A/N: Sorry this one took me so long, guys! I went to Palm Springs this past weekend and I've been working like crazy since because I'm going away all next week also (more about that in the end note). But wow, Upright in Palm Springs was awesome! Eden and Shoshona were both amazing (Eden in particular, cause she's my favorite). And they were so nice too. What a great time! If you haven't seen these two live, I highly recommend changing that! Anyway, here is a new chapter for you finally. And read the end note, cause there's some important info.

Chapter Seven: In All Our Bones

Elphaba was tidying the kitchen one afternoon when she suddenly felt a cold chill settle into her body. She shivered, despite the fact that it was seventy degrees outside and the sun shone in through every window. She immediately stopped what she was doing and glanced outside, half-expecting to see a group of Gale Forcers marching up to the cottage, but there was nothing. She wandered the house cautiously, but nothing appeared to be out of place. Still, she couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something wasn't right. After what had happened to Nessa, she had learned to trust her instincts. But this time, it wasn't quite so clear. It was a broad feeling, not a specific notion. And she could hardly wander outside to find out if something was going on. So she resolved to wait for Fiyero to come home before doing anything drastic. Perhaps he would even bring news with him.

She tried to distract herself by reading, but she couldn't focus on any of her books. By late afternoon, she found herself sitting at the kitchen table and waiting silently. When the sun began to set and Fiyero still wasn't back, her fear intensified. By the time the sky was dark, she knew something was wrong. There was no way he was simply running late. She wracked her brain, trying to decide what to do. She needed to find that farm, that much was perfectly clear, but she had no idea how she was going to find it. All he'd ever said was that it was about four miles west and he had taken Dandelion there this morning so she had no means of getting there except by foot. Well, it wasn't the worst thing- she could certainly endure the walk, but how would she disguise herself?

For a moment, she found herself actually longing for Glinda and the arsenal of make-up she had kept in their college dorm. Although she was quite sure that Glinda's fair cover-up would have done nothing other than turned her a slightly more pastel shade of green. Then she suddenly remembered what Fiyero had said about dark skin tones being more common in Ev. Since she certainly couldn't go lighter, maybe she could just go darker. She quickly set about gathering everything in the kitchen that she could use. She experimented, adding ingredients until she had made a sort of brown paste. She took the bowl to the mirror and used a finger to smudge some of the paste onto her skin, testing it out.

It was smooth enough, though slightly streaky. If she covered her entire face, she could certainly fool people in the dark or at a distance. She didn't know what she would do if she needed to actually hold a conversation with someone, but she resolved to simply cross that bridge when she came to it. She continued to apply the paste to her skin as she mentally catalogued everything she would need- gloves, hat, cloak. She let her hair down so that her ears and the back of her neck were covered. When she was finished, the appearance was slightly strange, but she at least couldn't make out any green. She supposed it would have to be enough.

She packed a little money and the quickest food items she could grab before setting out into the night. She headed on a direct westbound route as she left the property. It felt strange to have lived in this cottage for several months now and to just now take in its surroundings. She had been practically unconscious when they had arrived there and the terrain was completely unfamiliar to her. She didn't come upon another house or farm of any kind until she had been walking at least two miles. Fiyero had described the farm to her before and she began to pay close attention to each dwelling she passed after she was certain she'd walked more than three miles. Once, she found a farmhouse that matched Fiyero's description and was nearly at the door before she saw a young family with several children through one of the windows. Fiyero had told her of the childless old couple he worked for so she turned away to continue her search.

She had been walking for more than two hours when she came upon a small house and saw a horse tied to a tree in the front. With a jolt, she realized it was Dandelion. She had finally found the right place. She raced to the horse, petting its nose and searching around her for some evidence of Fiyero.

"Are you Fae?"

Elphaba whirled around to find the source of the question. She saw a small woman with wispy gray hair standing a few steps out from the doorway. "How do you know my name?" She asked cautiously.

"Your husband told me you may come looking for him," she responded, moving closer to Elphaba, who, instinctually, took a few steps back.

"What happened to him? He never came home."

The old woman looked at her sympathetically. "I'm afraid there was an accident on the farm. He was injured using some of the equipment and my husband brought him to a medical center. We didn't even know he was married, he'd never mentioned it, but as they were leaving he was murmuring something about his wife, Fae, and how she was expecting him home. I thought maybe he was talking nonsense, but now here you are."

