A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! This is my first Tin Man fanfic, so I'm glad you like it. I've already got a lot more chapters written, and there's a lot I would change. Just gotta get into the swing of the fandom first. I'm hoping it improves as the chapters go on. Here's chapter two!

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Chapter Two

The world's a roller coaster
And I am not strapped in.
Maybe I should hold with care,
But my hands are busy in the air saying:
"I wish you were here."

"I look ridiculous," Jeb complained from in front of the mirror. He tugged at his starched collar awkwardly, pulled at his gloves, and curled his toes in his boots. Cain allowed himself a half smile.

"You look like a soldier," he said.

"I prefer my old uniform," Jeb grumbled.

"What uniform?"

"Exactly."

Cain chuckled under his breath as he adjusted his own uniform in the mirror over Jeb's shoulder. Cain also felt uncomfortable in his uniform, but he wouldn't let his son see that. He tipped his chin up and breathed slowly in what he hoped was a regal manner, feeling stronger as he watched himself and his son become something other than what they had been.

He also noticed that Jeb had his mother's ears, but he pushed the thought away.

"Father?" Jeb turned away from the mirror to face Cain. "Why am I going to this... this ceremony?"

"Because the Queen invited you, in short." Cain had been tiptoeing around this conversation since they'd started off from Summit.

"Yes, but why did she invite me? I'm just a soldier."

"I assume it's because you're my son," Cain said gruffly, choosing now to step away and strap his saber to his belt, telling himself that it wasn't so he didn't have to look at his son.

"It just feels... like it's something different than that, is all."

Cain held back a sigh and made his face blank as he looked at his son. "It's only what you want it to be, boy," he said, hoping that was vague enough to make his son realize this was a futile conversation. Whether it worked or not, Cain would never know, because at that moment, there was a knock on the door. Cain answered.

"Her Majesty the Queen requests your audience as soon as possible," said the servant girl in a slightly flustered manner. She blushed as she looked over his shoulder at Jeb. "The, uh, the diplomats are arriving, and Her... Her Majesty wishes for you to... to help her greet them... sir."

Cain dismissed her, slightly amused. "What was that all about?" Jeb wanted to know.

With a half grin, Cain replied, "I believe she was taken aback by the handsome soldier in front of her."

"Oh, come off it," Jeb said, but he blushed as furiously as the servant girl had.

"I'll let you finish getting ready in peace," Cain laughed. "Don't be late."

Jeb rolled his eyes, and Cain, if he was being honest with himself, would have liked nothing more than to let Jeb off, to let himself off, and to skip the whole thing, but he had duties. That, and DG would kill him for making her go through this on her own.

He hadn't seen much of DG in the week since they'd been back. She'd been busy, said Azkadellia, who for some reason didn't approve of Cain seeing a lot of DG, with her preparations. He'd gotten his usual hug when he'd arrived, the usual We missed you, but then she was swept off to try on this dress or decide on these decorations. The palace was an empty place without her. He spent most of his time wandering the grounds, usually accompanied by Jeb or Glitch or both. He made sure he wasn't alone, but found himself being lonely anyway.

As he walked to the great hall where the diplomats and their families would be presented to the Queen, his footsteps echoed along the marble walls and floors. Alone.

When he passed a connected hallway, Princess Azkadellia turned into the corridor almost directly beside him. She drew herself up and nodded her head cordially. "Captain Cain," she said. She was capable of being perfectly civil to him, but it was always strained. There were times when Cain saw in her the woman who had kidnapped DG, who had stolen Glitch's brain, who had ordered his wife killed. It was hard to trust a face that had done so much, even when he knew the person hadn't.

"Princess," he said, with a half bow. "On my way to the hall."

"I see." She tightened her lips awkwardly. "Perhaps we should... accompany each other then."

"Perhaps." They walked side by side in silence, which annoyed Cain for some reason. It was bad enough she didn't like him, but to not even bother talking... She was nothing like DG. "Seen much of your sister lately?"

"She's been busy, I've told you." So, he wasn't the only one who was annoyed. Well, too bad, Princess. He stopped in front of her and turned to face her.

