.-.-. Ways of the Ancients .-.-.
(A/N)- I was going to wait to post this until I got one more review, but I lack the patience. :d Besides, I read a bunch of stories but never review, so I'm sure I have more readers than I know. Enjoy- this has a lot of drama/angst towards the end. Thank you for all the reviews:-)

Chapter 4- I Can't


Glitch walked sulkily behind DG, trying not to get too close. He began to wonder exactly why he was angry at her and if it had been for a good reason. He scratched his head as he walked. He cringed when a finger unintentionally hooked onto one of his stitches briefly, and his scalp pulsed with pain. He tried to ignore it as he walked along, slowing his steps whenever he got too close to DG and Tik Tok.

They made it to the front steps, and he suddenly remembered. There were no door men or servants here, as requested by the Queen herself, as she only wanted family on her annual vacations. Quickly, Glitch assumed his Ambrose self, darting up to the door, "I'll fetch her," he said briefly to DG, not meeting her eyes and he slipped in the door, meaning to close it but it wound up swinging inward as he fled up the spiral staircase, his coattails gliding after him.

DG sighed in annoyance, and looked to Tik Tok. She touched his shoulder and looked to his back, "You need to be wound," she remembered, and went around him to do so.

"Pardon my asking, but what's the matter with your friend?"

She shook her head, smiling weakly, "He's just … well … he's never been the same since his surgery."

When Tik Tok didn't press on, probably just to be polite, she continued, "He had half his brain removed and later put back in. He's still adjusting to it. He told me he was better but he keeps flipping channels like a TV."

"A what?" Tik Tok asked, confused.

"Never mind, just something from my world," she pushed aside, and finished winding him.

The Ambrose in Glitch struggled to control himself as a wave of excitement flew over him. He felt it was a game of hide and seek. He had to seek out Azkadellia, Lavender Eyes, or both. No! Princess Azkadellia and Queen Lavender Eyes! He shook the inner voice off with a snobby face, "I know!" he hissed aloud to himself. Scratching his scalp, he headed down the hall to the back porch that overlooked the lake.

He couldn't find her there, and decided to yell. He only got to "Your Ma--!!" when the Ambrose in him quickly reminded him that yelling was not proper! He sighed, deeply. He didn't like these instances; it was no fun! And everyone knew he had his other half back, so they'd expect him to be more like his old self. At least DG witnessed a lot of his crazy antics and didn't mind … but it was beginning to seem like she hated both him and Ambrose rather than just to hate Ambrose. Maybe he should start being less reckless with his urges and start trying to control his self.

Amidst his pondering, he heard talking from the dining room area, and snapped to attention. He rushed over to the door and was about to knock on it, but his Glitch side decided he should snoop first. After all, what if they were busy and shouldn't be bothered?

He placed his ear to the wall, ignoring the twitches in his body- Ambrose was attacking. Glitch was doing the complete opposite of what Ambrose would do, and he couldn't stand it.

"I'm worried, my dear," Lavender Eyes said with a sigh, "It is my responsibility- every heir's responsibility …" she paused, and continued, "The veil must be sealed."

Veil? Hey! He knew about that!

He jumped back and hissed sharply as he pinched himself- physical pain from Ambrose didn't occur often … it only last happened once when he was kissing DG. Thankfully, Ambrose had very little control thanks to Glitch's inattentive immature personality that he was determined to shine through when the Ambrose in him awoke.

He ignored Ambrose and put his ear to the door again.

Azkadellia spoke, "Mother, I can seal it for you," she insisted, "You don't have to worry."

There was silence again, and Lavender Eyes said, "Thank you, my darling. But it has been open long enough … if anything evil comes through, I'm sure we can manage … I don't want you and your sister drained of your magic so soon."

"Mother, it will be much more dangerous if you don't seal it,"

"I understand," she said seriously, and they went silent for a moment, "Just give me a little more time to think about this."

Azkadellia sighed.

Glitch let Ambrose take over then and there, and straightened his jacket … buttoned it first, and smoothed down his hair best he could over his stitches. Once he had regained himself, he took a breath, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," the Queen called, and Ambrose stepped inside.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting you, my Queen."

