Chapter 18

Zelena had seemed nice and normal at first, but now…now she just seemed completely and totally insane. The woman actually believed Emma was Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter.

Mia couldn't even believe this was really happening…she was having a conversation about her birth mother being a fairy tale character – or the daughter of a couple of fairy tale characters? She wasn't sure. It didn't even matter…it was crazy.

Just when she thought the conversation couldn't get any more ridiculous, Zelena told her that Emma had magic…like in Harry Potter…even though apparently the redhead had never heard of Harry Potter. Mia wondered if the woman had recently escaped from a mental hospital.

Mia stood up. "Thank you for…the tea. I have to go now." She started to back away slowly, eyeing the woman warily.

"You can't go yet." Oh, shit…Mia should have known the crazy lady wouldn't just let her leave. "You wanted to know everything your mother isn't telling you. Well, we're just getting started, dear."

As much as Mia hated to admit it, even just to herself, she was starting to think maybe Emma was right about Zelena – and if that was true, she was in a kidnapper's house in the middle of the woods where no one would hear her scream.

Mia tried to run, but she couldn't move. It was like her limbs had just stopped working completely. Panic flooded her. "What- what did you do to me?" She hadn't even had one sip of the tea…the woman couldn't have drugged her…could she have?

"Why, magic of course." What the hell? Magic only existed in books and movies…it wasn't real. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

The woman's tone was almost soothing, but Mia had heard that from far too many people who had, in fact, hurt her to believe it for one second. She had also seen enough crime shows on TV to know her kidnapper wasn't just going to let her go. No, Mia may not know what Zelena was going to do to her, but she knew exactly how this was going to end. Out of all the shitty situations she'd been in, this was the first time Mia had felt deep down that she wouldn't make it out alive. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

"You're not going to let me go, not when I know – when I could tell someone…" Tell someone what though? Mia didn't even know what she would tell anyone if she somehow managed to get out of there alive…she didn't think anyone would believe her if she told them what happened…it was crazy…they would think she was crazy.

Zelena arched her eyebrows. "Tell someone? You mean tell Emma?" She tilted her head back and laughed. "There's nothing you could tell her that she doesn't already know!"

Maybe Zelena was telling the truth - about that, at least. The rest of what she had said was crazy talk. But it was possible Emma knew how crazy Zelena was, and that was why she wanted Mia to stay away from the redheaded woman. At the time, Mia had thought Emma was the crazy one for being so overprotective.

Mia tried to remember what Emma had said exactly. People were disappearing and they thought Zelena was involved…they thought she was dangerous. She wondered what that meant…were the people that had "disappeared" dead or locked in the cellar somewhere? She had a bad feeling she would find out soon enough. A sense of impending doom settled like lead in the pit of her stomach.

The realization that she would probably never see Emma again hit Mia hard…harder than she thought it should considering she'd only known the woman for a week. Mia had never thought that the last time they talked would be the last time she talked to Emma ever, and she felt a pang of guilt at how she had left things with her birth mother. As she replayed all of the conversations they'd had that day in her head, regret overwhelmed her. She finally had what she'd always wanted – her mom – and she'd wasted all the time they had together being angry.

Mia hadn't even realized Zelena had started speaking again. She barely heard the woman talking casually about Emma being some kind of savior and a curse – or curses as in multiple? Mia didn't know. It all sounded crazy to her, and she didn't bother trying to make sense out of it. Instead, her eyes roamed the kitchen, carefully mapping all of the ways out and noting any household items that could be used as a weapon if she could just move. But her feet remained glued to the floor in spite of her brain screaming at her to run. What was wrong with her? Tears of frustration stung her eyes. She hated feeling helpless like this. It was how she always felt with Trey, and it was the worst feeling in the world.

Zelena narrowed her eyes. "Why are you crying?"

"You're crazy!" Mia burst out almost hysterically.

"If I am, you are, doll." Zelena disappeared before Mia's eyes in a puff of green smoke and reappeared next to Mia. If she could have, Mia would have jumped out of her skin. She was confused and scared. She felt stupid for wondering if it really was magic. Zelena let out a short laugh. "Still think I'm crazy?"

Mia blinked, unable to believe her eyes. People couldn't just 'poof' from one place to another. It wasn't possible. "I don't know."

