Disclaimer, you know.

When alex was finally discharged from the hospital he was given a set of crutches to use to help him walk while he still had the blister on his leg. As he left the hospital he was immediately blinded by a bolt of lightning. As he got to his father's truck and they drove off, he kept silent, that was until his dad began to slow down, looking out the window, counting down houses as if looking for a specific one. He finally stopped in front of a house that alex didn't recognize.

"This place, I've only ever brought you here once." Mr. Teak said taking a map from the dashboard and opening it.

"Been a while since you've been in the area then?" Alex asked curiously.

"years, you weren't more than three months old, it was a rainy afternoon like this one." Mr. Teak said.

"Well, where are we?" Alex asked.

"This is the house that was once owned by Frank and Madeline gale, The Johnson's, are visiting with your mother and sister, waiting for us, but I'd figure that I'd bring you by while we were in the area." Mr. Teak said folding up the map again.

"Ugh, you know how much my cousin Eliza likes to tease me." Alex said.

"And I liked to tease my cousin Barbara when we were your age, my father, he always hated it, family gatherings always ended with us arguing." He replied.

"The way you talk about him, I don't think I would have liked him." Alex said.

"I still don't like him, to him, I was a failure of a son, only worthy of the teak name because I was good at our craft." Mr. Teak said sighing.

Alex sighed and looked at the house, it was definitely well taken care of. He knew he would have to bring dorothy here, whether she wanted to or not. But he would have to do it little steps at a time.

"Son, there are plenty of things about our childhood that your mother and I don't tell you, and some things you have learned as the years have gone by, like the fact that Dorothy's father and I were once in business together." Mr. Teak said starting to drive again.

"Yes, dorothy told me about that once, said her father apparently wasn't into big business." Alex replied.

"yes, well, I should tell you, dorothy technically owns a share in my business, since her father never sold it, or got the chance to." Mr. Teak said sighing.

"Dad, pull over, I want to talk, I don't want you to be distracted." Alex said sternly.

Immediately his father pulled up alongside a field and stopped the car, turning on the headlights.

"What is it son?" his father asked.

"I want to know, a little about Dorothy's father, whatever you care to tell." Alex said.

"you've never express such interest before." Mr. Teak replied.

"well call me curious." Alex said.

Mr. teak snorted and chuckled.

"You'll learn a lot more in due time, as much as it pains me to say it, though dorothy looks like her mother, a lot like her, she has her father's spirit, never give up, never give in, and if you make a mistake, always try to make amends." He said.

"Dorothy's father said that?" Alex asked quite surprised.

"Several times, and to no one more than me." He replied.

"And you…" Alex said trailing off.

"Made a lot of mistakes, and I have made history repeat itself, turning into my father, driving my own son away, I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did, and dorothy was the best thing that ever came into your life, our lives, through her, the kindness Madeline Gale showed me, and the spirit Frank Gale showed, will always live on, they may be gone, but their memory will live on." Mr. Teak said.

"Frank and Madeline Gale, may their memory live on and again." Alex said recounting words that were written on their gravestone.

"Those were words that we all came up with, Myself, your mother, Mr. and Mrs. Gale, your aunts and uncles, we wanted something that was short and simple." He replied.

"I think it's sweet." Alex said.

"Well, let's not dwell on the past for much longer, your mother will get anxious if were not home by the time the hours' up." Mr. teak said immediately changing tone to one of serious and stern.

Alex sighed and nodded, his father, he knew, still didn't trust him completely, but dorothy was right, these things were bringing them closer. Now he was thinking about dorothy, he had to bring her back to her family home as some point, he had to plan ahead first, small steps.

Meanwhile in Oz.

Madeline had left dorothy alone in the chambers, sat her down on the throne with a cup of tea. But dorothy hadn't touched it for hours and now it was cold. She couldn't help worry about alex. When Glinda finally returned she immediately got up and ran to her.

"Please tell me you have some good news." Dorothy said with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"He's fine, a bit burned in places and a bit shaken, but he'll be fine." Glinda said placing a hand under Dorothy's chin

Dorothy sighed in relief and Ozma finally entered the chambers followed by Madeline. Dorothy immediately hugged the two of them tightly.

"I told you it would be fine." Madeline said.

"Maddie, do me a favor." Dorothy said.

"yes your majesty?" Madeline asked.

Dorothy grumbled causing Ozma and Glinda to laugh.

"Dorothy, I know you hate it, but you're going to have to get used to it." Ozma said walking over to her throne and sitting down.

