A/N: Ok hopefully I didn't torture you guys for too long before getting this one out. Thanks again for all the positive reviews, it's so refreshing to hear that I describe things like labor well, having never been through it myself but desperately trying to place myself in the mindset so I can write it well. Anyway, this chapter is slightly sappy in my opinion and deals with some sensitive issues. I've edited and re-edited it about a million times and I'm finally just forcing myself to post it. So hopefully you'll like it!

Chapter Twenty-One: A Baby Sleeps

"Fiyero, would you like to cut the cord?" Dr Matusoff questioned, unaware of the silent communication happening on the bed. Fiyero ignored him and continued to stare into Elphaba's terrified eyes.

"Fae?" He questioned softly. He noticed suddenly that he could no longer hear the sound of her labored breathing.

Her mouth moved slightly and he could tell she was struggling to speak. He leaned close to her. "Fff-yero," she struggled out.

With that, her eyes suddenly rolled back into her head and her entire body began to twitch and shake forcefully. Fiyero stared down at her, shocked, instinctively trying to hold her down. Dr. Matusoff jumped to his feet quickly, the baby still in his arms.

"Quick, get her on her side and hold her arms down so she doesn't hurt herself," he urgently told Fiyero, who immediately did as told. "Martha, come take the baby. Cut the cord and then tie it off so it doesn't bleed, okay?" Martha rushed over and carefully took the screaming infant from the doctor's arms. Dr. Matusoff then turned his full focus to Elphaba. He moved to her head and pressed his paws forcefully into her jaw so that her mouth reflexively opened.

Fiyero felt terror like he'd never experienced gripping his entire body as he watched Elphaba continue to convulse. He had no idea what was going on and in all the chaos he couldn't find the words to ask. He just held onto her arms with all of his might. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the shaking ceased. Elphaba's limbs, which a moment ago had been completely rigid, went limp in Fiyero's hold. Dr. Matusoff let go of her jaw and leaned in so that his ear was close to her mouth, which was slightly parted.

"Her breathing is shallow. Let's get her sitting a bit more." Fiyero assisted him in rearranging the pillows and moving the head of the bed into a more upright position. He then shifted Elphaba onto her back. Her eyes were shut now and she showed no sign of consciousness.

Dr. Matusoff donned his stethoscope and pressed it to Elphaba's chest, listening. "Her breathing sounds a little better."

Fiyero took a deep breath, his heart still feeling like it was about to explode from his chest. "What the hell was that?"

"She's eclamptic, and that was a grand mal seizure. I'll explain more in a minute, but right now I need to get her started on an IV," he said quickly before he strode off, returning a moment later with an IV kit in hand.

"What are you giving her?" Fiyero questioned anxiously.

"Magnesium sulfate," the doctor replied distractedly as he moved to insert the IV into her arm.

"But I thought you said you couldn't give her any more of that because of her kidneys," Fiyero protested, wide-eyed.

The doctor looked up at him then as he taped the needle to the inside of Elphaba's elbow. "I know this is confusing, but what you need to know is that most women with eclampsia have multiple seizures, which can lead to brain swelling, bleeds, and a number of other complications. Her kidneys are still at risk, but they can potentially recover. If she bleeds into her brain, we'll lose her for certain… I need you to trust me right now, okay?"

Fiyero nodded numbly, unable to utter a response. He watched Dr. Matusoff hook her up to the IV and hang the bag as if he was seeing it from a great distance. His mind was still attempting to process how everything could have suddenly gone so wrong.

"What's going to happen to her?" He heard himself ask, though he couldn't fathom how his brain had conjured the words.

"Like most women after eclamptic seizures, she's fallen into a coma. I'm afraid I can't tell you how long it will last. And until she wakes up, there's no way I can tell if the seizure has caused any damage to her brain. I know it's not what you want to hear right now, but all we can really do is wait and see," the doctor replied sympathetically.

Fiyero desperately wanted to ask if she would be able to pull through this, the words were filling every corner of his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He simply stared down at Elphaba's unconscious form until the silence in the room was nearly deafening.

"I'm going to step out for a bit to examine the baby," Dr. Matusoff said suddenly, causing Fiyero to whirl around. He noticed for the first time that Martha, the baby, and the bassinet were all missing from the room.

"Where did they go?" Fiyero questioned frantically.

"Nowhere far. Martha just took her to another wing to clean her and let her sleep for a while, since it was a little chaotic in here. Would you like me to bring her in after I finish the examination?" He asked.

