Hello guys, thanks for the good words of encouragement, I was hoping for some more reviews, but it's OK, it was only the first chapter after all :P. So let's see how Oz gonna try to handle this hot potato huh? Let's see how Glinda will react shall we?

Now and Then

2

Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs, former con man, sleazy magician, master escapist, insufferable cheater and womanizer galore, now known as the mighty and terrible Wizard of Oz, liberator of the land of Oz from the wicked Witches, supreme ruler of the Emerald City, was in deep thought. He haven't been a very thoughtful person, actually quite the opposite, always his mind looking for a way to cheat, steal or get away from some murdering husband. Only was person was able to put him to total comfort and give some peace in his crazy life : Annie.

And now he get to see her every day in Glinda...

"Ahhhh!"He jumps scared for his life

"Oscar? Are you OK?" asks a surprised Glinda

"Geez! Glinda! Don't ever do that to me again! Oh Lord! I think I just got 10 years older..."

"I'm sorry Oscar, I promise I won't do that again" says Glinda with a serene smile plastered on her face, then a concerned look appears on her lovely face "I'm worried about you. Please let me help you. I can't stand seeing like this. " she pauses "I noticed you always get a sad and regretful look every time you look at me, even if it just for a moment. Why is that? Am I a source of sorrow for you? Is there anything you need to tell me Oscar? Don't shut me out"

Oscar, now fully recovered from the scare, takes Glinda's hands in his and smiles at her "Glinda, there's nothing to worry about it. You know, it's just it's still such a big change for me, I mean look at me! A few days ago I was a cheap shot magician that just got here by pure chance and now I'm the ruler of this wonderful land, with a sourpuss of a herald, an adopted china doll, a flying monkey, and you. And I appreciate that you most of all stood by me and inspired me and pushed me to do better, making me realize that I can be a good man committing to a great cause. All of this is still work in progress." grins at Glinda's marble face.

Glinda looked at him one long moment, undecided if to push the matter or just let it go for the moment, she went to the latter by appraising him with a good smile and giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Well, my lady, would you give me the honor to walk with me and offering you an excellent meal?" says Oscar putting on displays his charms.

"That will be my pleasure, dear Wizard" answers Glinda gloating and grinning like a little girl. The wizard surely know how to treat a lady, causing her to beam giddiness, and so grabbing his hands, they slowly start for the dining room.

The dinner went off without a hitch, full of laughter from the first family of Oz, Oscar being the perfect storyteller, saying a few more story from his old days in Kansas, most of them of his adventures , creating load of laughs around the table. The night was fast approaching, that 's when China Doll suddenly asks a question to Oz.

"Wizard, did you ever fall in love with someone before your arrival in the land of Oz? Someone that might be missing you?"asks innocently Oz's adopted daughter.

That question stumped Oscar and for a few moments he panicked. Should he just shrug it off and lie, AGAIN, or maybe would be better reveal this piece of information without too many details, and so he decided to share it with his family.

"Huh, well, yes, yes, there was a girl in Kansas that I fell for, unfortunately for her, I was always away with the circus and I got to visit her just a few times of the year, and the last time I saw her she came to tell me that another man proposed to marry her, Jon Gale, and being the good girl she was, she thought to let me know. She would have run away with me if I have asked her to. But I just couldn't, she deserved a good man to love her, to grow old with, become a wonderful mother. And I know I wasn't that man, I just was too afraid of commitments, normalcy, I wanted not to be a good man like every other man in Kansas, I wanted greatness." he pauses"Annie knew that, her wishes were for me to be the greatest man I could be. She could read me like a book sometimes. But most of all she knew that goodness was in me and if I hadn't been the ass I were at the time, I would have listened with my heart instead. Anyways, I'm pretty sure she is happily married."

"How did she look like? " asks China doll.

Again Oscar stops a moment at her question, and he slowly gets a little photograph from his jacket inner pocket, and shows it to everyone there. All the sudden a collective gasp erupts from the witnesses, the loudest coming from Glinda. "Oh my!"she whispers.