A/N: This chapter will explain a few things about Zavick and Dorothy's true feelings towards Bryson. There are implied mature themes, but nothing explict.

...

Bryson had never had such a terrible headache.

His head was spinning and pounding as he awoke.

He must have passed out after the encounter with Zavick, he assumed.

All the shameful and terrible guilt. The horrid realizations.

The anxiety of the situation was plauging him.

But he was no longer laying in the Dragon Machine. He was on a small bed.

And his hair was being stroked.

His eyes slowly flickered open and he couldn't help but beam when he saw Dorothy staring down at him.

"D-Dorothy..." Bryson beamed out weakly, coughing and losing his smile.

"You poor thing." Dorothy sighed, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. She kept caressing through his hair and on his soft face.

He looked over to spot a bandage on his shoulder. He tried to move, just to test it. But it hurt. "Ah.."

"Don't move.. don't move." Dorothy cooed as she stroked on his arm and nuzzled his hair. "You're okay. Just need to not put too much pressure on that area. It's very sensitive right now. Aside from that and a broken nose.. you seem to be okay. But your head might hurt for a while." She frowned, leaning down to kiss his head.

"Oh.." Bryson hummed and shuddered at that. "Ooh.." he hummed again, sensitive.

Feeling her lips on his skin like that was enough to send him into a heaven that far surpassed even Oz.

He desperately needed that after the emotional and physical pain that had been burning through his body.

She just stroked his hair some more, sighing. "You know, I'm glad you let your hair grow back out. I had never seen boys with hair that long in Kansas and I always admired it." She snickered.

"Yeah? Theodora had me cut it to be a more convincing Oscar Diggs. I just let it grow back.. didn't matter after a while when Oz was losing faith in me anyway." Bryson sighed, his failures for Oz being something he couldn't help but obsess over.

He realized he didn't want to dwell on it when her comment wasn't about Oz. "But thank you. I'm glad you like it." He sighed, nuzzling her hand and cooing. "I've always loved your hair, too."

She smiled at that. "Theodora did too many awful things to you." She sighed, shaking her head. "But it doesn't matter. You have this beautiful mane of yours." She chuckled lightly.

Bryson shuddered at that.

It took him back to being a fourteen year old. When her showing any sort of interest in him drove him wild with glee and excitement.

Why couldn't things be like that, still?

At least she could still make him feel the same way after all those years. Even if Oz couldn't.

"You're so beautiful, Dorothy.." he began to sniffle. "Why do you... why have you ever liked me? I become a maniac that wants to commit genocide." He sniffled.

Dorothy sighed and stroked all through his face. "I spoke to him. Or.. you." She responded.

He would've jolted up had he not been in so much pain. "What.. what did you find out?" He asked.

She sighed. "A lot, darling. I musn't blurt all of it out at once, you know."

He hummed. "You have always loved that word. Darling." He grinned.

She blushed. "I heard it in a few pictures that Uncle Henry would take me to. It's always been my prefered tearm of endearment." She chuckled.

He smiled at that, and at how Dorothy effortlessly swept him away from his troubles.

"Hey. Where are we?" He wondered, soon lifting up, but grunting in pain. He was now slouched against a wall close to the bed.

"Careful, careful.." Dorothy urged, putting her hand on his arm. "Don't hurt yourself..."

"Ironic phrase, considering I just had a fight with myself." He chuckled, trying to find some amusement in this dreadful situation.

She chuckled back weakly. "I ran after you to find you. To try to make you change your mind about going without me. I caught up with Tommy and the kids in that flying contraption. They were distraught, saying you'd been attacked and fell out of the thing. I rushed around to look for you with the kids and.. we found you just in time." She sighed. "I talked with the.. other you for a long time. And then I walked towards the jungles.. which at that point weren't too far away. Found the kids with that flying thing of theirs. That woman... Thersea.. fixed you up rather well." Dorothy said. "I was under the impression Tommy still had those.. powers of his. I wouldn't have left you if I knew Ozma took them." She sighed. "But luckily, the woman did a good job." She said softly.

