Disclaimer: Please refer to all other chapters I have ever written…Ever.

She had somehow managed to fix the doors to their bedroom after Raw had left and now she and the Tin Man were lying quietly in the bed as she recovered. He had settled down behind her and wrapped her up in his arms. This she decided, other than the dull annoying pain, was really comfy. Wriggling around she turned over and tucked her head into his neck. "This is nice."

He sighed in agreement running his hand through her hair. Small tingles sparked where his fingers ran over her head. "Wouldn't mind stayin' like this for a while."

"I always wanted to do this on a beach." She flashed to the brochures of Australia she had and the plane ticket she had stashed under her mattress for over a month. One of the biggest draws for her had been the endless sandy stretches that flowed off into the distance. She'd never seen the ocean before. It had been on her top five things to do before she died.

"Lay on a bed?" He asked jokingly.

"No." She poked him in the ribs. "Go to one with a hot guy."

She could hear the confusion in his voice. "Am I making you too warm?"

She burst into a fit of giggles rubbing her face against him. That was absolutely adorable. Sometimes she wasn't sure he had any idea how attractive he was. Barely breathing she gasped out against his neck. "That means you're handsome, Cain."

His fingers twitched spasmodically and he flipped her over on her back as she continued to laugh. Worried that he was going to try something she squeaked batting at him. "No tickling, Tin Man!"

Catching her face his eyes sparkled as he hovered over her with a slightly cocky grin. "You think I'm handsome?"

Still giggling she wriggled against him teasingly. "Like you don't know!"

Closing the few inches between them he kissed her. "You never told me you thought so." He prompted encouragingly against her lips.

Pulling back she let her head rest on the pillow as she held the back of his head brushing the soft hair she found there. "I think so."

Now terribly pleased with himself his smile grew and he seemed to be deciding on the best course of action to take now that he was aware he was the most attractive man in existence. She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing at him. She loved this, she loved that he had become so open with her, she loved that he was literally playing right now. Even with everything that was going on, with the fight they had had the night before and the fact that she had gone and done magical fireworks less than two hours ago without talking to him first he was happy. He was happy because of her and Jeb. Because he had a family again. She caught his hand as he bent down to kiss her neck. She had a family again; he'd made a place for her in his. The thought made her press closer to him as a small shudder ran over her.

Cain had never made a secret of how he'd felt about her. And oddly enough he'd never pushed her about how she felt either. That made her feel incredibly safe around him. She had been so close to telling him last night but they'd gotten distracted. Gathering herself she tugged on his hand to get his attention. Growling playfully his hand slid down her side to rest on her hip before he looked up at her eyebrow raised.

Meeting his eyes she blurted it out before she could panic. "I love you."

Startled, he stared down at her for so long she began to fidget. Maybe her delivery had been wrong? She wasn't sure, she couldn't remember saying this to anyone except her roboparents before and that was different. "You what?" He finally asked.

Fingers twitching where they were still wrapped in his she answered steadily. "I love you."

Suddenly a soft smile stole over his face and he laid his head down on the pillow so their foreheads touched. Relieved that she hadn't said that wrong she relaxed as he stroked her face. "DG-"

A knock on the outside door interrupted whatever he had been about to say. Closing his eyes in annoyance he held her close for a moment before helping her sit up. Before they got off the bed she slid into his lap and grabbed his face kissing him soundly before hopping off. "Later, Wyatt."

Before she could get away he grabbed her hips dragging her back between his legs. Sitting on the edge of the bed he held her against his chest he looked up at her face seriously. "I'm not sure we're going to have a later, Darlin'."

Her heart contract and she wrapped her arms around him burying her face in his neck. "Don't say that."

He sighed holding her close. "I don't want to lie to you. You've been lied to enough." She nodded in understanding although she didn't feel any better. He kissed her head. "I love you too, Princess." He whispered softly. "And when this is over you and I are going to find a way to get away for a few days… Assuming we're both still breathin'."

She huffed torn between amusement and worry. Raising her head she pecked him on the cheek. "You romantic you."

Lip twitching he stood and held onto her hand as he headed for the door. Opening it for her his eyes flicked up before he moved his hand from her hers and placed it on the small of her back guiding her out. As she entered the room Cain shut the door behind them as he greeted the Consort calmly. "Ahamo."

Her father nodded as he sat down in the chair Decon wasn't lazing in. "Cain." Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. What was this? Was she crazy or hadn't these two been out for each others blood less than two days ago? "Are you feeling better, Spitfire?"