Zelena surveyed her for several seconds. "What would convince you that I'm telling the truth?"

Mia stared incredulously. "That my mom is a fairy tale character?"

"The savior," Zelena corrected gently.

"You'd think she could save her own daughter then," Mia mumbled under her breath.

"She saved your brother. Twice actually, but who's counting?"

Mia narrowed her eyes, wondering why the crazy lady was so worried about what Emma was doing – or had done in her delusions. "Sounds like you are."

"Aren't you?"

"What's the deal with you and Emma?" Mia asked instead of answering her. Now that she knew she was dealing with a crazy woman, the woman's strange interest in Emma unnerved her. She didn't like it.

"Isn't it obvious? She's the savior, and I'm wicked," Zelena said…like she actually thought that was a reasonable explanation.

Mia stared. "You're…wicked?"

"The Wicked Witch of the West." Of course the woman thought she was a character from The Wizard of Oz. Why wouldn't she? She seemed to think everyone else in the town was a fairy tale character.

"Okay…" Mia said slowly. "So, I'm…what? Bait? Because if that's the case, I think you've got the wrong kid. Emma probably thinks I ran away."

"If I wanted to use anyone as bait, it would be your brother. No, you aren't bait. You and I…we're sort of kindred spirits."

Mia gaped at her, not liking the comparison. "We are?"

"My mother tossed me in a basket when I was born and sent me away. She gave me up without even blinking an eye. My adoptive father was a sad, drunk man who never wanted me. I had nothing, and my little sister had everything. My mother kept her and gave her everything I should have had."

"Maybe we are," Mia acknowledged reluctantly.

"Everything I told you is true. Believe it or don't. I…see a bit of myself in you, and I thought you deserved to know the truth."

Zelena motioned toward her. Mia flinched, but the pain she expected never came. She felt something she couldn't even begin to describe wash over her body, but it didn't hurt. She realized with a start that she could move again.

Mia edged closer to the chair she had been sitting in before she tried to leave and gripped the back of the chair tightly, hoping it looked like she was just holding onto it for support. She wasn't. She was considering throwing it at the redheaded woman if she needed to in order to get away.

"Sit down if you're going to stay," Zelena said hospitably, surprising her.

"I- I can go?" Mia squeaked.

"Yes, you can go. I think that's just about everything your mother isn't telling you."

Emma knew something was up the second she read the text message Hook sent her from Henry's phone. Mia had not wanted to go with Hook. It seemed way too convenient that the girl was suddenly seasick when she'd been fine on a boat with Leroy just the day before. And if she really got seasick, Emma was sure Mia would have used that when she was trying to get out of going, but Mia didn't do that because Emma would have known she was lying.

It couldn't have been easy for a twelve year old, even a smart one, to play the pirate, and Emma couldn't believe he let Mia play him. She wanted to blame Hook for this, but she knew that she couldn't. Even Neal had fallen for Henry "going to the bathroom" in Granny's, and Henry was Neal's son. Neal should have known better than anyone that when Henry took his backpack, he wasn't coming back from the bathroom. Maybe Emma was the only one that saw right through her kids' tricks…it must be because she had that thing with lying…or just because she was their mom. And that was why the only person she could blame for this was herself.

To his credit, Hook had sent the text message to her almost immediately and had Mr. Smee walk Mia back to Granny's, where Granny had agreed to watch her. But it would have been all-too-easy for her daughter to slip away if the diner was busy and the older woman was distracted, and that was exactly what Mia had done. The empty room only confirmed what Emma already suspected…Mia was not where anyone thought she was.

Emma looked around the room quickly, not wanting to waste time when she needed to find her daughter. The black bomber jacket the girl always wore was draped over the back of the couch, which meant she was still wearing Emma's black leather jacket. Good…it was warmer. All the new clothes Emma bought her daughter were still in the shopping bag with the exception of the few things the girl had already worn. Most importantly Mia's backpack was sitting on the floor by the bed. Mia wasn't running.

Emma knew where her kid was. She thought she'd known the moment that text message came across…she was just really hoping she was wrong. She wasn't wrong though…Mia was with Zelena. The kid actually would have been safer if she had hopped a bus back to New York…harder to find, but far safer. Emma had to get to her and fast. But first, she called Regina for magical back up.

