AN. Thanks to Kelly, Bianca and Holly for giving me their help and advice on this chapter.

WEEK 34

Your unborn baby's muscles are maturing along with the rest of his body. He can hold his head up and turn it from side to side. He'll practice his newfound muscle tone by stretching out his arms and kicking his legs. If you are indeed having a boy, the testes have descended into their proper place. Your baby's eyes are now open when awake, and closed when sleeping. Most of the lanugo is gone and replaced with a thick coat of vernix.

All the plans were in place. Frex, Nessa and Halim were due to arrive early afternoon at Kiamo Ko. Then Elphaba, Fiyero, Galinda and Boq would join them for dinner, along with Kastle, Anton and the children. Elphaba couldn't even remember the last time her entire family, blood and marriage, had been in the same room. Maybe when their parents had arrived at Shiz after hearing of their elopement. Maybe.

She was willing to admit she was nervous, mostly for Nessa. There was absolutely no way she could spare her sister any pain; Nessa would simply be confronted with the fact that Elphaba was, very soon, having a baby. And for that reason, Elphaba was grateful Halim was coming.

"So... when are you going to talk to your father?" Fiyero asked her, as they were dressing for dinner.

Elphaba looked startled. "Well, not tonight!"

"Really? I thought you'd want to get it over and done with."

"Sure, I'll just bring it up over dessert," Elphaba said sarcastically.

Fiyero just gave her a pointed look and she sighed, coming to stand before him and took his hands in hers.

"Look, he's here for at least the next six weeks. I have plenty of time to talk to him."

Fiyero sighed. "I guess. I just... we've been saying since these dreams started that you'd talk to him in person. I guess I'm just anxious for it to happen and hopefully the dreams will stop. You had a really bad one last night," he reminded her.

Elphaba grimaced. It had been so bad that Galinda and Boq had woken up and come to investigate.

"I know. But that's rare," she replied. "And I will talk to him, I promise. But not tonight. I'm so anxious about Nessa, I can't even think about my father right now."

"Well, what about tomorrow?" Fiyero suggested.

Elphaba opened her mouth to protest, but she gave up when she saw his face. He wasn't going to give in on this.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll ask him tonight to come over tomorrow or something and I'll talk to him then. Happy now?" she muttered unhappily.

Fiyero smiled and kissed her. "Yes."

Elphaba made a face. "Can I at least mention somehow in conversation that we eloped? You know that vein in his forehead always threatens to pop when he remembers it," she grinned.

Fiyero laughed. "At least three times," he agreed.

Elphaba was wearing a summery, flowing ivory-coloured maternity dress that she'd been sent the other day. She wasn't too sure about the colour, but it was cool and that was all she really cared about at this point.

She pulled her hair off her sweaty neck, carelessly tying it back in a ponytail.

"Are you guys ready?" Boq asked, tapping on the door.

"Yep, we're good," Fiyero answered.

"Do you think I have to wear shoes?" Elphaba asked them.

The boys just stared at her. "I'd probably say yes," Boq finally replied.

Elphaba's face fell. "None of them fit, my feet are so swollen," she complained.

Fiyero placed a hand on her back and steered her towards the door. "Then don't worry about it. Mom and Dad won't care."

That cheered Elphaba up considerably. "Excellent."

"Galinda's going to freak," Boq warned Fiyero in an undertone.

"Yeah," Fiyero admitted. "But Fae won't care."

Sure enough, when Galinda joined them and saw Elphaba's bare feet underneath her dress, she looked horrified, but she swallowed hard and then smiled at Elphaba.

"I love that dress, Elphie," she said simply.

"Thanks, Glin," Elphaba replied.

"Thank you," Fiyero murmured to her when he got a chance without Elphaba overhearing.

Galinda shrugged. "She's pregnant. She must be uncomfortable."

"You have no idea," Fiyero replied.

When the carriage pulled up outside Kiamo Ko, Fiyero took Elphaba's hand and squeezed it gently.

"You ready, Fae?"

She nodded, but didn't seem so sure. "Let's go."

A maid greeted them at the door, curtseying to Elphaba and Fiyero.

"Your family is in the living room," she told Fiyero, who thanked her politely.

He still held Elphaba's hand tightly as they headed into the living room.

"Uncle Yero!"

Noak jumped up immediately when he spotted them in the doorway and ran across the room to greet his aunt and uncle.

"Hey, kiddo," Fiyero greeted him.

"We haven't seen you in ages," Noak complained.