Had Elphaba not been covered in the brown face, she was sure the woman would have seen the color drain from her face. "He was injured? How badly?" She asked frantically.

"I'm afraid I don't know. It was his leg, cut badly and possibly broken. There was a good deal of blood, but my husband belted it off as quickly as he could. Evander, my husband, said that he was concerned the cut may have reached his artery," the woman explained as gently as she could.

Elphaba sank to the ground, feeling light-headed and short of breath. She knew exactly what it would mean if the cut had nicked the artery. He would most likely bleed out before even making it to get help. She couldn't lose him, not now, not after all they'd been through. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she resisted the urge to look up into the woman's face now that she was so close.

"It's okay, my dear. I'm sure he'll be okay. Why don't you come in the house with me and we'll wait for my husband to come back with some news," she suggested kindly.

"No," Elphaba said quickly, harsher than she'd intended. "I'm sorry, it's just… I'm really not feeling too well and I think I'd prefer to stay out here and get some fresh air. If you don't mind, I'll just wait out here with Dandy," she explained, gesturing to the horse.

"Of course not, dear, whatever you like. But you certainly shouldn't be alone at a time like this. I'll sit with you until Evander comes home." And with that, she lowered herself slowly to sit beside Elphaba on the ground.

"You don't have to do that, really. I don't want to keep you from your sleep," Elphaba insisted.

"Nonsense. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, worrying about poor Dorian. I was already waiting up for news when you arrived."

Elphaba almost asked who Dorian was before she realized it must have been the fake name Fiyero had provided them with. She'd never considered it before, but it seemed obvious now that he couldn't simply offer up his real name to these people. She found herself silently praising his sharpness through his injuries to not give them her full name either. And she supposed that referring to her as his wife had been the easiest thing, as not even she knew what to call them in reality.

"Now how come we haven't seen you before this? You would have been perfectly welcome to come and have dinner with us some time," the woman said suddenly, tearing Elphaba away from her thoughts.

"I have a skin condition," Elphaba improvised wildly, aware that the woman had probably noticed something strange about her face now that she was so close. "I have to be careful about going outdoors, especially during the day. It's why Dorian doesn't usually mention me, I like to keep to myself mostly."

"Well, I'm sorry, dear. Thank goodness you at least have that wonderful husband of yours. He's been a blessing to Evander and I, such a nice young man. I'm Emmeline, by the way. I don't think I mentioned that."

"It's nice to meet you," Elphaba said softly, though she truly wished she wasn't meeting this woman at all, considering the circumstances.

"You too, dear. Now, you listen to me. That husband of yours is a strong young man and I'm sure he loves you very much. I'm sure he'll pull through this just fine." She placed a reassuring hand over Elphaba's gloved one.

"I hope you're right." After a moment's silence, Emmeline started telling Elphaba about the farm, her husband, and some of the work Fiyero had done for them. Elphaba half-listened, grateful that she wasn't expected to form any sort of intelligent responses. Her panic was coursing through her relentlessly, making her stomach churn. Elphaba got the sense that the older woman knew this and was simply talking to try to distract her. She was surprised to find herself feeling grateful that she was not alone to endure this. She had been away from human contact, other than Fiyero, for so long that she'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

Elphaba was on her feet immediately when the sound of horse hooves reached their ears. She helped Emmeline to her feet as well and the two women waited in silence until they could see the horse and the figure on top of it toward them through the darkness. When they were close enough, Elphaba rushed up and looked desperately at the man she assumed to be Evander as he slowed the horse.

"This is Dorian's wife, Fae. She's been waiting here for news for an hour or so," Emmeline explained to her husband as he dismounted the horse.

"How is he?" Elphaba asked desperately, surprised at how small her voice sounded.

"The doctor reckons he'll be alright." Elphaba doubled over with relief, feeling like she was finally able to breathe again. She felt Emmeline's hand rubbing her back.

"You hear that? I told you he'd pull through," she said happily.

"What else did the doctor say?" Elphaba asked, straightening to look at Evander, desperate for more information.

"Well the lower leg was definitely broken and there were some pretty deep cuts, but they gave him some blood they're setting the leg as best they can so as to avoid any permanent damage. They'll probably have to keep an eye on him for a few days. I can take you over there tomorrow morning if you like," he offered kindly.

"No, that's okay, but thank you," Elphaba replied hastily, leaving Evander looking puzzled.