"Miss Swan, I said I have it handled," Regina said irritably when she answered.

"Hi, Regina," Emma said a little sarcastically since Regina hadn't actually said hi. "If by 'it' you mean Zelena, it's not as handled as you thought. Mia's with her."

"Why would your daughter be with my sister?" Regina asked after several seconds.

"Because I told her to stay away from Zelena," Emma said wryly. And Mia couldn't have just listened to her…just like she hadn't listened to Mary Margaret. Her daughter was too much like her for her own good.

"I'm afraid to even ask, but where's Henry?"

"Don't worry, he's with Hook."

"There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear." Emma could hear Regina sigh through the phone. "How sure are you that your daughter is even with my sister? Is it safe to assume you did a locator spell?"

"I don't need a locator spell." Emma also didn't know how to do a locator spell, but didn't think she needed one this time…she knew where Mia was. "She's my daughter, and it's what I would do."

"She is your daughter," Regina muttered in agreement. "But if she's really with Zelena, you can't go alone."

Mia made a hasty exit from the farmhouse before Zelena could change her mind. She walked until she was sure she was out of Zelena's line of sight, not wanting the woman to see how scared she was. Once she made it into the cover of the dense trees, she started running.

She didn't pay attention to where she was going…she just ran. She ran as fast and as far as she could. She pushed and fought her way through overgrown tree limbs. She ignored the tightness in her chest and the stitch in her side and just kept moving somehow. She kept going until she felt like she was going to throw up. She didn't know if the sudden nausea was from all of the running or the anxiety that had tied her stomach in knots.

She bent over, gasping for air. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest. She clutched her stomach with one hand and put her other hand over her racing heart. She realized her hand was shaking…both of her hands were shaking. She gasped.

What was wrong with her? First she physically couldn't move and then she was seeing things that couldn't be real. People didn't just disappear into thin air and reappear someplace else seconds later the way Zelena did! How did the redheaded woman do that? Mia wouldn't let herself believe it was magic. It made her head hurt to even try to make sense of what had happened back at the farmhouse. And now…now she could barely breathe and she was shaking uncontrollably. It was her…there had to be something wrong with her. Panic jolted through her, shutting off her air supply.

Mia let out a choked sob and almost collapsed against the closest tree, sinking down to the ground and drawing her knees to her chest. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Her breaths were coming in terrified sobs and gasps, but she wasn't getting enough air. She struggled to slow her breathing. It was Emma's familiar scent hitting her as she breathed in that had a calming effect on her…it must be coming from the jacket she was wearing – Emma's leather jacket.

Mia didn't know how long it took for her breathing to return to normal…just that when it did, it was already starting to get dark outside. As she looked around, Mia realized she didn't really know where she was. Well, she knew she was in the middle of the woods, but she didn't know where exactly. There were no landmarks of any kind…just trees as far as the eye could see. She wondered what the chances were that she'd make it back to Granny's before Emma…she didn't think they were good considering she didn't even know how to get back to Granny's from there. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach.

She was lost…in the middle of the woods…at night. This was bad. She didn't want to go the wrong direction…that could take her even deeper into the woods - and further away from civilization. She could wait there and hope someone would find her, but she didn't even know if anyone was even looking for her. The only person who would look for her was Emma, and she would probably think Mia hopped a bus back to New York, not that she went for an impromptu nature walk in the woods. She didn't know if she really wanted to be found…at least not by Emma if the woman was as mad as Mia thought she would be.

Mia buried her head in her hands. What was she going to tell Emma? She knew she couldn't tell anyone what had happened at the farmhouse. She didn't know if it had actually happened or if she was hallucinating, but she knew no one would believe her, whether or not it was real. Emma wouldn't believe her. Emma would think she was crazy. Hell, maybe she was crazy. She'd end up locked up in a mental institution.

She would have to come up with something to tell Emma…something good since the woman always seemed to know when she was lying. Maybe if she didn't lie…if she just didn't go into specifics...but no, no matter how vague she was, she didn't think she could leave Zelena out of the story completely without Emma knowing something was off. She groaned to herself. Why did she have to go looking for Zelena after Emma told her to stay away from her?

