-Two Years Later-
"Are you sure she'll be all right?" Lucas asks, looking down at the small bundle strapped to his chest. He reaches up with one large hand and gently strokes the soft black fuzz covering the rounded head of his sleeping daughter.
"That's why she's strapped to you and not me," Dorothy answers, stepping closer. She drops her head and kisses the infant, then lifts her face to kiss her husband's lips. "You always land on your feet. I still haven't perfected my landings," she adds with a chuckle.
"I told you—"
"Yes, yes, I know. But I still can't let myself relax enough. It's just too jarring," she interjects.
They've visited Kansas twice since Dorothy's test. The first time was to introduce Lucas to her aunt and uncle. Then, once she was able to figure out how time works between the two worlds, she was able to calculate when Christmas was. So their second trip to Kansas was so Dorothy could share her favorite holiday with Lucas.
That was also when their daughter was conceived. Dorothy had intentionally stopped drinking the tea a short time before, after a discussion with Lucas that wound up lasting nearly two weeks.
Neither of them expected the effects of the tea to stop working so abruptly.
The following fall, Dorothy decided it was time to bring their daughter to meet her great aunt and uncle.
Lucas rolls his eyes. "Some Cardinal Witch you are," he teases.
"Shut it, you," she returns, then takes his hand. "Ready?"
He protectively wraps his free arm around the precious bundle swaddled to him. "Yes."
Hand in hand, they walk across the nebulous floor of the storm chamber and onto the platform. A moment later, they are swept up.
A moment after that, they find themselves dropped behind her uncle's barn in Kansas. Lucas lands on his feet, bending his knees to absorb the impact, still shielding his daughter with his right arm.
Dorothy lands on her feet but immediately tumbles, automatically tucking her body into itself, careful not to roll onto the bag she has with her.
"Shit," she curses, flopping flat on her back to catch her breath.
"That was better. Perhaps next time," Lucas indulgently pronounces, walking over to offer his hand.
"I'm surprised I didn't twist my ankle, landing like that," she grumbles, standing. She checks her daughter. "She didn't even wake up."
"Sleeps like you," he chuckles. Having spent most of his life as a guard, always on the alert, Lucas is not a heavy sleeper. Dorothy, however, sleeps like the dead, likely because she knows her Lucas is always at the ready should something untoward happen.
"My aim is getting better," she declares. Last time they were in the field; the time before that, across the street.
"Yes," he agrees, looking up at the sky. "Good thing, too, because it looks like it's going to rain any second."
"Yeah, let's get to the house." She grabs his hand again and begins walking. "I hope they're home. It would be nice if I could call ahead."
"Still no luck with that, hmm?" he asks, knowing she's been working with Jane to try and figure out some way to create a line of communication between the two worlds.
"Jane thinks she's getting close. If she could devote more of her time to the project, we'd probably be there, but her duties to Ev take precedence," Dorothy answers. They climb the steps to the porch, and she knocks just as the first drops of rain begin to fall.
"Your aunt told you not to knock," Lucas quietly says, just before the door swings open.
"Dorothy!" Em exclaims. "Didn't I tell you not to knock? This is still your home," she adds, just before hugging her niece.
"I was just telling her that," Lucas says, smiling a little.
"Of course you were, Lucas dear," Em says, moving to give him a hug as well, but abruptly stopping when she sees he isn't alone in his coat. Wide-eyed, she looks at the lump on his chest, then at Dorothy.
"Surprise," Dorothy says with a smile.
Em's hands come up over her mouth and her eyes well up with tears. "Come inside, come inside," she says, her voice shaky as she all but shoves them into the house, eager to get her hands on the new little one.
Lucas sits and Dorothy carefully lifts their daughter out of her sling. "Aunt Em, this is Regan Emilia," she says, softly shushing her squirming daughter before offering her to her aunt.
"Em… Emilia?" Em repeats, looking awed.
"She's named for Lucas' mother and you," Dorothy confirms with a smile. "His mother died when he was a boy," she quietly adds.
Em is entranced with little Regan, but looks up at Lucas and gives him a sympathetic smile before returning her attention to the baby. "She's beautiful," she finally says. "Open your eyes, little one, so I can see you."
"She has Lucas' blue eyes," Dorothy says. "They've stayed blue so far." As far as they have been able to tell, Regan heavily favors her mother, except for her eyes. She has her father's eyes, and they already seem to take in as much as he does.