"She has a skin condition, it's not good for her to be out in the sunlight," Emmeline explained to him quickly.

"But if you don't mind, perhaps I could come back tomorrow night and you can update me on how he's doing," Elphaba suggested hopefully.

"Well, sure, it's the least I can do. Your husband has been a wonderful employee to us and we'll be sure to see him through this as best we can," Evander assured her. She thanked them both profusely before insisting that they all get some rest. She untied Dandelion and climbed onto the saddle, waving at the couple as she set off for the cottage.

True to her word, Elphaba returned the next night to get the latest news from Evander. He told her that Fiyero had been awake briefly while he was there that day and Evander had told him that they'd met his wife and they were to see her again that night. Fiyero had apparently seemed quite relieved and told Evander to tell Elphaba not to worry about him and to stay safe. The doctors had set his leg and had chosen to splint it rather than use a cast so that the wounds could still be watched over and treated. Evander assured her that they had him on medicine to ease the pain and he was mostly just resting. Relieved and grateful, Elphaba had even allowed the couple to usher her into the house for a quick bite to eat before she'd returned home.

She repeated this ritual for the next several days, receiving news of Fiyero's steady improvement, until she arrived at the farmhouse one day to find Fiyero himself laying on the couch and chatting with Evander and Emmeline. He looked up at her as she came through the door and his eyes immediately softened, though she could see the brief confusion when he saw her browned face. Quickly recovering from her shock, she rushed over to him and knelt beside the couch.

"Fae," he said softly as she reached out to touch his face.

"You're okay?" She asked disbelievingly.

He nodded, placing his hand on top of hers and turning his head so he could kiss the inside of her gloved palm. "They said I just needed to rest and stay off the leg for a while, so they sent me home."

"I offered to bring him home so you wouldn't have to make an extra trip out here, but he's a bit hazy from the medicine and he said he wasn't sure he was up to directing me there," Evander explained, standing above them. Elphaba understood instantly. There was a chance that Evander could have recognized their cottage as one belonging to the Vinkun royal family and it wasn't a risk they could afford to take.

"It's not a problem. I have Dandy outside, so I should be able to get him back on my own," Elphaba assured them.

"Well, I'm sure Fae wants to get her husband back home as soon as possible. Evander, why don't you get Dorian's crutches and help him outside and onto the horse. I'll gather up the supplies they sent him home with," Emmeline said, reaching down and guiding Elphaba back into a standing position. Smiling at Fiyero, she gave his hand a squeeze before she followed Emmeline into the kitchen. The woman explained the different medicines to Elphaba and showed her the fresh bandages the medical center had supplied. After Elphaba assured Emmeline she could handle everything, she gathered the supplies and followed Fiyero and Evander outside.

Evander had already managed to get Fiyero onto Dandy's saddle and he now sat with both of his legs off to one side, the splint preventing the injured one from bending. Evander was now securing the crutches to the horse's saddle with some rope and turned to the two women as they approached.

Elphaba reached out and hugged both of them briefly. "Thank you so much for everything."

"Not at all, dear. You take good care of him and let us know if there's anything you need, okay?" Emmeline said kindly.

"I will."

Evander looked up to Fiyero. "The doctors said it would probably take a couple of months for the leg to fully heal, so you just take it easy and we'll have your job waiting for you whenever you're up to coming back."

Fiyero smiled down at him. "Thank you. You've been very good to us, we're so grateful."

Evander helped Elphaba climb onto the horse in front of Fiyero, careful not to bump him. She settled onto the horse and grabbed the reins before bidding farewell to the couple, sad to realize she may not see them again for quite a while. She had grown quite fond of them over the last several days. She felt Fiyero's arms wrap around her waist as they began to move and she couldn't help but smile, so grateful to be with him again. They rode home slowly, for even a trot would have jostled Fiyero's leg painfully. It took over an hour, but they finally reached the small cottage. Fiyero's arms slackened around her waist as she guided the horse to stop out front. She turned to look at him over her shoulder and noticed that his jaw was clenched and he'd broken out in a light sweat.

"You okay?" She asked, concerned.

He nodded, trying to smile reassuringly at her, but not quite pulling it off. "Just a little pain."

"Well, let's get you inside and then you can take some of that medicine." She slipped gracefully to the ground and untied the crutches before leaning them against the horse and turning back to Fiyero. "How do I do this without hurting you?"

