She's My Daughter

The Darkest One

Zelena POV
I had left Regina's brat magicked in my hut and had quite simply told her to "explore." Although it sounded rather mysterious, in reality I had absolutely no clue what to do with her. She didn't seem at all fazed by me, in fact, she seemed rather bored. Of course I had taken her communication device to see whether she had managed to contact the blonde, but all I could see on their chat was an incredibly in depth conversation on which type of cheese is the best to have grated over pasta. So, I presumed we were safe, for now. And yet I felt a strange yearning to make the girl mine and not Regina's. Of course, killing her in front of Regina was the original plan but that was before I saw her raw power, power even stronger than what I had sensed in Emma. If I could harness that sort of power, I could make her wicked and turn her against her own mother. I smiled coldly. This was the perfect way to ruin my sister's happiness once and for all.
"Going somewhere, dearie?"
I took a deep calming breath, rolled my eyes and turned to see the Dark One himself leaning against the tree, his hands placed upon his cane.
"And to what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked sarcastically.
"Well you see," Rumple began as he peeled himself from the tree, "I was just on my way to check in on a certain Evil Queen's daughter."
"Not to worry, I've taken care of that." I said pleasantly.
"Indeed." He smiled coldly. "Now tell me, how is it you are alive?"
"Long story, Rumple, dear. And quite frankly, I am not in the mood to tell it. So run along back to your little bookworm and leave the girl out of your psychopathic schemes."
Rather than having the desired effect of seeing his retreating figure, the man had the indecency to laugh.
"Don't tell me you care for her, Zelena?" He sniggered.
"Of course not! I just happen to need her for my psychopathic schemes." I snapped.
"Hmm. And what would you say to gaining some very valuable knowledge about the object of your little plan?" He asked, his head titled to take in my reaction.
"What knowledge?" I growled.
"Ah there's a price for that, dearie!"
"Pray tell, what is this price?" I said with fake interest.
"Only a vial of the girl's blood."
I froze. What did the imp want with her blood?"
"Her what?" I repeated blankly.
"Her blood. You know, the red liquid that-"
"Yes, I know what blood is! But why do you want it?" I pressed.
"Surely getting a bit of blood isn't a problem for you, my dear Zelena?" Rumple asked as he stepped closer to me. "Of course, I can do it myself if that saves your weak little heart." He hissed.
"You have a deal." I growled, pushing him away from me, my anger getting the better of my senses.
"Brilliant." He smirked and with a flourish of his hand, he had disappeared in a haze of red smoke.