This was actually true, they hadn't seen the children since the they'd had dinner with the family the day after Elphaba's birthday. That had only been three weeks ago, but they usually saw them at least once a week. And when you're seven, three weeks was a long time, Fiyero reasoned.

"I know, we're sorry buddy. We've been getting ready for the baby," he explained.

Satisfied with that response, Noak turned to Elphaba.

"Hi, Auntie Elphaba. How long until my little cousin comes?"

Elphaba smiled, as he hugged her gently. "Six weeks, sweetie. We're nearly there, I promise you."

She looked past Noak and saw Nessa and Halim watching her. Elphaba gently excused herself from her nephew and headed over to see her sister.

"Hey, Nessa," she greeted her softly.

She wasn't really sure what to expect, but when Nessa smiled up at her, Elphaba could see no trace of sadness or grief in her eyes, which relieved her. There was a shadow of envy, but all in all, it was much better than Elphaba had imagined.

"Hi Fabala," Nessa replied happily. "It's so good to see you. You look... you look great," she said sincerely.

"Thank you. Hi Halim," Elphaba addressed her sister's boyfriend.

"Hello Elphaba. You really do look great," Halim assured her, kissing her cheek. "How do you feel?"

"OK, thank you. How was the journey?"

The couple exchanged a glance before Nessa replied. "It wasn't too bad. We made good time."

"Hey, Nessa," Fiyero said happily, appearing at Elphaba's shoulder which enabled her to greet everyone else.

"Hello sweetheart," Kasmira warmly greeted Elphaba with a hug. "How are you? Iz tells me you're doing well."

Elphaba laughed. "Well, she's the expert so I'll take her word on it."

"And I hear you've starting birthing classes?"

"I don't know if I'd call it a class. It's just Izanami, Fiyero and I, but yeah we're doing all the breathing stuff."

She said hello to Ibrahim, Anton, Kastle and Aaylis before finally turning to Frex.

"Hello, Father."

Frex gave a curt nod. "Elphaba."

Then he frowned. "You're not wearing shoes?"

Everyone's gaze drifted down to Elphaba's barely visible feet under her dress, and she shrugged carelessly.

"None of them fit today, my feet are too swollen," she explained.

"How come I had to wear shoes and Auntie Elphaba doesn't?" Noak asked Anton in protest and everyone laughed.

"Well, I think dinner's about ready, should we move into the dining room?" Ibrahim suggested as Kastle tried to explain to Noak why Elphaba was exempt from wearing shoes.

"So, what are you planning to do while you're here?" Kastle asked Nessa and Halim over dinner.

"Well, Halim's never been here before, so I think we'll be doing lots of sightseeing," Nessa replied.

"And of course, Fabala's baby shower is next week," she added with a smile at Elphaba, who smiled back.

"It's going to be so much fun," Galinda beamed excitedly.

After dinner they returned to the living room for tea and coffee, or in Elphaba's case, lemonade and a bowl of ice cream.

As she was happily eating her ice cream, Elphaba noticed Fiyero giving her a look. Off her inquisitive frown, he glanced at Frex and then back at her pointedly. She shook her head minutely. She knew exactly what he was saying and she was having none of it. But even as she turned away, she could feel his gaze on her.

Finally, it reached her breaking point, and after staring daggers at her husband, Elphaba got up and went to sit next to her father, who had been talking with Ibrahim.

"Father?"

Frex couldn't quite hide his shock and Elphaba didn't blame him. She was tempted, for a moment, to back out and just make an excuse, but as the baby moved, which was getting harder and harder for it to do, she pushed through.

"Did you have plans for tomorrow?"

"No," Frex replied, clearly confused.

"Would you come to the manor tomorrow? There's... I need to talk to you about something," Elphaba said with difficulty.

Her father stared at her for a moment as though she had two heads.

"Very well," he said finally and Elphaba felt a wave of relief.

"Thank you. Ten o'clock?"

Frex agreed and Elphaba immediately left and headed to Fiyero's side.

"I hope you're happy now," she muttered when she sat down.

"Aw, thanks hon. I hope you're happy too," Fiyero replied lightly.

Elphaba just glared at him.

The nightmare was awful that night, as horrendible and vivid as it had been that first night. When Fiyero awoke and comforted her afterwards, she flatly refused to even attempt to go back to sleep; and as a result, only had about four hours sleep that night which didn't help her emotional state over what she had to do that day.

"Do you want me to stay?" Fiyero offered, but Elphaba shook her head.

"No. I need to do this on my own."

Galinda and Boq went out shopping, Galinda hugging Elphaba tightly before leaving as a sign of support. Fiyero was going to meet with the architect to finalise the plans for the Grasslands Project, and so Elphaba was alone when Frex arrived.

