Finding You Always

Out of the Woods

Finding You Always

Chapter 22: Out of the Woods

Once they got back to town, Sean insisted on heading to the diner to pick up food for all of them. Hours in the woods had taken it out of them and they were starving.

Back at the station, Snow looked Emma over for injuries, while he called Dr. Sakura to ask if he would stop by the station to treat some minor wounds and he agreed to be by soon.

His prisoners made demands to be released, but they were ignored, except when he noticed any eyes lingering on his wife and daughter. A few angry glares and the placement of his firearm on his desk seemed to get his message across and their gazes stopped lingering too long.

Sean returned and they started eating. Both he and Snow were keeping an eye on Emma after everything they had gone through. She seemed to be taking it all in stride for now, happily eating her grilled cheese and swinging her legs from the large chair she was seated in.

Dr. Sakura hurried in, carrying his medical bag.

"I came as soon as I could," he said.

"Thanks. My injuries are pretty minor, but Mary Margaret has some really bad rope burns," David said.

"They're not too bad," she argued.

"They look bad enough and I'll be checking you both over," the doctor insisted.

"Emma too please. We looked her over already...but just in case," Mary Margaret said. Paul smiled kindly.

"Of course," he replied, as he started swabbing her burns with antiseptic. He unknowingly and begrudgingly bagged the samples of blood and hair, before carefully wrapping her arms with gauze bandages after applying an ointment. He handed her the tube of ointment and a roll of bandages.

"Apply and change the bandages twice a day," he instructed them both.

"Thank you Doctor," she said, as David switched places with her. Other than a bruised jaw and neck, as well as a few tender ribs, he declared that David was fine, but stressed that he take it easy for a couple days, if possible.

"Thanks Doc," David said, as Paul left after declaring that Emma was fine and barely had a scratch on her. As he left, he passed Regina on his way.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" she snapped. David sighed and exchanged a quick glance with Snow. They were both too tired for this, but they should have known she'd come storming in.

"Well...for starters, someone broke Sidney out of jail last night. The lock was snapped clean, so it was someone who knew what they were doing. Then, while I was distracted with the water main break at the school, Sidney and his four hired hands," he said indicating the four thugs in the jail cells.

"They kidnapped Mary Margaret and Emma. I went after them and found Ned Graybridge helping him. He might be the one that broke Sidney out," David explained.

"Where is Sidney?" she demanded to know.

"Dead," he stated bluntly.

"You...you killed him?" she asked in disbelief.

"He had a gun on my daughter and the woman I love!" he snapped.

"But no...I didn't kill him," David added in a softer tone.

Sean stepped in at that point.

"When I found out from David that they were missing, I followed him out into the woods and up to the bluff. I got there just as Mr. Graybridge was about to strangle David. They were both armed and we fought for our lives," Sean interjected. It was then that Regina noticed David's lip was scabbed over and the marks on his neck, as well as the gauze bandages on Mary Margaret's wrists.