Em looks up. "That's… amazing. She's going to grow up to be quite striking then, with those heartbreaking eyes he has contrasting with this dark hair." She turns her attention to Regan once more. "You are going to be the most beautiful girl in two worlds, yes you are," she coos. "How old?"
"Two months," Dorothy answers, just as Henry walks in. "Hey," she looks up and greets, grinning as he stands and stares at his wife holding the infant.
"'Hey?' That's all you have to say?" Henry replies, walking forward. He's trying to be gruff, but he can't keep his smile hidden.
"Um, her name is Regan Emilia?" Dorothy tries, grinning at him.
He snorts and walks over to Em. "So I presume this is the reason we haven't seen you in nearly a year?" he asks, scooping Regan out of his wife's arms. He lifts her to his face an inhales deeply. "Oh yeah… that's the stuff," he says with a sigh.
"Baby smell. He's got a weird obsession," Em explains to a confused-looking Lucas.
"Yeah," Dorothy says, chuckling at her uncle. "I didn't want to risk traveling that way while pregnant."
"And even if she had wanted to, I wouldn't have let her," Lucas chimes in.
Henry raises his eyebrow and kisses Regan on the cheek before passing her back to Em. "Right. 'Wouldn't have let her,' he says. As if this one," he nods at Dorothy, "doesn't do exactly as she pleases 150% of the time." He sits on his recliner.
Lucas and Em laugh while Dorothy lightly scowls, trying not to join in. Regan begins fussing, and her face turns dark red.
"Oh, I know what that look means," Em says, passing her to her mother. "Someone is going to be needing a new diaper in about ten seconds."
Dorothy takes Regan and moves to the floor to change her diaper, silently wishing she had access to disposable ones in Oz. Maybe I could bring some back with me… No. It would be too difficult. Plus there's no way Lucas would be able to handle Wal-Mart without killing someone.
"Dorothy, she's just beautiful," Em repeats, looking down at the little one, who finally opens her eyes and looks up at her mother. "Oh… and you're right. She does have Lucas' eyes."
"Will you be… sending her to…" Henry starts, almost afraid to ask. Dorothy has told her aunt and uncle a lot about Oz, including Glinda's "school" for young witches.
"Over my dead body," Dorothy says. "If she does have abilities—"
"Which is likely," Lucas interjects.
"Which is likely," Dorothy repeats with a nod, "She will become my apprentice, and eventually, the next Witch of the East." She sets Regan on her tummy and places a few toys around her, watching over her as she squirms and makes halfhearted attempts to grab things.
"I still can't get used to it," Henry says, shaking his head. "She doesn't like that," he adds, nodding at Regan.
"It's good for her. Strengthens her back," Dorothy says. "How have you guys been?"
"Good. It's still so quiet here," Em answers. "People still ask about you; ask how you like Australia." That was the agreed-upon story: Dorothy went to Australia, fell in love, and decided to stay there.
"I like it just fine, thanks," she answers. "Things have really settled down in Oz, and I'm… I think I'm finally used to being seen as a respected authority figure there."
"Good. Like I said: I always knew you were special," Em replies.
"I can't take it," Henry says, then swoops down and picks up Regan. "Yes, yes, Uncle will rescue you," he says to her, picking up a toy as well before settling back down in his recliner.
"Ridiculous," Em says with an affectionate eye roll.
"Was he like that with me?" Dorothy asks.
"Exactly like that," her aunt answers. "And how are you finding fatherhood?" she asks Lucas.
"It's terrifying, but I wouldn't trade it," he answers.
"He's an amazing father already; don't let his humble manner fool you. He's going to teach her how to defend herself and use a sword once she's big enough, too," Dorothy says.
"Good," Em declares.
"I… I never thought my life would turn out this way," Lucas quietly adds, looking down.
"Me neither, Babe," Dorothy agrees with a chuckle, reaching over to place her hand on his knee.
He places his hand over hers and squeezes it. Then he looks up and snorts a small laugh.
The two women follow his gaze and sees Henry asleep in the recliner, little Regan out cold, a small bundle curled on his chest.
"Oh, I have to get a picture of this," Em says, getting up to go get her phone.
Dorothy looks at Lucas, then lifts up on her knees and kisses him.
"You're sure you don't want to stay?" he asks, reaching up to stroke her cheek. He asks her every time they come back.
"I'm sure. I love my aunt and uncle, but I love you and Regan more. And this isn't home anymore," she answers, then kisses him once more.