Henry walks out into the waiting room.
"Has anyone seen Killian?" he asks.
Aurora looks up from the book she's reading.
"He went out that way," she points out the door. "He was very angry. What did you say to him?"
"I didn't say anything, it was the woman, Gwen."
"Don't tell me you…" Ruby says.
"She told me everything that happened,"
"Oh god Henry," Ruby groans angrily. "There was a reason I stayed quiet about this."
"Why? What happened?" Anna asks.
Ruby swallows hard. She looks at Henry in concern.
"Tell them, Ruby," Henry says. Ruby shakes her head. "Tell them or I will."
Ruby sighs. "The bastard's name is Arthur King and… the reason he has Emma is that he's trying to get her pregnant."
Everyone in the group goes quiet. The colour drains from Anna's, Aurora's, MeyLing's, Regina's and Zelena's face. Ruby turns as red as her hair, embarrassed and stressed out by what she revealed. Henry swallows.
"And Killian heard this?" MeyLing asks.
"That's all he needed to hear," Henry says.
"Well, we have to go find him before he does something stupid!" Regina says, standing up.
"Or at the very least gets himself or Emma killed," Zelena adds.
Regina shoots her sister a look, but they both are reminded of what Elsa said earlier and drop it. Everyone gets up and exits the hospital.
Once they're in the bright sunlight of the afternoon and the wind picks up, they look both ways.
"Which way do you think he went?" Aurora asks.
Ruby looks in the direction of where most of them had parked once the news of the witness had been shared. She could see her red Corvette, Aurora's dark blue van, Zelena's green Porsche, Regina's black BMW, Elsa's blue convertible, but not Killian's black SUV.
"Shit!" Ruby says, grinding her teeth together. She fumbles with her phone to dial David's number.
"What's up, Ruby?"
"David where are you?"
"I'm at the park down the street with Mary Margret. Why?"
"Killian's run off."
"What? Why? How?"
"Henry and Killian visited the witness in her room and found out the guy was trying to get Emma pregnant."
"Oh my God, Wait, how do you know that?"
"Not important David! We need to find Killian before he does something that might get himself or Emma killed."
"Right, I'll radio Jack. Call Robin and Will to be on the look out. If he comes home for some things, I want them to keep them there."
"But I don't have Robin's number…"
"I do," Zelena interrupts. "I'll call him right now."
Regina turns red in frustration but tries to keep her arm around Henry as they walk towards her BMW.
"Does anyone actually have Killian's number yet?" Ruby asks, still on the phone.
"Emma's phone does," David says. "But it's in the evidence locker."
"Will or Robin will have it," Zelena says, as she scrolls through her numbers looking for Robin's.
"Then we can track him on Find my iPhone," Anna adds. She is trying to find her sister, who has the keys to the convertible.
"Does Killian even know where's he's going?" David asks as Ruby fumbles with her own keys to start her car up. "We don't even know where Emma is."
"I don't think he knows either, the guy is probably so mad right now, he'll search all over the country to find Emma," Ruby says, putting her key in the ignition.
"We need him here; this is police business. Besides, if he kills Arthur King, there won't be any left for me to beat to a pulp."
"Can we ditch the violent acts for now?" Ruby says. "I know the guy is a total douche bag and deserves to rot in hell, but if I'm honest, I'd rather see him in jail. It's worse than hell."
"I'll get a few patrols out to find him. I'm going to take Mary home."
"We'll start searching. Text us when you want us back at the station," Ruby says.
"Alright."
Ruby hangs up and drops her phone on the seat and veers towards where the others are stationed around their cars.
"We'll all take a direction," Regina says. "Henry and I will take the east, Aurora and MeyLing the south, Zelena and Leroy the west and Anna and Elsa the north. Ruby, you need to go with David and make the station our home base."
"I'll pick up Robin along the way," Zelena says.
Regina opens her mouth to speak, but shuts it again. She must stay focused. Henry climbs into the passenger seat and Regina gets in and starts the car. All the vehicles take off in different directions, racing down the streets in search of Killian Jones.
…
"I knew he'd do something stupid like this," Robin grumbles angrily. He puts his shoes on after having received a phone call from Zelena.
"He's nuts he is," Will adds.
"It's just a testament to how much he cares about her I guess," Robin groans. "Aren't you coming Will?"
"Not this time mate," Will says. Robin notices that his roommate is in a dress shirt and tie.
"A date with Ana?" Robin groans.
"Right you are," Will says proudly.
"Don't you think finding your roommate and his kidnapped girlfriend is a little more important than getting some? I mean the world will not fall apart if you don't sleep with her tonight."
"On the contrary Robin, the world may not, but I will. Sex is like my energy booster, it's what keeps me alive."
Robin nearly vomits on the floor, the last thing he needed was another one of Will's passionate speeches about sex.
"Spare me the sermon, just make sure you keep the door shut when I get home. Your full moon is the last thing I want to see on my way to bed."
