A/N: Once again, sorry for the delay.

Look! It's a bird!

No, it's a plane!

No, it's…TENSION :D

I love this chapter. I really do. The chemistry between The Wizard (Now known as Oscar- you'll see) and Elphaba is full of so much tension and so many malleable emotions…even though it really only lasts the next three or so chapters, it's so much fun. J

Ok, so, to explain how this chapter works…everything from 'she fell forward' to 'sinister motive…' and everything from 'Elphaba did not try to' and 'With the damn Wizard' happens at the same time. The former is Oscar's thoughts on the situation, and the latter is Elphaba's. Just wanted to make sure you guys understood that. ;3


Chapter Seven: Strain

"Ow! Watch it!"

"Sorry…"

"Ozdamnit, that was my face you just kicked!"

"I realize that, but you're not really being that gentle towards me, eith-"

"SHIT!" Elphaba reeled back, clutching her nose. She could feel the warm, sticky blood seeping through her fingers, and cursed once more. "You're an absolute disaster!"

She then felt a strong hand wrap around her scarlet-stained verdant wrist and lower it. She gave the Wizard a confused look before he supplied the answers she was looking for in the form of a handkerchief. He then proceeded to wipe off the dark crimson coloring from her hand in a surprisingly gentle way, which caught Elphaba off guard. Was he really going to change for her?

"Oh, also…" He mumbled, reaching into one of the many pockets of his trench coat, "I have a special elixir that should dull the pain. I use it all the time."

Elphaba, who had been focusing on the shackle she had been attempting to remove with a hairpin of hers, didn't notice the Wizard remove a bottle of green elixir from his pocket. But when she saw the glass, metal-rimmed vessel that was now shoved into her face, she screamed.

"What?" Whatever is the matter?" The Wizard asked, repositioning himself so that he was on his knees in front of Elphaba, who had been kneeling the whole time.

"That bottle…where the hell did you get it?"

"It's mine!"

"That's impossible!"

"Is not! I've had it since I was a young man!"

"But that's the same bottle that my mother has- well, had!"

The Wizard visibly paled. "Your…mother…had the same bottle…?"

Elphaba nodded brusquely and, reaching into her satchel, removed the intricately designed bottle. She then handed it to him.

The Wizard's jaw fell open as he compared the vessels. "I am a sentimental man…who always longed to be," He glanced at Elphaba. "…a father."

Elphaba felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. No. No, no, no, no, NO.

He was NOT…not…

NOT her father.

"No…no." Elphaba choked, shaking her head fiercely. "NO! You're not my father!" Tears rolled down her face then, Elphaba struggling to hold them back and failing. She found that her tears hurt like never before, and that her body felt strangely…weak. Vulnerable. "M-My father is dead! His n-name is F-Frexspar! You're N-NOT my f-father! You're not h-him!" Her limbs felt like jelly and her heart like a drum. Her arms, which had been supporting her until now, gave way and she fell forward.

The Wizard barely managed to catch her and, at her broken sobs, pull her to his chest. He felt her salty tears seeping through his vest and into his shirt, then felt his own mingle with hers. He looked down at her with wet eyes and watched her break down, finally removing that emotionless mask of hers in front of him.

Here he was, trying to control his own daughter. How horrible was he?

Pretty horrible. He thought bitterly, giving the green girl a comforting squeeze.

But….he needed her.

He needed her…her gift of sorcery.

Madame Morrible needed her gift of sorcery.

His thirst for power, the need to please Madame Morrible, and his pure greed overshadowed his fatherly relationship with Elphaba.

Oh, he would treat her right. Of course…but behind his façade of a 'dear father' would be a far more sinister motive…


Elphaba did not try to push away the strong arms that enveloped her and held her tight. Her sight was clouded with tears and her thoughts were jumbled by frenzied shaking. Everything that was happening didn't make sense!

The green girl was able to calm herself ever so slightly so that she could sort through all of this.

The Wizard…the man she hated, defied, and sought to destroy…was her father.

Frexspar Thropp…the man who she thought to be her father…the man who despised her to his death…had been cheated on by her mother. With the damn Wizard.

"What's…what's your real name?" She blurted, unsure of why she had brought it up.

"Huh?"

"Your b-birth name. What…what is it?"

The Wizard bit his lip. "Oscar. Oscar Zoroaster Diggs."

