Disclaimer: I own nothing of Tin Man other than my own personal copy of the series… I would own Wyatt Cain if allowed, but alas, that is not but a fantasy of mine. (looks into the distance wistfully)

As the beam of light had faded from the sky, so did the darkness that had threatened to cover the OZ forever. The witch had melted (quite ironically) and Azkadellia was once again the darling daughter of the Queen of the OZ. Everything could go back to normal and things would be beautiful and perfect again in the Outer Zone.

DG smiled and began sketching the long, slender figure of Azkadellia, swinging slowly and happily in the gazebo by the "enchanted waters" of Finaqua. The smooth, supple lines of her sister's limbs were beginning to take shape when a sound behind her made her yelp and drop the charcoal.

"Did I scare ya, kid?" Cain laughed as he stepped into the shade of gazebo.

DG was furious and desperately trying to save what little of her dignity Cain would allow, "No. I got bit by a bug…" she lied.

Cain allowed himself a victorious smirk as he sat down next to her and began to examine her drawing. "Wow. I never really realized just how well you drew."

She shrugged and picked up her charcoal where it had fallen and began again, with vengeance, to sketch her sister's beautiful form. As she drew, she shot quick, sideways glances at the ex tin man next to her. Her thoughts began to drift from her work to her friend. Slowly, she began to draw a lonely figure in the margins of her sketch pad.

"What's that?" Cain couldn't leave well enough alone could he? DG thought acidly as she flipped the page over and started again. "Why'd you start over? I wanted to see where that one was heading," he complained, silently gloating to himself that he'd successfully caused a stir in her artistic thinking.

"I was drawing something out of a dream, that's all." Man, what's wrong with me today? I'm lying up a storm and treating my best friend like shit! DG mentally cursed and slapped herself silly as she realized her mistakes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I've got a lot on my mind right now is all…" Her voice trailed off as her thoughts did indeed slip back to the tall, blonde man sitting so closely to her.

"Well you have been rather standoffish lately," Azkadellia added softly. "And rude. And hateful. And-"

"Ok Az! I get the point!" DG winced with the pain in her sister's words. She knew that she hadn't been herself recently, but she didn't realize she had made it so plain….

"Well, I've got some things I have to do up at the palace," Az said lamely, trying to escape the awkward moment she had created. She slipped gracefully from her spot on the swing and hurried across the lawn.

"Hmmmm… So now that we're alone, let's take a walk," Wyatt suggested hopefully. He wanted to get this pained expression off of the princess's face. He wanted her to smile, to laugh, and he aimed to have those things if it cost him a day's work and pay.

DG nodded and stood up and mechanically headed straight for the forest of her youth. Cain grabbed her hand and whirled her around to face him. The look of shock on her face forced him to speak.

"Look, I wanted to explore a little. Like someplace new. Where we can both make good memories and meet new bears." The last bit had the desired effect and DG laughed as the memory of the Az and herself as children facing down a hungry bear entered her mind.

"How about we don't meet any bears, but we'll say that we did. We can also say that your manly stance and my magical talents made him run away screaming for his mommy." She laughed and shook her head at the scene filled her mind and captured her imagination.

Cain smiled and offered his elbow. DG looked down at his muscular arm, deep in thought. Her forehead crinkled and her glazed over as the thought took over her being. Why can't she do this? Why can't she make herself touch him? It's innocent and harmless, isn't it? Why can't she make him smile and make him happy? What's wrong with me? Endless, painful thoughts raced through her mind as she struggled with something so simple as to grasp Wyatt's arm.