AN. I loved all of your reviews, they were highly entertaining. Everyone who was surprised by the pregnancy: you do remember I mentioned they had a daughter in the prologue, right?

This chapter is dedicated to my friends N and R, who have just welcomed their second child.

Chapter 24

At first it was just a whiff, and I thought it was just my imagination. And then there it was again, just for a moment.

I backed away from the door uncertainly. The pregnancy books I'd been reading had said that it wasn't uncommon for women to smell things that weren't there. Maybe I was being paranoid.

And then I saw it, slowly curling under the door and I knew that I wasn't imagining it. Feeling a wave of panic, I grabbed for the door handle again, frantically shaking it.

"Madame Morrible?" I called desperately. "Madame, please! Open the door!"

There was no response.

I whirled around, scanning the room in a panic, wondering if I could use something to get the door open.

How did you open a locked door from the inside? I tried to think of anything I might have read that could help, but my rising panic kept me from thinking clearly. I couldn't think of anything. My mind was completely blank, and all I could think was that I had to get out of the room.

As the smoke began to curl thicker under the door, I backed away and dashed across to the window, praying that Madame Morrible hadn't locked the window. Thankfully, she hadn't and I threw it open, breathing in the cool fresh air.

It seemed to clear my mind and I forced myself to relax, to think.

Taking slow, deep breaths, I looked down carefully. There was a trellis that climbed up the wall. Would it hold my weight? I was torn. Shakily, I pressed a hand almost unconsciously to my stomach, just beginning to curve in a way that really wasn't noticeable at all, unless you knew to look for it.

All I could think was that if I tried to climb out the window and down the trellis to safety, I risked falling and losing the baby. And the idea terrified me more than anything else. But if I stayed in this room, I'd die. And the baby would die too.

I didn't know exactly how big the fire was. Was it noticeable? And if the staff or Fiyero or someone in the village noticed the smoke or flames, how long before they got here? And how would they know where to find me?

I climbed up on the window sill, looking down into the darkness below. Once again, I flashed back to Madame Morrible, telling me to jump out this window. I looked straight down, to where the trellis began, a short distance down from the wall. Could I reach down that far to get a foothold?

I reached out a foot and then quickly swung it back in, backing away from the window as a wave of dizziness overtook me. I couldn't risk it. I'd have to find a way to get the door open.

I coughed for the first time as more smoke filled the room. Hurrying over to the dressing table, I rummaged around, disrupting the perfect order Madame Morrible had left them in since the day Sarima had died. Pulling open a drawer so quickly it almost fell out, I let out an instinctive cry of relieve as I found a small collection of hairpins.

They'd work, right? It always did in the books, anyway. I grabbed a few and hurried back to the door, hardly daring to breathe. How much smoke was it safe to breathe in before it hurt the baby?

Of course, it only occurred to me as I knelt down before the keyhole that I wasn't exactly sure how I was supposed to use the hairpin to open the door. As far as I remembered reading, the hero or heroine always just had the pin, and the next moment, the door had clicked open. There wasn't much instruction in between.

Biting my lip apprehensively, I selected a hairpin and wiggled it in the lock. Something clicked, and as my heart leapt, I tried to open the door. Nothing. Still locked.

I sat by the door, defeated, when I heard a shout from outside. Getting up and hurrying to the window, I could just make out a small crowd of people gathering out the front of the house. I was too far away to be able to make out any faces, and I was at too odd an angle to draw attention to myself.

Coughing again through the smoke, I sank helplessly onto the window sill. Was this it? I was going to die, burned alive, trapped in Sarima's bedroom.

I don't exactly remember what clicked in my mind. All I remember was that I had a thought or a feeling or something; and I knew I couldn't give up. If I had to find a way to break the door down, it was not going to end this way. It couldn't.

My eyes beginning to sting slightly, I grabbed another hairpin and resolutely knelt down before the keyhole once more. As I did, I noted the door felt warm. Hardly daring to breathe, I moved the hairpin for several tense moments, hoping I was doing the right thing. And then at last, I heard a very definitive click.

Hands shaking, I reached up and twisted the knob. And it turned.

I could have cried with relief, but I knew it wasn't that easy. As I stepped into the hall, for the first time I could see the flames. The smoke was thicker out here, and the flames were licking away at the walls.

I hesitated, holding my sleeve over my nose and mouth to hopefully keep some of the smoke out. I had to think. Where would Madame Morrible have started the fire from? Because I had retained enough rational thought to know that whichever point she had started from; my best chance to get out of the house involved going in the opposite direction.