"Ah. So Ozma did take his powers." He sighed. "I'm just glad you're okay.. I was worried about what he'd do to you.."

She shook her head. "I knew there wasn't a version of you that would ever try to hurt me. So I trusted him and spoke with him."

Bryson smiled widely at that. "You really do trust me."

"Of course." She furrowed her brows, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She then looked down, seemingly distracted. "But.. now we're in the jungles, yes. There was a Munchkin who had fled their own land. Because of the war." She said softly, gulping because she seemingly knew how the mention of the war made him feel. "She let us stay in this small cabin out in the jungle." She whispered. "She's a medic, too.. checked over your wounds."

She was still rubbing on his wrist and then up to his arm, giving out a shaky breath.

It was then that Bryson noticed he was shirtless.

She was holding a cloth up to his chest. "I've been mending your wounds." She said, rubbing on the space Zavick had plunged the knife into. "I'm very glad you're okay." She said, seemingly distracted by his shirtless body.

He leaned his head against her, shaking his head. "Do I even deserve to be?"

"Don't you say that." She snapped immediately, furrowing her brows.

"C'mon, Dorothy... you saw what I became." He sighed.

She shook her head. "Hey.. hey. Look at me." She said, worry for him clear in her voice. She suddenly cupped his face and he hummed.

He put his hands around hers as they cupped each others faces.

"Dorothy, I... I screwed up. Very badly." He sighed, tears in his eyes. "I realize now. I've been so wrong. I've been arrogant. I've been stubborn. And.. I should've listened to you." He shook his head. "I should've listened to you. I should've been with you. I don't know what I've been thinking.." he sighed.

"Theodora got into your head. And forced you to lead a land. And you got caught up with things. And that's okay. Because you're human. No leader is perfect. And you've had no exprience. Tensions have been boiling for so long in Oz.. you had the best interests at heart. I don't think Scarecrow or Glinda could have stopped this, either. What's important is you realize it now. Even if it took you getting your face.. all messed up to realize." She pouted, stroking her hands lightly on the bruise along his eye.

Her words soothed him and he sighed in content. "You always know just what to say." He sighed. "But.. you should've heard what his.. or.. my.. plan wa-"

"I spoke to him. I.. I don't know if I should tell you.. what he told me." She frowned, shaking her head.

"I need to know everything.." Bryson insisted.

Dorothy gulped.

"He wants that watch of yours because the structure of it contains. Ozbits and Caloodles. Sounds silly.." she chuckled, almost bitterly. "But those are the elements your watch contains." Dorothy said.

Bryson looked around, noticing his wrist still wrapped around his shirtless body.

"He has something.. called the last shard of the Ruby Slippers.." She whispered.

Bryson's eyes widened. "What's that?"

"He said it's something Theodora managed to collect. I'll lay out the whole story he told me." Dorothy said, Bryson sitting up.. anxious to hear of his supposed future.

"In his timeline, after the war begins.. he retreats back inside Emerald City. Scrambling to figure out what to do with the war. He hid in the throne room for the longest time, he said. Eventually, the dust settled and the battle taking place at Emerald City was over. The war continued and he just.. hammered home the same policies. Eventually, he realized it wasn't working and tried to backtrack. But it was too late. He was overthrown. And Theodora arrived to take his place. She let him stay in Emerald City, but only as an adviser. He tried to defeat her from the inside.. but whatever reason, never succeeded. I'm not quite sure about all the details. But eventually.. my trial happens.. and. I lose. And.. am sentenced to death. He said he managed to trick Theodora and steal the missing shard. He used it to unlock mysteries. He didn't go in-depth. But some way or another, he found out about this universe. And traveled here to prevent it... and carry out his own plan."

Bryson just listened to her and swallowed hard. "Th-that's what he meant..."

Dorothy furrowed her brows. "Hm?"

"H-he said I was responsible for your death... I suppose he meant through my failure. By allowing Theodora to take over." He shook his head. "How could I do this, Dorothy?" He had become numb to the influx of negative information. "Be so.. stupid to let this happen?"

"Well, it's not as if ruling is an easy task." She trailed off.

