Generation 2, Chapter 37 - It's Time Part 2

After leaving Appaloosa Plains, Peter made a quick flight home to Dragon Valley. There was no easy way to tell his wife that her son was kidnapped for the second time in his young life. Sensing something was wrong Jean took Peter by the hand and led him to their bedroom.  "Tell me what's wrong," Jean said her light blue eyes gazing steadily on Peter's face.

"Honey ..." Peter stopped becoming choked up "Elliot ..."

"Did the trial not go well? Did Kyle have to go back with his father?" Jean asked wondering if her son was having a difficult time being separated from his love.

"It's not that," Peter sighed looking down "I'm sorry Elliot, Kyle and Percy have been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped" Jean shouted "not not again. Not my son. Not my baby boy." Grabbing Peter's arm "why aren't you out there looking for him?"

"It's not that easy," Peter murmured.

"What's not easy?" Jean shouted "he's your son. You have to find him."

"Everything that can be done is being done," Peter told her trying to maintain a calm facade. "I have to go to Oasis Landing."

"No you're not," Jean shouted back anger replacing fear "your looking for our son. There's nothing more important than that."

"Jean I'm sorry" Peter shook her slightly to gain her attention "I want to be out there searching.
Believe me I do. That's the first thing I wanted to do. I have to believe that Adam and Emit will find him. I have to go into the future." He spoke calmly and steadily hoping he'd break through her wall of anger and fear.

Breathing harshly "what's so important that you have to go to the future? Why now?" she turned angry eyes upon Peter.

For the first time in their marriage Peter flinched away from his wife "I have to release the cure. Stop the aliens from abducting anyone else. The boys were kidnapped to prevent me from going to the future. If I don't go they win."

"Don't go" Jean cried "please don't jeopardize our son's life by doing this."

"I don't have a choice," Peter replied his voice rising. "There's no guarantee that whoever has them will release them if I don't go. Please Jean be reasonable. I love Elliot too. I want our son back as much as you."

Crossing her arms Jean turned away from him. Her fear and anger causing her to become unreasonable. With her back turned she said coldly "don't bother coming back without our son."

Sighing Peter warred with himself. He ached to go out searching for his son but logic dictated the most good would be accomplished by him going to the future. Release the cure. He had faith in Adam that he would find Elliot. Silently he put a hand on Jean's shoulder. Squeezed firmly whispering "I love you." Turning he walked out of the room his heart breaking.

***

Peter caught another flight to Lucky Palms to pick up William and company. Taking a taxi to the address William gave him. Peter arrived after dark. Shaking hands with his old friend Peter felt reassured he was doing the right thing. The presence of the silent altered alien confirmed it in his mind. This had to end. No one deserved to suffer like this not his son, not William, no one. Elliot would understand. He only hoped Jean would forgive him.

William looked at him in concern "is something wrong my friend?"

Peter mentally shook himself "yes my son has been kidnapped and I can't go search for him and my wife hates me for it."

Squeezing his shoulder William asked "was he kidnapped to prevent you from going to the future?"

"Emit thinks so," Peter replied "thanks to our neighborhood alien," Peter nodded towards Erik "I'm the only one with the knowledge to release the cure. Your son is the only one who can operate the controls." Looking directly at William "it's time we go to the future. End this once and for all."

"What about your son? If he's in danger you should stay and look for him," William insisted.

Peter looked thoughtful for a moment "what if this is the only chance we have to release the cure?"

"We'll think of something else," William told him confidently "you need to worry about your son. He's more important."

Peter felt his determination slipping. What William was saying made sense. He should be looking for his son. "You're right I should ...."

"No you shouldn't," Erik said coldly from where he stood. "I've waited to long, sacrificed to much to let you mess it up now."

"You can't expect ..."

"William ..." Peter tried to get his attention 

"Peter needs to find his son ..." Looking at Peter and the odd expression on his face. William's breath caught in his throat as he slowly turned around to face Erik. He nearly fainted at what he saw Erik holding his youngest daughter Joyce in one hand and holding an alien gun in the other.