"A full moon orbiting two meteorites."
Robin shuts the door and goes downstairs before Will can get any dirtier.
Robin tries calling Killian, but he isn't picking up. Typical, especially if he's going to find Emma and he doesn't want anyone following him. Robin paces in front of the building, texting his roommate a few times and calling him even more.
"Killian, don't do whatever it is your thinking Mate," he says to the guy's answering machine. "I know you want to find her, but the police will do it for you. It's better to let them handle it than put yourself in danger."
Zelena's Porsche pulls up and honks the horn. Robin races over and climbs in the back, recognizing the grumpy man from the police station, who sits in the front seat.
"I've tried calling him," Robin says as Zelena pulls away from the apartment building. "No luck."
"I wouldn't expect him to be answering the phone, especially if he's going on the L.A.M. to find Emma," Zelena says.
"Turn on the Find my iPhone app," Leroy instructs the third passenger. "We've got everyone in different directions trying to find him."
Robin does as he is told. He connects to the Internet and types in Killian's phone code. The radar begins beeping.
Eventually, the map shows where Killian's cell phone is.
"He's on the eastern side of town," Robin says. "It's moving out of town and towards the state border."
"Regina can track him from there," Leroy says. He grabs Zelena's phone.
"Hey give me that," Zelena says.
"I need Regina's phone number Sister and since she's your half-sister, you have her number."
Leroy finds Regina's number. Henry picks up.
"Hello?"
"Hey kid, it's Leroy, We picked up Guyliner's roommate and he's got the guy on the app, he's in your direction so you're on the chase."
Leroy then hands the phone to Robin.
"Hello, who is this?" Robin asks.
"It's Henry,"
"Ah, Emma's son,"
"Yes."
"Is Regina driving?"
"Yes."
"Well put me on speakerphone so I can talk to her."
"Sure," Henry says and does as he is told.
"Hello, Robin." Regina's voice can be heard.
"Hello Regina, I'm going to give you directions on where Killian is okay?"
"Alright," Regina says, trying to hide the flush in her cheeks from hearing his voice. "You're my GPS."
"He's headed East along Highland Parkway,"
"We're about 10 minutes from there," Regina says, as she makes a U-turn to follow Robin's instructions.
Meanwhile, Zelena has turned around and is now heading east, trying to catch up with her half-sister and hopefully beat her in finding Emma's rogue boyfriend.
Robin and Regina talk back and forth as the green dot that is Killian's phone continues to move along the map, further and further from downtown Boston.
Suddenly, the dot stops.
"It's stopped," Robin says.
"What do you mean?" Regina asks.
"I mean it's not moving anymore, he's just south of Baker's Boulevard, down close to the countryside."
"We're on our way there now," Regina says.
Henry keeps an eye out in the graying darkness for a black SUV. The BMW is going along a lonely country road, which has no streetlights, and is lined with many trees. Killian must've wanted to take the back roads out of Boston so he was less likely to be identified.
"I think it's on the side of the road," Robin says. "He must've stopped to get gas or something."
"It's pretty dark down this way," Regina says. "There isn't a gas station for miles."
"Well, then why would he stop?" Robin ponders. "His dot hasn't moved in the last ten minutes."
Henry swallows once the car's headlights fall upon something on the side of the road.
"Maybe that's why..." he says nervously.
There are black tire marks that lead off the highway and towards a large black mass in a ditch. A black SUV has swerved off the road and wrapped itself around a nearby tree. The gravel is scattered from where he keeled off the road and the taillights are flashing, as if in distress. Broken glass and dented car parts are everywhere as well.
"Oh my god," Regina gasps. She pulls off to the gravelly shoulder of the road and stops the car.
"What? What is it?" Robin asks on the other end of the line.
Henry hops out and follows Regina as they make their way to the twisted wreck.
"We found him," Henry says.
"Is he okay? What…"
Henry hangs up without thinking and rushes to the driver's side, where Regina is trying to pry it open.
Killian is slumped over the steering wheel, completely out cold and with blood coming down from a gash on his face. The entire contents of his car are strewn about and the front end of the car is completely wrapped around the tree. Henry immediately begins to panic.
What if he's dead? He can't be dead. My mom would want to die if he did!
These questions raced through Henry's head as Regina struggles to get the driver's door open.
"Help me," Regina says insistently.
Henry reaches over and helps Regina pull against the driver door to free Killian.
It takes many tries before the dented door opens just enough for one of them to fit inside. Henry, who is thinner and smaller, reaches in to undo Killian's seat belt. Then both he and Regina grab Killian under the armpits and pull the docks man out of the twisted mangled wreckage.
Once he's on the wet grass, Regina checks his pulse and his breathing.
"He's still alive," Regina says. Henry breathes a sigh of relief. As Regina checks his breathing, her nose wrinkles in disgust.
"He's been drinking," she says very sternly. Henry stands up and sees what remains of a rum bottle in the front seat.
