Once Upon A Ever After 5!

Chapter 21: Hostages!

Real World!
     Emerald looked over at Zack. "What is it, Em?" Zack asked. Emerald shook her head and looked away. "Nothing." Emerald replied. "I know you, Emerald. It's something." Zack told her and she sighed. "I can't lose you." Emerald told him. "And I can't lose you." Zack agreed. "You have to get out of here, while you still can." Emerald told him. Ron was quiet again, like he usually was. "What are you talking about, Em?" Zack asked and she sighed. "I think we both know." Emerald replied. Zack widened his eyes as he straightened up. "No, Emerald!" Zack exclaimed. "She wants you, because you're her brother who betrayed her, but you guys never really got along to begin with. It's me she truly wants." Emerald told him. "Then why did she kidnap me as well?" Ron asked. "Because she could, and she's terribly wicked." Emerald replied and Ron nodded. "Point taken." Ron agreed. "You think I will let you offer yourself up to my sister about being her only prisoner?" Zack asked. "No, Zack. I know you won't let me, but It's not your choice." Emerald replied. "Emerald." Zack commented and she shook her head. "No, Zack. This is my choice! Not because I'm the Princess or future Queen! Not because your sister is angry at me for supposedly making you a traitor! But because this is about me!... I know that this is bigger than me. It's about you, our friends, all of Oz, and now this strange Realm as well. It's about all of us, but it ends with me and her." Emerald explained.
      An hour of silence passed, and Zack looked at her. "You said this ends with you and Willow, right?" Zack asked and Emerald sighed as she looked back at him. "Yes." Emerald replied. "The Storybook of Legends says that's Ruby's job." Zack told her. "No one follows the Storybook of Legends anymore. Willow is after me, not Ruby. She made this personal when she went after my family, friends, and my Realm. A lot of people aren't following their destinies, like you. You're not a villain. I will be Queen one day, but stopping Willow is also my destiny. Ruby's destiny will come to light, when it's her time." Emerald explained. "I know how dangerous my sister is, better than anyone." Zack told her and she nodded. "I know." Emerald agreed. "I just don't want you to go up against her." Zack told her. "Why not?" Emerald asked and he sighed. "It's complicated." Zack replied. "Complicated how? Do you think I can't defeat her? Am I not good enough? Not strong enough? Not powerful enough?" Emerald asked. "No, no, no, no. It's not like that." Zack replied. "Then what is it like, Zackery?" Emerald asked. "Because I'm scared!" Zack replied. "Scared? For your sister?" Emerald asked. "No. For the woman that I love." Zack replied. There was a moment of silence as Emerald smiled. "I know, and I get that it's hard. But I need you to believe in me." Emerald told him. "I do believe in you, Em." Zack told her. "Good." Emerald commented.

Flashback!
      Gilda had to stop Zack from running to his mansion by grabbing his arm and pulling him backwards. "Let go of me before I get angry." Zack warned. "I suggest you don't threaten me before I get angry." Gilda warned. "Everyone calm down." Sam told them. "I want to see this cat fight." Kitty commented and Sam gave her a look and she put her hands up. "Fine, fine." Kitty agreed. "I'm with Kitty." Leo agreed and Tatum slapped him on the chest. "Ouch." Leo commented. Tatum sighed and turned to them. "What is the issue?" Tatum asked. "Zack here is about to run off to fight his sister." Gilda replied. "How do you know that?" Zack asked. "Because I've gotten to know you, and we all know Emerald is there fighting your sister right now." Gilda replied. Zack's heart pounded in his chest. "What does this have to do with Emerald?" Zack asked. "Come on, Zack. We all see the connection between the two of you." Sam replied and Zack rolled his eyes. "This isn't about me, guys. Emerald thinks this is just her fight. Because it's her Realm, her people, her Kingdom, and her enemies. She doesn't have to fight alone, and I, I mean we, need to show her that." Zack replied. "You're right about that." Ruby agreed. "I don't think you need to worry about Emerald." Kitty told them. "And why's that?" Zack asked. "Because she's right there." Kitty replied. Everyone turned to see Emerald standing there levitating an unconscious Willow.
      Everyone was inside as they were all yelling. "This is insane!" Tatum exclaimed. "We can't just leave Willow of all people here. She'll wake up." Sam agreed. "What are we suppose to do? Let Willow of all people go wild in Oz some more?" Ruby asked. "Of course not. Emerald was smart by bringing her here, to imprison her or something." Leo replied and Ruby nodded. "Exactly." Ruby agreed. "She's not imprisoned, she's laying on Ruby's bed. She's not even chained up." Leo told them. "We can't leave her here, but we can't let her go either." Zack told them. "There are things we can do to her in Wonderland. Just, you can't ask about it." Kitty told them. Everyone starred at her for a moment and than went back to arguing. "None of it matters, because once she wakes up she's going to kill us all." Sam told them. "That's enough!" Emerald called. Everyone instantly became quiet as they all looked at her. Emerald walked over to the bedroom and waved her hands, as green magic surrounded the doorway. "What did you just do?" Tatum asked. "Made it so that she can't leave that room." Emerald replied. "That's a temporary fix, we need a permanent solution." Sam told them. "It's better than nothing." Kitty told him and he nodded. "I guess so." Sam agreed. "This will give us enough time to formulate a plan to figure out what to do with Willow." Emerald told them.

