AN: EEP my battery is running low and my charger is downstairs so a quick update!

Only one more chapter to go after this!


Chapter 29.

Elphaba's recovery was long and slow – much too slow, for her own liking – but every day, she was allowed to do a little bit more and she felt a little bit stronger. Fiyero and Glinda took turns keeping her occupied, talking to her and playing games with her in order to keep her mind off the fact that she was cooped up in a room and not allowed outside. Fiyero fed her, too, in the beginning, which she hated. She was immensely grateful when she was finally allowed to carefully sit up a little and eat by herself.

She and Fiyero also talked a lot. He wouldn't stop apologising to her for not remembering who she was before, no matter how many times Elphaba waved him off. She told him time after time that it hadn't been his fault, but Morrible's; but he wouldn't listen to her. Not until she finally snapped at him.

"Stop this, Fiyero!" she cried, slamming her hands down onto the sheets – an action she instantly regretted when she felt the stab of pain in her upper back, where her wound was, but she did not flinch. "I can't deal with this right now, okay? Dawyn is dead, I thought you had died and then found you under a spell, and then I almost died myself – not to mention the fact that we killed the Wizard and Morrible and lost so many Animals while doing so… it's almost like a full-blown war. So much has happened, so many things for me to deal with, and I can't take your guilt on top of that. I can't. And I know that's selfish of me –"

"It's not," Fiyero cut her off quietly, taking her hand and entwining his fingers with hers. "I understand, sweetheart. I'm sorry."

She glared at him. "Stop apologising. If I hear one more 'sorry' from your lips, I'm going to hex you."

He laughed softly. "I don't think you're in any condition to hex me right now, Fae."

Her glare did not waver. "Watch me."

His laughter died in his throat when he saw the look in her eyes. He suddenly wasn't so sure anymore.

She just smirked and carefully lay back down on her side. Fiyero helped her and then started running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to lull her to sleep.

She was fighting to stay awake, he could tell, despite Doctor Dillamond's warnings; and so he decided to distract her.

"When I was… under Morrible's spell," he said, shifting a little, "Glinda tried to remind me of all the things that happened between the two of us."

She looked up at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

He grinned. "Do you remember your twenty-second birthday?"

She immediately scowled. "You were such a prick back then," she exclaimed.

He laughed. "You hated your birthday."

"I still do."

"And I decided to make it the most happy day of your life."

"A very stupid idea, really."

"So I entered the classroom that day, all confident and excited, carrying the hugest gift ever, and I made everyone sing 'Happy Birthday' to you."

She laughed softly. "It was horrible. I still can't believe you did that. Did you know me at all back then?"

"We had only been together for a few weeks," he protested. "I know we were friends before, but I didn't know you that well… I just figured that you hated your birthday and you spent most of your life being lonely, not having any friends and with a family that could not exactly be called warm… so I wanted to make that day special for you."

"And so you had the whole class sing for me and kissed me in front of all of them," she concluded dryly.

He grimaced. "In hindsight, it might not have been one of my better ideas." It was true what Glinda had told him – Elphaba hadn't spoken to him again the rest of the day. "You did forgive me, though."

"Only because that huge gift you dragged into the classroom turned out to be a collection of rare books."

"And do you remember our one-month anniversary?"

He talked to her about other memories, too, until her eyelids started drooping and she finally stopped fighting sleep.

"Yero?"

He stroked her hair. "Yeah?"

Her eyes half-opened. "I didn't hate my twenty-second birthday," she mumbled. "I just… couldn't believe anyone would do that for me. I thought you had some ulterior motive. But… I think that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."

He smiled and kissed her softly. "I love you, Fae."

"Mm," she murmured, already half asleep. "Love you, too."

It was about an hour later that Glinda poked her head around the door. "Fiyero?" she whispered.

He looked up from where he had been staring at Elphaba's face and blinked a few times. "Yeah?"

She hesitated. "You, um… you have… visitors."

Fiyero frowned. "What?"