"Maddie, do you still have that collar, the one that turned me into a kitten?" Dorothy asked.

"Yes, but you're not suggesting?" Madeline asked.

"I am, I want to be a kitten again." Dorothy said.

"Why?" Ozma asked curiously.

"because, it's been easier for me to relax when I'm a kitten, small, easy to hide, can just curl up into a ball and relax." Dorothy said.

"Dorothy, I don't want you getting into the habit of becoming an animal, it's not healthy." Glinda said sighing.

"Glinda, I promise I won't make a habit of it." Dorothy replied.

"You'd better keep her in check Madeline." Glinda said.

"Yes ma'am." Madeline said leaving the chambers.

"I think you would make a rather cute kitten." Ozma said smiling.

"thanks, I guess you haven't seen me as a kitten yet then?" Dorothy asked.

"No, but I've been told it happens often." Ozma said vanishing the cup of tea on the arm of the throne.

Dorothy smiled and a minute later Madeline was back. Followed by Morris, her servant, Wendell, her other servant who was once a white rabbit, and Jack.

"Here's the collar, are you sure? You won't be able to turn back unless one of us takes the collar off of you." Madeline replied.

Dorothy nodded and took the collar from Madeline. Putting it around her neck and fastening it at the back, she immediately felt herself begin to change. She knew she was getting smaller, and her clothes were becoming fur, and within moments she was standing on all fours. Looking at herself in the emerald floor of the chambers she saw a blue and white kitten staring back at her. she then found herself being picked up by Glinda.

"Better?" Glinda asked carrying her over to the throne.

"Yes." Dorothy squeaked

"Awe, it's so cute, who's a cute kitty? Who's a cute kitty? You are!" Ozma said in a childish tone.

"Ozma?" Dorothy asked.

"Sorry, I lost myself there for a second." Ozma said looking ashamed.

Dorothy batted at Glinda's hand. She smiled and set dorothy down on the throne that had been made specifically for her. dorothy immediately jumped onto Ozma's lap.

"It's alright Ozma, I don't mind." Dorothy said.

Ozma chuckled and scratched dorothy behind the ear. Dorothy purred and pushed into Ozma's hand. She had to admit that she was rather enjoying this.

"Oh yes, that's the spot, right there." Dorothy said.

"dorothy, like I said, don't make a habit out of this." Glinda said.

"yes Glinda." Dorothy replied.

"Glinda, let her have her fun, it helps her relax, like going to the clearing, or swimming." Madeline said.

"Did someone mention dorothy?" Scarecrow asked poking his head into the chambers.

"yes sir, right on Ozma's lap, once again, a kitten, this time by choice, and with Madeline's help." Glinda said.

"I see, Hello dorothy, would love to stick around and chat, but me, tin man, and lion are currently building a really important project of mine." Scarecrow said.

"You're still fiddling with that machine?" Madeline asked.

"what are they building now?" dorothy asked curiously.

"A machine, that can project images of the night sky so they can look at the stars when they want to." Madeline replied.

"Don't break anything." Dorothy said.

Scarecrow chuckled and quickly vanished. Dorothy let out a meow and then curled up on Ozma's lap.

"Dorothy, I know you don't like talking about this subject, but how much do you remember about your parents?" Ozma asked curiously.

Dorothy immediately turned her head to look up at Ozma. She had a really curious look in her eyes. But it was a look that dorothy couldn't deny answers to.

"I try not to dwell on the past, because it hurts too much, but I remember a lot about them, their voices, their tones, I could go on, but…" Dorothy said trailing off before curling into a ball.

"I'm sorry if I made you upset." Ozma said sighing.

"it's all right Ozma, she still has a hard time coming to terms with the fact that there will always be at least one person who asks." Madeline said.

"thank you, Maddie." Dorothy said.

"don't mention it." Madeline replied.

"hey boss, don't you have some hats to work on?" Wendell asked curiously.

"yes, I have a hat for a Miss Jinjur to work on, she has a farm a few miles outside the city." Madeline said.

"ah, Jinjur, I've heard that her little farm is actually doing well, and she's found a man to settle down with." Ozma said.

Dorothy tried to listen to the ongoing conversation but found herself dozing, and soon, she was asleep again.

When will alex and dorothy be reunited? Will Eliza be sticking around again for a while? Will dorothy ever come to terms with her parent's death? Will alex ever manage to convince dorothy to return to her childhood home? Read on to find out.