Disclaimer the usual.
Nearly a week later the day before valentine's day. Dorothy found herself sitting in the barns hayloft. Having just gotten off a phone call with alex and her family. She spent her time talking to Jim who was finally realizing that dorothy could indeed understand him.
"so." Jim said.
"So?" Dorothy asked.
"You can understand me?" Jim asked.
"yep, long story." Dorothy said sighing.
"Why so glum?" Jim asked.
"this is the longest I've been away from home in a long time, and this is the longest alex has been away from me." Dorothy said.
"Must be a nice lad if you like him, but you've seen a lot in your life time." Jim said.
"Is it that obvious?" Dorothy asked.
"it's in your eyes, and your voice." Jim said.
"Like I said, long story." She replied.
"well, I'll leave you to your thoughts, I need a rest." Jim said letting out a loud neigh.
Dorothy sighed and leaned back against the bales of hay. Soon she found herself tired and nodding off, for some reason a nap didn't seem like such a bad idea.
Meanwhile in Kansas.
Alex was sitting at the gale farmhouse setting up his drum set with ellie. Madeline was in the kitchen making tea and Em had just set her kids down for a nap. When ellie had a thought occur to her.
"Mrs. Gale, something's occurred to me, you said you were an only child? But you have a brother?" Ellie asked.
"My brother is no brother, sure we 'hung out', but he wasn't much of a sibling, he never liked me, he was more of that annoying friend who you still let hang around because they wouldn't last two seconds with someone else, and sometimes I feel like I barely know him at all." Em said
"so, kinda like how it was with Glinda and I for several years?" Ellie asked.
"What?" alex asked.
"Oh, Glinda, for my own protection, sealed off all my memories of her, gave a fake cover story, and set me up in her army, for a long time I thought I had a long-lost sister, but dorothy changed that." Ellie said.
"typical dorothy then?" Madeline asked walking out of the kitchen with several cups of tea.
"basically." Ellie said
"By the way, Madeline, have you got the disguise so you can make the delivery tomorrow?" Alex asked.
"Oh, yes, I've had it prepared since she left." Madeline said.
"Hey, Mads, marshal has the thing of candy ready for tomorrow, it's in the emerald city freezer, Mrs. Gale, they were wondering if there's anything you'd like to add, for your brother?" Jack asked appearing in the room.
"um, well, he was always a fan of cinnamon candies, I guess you could throw in a thing of those." Em said.
"Hey, where are henry and ace?" Jack asked curiously.
"they're with my uncle, getting the tractor repaired…again." Alex said.
"I don't see why you guys don't just get a new tractor." Ellie said.
"because it's always that blasted tail pipe, I don't know why but it never wants to work properly." Em said.
"Well, anyways, tomorrow, we call dorothy, and play our song." Alex said.
"All in the center of the park?" Em asked.
"Yea, just after I get back from delivering the sweets." Madeline said.
"and how do you plan on doing that?" Em asked curiously.
"oh, it's nice, Mr. Alistair has gotten a nice little radio system set up, I've put the adjoining radio in with the sweets." Madeline said
"and its already technically a two-way radio, comes with a mic and everything, all it needs is power." Alex said.
"I see, and this wasn't a plan so that you two could talk whenever you had free time without hogging a phone?" Em asked.
"What?" Alex asked.
"If it's a two-way system you two could communicate, without needing a phone." Em said.
"I'll have to ask my uncle if I can keep the radio then." Alex said.
"Actually, wait a minute, did you say your uncle's radios?" Em asked.
"yes, why?" Alex asked.
"No reason." Em said walking out of the living room
"I'm not even sure why he had it." Alex said.
"Or why he had a two-way system?" Ellie asked.
"I'm sure there are more of them." Madeline said.
"you positive on that one?" Alex asked.
"absolutely." Madeline said.
Meanwhile in Oz.
Ozma was lounging lazily in an armchair in her bedroom. She was a bit lonesome since everyone seemed busy today. She wanted to contact dorothy and talk to her, but with her other family around that was impossible. She began debating whether or not she could bring trot and Betsy here. however, a moment later a knock came on her door.
"Come in." Ozma said.
Immediately the door opened and Glinda walked in. she sighed and walked over to Ozma.
"Ozma?" Glinda asked
"Glinda?" Ozma replied.
"Lunch?" Glinda asked.
"Not hungry." Ozma answered.
"Ozma, I know you're feeling lonely but really you can't stay cooped up in here all day." Glinda said.
"Glinda, everyone seems to be busy with something today." Ozma said.
"I know, I can't find a free hand at all today." Glinda said.
"Why do you need help?" Ozma asked arching an eyebrow and turning to face her.
"I, like you, am kinda a bit bored without dorothy around." Glinda said fixing her dress and sitting down on the chair next to Ozma's.
"maybe we could bring Betsy and trot here?" Ozma suggested.
"I've been thinking about that too, but I've been having problems justifying it." Glinda said
"um…well the only reason I can think of is luncheon." Ozma said.
"Hm…interesting idea, I'll write that down." Glinda said conjuring up a pad of paper and a quill pen.
"Glinda, can you teach me to swim now?" Ozma asked.
"are you sure you wouldn't rather stay in here and mope about?" Glinda asked sarcastically.
"Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound." Ozma said.
"Any time." Glinda said giggling.
"I'll go get changed then." Ozma said.
"good plan." Glinda said.
Back in California.
When dorothy awoke, she was still in the hayloft, the only difference this time was Zeb was in the barn, brushing Jim. She did a fake cough which got his attention.
"Oh, we were wondering when you were going to wake up." Zeb said walking over.
"how long have you been in here?" dorothy asked
"A couple of hours, I came out to ask if you had any preferences for lunch, I didn't think it kind to wake you, but now it's almost dinner time, so auntie Melinda told me to wait out here for you to wake up." Zeb said.
"How thoughtful." Dorothy said brushing herself off and climbing down from the hayloft.
"you've got some pieces of straw in your hair." Zeb said.
Dorothy smiled and began picking the pieces of straw from her hair. She sat down on a nearby stool after she had finished.
"So, what's for supper?" Dorothy asked.
"ham." Zeb said.
"Nice." Dorothy said.