"Honey, I'm home!" I called out as I reentered the house, my voice echoing across the walls.
"You're welcome to leave again." The girl mumbled audibly. I chuckled in spite of myself and let myself into her room. She was sprawled across the bed, her legs resting vertically against the wall while the upper half of her body flopped gracelessy off the other side of the bed. Selena herself, was staring at the ceiling above her while simultaneously throwing and catching a tennis ball against the wall.
"Comfortable, are we?" I smirked. At the sound of my voice, her features morphed from peaceful confusion to annoyed anger.
"Never better." She smiled sweetly.
"Good." I said and sat myself down on her bed. I pursed my lips as she made no inclination to move.
"You know," I started, "Us Brits are usually very polite. I can't imagine where you learned this behaviour from."
"My mum's not British." She shrugged.
"You didn't even know you had a mum until a few months ago." I countered.
She glared at me. "I think everyone who has been even slightly educated knows you have to have a mother to be brought into this world."
"You know what I mean." I sighed as I leant back against the wall.
"Whatever."
A silence ensued, broken only by the occasional thud of the tennis ball as Selena threw it angrily against the floor now I had occupied her wall space.
"I have a favour to ask you." I said finally.
"You have a favour to ask me after you kidnapped me?" She snorted.
"You benefit too." I answered steely.
"Oh yeah? And what do I get? A new tennis ball?" She mocked.
"Information." I stated matter-of-factly as I watched her features morph from ones of mockery to surprise and then interest. Sighing, she pulled herself up from her position with unbelievable upper arm strength, swung her legs off the wall and over the bed and then sat opposite me, her chocolate eyes boring into mine.
"You have your mother's eyes." I said softly.
"Are you seriously quoting Harry Potter at me right now?"
I laughed in spite of myself again. I could see why Regina liked her so much. She was strong and fiery and yet I could sense this layer of insecurity hiding beneath her anger. She really was her mother's daughter.
"Gold has promised me information about you in return for a vial of your blood." I said slowly.
She tilted her head, her face remaining impassive as she took me in.
"My blood?" She asked finally.
"I know it's twisted, but -"
"He's twisted." She finished with a sigh. "What sort of information?"
"I'm not sure." I confessed.
"My blood." She mused. "Why would he want my blood? I just don't understand, I'm nothing important, I'm just -"
"Not important? You're the only biological offspring of the Evil Queen! That's pretty important." I scoffed. "Not to mention you're the niece of the Wicked Witch of the West." I added.
"And the granddaughter of the Queen of Hearts." She chuckled.
"And the step sister of Snow White."
"I didn't even think about that!" She exclaimed. "Which makes me the...adoptive sister of Henry but also his step great aunt." She paused a look of sheer confusion and disgust on her face. "That's just messed up."
"Oh there's plenty more." I laughed.
"I don't like this." She muttered. "This is all so weird! 6 months ago I thought I had no one and now I have so much family I hardly know what to do with it all."
"Be happy." I shrugged. "I never had that opportunity."
She looked at me and frowned as if she was only just realising who I was.
"Why does everyone think you're so horrible? You're not so bad." She said cautiously.
I laughed again.
"I am horrible, just not to you."
"Why?" She asked curiously.
"You're family." I said simply.
"Regina's your family and that doesn't stop you wanting to hurt her."
"Regina's different. You're...new. Someone I can have a fresh start with." I confessed, knowing I was putting my heart on the line and at the same time being unable to stop myself. I found myself suddenly developing an uncontrollable need to take this chance and have a real family, even if it was only one other person.
"How can we have a new beginning when you're going to be making my mother's life hell?" She sighed.
"I don't know." I closed my eyes and sighed. "Maybe one day you'll give me a chance."
And then there was another silence, this time much more awkward than the last. After about 10 minutes, Selena reached loudly across the bed to reach the breakfast tray I had left earlier.
"What are you -"
I gasped as she grabbed the knife and pulled it across the palm of her hand, blood oozing out of her wound and coating her hand red.
"A vial." She winced.
I nodded and pulled the one I had kept earlier out of my cloak. Holding it under her fist, she squeezed the blood into it, her eyes screwed up in pain.
"There." She gasped as the last drop of blood fell into the now full vial. As soon as I had stoppered it, however, her bloodied hand latched onto the vial.
"Selena, what are you -"
"We go to Gold together and I keep hold of this." She said firmly, her watery eyes filled with determination.
"You don't trust me." I stated.
"Of course not. And do you blame me?" She snapped as she pulled the vial towards her. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"No." I whispered and let go. She frowned in confusion, obviously shocked by my lack of fight. But it wasn't worth it. Not this time.
"I have no problem with you coming with me. Just allow me to heal your hand first." I said coldly, reaching towards her bloodied hand.
"No." She muttered. "Leave it. He needs to know it was my blood and this proves it."
I stared at her. How had I not thought of that? Fickle emotions! I shook my head roughly to get those pesky things out of my head.
"Of course. Take my hand."
"Your what?"
"My hand." I chuckled, extending it towards her.
"Why?" She frowned.
"So I can teleport you with me." I said rolling my eyes.
"Teleport? Regina never said anything about teleporting!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet in excitement.
"Regina doesn't say a lot of things." I muttered.
"What?" She asked, obviously not having heard me.
"Nothing, nothing. Now come. We have work to do." And with that Selena took my hand cautiously and I turned, feeling only the butterflies in my stomach and Selena's sticky blood on my palm.