Abducting Avery ( completed )

Sacrifice

Gregory met Heather at the door, and the mere expression that lie upon her face caused him to crumble, to fall to the floor in complete and utter agony. If there was one thing in this whole world that he never wanted to lose, it was his family; and while that wasn't completely obvious to most people, he'd throw away his entire life - his job, his reputation and his home - if it meant he could just hold Avery again, because the day she was born, she became his life.

Rourke had already told him with a hopeful gleam in her eyes that they'd found three of the children. Then he'd been ecstatic; he'd get his baby back and he'd never let her go again! But now to find out that Avery was one of the two still missing he found himself barely able to stand. Every minute she was gone a piece of him slowly and painfully died. He was broken, and much like Heather, there would be no fixing him until his baby girl was back, safely in his arms.

Heather wore a now emotionless expression as she moved through the house, walking into her daughter's room and sitting down on the bed. To anyone watching - she was giving up. The way this was going to end... Everything in her told her that she didn't want to be there to watch. Under the close surveillance of the agents, the easy way out was less than an option, so all she could do was wait. Wait until either the agents closed the investigation or someone uncovered something else, just so she could get her hopes up only to be crushed once again into itty bitty pieces. 

As if on cue, Rourke entered the room with an unreadable expression on her face, similar to Heather's. Was she giving up, too? She bent down by Heather's side, reaching out and grabbing her hand comfortingly. Heather pulled it away, turning her gaze from Rourke. She wanted nothing to do with anyone anymore, especially not the FBI. They'd done nothing to save her daughter as of yet and if anything they were probably only making this Bruno guy angrier and angrier. He could hurt her daughter if provoked, the condition of the other girls pulled from his home were proof of that. If anything they were doing more harm than good.

Rourke recoved, cleared her throat and tried again, even if she did so reluctantly.

"We just got a call from one of the search party members. He... The man who called wasn't able to finish what he was saying. I've been told to stay here with you but..." It was clear that everything in Rourke was telling her to go against protocol, just this once, and thankfully the last of what she was trying to say was unnecessary, as Heather nodded in understanding and got up.

"We don't have much time." Rourke told her, leading Gregory and Heather outside. She ushered them into the back of the squad car, getting into the front seat.

"They thought it would be safer if you two stayed home, but something tells me there was a good reason Bruno didn't kill you the night he took your daughter and if anyone can relate to him it'll be you, Heather. "

Relate to him...

The two adults in the back seemed to instantly forget that they were at odds with one another and went back to holding each other's hands, each taking turns giving the other a reassuring squeeze.

Rourke talked rapidly on the phone with one of the surviving members who agreed to lead the group to the scene.

The car sped down the road, stopping in front of a leafy entrance to a nearby forest.

Heather got out first, racing toward the entrance. Rourke drew her gun and the three adults followed a beefy-looking woman with long legs and auburn colored hair into the forest. 

- - - - - 

Avery shook harder with every step Bruno took.

"Avery... Don't make this hard on yourself." He said softly, his voice extremely close.