Elphaba was so nervous she'd thrown up right after Fiyero had left, which she hadn't done in a while, and she was still shaking slightly as she rose from the couch as the maid showed Frex into the library, but she tried not to let her father see that.

"Would you like anything, Your Highness?" the maid asked.

"A jug of ice water, please. Father, would you like a drink?"

"Tea," Frex requested shortly and the maid nodded and disappeared.

Elphaba and her father sat in awkward silence for a few moments until the drinks were bought. Elphaba wanted no interruptions with this conversation, and only when the maid had left and shut the door behind her, did she begin to speak.

"So, what I wanted to talk to you about," she began uncertainly, but Frex interrupted.

"More medical history?"

Elphaba was surprised. "Oh! No, it's not that. I wanted to talk to you about- about when I was born."

Frex lowered his tea, his face guarded. "Oh?"

Elphaba leaned against the back of her chair, her hands firmly against her stomach, feeling the baby within to ground her and keep her nerve. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous, but wondered if it wasn't that she was afraid of asking the question; but of what the answer might be.

"I've heard the story a million times. Everyone in Munchkinland talked about it, and no one really bothered to keep quiet about it around me," she said and Frex couldn't deny that.

"I know I wasn't what you expected-"

"No," Frex admitted, to Elphaba's surprise. "You were supposed to be a boy."

Elphaba gaped slightly at him, she had never heard that before.

"Um, that's not exactly what I meant," she replied. "I realise it must have been... a shock when I was born, but..."

She was stalling, she knew, so finally she just gritted her teeth and said it.

"I need to know why you hate me."

Frex was very still, and Elphaba couldn't read the expression on his face.

"I know you blame me for what happened to Momma and to Nessa, and we could just pretend that there's nothing more to it than that. But I know what people say- that you turned me away the moment I was born. And I don't have many memories from before Nessa was born, but I know that you were never there. And I need to know why."

"Elphaba, that was twenty-five years ago. I hardly think dwelling on the past is necessary," Frex said coldly. "Why is this suddenly so important?"

"Because I'm having a baby!" Elphaba cried. "Because..."

She paused for just a moment to regain a hold of her emotions before speaking again.

"I've been having dreams," she said quietly. "For months now. The baby's born and it's green. And Fiyero turns it away and then turns into you."

Frex looked to her, genuine shock on his face.

"Sometimes it gets worse. Sometimes after he turns into you, you take the baby and you give it to Nessa."

Frex scoffed. "Elphaba, you're being ridiculous."

"No, I'm not," Elphaba defended herself angrily. "If I've ever learned anything, it's that dreams mean something. At least mine do. And it's helped me realised something. That I need to understand all of this. Because I'm about to have a baby- your grandchild. Possibly your only grandchild."

Elphaba met his gaze steadily. "Nessarose and Halim could still have children," she acknowledged. "I talked to Nessa about their options after dinner last night, and they really like the idea of adoption, and giving a home to a child who needs one. But this is your first grandchild. You are linked to me and this baby by blood. And hating me won't change that, and I won't have my children suffer for it. Regardless of our relationship, they deserve to have a relationship with their grandfather."

Frex was staring at her stomach, still not saying anything. Elphaba wasn't sure if that was an indication of this talk going well or badly, but she persevered.

"What happened to Momma and Nessa was not my fault," she said firmly. "It's taken me a long time to accept that, but I know that it's not."

"I never said it was," Frex snapped.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she challenged.

Frex faltered only momentarily. "I never said that," he repeated firmly.

"But you never told me it wasn't, either," she replied and that stopped him in his tracks.

"Everyone said it. That if I hadn't been born, it wouldn't have happened. You knew, and you knew I knew. But you never told me otherwise."

"You didn't need me to coddle you," Frex said stiffly.

"Coddling me? You think reassuring me that I didn't kill my mother was coddling me?" Elphaba exclaimed in disbelief.

"You never let on that it upset you," Frex pointed out, as though justifying it.

"Why would I give them that satisfaction?" Elphaba asked. Then she asked, in a quieter tone. "You do, though. Don't you? You do blame me for what happened."

"I accept responsibility for my own decisions, Elphaba," he answered coldly. "But yes," he added. "I believe if you weren't born, it could have been avoided."

It was really neither a yes or a no, but hearing him openly resent her birth did sting, although it was what Elphaba had really always known.

Despite her best efforts, her voice shook slightly as she spoke next.

"My skin is green. But it's just a colour. Momma never treated me any differently, so why did you?"