"Whose child is more important?" Erik asked "his or yours?"

Standing immobile William groaned like a  wounded animal. He felt Peter put a comforting hand on his shoulder "it's alright Will. We'll go to the future. My son will be alright. Emit and Adam will find him. We have to think of your little girl. She's in more danger."

Nodding to show he understood William took a deep steadying breath. "I knew you couldn't be trusted. You heard Peter. We're going to the future let my daughter go."

Shaking his head Erik said coldly "not until we've gone through the time portal."

"Dad?" Casey called from the doorway "What's going on?" he asked seeing Erik holding something to his sister's head.

Erik smiled nastily at him "you're just in time to say goodbye."

"Erik what are you doing?" Casey asked wide eyed.

"Come in and close the door," Erik demanded "we're about to release the cure and they thought they'd going looking for a lost little boy." Shaking his head "you can look for him after this is done. My people need this."

"I know things are bad," Peter said "but that's no reason for you to hold a baby hostage."

"I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish my goal," Erik looked tenderly toward William "I'm sorry you don't understand. Once the cure is released I'll take you and Bryan away with me. We'll finally be together. A family."

"My family is here. Bryan's family is here," William said appalled "you can't expect us to leave them behind to go with you."

"You will," Erik replied "You have no choice." He fired his weapon at Peter. Peter cried out in pain dropping to his knees.

"What the hell are you doing?" William cried "we need him. Stop this."

"I fired a degenerative beam at him. It causes quite a bit of pain as his insides slowly liquefy. It's a slow painful death if not reversed in time." Erik smiled at William "If you agree to go with me I'll reverse it."

Helping Peter to his feet William nodded "I'll go with you."

"Dad no you can't" Casey protested.

Turning to face Casey William shook his head "I won't let Peter die to save myself. I'm sorry."

Tears streaming down his face Casey gave his father what he believed might be the last hug he'd ever give or receive from his dad. "Take care of the others for me," William requested confidant Casey would take care of his brothers and sisters like his own.

"I will dad. I love you." Casey squeezed him one last time before letting go.

William turned around in time to see Erik putting Joyce down. "I don't need this little one any longer. Peter is the only hostage I need to control you." Erik smiled up at him "we best be going."

As they walked towards the time portal Peter's  phone began to ring. Stopping short of the activated portal Peter fumbled to answer his phone "hello Jean? ... I'm sorry too baby ... I love you." Peter sighed in relief. Jean had come to her senses called to forgive him. If only she knew he had tried and now may never see her again.

William came along side his friend "you didn't tell her."

Shaking his head "no I told her what she needed to know. She didn't need to know anything else." Peter hesitated eyeing Erik uneasily "don't trust him. He's crazy. Bonding escalates the insanity."

Nodding William understood. Erik was unstable. He had felt it for a while; especially after Casey's wedding.  More clingy, more demanding, more frustrated at his refusal for a physical relationship. He dreaded what would happen once he was alone on the ship with the stronger alien male. He really didn't like his future prospects.

***

"It's good to be home," Beverly sighed flopping on the couch.

Bending down Adam kissed her forehead "I've forgotten how peaceful our home is in Dragon Valley. Are you sure you don't mind being so far from your family?"

Smiling up at him "my family is where ever you are." Patting the cushion beside her "join me?"

Jumping over the couch Adam snuggled close to her rubbing her stomach "are you ready for this?"

"With as many brothers and sisters I have I was born ready." Beverly laughed "don't get any ideas about me having that many kids though, cuz that's not happening."

Leaning over he kissed her lips tenderly "never crossed my mind," he murmured against her cheek.

A knock on the door disturbed them as Heath called from the stairs "I'll get it."

Smiling Adam sighed in relief. All he wanted to do was relax, hold his fiance and become lost in her eyes. "Have you picked a date yet?"

Shaking her head "after the baby" Beverly smiled "and after I've lost the baby weight. Six months at least." Groaning Adam pouted. Laughing at him "I want to look perfect," Beverly told him.

