It took a long time to adjust. A very, very, dreadfully long time. The hardest part was coming up with backgrounds for themselves. Surely no one would believe them if they told them they had come from a whole other world. In this world, they were just simple people from Canada.

People in this world were just as wary of Elphaba as the people of Oz had been. Fiyero, on the other hand, was so completely infatuated with this whole new world. His favorite part was the hockey- whatever that was- that played on the television- whatever THAT was- nearly 24/7. When the couple got to this new world, Elphaba was reluctant to admit that she was envious of her significant other who had turned back to his handsome, normal self. She, however, was stuck with the green skin she had always had. Perhaps it was because that was normal for her. Because the powers that be wanted her to be as miserable in this world as she was in the last. So be it then.

She lost her powers when she arrived here with Fiyero. For years, she tried and tried, but they never came back. It was one of the greatest losses Elphaba has ever suffered. That is... Besides losing her best friend. But Elphaba doesn't like thinking about that. That was in the past. In her old life. That life doesn't matter anymore. Live and let go, right? Right...

Elphaba works in at a veterinary office in Ontario now. She was fairly shocked to see that there were no Animals. She figured that they had just been too shy to talk to her but, like trying to find her powers again, she gave up when it proved to be pointless. Even with the lack of communication between her and the animals, she still loved working with them and helping them to get better.

A few months prior to when this story begins, a stranger dumped a young pitbull at the front door of the vet. The dog had a gash on its leg so severely infected that it needed to be amputated. Elphaba was horrified to have to perform the amputation but she knew it was what was best for the poor animal. When the man who dumped the dog at the vet never came back for it, it was put up for adoption. It was hopeless, however, no one wanted the dog with three legs. It was the day Fiyero came to bring Elphaba her lunch that she had forgotten on the kitchen counter that the dog was finally adopted. Fiyero fell in love with her instantaneously, dubbing her Bubbles.

Elphaba always knew Fiyero had a thing for lost causes. For broken things.

The Munchkin- ahem Canadian- had to admit, she loved Bubbles. The black pitbull was a perfect addition to their little family. She made their apartment feel a little more like home. No Kiamo Ko or room 22, that's for certain, but still home.

"Fae?" Fiyero muttered one morning as they laid in bed with slivers of light falling over them through the drawn blinds. They could hear Bubbles snoring on the ground beside their bed. Fiyero slid an arm around the verdant woman's bare waist and pulled her closer to him. Elphaba smirked as she felt a calloused hand dance across her stomach; the feel of her soft skin always made Fiyero feel content with everything in the world. This one or Oz.

"Yes, Yero?"

"I miss Oz." His voice rang of defeat. For the last five years, the couple somehow successfully avoided the topic of Oz.

"I know.".

"I miss our friends, Elphaba." Fiyero let out a sigh. He nuzzled his head into Elphaba's hair and took in a breath, holding back tears he had been keeping at bay for years. He knew Elphaba had been keeping them in too. She's just been better at hiding it. She's always been good at hiding her emotions.

"I know."

Fiyero just barely picked up on the quiver in the woman's voice. It was faint, but it was there. Fiyero knew that she had missed them just as much as he had.

How were they to know that they would soon be reunited with them?