Fiyero simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak coherently. Dr. Matusoff nodded back and slipped through the curtains. Fiyero instantly turned back to Elphaba, feeling as if everything else was as frozen and still as she. He reached out and gently ran his fingertips down the side of her face, watching carefully to see if it elicited any reaction. When nothing happened, he bent over to gently kiss her forehead.

"Come back to me. Please," he whispered desperately into her ear. "I'm scared."

But wherever she was now, it was clearly going to take more than whispered pleas to bring her back.

Fiyero was still sitting with Elphaba an hour later, watching her chest rise and fall with every breath. Her breathing was starting to sound slightly less shallow and labored, but she still hadn't shown any signs of waking. When he could find his voice, he spoke to her, telling her how much he needed her, begging her to be okay. Mostly, though, he just watched her, his hand always in contact with her hand, her face, her arm, almost as if his touch could anchor her to this world.

When he heard the curtain rustle behind him, he jumped a bit and turned anxiously to see Dr. Matusoff entering with a blanketed bundle in his arms. Fiyero felt his breath catch as he stood and took a step toward the doctor.

"I have someone I'd like you to meet," Dr. Matusoff said quietly. "This is your daughter."

Fiyero instinctively held out his arms and the Goat gently transferred the baby into them. His heart swelled the second he caught a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were closed, tiny rosebud lips slightly parted in sleep. She was absolutely breathtaking and Fiyero couldn't help but notice how right it felt to have her small weight settled in his arms. He felt completely mesmerized, drinking in her every tiny feature. She wore a small knit cap to prevent her from losing necessary heat through her head, but he could see a few raven hairs poking out from underneath. Her nose already looked like a miniature version of Elphaba's. And now that the pink had somewhat faded from her skin, he could see how incredibly fair she was, almost ivory.

"She seems to be perfectly healthy, though just a bit on the small side," the Goat told him as he moved behind Fiyero and toward Elphaba's bed. Fiyero turned and watched him once again press the stethoscope to Elphaba's chest.

"I think her breathing sounds a little better," Fiyero offered hopefully.

"Yes, it does. No changes otherwise it seems." He sighed, clearly hesitant about something. "I need to speak with you about a sensitive issue."

"What?" Fiyero questioned, panicked.

"Well, as I said, there's no telling how long it may be before Miss Elphaba regains consciousness. The baby will soon need to be fed," he hedged cautiously.

Immediately, Fiyero caught onto what the doctor was saying and felt as if a lead weight had settled in his stomach. "You don't have any formula?"

"Miss Elphaba was very clear with me about her intention to breast-feed, so I'm afraid I didn't obtain any," he replied.

Fiyero remembered the discussion they'd had on the subject. Dr. Matusoff had told Elphaba that breast-feeding was important in building up an infant's immune system. Since they were traveling so soon after the baby's arrival, they both knew how vital that was. It had been one of the few easy decisions they'd made over the course of her pregnancy.

"This was important to her. And it's important for the baby, so just tell me what to do and I'll do it," Fiyero told him.

The doctor nodded and quickly demonstrated several different ways to hold the baby to help her nurse and explained the process as best he could. He offered to send Martha in to help, but Fiyero quickly refused. This was something he was determined to do on his own, aware as he was of Elphaba's modesty.

Dr. Matusoff soon left the new family alone and Fiyero settled himself on the edge of Elphaba's bed, the baby still sleeping in his arms. He still found it difficult to take his eyes off of her, except when he looked down at Elphaba's face for comparison. Eventually, he loosened the blanket slightly so that he could free one of her arms. He ran a finger along her tiny hand, watching her fingers tense and relax. Suddenly, her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. He braced himself for cries, but they didn't come. He smiled down at her when her eyes settled on his.

She'd inherited so many things from Elphaba, but he now found himself looking into brown eyes identical to his own. He'd heard that almost all babies had blue eyes at birth, but it hardly surprised him that his daughter, that Elphaba's daughter, would be the exception.

"Hi there," he whispered softly to his daughter as she studied him. "I'm your father. And this," he continued, shifting the baby in his arms so that she faced Elphaba, "is your mother." He brought her back to stare up at him again. "We both love you so much." His voice broke then and he found himself unable to go on. Suddenly, he felt his daughter's little fingers close around his finger, gripping it lightly. He immediately felt some of the tension in his body relax. He could hardly believe that only hours into her life, this little creature was already providing him with comfort. He tried desperately not to cry as he slowly rocked her back to sleep.