Taking a chance, I turned to the left and took off at a run, heading for the back stairs- the servants stairs. There were still flames and smoke here, and I wasn't sure if the initial fire had spread or if she had started more than one fire.

I stumbled along hallways and down stairs, trying to find a way out of the house. I could see the house burning around me.

Finally, I made it to the back stone staircase used by the servants. There was smoke here, thick plumes of smoke, but no flames although the heat was intense. I made it downstairs, but found my way to the kitchens and the back door blocked by a fallen beam. Likewise, my way towards the foyer and the front door was blocked by fierce flames and intense heat.

For a moment, I thought that was it. There was no way out.

And then seeing a break in the flames, I dashed into the smallest parlour, where the piano was. The room was smoky and there were some flames, but there was a clear path to the window. I threw it open. It stuck at first and I had to push at it, almost breaking it until it flew open. And then I climbed out, landing in the lilac bushes under the window.

Coughing frantically as my lungs were overwhelmed in clean air as smoke lingered on my skin, clothes and hair; I took off at a run for the front of the house. My only goal now was to find Fiyero.

The crowd was bigger than I had seen out the window. I half recognised villagers and tenants.

"Mrs Tiggular!"

I turned with a start and found myself face to face with Aina, who looked relieved to see me.

"Aina, where's Mr Tiggular?" I asked her, my voice hoarse.

She pointed. "I last saw him over in that direction, ma'am."

I thanked her and dashed off, pushing past people without really seeing them. All I wanted was to see Fiyero's face. And then I saw Avaric.

"Avaric!"

"Elphaba!" he hugged me tightly.

"Where's Fiyero?" I demanded.

Avaric's face was anxious. "He- he went in to find you."

I swear my heart stopped. "W-What?" I asked faintly.

He nodded. "We tried to stop him… the flames are through the whole house. How did you get out?"

I couldn't explain, all I could do was stare at the flame- engulfed house, wondering where my husband was. The fire was much bigger than I would have thought, and as Avaric had said, all through the house.

"Chistery!" I gasped, thinking of the little dog.

"We found him, he's with Zeldha," Avaric reassured me. "Elphaba-"

I left him and moved towards the house. Fiyero had gone in to find me. Where was he? Had he gotten out?

I heard Avaric calling me, but I ignored him.

Then abruptly, a large crash sounded and several people screamed, myself among them. I looked up and saw part of the roof of the east wing had collapsed. My knees started to give out as I realised what part of the east wing that was- the part with Sarima's bedroom. Where I had been just what only felt like a few seconds ago.

Strong arms caught me, and for a hopeful moment I thought it was Fiyero, but no. It was Avaric.

"Where is he?" I whispered.

"I'm sure he got out," Avaric reassured me, although he didn't sound at all convincing or reassuring.

We both stood and watched Kiamo Ko burn.

I felt as though I couldn't breathe. Avaric said something, but I wasn't really hearing anything that was said. Finally, he just began to gently drag me away.

And then I saw a figure, kneeling on the ground and staring up at the house. I could only see the back of him, but I began to move towards him instinctively. There were two other people with him, saying something. One noted me moving towards him and said something and the figure turned hastily.

A high jumping flame threw his profile into light and I saw his face. It was Fiyero.

For half a second, we stared at each other. And then his whole body seemed to sag with relief and I burst into tears. And then he leapt up and closed the distance between us, drawing me into his arms and held me tightly as he buried his face in my neck.

"Thank Oz. Thank Oz," he murmured, as I clung to him desperately.

Avaric caught up to me, looking just as relieved.

"Fiyero, thank Oz."

The man that had been talking to Fiyero came over, and I realised it was Daan.

"Let's get you two over to our place. The doctor can check you both over, and make sure you're ok."

"The house… the staff…" I croaked, shivering, as Fiyero pulled away slightly, nodding to Daan and beginning to lead me away.

"The staff are fine, anyone that was home got out," Fiyero told me quietly.

I tensed, looking around. "Madame Morrible?"

His grip tightened on me. "I'll explain once we're at Croome Gal," he said tightly. "The house… there's nothing we can do about that."

When we got to Croome Gal, Lina waiting anxiously, she ushered us into the drawing room and gave us water. Not long after, the doctor arrived after Avaric summoned him, and the authorities arrived a moment later.

As Fiyero watched fretfully, the doctor proclaimed myself and the baby to both be safe and healthy; although he admitted we couldn't know for sure about the baby until it was born. I had inhaled some smoke, but the doctor reassured us both I'd be fine in a few days.