"Not that busy," Cain said. "The DG I know always makes time for her friends. Why've you been keeping me away from her?"

"I'll not be spoken to that way!"

"You'll be spoken to any damn way I choose to speak to you, kid. Right now, you're not a princess, you're just DG's sister, and I want answers."

"I know what you and my mother are planning, Captain, with your son and DG, and I don't like it," Azkadellia snapped. "I don't know why I don't like it, but I don't like it."

Cain breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn't crazy. "Good. I'm not the only one."

The princess eyed him skeptically, and he continued, "I don't like it either, girlie."

"You don't?"

"Not a lick," Cain admitted with a grim smile. "But who knows? They might end up wanting just that. And if they want it..."

"She won't," Azkadellia said stubbornly. "She can't want that." Cain raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed almost pathetically – any resemblance to the Witch was gone with that. "I just got my sister back, Captain. I don't want her taken away again when I don't even... know her yet."

Cain thought of Jeb, married and gone, and then thought of DG the same way, and stopped breathing from the unnaturalness of it all. They were, both of them, supposed to be with him. "Trust me, Princess. I know."

"What can we do?"

"Nothing, really," Cain admitted, though he didn't like it. "Just... let it happen the way it happens."

"That doesn't sound like the way DG describes you," Azkadellia said, flustered. "She said you were a take-charge kind of guy."

Cain looked the princess up and down. How much had DG told her about him? How much did DG even know about him? Maybe he wasn't the take-charge kind of guy DG thought he was. How was he supposed to take charge when he didn't have any idea what to do?

"I'm not any kind of guy, Princess," he said, and began walking again, not bothering to look back and see if she followed him.

In the great hall there were already diplomats being announced. Cain slipped in silently, but the Queen's watchful eyes caught sight of him from her throne. She smiled at him, and King Ahamo nodded. Cain bowed slightly in answer.

"And this gentleman is Captain Wyatt Cain." Cain was dragged by the elbow into a group of three or four noblemen. Tutor smiled at him happily as he made his introductions. "Captain Cain, this is Lord and Lady Brinkley of the Northern Tribes and Goodrich Plenty, from the Orchard Dwellers of the Southwest."

"Pleasure," Cain said, hoping his self-consciousness didn't shine through spectacularly. He wished DG was there – she was so much better with people than he was.

"I had heard that your son was going to join us, Captain," said Lady Brinkley, her eyes twinkling as if she'd told a private joke. Cain almost rolled his eyes. Did everyone know of the Queen's intentions?

"He'll be down in a minute, I hope. You know how boys can be before their first balls. All flustered about their dresses and shoes."

"Your... son is going to be wearing a dress?" repeated Goodrich Plenty, who was apparently an idiot.

Cain had to find Glitch before he drove himself crazy.

"If you'll excuse me," Cain muttered, glaring at Tutor for no reason other than that he was Tutor, and removed himself.

"Odd fellow," he heard Lord Brinkley say to his wife as he disappeared into the crowd.

Glitch was entertaining a group of younger gentlemen with a story about the lovely lass Leona – and hadn't noticed that none of them were listening to a word he said. Cain walked up and grabbed his elbow.

"Sorry to interrupt this... riveting story, but I need to borrow him, if you all don't mind," Cain said. The young men looked at him gratefully as he pulled a protesting Glitch away.

"I was just getting to the best part!" Glitch objected.

"And what part is that?"

Glitch stammered for a second and then cocked his head to the side. "Hmm. I don't remember."

"Good. How long do I have to stay at this blasted thing, Glitch?" Cain demanded. "When is DG going to show up to her own party?"

"Soon, Cain. You know, you really should learn to enjoy the things life presents to you. This is one of the loveliest parties I've ever been to. There's music and food and good people-"

"I don't like these people," Cain grumbled.

"You don't know these people," Glitch pointed out. "And you don't like anybody."

Cain opened his mouth to protest, but was suddenly accosted from behind. Wrapped up in giant, furry arms, Cain struggled to get away, until a voice boomed into his ear. "Raw missed Cain!"

