Our Future

Chapter 4 | Interrogation My Ass

Emma's POV

The sound of someone speaking brought Emma back from the depths of her subconscious. For a moment, one single sweet moment, Emma thought she was in her own home. But that ignorance evaporated as she tried to move and felt the heavy leg iron chafe against her ankle.

Son of a bitch!

Emma's eyes flew open, her head aching like she was hung over, vision blurring sickeningly and the world tipped as she clawed at the wall behind her until she was in a position that could pass for standing. Barely.

Using the wall behind her as a crutch, Emma tugged at the chain which bolted her to the floor. The iron loop didn't so much as budge in the concrete. Fantastic.

Her first instinct was to use her magic. It would be easy, a moments concentration and she would be free of the chain. Gritting her teeth, Emma raised her palm over the chain, squeezing her eyes shut as she searched  for the magic deep witching her. Her palm began to glow with white light, dull as a dying bulb, and the bolt groaned like a wayward soul against her powers. Another moment, and it would give in.

The pain came, and it was sickening. Emma felt her baby writhe within her, kicking and thrashing, and she hitched forwards to her knees, smothering her scream with her knuckles. She felt her hand burning as if she were gripping a red-hot poker, and the burning drifted up her arm and through her chest until Emma though she would black out. It faded at last and Emma gagged horribly, the floor spinning upwards to smack her.

Roll onto your stomach! A voice screamed inside her head, some part of her that was making sure she wouldn't choke on her own vomit.

"No!" Emma said aloud, rolling onto her knees and clamping her hand over her mouth to stop the bile threatening to pour from her. She wasn't about to face the Wicked Witch covered in her own vomit. With an embarrassing amout of effort, Emma hauled herself to her feet.

First step when planning an escape: figure out where you are. Emma's eyes flicked around the room, and she knew it instantly. The clock tower. Why would Zelena bring her to-

"Oh, looks like my guest is waking up." Emma glared at the witch with all the contempt she could muster as she sauntered in to the room, which incidentally, was a lot. Emma prided herself on her ability to eyeball the crap out of people.

"Got to go now, byeeeee!" Zelena hung up Emma's phone and placed it on the nearest table.

"I imagine you have a lot of questions, as do I, so why don't we both sit down like civilised women and have a friendly conversation, hmm?"

"You call this civilised?" Emma shook the chain, and Zelena smirked.

"No, I call that irony. I call this..." With a flick of her finger, two chairs and a table materialised in cloud of green smoke. The table was decked out with a green checkered table cloth and a white pot of tea with two mugs. The sight was so ridiculous Emma almost laughed. Zelena noises, proud of her little creation.

"Civilised. Now, please, sit." Emma stayed standing and defiantly crossed her arms across her chest.

"Suit yourself. I was only trying to be compassionate to an expecting mother. Isn't that the whole point of priority seating on public-"

"Cut the crap, Zelena. Tell me why I'm here."

A smile pulled at the witch's lips.

"Actually, I'm going to make the demands today Emma since, you know, you're my hostage and all. So, here's how this is going to go: you are going to sit down, and I am going to ask you a question, and you are going to answer it honestly. In return, I shall extend the same courtesy. Understood, or would you like me to repeat myself in a pirate's voice?"

Emma rolled her eyes and took the seat. It was clear she wasn't going anywhere.
Zelena made a point of very carefully pouring herself a cup of tea.

"My first question: my daughter. What did Robin name her?"

There was a brief silence as Emma's eyes bored into Zelena's.

"Mary."

"Mary?"

"It's short for Marian."

Zelena's confusion turned to stone and she clenched her jaw.

"My turn now," Emma leant forwards across the table.

"Why am I here? Why did you kidnap me?" Zelena scowled in disapproval.

"That's two questions. But you are here because you are a pawn in my plan, Emma. I need you for my own reasons."

"Which are?"

"Uh-uh. My turn again." Zelena seemed to relax, the icy expression that had set in after she had learned her daughter's name melting back to her usual sociopathic self.
"Why didn't you use your magic to escape. Even without dark magic, I'd have thought you could have managed at least that."

"I didn't use my magic because I can't."

"Well that's not much of an explanation."

"I answered you honestly, elaboration wasn't part of the deal. Now, why am I here, Zelena!"

A bitter smile curled her lips into a gleeful sneer.
"I'm using you as leverage against my baby sister. I want my daughter, Emma, you can understand that at least."

"You really think this is the way. This insanity destroys people's lives, Zelena, especially yours. Look at you." Zelena dropped her gaze to the table. "You've kidnapped me so that you can blackmail your sister into giving you your daughter, so that you can take her away from her father and the people she loves."

Emma's hope spiked as she saw something like grief stir in Zelena's eyes. Had she finally gotten through to her?

After a long pause, Zelena looked up at Emma.
"Why can't you use your magic?"

No, of course she hadn't gotten through to her. There was no reasoning with insanity.

"I'm not playing this game anymore,"
Emma shoved away from the table.

"There's no escape, Emma. Regina will be here soon, I'd imagine, and a decision will be made."

"We will beat you. We've done it before, we will do it again."

"Not this time, dearie. Not this time."

Emma glared at her from over her shoulder.

"Go to hell, witch."

From somewhere in the distance, Emma heard some one shout Zelena's name.