"Uhhh, yeah." Ahamo smiled dimly before turning his attention to her bodyguard. Decon simply stared back unruffled by the Consort's attention and with a yawn tucked his head against his body and fell asleep. Good to know they were all friends here. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at the lot of them. "Did Raw tell you the plan?"

A soft, 'mhhhm' was her only reply as he sat impassively staring at the farmer. She sat on the couch stretching her legs out in front of her. She really expected a more enthusiastic response. "I'm going to need cover while we walk into the city. This is going to drain me and the guilds aren't going to be in sight."

The Tin Man stood behind her and began to rub her neck with one hand. "All the better. Besides I told you I'd take care of you while you got used to your magic."

Suddenly Ahamo's eyes sharpened and landed on them. "Do you think Zero is going to let us make it into the Palace?"

Cain's hands never paused in their firm movements. "Yes. He wants her crowned. He wants her safe and protected. It's us he wants dead. But for now he'll let us live if it means keeping the locals away from us while she gets settled."

"You mean I should be worried about our people?" This statement baffled her and she tilted her head up trapping his hand.

"We'll be fine with Jeb's men around us."

Her eyebrows came together. "I don't understand. You said they wanted the Queen back."

"He's worried they'll be too enthusiastic, DG." Her eyes went back to her father who sounded the opposite of enthusiastic. "Not that they'll hurt you intentionally."

Ahh. Trampled to death by the natives. Not the way she wanted to go out actually. Good thing she had all those big strong men as buffers. She suddenly had a strange mental image of herself being a part of a game of bumper bowling. Shaking it off she noticed the unusual way her father was holding himself and the way his eyes had gone distant. She cocked her head at him. "Ahamo?"

"Hmmm?"

She began to fidget as a sudden and unexpected spike of concern hit her. While she had no previous memories of him this wasn't normal, free wheeling, Consort-like behavior. Their fight was suddenly thrown to the back burner, as she stood up and creped toward her father. She couldn't help her automatic response to people in distress. Laying her hand tentatively on his she crouched down next to the chair. Forcing down a lump in her throat when he looked down at her she heard Cain move behind them. "Let's walk, Scales."

Decon chuffed imperiously at the order but stretched out before leaping lightly from the furniture and following the Tin Man from the room. Not sure if she was grateful or angry at being left alone with the Consort she wrapped her fingers between his thumb and fingers and clasped it gently. "Are you ok?"

He laughed weakly. "I can't believe you're asking me that."

She glanced down feeling guilty about prying and went to pull away. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business-"

He gripped her hand as she stood so she couldn't get away. He followed her holding her hand and squeezing it. "Sometimes I wonder how you and Azkadilla ended up so good. The Lord knows your mother and I tried to sabotage you at every turn."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. We made a lot of mistakes."

She shook her head. "I told you before it wasn't a mistake for you to stay."

Taking hold of her shoulders he held her at arms length. "Yes it was. It was a mistake to leave you. It was a mistake to try to control your life. It was certainly a mistake to lie to you." He looked so troubled. "I've been worried about you. You never did tell me why you were crying."

She grimaced at him. "I had a minor panic attack." Then she gave him a real smile. "But I'm all better now!" His lips quirked up when she gave him a double thumbs up. She turned serious after that. "So, what's your issue? I'm open for counseling sessions for the next hour or so."

Sighing he let her go sinking back down. "You don't need to be worrying about me right now."

She frowned and perched herself on the edge of the short table in the center of the furniture. Putting her elbow on her knee she propped her face on her palm. "Down to about fifty-nine minutes."

He mimicked her posture staring back at her. She decided to try a different tact. "So what's up with the muttonchops? Is that popular here or is a throw back to your carnie days?"

His face fell off his hand in shock. "What?" He laughed out.

"They're way creepy."

He pointed at her his eyes dancing. "They're stylish."

"If you say so, Chewy."

His eyebrows came together. "Did you just compare me to the furry guy from Star Wars?" Her face split into a huge grin. "How did the last movie end?"

"What!" He had to be kidding. There was no way he hadn't seen the last episode of Star Wars. "You didn't see it?"

"I got blown over a few weeks before it came out." He sighed wistfully. "One of the very few things I missed from the Otherside."

"And you think Az getting possessed and me getting sent over is sad? Missing the last episode of Star Wars? Now that's tragic."

He shook his head in amusement. "You're the only one on this side that could understand that. Tell me about it when we get to Central City?"

Surprised that voluntarily spending time with him didn't seem so bad she shrugged. "Sure, Ahamo, although it might take awhile." Hoping to mend some bridges she went out on a limb. She figured the Queen might like the Princess Leia angle. "You think I should start at the beginning so Lavender can get into it to?" Her father flinched. So that was the problem. "You two get in a fight?" She probed softly.

