The Coward's Daughter [An OUAT Fanfic]

The Chase

"Henry you shouldn't be here." Sheriff Graham told the boy, turning away from a nurse.

"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asked, "Is it John Doe is he okay?"

"He's missing." The sheriff said solemnly.

Y/N glanced past him, into John Doe's room, where -to her surprise- Mayor Mills was leaning on the frame of the hospital bed, her eyes locked on Mary Margaret.

Y/N's shoulders tensed, the mayor had never liked her much.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The mayor asked Emma calmly, pulling Henry away from Emma. "And you, I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?" The look of intensity in Regina's eyes was almost frightening.

"What happened to John Doe?" Mary Margaret asked, "did someone... take him?"

"We don't know yet, his IV's were ripped out but there was no sign of a struggle." Sheriff Graham explained.

"What did you do?" Henry asked Regina accusingly.

"You think I had something to do with this?"

"It is curious that the mayor is here." Emma's eyes narrowed, her voice cold.

"I'm his emergency contact."

"Do you know him?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I found him, on the side of the road years ago, with no ID. I brought him here."

Y/N stared at Regina as she spoke, everything about her was impressive. Her job, her clothes, even her hair all commanded control and respect, with something in her gaze that made you shake a little. Y/N wondered if this was how the citizens of Storybrooke viewed her.

"Will he be okay?" Miss Blanchard asked.

"Okay?" Doctor Whale asked, sauntering towards the group, his eyes shifting nervously. "The man's been on feeding tubes for years, under constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away, or else 'okay' might be a pipe dream."

"Then let's quit yapping and start looking." Emma said in a determined voice, turning to leave.

Y/N began following Emma, before Regina interrupted.

"That's what we're doing? Just stay out of this dear, if I can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'll just have to keep my son away from you." She led Henry out of the room by the shoulders. "And enjoy my shirt, because that's all your getting from me. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale, time is precious."

As Regina swiftly left the ward, Y/N looked at Emma's shirt, a silky blouse that very well looked like it could've belonged to Mayor Mills. Was Emma a laundry thief and a drunk driver?

A heavy silence hung in the air before Sheriff Graham turned to Dr. Whale.

"Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?"

"Twelve hours or so." He answered.

"Then that's what we need to account for."

"Where do we start?" Y/N asked.

"Surveillance tapes." Emma answered, "A hospital this big is bound to keep some."

And with that, the group was on their way.

***

Y/N glanced around the 'security office' which seemed to her like a glorified break room. A security guard and a custodian had been called in by Graham, who was questioning them.

"You two were the only employees on the floor last night, and you saw nothing?"

"Not a thing." The security guard, a short bald man, explained suppressing a yawn.

"Did anyone walk by?" Emma asked.

"I didn't see nothin'." The custodian, whose name tag read out 'LEROY' answered her.

Sheriff Graham turned to the pair of teachers.

"Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?"

"I don't think so." Mary Margaret answered. Y/N thought about that day, the only thing that was unusual was Henry's behavior.

"Miss Gold. Did you notice anything off?"

She looked at Emma, who was Henry's birth mother and decided not to insult a child in front their blood relative.

"Nothing about John Doe specifically." She replied.

She looked at Emma, who was staring at the screen, suddenly her face lit up in realization as she sped to the televisions broadcasting the footage.

"We're looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry's class put up decorations! If this was the tape from last night we'd see the banners they hung."

Leroy snorted and pointed to the security guard, "You fell asleep again."

"You selling me out?" The security guard asked.

"I ain't getting fired for this!"

"Least I don't drink on the job!"

"Gentlemen enough!" Graham shouted. "Where's the real tape?"

Suddenly the footage fast forwarded, jumping to a balloon and banner filled coma ward. A figure clad in a hospital gown slowly trudged across the linoleum floor and left through a side door, Mary Margaret breathed a sigh of relief.

"He walked out alone." She sighed, "He's okay."

"Four hours ago." Emma pointed to the small clock on the footage. "Where does this door lead?"

"The woods." Leroy answered darkly.

Everyone stood quietly for a moment.

"Then I guess the chase is on." Said Sheriff Graham, walking out of the room.