Real World!
     Willow appeared in the cellar. "Brother." Willow greeted. "Sister." Zack greeted. "You seem happy." Emerald commented. "I am." Willow agreed with a smirk. "I don't like that smile; you did something." Zack commented. Emerald's heart pounded in her chest. "I have a bad feeling." Emerald commented. "I put Ruby Gale into the hospital." Willow replied. Both Emerald and Zack gasped. "I'm staying out of this one." Ron muttered. "Is she okay?" Zack asked. "I don't know and I don't care." Willow replied. "You're truly wicked." Emerald told her and she smiled. "Thank you." Willow commented. "I have a proposition for you." Emerald told her and Zack shook his head. "Don't do this." Zack told her. "I have to." Emerald told him. There was a moment of silence as Willow looked from Emerald to Zack, and back to Emerald. "Well, I'm intrigued." Willow told them. "It's me you want, Willow. Let Zack and Ron go." Emerald told her. "I don't care about the boy, but I hate my brother." Willow told her. "Fine, than hate him. But he is still your brother. One day, you two will go at it and have your stupid sibling duel. But you want me more than anyone, you want me! So take me as your only hostage, and let them go." Emerald explained. There was a moment of silence. Willow undid Ron and Zack's chains. "Emerald!" Zack exclaimed. Willow waved her hand and made them disappear in a cloud of green smoke.
     The Wonderlandians and Ozians were hanging out at Madness Bed and Breakfast. "You feeling better, Ruby?" Darla asked. "Much, thanks." Ruby replied. "But this is just her first day out of the hospital." Tatum added. "We still have to find Emerald and Zack." Gilda added and they nodded. "But we've looked everywhere." Brenda commented. "We've been through worst, and we've gotten through it. Together." Alan told her as he put his arm around her and she smiled as she leaned her head on him. "Kelly told us of all the villains you guys have faced. Before and after the curse. Which one was the worst?" Leo asked. "The Jabberwocky." Alan replied. "That beast was insane, and we were only fourteen when we killed that thing." Michael agreed. "And the Bandersnatch and the JubJub Bird." Timmy added. "Actually, the worst villain was Courtly Jester." Lily told them. "Ugh, I hated that girl." Kelly commented. "No one likes a sneaky Jester." Madison commented. "I'm with Lil on this one." Tina agreed. "Me too." Darla added. "But those three beasts were monsters. Quite literally." Timmy told her. "What do you think?" Alan asked. "Courtly. Sorry, baby." Brenda replied. "You girls are insane." Michael commented and Charlotte hit him. "You guys are insane for not realizing that what makes Courtly worst is that she was a human being that did all these awful things. Those monsters, as you called, were inhuman beasts." Charlette told them and the table was silent. Than Zack and Ron appeared and fell to the ground. "Zack!" Ruby exclaimed. The Wonderlandians and the Ozians ran to them and Maddie gasped as her tears watered. "Ron?" Madison asked.

Flashback!
       Kitty was looking into Ruby's room, without entering it, to keep an eye on Willow's progress. To see when she's awake. Everyone else was in the kitchen, eating. Sam walked up to her and she smiled at him. "You hungry?" Sam asked. "No, I'm fine just keeping an eye on Willow." Kitty replied. "I can keep an eye on her so you can eat." Sam suggested and Kitty shook her head. "I'm really okay, Sam. I'm not that hungry." Kitty told him and he nodded. "Has the devil awoken yet?" Sam asked and she laughed. "No, she hasn't moved at all." Kitty replied. "Is she dead?" Sam asked. "I can't say I'd complain." Kitty replied. "Do you miss Wonderland?" Sam asked. "Always. I'm a Wonderland girl at heart. It's where my mom is, my best friends, whom are like my family, and no one looks at me funny when I act like my normal, crazy, Wonderland self." Kitty replied. "You don't care what anyone thinks, Kitty." Sam told her. "True, but it doesn't mean I like it.... That's why while in Ever After High, I only hung out with my Wonderland friends. They're the only ones that ever understood me. Plus, they're like family." Kitty told him. "What about us?" Sam asked and Kitty grinned. "You're definitely better than everyone in Ever After." Kitty replied. "I'll take that as a compliment." Sam told her. "You should." Kitty agreed. They both smiled at one another.
      Emerald stood on the porch, leaning against the railing. Her emerald green eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Zack walked outside and looked at her. He couldn't help but to smile. "Hey." Zack greeted. Emerald turned around and smiled at him. "Hi." Emerald greeted. "You okay?" Zack asked. She took a minute to answer. "I don't know anymore, Zack. I feel.... Everything's a mess. It's all a mess and I'm a mess...." Emerald replied in tears. Zack tried stepping closer to her, but she held her hands out. "Em." Zack commented and she shook her head. "I have to be strong. I am the Future Queen." Emerald told him. "You still get to break sometimes. That's what friends are for, to pick you up when you fall down." Zack told her. "I don't think I can be picked up at this point." Emerald told him. "Then we'll lie down with you." Zack told her. Zack carefully walked closer to her and gave her a hug. They pulled apart and Zack wiped away her tears. She smiled at him as they gazed into each other's eyes. He leaned in and kissed her.