw tensed beside her but he nodded his head. "Ok then we take you to the docks. He shows up, we take him down."
David walked up behind them. "And she needs to wear a wire, we want to get him to talk about the bank job. Get him to say that he killed Officer Perry."
"No way, too dangerous, he's not an idiot. He'll check her for a wire." Killian argued.
"He's right, Neal doesn't trust anyone and if he knows I've been with the cops for a whole day without contacting him, he'll suspect something." She added.
"That's the conditions. She wears a wire, or they want her back in lock up."
"That's a fucking death sentence." Killian screamed and she jumped. "There is no way we do this. I'm not sending her out there so he can fucking kill her."
"We'll be safe, he won't find the wire. I get that this is risky, so it's Emma's call." David looked up at her apologetically.
She turned toward Killian, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "If we don't get Neal off the streets, he's a danger to all of us. He won't stop until he's killed you, me, and Henry. I have to protect him."
"Emma…" He choked out, his thumb caressing the top of her knuckles.
"I can do this, and I know you'll be there to back me up."
He ran his hand through his hair, an exasperated groan leaving his throat. "Fine, but if things go wrong, I'm putting a bullet in his head."
"Don't make me pull you off this, Jones. I need you thinking straight." David warned.
"He'll be fine." Robin added, stepping up to tap him on the shoulder and sending him a warning glance.
"Ok let's make the call."
Emma felt her nerves rising as they dialed the phone, Killian listening on another line from his desk.
"Hello?"
"Neal, it's Emma."
"Where the fuck have you been, bitch?" He growled into the receiver.
"I got picked up from the grocery store, some dumb cop recognized my face from the robbery footage they've been blasting all over the tv." Her heart was pounding in her chest. "Neal, they took Henry."
"Who has Henry?"
"The cops, when they arrested me they told me they have him, how did that happen, you said he would be safe at the house."
"Where is he?"
"They didn't tell me, they just released me."
"What do you mean they released you?"
"The video isn't clear, they don't have the gun, I told you I dumped it."
"That's my good girl." He cooed and Emma wretched, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she recognized the look of anger shading Killian's face from the desk on the other side of the room.
"I need you to come get me, I'm heading out of here right away, you told me to never stay near a station, so I'm going to the dock, Pier 50 where all that construction is going on."
"Ok give me a couple hours. I want to make sure you weren't followed. If you see any signs of trouble, you call me back ok? We'll get Henry back. Everything will turn out exactly how it's supposed to be, you'll see sweetheart."
"Ok I'll see you then."
"Emma…" She could hear the warning in the throaty growl, she tried to ignore it. "Baby I want to hear you say it."
She looked up nervously, her face red with anger. Not here, not now. "I'll say it when I see you."
"Goddamn Emma, say it."
She flinched as he raised his voice. "I love you." She said in a hoarse whisper. Tears sliding down her cheek as the phone left her ear. She could barely hear his voice as she put the phone on the receiver, the words that made her feel dirty, worthless, and terrified.
"I love you too, baby."
She dropped down into the chair behind her, tears falling slowly into her lap. "Mom, it's gonna be ok."
She reached out and pulled Henry into her lap, hugging him for dear life. She needed Neal to pay for everything he had done to them.
"You did good, Emma." Killian's voice was soft as he approached her. "Let's get you ready."
Henry looked up at her. "You can do this Mom. I believe in you."
She stood and walked with the men toward the Captain's office to set her up with a wire. Once the door closed David approached her, holding the wire in his hands.
"Cap, perhaps we should have Belle do this?" He glanced at Emma and then back at David who paused.
"Yeah good idea, I'll go get her."
Once they were alone, Killian turned toward her. "Are you alright, love?"
"I will be once this is all over. Thanks for, um…suggesting Belle."
"Figured that might be a bit more comfortable for you."
The door opened and Belle walked in, Killian nodded to her, passing the bundle of wires into her hand. "Make sure a pat down won't find them." He turned back to Emma, smiled, and left the room.
"So, tell me, this Neal, is he a nervous man, distrustful? Do you think he'll try and search you?"
"He'll definitely check my shirt. He's not an idiot, but he's not the most brilliant criminal either."
"Ok so we'll go with the legs." Emma nodded and turned around, unbuckling her jeans, and pulling them down her legs. "Ok stand over here." She pointed in front of her, and Emma closed her eyes, sighed, and then opened them with a new resolve.
"Those are much slimmer than I remember." She remarked, the mic pack and wires that didn't resemble the clunky ones they practiced with in the police academy.
"It's been ten years dear; a lot has changed." She said apologetically. "Ok, I'm gonna touch your leg. I'm going to try and run this up the inside of your thigh, I'm going to keep the mic pack low on your hip. That way if he searches you, he's most likely to go for the small of your back."
"Ok."
"I met you once before, do you remember that?" Emma looked at the girl, trying to remember her. "It was really quick; you were graduating when I started the academy. You know people talked about you all the time. First female to have the highest score on the shooting range. You beat all the guys in your class."
Emma laughed, it seemed so long ago that she earned her place among the men in her ranks. She knew she was a good shot, better than anyone else in her class, but proving it had meant more to her than she had realized.
"You were a hero to all us women that came after you. Only female in your class." Belle continued.
"It wasn't easy, but I'm sure you know that. Looks like you made your own way, Detective."
"Damn straight." She patted her leg. "All done."
Emma looked down at the wire, traveling up her leg and onto her hip. "Thanks."
"Just remember, you're stronger than him." She patted her on the shoulder and walked out the door, "I'll get the Captain."
The ride to the docks made her feel like she was stuck in a wind tunnel, everything was spinning by her at 60 mph, but she was frozen in place. The car stopped moving, and both Killian and Robin turned to face her.
"Ok Emma, you're going to walk to the end of the pier, then wait. I'll be stationed behind the row of shipping containers on the right, Robin will be on the left. Belle and Will are flanking the entrance. As soon as Neal is on the way, we'll know it. Just get him to come in, get him to say whatever you can and then we'll get you out of there."
"Ok."
They opened the door and Emma nervously stepped onto the pier. Killian leaned against the car, watching her. Emma nervously approached him, turning around to lean against the door. "Don't get jumpy and shoot over my shoulder." She teased.
"Hey that only happened once."
"What if he doesn't show up? What if he does show up but he finds the wire? What if…"
"Emma, nothing ever goes the way it's planned. If something goes wrong, I'll figure it out."
Emma leaned against his shoulder, sliding her hand down, her fingers tentatively reaching out and slipping into his. "I know you will, you've got my back."