Before he could say anything else, however, someone pushed past her and into the room. Fiyero's eyes widened when he saw who it was.

"Dad?!"

"Fiyero," King Hamold began loudly, "what in the name of Oz –"

"Shh!" Fiyero hissed. Upon seeing his father's confused look, he indicated the sleeping witch in the bed beside him. "If you wake her, I'll kill you."

Hamold frowned. "But…"

"Fiyero?" Lori entered, her entire face filling with relief when she saw him. "Sweet Oz, Fiyero, we were so worried." She glanced over at Elphaba. "Is she alright?"

Fiyero nodded. "She will be."

"Good." Lori smiled and moved over to hug her son. "It's good to see you back, Fiyero." She reached out to gently smooth some hair away from Elphaba's face, looking at the green girl sympathetically. "What happened?"

Fiyero took his parents outside, asking Glinda to keep an eye on Elphaba for him, and he explained to them everything that had happened since the moment he, Glinda, and Cohvu had left.

When he finished, Hamold was still scowling. "You're saying they were telling the truth?" he asked. "Glinda and Elphaba? When they were with us?"

Fiyero nodded. "They were. Morrible did put a spell on me, and it wasn't until I saw Fae almost die that I remembered again." He looked down in shame. "If only I'd remembered sooner…"

Lori placed a hand on his shoulder. "It worked out well in the end," she said softly. "That's what matters. Elphaba will be alright, you said so yourself."

He nodded, swallowing his guilt. "Yeah."

"Fiyero?" Glinda appeared in the doorway. "She's awake."

He sighed irritably. "Again?! She should be sleeping longer than just an hour each time," he grumbled under his breath even as he walked over to Glinda. "Why can't she just listen to the doctor and rest?"

Glinda was looking at him with wide eyes. "She didn't tell you?"

He blinked. "Didn't tell me what?"

Glinda bit her lip. Then she sighed and said, "Fiyero… she's been having nightmares."

"What?"

The blonde nodded. "Ever since… since the battle," she said softly. "Since Dawyn's death, and since you were captured by Morrible. She tried to hide them from me at first, too, but I noticed once when we were staying at Adurin Iir, and again when I sat with her here in the hospital. She's been dreaming about the Animals, about Dawyn's death and about you, for two months already."

Fiyero ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Why didn't she tell me?" he demanded.

Glinda just gave him a look. "Really?"

He sighed. He knew the answer to that question just as well as Glinda did – she didn't want to worry him. She would always keep these things hidden from him because she hated to see him worry about her when there was, in her eyes, no reason to.

He brushed past Glinda and went back into Elphaba's room, scowling at her when he saw her awake. "You should have told me."

She looked confused for just a moment before sighing glumly. "Glinda."

"You've really been having nightmares for two months already?!" he demanded, sitting down in the chair by her bed. She didn't meet his eyes, but she did nod.

He shook his head. "Oz, Fae…" He cupped her face with one hand so that she would look at him. "I don't want you to go through those things alone," he said softly. "I love you, Fae. You can talk to me. You can always talk to me, about anything. Come here." He climbed into the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms, guiding her head to rest on his chest. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Now sleep. And next time you have a nightmare, I want you to tell me. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, too tired to even protest.

He smiled and planted a kiss on her shoulder. "Good girl."

"Don't treat me like a dog."

He chuckled. "Go to sleep, sweetheart."

By the time Glinda came back in to check on her friends, Elphaba had fallen asleep in Fiyero's arms and he had drifted off as well, his face buried in her hair. Glinda smiled at the adorable picture they made.

Hamold suddenly appeared beside her, peering at the couple over the blonde girl's shoulder.

"I guess I owe her an apology," he said reluctantly.

Glinda nodded, raising her chin as she met his eyes. "I believe you do."

"And I owe you one, too."

"I should think so."

"And probably Fiyero as well."

She patted his shoulder. "You're learning, Your Majesty."

