The Perfect Emma

Chapter Twenty-Two

Grayson Todd

....Gray was silent for a few moments, running a and over his face in thought. Then he blew out his breath and murmured, "Emma, that house is a crime scene now. Nobody unauthorized is going in or out for a long time." He frowned. "And that basement is not your home. That was your prison." The fact that she'd been so brainwashed, so terrified into considering that place a refuge didn't help Gray's already present anger. But he knew better than to be aggressive around Emma. She'd seen enough of that. The last thing he wanted was to lose her trust in him.

Emma shook her head. "You don't understand," she said quietly. "If I'm not there when he gets back, he'll—"

At that, Gray couldn't help but snort. "He's not coming back."

She didn't look up at him, but her expression grew confused, on top of the fear. "What...do you mean?"

"He is the most wanted man in Los Angeles right now." As if to prove his point, more than a few sirens and helicopters swept by in the direction Aaron had run. "He was smart enough to fool us for seven years; he's definitely smart enough not to go back home. Emma." Gray said her name firmly, in an attempt to get her to look at him. Though it was reluctant, she did so. "Aaron cannot hurt you anymore," he stated, for the hundredth time. "He can't. It is physically beyond his capability to do so. You're a free woman. Do you understand?"

Slowly, Emma began to nod, but she didn't look all that reassured. "Okay, but....I don't have anywhere else to go...."

Grayson exhaled, reaching over to squeeze her hand briefly, before beginning to drive. "I know you think that," he replied, starting in the direction of the Mabel residence, where he'd been...too many times. "But your husband—your real husband—misses you. And...." The detective sighed. "I'm...technically not authorized to bring you anywhere else."

There was a part of him that wanted to ask her about her ordeal, about just what she had been through, but at the moment she didn't seem in a state to talk about it. Emma was still holding onto the rules that Aaron had given her, still under the impression that she had to follow them to survive. It broke his heart both for her sake, and for knowing that whatever Emma had gone through...for three months Rosie had too. And because Gray didn't want to make things any more difficult than they already were for her, he didn't feel right taking her somewhere she didn't actually want to go.

But he was taking her home.

There was nowhere else.

And at the moment she seemed to realize as much, for she remained silent. They both did for the duration of the drive, until Gray pulled up in front of the Mabel home. He shut off the engine and unlocked the doors, getting out before going around to open Emma's door. When she exited the vehicle, she kept her head down, and didn't move. Gray frowned, continuing to see with his own eyes the rituals Aaron had beaten into her. He shut the car door behind her and touched her back gently, guiding her up to front door of the home. Not even halfway there, Arthur appeared in the screen, did a double take, and then started towards them swiftly.

Upon his approach, Emma's eyes went wide. Grayson felt her tense under his hand, and she began to breath heavily, taking steps back. "Emma," he murmured, gently pulling her towards him to keep her from backing herself back onto the street, and shifting to stand between her and Arthur.

Seeing his wife's reaction, Arthur stopped, staring at her in confusion. "Emma, honey," the man said, shaking his head, pain in his expression. He lifted his hands up placatingly. "It's...it's me. What's wrong?" Then his gaze shifted up to the detective, and his brows furrowed. "What's wrong with her?"

Looking at Arthur, Gray was beginning to see why Emma might be reacting to her husband like this. The man bore no small resemblance to Aaron. Both men were blond, and similar in height and build. Gray was willing to wager they were at least somewhat related. Glancing down at Emma, who had begun to cower behind him, it wasn't hard to tell that she wasn't seeing her husband, but Aaron. "Mr. Mabel..." Grayson started, returning his gaze to the other man. "I think your wife is frightened of you because you resemble her abuser."

"Excuse me? That's...! I would never hurt Emma." Arthur started to scowl, and Gray recognized the accusatory expression on the man's face. Funnily enough, people tend to blame police for things a lot.

....Aaron had not helped that.

So when the blame did begin to be thrown around, the detective wasn't surprised. "What did you do to her?" Arthur snapped.

"Mr. Mabel—"

"I'm not stupid, Detective, I've got a television, and I know that it was your partner who did this to her; do you really think I'm going to trust anything you say?"

As Arthur began to raise his voice, Emma was starting to lose it. Gray heard her begin to hyperventilate and felt her shaking so violently that she was having difficulty staying upright. Immediately more concerned with her than her angry husband, Gray redirected his attention and held her up. Emma hid her face in his jacket, clutching it for dear life. Gray looked at Arthur with an unimpressed expression, and Arthur stared at his wife in disbelief.

Well. This wasn't good.

There was no way Grayson was leaving Emma here. It would be incredibly detrimental to her mental health, and she'd had enough emotional abuse the past fifteen months as it was. But, that did leave the question;

Where could he take her?

He would worry about that in a moment. The more pressing matter was getting Emma calm again. "Emma," he said softly, shielding her from seeing Arthur and touching her back reassuringly. "Emma, it's okay. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you."

Instead of responding, Emma merely continued to panic.

Grayson exhaled. "C'mon," he murmured, guiding Emma back to the car and helping her back inside. Once there was a secure metal door between herself and the two men, she seemed to relax. Gray stood just outside the door, blocking the window so she couldn't see Arthur out of it.

As expected, Arthur was having none of this. "Excuse me, that is my wife, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"She's obviously not comfortable here, Mr. Mabel," Gray replied sternly, frowning. "And you raising your voice is only frightening her further."

"I'm not the one who did that to her, it was him!"

"I know." It was becoming difficult for Gray not to retaliate with as much heat as Arthur was using. "But someone who has experienced as much trauma as she has will have difficulty adjusting to normality again. You have to be patient with her, Mr. Mabel. As far as she's concerned, every single blond male of her kidnapper's stature is out to get her. Unfortunately, you fit that description as well."

"This is bullshit," Arthur muttered, a hand coming up to his temple as he turned around in frustration and disbelief. "So you're telling me that my own wife is convinced that I'm going to torture her the same way he did?"

Well. Gray didn't wanna say yes, but, "Yes."

The man shook his head. "Well if she refuses to stay here, where the hell else is she going to go?"

That. That was a good question. Emma would hate it, but the last place Gray could think of was the precinct. She was going to have to go there anyway for questioning, but....Well, Gray would make sure she was left alone until she was ready for that. "I'm going to have to bring her to the LAPD, Mr. Mabel."

Arthur snorted forcefully in disgust. "The last place she wants to be is surrounded by more cops."

Grayson was unappreciative of the venom that came with his profession, but he'd gotten used to it over the years. "I don't have a choice, Mr. Mabel," he replied, opening his hands apologetically. "I can't take her anywhere else without authorization. Unless she comes up with a place she'd rather go, or my superior does, my hands are tied."

"Should be cuffed if you ask me," the other man muttered, but Gray chose to ignore it, for the sake of keeping his badge. Done with this conversation, he bade Arthur a curt goodbye, and waited for the man to return inside, before moving away from Emma's window and getting back into the car.

Looking at Emma, he asked softly, "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "No."