"Just help me balance so I can lower myself onto the good leg," he replied, placing his hands on her shoulders. She, in turn, reached up and wrapped hers around his waist as he slowly began easing his weight off the horse. She saw a brief look of pain flash across his features as his leg was jostled slightly, but she soon had him safely on the ground. He kept his hands on her shoulders for balance as she reached out for his crutches and positioned them under his arms. He took hold of them and began ambling his way to the front door. Once they were inside, she helped him lower himself onto one of the kitchen chairs. She quickly rummaged through her satchel and pulled out his pain pills, setting them down on the table and filling a glass with water. She handed him the glass and shook out two pills, as per the instructions.

"Here, take these and I'm going to make up the couch bed in the living room. You shouldn't be going up and down the stairs for a while," she instructed as she handed him the pills. He swallowed them gratefully and simply nodded at her, allowing her to take charge. She moved about the cottage for several minutes, pulling out the couch and gathering the necessary linens. When she returned to the kitchen, she could see that the medicine was already taking affect. Fiyero looked as if he was already half-asleep, but he managed a small smile when he noticed her standing in front of him.

She crouched down in front of him, bringing her hand to his face and pressing a kiss to his temple, cherishing the feeling of being close to him again. She felt his hand come up to rest on the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. She pulled back slightly to gently kiss him on the lips.

"What was that for?" He asked softly.

She smiled at him. "For being alive."

He felt flooded with guilt, seeing how scared she had clearly been. "Oh, Fae-"

But she placed her finger on his lips, cutting him off. "We'll talk about it later. Right now you need to get some rest."

He sighed and nodded, relenting. She brought his arm around her shoulder so that she could help him up from the chair. The couch just around the corner in the other room, so she didn't bother with the crutches, just supported most of his weight on her own. Once he was settled on the bed, she perched on the edge, remaining close to him. He reached out to take her hand, twining his fingers with hers and bringing them to rest on his chest. She reached out with her other hand and ran it lovingly through his hair.

"You look ridiculous, by the way," he told her with a smile. She laughed, pleased to see that he hadn't lost his sense of humor through the whole ordeal. "What is that on your face?"

"It's the best thing I could come up with when I was panicking about you not coming home," she responded lightly.

"All I think about in the medical center is getting home to see your face again and then suddenly, there you are, looking like you fell in a mud pit," he joked.

She shook her head at him, amused. "I'm starting to think I should have just left you there."

"Nice try." His smile faded slightly. "Just promise me that the face I wake up to will be that green one I find so entrancing."

"Well, I don't know. I mean, I should probably sleep upstairs so I don't accidentally bump your leg in my sleep or anything." She'd meant it as a joke, but Fiyero suddenly gripped her hand tightly, surprising her.

"No, please. Stay down here," he pleaded.

She moved the hand that had been toying with his hair to cup his cheek. "Shh, I was kidding. Of course I'll stay down here. I'm not leaving you, okay?" She reassured him gently, as she would a frightened child. He nodded, appeased, and allowed his eyes to slip shut. She sat with him and stroked his face gently until she was certain he had drifted off. Then, she allowed herself to get up briefly to bring Dandy back into the stable and to get ready for bed, making sure to rinse every last piece of brown off of her face.

She switched the light off as she neared the bed and lowered herself onto it gently, not wanting to disturb Fiyero's sleep. She crawled under the covers and moved closer to him, curling herself against his uninjured side. She rested her head on his chest so that she could hear his steady heartbeat, allowing it to reassure her of his presence. She heard him mumble something unintelligible in his sleep and she felt his arm wrap around her subconsciously. She felt her throat clog with tears suddenly, realizing how close she'd come to losing him. She swore to herself then that she would make a more conscious effort to truly enjoy their time together, for one could never tell how long it would last.

A/N: Yay, Fiyero didn't die haha. I mean, did you really expect that he would? I'm not saying I'd never kill off a character, but this story has sooo much further to go, believe me. Okay, so as I said, I'm going away from this Saturday through the next Saturday and I will not have internet access at all, so whether I post the next chapter before I leave or not is entirely up to you guys. I don't like posting chapters too quickly so people don't get overwhelmed trying to catch up, but I also don't like to leave too much time between. So if you guys review and let me know you've gotten the chance to read this before I leave, I'll get the next one up. Sorry if that sounds like a shameless ploy haha, but I swear it's not (mostly lol). Anyway, coming up next chapter: Fiyero's road to recovery and a major turning point in the relationship of our duo.