"Captain Cade." An older guard came rushing up to him as soon as he stepped out of the Wizard's study. "Thank goodness you're all right."
"Gerard." Cade returned his greeting. "I..."
"What happened to Miss Breena?" He interrupted as he caught sight of the Wizard's burden. "Is she all right? Do you need me to find someone to carry her for you sir?"
"No." The Wizard tightened his grip on his daughter.
"Is it true?" He quickly switched his attention back to the captain, eyeing his bloody shirt. "Where you shot?"
Cade nodded. "Someone opened fire on us during Glinda's speech."
"Was Miss Breena shot too?"
"No," Addena answered.
"Three guards were killed and Lion and I were shot." Cade explained. "Breena used her powers to heal us and passed out as a result."
"Three men were killed?" Gerard swallowed hard as he tried to process the information. "Is Master Lion all right?"
"He will be but he and Breena need to rest. I want you and your troop to take everyone up to the family wing. Lion, Penny and Mrs Upland are still in the study. Lion is unconscious too so you'll need to get some men to carry him."
"You heard him." Gerard gestured at his men. Several of them responded by going into the study.
"Once they're settled I want you to post guards outside everyone's door and at the top and bottom of each staircase to make sure everyone stays put until things calm down down here." Cade looked at the Wizard. "That includes you sir."
"What?" The Wizard frowned. "But..."
"I need to know you're safe." Cade spoke over him. "It will make my job a lot easier if I'm not worried about something happening to you."
"He's right, Dad." Elphaba spoke up. "Being in a more controlled environment is the best thing for all of us right now."
"All right." The Wizard conceded as he took in the chaos around them. "But I want to be kept up to date."
"Of course." Cade agreed.
"What's going on?" Maeve asked as she and Mason pushed their way through a group of guards. "Sweet Oz, what happened to Breena? Is she all right?"
"She'll be fine." Addena instinctively kept the other woman from getting too close to her lover.
"Get out of my way." Fiyero demanded as he rushed toward them from another direction. He frowned when he got a good look at them. "What happened?"
"Someone shot at us during Glinda's speech." Elphaba fielded his question.
Fiyero glared at Cade. "You let Breena get shot?!"
"Of course not." Cade snapped.
Glinda added, "Actually he and Lion were shot."
"Lion was shot? Where is he?" Fiyero clinched his jaw. "He didn't make it did he?"
"Breena healed them both." Addena answered this time. "Lion is going to be fine."
"How did this happen?" The former scarecrow glared at the Gale Force captain again. "All these guards and you couldn't manage to keep them safe?"
"Fiyero." Elphaba scolded him.
"No, Elphaba. This is getting ridiculous. First Glinda was poisoned and now people are being shot."
"It's not Cade's fault." Glinda defended him.
"Like hell it's not!" Fiyero yelled. "If he knew how to do his job none of this would be happening! He might as well have killed those men himself!"
Maeve looked shocked. "Someone died?"
"Three guards." Fiyero snarled.
"How did you know that?" Mason eyed him suspiciously. "They haven't said anything about anyone dying."
"They did." He gestured toward the guards hurrying around the palace.
Mason furrowed his brow. "So they mentioned guards getting killed but not that Cade and Lion were hurt?"
"It's not like I stopped to get a detailed report!"
"Enough!" The Wizard roared. "At this point I don't give a rat's ass who knows what or how they know it! All I want to do is get my little girl upstairs so she can rest properly! So everyone shut up and get moving!!"
"That's a great idea. Take good care of them Gerard."
The older man bowed at the waist. "I will sir."
"And take those three with you too." Cade nodded toward the newcomers.
Fiyero scowled. "Take us where?"
"Upstairs."
"Maybe I don't want to go upstairs."
"You can either go with the others or you can join our guests in the dungeons." Cade shrugged. "It's up to you."
"What?!" Fiyero bellowed.
Cade sighed. "I don't have time for this."
"Well maybe you should make time so I can kick your..."
"Fiyero!" Elphaba stopped him from making good on his threat. "What's wrong with you?!"
