The Question of Him

but not invincible

Prince POV

"You did what's best for your daughter. We know what car he has now, so the undercovers know what to look for. We're going to get them back." Agent Cull reassures me. I came back to the St. Paul police department after handing Phara the money.

It took everything in me to do as Cull said when I saw how tired and worried she looked. I've never seen her like that before. It makes me feel even more disappointed that I couldn't protect her and Amiyah from this. I failed them.

However, God is my witness when I say I'll never make this mistake again.

I stand up and grab my coat, "I can't just sit here, I need to be looking for them." Agent Cull nods, "You can come with me on my patrol." He informs Agent Malcolm that we're about to leave, then leads me out the office and downstairs to the almost empty parking lot.

For the next two hours we ride through St. Paul looking for the dark blue Nissan Phara was driving. My eyes grow tired, but I don't stop looking. I can't rest until they're both back with me.

Around 3AM we make a stop back at the station for the shift change and I sit back to listen to Cull brief the cops coming on duty.

Just as he's finishing, a desk officer comes up to him and whispers something. Cull visibly grows eager and looks at me. After telling the clerk something, he comes over to me and I stand up. "A call came in to 911 and the description matched Phara and Amiyah. They're getting rushed hospital right now."

I all of a sudden feel overwhelmed. "Are they hurt!?"

"The caller said Ms. Camille was unresponsive. She has a pulse, so she might be sedated." Sedated? I haven't felt this much anger in a long time. I couldn't let her see me like this. "What..what hospital are they going to?"

"United. Do you need some air before me go? I've alerted the hospital to put them in private rooms and officers are on the way."

I nod, "Just a few minutes." Agent Cull agrees and says he'll be down in a few after informing the officers on duty. I walk downstairs and barely feel the cold air when coming out the doors. "She's going to be okay. They're going to find him." And if they don't, I will.

Phara POV

"Phara..baby, wake up. You have to wake up mama, I need you.."

"Prince?" My voice is hardly there and the fluorescent lighting is blinding. "Yes, it's me, I'm here." He grabs my hand and kisses the palm of it, holding it against his face. "Drink some water for me."

The styrofoam cup being pressed again my lips gives me no other choice. Once the dryness in my throat goes away, I nod. "Okay."

"Ms. Camille, I'm your doctor, Edward Fatou. Do you know what happened to you?"

I peek through my eyelashes to make out the tall figure standing on the left of me. It's hazy as I think back to my last memories. I remember waking up to Prince saying he was going to take Amiyah to school.

"Take your time." Dr. Fatou encourages. I clear my throat, "You took Miyah to school because I had to go to court...you went to Paisley and.."

"It's okay if you can't remember right now. You were heavily sedated five hours ago with a benzodiazepine. We had to run your tox screen in order to know if waking you up would be safe."

"Wh-why was I sedated? Did something happen?" It made no sense to me. The last thing I remember is talking to Xavier after court. He got the subpoena thrown out and I was relieved. Now I wake up in the hospital?