She got to her feet, "Ambrose!" she greeted in surprise, her face a little brighter. But then her smile faded, "Where's my daughter?"

"She's fine," he assured calmly, "She's downstairs,"

Lavender Eyes breathed a sigh of relief, but then realized, "Weren't you two at the munchkin encampment? Why are you back so soon? Were they rough with you?"

"No," he assured with a nervous laugh, "We made peace with them. And on our way back, we found … well, he's this kind of robot person. He's nice!" he immediately said, because Lavender Eyes suddenly gave that look of horror, that same look of horror when he had told her his diagnosis on Azkadellia when he learned that she had been possessed.

"Well, where is this robot?" she asked. Azkadellia said nothing, but she looked at him curiously, maybe even a little worried.

"He's downstairs," he said with a hard swallow. He knew what was coming.

"You left DG alone with a stranger?" she asked incredulously, and swept out of the room and down the stairwell. Ambrose squeezed his eyes shut and cursed under his breath. He looked up to see Azkadellia was still in the room.

"Sorry Princess," he apologized quietly.

"Don't be," Azkadellia said, getting up and heading out of the room to go meet this robot, "Mother's been acting strange lately. I think it's the stress- don't take it personally."

He nodded, his mouth suddenly dry with nervousness as he stood alone in the dining room. He hated being Ambrose because of this. Ambrose was expected to be responsible. Ambrose wasn't reckless. Ambrose was somebody people obeyed. DG didn't obey him; she was too stubborn. But it was expected of him to be in control, and he failed. He failed the Queen just as he failed DG earlier today by not keeping her away from that robot.

At the same time, he couldn't be Ambrose. Not for DG. She loved Ambrose but she loved Glitch more, it seemed. He had to be Glitch for DG, and Ambrose for the Queen. It was a juggling task, and he was beginning to feel a part of a circus.

With a deep breath, he turned on his heel and headed for the staircase; the presence of Ambrose dominating him for the Queen and the other Princess were still in the vicinity. Part of him didn't want to make a fool of him self, and part of him didn't care if he did.

He heard DG explaining the situation quickly to her mother, as her voice echoed through the stairwell, "Glitch didn't listen to me at first- but then I didn't listen to him, and I should've- I wasn't being careful, but something told me Tik Tok wasn't a bad guy, and that something was right because he's not."

"Tik Tok?" Azkadellia asked curiously, stopping the Queen short before she could give a rant about safety. "Is that his name?"

DG nodded, taking a breath. Her eyes met Ambrose's as he walked down the stairs; he caught it, and she looked suddenly hurt when she glanced at him, and shut her eyes before looking to the floor.

"I've heard of you before, Tik Tok," Azkadellia addressed the robot, "Stories of the ancients … you were a loyal friend to our great great grandmother, Dorothy Gale."

"Indeed I was," Tik Tok said, eyes gleaming as he smiled- he seemed quite pleased to be remembered, and DG couldn't blame him.

Azkadellia smiled brightly, surprising DG since her sister had been in a rather depressed state as of late, "Well then, we'll have much to talk about, won't we? I've been studying the ways of the ancients for quite some time, and I would be honored to speak with someone who had lived in that time."

"It would be my pleasure," he said, tipping his hat. DG smiled, and glanced to her mother, who still maintained that look of worry. She quickly brushed it off as paranoia given the situation that Tik Tok was found in a cave just as the Wicked Witch had been.

Azkadellia carefully took the robot by the hand and led him to their living room, and he waddled along, his feet plopping on the marble floor. He was making a lot less creaking, DG noticed, and was grateful for that. It must've been from all that walking they did.

She looked to her mother, who now had Ambrose standing silently at her side looking like a kicked puppy. DG's eyes flickered in worry to him but he was too busy staring at the floor to notice her gaze, so she spoke to her mother.

"Mom, what's the matter?"

Lavender Eyes smiled grimly, "I'm just worried- a mother's allowed to be worried …" she drifted off, and shook her head, glancing at Ambrose before heading for the door, "I've got business to attend to in the North. I wish I could postpone it given the current situation, but I can't."

