"EMMA!" Killian calls into what seems like the abyss. The birds on a nearby branch take flight at the sound of his voice. He and Anna had been hiking through the miles and miles of woods, looking for any sign of a cabin. They had found an abandoned barn and a rusty car, but nothing else. Both shiver in the cold, kicking back brush and behind trees to look for any trace of Emma Swan.
"I don't know why you keep calling out, she probably can't call back," Anna grumbles.
"At least I'm bloody trying to find her!" Killian snaps back and he walks ahead of the redhead to get away from her.
Anna sighs. She's been dealing with crap like this for weeks now. Whenever Killian has a mood swing or a fit of anger, she was usually at the receiving end of it. She always tried to remind herself not to blame him, the guy was going through an impossibly rough time, but she was running out of patience. It felt like their searches were a shot in the dark, there was hardly a chance of finding Emma in this vast forests, even if she was in a cabin somewhere. They were only four people in a big state. The days in the cold were peeling her skin and making her feel exhausted and unhappy. The only time she got any form of cheer was when she talked to Kris, who was at home waiting for her. She loved hearing his voice, it made her feel warm all over and forget the awful mission she was on. Part of Anna wished that she had a full-time job in order to be at home with her boyfriend, her sister, and the animals. Instead, Elsa volunteered her for this and though Anna did miss Emma, she felt like there was nothing that she could do. She was only one person and they can hardly make a difference.
Just then snow begins to fall. It looks very pretty on the forest backdrop, their bare branches reaching up into the darkening, gray sky. The silence made it feel like they were in a painting or even a cemetery, not another soul for a few hundred miles, just them, nature and the elements. Ever so slowly, the snow begins to come down harder and harder and the wind picks up speed, sending chills down her spine.
"Killian!" Anna calls out, squinting in the blowing snow. "We have to turn back."
She gets no response from the docks man, his dark figure continues going forward into the trees.
"KILLIAN!" Anna shouts louder. She races as fast as she can towards him. She reaches out and grabs his shoulder. "Killian we need to turn back, the weather is getting worse.
Killian doesn't respond, he just keeps staring into the distance as the snowflakes collect on his jacket and in his hair.
Anna grabs the walkie-talkie from his coat and calls for August and Neal.
"Hey guys, the weather is getting worse, we need to head back to the cars."
There is a lot of static on the other end until Neal responds. "We agree, we'll meet you back on the road."
"Okay," Anna says. She looks up at Killian who continues to stare like a zombie into the woods.
"Killian let's go," she says, trying to grab his hand.
Suddenly, Killian begins running at full speed into a thicket of trees.
"KILLIAN!" Anna yells as she begins running after him.
She runs as fast as her boots can carry her, but she keeps slipping in the snow and her vision is obscured by the wind and ice.
"KILLIAN!" she screams.
The docks man only stops when he comes to the edge of a clearing. Through the blowing snow, he can see the shape of a house. It's a two-storey building and made of wood. Killian hopes that this might be it, that this is where he is reunited with Emma. He pushes forward through the cold and goes up to the door, his heart pounding. As he gets closer, the shape becomes clearer and clearer, but unfortunately, his hope gets smaller and smaller. As he reaches the front porch, he realizes that the place is abandoned. There is no front door and all the windows are shattered. The place is desolated and empty, not a place where a kidnapper would hide his prisoner, especially if she was pregnant. Nobody in their right mind would be living here; then again whoever had Emma was not in his right mind.
Killian's heart sinks and he feels tears forming in his eyes. He just wants her back, is that so much to ask.
Anna fumbles to the clearing, trying to get to Killian. She tries to get in touch with Neal, but there's nothing but static. They are out of range and the weather is interfering with the connection.
"KILLIAN!" Anna's hoarse voice calls out. Her red hair can barely be seen through the blowing snow. "COME ON WE HAVE TO GO!"
With a heavy heart, Killian turns back and goes towards where Anna is waiting for him. He takes one last glance at the place before following Anna back the way they came.
"We have to hurry before our footsteps are covered completely!" Anna mutters as a gust of wind lashes against her face.
