Chapter 88: How I Define Myself

Emma crumples the note in her hands; her mind has gone completely blank and tears begin rolling up into the corners of her eyes. She practically collapses onto the ground, unable to hold herself up any longer. It feels as though she's been punched in the gut… all the hope and build up of seeing Jack and Rose again, praying that they were finally safe, only to have all that hope be ripped out from under her. The thought that Jack had redeemed himself in the eyes of the law for saving his fiancée and their unborn child seemed to sink into the darkness of her mind and vanish from sight.

Peter tries to support Emma, trying to be her rock, as he often was, but he too is on the verge of crumbling to the ground in frustration and sorrow. He helps her to the closest comfortable place to sit, which is the bumper of a police wagon. He gently sits next to her, keeping his arm around her the whole time. He carefully removes the crumpled note from her hands, which are now shaking; whether she is trembling from sorrow or anger, he cannot tell. He stares at the note, written with a fountain pen because some of the ink had been smudged in the corner, the obvious sign that it was done at the very last minute.

The couple both knew that Cal wanted to have the last laugh. He knew how much the couple loved Rose and Jack, how they were best friends and cared about one another like family. He knew that they would come to the mansion in search of their loved ones, only to have their friends ripped from their grasp once again. This note is meant to taunt them, trying to tell them to give up all hope because he was always one step ahead of them and the police. It was the worst game of cat and mouse ever and Mr. Hockley had used their weaknesses against them. He recognized that they were lawyers and would do things by the book; they would follow the law in order to get things done properly, they had their own reputation to uphold, plus with Sybil at home, they couldn't risk going to jail. They had to abide by the rules, but the tycoon didn't play by any. He understood the long process of police doing investigations and having proof of arrest took time; time that worked in his favour. He knew that his reputation in society was held in much higher regard than theirs were, and therefore gave the law-men a reason to doubt their stories about his cruelty towards themselves, Sybil, and Jack and Rose. It was also possible Cal knew that since Emma was a woman, she would not be taken seriously, another thing working against their desire for justice. It was all just a sick twisted game to him… one that he was still winning.

Emma swallows a large lump in her throat and looks at Peter, who is reading the note over and over as if he needs time to memorize it. She feels so defeated, so beat down and helpless. Nothing she ever did seemed to help them. Even Molly stopped her from bringing a gun for her plot of forcing Cal to release Rose… It just wasn't fair! Nothing she ever did seemed to be enough! She couldn't do anything right and no one believed her. What had she done to deserve such treatment? Losing her parents, being forced to grow up and become a parent and a business owner, nearly losing her life in a tragedy, being separated from the people she loved as her family… why was God working against her? Did He want her to be miserable, push her to almost the brink of insanity? It was all so confusing and painful.

After what feels like hours, the crowd of people surrounding the Hockley mansion only seems to grow as reporters and curiosity seekers seek any information that they can. Flashbulbs are going off and reporters are shouting questions at the police officers. The sun begins to set behind the nearby apple orchard; the beautiful orange and pink colours reflecting upwards into the sky, the last remaining rays of light pointing up towards the heavens as the golden orb sinks lower and lower into the horizon. Several straggly clouds drift onwards in the crisp evening breeze. Even though it was November now, the autumn season was still unusually warm to the point where most neighbours, reporters, and bystanders had only light coats on. The coldness of the wind seemed to chill the two friends of Jack and Rose… it felt like the iciness and unkindness of Caledon Hockley's soul. They knew more than anyone how much more danger the two lovers were in. They had experienced the man's evilness first hand, they had the scars to prove it. They had known from the very beginning that when Rose had been abducted, she was in grave peril, but now that Jack was also in the tycoon's clutches, it just made everything ten times worse. Cal is a dangerous man, but he still wants Rose, he wanted her to be his fiancée again, and while she was by no means safe, they knew he wouldn't kill her… or the baby they prayed. However, with Jack, it was a different situation entirely. The man who in Hockley's mind had stolen Rose away, impregnated her, and was moments away from marrying her; he is seen as a rival, the enemy, something to eliminate or find a permanent solution for. Jack would die by Cal's hand if the police didn't do their jobs as soon as possible. The evening was coming, casting a dark gloom around the crime scene and making the lights seem even brighter. It is almost to the point of blinding any bystanders. The police are doing their best to keep people back and ignore the publicity. Despite the excitement going on around them, neither Emma nor Peter notice. They were in a perpetual limbo of shock, anger, fear, and dismay… nothing could break them from their state of hysteria for their loved ones. In fact, it takes a little while for Emma to realize that someone is standing in front of her again. She looks up to see one of the police officers who had talked to them before, he is holding out a handkerchief to her. This quiet gesture was kind and almost like a peace offering for their discussion before. She forces a very tiny smile on her face and accepts it.

"Thank you,"

"No trouble," the officer says.

"Have you found anything?" she asks.

"Sorry?"

"Have you found anything that might help you find them?"

"I'm sorry Miss, but this is official police business… It is within our right to not disclose any information to you or anyone else."