"Call an ambulance Henry and get my sweater from the car, we have to stop the bleeding."
Henry nods and dials an ambulance. He grabs Regina's black sweater from the car and hands it to her. She uses it to prop Killian's head up and presses a sleeve against his head wound.
"Killian, can you hear me?" She shouts.
Killian moans slightly and gasps a little bit.
"Killian, what hurts?"
Killian doesn't respond, except with a grimace.
"Killian an ambulance is on the way."
"I'm… so sorry Emma," he says quietly.
"Emma's not here and she'd be devastated to learn that you did something this stupid," Regina lectures him as she checks his body for other injuries.
Henry goes to get some water from the BMW and stays on the phone with the operator.
"Try to relax Killian," Henry says, trying to be of some help.
Killian's eyes flutter a little bit as he tries to stay conscious. He seems to recognize Henry's face, he gives a tiny frown to the teenager.
"I'm so sorry Lad," Killian whispers.
"We will find my Mom, don't worry," the boy says as confidently as he can. "Just going rogue isn't a good idea."
Killian manages a small smile.
…
Eventually, the red lights of an ambulance are flashing and lighting up the empty country road. Killian is being loaded into an ambulance in a neck brace and on a stretcher. David, Nova, and Jack are all on the scene, taking down Regina and Henry's statements. Almost everyone else has shown up now, most shaking their heads in disapproval at Killian's poor decision-making, but they tried to understand that Killian was so desperate to find Emma, he wasn't thinking clearly.
"You did a good job tonight Regina," David says.
"I've dealt with stupid people like this before," Regina sighs heavily.
"He wasn't stupid, just impulsive," David says defensively. Regina shoots him a look. "Okay, it was pretty stupid."
"Exactly, he might have to do time for such a stupid mistake," Regina mutters.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," David says. "Let's just get him to the hospital."
The ambulance takes off with sirens blaring and Regina sits on the hood of her car for a few moments to collect her bearings. She puts her hands over her face to rest her eyes.
"That was quite the rescue there," a voice says. Regina looks to see Robin walking towards her. "I've never seen such quick thinking and responsive actions."
"I trained in first aid when I was in college," Regina says.
"Well, you most likely saved his life," Robin says comfortingly.
"Hardly," she shakes her head. "I've seen a lot worse, to be honest."
She swallows when she thinks of Daniel.
Robin sits next to her, leaning against the hood of the car,
"I want to thank you for finding him," Robin says, almost awkwardly.
"It was really you who did the tracking," she says modestly.
"I guess it was a team effort,"
Regina blushes slightly, trying not to look into his beautiful blue eyes. She's glad it's dark out and he can't see her red face.
"I guess," she shrugs.
"I think we started off on an awkward foot," Robin says suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Regina asks.
"I mean is, you probably got the wrong impression of me."
"I never thought that," Regina says.
"Regardless, I would like to get to know you, Regina, maybe even become friends? If you're okay with that?"
Regina swallows hard, trying not to hide her excitement. Her eyes begin to shine brightly.
"I think I am…"
"And just so you know, I'm not dating your sister or anyone else for that matter."
"But you said you had a girlfriend, that girl Marian."
"She was actually my wife. Key word was, she and I have split up and we're going through a messy divorce with custody of our son Roland."
"So you have a son?" Regina asks, her interest peaked.
"Yes, he's five now and he's struggling with all of this. He tells me he misses his daddy."
"As most people would," Regina says. Her father died not long after she graduated college, it was a crushing blow and she still wished she could call him up and just talk to him.
"But I'm hardly in the ideal situation to raise him. In a tiny apartment with two roommates, one who's a slag and the other a man who is obviously living dangerously back into alcoholism. I just wish I had a way to fix my life, my own place to live where I can protect Roland. Let him have a normal childhood. You know?"
Regina just nods. She feels the need to put her arm around Robin, to provide him with some comfort. She decides to try for his hand. Robin is surprised at first, but then slowly accepts it. The two look into each other's eyes for a long moment before a loud horn blast shatters the peaceful moment.
Regina sees her uptight sister honking the horn.
"Come on Robin," she hollers. "I'll drop you off on my way home."
Robin swallows hard and looks at Regina.
"I'll talk to you later then," Robin says.
"Sure," Regina says, smiling weakly.
Robin runs over and climbs into the back of Zelena's Porsche. Regina watches him go, her heart feels a little bit lighter as if there is a sliver of hope for the two of them. She does catch her half-sister's evil eye and Regina gives a small satisfied smirk, knowing that Robin wasn't interested in her bratty sister. She was actually on the way to becoming Robin's friend, maybe one day something more, but she had to take it slow, her relationships should not be the priority right now, caring for Henry and finding Emma should be. Still…
Point to Regina.
Here's Chapter 35. Thanks for the comments and keep reviewing. Also, thank you for all the support. It really means a lot to me.