Elphaba peered around the stone wall, at the edge of the village that they had discovered since leaving Oz. From what she could see, no-one appear to be outside. Since dusk was approaching, she suspected that all had retired for the night. The one thing she knew for sure: this was an Animal village. She remember from her not-so-former former life as the Wicked Witch of the West, that she'd steered Gale Force away on her broom, when she had spotted a family of Leopards playing outside, carefree; not knowing how close their deaths could have been. She had always wondered what had become of this little village, just over the border of Oz. The Gale Force never understood their boundaries of the fact that they were the Wizard's guards, the Wizard who only ruled Oz, not Ix. The Gale Force only ever had one, no, two things on their minds: Kill the Wicked Witch of the West, and to eliminate the Animals. She would just have to take this risk that the Gale Force wouldn't come back here. She couldn't go much longer, not without food or water, and even though walking and eating/drinking didn't affect Fiyero, she could tell that it was upsetting him knowing that she would need them soon. After everything they had already been through, they didn't want to lose each other again.

Elphaba reached a hand behind her, until she felt Fiyero slip his burlap hand into hers, and she grasped it. She began to walk, pulling Fiyero along with her.

Fiyero felt a bit unsettled, "Fae, how do you know this village is safe?"

She glanced back, offering a soft small smile, "It's safe, Yero. During my days on the run, I drove the Gale Force away from here, keeping a family of Leopards safe. It's an Animal village. Whether it's still inhabited or abandoned, this will be somewhere to stay. Either long term or short term."

She kept walking into the village, until she froze as a door opened to her right. She watched as a small Owl came outside into the snow, shaking it off his wings, before he froze looking at her. They kept eyes locked onto each other before the small Owl ran back inside, and Elphaba could hear his cry to his family, "Its Lady Witch! Momma, she's really here!"

It was only a split second before a larger Owl, obviously the young ones mother, came outside, and her beak dropped, "It is you."

The mother leaned down, and whispered something to the young Owl, and he took off hopping down the path in the village, going to the other houses.

Before Elphaba knew it, Animals of all species were gathering in the square of the village, all looking to her; talking to each other and Elphaba could hear many whispers of 'Lady Witch' throughout the conversation between the Animals.

The Owl smiled to her, "What brings you here to this village?"

Elphaba gave her a short, condensed version of she's wanted in Oz as a fugitive for helping the Animals and because of the Wizard, and that it wasn't safe for her and Fiyero to stay there.

The Owl shook her head, "My, my. What a horrible thing for you to have to go through. After all, you were just trying to do good-"

Elphaba gave a sad smile, remembering that's what she used to say at Shiz about what she wanted to do to make her difference in the world, in Oz.

The Owl swooped her wing out, scanning the village," You are welcome to stay here. We do have a few empty cottages down towards the woods at the end of the village. They are a bit of a fixer-upper, but that just means you can personalize them to how you'd like your home. Czao, owns a paints and arts store," an older looking Capuchin Monkey bowed his head, "Marza, owns the local market for those who aren't that lucky with their own crops or for those who'd like to trade their extras for others' crops," a Lioness bowed her head as well, and then the Owl introduced herself, "I'm Kiada, my husband and I own the local bookstore. And I'm sure you'll meet the rest of the locals and what their jobs are here within our own place we call home."

Fiyero laughed behind Elphaba, already loving Kiada and how welcoming she made them feel, "You'll see Elphaba a lot then. She's a huge bookworm."

Kiada smiled to Elphaba, who had never felt so shy before, "It's not a bad thing." She murmured quietly, with an embarrassed smile, dancing on her lips. The Animals all chuckled at Elphaba's response.

Kiada continued, "Although my little tyke, Oval, called you Lady Witch, I assume from your companion, that your name is Miss Elphaba?"

Elphaba nodded, "Yes. Though I haven't heard of Lady Witch in a long time."

Marza, the Lioness, spoke next, "You are known throughout every land as Lady Witch to Animals, those you have helped and to those that you have helped a loved one of. You are the reason we are still here, alive with our mates and our children. We owe you everything, you have helped us so much."

All the Animals nodded their heads in agreement.

It was then that Oval, pushed away from beside his mother, and went over to Elphaba, who bent down to the little Owl's height, who looked to Fiyero, "Is he your mate?"

All the Animals chuckled at the little guy, knowing that the humans didn't call their special someone a 'mate', but Elphaba played along and smiled, "I guess so. He's my special someone. I couldn't live without him."

He looked to her in awe, "Like Momma and Father!"

He turned around to his mother, "Momma, he's her special someone!"

His mother smiled, using her wing to pull him back to her, "I know, little tyke."

Elphaba smiled as the other Animals began coming over to her to introduce themselves, their mates and the few children who were still up at the time of evening.