"And I happen to be one of the captives' lawyers, so legally I do have a right to know what could concern my client's life," Emma says, grinding her teeth in annoyance of being dismissed once again.

The officer snorts. "Sure, you are Miss, why don't you just go back to your car and allow the men to do their jobs." He then laughs under his breath. "A lawyer, how ridiculous."

Emma's face flushes extremely red and her blood pressure level spikes.

"Do you not believe me?" she asks through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Ma'me, I find it absolutely Ludacris that a young woman such as yourself could ever be a lawyer. People of your kind should be kept at home where you are the most useful."

"MY KIND?!" Emma practically shouts in anger. She gets up from the bumper of the police vehicle and gets into the officer's face. "Who the hell do you think you are?! Do see women as another species…? That we belong in the kitchen, running your household while you sit on your butts all day and do nothing to protect the general public."

The policeman is shell-shocked by the woman's outburst, never expecting such a young meek little thing to shout at a man, her superior, as he thought.

"Well I will tell you something, My KIND is just as capable as you. I'll have you know that the Carson Law Firm is owned and run by this young woman, who is working day and night doing the job you should be doing. I am trying to protect the people I care about but have been denied time and time again because of who I am!"

Peter has been snapped out of his daze by Emma's outburst. He wants to stop her, tell her to control her temper, but he can understand that her anger is justified; the woman he loves has been denied opportunities and information over and over again because of her gender. He actually enjoys her giving the dim officer a piece of her mind. He knows that they could get in trouble so he gently takes her wrist and squeezes it to tell her to bring her temper down just a bit. She cannot be abusive towards the police officer.

The reporters who are being denied details for their stories can now hear the eruption of anger very close by. They turn their attention to where the action seems to be happening. They gather around closer, like a swarm of piranhas, trying to get the next scoop. They have not taken any pictures yet but are waiting for the perfect moment. Bystanders, neighbours of the Hockley's and other police officers are also approaching the scene, curiosity and caution in their eyes.

"How dare you talk to a man of the law like that!" The officer fires back.

Both Emma and Peter think, WHAT LAW?! CERTAINLY NOT OURS…

The man who started the argument turns to Peter. "Get your woman under control."

"My woman?!" Peter asks, standing up next to Emma and gripping her hand. "I'll have you know that I in NO WAY see Emma Carson as 'my woman.' She is her own person, she does not belong to me, nor will she ever. We do not own each other in any sense of the word. I love Emma for who she is, and I agree with her views on everything that has been said. Both of us are equals in our partnership with the law firm and in our personal lives; we love and respect each other. Women are not possessions that you can put on display, nor are they a piece of property or an animal that you can own. They are people too. I de… I insist that you speak to her with the same respect that you speak to your fellow officers"

The officer is speechless, his face has gone pale by Peter's response. He had expected the blonde man to grab his wife, remove her from the scene and possibly even slap her for being so disobedient. Instead, he stands with her, defending her views and impeding on his pride.

"You know I can arrest you…"

"On what grounds? According to the first amendment, I have the right to speak freely and I am doing just that… I have not physically attacked you in any shape or form, I have not interfered with an officer's duty considering you approached me, and my fiancé can testify to that. I have not committed any crime, nor have you seen me commit a crime. Just so you know, the threat of arrest is against your code as a 'man of the law' you must give a verbal warning first before indicating arrest, you have not done that." The officer is speechless.

"That's right, this woman knows her law and how to use it. I run the Carson Law Firm and I intend to honour my father's last will and testament to run his company to full and complete success. I am more than capable of doing so because I am a woman. I choose how I define myself and only I will ever decide what I can and cannot do…"

None of the feuding group have noticed until now that flashbulbs of cameras are going off and there is chatter amongst the reporters and other people. Many of them seem impressed by Emma's words, a few even clap at her declaration of honouring her father's wishes. She's doing her best to not cry but remain poised, stoic, and proud, just as her father had always taught her to be. She decides to use this moment to her advantage, rally support in rescuing Jack and Rose. She turns to the flashing cameras, unafraid and determined.

"I am going to prove to everyone that I can be capable of things that men can do, and I am happy that my family is there to support me," she grips Peter's hand tightly. "Jack and Rose Dawson have been kidnapped by Caledon Hockley and we intend to find and rescue them. Now either the law can help us in this task or abandon them as they have done before."

Emma then hands the policeman his handkerchief back and turns to Peter with much pride on her face. The couple then turns and walk towards the chief officer in charge to discuss the case; the whole time, reporters are rushing after them, wanting to ask questions while officer continues to stare, dumbfounded by what just happened.

…

The following morning, Molly Brown opens the front door of the Carson home and picks up the morning paper. On the front page are Emma and Peter's faces looking determined and passionate, while a confused policeman looks on in the background. The headline reads:

Man and Woman Lawyers Demand Justice for Loved Ones

Molly can't help but smile. "That's my girl," she says proudly.

A/N: Special thanks to Barrydennen12 for inspiring the concept of this chapter as well as some of Emma's lines. Sorry if this chapter seems preachy, but Cal kidnapping Jack and Rose is not the only problem Emma and Peter encounter