"Whatever mistreatment you've concocted up in your head-"

"Concocted?" Elphaba cut him off furiously. "You're kidding me, right? Nothing I've ever done has been good enough for you. I got no recognition for anything-"

"I wasn't aware that eloping was an act deserving of praise," Frex snapped.

Elphaba glared at him. "I practically raised Nessa and ran the household. I graduated from Shiz at the top of my class. I'm the damn princess of the Vinkus. But all you've ever seen is the colour of my skin. As though it's something to be ashamed of."

"Isn't it?" Frex countered.

"Why?" Elphaba demanded.

Frex opened his mouth and then closed it again. He was clearly struggling for words and Elphaba felt a twinge of satisfaction at stumping him.

When she spoke next, Elphaba was calmer. Her temper always seemed to get the better of her, and she was sure she couldn't blame hormones this time. Genetics more likely- maybe she was more like her father than she was willing to admit.

"I need to know why you hate me," she repeated. "I need to know if you're going to be a part of my child's life."

"You want me to choose-"

Elphaba cut him off, her voice colder than Frex had ever heard it. "No, you misunderstand me. It's not a matter of you choosing to be involved. It's a matter of me choosing to have you involved."

Frex was stunned.

"You've played favourites with Nessa outright since she was born, and I accepted that. I don't resent that either. But you've emotionally abused me my entire life. I accepted that too, because I thought I deserved it. But from where I'm sitting, this all stems down to the fact that I was born a different colour. And I won't have my children be exposed to that."

It was the first time Elphaba had ever acknowledged aloud to anyone- even herself- what her childhood had been like, or what her relationship with Frex truly was. And as much as it gave her a surprising rush of relief to say the words, she saw it stun her father as the label was stuck to him for the first time. Emotional abuse, that's what it was pure and simple, the label staring Frex in the face.

The words hung in the air, and Elphaba let it sit there. She wasn't going to break the silence this time. The next move was in her father's hands.

A sudden punch to the kidney from within made her draw her breath in sharply, which broke the silence.

"Are you alright?" Frex asked, and she waved him away dismissively, rubbing the spot.

"It's nothing. The baby just hit an organ, that's all. It's fine, it does it all the time."

He fell silent again, regarding her closely.

"I don't know you."

The admission surprised Elphaba, but she tried not to show it. "You've never tried to know me," she responded.

Frex nodded slowly. "I suppose not."

Elphaba didn't know what to say in response to that. She didn't know what she was waiting for either. Frex was hardly going to come out and apologise, or admit he had been wrong. Somewhat ironic, when he'd said just moments ago that he accepted responsibilities for his decisions.

Frex took another drink of his tea and set down the empty cup.

"Maybe that's a starting point."

Elphaba couldn't help but be wary. "Maybe," she agreed finally.

Was this her father's way of saying he wanted to be a part of the baby's life? Of hers? She couldn't be sure. But that's what is sounded like.

Frex nodded briefly. "Very well then."

To Elphaba's surprise, he then rose to his feet, nodded to her once more and left. Elphaba was still incredibly confused.

She jumped as the door opened once more and Fiyero entered.

"When did you get here?" she asked him.

"About two minutes ago. I just didn't want to interrupt," he explained, and sat down in the seat Frex had just vacated.

"So, how'd it go?"

Elphaba frowned. "I'm not sure," she admitted.

She told him everything, and when she'd finished, Fiyero looked just as confused.

"So... he wants to get to know you?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "That's what it sounded like. It sounds like he wants to be involved with the baby at any rate, and I made it very clear that wasn't going to happen if we didn't work this out."

"Well, I didn't think you'd work everything out in half an hour," Fiyero reasoned. "But it sounds to me like this is a starting point. How do you feel about that, Fae?"

Elphaba paused thoughtfully. "I'm not sure. I think... I think I'm glad he wants to know the baby, if only for the baby's sake. But you're right," she admitted. "It's not going to get magically fixed overnight."

"So, we leave the ball in his court?" Fiyero suggested. "Either way, then you can say you tried. Do you think it'll help with your dreams?"

"I do," Elphaba said, seeming faintly surprised herself about her answer. "He seemed genuinely surprised when I told him about the dreams and when I pointed out that the way he treated me my whole life was emotional abuse. I don't think he ever put that label on it."

She smiled faintly and shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see, I guess. Like everything else."

Fiyero came over, bent down and kissed her.

"Well, whatever happens Fae, I'm proud of you."

Elphaba sank into his arms, suddenly feeling very tired. But she could admit, she was kind of proud of herself too.