She explained briefly, and hugged and kissed her daughter, "I'll be back sometime tomorrow," she promised, and looked to Ambrose sternly, "Look after her, Ambrose," she said. Ambrose met her eyes briefly before giving a short nod and a stiff bow.

She left. DG wondered how she left, but she supposed it was some way of magic like Azkadellia did. She hoped to learn how to do that someday … her eyes drifted nervously to Ambrose, who took in deep breaths as he regained himself, and glanced at her with teary eyes. Quickly he turned and went to go back up the stairs, but DG grabbed him by the cuff of his sleeve, and he stopped.

"What's the matter?" she asked, surprised to find her voice sounded shaky. He didn't look at her; he just stared at the floor, his back to her.

"Remember what I've told you before … I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"You did say that," he said quietly, fighting back tears with a shaky smile and a light laugh, "I remember."

She smiled, and released his wrist as she dove into his arms, taking him by surprise. She snuggled into the crook of his neck, hugging him tight for she was afraid he'd try to run. He awkwardly hugged her back as the Glitch in him took over, breathing in the scent of her hair. He tried so hard to hold back tears lest he get her wet but try as he may they flowed, and she felt them. She released him slowly, and looked up, taking one hand away from his back to brush the tears out of his face.

"Do you even know what the matter is?" she asked, not critically, just concernedly.

He shook his head at once, paused, and then nodded, "Yeah I think I do."

She gave him a while to recollect himself, and he blinked the tears from his eyes before looking back down on her in worry, "I'm not taking control. I need to be in control of my thoughts and my actions and … stuff. I'm not safe around you, Deej," he said, releasing his hands from around her waist, "I can't remember most of the stuff I do and when I do I forget why I did it."

She cupped his face in her hands, "I understand," she said softly, and pressed her forehead to his, "You'll get better."

"I've been trying to get better but I can't," he whined softly, clenching his eyes shut as new tears flowed freely. He continued to chant softly, "I can't, I can't, I can't," he sobbed.

She sat down on the steps, pulling him gently down with her as he cried. She held him under her chin as she stroked his curly hair and kissed him softly atop his stitches. He eventually stopped his chanting and breathed in shakily, trembling from head to toe.

She caressed his shoulders gently, pulling him closer to her, and he returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around her midsection.

"I'm sorry …" he whispered hoarsely.

She pulled back a little and kissed him between his eyebrows, her hands finding their way to his hair again. He closed his eyes and savored the touch- she knew he loved it when she ran her fingers through his hair, even more since after the surgery because his head often hurt.

The room was silent, and he suddenly heard the muffled talking of Azkadellia and Tik Tok. It reminded him of what she was talking about with her mother earlier. Someone would have to seal the veil, and it was going to have to be Azkadellia, DG, or both. He knew Lavender Eyes no longer had the magic to perform such a task. He felt suddenly worried for both DG and her sister. They'd need their magic to rule the O.Z. They should save their powers for tasks that may lie ahead for the kingdom … he didn't really need his magic …

He hiccupped once, and buried his face into her neck, saving those thoughts for later, deciding to savor this moment. She felt his lips brush her collarbone, his warm breath against her skin, and she shivered. He kissed her just once, and quickly, because he wasn't sure this was the time for that. He thought she was scared of him now. After all, he practically just admitted he was some guy with short-term memory loss and bipolar disorder.

Instead she hugged him tighter, kissing him gently back atop his stitches. That felt so good to him, and he breathed gently, resting his eyes as he snuggled closer.

After a moment, she gently released him, catching him by surprise. She smiled, taking his hand, "Come on. We can't sleep on the stairs," she said with a short laugh.

He nodded shyly, weaving his fingers through hers as they headed upstairs to her bedroom, the white magic glowing from their palms.


(A/N)- Chances are the next one may be the last, hopefully, but I doubt it. :-P My mind seems to like to drag things out. And I know it seems I forgot Cain- I'll explain where he went later. ;-) Reviews please :-)