"Me?!" Fiyero pointed at Cade. "He's the one threatening to throw me in a cell!"
"Only because you're acting like an idiot." Addena commented.
Cade switched his attention back to the Wizard. "I'll be up to see you as soon as I know more." He threw a, "Gerard, you have my permission to do whatever is necessary to make him cooperate," over his shoulder as he walked away.
"Don't even think about it!" The Wizard boomed when Fiyero opened his mouth.
"Drop it Yero," Elphaba warned him.
"Whatever." He stormed toward the staircase.
"Not quite the reaction I was looking for but it works." The Wizard started after him.
Everyone else followed his lead, Gerard and his men falling into step around them.
"What's up with Fiyero?" Maeve asked.
"Who knows," Glinda tightened her grip on Elphaba as they climbed the stairs.
"I'm fine Linny."
"I'll be the judge of that."
Maeve frowned at their interaction. "Are you all right Elphaba?"
"She's just a little weak." Glinda answered.
"I'm not weak." Elphaba groused.
"Yes you are. And there's no shame in admitting it." Glinda added before her girlfriend could protest more. "Casting a protection spell and chanting a bullet out of someone would make anyone tired."
Addena looked at them over her shoulder. "She cast a protection spell too?"
Glinda nodded. "Her quick thinking is what kept the rest of us safe."
"Glinda." Elphaba blushed at the praise.
"You chanted a bullet out of someone?" Mason pursed his lips, obviously impressed when Elphaba nodded. "I wish I could have seen that."
"Where were you two anyway?" Glinda asked.
"We figured the pre-appearance get together was just for the family so we grabbed a bite in the kitchen and then took a stroll in the gardens."
"They're amazing." Mason added.
"We hurried back when we heard all the commotion." Maeve continued.
Mason chimed in with, "There were so many guards running around we had a hard time getting in."
Maeve nodded. "Until one of them recognized me as your friend and made sure we got through."
"And now we're here." Mason finished.
A yawned, "Twin speak," could be heard as they reached the landing for the family wing.
"Bree?" Addena gripped her lover's hand.
"I'm all right doc." Breena yawned again.
The Wizard gave her a fond smile. "Hi there."
"Hey." She grinned as her eyes tried to drift shut. "Why are you carrying me? I can," another yawn, "walk you know."
"I don't think so." Addena chided her.
"But..."
"Listen to her, Bree." Elphaba was relieved beyond words to hear her sister's voice.
"Besides, you know I like to finish what I start." The Wizard helped out. "And I've brought you this far."
"If you insist." Breena cuddled closer against his shoulder.
They were interrupted by the slamming of a door.
Glinda chortled. "Fiyero must have found a room he liked."
"I really need to have a talk with that boy."
"That's probably not a bad idea." Elphaba agreed. "But give him a little time to cool off first, Dad. He'll be impossible to talk to right now."
"He's impossible to talk to all the time anymore," Maeve mumbled. "Can we have a room as far away from his as possible please?"
"Aw, what's the matter?" Mason teased. "Do you have a crush on him or something?"
"Shut up."
"You do don't you?"
Maeve elbowed him in the ribs. "I said to shut up!"
"Don't worry, I won't sing, 'Maeve and Fiyero sitting in a tree' or anything." He slung his arm around her shoulders. "But maybe I'm the one who should have a talk with him. You know, get to know my future brother-in-law better."
"Jerk!" Maeve took a swat at him.
Glinda giggled. "It's nice to see you two have reconnected."
Mason grinned. "It's like we were never apart."
"But we were." Maeve pointed at him. "And you still have a lot to make up for."
All signs of levity left Mason's face as he nodded. "I know."
Maeve turned her attention to the Wizard. "Are we going to be staying up here from now on?"
"I think that's safe to assume," the older man answered.
"Then would you mind if a couple of these guys took us back to our old rooms to get our things?"
"Things?" Mason frowned. "I was brought here by Breena with the shirt on my back. I don't have any things to get."
"Consider it part of making up with me." Maeve came him a nudge. "You know you want to keep my company."
"Fine." He sighed.
