The Queen's Thief

Chapter 37: Where's Patr

*28 years old*
*Story Brooke*
~Sam's pov~

It's been a week and no one has found Patr. I can't even spend time at my house because I can't stand the quiet without him.

Today I was walking along the beach and I ended up sitting on the dock when I got an idea.

I stood up as quickly as I could and ran to Regina office.

"Sam!?" Regina jumped up from her desk in surprise when I swung open her door.

"Do you know how to do the return to owner thing that Rumpel did to my sword?" I asked while gasping to catch my breath.

"What?" She started to walk around her desk so she was closer to me.

"Well he made the spell too strong. That's why I cant go anywhere without it." I ran my hand through my hair as I began to tap my foot.

"I should have figured that's why." She whispered to herself.

I watched as she stopped moving around and looked me up and down.

"Look I'll do it but there is something I need you to get for me to do so. Well two things. Something of Patr's and I'm going to need you to get something from Rumpel..."

"I'll get it even if I have to steal it from him."

I already gave Regina a ball Patr enjoyed playing with and now I'm outside Rumpel's pawn shop.

I walked in and he was cleaning a glass display case.

"We're about to close." He looked up. "Oh Sam nice of you to stop by."

"Yeah. Stop by." I said as I looked around at all the stuff. "I'm actually here to get something for Regina."

"No."

"What why?"

"She has already asked me and I can't give her that. You don't even know what this can do in inexperienced hands." He walked from around the counter and began to guide me out. "Now I have to close, if you want to buy something then come back later."

He locked the doors behind him as he began to walk down the street.

I waited about ten minutes before I began to pick the lock.

It didn't take long until I heard a click and the door opened causing the bell to ring as it closed.

I didn't waste anytime searching for the wooden box I needed. I was told it had a heart engraved on it.

It didn't take as long as I thought because I ended up finding it inside you back room sitting on a cluttered table.

I grabbed the box and quickly left making sure to lock the door as I let myself out.

I went to take the box to Regina but she was gone with just a note on her desk.

'Meet me at the mosilem.'

I sighed and began to head toward the mosilem.

I didn't want to know what was in this box, because I didn't want to be tied into what ever she was planning. Yet at the same time I was curious what I had stolen for her.

I set the box in the passenger seat as I drove and constantly glanced at it.

It stayed in place for the most part. The only time it would move was when I hit a bump and it would shift forward, but I'd always push it back to it's place.

When I got to the mosilem I saw it was open and I didn't think to knock before entering and seeing stairs leading into the ground.

"Regina?"

"Come on down." She called up to me and I noticed the light down the stairs.

I walked down the stairs and I was surprised that it looked like her old vault.

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah." I said as I held out the box.

She opened it and it was a heart.

"What did I..."

"Relax Sam. It's a unicorn heart." She sighed as she crushed it and it turned into an ugly yellow dust. "I need to use a different spell to find Patr. Since he isn't human."

She sprinkled a small amount of the heart into a liquid and placed the rest into a velvet bag.

"Did you grab something of Patr's?"

"Yes." I handed over a deflated ball he has been playing with a lot lately.

"Good." She took it and poured the liquid on the ball before it started to fly through the sky.

"Let's get going before we loose it." Regina said before we ran to my car and started to chase after it.

It didn't take long before Emma was chasing in her bug and David in the patrol car.

I guess we may be speeding a bit, but I'll pay the tickets later.

I kept following the ball. It lead us to the old mine caves.

I didn't wait for anyone else to get out of their cars before I jumped out and ran into the opening. I it grew awfully dark then suddenly there was a bunch of bight lights in the walls. That I quickly realized were magic crystals.

Then there he was he wasn't a dog through. He is in his Manticore form right now. I was drawn from my thoughts as Patr's roaring filled the cave and when he wasn't roaring he was wimpering as if he was in pain.

"Patr!" I rushed over to the cage when I was stopped and pulled away. I turned to see Rumpel was standing in front of me.

"Did you do this?!" I yelled at him.

"No. I found him like this." I could tell he was withholding something from me.

"You know who did don't you?" I stepped closer to him.

"Sam!" I heard everyone yell as they ran to us.

"Yes. I do." He said as he lowered his head.

"How could you just let them keep him? You know..."

"That he's your pet? He's a wild animal. He's not supposed to be a pet."

"He's not a pet. He's my family."

That seemed to anger Rumple a bit. He bit his lip instead of responding though.

"Get out of the way." Regina spoke on my behalf.

"Now now. Look at the Evil Queen joining the aid of a petty thief." He laughed a bit. "Or is there more to it?"

"Just shut up!" I yelled again. "If you didn't take him then leave and let me do what I want."