I Own Nothing

set before tin man

Ambrose was alone. Although he loved his job he was lonely. As a child he had never been alone, he grew up in an orphanage, although children could sometimes be so cruel, they had been his family and in a way he loved them. There had been over 100 children growing up with him, even as a child he loved to invent. He had invented things for the dorms to try and make life easier.

Life at the orphanage wasn't easy, the building was in disrepair and falling apart as well as being overcrowded. In his dorm , there was 4 bunk beds and a double bed and there at least 25 boys in there. There was a hole in the roof in his dorm, usually one of the boys would have to stay up and comfort any children who might have nightmares, some of the kids had seen their parents murdered. But not Ambrose, he had been abandoned when he was only small and can't remember his family. Most nights Ambrose along with some of the other boys slept on the floor under a rather thin blanket almost directly under the hole in the roof, even in the snow.

Then he got a scholarship for the best school in all of OZ, Shiz. He learned all manner of things the only thing he struggled with was magic, but that didn't seem important when he had science. He was encouraged in inventing and really loved to read.

That was where he met Arcadia, Cada for short, she was a genius, she seemed to be only person on his level and the only one who would ever make him change his mind. Where he was quiet and gentle, she could be loud and stand up for herself and her friends and would always fight for what she believed to be right. Also magic seemed to be one of her strong points and she pretty much dragged him through, she was always willing to help.

She was beautiful, not to most, and not in the traditional sense. She wasn't tall and she wasn't what most called pretty. In fact, she was a little scrawny and her hair was always coming out and always looked a mess , her glasses were huge and covered a lot of her face, but they just seemed to suit her.

She had deep rich brown hair that wasn't straight, wasn't curly and wasn't even wavy just a mess, she had deep blue eyes and if you looked into them you could get lost, she was rather short and really pale, but then again so was Ambrose. Her cheeks always had a rosy tint without the need for makeup, the beauty that most missed smote him to the heart.

She helped out at the library, she loved books. That was the main reason Ambrose ever went to read, he wasn't a big fan of reading for fun before her. But she would talk with such passion about the books that he just had to know what she was talking about, only once did he dare say she was wrong and that was something he would never do again, that's a mistake you only make once. She always helped with his inventions, she had quite a bit of muscle behind her, every time Ambrose saw her she had a spanner and her cap on as well oil stains and rips down her dress.

Ambrose was never good at speaking to her especially about emotions and he often lost the ability to talk when around her. This led to the nickname Glitch, as he would always glitch when around her. They were best friends, and that was all that mattered.

Then he left school and got a job at the castle, where he worked his way up to become the Queens royal adviser, which is where he was now. The family was out down at the lake and he had decided not to join them , he wanted some time to think. But now, he wished he had gone, although he didn't like to intrude upon the family. But when he was by himself he would remember and that was never good, then he would try and invent something for one of the princesses, but then he would ask for help only to realize that she wasn't there anymore. Then he would remember and the world would become a bit colder, a bit darker and Ambrose would curl up and think and sometimes when the weight was too much he would cry.

Ambrose was strapped to a table. His Queen had lost, this was it this was the end.

His life flashed before his eyes..

the orphanage

the children

the day he got his scholarship

the day he started school

the day he met her

the first time his first machine worked

her holding his hand

her smile

her hugs

when he made her laugh when she was crying

the last time he saw her

the day he got his job at the castle

the first time he met the whole family

the day his Queen gave up

This was it. It all ends today.

He doesn't know anything except to run.

That's how he happens upon this small town, it all looks so nice and friendly. Oh, how he was wrong...

"Oi, you, get outta 'ere, we don't want your sort here, Convict" They practically chased him out of the village, which is why he was sitting at the trunk of the tree staring at the village.

Was he a convict? He didn't know? Had he done something bad? Was he evil? He didn't think so, but then he wouldn't know he only had half his brain. He didn't even know his own name, he remembers someone called him Glitch, so thats what he calls himself when people ask, not that many do anyway.

He was tired, he wanted to sleep. However he dared not, some bad people opened his zipper once and filled his head with rubbish while saying nasty things. He curled up with his legs under him and his chin resting on his knees.

It was raining and he didn't want to get any wetter as it was cold. He was lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the person behind him. She tapped him on the shoulder and gave him quite the shock he jumped up so quickly that he didn't notice the branch and hit his head.

"Oh, sweet Oz, are you alright?" She asked worriedly and hurried.

"Ow, huh, oh yeah I'm fine'' he complained rubbing his head.

