The Cynical Prince

'And the last thing I saw...

I went rushing down the halls of the hospital, Eric close behind me and even though I seriously detested him, he offered to help. He knew why Alessa's son had been kidnapped and as much as it was my fault, it was also his. My heart pounded hard against my chest as Eric opened his car door and let me into the passenger’s side. I didn't know exactly where to start to look for Tagan, but for some reason Eric knew. I hated the fact that I had to team up with Eric, hated the fact that Alessa was probably lying in that hospital bed having yet another panic attack because of all this.

"Listen, I know we don't particularly get along but, my feelings are true to Alessa. I want to help her and make sure she gets her son back." I looked at him wondering if he was telling the truth. But right now I couldn't pick apart his head as well as Alessa could in stressful situations so I had to just trust him. Of course I didn't want to trust him, but at this point I had no other choice.

"So how do we get, Tagan back?" I watched him as he thought about it. His eyes flickered as he looked up at me in slight excitement.

"They want you right?" I furrowed my brow nodding my head wondering where he was going with this.

"Well what if I say, I'm bringing you here to make a trade. They won't expect me being on your side at all and once the kid is safe I can go back for you." I didn't like it, it sounded too risky but then again we didn't have many options.

"You have weapons?" Eric looked at me like I was stupid nodding his head and then gesturing toward the trunk.

"Everything we need. Are you sure you could do this?" I looked at Eric seriously. Of course I could do this.

"Even if I wasn't I would still do it." Eric understood and we headed to the place where Tagan was being kept.

My mind went completely blank as I thought about what Tagan was going through. He was a tough kid, he was his mother's son but even so, she wasn't as strong as she made herself seem to be. Right now she had to be, if she didn't she would surely lose the baby.

Baby. A baby I made with Alessa. I couldn't believe it, something inside me stirred; I could feel my stomach tighten thinking about it. I would be a father; I didn't even know where to begin when it came down to it. I knew that things were going to change for me...hopefully for the better this time around.

"Dean?" I looked over at Eric shocked; I hadn't noticed I was in such a trance. He pointed out in front of us explain about why we were in front of an abandoned old apartment complex.

"Let's do this." Eric walked to the back of the car gathering some stuff and handing small pistols at me and I hide them within my clothes. Surely they would pat me down so I made sure they were hidden well.

"Alright, just follow my lead." I nodded my head and Eric knocked on the door. One of the guys I had known from my past standing at the door. He was one of the ones who had killed my fiancé. He smirked at seeing me there with Eric and then patted Eric on the back.

"Good job. I'm guess he wants to make the switch up huh?" I went to punch him when Eric held me back.

"Yeah, you get Dean, and I get the boy." Joey, the man at the door, smirked even wider and ushered us inside.

I looked around at the desolate place, it was a mess and I could hear Tagan's sniffling from where I was. He was scared and probably even more afraid for his mother. I walked in and saw him sitting there with a blindfold over his eyes and his hands tied behind his back. He was dirty and he looked like he had soiled his pants.

"Let him go!" I yelled when, Tony, one of the other guys glared at me, walking up to my face.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Inspector?"

"DEAN! Where's mommy? MOMMY!" He began to cry and struggle when one of the men smacked him.

"HEY! You want me, now you have me!" Tony smirked nodding his head.

"You're right. Hand the kid over to Eric." Tagan was pushed out of his seat and tossed towards Eric. Eric picked him up automatically and then looked towards me.

"Now, our business." Tony pulled out a gun as I did the same. When he had seen this we both ran for cover and Eric struggle to get out of the place. Shots began firing all around me and I had to focus on getting Tagan out.

"Tagan, no!" I heard Eric scream as I took down Joey and another guy behind him. I looked over my shoulder to see Tagan ripping off his blindfold and trying to run towards me.

"DEAN!"

"Tagan, go back!" Eric was holding off two other guys who had been hidden in the bottom floors of the building.

"No! DEAN!"