"You're perfect just the way you are," Adam told her.

Pushing against him Beverly looked into  his eyes "you would say that but I'm serious. Every bride wants to feel like they're the most beautiful woman alive on their wedding day."

"You will be. In my eyes you are the most beautiful woman alive," Adam drew her close to him.

"Dad" Heath yelled from the entry way.

Groaning at the interruption Adam broke off from kissing Beverly. "Heath I'm in the living room."

A moment later Heath came bouncing into the room followed closely by Emit. "Dad Emit wants to see you."

Heart dropping Adam stood up to shake hands "what brings you here?"

Looking around the room Emit asked "is there some place we can talk in private?"

Hesitating Adam felt Beverly slip her hand in his. "We can talk here. I don't keep secrets from my family."

Sighing Emit smiled faintly "I thought not but I had to try." Looking at Adam then down at a very pregnant Beverly he sighed "I need you to come with me."

"Why?" Adam asked "I finished everything that needed to be done in Oasis Landing. My part is done."

"You don't understand," Emit said slowly "I need your help to find Chase."

Beverly tugged on his hand. Adam looked down into her pleading green eyes as she shook her head. "Emit I'm about to have a baby. I'm needed here. Can't my dad help you?"

"No he can't," Emit looked away "he's on his way to Oasis Landing to release the cure. I told him I would get you to help." Turning back to Adam "Chase has Elliot, Kyle and Percy. He took them after the trial..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Adam exploded "when were you going to tell me? After I agreed to help you?" Stopping Adam thought for a moment "that's why you wanted me to help you look for Chase. He took them and you don't know where. Oh god..." he dropped onto the couch heart racing. Beverly wrapped her arms around him. "I have to go," Adam whispered to her "I have to find them."

"No Adam no I .... we need you," Beverly protested tears swimming in her eyes.

Caressing her much loved face "there's no one else who can. Bev he's my brother. You can't expect me to do nothing to find him."

Shaking as she tried to control her sobs Beverly clung to him. "I'm sorry I know you have to go. I'd want you to look for any one of my brothers. I won't stop you looking for yours." Hugging him close "promise me you'll be careful." Kissing Adam one last time Beverly stood up walked over to Emit "promise me you'll bring Adam home safe."

"I promise to do my best," Emit told her unwilling to commit himself further.

"I guess that will have to do," Beverly wiped tears from her eyes. She held her hand out to Heath who took it and clung to her.

Twisting around Heath ran back "dad you're coming back aren't you?"

Bending down Adam pulled his son close "that's the plan bud." He wiped a few tears away looking into his son's blue eyes "listen to your mom and help her ok? I'm relying upon you to be the man of the house. Think you can do that for me?"

Nodding Heath threw his arms around his dad clinging to him. "Love you daddy," he whispered in his ear and ran from the room.

Standing up Adam watched two of the most important people in his life walk away. Blinking back tears that threatened to flow from his eyes he turned to Emit "do you know where Chase has them?"

Shaking his head Emit sighed "no I'm sorry. We'll have to start from the last place we know they were."

"Which was where exactly?" Adam asked accepting Emits word for it.

"Outside Brian's house. Corina lent them her car. Her car was parked outside the house. We know they left the courthouse and made it to Brian's."

"Any police involvement in their disappearance?" Adam asked not sure it was a good or a bad thing if they were.

"None that I'm aware of," Emit confided.

"And my dad's ok with that?" Adam asked shocked.

"I'm not sure he's aware of that fact," Emit told him. "It was hard enough to convince him he had to rely upon us to find them."

"That I can believe," Adam said thoughtfully. Taking his phone out "mom? calm down I can't understand a word you're saying." Stopping to listen to the torrent of emotions Adam let his step-mom babble on. "He's here right now." Adam told her eyeing Emit. "Yes that's what he told me ... I'll do my best ... Will you do me a favor while I'm gone? ... Look after Beverly and the kids for me ... Yes thank you ... Bev has another 8 weeks to go but if the baby comes early or this takes longer then expected I want to know she's in good hands ... I know you will ... Love you mom." Looking at Emit he wondered if he could really trust this man. If it came down to his son or his brother which would he choose? Sighing "let's get going before I change my mind."