"How could you not hate me? I.. I cause your death in the future!" Bryson scoffed, repulsed at himself.

She shook her head. "I don't think it's that simple, Bryson."

"How do you figure?" Bryson squinted.

"I called him Bryson and he corrected me. His name is Byron. I asked him some other details, too. Said in his world, Finley's name is just Finn. So I asked him some more things. The park that we shut down was called Oz World. For him, it was Oz Land. For us, Glinda's sister is named Snowmella. For him, it's Locasta." Dorothy rambled.

"I don't understand.. so there's a few different names.." Bryson sighed.

"So, clearly.. he comes from a different universe. One very similar to ours. But there's these minor differences sprinkled throughout. Maybe there's some big ones, too. Maybe you wouldn't end up like that." Dorothy said, reaching over to take his hand and stroke it. "He.. he seemed like you. Looks just like you would at that age. Reacted to me and had the same memories of us. But you can't let a possible future weigh you down. You're a good person, Bryson. I know you are. You always have been. You were the most major asset in our last two adventures.. your heart and bravery."

Her words comforted him and he smiled weakly.

Her hand on his became a little tighter. "And.. I didn't mean what I said. At the cabin. About us.. not being right for each other. About my feelings no longer being.. romantic. You're the only person I have ever felt so strongly towards."

"But.. but why did you lie?" Bryson squinted. "It's not like you to lie."

She sighed and looked down, lightly kissing his wrist. "I was frightened." She said a bit weakly. "I.. I still am frightened. That we're going to end up apart again. It happens every time. Like a cycle, I suppose. And.. I didn't want to let myself be invested again. Be hurt when you left. And now I'm.. more frightened than ever. There is.. an awful lot going on. But I know if I'm not honest with you.. I'll die regretting it. Regretting the fact we didn't have time together."

Her eyes became a teary, as did his.

"I love you, too. I meant to say it when you told me earlier." Bryson said quickly, cupping her face suddenly.

She cupped his face back and they leaned closer, her touch becoming a bit more frantic and intense.

Her lips trembled. "Oh.. Bryson. Just.. love me now, will you? I... I don't know what's gonna happen. But I want this time together. I believe you can prevent this.. supposed death that's been spoken of. All of it. But I don't want to go without being close to you."

Nothing really made sense to Bryson right now. This beautiful woman confessing her love for him and begging for him. When he didn't even deserve it. But he was too numb to the pain. He needed to feel something. He needed to feel her. Maybe now more than ever.

Bryson sighed and leaned in to slowly kiss her eyelids. She smiled slightly and gave out a whimper. Her doe eyes made him freeze before he leaned in to kiss her lips, hand clutching her face.

Finally, he told himself. Once his lips were tasting her own sweetness, everything made sense again and he had forgotten how much he had yearned for it.

She reached and touched aimlessly for him, as though she were blind. "Bryson, please, please.." Hearing her voice sound so delicate and soft was driving him mad. Both their lips quivered and he kissed her again.

His hands trembled as he undid her dress.

She sighed against him as their mouths opened wider.

The sound seemed to soothe him, causing him to relax. His touch was gentler now.

She gently guided him. She was leaning back against the bed, under him.

...

He was slow, careful…

there was a sharp brief pain for the girl

brief

and then a sweet spasm went through them both

and they seemed to rise into the air

no more pain

just the sweetness

the incredible

just the dreamer boy

and the farm girl

never had they felt so connected

...

Hours later, Bryson was still awake while Dorothy rested against him. She looked as peaceful as ever.

Soon enough, there was a knock on the door.

"Bryson? Dorothy? If you guys are in there.. it's time to keep moving." Tommy's voice called out.

As carefully as he could, he slipped the clothes of the two back onto their bodies.

He carried Dorothy out bridal style and just carried on like that.

He didn't want to disrupt her peace.

...

The gang is going to venture out further into the forest. What will they find? Wil we uncover more mysteries of Ozma and the future, alternate version of Bryson? And how will the war progress? All this and more will be answered soon. Hope you enjoyed. I appreciate all support and reviews. Have a good day .x