Then, with Avaric, Lina and Daan in the room, the police asked me what had happened. I told him everything I knew which wasn't much. I had seen a light in the bedroom, gone up to turn it on and Madame Morrible had locked me in. That led to more questions about Madame Morrible's past actions and I reluctantly told them about everything had happened since I'd arrived at Kiamo Ko. That included our first encounter in Sarima's bedroom and exactly what had transpired there, and Fiyero was outraged.

"Mr Tiggular? Do you have anything to add?" the policeman asked him.

Fiyero had a death grip on my hand. "When Avaric and I arrived, the house was in flames. I went inside to try and find Elphaba… Madame Morrible was standing at the top of the stairs, very calmly. She was just watching it all. I asked her where Elphaba was."

He glanced at me, looking pained. "She said that you were gone. That's all she said. By that point, it seemed obvious she'd started the fire and I asked why. She said it was because… this was my punishment. She said I'd killed Sarima and I'd dishonoured her memory and this was my punishment. She was going to take away everything I loved and make me watch as I lost it all."

Daan frowned. "What did she mean, 'you killed Sarima'? She was ill."

Fiyero nodded. He look reluctant, but then continued. "Madame Morrible recently discoverated that… Sarima and I were unhappy for the majority of our marriage. Very unhappy," he admitted. "Before this, she resented Elphaba for… replacing Sarima, I suppose. And then to find out the truth… I think she resented our happiness."

"I think me getting pregnant was the last straw," I added with a faint smile and Lina gasped.

"Elphaba! You're pregnant?!"

It took me a moment to remember that I hadn't gotten a chance to tell Lina and Milla yet. I nodded shyly and she beamed at me.

"That's so thrillifying! Congratulotions," she said softly and I smiled slightly in thanks.

Fiyero continued his tale. "She disappeared and I went to follow, thinking she'd lead me to you," he said, talking more to me than the others. "Then the stairs collapsed, and I couldn't get through. I- I thought that was it," he said, looking broken.

"I thought I'd lost you."

I squeezed his hand tightly, a huge lump in my throat.

"Elphaba, how did you get out?" Avaric finally asked me.

My throat hoarse, I told how I'd managed to get out.

"So… Madame Morrible… she's still in the house?" I asked finally into the silence that followed.

No one seemed to want to say it.

"I would think so, unless she managed to find a way out similar to you," the policeman finally replied.

Despite how I felt about Madame Morrible, I cringed. It seemed an awful way to die… for anyone.

When the authorities had everything they needed and he and the doctor had both left, Lina showed us to a guest room. They gave us clothes to borrow, and after a quick wash to try and get rid of as much smoke smell as possible, Fiyero and I crawled into bed.

"Where will the staff go?" I asked softly into the darkness of the room. "What happens now?"

Fiyero held me close. "The staff are fine. They'll be put up in the village or with tenants for now, you'll see. We'll worry about everything tomorrow, ok? Just try and get some sleep, sweetheart."

I nodded numbly.

"I'm so glad I didn't lose you," he whispered.

"I love you."

It was all I could say right now.

Finally, we managed to get some sleep. When we got up the next morning, smoke still hung heavily in the air.

We were having breakfast with Lina, Daan and the children when the policeman from the night before was announced. Daan told us to use the drawing room again, and after thanking him sincerely, we retreated.

The man looked solemn. "Mr and Mrs Tiggular, I'm sorry to tell you that they couldn't save Kiamo Ko. The house was beyond repair and what is still standing… it will take a lot of time and money to repair and make it structurally sound again."

Fiyero didn't look surprised, but I felt like I'd been hit over the head. That beautiful house, gone. A shell. Along with everything we owned.

The policeman cleared his throat. "They also found the body of Madame Minali Morrible inside. It doesn't look as though she even attempted to get out of the house."

Fiyero and I exchanged a look, and then Fiyero thanked him and showed him out. When he returned, I was sitting on the loveseat quietly.

"I'm sorry," I said as he sat beside me.

Fiyero looked surprised. "What in Oz's name for?"

"That the house is gone. Your family's home… all your things…"

He gave an odd laugh. "Elphaba, darling… I couldn't care less about things," he told me. "The house… it's sad," he admitted. "But all the stuff… as long as you and the baby are safe, I don't need anything."

Silence fell between us. Finally, he spoke the question I'd asked the night before.

"What happens now?"

I still had no clue.