Smiling sadly Emit reached out and squeezed the younger mans shoulder "I am sorry to take you away from your family."

"Yeah well shit happens," Adam said in response.

***

Driving back to Appaloosa Plains felt like it was taking forever. "Don't you have a transporter or something to make travel quicker?" Adam complained from the passenger seat.

"If I did don't you think I would have used it?" Emit shot back. "Sorry I'm just as frustrated with the time lost with traveling as you are. I wish there was another way."

"Do  you have any idea's where Chase might have taken them?" Adam asked again. He wasn't sure why he kept asking but he had a feeling Emit wasn't telling him everything.

Sighing Emit looked sideways at Adam "there's two possible places I can think of: Moonlight Falls or Midnight Hollow."

Adam stared at him for a moment "I never heard of those places."

"No you wouldn't. Most humans stay away from them..."

"Why?" Adam asked his interest piqued as he tried to pull information up on his I phone.

"Because supernaturals inhabit them."

"You're joking right?" Adam shook his head in disbelief. As he scrolled through the google searches he lost his smile. It was one news headline after another about people who went in search of vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches you name it they searched for it but not one returned. Looking up his eyes bleak "tell me those stories are someones idea of a bad joke. My brother can't be there."

"Those stories are all true," Emit confirmed as he turned along a dirt road that wasn't used often or maintained.

"Where are we going?" Adam asked "this isn't the road to Appaloosa."

"We're not going to Appaloosa," Emit informed him. "It would be a waste of time. We're going to Moonlight Falls."

"Are you out of your mind?" Adam yelled at him "We're human. We won't get out alive. We should go to Midnight Hollow instead."

"We can't" Emit claimed "in some ways Midnight Hollow is deadlier then Moonlight Falls. We go there like we are and we'll be dead within minutes of arriving. Chase is most likely hiding there. He has friends there where as you and I have enemies."

"What enemies?" Adam asked.

"Midnight Hollow is where Imaginary Friends were created. It's run by them. By all the ones who were made real by the boy or girl who loved them. Later all those IF's have tried to destroy their life givers. IF's hate all humans ."

"Why I don't understand," Adam asked astonished.

"No one knows but they all eventually wind up in Midnight Hollow. They know who is and who isn't an imaginary friend. Chase and other halflings are welcome there. Showing up with three captive humans would only endear him to them," Emit explained.

"Two humans," Adam corrected "Kyle is a halfling.

Smiling at the information Emit said "that might be his undoing." Turning towards Adam "IF's don't like it when another IF turns against one of their own. It's a capital offense."

"What about the humans with him?" Adam asked with a sinking heart.

"Same thing I guess," Emit muttered. "We'll find them before that happens."

"So how is going to Moonlight Falls going to help us find the boys?" Adam asked.

Emit remained silent before saying "you're not going to like it."

Staring at Emit Adam sighed "just tell me. I already don't like it. I don't need you to tell me how much I'm not going to like it."

Instead of telling Adam what he planned he said "the only beings other than IF's allowed into Midnight Hollow are supernaturals." Glancing at Adam to see if he was following along with what he was saying.

"Are we going to Moonlight Falls to ask them to help us?" Adam asked.

"Not exactly. I have a friend who has agreed to set up a meeting with the town elders about turning us ..."

"No way in hell," Adam exploded "there's no way I'm going to be turned into one of those creatures. Are you out of your mind?"

"I thought you wanted to find your brother?" Emit asked when Adam's rant died down. "This is the only way. I don't like it either but there's not another way.

Crossing his arms Adam stared silently out of the window. How can he do this? Change who and what he was? To become what? A supernatural being. A monster. A figment of someones nightmare.  It would end all his dreams. He couldn't return to his family. What if he did and he hurt them? "I think I'm going to be sick."