"Would the two of you mind bringing Penny and Lion's things with you too?" Addena cut in.
Mason shrugged. "Sure."
"You can let your men take them." The Wizard instructed. "Once they're done they can have their pick of empty rooms on this wing."
"Yes sir." Gerard pointed at two of his men.
"Come on." Maeve grabbed her brother's hand before hurrying away.
"Were we ever like that?" Addena asked her sister as she watched them go.
"No." Glinda answered. "We were even cuter."
Elphaba grinned. "You still are."
Glinda gave her a look. "Now I know you need to rest."
"Huh?" Elphaba was clearly confused.
"You only get mushy when you're tired." Breena chimed in.
"That wasn't mushy."
"Oh yes it was." Glinda contradicted her.
Addena waved away her concern. "Don't worry, Bree does the same thing."
"Hey!" Breena yawned.
"I think it's time to get you to bed." The Wizard gave Elphaba a pointed look. "Both of you."
"But I want to go with Bree." Elphaba protested.
"Why, so you can watch me sleep?"
"Yes. No. I mean..." Elphaba frowned. "I want to be sure you're all right."
"I'm fine." Breena spoke through yet another yawn. "You might as well get some sleep Elly. I know that spell you used to take the bullet out of Lion wore you out."
"Not as much as the spell you used to heal him."
"That's really not a spell. Now stop arguing and go to bed."
"All right." Elphaba gave in. "I'll take a nap. But I'm coming to check on you as soon as I wake up."
"Come on, Elphie." Glinda started to guide her away before she had a chance to change her mind.
"Sleep well Bree." Elphaba gripped her sister's hand.
"You too."
The Wizard placed a kiss on Elphaba's cheek. "I'll see you in a little while." He caught the look Glinda gave him. "Or in the morning."
"I don't think I'll sleep that long."
"Yes you will." Glinda disagreed.
"No, I won't." Elphaba argued.
Glinda opened the door to their room. "We'll just see about that."
Breena looked at her girlfriend. "Should you go play referee?"
"No. I'm taking you in our room and get you cleaned up so you can go to sleep."
The Wizard followed Addena into the girls' room. "Will you need help with that?"
"What, cleaning me up or making me fall asleep?"
"There won't be any 'making' you fall asleep." Addena clarified. "And no, I can handle it."
"Yeah. Addy's the only one who gets to see my goodies." Breena gave her lover a mischievous grin.
Addena just shook her head. "I'd say she loses all her inhibitions when she gets tired but she doesn't have any."
The Wizard chuckled as he gently put his daughter on the bed. "Are you sure you won't need any help?"
"She won't give me any trouble, will you Bree?"
"Nope."
"Then I'll leave her in your capable hands." The Wizard leaned over Breena to kiss her forehead. "Sweet dreams."
"Thanks Dad." Breena grinned at him. "And thanks for lugging me up here. If your back hurts tomorrow Addy can give you something for it."
"Are you insinuating that I'm old?"
"Would I do that?"
The Wizard smiled as he straightened up. "Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything." He pulled Addena into a hug. "Either of you."
"We won't." Addena returned the embrace.
He held her close for a moment before letting go. "I'd better let you get to it."
"I'll walk you to the door."
"That's not necessary."
"But..."
"You better hurry before she gets too far gone." The Wizard nodded toward the bed, where Breena had dozed off.
"Bree. Hey." Addena shook her shoulder. "Stay awake for a few more minutes OK?"
Breena mumbled something.
The Wizard took advantage of Addena being distracted to slip out of the room. He didn't envy either of the Upland girls their tasks. Glinda was dealing with a tired and therefore extra stubborn Elphaba and Addena was more than likely going to lose the battle to keep Breena awake long enough to clean her up. He loved his daughters but he was glad he wasn't taking care of them right now.
"Be careful with him."
He looked down the hall when he heard Ginny's voice to see six guards carrying Lion with an ever vigilant Penny following close behind. He started in their direction, wanting to make sure they got settled as well. Maybe then things would get back to a more normal keel.
He didn't know how many more surprises he could take.