"It'll pass, Spitfire. They all do." His eyes clouded over.

Her stomach sank to her feet. She had an inkling over what it had been about. "You got in a fight about me." She stood up running her hand through her hair. How was it she had gone unnoticed for fifteen years and suddenly she was the source of all this drama? She rather preferred being a wallflower if this was the result of attention. "About what? The emerald? Me being Queen? The magic lessons?"

When he spoke his voice was firm. "It doesn't matter. You've made your choices and they were yours to make. We won't interfere with that."

Suddenly the easy conversation that had been flowing between them vanished. Her anxiety reappeared with a vengeance. "The way you didn't interfere before?" She asked tensely.

Ahamo stood up again clearly as frustrated as she was. "I realize that was a mistake-"

"One you didn't have to live through!" She shouted at him. She hadn't meant to shout. She clamped her mouth shut and looked sharply away. Once she was under control she spoke again in a more reasonable tone. "That was unfair. I know it hasn't been easy for you either."

To her surprise Ahamo exploded. "Would you stop worrying about me!" Her head whipped around. "I made my decisions knowing what they would mean! Knowing what they would cost me! Knowing what they would cost my wife and my family! You're allowed to be angry with me, DG! I left you!" She stepped back unnerved by his bluntness. "I left you alone with robots I knew I was going to eventually take you away from in favor of your sister, who clearly wanted me dead, and your imprisoned mother! You have to have some sort of feelings about that!"

She gaped at him momentarily. "I told you I can't remember-"

"You don't have to remember me to know your parents are dead and it's my fault! You don't have to remember to know you trust a man you met less than a month ago more than me, your father! It was my job to protect you from everything and I have very clearly failed at that! Instead of protecting you I let you and your sister get attacked, terrorized, and tortured then sent you away."

She blinked back tears. "I told you it was better that you picked them."

He continued to push her. "Why? Why is it better that I picked them, Spitfire?" She could tell this had been eating away at him for some time.

She thought it was obvious. "Az was always better. She was supposed to be the Queen and rule. You wanted to stop the Witch and get her back. She was more important than me. Why would you come to the Otherside?" She felt no anger over this. It was simply one of those things. She would have stayed for her sister too.

But for some reason when she said this it was as if she had slapped Ahamo straight across the face. "More important?" There was no anger in his voice and he wasn't yelling anymore. He closed the distance between them and pulled her into a tight, desperate hug. "You've always been as important to me as them."

She slumped in defeat as he held her. "It doesn't feel that way."

"I'm sorry." He gripped her shoulder. "I'm so very sorry, DG."

Relaxing she simply stood there unsure of what she was feeling. She was still angry with him for the things that had happened but he had been so afraid for her, for her sister and her mother. She knew, from experience, what people would do if they were afraid enough. And he was trying to talk to her, which was more than she could say about her mother. Even if he was lying about what she meant to him. Slowly she raised her arms and hugged him back. "I know."

Stepping back reluctantly he gave her a weak smile. "If you'll let me I'd like to try this father thing again."

She rolled her eyes. "You realize I'm almost twenty-one?"

He shrugged and she felt the easy banter return as quickly as it disappeared. "You're never to old for me to criticize your boyfriends."

"Hey!" She mock pointed a finger at him. "Leave Cain out of this."

He grinned. "Too late for that, Spitfire. I'm starting to think we're not going to get rid of him." To her embarrassment she felt herself blushing and scratched her nose to try to hide it. He eyed her knowingly. "You're planning on making him your consort."

She looked down at her hands. "We haven't actually talked about it."

He made a soft sound and patted her wringing hands. "For what it's worth I think he's a good man."

Her eyes darted up to his face. "I thought you didn't like him."

His lip twitched. "You can't blame me for trying to keep my baby girl to myself for a while." She rolled her eyes but he continued. "Does he make you happy, DG?"

She felt herself relax a the thought of the Tin Man. "Yes."

"Then that's all that matters to me."

She gave him a lopsided smile. "Thanks, Ahamo."

Nodding he bobbed his head toward the door. "Let's go find him then. We have some guilds to organize before this shindig starts."

Heading toward the door she looked over her shoulder at the room wishing it a silent farewell as they exited. She had a brief powerful wish that she never had to leave as the door closed softly behind them. This was the first place she had ever truly felt at home and now she was leaving. When she turned back to the hallway she saw Cain leaning against a wall in his duster and hat nearby talking to Jeb and she realized something. It wasn't the palace that had made her feel at home. The knot that had been forming in her stomach since she began to accept the fact that they were really going to abandon Finaqua faded away.

