Title: The Way of the World

Summery: At the end of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, gets home, with the shoes. And at the end of Wicked (musical version) Fiyero and Elphaba escape to Earth. What happens when the two are reunited?

Chapter 1 ~ Dorothy

I've been home for a year now, and still no one believes me. And my memories are fading. All I really remember are my friends, and the enemy I had destroyed. I don't have any friends, because everyone thinks I'm crazy. I still have Toto, though, and he helps me through life. My one witness to my adventures in Oz.

Summer is ending, and I start school next week. I heard that we got a new teacher, someone called Mrs. Trig. I hope she's nice, like Glinda was.

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, I tend to compare everyone I know now to my friends back in Oz. I wish I could get back.

I still have the shoes, but I can't get them to work. I've tried everything to get back, but I can't. I almost considered putting on the shoes and standing in front of a tornado, but I decided that that would be going to far.

"Dorothy! Time for supper!" Auntie Em called up. I dropped the book I was reading, fixed my hair, and ran down the stairs to the dining room. Dinner smelled delicious. I breathed in all the different aromas: baked potatoes, corn, green beans, bread fresh from the oven.

"Smells great, Auntie Em," I said, "but what's the occasion?"

She gave me her most innocent look. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. "Auntie Em, you only cook this much food during holidays or when we have-"

Knock, knock, knock.

"- guests"

Auntie Em fixed me with her most serious look.

"Now, don't get mad, but I invited the new teacher, Mrs. Trig, to dinner. She just moved into Ms. Gulch's old house, and I thought I should give her and her husband a proper welcome."

"I'm not mad, Aunt Em. I just wish you'd told me. I don't look at all decent. Let me go change, I'll be down in a few." And I flew back up the stairs before she could protest.

I opened my closet, took out my blue and white checked dress, the one I wore in Oz, and changed into that. I also did my hair the way I'd had it then. Then I pulled the Ruby Slippers from under my bed and put them on. This ought to dazzle them, I thought to myself.

I headed back down stairs, only to stop at the top when I heard a voice talking from below. A voice I thought that I'd never hear again.

The voice of my dear, dear Ozian friend, the Scarecrow.