Roni

Chapter Twenty Seven

The overbearing pounding in his head is making itself known with vengeance. The last thing he remembers before darkness, was the ear piercing scream from his daughter after the never ending sound of glass shattering all around them. 

He's begging his eyes to open, but the harder he tries the more his head throbs causing his stomach to turn. There's muffled voices off in the distant being drowned out by the slow sounds of thumping. It almost sounds like a dryer humming around him, but he knows it could never be just that.

He tries once more to pry his eyes open, but falls short once again. A motion begins to process in his head and he hears the loud squeaking of wheels. The cringe worthy screeching along with the quick movements is enough to make his stomach turn violently on him. His body reacts before his brain can process and he is leaning over, emptying all the contents that are left in his stomach.

He knows someone is next to him speaking, but he can't make out the words. It all sounds foreign, but he knows it's just his mind playing tricks on him. He assumes it's a paramedic wheeling him into the hospital, with his family closely behind. Family. He has his wife and daughter back.

That's the moment his eyes decide to spring to life. Determination of his family's well being is enough to set the fire he needs deep within to wake up.

"Did anyone see you?"

His forest green eyes shift around a dark room and the only thing he can make out is the ceiling above him, which only consists of large silver pipes.

"No ma'am. There was one complication."

He wishes he could move to uncover who the owners of the voices are, but his body just isn't cooperating. He can distinctly hear the sounds of heavy chains being dragged across something and his stomach turns again.

"Your stepdaughter was in the car as well..."

"That is none of my concern."

"Your granddaughter, too."

"What did you do with them?"

"I-I put Jacinda in the driver's seat so it appeared like she was the one driving and nobody would know he was missing."

A small groan escapes his tight closed lips as he attempts to sit up from his current position, knowing now that he is not in a hospital. The voices are coming in clearer now and the one thick with an accent is one he knows, all too well. Lady Tremaine.

"Where do you think you're going?" The evil stepmother inquires in disgust, her words dripping with the hatred she holds for this man.

He opens his mouth to answer and it honestly takes everything he has inside of him to speak. His mouth is as dry as a scorching summer's day and his voice is hoarse, cracking on every word he speaks.

"Where's...my family?"

"Never mind that." She coldly replies, turning her back to the young man struggling to gain his strength back.

She quickly pulls out her phone from her purse, scrolls through her contacts and places the device against her ear, her lips pursed in dissatisfaction. He remains quiet, waiting to hear what this vile woman has to say.

"Were you or were you not suppose to keep Lucy in your possession tonight?" There is a short silence before Lady Tremaine cuts off the other person on the line. "Enough! Get down here now!"

~~~~~~~~~

Zelena offered to take Ella to the hospital so they could make sure Jacinda and Lucy are alright while Emma, Snow and Regina went straight to the abandoned warehouse. This isn't their first time in a situation like this, they knew exactly where to go. As Emma so elegantly put it, "this isn't our first rodeo."