Jeb spotted them first and nodded to her respectfully. He looked much better than he had this morning, the dark circles beneath his eyes gone. "Multiple travel storms? I didn't think you could do that."

"Neither did I but the magical jewel of mystery knows all."

He grinned and the Tin Man quirked an eyebrow as he pushed away from the wall. "The head of every guild has been informed of the plan. They'll be in place within a few hours waiting for our signal. So assuming we can make it the next few days to the ball-" His eyes started dancing as she glared daggers at him. She really hated that part of the plan. "-we should be able to stop Zero and his followers without a problem."

"And then I'm burning the corset."

Ahamo and Jeb gave her odd looks as the Tin Man smirked. "Is your magic strong enough to do this?"

They started walking down the hall. "I'll need a boost from the emerald and Az but combined I think we can manage. We were always stronger together."

Ahamo asked something she had been wondering about. "You're magic is dark. Won't it clash with your sisters?"

"I asked the emerald that already. They should meld together if I concentrate hard enough. But like I said, I'm going to be pretty useless once I set us down."

Jeb grunted. "We'll get you in."

By this point they'd made it to the lawns. Guild members and resistance fighters were scattered across the lawn waiting for them. While her mother, Az, Glitch, Raw, Kalm, and Toto stood near the glass doors. She had everyone's attention immediately. It was only then, when a hush fell over the crowd that she noticed small specks of light flittering between feathers and feet. The pixies were coming along for the ride as well.

Walking to the banister she saw Az step up next to her out of the corner of her eye. Their group would be the last to leave. Projecting her voice she addressed her people. "You know the plan and you know yourselves. Let's not waste time on pretty speeches or encouraging words. Let's take the Outer Zone back! Form your travel groups!"

Snarls, hoots, and shouts of approval rose up as the odd assortment of men and creatures quickly split up and bunched together in tight bands. Her sister's hand slipped into hers as the emerald began to glow. As black and white magic twined around their joined hands the wind started to pick up. Soon ominous dark clouds began to gather over the once sunny shore and lightning flashed. Focusing her will on the magic she could feel Az doing the same as the emerald fueled them. The wind began to pick up and the windows in the palace shook and shattered over them as the wind howled.

Hunkering down the wolves waited tensely as the griffons held their wings close to their bodies. Seconds later funnel clouds began to form and rocketed down to the groups sucking them up with a roar of sound and a spray of earth. As the last of the guilds vanished into the sky she felt their combined magic weaken.

Throwing the last of what she had into the spell she and Az formed one last travel storm. Falling from the sky the vortex nearly deafened her as it picked up the resistance fighters and warped in on itself heading toward the balcony. Pushing away her fear she tugged the towering tornado at them and closed her eyes feeling Az tighten her grip as another familiar hand wrapped around her free one.

When they hit the ground with a thud a few minutes later Cain had her wrapped in his arms as they skidded several feet. Opening her eyes she saw trees and disgruntled looking fighters all around her family and friends. Staggering to his spindly legs several meters away Decon shook himself off with an angry snarl as two pixies were hurled from his back.

A familiar feminine voice floated up from the back of the group as Cain helped her to her feet. "Did we make it?"

Looking over she saw Jeb lifting Anna off the ground. Kalm scrambled over to a nearby bush and shoved the branches aside. Pointing past it he glanced excitedly over his shoulder at them. "Central City there!"

Gathering around the young cub they all looked past the tree line and down the sharp embankment. In the distance they could very clearly see the sun reflecting off the Shining City. Cain grabbed her hand in his. "Good job, Princess."

Glitch spoke up near them. "We need to go. The sooner we get into the Palace the better."

"Let's move then!" Jeb fell into leader mode. On second thought he was never not in leader mode. His fighters jumped to obey and his scouts headed toward a likely looking way down.

Following them she held on to Cain's hand firmly. A new palace and a new adventure. At least this time she knew all the players in the game. The Tin Man glanced over at her giving her hand a gentle squeeze. She smiled up at his face and mouthed three words to him that she had been fighting for so long. Smiling back at her she saw the sentiment was returned before she turned her attention to the steep trail in front of her. But even as she picked her way down the rocky path she saw the Tin Man square his shoulders and his jaw clench. She came to the conclusion that it might be her turn to be the protector in this odd relationship they had formed. Oddly enough that thought didn't scare her at all.

Author Note: Done! All done! The end of Tin Armor is here! It's always a bittersweet moment when I finish a fic but a sequel is coming. It won't be up as fast as this one since classes have started but it will go up! Now leave this fox one last review for old times sake and have a good one! You know I will what with this sense of accomplishment and all. ;)