Mia knew she had fucked up. There was really no other word for it. In her defense, she never imagined things would play out the way they did. How could she have? She thought she would have plenty of time to find Zelena, get the answers she wanted, and get back to the room at Granny's before Emma. She hadn't taken the time to think about what would happen if she didn't beat Emma back. She felt her stomach twist at that thought, forming a brand new knot. This felt different from any of the other things she'd done that she knew Emma had not been happy about. She couldn't play dumb this time…she knew Emma did not want her anywhere near Zelena.

Mia didn't know how Emma would react to her doing the exact opposite of what the woman had told her to do. Oh, she knew how every foster parent she'd ever had would react – and had reacted – when she did anything they didn't like. For people that didn't want her in the first place and only tolerated her because she came attached with a government check, it was easy to just give up on her if she didn't act the way they wanted her to.

She knew this was different - Emma was different. Emma was her real mom, not just another foster mother, but Mia also knew Emma didn't want her, not really. The woman had given her away when she was born, had never tried to find her, and wouldn't have even told Mia that she was her mom if it hadn't been for Neal. In spite of all of that, Emma was trying. Mia could tell Emma was trying to fix things with her, but she didn't know if that was even possible and didn't know how long the woman would keep trying before she gave up, too. Everyone gave up on her…it was only a matter of time…maybe only hours or even minutes if Emma was really pissed off.

She fought the instinct to run…to leave before Emma could send her away. When she was in the farmhouse and she thought, for however brief a moment, that Zelena wasn't going to let her leave, Mia had felt awful about how she left things with her birth mother. In that moment, she wanted more time with her mom so badly. She couldn't leave, not now…

"Hello, sis. I said Main Street at sundown tomorrow. You're a little early," Zelena said.

"I'm not here for that," Regina told her.

"Where's Mia?" Emma demanded, trying to see past Zelena and into the farmhouse.

"Oh, I'm afraid you're a little too late."

Emma felt her heart drop to her stomach. "No," she said in a voice that was barely recognizable to her own ears. "No!" She made an angry movement toward Zelena, but Regina grabbed a hold of the back of her jacket to stop her. She was surprised how fast Regina reacted.

"You didn't kill her," Regina said calmly. Emma's eyes shot to Zelena, looking for any sign that Regina was right…that her daughter was okay. "If we really are related, you cannot possibly have underestimated how valuable the savior's daughter could be to you in whatever it is that you're planning."

Zelena actually laughed. Emma would have punched her in the face if she could have, but Regina's grip on her jacket tightened like she knew exactly what Emma was going to do. "Who said anything about killing her? I rather like the girl. We had a lovely little chat."

Emma stilled, but kept her hands balled into fists at her sides. "What did you do to her?"

"I told her the truth."

"That's it?" Regina said in a tone of disbelief. "You told her the truth? You didn't turn her into one of your little flying monkeys?"

"I told her what her own mother wouldn't. She didn't even know who Emma really is…the savior." Zelena turned to Emma. "I'm not sure she believed me, but she will. And then she will know you saved everyone except her. You saved her brother, but not her. Never her. She's not nearly as angry with you as she should be."

"You're trying to turn Miss Swan's daughter against her," Regina surmised coolly.

"Not just trying. Succeeding," Zelena corrected. She turned to Emma again. "If you try to interfere with my plans, I won't just kill your daughter. I'll take her from you. You'll have to watch as she chooses me over you…as she chooses revenge over forgiveness."

"Revenge? For what?" Regina looked and sounded incredulous.

"Abandonment," Zelena answered.

The witch's words scared the hell out of Emma. She couldn't see Mia forgiving her, at least not any time soon. She couldn't imagine having to choose between good and…well, her kid - if Mia really took the wicked witch's side. She had to make damn sure that didn't happen.

"You'll never get anywhere near her again," Emma said fiercely.

"Oh, I don't have to. She came to me today, and she will come to me again."

"I'm not going to let that happen." Emma lunged at Zelena, almost breaking Regina's hold, but Regina's grip twisted the red leather of her jacket by her neck and pulled her back.

"Miss Swan. Emma! Getting yourself killed will not help your daughter or our son," Regina hissed into her ear.