"Oh, don't move, your zipper is caught" She was helping get the zipped unattached from some twigs, "There you go" She smiled, her smile was beautiful and Glitch suddenly felt better about what happened today. She also seemed familiar.

"Thank you, this is going to sound a bit random , but have we met?"

"Oh, don't you remember, Oh sorry, of course you wouldn't, well I'm sure I'd remember meeting you, well except for yesterday, but that doesn't really count as you asked me that yesterday"

"Yesterday?"

"Huh, oh yes, I gave you a basket of food"

"Well, thank y-y-y-y-you, thank you, thank you thank.."

"It's really alright, you needed it more than me, come here your getting wet" She pulled him towards her and the shelter of the tree.

"Thank you"

"It's fine, come on"

"Come on?" He questioned.

"You don't intend to stay out here and catch your death of cold do you?"

"I guess not"

"Then come on" She held out her hand and he hesitated "I'm taking you to my house, where you can sit by the fire and warm and dry out"

"But what about the village?" He was scared that he would be sent away after the first bit of kindness he could remember.

"I don't actually live in the village, I live right over there at the top of that hill, through the woods" He didn't say anything just nodded and they headed towards the hill.

When he saw the house he couldn't help but smile, it wasn't big, it was painted white with a thatch roof, and there was a lovely little garden filled with flowers. He felt a pull and realized he had stopped walking.

She pulled him towards the house, and opened the door, the lack of locks worried him, he had met some rather violent people and didn't want to imagine what they would do to someone like this amazing woman.

"Don't look so worried, I'm not going to hurt you"

"I'm not scared, I'm just worried for you"

"For me?" she looked at the locks and then at Glitch and it's almost like she could read his mind "Oh, don't worry, it's locked using magic, only people I want can enter, it's really quite safe"

The inside of the cottage was much like the outside, there was a vase of flowers on the table, there were 2 slightly worn armchairs, a pile of blankets folded, but there was a fire roaring, basically the house was small but cosy and lived in, comforting.

She took his jacket and hung it up near the fire to dry and practically pushed him into one of the chairs, which was in front of the fire and covered him in a blanket. She turned and left and went into the kitchen, and shouted "Make yourself at home"

He took off his shoes and put them by the fire to dry out and pulled his feet under him, and curled up under the blanket, feeling better than he could ever remember.

She came back a few minutes later with a bowl of soup and big chunk of bread. "Here you are"

As he ate the food, which was lovely and warming. He could remember the taste, "Have I had this before?" He didn't realize he had spoken out loud.

"Yes, I have brought you some every day"

"Every day? You said we only met yesterday"

"I... well, um well you see..."

"I remember, you brought me food everyday for months"

"Yes"

"Why did you say yesterday"

"Well, I didn't want to upset you "

"Upset me?"

"Yes, if you don't remember something then you take it out on yourself, but really it's not your fault at all"

"Oh, thank you"

She sat on the other chair and took, his coat and started to sew it back together.

"Do you want some more ?" She offered.

"No, thank you ..." He realized he didn't know her name.

"Oh, just call me Cada"

"Thanks Cada, you've probably told me hundreds of times" She could see him change from happy to self loathing.

"It's alright Glitch, we've both got a bad memory, anyway that's only the second time I've told you, the first time seems so long ago now..."

"Well at least you remember my name"

As he looked into her eyes he was flooded with memories and emotions. It flashed before his eyes, inventions, machines, running, reading, arguing, playing , being young.

It was all too much it made his head hurt.

He shook himself out of it.

"Well, it's getting late and you look like you could do with some rest" she smiled warmly once she had fixed his coat. .She held out her hand, and led him upstairs, and opened a door to a bedroom. It was small, with a decent size bed and had lots of fluffy pillows and lovely hand embroidered comforter

The other do opened, that room was slightly bigger and a blue theme, there were flowers in a vase by the window, a dresses and a window seat perfect for reading. . " Which room do you want, it's your choice". She asked from behind him and pulled him out of his thoughts.

"My choice? What about you?"

"Oh, I normally fall asleep in one of the armchairs"

"That's not good for your muscles or posture"

"Wha-Sorry?"

"Is it alright if I have this room" he asked pointing at the blue room.

"Of course it is" She smiled kissed his cheek and said "Goodnight Glitch"

He smiled and headed towards the bed and it was indeed comfortable, no sooner had his head hit the pillow he was asleep.

Arcadia smiled from the door way, she still loved him like this, just as much as ever, maybe even more so, because he was so innocent and needed to be looked after. He needed somebody to look after him and love him, and she needed somebody to care for and love.