Killian grabs Anna's hand so they won't be separated and stare at the ground. The problem was the wind and the snow had already done their job, making them lose their trail. The two press on, trying to retrace their steps. They can barely see anymore and both are almost frozen to the bone.
Anna just wants to go home, back where it was warm and she had someone waiting for her with a warm smile and some cocoa. Instead, she was stuck in the god-forsaken forest, trying to stay alive. She was becoming more and more tired, becoming dazed and confused until she trips on a log or something and falls to the ground, landing at a weird angle. Her ankle explodes in pain.
"Are you okay?" Killian asks.
"My...my ankle," she whimpers. "I tripped on something."
"Can you walk?"
Anna tries to stand up but her ankle won't let her. "I don't think I can..."
Killian sighs, trying to keep a level head. They had to get out of this storm before someone had to come looking for them.
"Lean on me," he says. He helps the redhead to her feet and she puts one arm around his shoulders so he could be her crutch. Anna winces in pain and gasps as the wind just get stronger and stronger, trying to blow them over.
They begin to walk again, but Anna keeps slipping being on one foot. Killian is doing his best to help her, but the cold is slowly making him weaker and weaker. His body is protesting, wanting him to sit and rest.
Still, they push on, trying to see through the storm for any sign of the road. It was almost dark now and they were basically limping blind. There might be wolves in these woods, and if that happened...
Killian begins praying to Liam, hoping that his brother will help him out again. It was because of his stupidity and impulsiveness that they were out in the forest in the middle of a blizzard.
Please, Liam, help us! He begs in his mind.
Nothing responds but the wind until both hear a loud blasting of a horn and bright white lights. It wasn't death calling them, but August and Neal on the side of the highway, beeping the horn to ensure that Killian and Anna found their way back in the snow and darkness. The two lost wanderers start moving faster towards the lights.
August and Neal come out and help get Anna into the car.
Once inside with the heat blasting, Neal drives towards the nearest local hospital to get Anna's ankle looked at, August following behind them in Killian's car.
Nobody says anything until they pull into the parking lot. Killian and Neal help Anna into the building, with August not far behind.
The nurse takes one look at the group and rushes to get help.
Anna's ankle is examined, not broken but sprained and both she and Killian are given warm soup and hot coffee to bring their body temperatures back to normal. As the doctor wraps Anna's ankle up, she asks what on earth were they doing in this weather.
"We were trying to find a friend," Anna explains. "She's was kidnapped a couple months ago and we do know she's being held in the woods somewhere. We tried to organize a search party, but no one would help us"
The doctor gives them a strange look but then nods her head. "You shouldn't talk to the mayor about things like this, it's much better to appeal to the community, like a church or the local museum. They can organize a search party easily. We have park rangers who would be willing to help in your search."
"Really?" Killian asks, his eyes lighting up slightly. "Because we were told that the city didn't have the time or the resources."
"Don't ever go to the mayor about that, just ask the locals, they are always willing to help. There are a lot of hunters in this area who know the woods quite well, they'll be willing to help. But you, young lady, cannot walk on that leg for at least two weeks."
"Okay," Anna says, slightly relieved that she could take a break from the hiking.
"I'll be back to check on you later," the doctor says before she leaves.
Once the two are alone, Killian turns to Anna.
"Anna?"
"Hmmm?"
"I'm so sorry about what I said out in the woods. And running off like that."
"It's okay,"
"No, it's not," he insists. "I almost got us killed tonight. You guys are my friends and I should be treating you with respect and working with you, not alone. Sometimes I forget that you are suffering too"
Anna reaches out and grabs Killian's hand. "I understand what you're going through, it's so hard."
"It is bloody hard," he growls. "I just want her back."
"I know, and we will find her," Anna says optimistically.
"How can you be so sure?"
"She has so many people looking for her, she won't stay hidden for much longer. Plus she has you looking out for her."
Killian gives Anna a small smile and she returns it. Both sit back in comfortable silence to watch the T.V. calling for 15 cm of snow and lasting all night. This would put their search on hold for a little while.
Snow is going to slow things down a bit, but not a lot. Stay tuned for more and thanks for the comments.