Locked Away

XVI

I was the last to get up again this morning, Harlow only had one nightmare throughout the night and it didn't last very long this time. She seemed to be okay, but I couldn't tell if she was pretending to be okay or if she actually was okay. Was everyone just pretending to be okay? How could any of them stand to even be in the same building as James? I felt so nauseous, this felt like an alternate reality and I really hoped that none of this was real. The overwhelming amount of guilt and blame that riddled in my stomach made me want to throw up.

I slowly got out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I was so tired..every time I close my eyes all I can see is him reaching for poor Riley. I had been in the same sweats that were probably three sizes too big, my hair was an absolute mess so the only way to tame it was to throw it into a messy bun. My eyes and face were swollen from crying and just looking at myself made me want to cry...as I was tying my hair up I noticed a glimmer from my wedding ring. I pulled my hand down and examined it, looking at the ring made me angry. I could feel rage building inside of me, there was a buzzing sound behind me and I knew that meant static electricity was at its peak in the room.

I was so hungry..I had locked myself in here for a few days and hadn't come out for anything. I walked out of the room and made my way to the kitchen area, Lena and Harlow were drinking coffee and talking about the rain that was pouring outside. Lena saw me out of the corner of her eye and looked like she was going to say something, but decided to stay silent. I scanned my eyes over everyone as they turned to look at me, I could feel my chest tightening and my breathing picked up. Loki noticed a shift in the rain outside and fought a smug smile that he desperately wanted to show off, he avoided eye contact with me or else he knew he wouldn't be able to hold it in.

"Emma..." Harlow started to get up before Clint reached from behind her and grabbed her arm, Lena at the same time took her other hand making her sit back down. He shot her a look, he didn't want her to interfere with what I was feeling right now.

"Oh shit," Atlas spoke before Natasha elbowed him in the chest. The wind was knocked out of him as he looked at her with a surprised expression. I don't know why he was so shocked that she elbowed him, because I wasn't in the mood to deal with what anyone has to say to me right now.

I grabbed a mug out of the cupboard, pouring some of the dark liquid inside but I didn't fill it all the way. My attention for some normalcy this morning was cut short when I heard boots make their way into the living room. I put the coffee pot back on the warmer and slowly turned, locking eyes with James. The thunder rumbled outside, it was already dark but it seemed to get a lot darker. My arms started shaking, shocks of electricity flowed from my knuckles down to my fingertips before disappearing, it was a constant electrical current.

"Emma.." He said quietly, trying to slowly make his way over to me, as soon as he took one step closer to me I grasped the mug so hard that it shattered in my hands. The hot liquid was burning my hands and wrist and yet somehow I couldn't feel it after a second. You could hear coffee trickling on the floor and the blood from my hands dripping on the counter. He stopped walking to me and took a deep breath, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Please listen to me."

"I think I have listened enough," I spat at him, I flicked my eyes down at his arm and watched as a lightning bolt shot directly into it. His arm twitched as it was malfunctioning, he breathed through his teeth, the electricity was shocking him. I took my ring off my hand and threw it at him, tears swelling in my eyes. "You disgust me."

"Emma, please," He managed to get out while groaning. James rolled his shoulder back and cranked his arm, getting the seizing to stop. I shook my head vigorously and looked at everyone.

Tears started to flow down my cheeks, they were warm against my skin. "You all lied to me."

I didn't want to bring everyone into it, but I had never been this angry in my life. All these years and nobody could have thought to tell me that my own husband tried to kill an innocent child? I truly could not process it, that is how big of a shock it was. I felt like I didn't know who any of the people were that were sitting in this room with me, they were complete strangers. It thundered loudly, none of the others moved and they looked away from me, the hair on my arms stood straight up and lights started to buzz.

"Me, Emma!" James yelled, he strutted up to me and grabbed my arms, spinning me to face him. "This is your fight with me..not them." He looked directly at Harlow before turning his focus back to me.

I looked down at his arms before my eyes started glowing. I looked in his eyes before raising my eyebrow slightly, he instantly fell to his knees and yelled out. Blood slowly came out of his ears before I took a breath, releasing his mind from my clutches. He breathed heavily and reached his arm out to me to push me back, my eyes went red. I watched as he froze in movement, he tried to pull his arm back but nothing budged as a look of worry fell over his face. I grabbed his bicep before sending a constant shock wave into his shoulder, I dug my fingers into him before watching the electrical current run up his shoulder and around his neck.

His eyes grew fiery, he yanked his arm from my grasp and pushed me back about ten feet away from him. The electrical current was broken, he stumbled as he stood up. James rolled his head and slowed his breathing. I gave him a chance to gather himself, though every cell in my body wanted to rip him apart. Pushing me was a bad move on his end, and he knew that he was making me more angry with him.

"I didn't know what I was doing," He tried to explain. "You know me, I would never hurt anyones kids." He breathed while walking over to me, I let my guard down enough for him to swiftly pull my crystal necklace off and toss it to the side. He's so cute, thinking that will limit my power. Within seconds I kicked his groin so he leaned down, I grabbed his throat leaning him back on the ground. I hitched my breath, vines shot out of the floor beneath him and wrapped around his ankles and wrists. If that wasn't enough, lightning surged around us and one of them even came down inches from James' head. He grunted while trying to breathe and pleaded for me to stop with his eyes.

"I could kill you," I mumbled, I let a single tear slip down my cheek while I spoke. "But that isn't fair to Paisley and Jackson."

I heard the lightning shift behind me, when I whipped around Atlas was standing over me. He sighed heavily and glanced down at James before looking back at me.

He gave me a hopeful look in his eyes before placing his hand on my forehead, "I'm sorry Emma." Is all I heard before the room became cloudy, I was dizzy and everything around me was blurred. I looked down and James wasn't there anymore, the air around me grew thin and I tried to breathe. I felt air escape my lungs, and I'm pretty sure I blacked out.