Emma stopped struggling and nodded, knowing Regina was right, even if she wanted nothing more than to kill the wicked witch for messing with her family. Neal was dead because of her, and now…now the witch was messing with her kid's head.

"You should listen to my sister. I was and am Rumplestiltskin's best student. He taught me well…maybe a little too well. I know every trick in his book. And you," Zelena said, scoffing at Emma. "Well, you haven't even learned how to do a simple locator spell. If you had, you wouldn't be here. You'd be wherever Mia is."

"What exactly is this master plan you don't want Miss Swan interfering with? To kill me?" Regina asked with her eyes narrowed.

"I don't want to kill you. I want to destroy you."

"What the hell did I ever do to you?" Regina demanded.

"You were born," Zelena said simply.

"Now can we do a locator spell?"

"I don't have anything of Mia's with me," Emma admitted tonelessly.

Regina looked like she wanted to roll her eyes, but stopped herself. "Of course you don't. Give me your hand."

"What? Why?"

"If you want my help finding your daughter, you're going to have to trust me."

"I do trust you."

"Good," Regina said, producing a small blade out of thin air. "This may sting."

Emma's eyes widened, but she forced herself to stay still and let the other woman make a small cut on her hand. She wanted to show Regina that she did trust her. She stifled a wince as a drop of blood bubbled to the surface. Regina collected the blood and used it in a spell that created a…floating ball of silvery light?

Emma eyed the glowing ball a little warily. "What is that?"

"That is what will lead us to Mia."

They followed the magical ball of light, ducking under tree limbs and stepping carefully over roots that stuck out in the ground as they went deeper and deeper into the woods.

"So, listen, I know you said you don't want any help with Zelena, but she has Gold on her side. It's two against one. I know I'm not exactly in the same league as them-" Regina snorted, and Emma shot her a look. "But I want you to know I am on your side, Regina."

Regina stopped and turned to face her. "Did you not hear her? Rumple taught her - he taught both of us everything we know about magic…and he thinks she's stronger than I am."

"Then you can't do it alone, and you don't have to," Emma insisted. "Not this time."

"Great," Regina said unenthusiastically. "My sister has the Dark One, and I have-"

"The savior," Emma interrupted before Regina could say something else. "It's not a job I ever wanted, and I almost didn't come back to do it, but it's what I am. Let me help you. I am the savior. I have magic. I just don't always know how to control it. If you teach me…"

Regina eyed her warily. "Now, why does this feel so familiar?"

"I'm ready this time."

"Are you?" Regina questioned. "Because it seems to me you have your hands full with your daughter."

Emma felt defensive of Mia even though her daughter was a handful. "She's not the first kid to not listen to her mother. Hell, she's not the first kid to talk to a stranger. It's just when most kids talk to strangers, the stranger isn't the Wicked Witch of the West."

"I suppose I should be grateful that when Henry was sneaking around behind my back to see a strange woman, it was you," Regina mused.

Emma glanced at her, knowing that wasn't exactly a compliment. "Thanks…I think."

"If you really think you can keep your daughter away from my sister during lessons, meet me at my vault tomorrow morning," was all Regina said in response.

"I'll be there."

They found Mia miles away from Zelena's farmhouse. She was sitting on the ground with her back pressed against a tree trunk, her knees drawn to her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head buried in her knees. She looked like a lost little girl, smaller and more vulnerable than Emma had ever seen her.

"Mia!" Emma yelled without thinking.

The girl's head shot up. "Emma?" She called out nervously.

Emma broke into a run. After thinking for one horrible second that she'd been too late to save her kid from the wicked witch, Emma wanted to see Mia for herself and know that she was okay.

When Emma got close enough to see Mia's face, she could tell her daughter had been crying. Her eyes were dry, but they were rimmed with red and there were tear tracks visible on the girl's pale skin. If Zelena hurt her kid…

Emma kneeled on the ground in front of Mia, resting her hands on the top of the girl's shoulders while she looked her over carefully for any visible signs of hurt. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Emma didn't believe her, but she didn't want to push her on it. Instead, she pulled her daughter into a tight hug. She was pleasantly surprised when the girl threw her skinny arms around her and hugged her back. The girl wasn't just hugging her…she was clinging to her almost desperately. Okay, screw it…Emma was going to push her on this.