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

There will be only 2 more chapters and an epilogue but I am already writing the sequel to Fairytale gone bad.

Chapter 23

While Taye was inside Arwen's bedroom talking to her, the people waiting in the hallway-Elphaba, Fiyero, Glinda, King Sahar, Queen Liora, Taye's parents and various servants-had a moment to compose themselves. No one was afraid of Elphaba being there. Yes, she was the most feared person throughout OZ, but most people in the Vinkus hadn't believed the nonsense the Wizard and Madame Morrible had been spreading about her anyway.

Finally they had a moment together and they-Glinda, Sahar and Liora-could finally ask the questions they had wanted to ask since Elphaba and Fiyero had arrived at Erised Emoh. They all wanted to know how Fiyero and Elphaba were living. They wanted to know where they were hiding and why they were only returning now.

"Why?" Glinda voiced the question out loud.

"What do you mean, Glinda?" Fiyero asked.

"Why are you back? Not that I am not happy to see you again, but both of you were presumed dead for more then 20 years. I watched you dying nailed to the pole, Fiyero. I heard your final scream after Dorothy dosed you with a bucket of water, Elphaba. I mourned my friends for this long and now the two of you suddenly appear."

Fiyero tightened his hold on his wife. What should they say? He didn't even know why they were back. Elphaba had suddenly wanted to return. Of course, he now assumed that she had felt that their daughter needed them. A mother always felt it when her child was in danger. It was a special bond between mother and child.

"I am sorry," Elphaba whispered.

"You should be!" Glinda was getting angry.

Fiyero could understand Glinda's reaction. He would be angry too if the roles were reserved.

"I did the only thing I could to keep everyone safe. What do you think would have happened if the Ozians learned that Glinda the Good was the best friend of the Wicked Witch?"

"I am still your best friend."

"After everything I did? You just said it. We left without giving any hint that we were alive and now, out of the blue we return. Yes, we had our reasons not to come back until now, and believe me, if it weren't for Arwen being near death, I, no, we wouldn't be back. It's still much too dangerous for us to return."

Elphaba leaned her head back, letting it rest against Fiyero's shoulder. She needed to be close to him.

Only in his arms did she feel the safety and love she had always craved. Thankfully, Fiyero was more then willing to give her exactly what she wanted and needed. He would give her the moon if she asked for it.

"Glinda, don't hold the fact that we faked our deaths against us. We did it, because we love you, all of you. We had no other choice. And it was my idea to fake Elphaba's death and leaving everyone behind. Don't you think it didn't pain me to see my wife suffering? There were moments when we longed to be home, to be with the family and friends we left behind. But we were never given the chance to return until now. Believe me, if never returning home would have meant that our daughter would still have the chance to survive, we would gladly stayed hidden until our dying days, but this is not something we can choose. Fate has thrust the pending death of our child upon us and we only have the chance to say goodbye," Fiyero told them.

Everyone in the hallway looked up as the door suddenly swung open and Taye practically ran out of the room. He had been ready to search the whole castle for Arwen's parents and was surprised to find them just outside.

"You have to come now! It's Arwen."

Elphaba took one step backwards, grabbing her husband's hand for support. She knew what this meant. She had the feeling that something was very wrong.

"I can't," she whispered.

Everyone knew that it was time to say goodbye. One by one they entered the room to do just that.