After a while, he climbed fully onto the bed next to Elphaba, still cradling the sleeping infant. He leaned over and pressed his lips gently to Elphaba's temple. "You have to wake up, Fae," he whispered into her ear. "You have to wake up and see your daughter. She's so beautiful, just like you. She's not green, though, and I know that will make you happy. She's perfect, Fae, really. I can't wait for you to meet her." He watched her carefully for any sign that she'd heard him, but was unsurprised to receive none.

He sighed, suddenly feeling his own exhaustion beginning to set in. Praying that Elphaba would be back with him by the time he woke, he allowed himself to join his family in slumber.

He woke hours later to the sound of his daughter's cries. He immediately glanced around the room, feeling confused and disoriented. He traced the cries to the bassinet on the other side of the bed and realized that Martha must have brought it back in at some point and settled the baby into it. He rubbed his eyes and quickly rose from the bed to comfort his child. He gently lifted her from the bassinet and cradled her against him, rocking her soothingly. Her cries didn't soften and as consciousness slowly seeped back to him, he abruptly remembered the conversation he'd had earlier with the doctor.

Steeling himself, he made his way back over to the bed and climbed on slowly, trying not to jostle the baby too much. Shifting her into his right arm, he used his left to gently maneuver Elphaba so that her upper body was resting partially on top of him. Taking a deep breath, he moved his hand to the tie on the back of her gown and undid it. Summoning every ounce of strength he had in him, he pushed one side down, exposing her breast. He paused for a moment, half-expecting, wishing even, that she would open her eyes and slap him hard across the face, but she remained still.

"I'm so sorry, Fae," he whispered to her, trying desperately not to feel like he was betraying her trust. He felt a lump rise in his throat as he shifted the baby so that he cradled her head in the palm of his hand and moved her toward Elphaba's chest. It took a minute of maneuvering and gentle encouragement, but he was enormously relieved when the baby caught onto the idea and latched on. She quieted instantly and her still-teary eyes shifted between her mother and father as she fed.

Fiyero suddenly couldn't take it anymore, the wave of emotion he'd been battling all day finally crashing over him. He unabashedly allowed the tears to fall, watching as several of them landed in Elphaba's hair.

"Please, Elphaba," he choked out, "I can't do this alone. I need you so much. Your daughter needs you. She's here with you right now and I don't even think you know it… You have to come back to us."

Fiyero refused to leave Elphaba's side for the next two days. She hadn't shown any signs of improvement or decline and the doctor continued to reiterate that it was simply a waiting game. It was possible that the seizure had caused her brain to swell and she would regain conscious if and when the swelling went down. He assured Fiyero that as long as she was breathing on her own, they knew her brain was still functioning.

The baby had lived in the room with them as well, mostly sleeping in her bassinet. Fiyero was already beginning to figure out which cries meant she wanted to be held and which signified hunger. He continued to help her nurse, though he struggled with it greatly. He could hardly even bring himself to look at his daughter while she fed, not wanting to appreciate those moments when Elphaba couldn't. He did, however, allow the tiny beauty to melt his heart completely every time he rocked her to sleep afterward.

It was on the third day that Dr. Dillamond came for a visit. Fiyero was relieved to see his familiar face as he slipped through the curtains, carrying a rather large book in his paws. Fiyero offered him a small smile from where he sat on the edge of the bed, his daughter slumbering in his arms.

"I thought it was about time I met this little one of yours already," Dr. Dillamond told him lightly.

Fiyero rose from the bed and walked over to where the Goat stood, allowing him to gaze down at the sleeping infant.

"She's beautiful," he said sincerely. "Have you come up with a name yet?"

Fiyero shook his head slowly. "I wanted to wait for Elphaba."

At the mention of her name, they both turned to look at her unconscious figure on the bed. "How's she doing?" Dr. Dillamond asked after a moment.

"I wish I could tell you. There's been no change since the baby was born. Dr. Matusoff keeps saying we just have to wait and see," he replied heavily.

"Not the easiest feat, I'm sure," the Goat remarked knowingly.

Fiyero gave a dry, humorless chuckle. "No, it certainly hasn't been."

"If anyone can pull through this, she can. She's stronger than anyone in this world should need to be."

"I know," Fiyero agreed softly, his gaze shifting back to his daughter. "I just can't stand for her to miss all this."