Elphaba found she liked the name, for some odd reason. "Oscar Diggs…Elphaba Diggs." She chuckled softly. "It's kind of got a ring to it."

Oscar laughed. "Indeed, it does."

Elphaba then tried to sit up, but Oscar's arms would not budge. "Um…"

"Yes?"

"Mind letting go?" She jerked again for emphasis.

"Oh. OH! Sorry!" He retracted his hold quickly, allowing Elphaba to right herself.

"So…Father." Oscar swallowed hard at the word. That cursed word….he knew the heavy feeling of guilt that had settled in his stomach would always return when he heard that term. "Let's get you out of there, hm? Just refrain from kicking me."


"Which way was it?"

"Left, right, then right again, and then another left."

"Easy, then. Let's keep movi- shit."

"What?"

Elphaba did not answer. Instead, she yanked Oscar back, pressing both of them into the shadows. Oscar tried to protest, but Elphaba quickly placed an Emerald hand over his lips and held him tighter.

"Shut up, or you'll get us both killed!" She hissed in his ear just as a noise sounded from their left. A guard then proceeded to march down the corridor, passing the duo without a second thought.

Oscar gaped at the green girl once they had removed themselves from the wall. "How did you hear that?"

Elphaba shrugged. "When you have a psycho hunting you, you tend to acquire heightened senses." She smirked at him.

"Oh, right, that's co- HEY!"

"Speaking the truth!" She giggled, turning on her heel and continuing down the hall.

Oscar smiled in spite of himself and followed the green girl.


"This will do nicely."

"What?" Oscar asked, looking around and trying to see what Elphaba meant.

"Look up." Elphaba pointed a emerald finger at the ceiling.

Oscar did as he was told and gasped. "A grate? I thought we were going out the secret entrance into the Palace…the one I told you about?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I was going to do that, but then I remembered this," She gestured at the grate, "from when I raided Southstairs last year."

Oscar frowned at the memory. About a year ago, Elphaba had broken into Southstairs and freed hundreds of Animals, as well as some other members of the Resistance.

Being a huge part of the pro-Animal rights movement, Elphaba had thought it her duty to release as many Animals as possible. The other members were for…personal reasons. Yes, duty fit in there, but there definitely was something emotional to this.

"Give me a boost." Elphaba commanded, leaning her broom against the wall.

"Uh, OK." Oscar crouched down, resting on the balls of his feet, and let Elphaba step onto his hands. She held onto his shoulders and bent her knees as Oscar lifted her up. Once she was about halfway towards the grate, she straightened her legs and pushed up with all her might, causing the grate to fly off.

"How is it-"

"I took out the bolts last time. No one has bothered to fix it, apparently." Elphaba replied simply, climbing through the hole.

She disappeared for a moment before her green head appeared in the gap again. He extended a hand and pointed at her broom, which was still against the wall. "Put the blunt end in my hand and keep a strong grip on the lowest part of the stick you can. The strong part is really important, so make sure you don't slip, OK?"

Oscar obeyed, even though he didn't quite understand. But his questions were quickly answered when he was suddenly blown upward.

He yelped in surprise and landed on the emerald cobbles of the alley with a groan.

"How are you that strong?" He asked, his knuckles white against his end of the broom.

"Not strength. Magic." Elphaba said simply, taking the broom back. At Oscar's confused look, she elaborated. "It's a flying broom, Father." Another pang of guilt. "I channeled my energy through it and had it come up. It's harder to do while you're not actually on it, but I managed. I had to get you out."

Oscar noted that Elphaba looked quite out of breath, and she was trembling slightly.

"Does it take a lot out of you?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Not normally…if I just fly on it, it's not much work. But getting it to fly without me being seated on it…much, much harder.

Oscar proceeded to help her stand, albeit shakily. He kept his arm around her waist in order to steady her.

"So, where to?"

"Well…we need to sneak into the palace…obviously…" Elphaba breathed, feeling her energy start to wane.

Oscar nodded. "Flying would be the best way, but given your condition…"

"We're kind of stuck." The green girl finished.

Oscar stroked his chin thoughtfully, not feeling Elphaba slip an arm around his neck from even more support.

"We could…get you a…disguise…so you could walk around with me….without the guards noticing…who you were…" Elphaba wheezed.

Oscar snapped his fingers. "That may just work!"

"But how…am I going to….get the disguise…without you helping me around?"

