The Monster Within

Chapter 61

The thought makes her sick to the point that Emma curls up into a ball to try and prevent herself from vomiting. The pain was so intense that it felt as if a red-hot iron poker was being driven into her torso. She shuts her eyes and attempts to breathe deeply, doing anything to take her mind off the fear she feels for two of the people she loved most in the world.

Arthur had been true to his threats in the letter; while he hadn't killed Henry, the monster had harmed him and snatched her daughter anyways. To rub salt in the wound, he'd also taken the man she loved, and his fate was more uncertain than Sophie's. As long as Arthur believed that Sophie was his, he wouldn't harm her, but Killian... there's no telling what might happen.

Emma inhales sharply and just curls into a ball, wishing her mind would shut up and that her worst fears would not come true.

...

Meanwhile, Elsa had to ask many members of the hospital staff if they'd seen David. She eventually finds him out in front of the hospital in the mild air of the night. He seems to be talking into something and the blonde recognized it as the police issued phone. Jack always carried one too and she'd seen him answer it many times before.

Her heart flutters at the thought of Jack, the officer she had fallen for. If she was honest with herself, she thought she'd never fall in love. She saw Anna and Kris together and while it made her happy that her sister was happy, she never thought that she would ever have a relationship. She was just so busy all the time and couldn't find the time to even pursue someone. That is until Jack came into her life. She finally understood all those emotions and sensations that Anna always talked about because she felt them herself whenever Officer Overland was around. He treated her like a queen and his more mischievous and joking nature helped her feel less serious and open up more as a person. When they'd kissed for the first time, her world felt as if it was spinning a million miles a minute and her mind filled with fireworks. Her desire for more became almost uncontrollable. They were taking it slow, especially considering they met while Emma was still missing, but Jack respected her choices and was cautious as well; he'd confessed to her that he'd never had a serious relationship before and he too wanted to take time to figure everything out. The two were a perfect match it seemed, complementing and supporting each other.

Elsa shakes the thoughts temporarily from her mind, preparing to talk to David. Although it was nice to forget about all this stress for a few moments.

"Dispatch as many cars as you can and issue an AMBER alert for Sophie Swan-Jones," David is saying.

Elsa waits patiently until he hangs up. When he turns to meet her gaze, she can tell that he's been crying. Even in the streetlight, his bloodshot eyes were a sign of stress and sadness.

"Come to calm me down?" he asks.

"No, I just wanted to see if you were all right,"

"What do you think?" he snaps. He realizes what he's doing. "I'm sorry Elsa, I... I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't, and I completely understand."

"Emma not telling me this has made things so much harder. Not only did she derail the case, but she ended up putting her family and mine into danger."

"You know she didn't mean to do any of this; she couldn't foresee the consequences to not telling anyone... none of us did. Yes, Emma does share some blame for saying anything, but most of it can be pinned on Arthur King."

"I know..." he mutters.

Elsa goes up to David and wraps her arms around him. She holds him tightly and pats his back to help soothe his tense shoulders.

"She was just afraid, and fear is a powerful motivator when it comes to making rash decisions."

"But she didn't even try to get help," he winces, breaking from the hug.

"Can you blame her? The man threatened everyone she loved if she told anyone. No doubt she felt trapped and helpless."

David is silent for a while. He gazes at his feet for a long time, his mind racing of what to do next. He can't completely blame Emma for her actions; she was changed by her experience in captivity and no doubt her ability to trust had been shaken and wreaked because of that monster Plus if harm had been threatened on his wife and son, he'd probably be pretty torn on what to do. Even though he'd been missing for a long time, Arthur still managed to gain control and stay ahead of them all. His hands clench into fists, wishing that this nightmare would just end.

"You need to get some sleep," Elsa says quietly. "You can't handle all this with no energy, plus Mary is going to need you."

"But who will man the searches?"

"You can call Jack. Tonight's his night off, but if he knows that Sophie and Killian are in danger, he'll be right on it."

David opens his mouth to protest, but he can feel the toll the night's events have taken on him. His head feels light, his legs are weak to the point that he's amazed that he's still standing. This emotional rollercoaster of the night was enough to exhaust anyone. He wants to keep going, stop Arthur before he can do something to his goddaughter and one of his good friends. It surprised him how much he worried about Killian's safety. Guess the docks man truly had grown on him to the point of being almost best friends. Why did it take life-threatening situations to realize the bonds between people?

"Okay," he finally agrees, letting his shoulders slump down.

"You will find them, David," Elsa says. "You have to have hope."

He smiles. "You sound like Mary when you say that."

"What can I say?" she smiles. "I learn from the best people."

A/N: Hello to everyone. I am so sorry that I haven't updated in almost a year. Hopefully, I will be able to continue to update more in the future. Please follow and review and thank you to everyone who has stuck by this story.