The Goat glanced down at the book he still held. "Well, I know that you said you wanted to wait, but perhaps this will help you narrow it down at least." He handed the book to Fiyero, who saw that it contained the meanings and origins of names. "I'm sorry I couldn't get it to you sooner."

"Don't be. I know things have been busier without Elphaba's help. I really appreciate you getting it to me," Fiyero told him sincerely.

Dr. Dillamond hesitated for a moment before he spoke. "You know, I don't believe that she would hold it against you if you felt the need to pick a name without her. That beautiful little one deserves a name. Elphaba always knew that this sort of a thing was a possibility and she trusted you to make the right decisions."

Fiyero gave him a surprised look. "She spoke to you about it?"

"Briefly, yes. I think she just wanted to make sure that someone would assist you in the event of her, well, absence." Dr. Dillamond studied Fiyero for a moment. "Speaking of which, when was the last time you got a decent night's rest?"

Fiyero sighed. "I've been trying to nap when the baby does, but I have to be up every few hours to feed her."

"I'm sure Martha would be more than happy to assist you if you'd like a break," the Goat offered.

Fiyero immediately shook his head. "No, it needs to be me."

"Well, then perhaps you can at least take the baby back to your house so you can sleep in a real bed. It's only several tunnels away, you can bring her back here to feed when need be," he suggested sympathetically.

He glanced back at Elphaba's unconscious figure on the bed. "It's hard to leave her."

"I know, but she's in good hands here. You need to care for yourself. Your daughter needs you," the Goat reminded him.

"I'll think about it," Fiyero acquiesced, nodding slowly.

"Good. I've got to be getting to my lessons, but I'll come by again soon. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask," Dr. Dillamond said, placing a reassuring paw on Fiyero's arm.

"I won't. Thank you."

Once Dr. Dillamond had gone, Fiyero perched on the edge of the bed and cracked the book open with his free hand. He glanced through a couple of pages half-heartedly, wondering if anything would jump out at him. He sighed and glanced back uncertainly at Elphaba.

"What would you want me to do, Fae?" He asked softly. "I wish you would just wake up and tell me. I don't know if I can do this by myself."

The sound of his voice seemed to rouse his daughter. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him sleepily. He couldn't help but smile at her as he leaned down to gently kiss her small forehead. She balled her little fists and yawned, the sight nearly melting him.

"You do deserve a name, don't you? It would be nice to have something real to call you." He glanced at Elphaba again briefly. "I hope you don't hate me for this," he whispered.

Decided, he refocused on the book, desperately trying to recall some of the names they'd already discussed and which Elphaba had liked. Remembering that he had brought up the name Keilyn, he flipped through the K's. Keilyn apparently meant "slender one." He looked down at his daughter. She was certainly small and would likely grow to be very slender, like her mother, but he knew Elphaba wouldn't like giving her a name based solely on her physical appearance. He dreaded to think what kind of a name Elphaba could have ended up with if her parents had thought that way.

"No, I don't think that will work for you," he murmured to the baby, who merely blinked back at him. Flipping through a couple of pages, the name Isabella jumped out at him. He looked at its meaning, but found that it was "my God is a vow" and knew that Elphaba would never stand for something so religious.

He closed his eyes briefly, trying to relive that conversation they'd had the night the baby had kept Elphaba up with the hiccups. He remembered suggesting Jessamine, but she hadn't liked it. He knew there were other names that they'd mentioned, but his mind felt so fuzzy from stress and lack of sleep. Finally, a name surfaced: Daveny. He remembered her saying it was unique in a fond way. Quickly, he flipped through the pages to find it.

Daveny meant "a beginning."

He remembered Elphaba saying that she wanted to give the baby a name new to both of them, because it would represent their new beginning, their chance to start over. He couldn't imagine a more perfect significance.

He returned his gaze to the baby, who looked as if she was beginning to drift off again. "Daveny. What do you think of that?"

She cooed up at him and he smiled as he began to gently rock her. Her long, dark eyelashes began to flutter and he felt his breath once again stolen away by how beautiful she was.

"Daveny it is."

A/N: For those of you who are wondering, the name Daveny is pronounced Day-ven-ee. It's something I heard once and it always stuck with me. I also had to fabricate the meaning of it, since there are no definite origins or meanings of the name. But we all have to take some creative liberty sometimes, right? Anyway, I hope you guys liked it, even though it's certainly not the happiest of chapters. Let me know what you thought, ok? Next chapter- some developments in the plans to get to Aquaria and Elphaba's health takes a turn- for the better or worse? Find out soon!