I think this chapter is pretty aptly named as I "eventually" got this chapter done. It's been sitting on my desktop for quite a while. The holiday season has been good but it's also been busy. But not to worry. One chapter after this and I'll be done.

I send my apologies to all the Glitch/Cain shippers as there really isn't anymore of that friendly conversation going on between them in this chapter. But there will be in the next chapter as sort of an epilogue to the story. Again, you may get what you wish from it, but my intentions weren't to create a romantic connection between the two.

I'd love to spend half this chapter sharing my points of view but I'd much rather everyone else be free to express their desires of what they see in stories how they wish. So I won't bog this down with opinion.

I hope you enjoy this. :)

p.s. Lots of dialog here.

Chapter Four:

Rescued...eventually

"Yeah, well, took me a while. Kind of...really far away from the closet. Like..." She gestured to the far end of the castle. "Really far," she whispered.

Raw cocked his head at the two. It had just so happened that he had been visiting the castle as an ambassador of his people to give an update on their progress rebuilding. The last thing he'd expected to see was the warrior and the thinker in a cell together. And though the initial notion he gained was the familiar discomfort and bristles that Cain and Glitch exchanged he also felt something more than was there before. Something shared that hadn't been before.

"Friends," he said, softly, nodding at them. Then Raw's face changed to concern. "Glitch hurt."

D.G. glanced at Raw and then back at the two. "Glitch. I mean...Ambrose. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ambrose started, remorseful. "I just–"

"He was startin' to annoy me so I threw the twerp at the cell door," Cain interrupted, acting very serious.

It took only a moment for Ambrose to catch on, incredulous at the sudden change. Cain? Joking? The advisor's mouth twitched, but he kept a serious manner.

"It...didn't work," he stated, matter-of-factly.

"Well obviously," Cain agreed, his arms crossed.

A beat passed and D.G. turned to Raw as he suddenly burst into joyous laughter.

"It's not funny, Raw! How could you do that, Mr. Cain!" she demanded.

"Joke!" Raw said.

She turned back to Cain and Ambrose with a glare. Cain smiled lightly as Ambrose grinned only partially guilty.

"Oh, so not funny. You know, I think I'll just leave you two in there. Yeah. That's exactly what I'll do!"

"D.G.!" they called simultaneously as she started to turn on her heel amidst Raw's continuing giggles. She smiled, turning around. Throwing her hands up and slapping them back down on her legs.

"I have to have the weirdest friends in all the inner and outer zone," D.G. proclaimed.

D.G. looked at the door in consternation. She went for the lever to the door but both Raw and Cain were adamant against it.

"It won't work. The...uh..." Cain struggled, remembering the reason Ambrose had given.

"Rope broke," Ambrose offered.

"Yeah, rope. It's on a pulley system. Bad rope." Cain nodded stiffly.

"Right," Ambrose agreed.

"So...how do we open it?" D.G. asked.

"Magic," Ambrose offered helpfully.

"Right," D.G. said. She got ready with her hand up and paused. "And how exactly do I do that?"

"Wave and flutter?" Ambrose suggested, tinkling his fingers as example.

"Focus, D.G.," Raw offered, sagely.

"I think I like your suggestion better," she replied to Raw causing him to give a wise nod.

"Kiss up," Ambrose told Raw, haughtily.

"Jealous?" Raw asked with a smile.

"Yes! He is! Could we just do this already?" Cain exclaimed, exhausted with the banter and not particularly in the mood to spend the rest of his day locked in a prison. Plus, the aggravation of having to converse with Glitch the entire time was really too much at this point.

The group was silent, staring in surprise at Cain's sudden outburst. Usually he was calm but even the most stoic of hero-types could be brought down by banter with a haughty genius.

"What?" Cain said, looking around. "Just, get us outta here, will ya?" Cain pleaded.

"Ooohkay. Will do," D.G. answered. She raised her hand and closed her eyes. The image that always appeared in her head to inspire magic was her doll spinning manically, and the memory of Az's hand in hers. Though she had recovered a lot of her memories from her childhood since she had been in the O.Z. this one was one of the sharpest. She took a deep breath. Her fingers shivered.

"See? Fluttering," Ambrose whispered.

Cain huffed in reply as and Raw looked put out.

"Shh!" D.G. insisted.

Slowly but surely the door opened, creaking against the heft of its weight. The shimmer got stronger as it did.

"I've got it!" Cain called grabbing hold of the risen door.

"You sure?" DG questions, peeking one eye open in amazement at the strength of her magic.

Raw gave Cain a perplexed look but said nothing.

"Yeah. Go help Glitch, will ya?"

"You know, would it hurt you to call me Ambrose? Hm? I mean...heavens forbid you bring yourself to use my actual name. Not that I don't appreciate the colloquial 'buddy' nickname, but..."

"Hey Ambrose, stop talking so we can start walking, okay?" D.G. said, offering him a hand.

The minute DG's magic had abandoned the door Cain realized just how heavy it was. His eyeballs started to bulge and he clinched his teeth in order to keep from whimpering. The door was resting nearly entirely on his shoulder though he made an effort to keep it up with his arm.

Raw helped Ambrose up to his feet and stood on the inside of the door facing the Tin Man's neck through the bars, which had turned just as red as his face. Raw grinned. It wasn't as if he were enjoying Cain's pain, but it was fun to see the man's pride sustain a good amount of bruising. Cain was known to try and carry the world on his shoulders and Raw rather liked the literalness of the metaphor expressed in this moment.

"Heavy?" Raw asked, widening his eyes perceptively.

Cain's now tomato colored face turned to look at Raw through the bars.

"No. Not in the least," he squeaked. "Get. Out."

Raw chuckled the ducked underneath the door. Cain slammed the door behind him, rolling his shoulder with a wince.

"You know, I'm pretty sure I coulda held it up for you a little longer," D.G. offered. "You okay?"

Cain turned to her stiffly and nodded. "Thank you. Let's go."

He took the lead, as usual. Even though it had ultimately been D.G. and Raw that had saved them, he always felt a responsibility to provide leadership.

"Gawd, Glitch," D.G. whispered to Ambrose. "How did you survive with him."

"It wasn't easy," Ambrose said, bravely. "But it was something I knew I had to do." He nodded and yelped. Right. The whiplash.