He was released and turned to see his friend attacking Glitch in much the same manner. Cain laughed at Raw's exuberance. He had forgotten how long it felt to be without him until he was there again.

"It's good to see you, too, old buddy," said Glitch in a strained voice, "but I can't breathe."

"Raw sorry." He set the pale little man on the ground and beamed at them. "Raw just excited."

"Yes, yes of course," said Glitch, rubbing his ribs and wincing. "We're excited to see you, too, Raw. How's everything in the Viewer colony?"

"Everything getting better. Villages rebuilt, and much food for all being harvested. Raw happy there."

Cain smiled. "Glad to hear it, friend."

Raw looked at him oddly with his head cocked to the side, eying him in a way that made Cain slightly uncomfortable. He hated it when the big furball read his mind.

"Something upsetting Cain," he said softly. "Why Cain upset?"

Glitch instantly dawned a worried crease in his brow. "Things like this make me uncomfortable," Cain grumbled. "Nothing more than that."

"No, something upset Cain. Something Cain doesn't even understand. Something about – "

But whatever it was about, Cain didn't hear. Trumpets blared at the opposite end of the great hall and a small man at the top of the long staircase called regally to the congregated diplomats. "Presenting Princess Dorothy the Second, of the House of Gale."

Cain didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't this. He supposed DG had changed, been transformed into a beautiful princess due to etiquette lessons and polishing. He supposed she would be anything but what she was – still just DG.

She walked down the stairs with the same slightly awkward gait she'd always had, smiling brilliantly at everyone. She still had that childish aura about her movements, like she didn't quite understand the way her own limbs worked just yet. She was completely unaware of herself. Only the people around her were noticed, and they caused a complete, but not exactly regal smile on her brightly lit face. Though they had dressed her in a ruffled, blue dress and corset, and pulled her hair above her head, given her gloves and delicate shoes, she was still just... DG.

It was a relief to a worry Cain hadn't even known he'd had.

Although she was probably supposed to stand with her family – Azkadellia, Ahamo, and the Queen had gathered at the bottom of the stairs to recieve her – she spotted Raw's mane in the crowd and ran towards the three of them, launching herself as best she could in her princess get-up at the Viewer. To avoid making the princess look awkward, music began and people started to dance.

"Raw! Guys! Look at this, isn't it wild?" she said, pointing to her dress. "It doesn't even seem real, you know?"

"It's about as real as it gets, kid," Cain found himself saying. What the hell did that mean? It didn't seem real to him, either.

"Mother picked the dress," DG explained with a distasteful grimace. "She said it brought out my eyes."

"You look wonderful, DG," said Glitch.

"DG pretty," Raw agreed.

Glitch elbowed Cain in the side. "Uh... Yeah. Wonderful." Cain preferred her in the weird clothes she had slipped over in, the jeans and T-shirt, she'd called them. That T-shirt had brought her eyes out just fine, and it suited her better.

"DG," the Queen said, setting a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I think it's time for you to dance. Why don't you ask Cain's son? He's over there looking lonely."

Cain followed the Queen's gaze to where Jeb stood, eying everything contemptuously. I know how you feel, kid, Cain thought, but realized the Queen was looking at him, expecting him to speak. He cleared his throat.

"Yeah. Jeb hates these things, and a familiar face might make things better."

DG smiled obligingly at him. "Whatever you want, Cain," she said, and the admission made Cain uneasy. He didn't like the idea that DG would do whatever he wanted, whatever anyone wanted, even if it was just a saying.

He watched her wander over to Jeb and hold out her hand. Jeb stared at it in confusion, and for a moment Cain thought he might refuse. But he took DG's hand and lead her on his arm to the middle of the dance floor and began a slow, simple waltz.

Watching them made Cain inexplicably cringe.

"Cain no like dancing," Raw said.

"Cain doesn't have to dance if he doesn't want to," Glitch replied, misinterpreting. Cain shot a warning look at Raw, who shrunk back a bit.

"I am going to get some fresh air," he announced, and slunk through the people speaking around the dancers. Once outside the great hall, he knew nothing short of an attack of Papay would get him back in there. Papay with rabies.