Title: 5 Easy Steps to Becoming Queen of the OZ
Character/Pairings : DG/Cain, pretty much the cast of Tinman plus some characters of my own.
Rating: M to be safe.
Warning/Spoilers: All three parts of Tinman.
Summary: DG has two months to become Queen of the OZ with a little help from her friends.
Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing.
This is my first Tinman fanfic so be gentle! Comments appreciated. I don't have a beta but I'll try to keep it readable. Thought I'd try a first person present tense fic from DG's POV. Enjoy!
I saved the whole freakin' OZ and now it is time for my happily ever after right? Well so far it's not working out that way. I thought things would just return to normal when the witch was destroyed but boy was I wrong. After our family reunion it was back to business. Most of the longcoats at the tower threw down their weapons when they realized the witch had been defeated. Most of them were good people who had to align themselves with the witch in order to survive. The OZ was a big place and word needed to be spread that the witch was gone and the royal family was united once again. The royal family issue is the reason I am sitting outside Finaqua on my own swinging by the lake. Well I'm never really on my own. My guards are never far behind. Right now one of them is leaning against a tree trying to give me some privacy to sulk. Thinking of the guard makes me even more morose because it makes me think of my tin man. Cain left a few weeks after our last stand at the tower. He needed time with Jeb so they could get to know each other again and Jeb had people in the resistance all over the OZ to contact and give the all clear. It's been 18 days since Cain left and I miss him more everyday. Raw left to find his people and Glitch, now Ambrose with his brain back, isn't the same person. He is still my friend but he is back in queen's advisor mode and barely has time to talk to me. My parents are basking in the love that they still feel for each other and Az is locked in her room most of the time. She is having a hard time dealing with all of the things the witch did while in her body. Although I miss Cain the big reason I am out here sulking is because my parents had an announcement to make this morning. Since my mother no longer has her powers she feels she can no longer rule the OZ as Queen. Az is not an option since the people would never be able to accept her as Queen after everything the witch did in her body. So at breakfast this morning my mother explained that I was expected to take the throne. I almost fainted on the spot!
"I'm just a girl from Kansas, I can't be Queen!!"I said.
"DG, you were born here in the OZ and you are a Princess." my mother explained.
"I know that I never felt like I belonged on the Other Side and the OZ is my true home but I'm not ready to be a Queen!"
After a heated discussion of rules and expectations I fled to my swing here by the lake. I really need to talk to someone about this but the one man I can trust to be honest and helpful is off God knows where. I've thought of Cain everyday since he left. I miss his hugs the most. For a man made of tin with no heart he sure is a touchy-feely kind of guy. Actually he is only that way with me. I noticed it a few days after the eclipse. He would walk me to my door at night with his hand on my back. When I got up from a chair he would hold my hand to help. Then one day he came to see me while I was drawing out on my balcony. He had his hat in his hands and looked nervous.
"What's up Cain?"
"I have to go DG."
"What! What do you mean go? Go where?"
"Not forever kid. I'm going with Jeb to find what's left of the resistance. And it'll give us some time to get to know each other as father and son again."
The look on his face had my eyes tearing. He was actually apologetic for having to leave me and spend time with his son. I couldn't make him feel guilty for that.
"That's great Cain. You guys should spend some time together. But I want you to give me your word that you'll come back."
"Of course DG, I'll come back."
"Well okay then..."
We hugged as was our usual parting but this time was different. It was like neither one of us was ready to let go. We parted slowly and on impulse I kissed his cheek. Cain's face got red all the way to the tips of his ears.
"You be careful tinman."
" I will be DG."
I've thought of that innocent kiss since Cain left. It wasn't so innocent. I care about Cain more than I realized. And now when I need him the most he isn't...
"Hey there Princess."
"Cain!!"
I throw myself into his arms and he catches me like we've greeted each other this way a thousand times before.
"I missed you Cain!" He spins me around a few times before letting my feet hit the ground.
"I missed you too kid."
I don't want to let go of him but I do, slowly. We walk to the steps of the gazebo and sit down our legs touching.
"Where have you been Cain? Was it dangerous? Are you okay? Is Jeb okay?" I begin firing questions at him, talking so fast that I don't think he understands half of what I am saying.