She couldn't believe how accepted she felt here. No one was staring, no one was pointing. Everyone was accepting here.

For the second time in her life, she left like she was home.

The first time was when she gave Fiyero her heart. Where ever they were, she was at home when she was with him.

.

.

Elphaba smiled as she breathed in the spring air, as she pulled back their curtains to their window, waving to Czao as he walked by their cottage.

She felt something touch her side, and then arms looped around her. She leaned back into them. Then hands linked with hands. She could stand here all day feeling the skin on skin touch.

There were days that she still couldn't believe that she'd been able to reverse the spell two months ago. They'd only been in the Animal village they called home, for almost 4 months. While settling in, there wasn't much to do, which left Elphaba time to think about how to change Fiyero back. To the human form that she knew he longed for.

The whole village was shocked on the day that Fiyero walked around to Kiada and Adize's book shop, and tried not to laugh at the surprised looks on their faces before explaining what Elphaba had done the previous night.

Next to Elphaba and Fiyero themselves, Oval was the next happiest in the village, because now Fiyero could teach him how to hunt mice in the forest, no matter how many times Fiyero told the tyke that he didn't know how well he'd do as he had never hunted mice before. But the next day, Fiyero promised him that he'd take him out to attempt to hunt. Oval was over the moon excited.

A few changes had happen in the village since they began to call it 'home'. Fiyero trying to find work to be able to support himself and Elphaba, he'd began to help Marza in the market on weekends, and helping another local, a Gorilla, began a business of their own. They'd began a workshop type place, building shelves and benches among other things for the community. Between Fiyero's love of building things since he was a child; and fixing up the cottage when arriving in Ix, and Anik's strength, they'd been in good business.

Fiyero had kept his promise taking Oval and his brother, Avro, hunting. He saw the promise the two held for becoming good hunters, and occasionally took the two out to take them off of Kiada and Adize's hands for a bit. He loved the two little Owls.

Elphaba had also taken a job up with Kiada and Adize at their book store. She was in her element there. She loved it. They were amazed at the green girl's knowledge of books, to which she blushed at when she realized how long she'd been speaking passionately about her favourites that she found at the store.

Lastly, they had become husband and wife. It was a bit of a discussion at first, but then Elphaba realized in the long run, he already had her heart, and that they were never going to leave each other. Not after everything they've been through.

Fiyero's voice brought her out of her thoughts, "Anik needs me to come in for a half day today. We have a large amount of orders of benches for the upcoming summer. Will you be okay on your own?"

His lips grazed her neck, and she knew what he was trying to do. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, which he knew she had; she always did when he asked her that, "I'll be fine, Yero. Don't be such a worrier. I have to go in and help Adize organize some of the new books for a few hours."

"Alright." He replied, and then bent down and kissed her cheek to her neck, but she pulled away so it wouldn't turn into anything more. She laughed when she felt him sigh in disappointment.

Hours passed, and Elphaba decided that when she got home that she would begin to plant some of the spring/summer bulbs she had gotten from Marza earlier in the week.

She hadn't been in the garden for long before she heard the lock on their gate to the garden, and turned smiling seeing Fiyero walking towards her. He sat himself behind her, pulling her into his lap. He knew she would be taking advantage with the beautiful, sunny days they had been having lately.

"You're home early…" she observed, her head on his shoulder towards the sunshine.

"Yes, I am. Anik told me that he could handle the last order, and his words were 'Go home, and spend some time with that wife of yours'." He chuckled.

She smiled at Anki's words, shaking her head.

She raised her head from his shoulder and tensed as she got a bit of a dizzy spell, and felt as though she may lose the lunch she had only eaten that afternoon at the book store.

Fiyero's brow furrowed when he felt her tense, "Fae, are you okay?"

She raised her hand to lay on her forehead for a moment, "I'm fine. I just felt a little dizzy, and nauseous."

He wasn't buying it, "Fae…"

She turned around to face him laying a hand on his cheek, "Fiyero, I'm fine. I probably just raised my head too quickly, and maybe I got a bit of food poisoning from dinner last night." She couldn't help but smirk slightly when he narrowed his eyes at her knowing very well that she was jabbing at his culinary skills as he cooked dinner the previous night.

She began to pull away from him when she questioned, "Or, I guess it could have also been the baby…"

She began to stand up, when she was pulled back into his lap.

"Fae…" was all he could speak before his voice broke slightly with wide eyes, "Really?"

She locked eyes with him, and saw the tears in his eyes. She smiled shyly, and nodded.

He leaned forward and pressed their lips together. It was only when they both needed air, that they broke apart. He leaned his forehead on hers, "How long?"

"Carsa estimated around 2 months and a week or two. I'm due around October 20th."

Carsa was the village's midwife, and had also worked closely with the local doctor.