Lori, who was behind her husband, laughed at that. "Oh, Hamold…" She laid her hand on his arm. "I understand you were confused, darling," she said softly. "I do. After everything that happened… but surely you must believe now that Elphaba and Glinda were telling the truth all along. Our son loves her, Hamold. You can't look at that," she nodded towards the sleeping couple, "and not see that."

Hamold sighed, his shoulders slumping. "You're right." He turned towards Glinda. "I'm sorry."

She acknowledged him with a small inclination of her head. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He slowly entered the room and stood there looking at Elphaba and Fiyero for a while before sinking down into a chair, never taking his eyes off them. Lori went to stand behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you…" Hamold swallowed. "Do you think he's happy?"

"Look closer," his wife advised him.

He did. He saw the way Fiyero's arms were wrapped around Elphaba protectively. He saw the way his son was nuzzling the girl's hair and the small smile on his face, even in his sleep.

He nodded reluctantly. "I guess he is."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't care about us, Hamold," said Lori softly. "We're his parents. His family. He loves us."

"He just loves her more." It was a statement, not a question; but Lori shook her head.

"Not necessarily," she said gently. "Think about this, Hamold. We've always had each other. He hasn't been living at home with us for more than a few weeks ever since he went to his first university, and he knew we'd manage without him. Elphaba was all alone. I don't think he loves her more than he loves us, per se; I just think he realised that she needed him more than we did, and that is why he chose her over us back then."

Hamold blinked. "I… never thought about that."

Lori smiled. "I figured as much." She kissed his cheek. "We're his parents, darling. Of course he loves us. You shouldn't resent him for leaving us to be with her – you should be proud of him… and of yourself. It means we raised him well."

They left the room not long thereafter. Some Animals showed them the way to a place they could stay for the time being and they stayed there, too, for a few more days, until Doctor Dillamond said that Elphaba was allowed to get up – carefully. When Lori asked him if the young witch was also allowed to travel, he hesitantly consented.

"Good," Lori said when she heard that.

Fiyero looked at her questioningly. "Why is that good?" he wanted to know. "Why did you ask in the first place? Where should she go?"

The queen squeezed her son's shoulder and then looked at Elphaba.

"Elphaba," she said. "Would you like to come back to the Vinkus with us?"

The dark-haired witch spluttered weakly. "What?"

"Fiyero is our son," Lori said simply, "and he loves you. That means you're part of the family now, sweetheart. We'd like to take you back to Adurin Iir in order to provide you with the best medical care possible. We'd also like your advice on some things – mainly the question of who the new ruler of Oz should be. I think your university major in politics could be of much help there."

Elphaba's eyes were wide. "I never finished that degree," she reminded the queen, her voice a bit high in mild panic. "I defied the Wizard before I could finish it. I couldn't help you!"

"Of course you can," said Lori confidently. "I have faith in you. You're smart, Elphaba."

Fiyero squeezed the green girl's hand. "We don't have to go if you don't want to," he said.

She looked at him. "Even if I don't go, you still can," she reminded him.

He just scowled. "Without you?"

"They're your parents," she began, but he cut her off.

"Not a chance. You know that. Either we're both going or we're both staying here, Fae. It's your call."

She looked at Lori worriedly. "You really wouldn't mind?"

The queen laughed. "Would I offer if we'd mind?" she asked. She smiled at the young witch. "We'd love to have you, Elphaba. Really. Like I said – you're part of the family now. Both Hamold and I would like to get to know you better and to provide you with the best possible care while you heal."

"Um…" Elphaba bit her lip. She'd love to go to the Vinkus with Fiyero and his family, but she couldn't help but feel like she'd be imposing herself on them.

Fiyero, as usual correctly reading her mind, answered for her. "She'd like that."

Lori chuckled. "Would she?"

"She would," Fiyero declared, "but she's being silly because she doesn't want to burden you. I know that look on her face."

Elphaba scowled at him. He returned her scowl with a smug look.

"Am I wrong?" he asked.

She pressed her lips together and looked away, and he chuckled.

"We'll come with you," he told his mother.

Lori smiled. "Good." She rose to her feet. "I'm going to tell Hamold we're going home."