She went over to him and kissed his forehead, and whispered "Goodnight Ambrose, but just so you know you'll always be Glitch to me and if you could remember you'd realize how important this place was to us".

She then went to bed.

The next morning Glitch woke up when the sun was coming up and for a moment panicked as he didn't know where he was, but then it all came back to him. He headed downstairs and saw Cada cooking in the kitchen.

"Morning, did you sleep well?" She asked Glitch had to wonder, did she ever not smile.

"Yes, best sleep I can remember"

"Well, that's good, I made you pancakes, they used to be your favorite"

"Huh, used to be ?"

"Yes, well I will be back in a moment" She left Glitch to eat in peace, she came down stairs about 10 minutes later, in a grey dress, her hair was loose flowing wildly around her head. "Fancy helping me with the animals?"

"Animals?"

"Yeah, I got some chickens, so I got to go and get the eggs, I've got to milk the cow and then find the old dog"

"Sounds like fun" He offered her his arm but she led to way, as she reached the door, she turned around and waved her hand and the dishes started to clean themselves.

"So all you have to do is reach in and grab the eggs, the hens won't hurt you, look, I'll show you"

She practically climbed into the hen house and started to put the eggs into the basket, so Glitch went round the other side and did the same. They both reached for the basket, their hands touched and there was a glow coming from Cada's hand and Glitch started to see more memories. They both laughed nervously and then Cada picked up the basket and the pair got out of the hen house.

"One job down" Cada laughed.

She then taught him how to milk a cow, then they found the old dog hiding behind the small shed.

They headed back in and that's when Glitch first noticed the cat that was curled up in front of the fire.

"Thats Wolfie"

"Why would you name a cat Wolfie that makes no sense at all" Cada smiled she remembered having the same conversation with Ambrose.

"You'll see" Was all she said as she walked away into the kitchen.

Glitch went to stroke the cat and then the cat turned and barked at him. It could him by surprise and caused him to fall over.

"Cats aren't suppose to bark are they?"

"Most don't, I don't know why Wolfie does, he just always has, anyway time for dinner"

That night Glitch was having a nightmare about having his brain removed only to wake up and realize to his horror, it was actually a memory. He realized that staying here would only be dangerous to Cada and he couldn't risk her. He walked across the hall and looked down at her sleeping form and kissed her forehead and whispered "Goodbye Cada, love you"

When she woke up he was gone and she couldn't find him anywhere. She was half way through the woods, when she just broke down into tears, screaming for Glitch but he never came.

xx. Tin Man happens here, you know that story and I couldn't ever write that on my Laptop, so watch it or something and come back. xx

Arcadia was sitting at home by herself, everyone else was celebrating the return of Queen Lavender Eyes, but this just made Arcadia even sadder, Ambrose used to be her most loyal man and with her til the end. She had always wished it could be her he was that loyal to.

It was a knock at the door that brought her back to her senses, she wiped the tears, she hadn't realized had slipped out of her eyes.

When she opened the door, she saw Glitch standing there, with a man in a hat, a girl with long dark hair and a Viewer.

"Hello," Was all I managed to say, it was obvious from just my voice that I had been crying., I stepped aside and allowed them to enter.

"Are you alright,Cada" Glitch asked me, he was always concerned with my health and well being.

"Fine thank you" I said to Glitch,"make yourselves at home" I said to everyone else.

I headed to the kitchen and put some water to boil to make some tea.

I could hear them in the other room, "Well what are we doing here?"

"I don't know, Glitch wanted to come, he said it was important"

Glitch came into the kitchen, "Are you sure your alright?"

"Never better" I put on the best cheery voice I could.

I went to turn around but he was right behind her and there noses almost touched.

"I know when you lie you know" I got lost in those eyes. "There's something I always wanted to do"

"Whats that'', damn why does my voice have to sound to breathy.

"This " and then he leaned down and his lips touched my lips. It was like fireworks and a fire. It was like my life was in black and white and finally I can now see color. It was like I was now complete.

Everyone walked in it seemed when they heard the kettle whistle and it kept whistling. They all looked around awkwardly, the woman moved the kettle.

"Do you want to know the best thing about all this was?" He asked indicating to his head.

"What?"

"I got to fall in love with you all over again." He smiled and leaned in for another kiss.

I hope you like please rate and review, but I just wanted to check, I was thinking about writing a series of one shots, about their time a college, before Tin man when they live together and a few set after the story, so please let me know what you think. xx