For disclaimer and other stuff, see part 1 and thank you for the reviews to Elizabeth, RonWeaslyismiking, LadyRynofSunnydale, greengirl16 and Juelz Rox.

Chapter 19

Under other circumstances, Glinda, Sahar and Liora Tiggular would have been happy to see Elphaba and Fiyero again. But now, with Arwen on her deathbed, there wasn't the time to be happy.

Elphaba hadn't left Arwen's bedside since they had arrived four hours ago. She was too busy praying to every named and unnamed God and Goddess to save her only child and take her instead.

Fiyero stood together with his father in the doorway of Arwen's room and watched his wife.

"It hurt Elphaba deeply that she had to leave our daughter behind, but we had no choice and now when we finally have the chance to see her again, she is more dead then alive."

"I should say that we, your mother and I, are happy to have you back. But given the circumstances-"

"I know," Fiyero sighed.

It pained him to see his wife like this. Elphaba had suffered enough in her life and now she was losing her only daughter, their child. Fiyero never had the chance to get to know Arwen, but he remembered what Elphaba had told him about their child. He also remembered the promise he had once made. A promise he couldn't keep.

Elphaba and Fiyero had finally found a place where they could stay for longer then a couple of days. The constant moving and hiding had taken a toll on both, but for Elphaba, leaving her child behind without a sure chance to ever hold her in her arms again, it was unbearable.

When Fiyero woke up at night and discovered that he was alone again, he knew immediately were his wife was: outside, watching the stars. And he was right.

"You thinking about Arwen again, aren't you?" he asked as he approached her.

"Every second of the day. It hurts, Yero. It hurts thinking about her and not knowing if I'll ever get the chance to see her again."

Fiyero took his wife in his arms.

"See the stars up there?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes."

"Arwen see the same stars. And now, as I'm sitting here, gazing at the stars, I feel like I am near her. It's as if she isn't far away, in the Emerald City, but next to me. I hope that she never forgets me."

"She is safe where she is now. I am sure Glinda will tell her all the wonderful stories about us. Maybe she tells her about your dance at the Ozdust."

The memory of this day brought a smile to Elphaba's face.

Fiyero entered the room and walked towards his wife.

"Fae, you should get some sleep."

"I want to be here when she wakes up."

Fiyero knew that the chances of Arwen ever waking up were slim. And even if she did wake up, it would only be long enough to say goodbye. If some kind of miracle didn't take place soon, his daughter would die because of her internal injuries.

"Please, Fae, get some rest. If not for me, then do it for Arwen. You could sleep in the armchair by the fire and I will stay here by Arwen's side."

"If I fall asleep and she wakes up, you have to promise me that you will wake me."

"Promise."

Reluctantly, Elphaba stood up from her place by her daughter's side. Fiyero followed his wife over to the fireplace, where he gently guided her to an armchair. After he had made sure that she was comfortable, Fiyero returned to his daughter's side. She looked fragile as she lay there in the bed.

She reminded him a lot of the woman who sat not far away from him. Except for the skin, Arwen was the spitting image of her mother.

Fiyero started talking to his daughter in a low voice, telling her about the things he had always wanted to tell her. "I met your mother when we had been students at Shiz. She was an outcast. People hated her. They shunned her for her skin colour. I wasn't better then them though. I was like them too until I saw past the green of her skin. I learned that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. And to me, your mother is the most beautiful woman I've ever met, even thought she sometimes doesn't believe me. Arwen, I hope you wake up, just once, so your mother has a chance to say goodbye to you. She deserves the chance to say goodbye."

His beautiful Fae, who had been hurt endless times in her life, who had finally gotten the happiness she deserved when they had admitted their feelings for each other, was about to loose their only child.

That was when Fiyero started to get lost in thoughts of what once had been.

Elphaba was silent for a moment. He could tell she was wondering if he would understand. He knew people had always hurt her one way or another: her father, Avaric, Nessa, Madame Morrible. Why should he be any different?

It was almost as if he could see the millions of thoughts and memories that were running through her head.

"I never met anyone who loved the real me," Elphaba finally said.

"Fae, I-" he started but stopped before he could continue, he was unsure what to say.

Elphaba's life was a mess. As far as Fiyero could tell, it had all gone wrong. She wanted a perfect life, someone who loved her for who she was, fighting for Animal rights, just like any woman deserved, and now she had nothing. Now even Fiyero didn't know what to say.

"Elphaba, I am not like any other man. I care a lot about you. You are the most important person to me. My feelings for you run so deep. So deep that I love you," he told her. He was sure she thought he didn't mean it, so he did the only thing he could do: he pulled her into a deep embrace. When he released her, he leaned down and kissed her for all she was worth. Not a trifling little kiss, but a deep one, full of passion and desire.

Elphaba smiled at him. "I love you too."

A sound interrupted his train of thoughts. At first he thought that some kind of miracle had happened and his daughter was awake. But then he registered the sound. It was someone was crying. It took him only a few seconds to realize that Elphaba was still awake where he had left her, in the armchair with a blanket thrown over her body.

He quietly stood up and walked towards her. She lay there, crying and shaking violently. And he didn't have a clue as to what he could possibly do. There were no words to ease her pain.

"Elphaba," he whispered, "Fae, please…"

"Just leave me alone," she sobbed, her face hidden beneath her hands.

He hesitated for a minute before reaching out and tentatively touching her arm. She didn't seem to notice. His hand moved further upwards, until it was resting on her shoulder.

"Fae," he whispered again, "please."

"What do you want me to do?" she snapped. "Go ahead and pretend nothing has happened? That is my baby girl in the bed, dying. I made a promise to protect her, to keep her safe. I failed her, Yero. I failed our daughter and broke my promise. I couldn't keep her safe."

He had never seen her this way.

"I know," he said very softly. "But I can't stand seeing you cry your eyes out."

"Oh Fiyero –" she broke into tears again, and before he could do anything to stop her, she slipped off the chair, onto the floor next to him, and threw her arms around him. He stroked her back while she cried. After a short while, she withdrew from him and looked at him with wet eyes.