"We are going to be a family, Fae." Fiyero said in awe, before pressing his lips to hers.

.

.

"Yero, can you pass me my oils, please?" Elphaba asked from the bed, as Fiyero entered their room.

Fiyero nodded, "Which one?"

"Lavender, please."

He grabbed the small violet shade bottle, before making his way to the bed.

She held her hand out for the bottle, but he just ignored her hand, before sitting sideways beside her. He lifted her shirt just exposing her stomach before he put a small amount of oil into his hands, warming it up, and then gently began massaging the stretched skin. He smiled when a moan escape her lips. His smile widened when he felt the movement underneath his hand. He gently poked back, and felt the movement again.

Elphaba chuckled, "You know, when it pokes back, it has to also poke me…"

He could tell she wasn't mad though. She was too busy enjoy the feeling of the oil rehydrating the stretched skin of her now 7-month baby bump, though she was sure she couldn't call it a 'bump' anymore.

She knew one thing that was for sure was it was extra hot to be pregnant in the summer heat, especially the heat of August in Ix.

"We should do more things just the two of us, before the baby arrives in two months." Fiyero thought aloud.

"Like what?" Elphaba asked.

"I don't know. Things." He replied.

She rolled her eyes, at the fact that that still didn't elaborate on what he meant.

He continued to rub, until the oil finally had been dried up. He lifted her shirt back down, before giving it a caress, and getting out of bed to put away the lavender oil.

But, instead of getting back into bed, he came over to her side of the bed, and gently pulled her to her feet.

"Yero…" she weakly protested, until she was in his arms.

"I was thinking things like this. I like these little moments." He said, elaborating on the comment before, and began swaying back and forth with her. He began humming a tune, one that Elphaba had remembered hearing one of the rare few times that he'd been able to drag her to the Ozdust without a book.

Elphaba relaxed, swaying with him, her head on his shoulder and his arms wrapped securely around her. She could have stayed in that moment with him forever.

Fiyero's chest vibrated with a chuckle, "The baby isn't even here yet, and is already getting in between our plans." He joked about her bump that was gently against his stomach.

Elphaba just laughed, and melted in him more.

.

.

The leaves falling off the trees outside rustled against the window, as Elphaba and Fiyero laid in bed.

"Anything else you need?" Carsa asked, at the doorway.

Elphaba and Fiyero both shook their heads.

Carsa smiled at the couple, "Okay, then. I'll come by tomorrow. If you need anything you know where I am."

"Thank you, Carsa." Fiyero told her, sincerely, "For everything you've done."

"You're very welcome. I'll show myself out. Congratulations." Carsa said again, before slipping out.

Fiyero smiled at the picture in front of him. Elphaba was gently cradling their newborn son in her arms. He could already tell that he was going to have his sandy brown hair, and a complexion similar to Nessarose's.

Elphaba was just mesmerized by her son that laid in her arms. She could tell even just hours after his birth that he was going to be all Fiyero in his looks.

"He looks like you." She pointed out, as Fiyero wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah, but I think he's going to have some of your personality traits. Look how observant he is. He's taking in everything around him already." Fiyero chuckled at the newborn.

Elphaba smiled, when she noticed what Fiyero was talking about. He was awake now, staring up at them, but he must have focused on something for too long because his little, baby blue eyes were beginning to go cross-eyed, before blinking and going back to normal. He gurgled, and then closed his eyes to go to sleep, knowing he was safe in his mother's arms.

"What should we name him?" Elphaba asked, tracing his features with her finger, smiling softly.

"I don't know. Did you have any names in mind?" Fiyero asked, gently rubbing Elphaba's back in a soothing motion, to relax her.

"I did find a name that I kept going back to when Kiada lent me the baby name book a few months ago." She mused.

Fiyero smiled at how content she was, "What was it?"

"Xylo." She whispered.

"I love it…" he trailed off a bit before asking, "Hey Fae?"

She made a noise that he took as one that she had heard him, "For his middle name, do you mind if we give him my father's name?"

She turned, gently giving him a kiss, "Not at all, Yero. I think he'd be honored if he knew."

Fiyero nodded, "He is, was a great father, and a great King."

Elphaba looked down at their son, "Xylo Magnus Tiggular."

Fiyero reached toward Xylo, and chuckled when even in sleep, the newborn grasped Fiyero's finger when he was rubbing his finger over Xylo's tiny hand.

"He's going to have a lot of visitors tomorrow." Elphaba chuckled, thinking of all the Animals who would without a doubt, be coming over tomorrow to see the baby and give their congratulations to Fiyero and Elphaba. She could only smile as she pictured Kiada's reaction upon hearing that Elphaba had the baby.

"I hope you're ready for this crazy family, Xylo." Elphaba smiled.