The former Wizard's brow furrowed. He hadn't thought of that…

"We're not going to be able to get into the Palace tonight." He murmured, looking up at the currently orange sky.

"We could…stay at…Nessa's…"

"Nessa?"

"The Governor...? My sister?"

"Oh. But what about-"

"You said you…rarely show your true…self to people these days….right?" Elphaba inquired.

"Yes, I did."

"Then she…probably wouldn't recognize you…"

Oscar sighed. He didn't want to involve another one of Melena's daughters in this, but it was their only option.

"Fine. Lead the way."


"Who is it?" A male voice rang out, pulling open the ornate door. He gasped at what he saw.

Clutching a mysterious man dressed in a tan trench coat for dear life was Elphaba, her eyes half-lidded and glassy. The man assisting her wore an expression of deep concern, though he showed no signs of how awkward he truly felt with the girl holding him like she was. Well, actually, it was more him holding her. He had resorted to carrying her bridal style, one of her arms around his neck and the other hand gripping his shirt.

"Boq…" Elphaba said faintly. "I need some help…"

Boq gaped at the two for a moment before coming to his senses and ushering them in.

"What happened?" He asked after Elphaba had been set down on the large settee, sleep having finally claimed her.

"It's a long story…one I feel would be best told by her, if at all." Oscar replied swiftly, trying to avoid the subject. "Just know that she needs rest…and her friends."

Boq, although disappointed that he was not going to be told anything just yet, nodded. "Just as long as she's OK…"

"She will be." Oscar assured the distraught Munchkin. "She's tired, is all."

"Elphaba…tired." He chuckled softly. "I'd never thought that possible. Well, to the extent that she'd need to be carried through the streets of Oz, that is."

Oscar laughed along with him. "I only had to carry her about a block. She's not very heavy, either."

"Obviously." Boq smiled at the snoozing green girl. "She's so…small now."

"But her heart's big enough to hold the world." Oscar blurted, feeling his fatherly side take over. The words felt like bile in his mouth.

Boq nodded furiously. "Indeed."

"Boq? Boq, are you there?"

"Yes, Nessarose?" Boq asked, whirling about as Nessarose rolled into the room.

"Has the paper arri- oh! Boq, who is this?" Nessarose asked, eying Oscar.

"This is….." Boq then remembered the man had not introduced himself yet.

"Just call me Mr. Diggs." Oscar stepped in, extending a hand to the newly-appointed Governor.

Nessarose placed her small hand in his and smiled softly. "Nessarose Thropp. Delighted to meet you, Mr. Diggs." Her hand returned to her lap. "So, what is your business here?"

"Turn left, Nessarose." Boq gestured towards the settee.

Nessarose sighed and twirled her chair in the direction indicated. "Whatever fo-" Her eyes widened considerably. "Elphie? Sweet Oz!" She hastily guided her wheelchair over to her sister and took the green girl's hand in her own pale one.

"Urf…what…?" Elphaba mumbled incoherently, her eyes fluttering open. Not seeing Nessarose at first, Elphaba searched for her glasses, which were lying on the table beside her. Unable to find them- when, in reality, she was just unable to reach them- she groaned tiredly and flopped back onto the settee.

Nessarose smiled, picked up the glasses and slipped them onto her sister's nose, who gasped quietly at the cool metal now touching her face.

"Wait…what?" Elphaba adjusted her glasses and blinked a few times. "Nessa? Is that you?"

"It's me, Elphie."

Elphaba tried to sit up, but a firm hand pushed her back down. Both Thropp sisters looked up and saw Oscar leaning over the settee, holding onto Elphaba's shoulder. "You shouldn't get up yet." He told her sternly, removing his hand.

Elphaba sighed and, propping herself up on her elbow, studied Nessarose. "Black looks good on you."

Nessarose punched her sister's arm and both laughed.

"I love you, Nessa."

"I love you, too, Fabala."

Elphaba's felt a pang in her heart. Nessarose was the only one who still called her Fabala...except for...for...

Fiyero.

"I'm starting to feel tired again..." Elphaba said numbly, and Nessarose's face fell somewhat.

"I understand. Sleep well."

But Elphaba didn't reply. She was too busy thinking about the man she was obsessing over these days.

I'm obsessing over him...the mere thought of Fiyero is causing me to ignore my sister! Oz, why can't I face the facts...he'll never love...this.


A/N: Review and there is a big chapter in your future :P

~Muse