"Whoa there Princess, I'm fine and so is Jeb. We parted ways at a friends home that shielded resistance fighters from Long Coats. Their daughter seems to have taken a shine to him." He says the last part with a wistful look on his face.
"Well I'm happy for him then, he deserves some happiness after all that has happened to him." I am looking down at my feet which are encased in fancy blue slippers that match my fancy blue dress that I hate wearing. I used to wear a skirt when I worked in the diner back in Kansas but that was nothing compared to the contraptions my mother insists are fit for a Princess. Cain, seeing my sadness asks, "Why the sad face Princess? Aren't you glad to see me?"
"Of course Cain. It's just that you won't be calling me Princess for much longer."
"What do you mean?" Cain asks looking confused.
"My mother told me at breakfast today that she is stepping down in two months and I am expected to take the throne."
"Wow, that's..." Cain seems speechless.
"A huge responsibility, a shock, a mistake... yeah all of those things. I can't be Queen Cain! I barely know anything about the OZ and I'm expected to learn everything I need to know in two months? I couldn't even memorize the periodic table in 9th grade science! How am I supposed to run the OZ!?" "Calm down DG" Cain soothed "You'll be fine, you're a smart kid and you'll have help. Your parents, Glitch, Raw and me, we'll all help you get ready to be Queen."
It occurs to me that Cain is being entirely too calm and reasonable about this which leads me to believe that he knew what my mother had decided before I did.
"Did you know about this? How could you have known? My mother only told me this morning?"
"Uh, DG. Your mother told me before I left because she wanted to ask me something." Cain was looking nervous about whatever he was about to tell me.
"She asked me what I thought about you being Queen after she stepped down and I said I thought it was a good idea and that you would be great at it."
"What did you say that for!?" I yell at him. "Did it occur to anyone to ask me about what I think? Well I'll tell you what I think! I am not ready to be a Queen. It's too much too fast, I just found out that I am a Princess from another place, my sister was evil and the parents that raised me are robots! Don't you think that is enough to put a girl through without telling me I have to become a Queen!?" I get up from the steps and start pacing in front of Cain who looks at me like I have lost it. And maybe I have.
"And you," I say stopping in front of Cain and pointing my finger in his face. "Why didn't you tell me what my mother was planning? And why would you tell her it was a great idea. It is the worst idea in the history of bad ideas!"
"Calm down DG, it's going to be okay."
"How do you know Cain? Are you psychic? How can you know that I won't screw up and start a new war within the first week?"
"Because you're smart and you're brave and you're loyal." Cain stands up and grabs my arms to keep me from continuing my agitated pacing. He looks me in the eyes, his face very close to mine and says "I know you'll be great DG. Because you are the same girl that ran at a posse of Long Coats to defend me and my family with just a stick. You are the girl that jumped off a cliff. You are the girl that saved the whole OZ. And you are going to be the best Queen we have ever had."
"But what if I mess up?"
"Of course you'll make mistakes, you're not perfect, no one is. But you'll have your friends to help you."
"Including you?" I ask hopefully.
"Definitely me." He says with a smirk. "The Queen also asked me to be head of the Royal guard. That's why I went to be with my son since I won't be able to spend a lot of time with him. I'll be spending most of my time with you... I mean guarding you... and your family." He stumbles over his word and turns red.
"Well I guess it won't be so bad. As long as you'll be here with me...uh watching me and stuff." Now who was stumbling over words. We are still practically nose to nose and it seems the most natural thing in the world to tilt my head to the side and press my lips against his. His arms tighten on mine for a second and then soften. The kiss is light but effects me more than any kiss ever has. I feel lighter than air and all my problems and fears just drift away. I hear a loud bang from somewhere behind me and feel something hit my shoulder. Cain pulls away from me with a jolt and his face is white with shock. I look down at his shirt and there is red splattered on the front.
"You've got red on you." I say and feel like I am falling. Cain catches me and holds me in his arms on the ground sheltering most of my body. I can hear him yelling. "Guards! The Princess has been shot! Get a healer now! Guards!" Then everything is black.
Author Note: I love a good cliffhanger! Don't worry, this story won't be all doom and gloom. It will get lighter in future chapters. A cookie for anyone who notices the Shaun of the Dead reference!