Chapter 30

Fiyero woke up the next morning feeling more well rested than he had in a while. He tightened his hold on the body in his arms. He smiled. He kissed Elphaba's cheek, and her neck. She moaned softly, but didn't wake up. Good, he wanted her to sleep in a little more.

He put on a pair of boxers and a shirt. He gently dressed Elphaba in her pajamas, careful not to move her too much so he wouldn't wake her. He covered her in the bedsheet and kissed her forehead before going over to the kitchen.

When Elphaba started to stir, she was slightly confused at realizing she was wearing clothes. She didn't remember getting dressed last night. "Fiyero?" She gently reached out and found a head full of hair, but it wasn't Fiyero's.

She rubbed her eyes and fully opened them, despite her surprise, she smiled widely. Zianna. She was sleeping soundly. Elphaba checked the clock on the nightstand. 7:48 a.m. No wonder Zianna was still asleep. It was a bit early for her.

Elphaba sat up and turned to turn on the lamp on the table beside her. She stopped when she saw a tray full of food. Looks like Fiyero had made breakfast, and he also remembered that she had really wanted brownies last night.

She looked towards the door when she heard footsteps. Her heart melted. Fiyero was carrying Nailor and whispering to him softly to keep him calm. "You're awake," he smiled and walked over to her.

"How long have you been up?" She took Nailor from him and cupped his cheek to give him a sweet, lingering kiss.

"Not too long," he whispered against her lips. "Only about an hour. I'll be right back, I'm going to get Kaey."

"Alright," she gave him a small peck before he left. As soon as he did, Nailor started to cry. "Someone's cranky this morning," the baby boy searched with his mouth for her breast and she carefully slid an arm out and over her shirt to lower it, and let him latch on. "And really hungry," Elphaba chuckled, watching him eat greedily.

"Thank you," Zianna yawned.

"For what, baby?" Elphaba asked.

"For quitting the crying," the three year old crawled, with her eyes half closed, to Elphaba's side and laid her head on her lap. "I'm hungry, Mama."

"As soon as Daddy and Kaey get here, we'll all have breakfast, ok?"

"In the bed?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Cool!"

"What's cool?" Fiyero asked, coming back into the room with Mackaeyla in his arms and turning on the light.

"Breakfast in bed!" Zianna sat up straight, next to Elphaba.

He chuckled and handed Zianna the container full of fruit he'd cut up for her. Now this was a good day to start the day; having a nice, calm, breakfast in bed with his family; all of them together.

Four Years Later

"He started it!" Seven year old Zianna defended.

"That doesn't matter, you don't go around hitting other kids just because they made you mad, young lady," Fiyero lectured, closing the front door.

Zianna's personality was…interesting. She had a soft and sweet side, but she was more in touch with her wild side. It wasn't a bad thing, it made Zianna a fiercely adventurous and protective person, but she was a little too prone to anger. Unfortunately, if provoked or tested, her aggressive side would show itself, and it wasn't pretty.

This was her fifth fight this school year, a new record from the previous one: three. She had punched a boy in her class, giving him a small bruise on his cheek. Even though he was slightly proud of his baby girl for landing that kind of hit, there was a bigger issue.

"But the things he said about Mama-"

"Zianna," he cut her off, "we've been over this. There are always going to be mean people who will make mean comments about Mama's skin. What have I told you to do if that happens and it makes you angry?"

"Talk to you and Mama when I get home," she bowed her head.

"And?"

"Ignore them and hang out with people who aren't mean," which she had. He had been happy when Elphaba had brought her home from school one day and told him she'd met two friends of Zianna's who were actually just curious about her green skin, not disgusted.

"Exactly," he kissed her head and motioned for her to sit down on the couch.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Yes ma'am. I get what you were trying to do Zia, but you have to understand that you can't just hit someone when you get mad. Would you punch a teacher if they made you mad?"

"No, they're bigger than me."

"That's not the point. And so was that boy."

"A lot bigger than me."

Fiyero held back the temptation to roll his eyes. They could talk about this later.

The front door opened. "No running!" Elphaba's voice said. Three little figures scurried inside the house followed by the pregnant green woman. She was carrying a bag of groceries.

"Zia!" Mackaeyla excalimed at seeing her older sister on the couch. Her twin, Nailor, and younger brother; Liir, age two; followed and they all took a turn in hugging Zianna.

"You're both home?" Elphaba questioned. With the baby boy she was carrying due any day now, she was usually home with the little ones until about 2:30 in the afternoon. Fiyero and Zianna shouldn't have been home for another two hours.

"Guess why?" Fiyero gestured to Zianna.

Elphaba sighed. "Again?" She set the bag of groceries on the table. "What was it this time?"

"This boy called you something mean, Mama," Zianna sank further into the couch.

Elphaba and Fiyero glanced at each other. How were they ever going to get through to this girl?

As time passed, Zianna got better at controlling her temper, little by little, she learned to just do what Elphaba had always done all her life, ignore the insults.

A loud noise startled Elphaba and she turned around. Dear Oz, she turns her back on them for two seconds and they manage to make a mess! Hadn't she told them to sit still?! For the upteenth time! That's it.

She set baby Priel on the crib they'd placed in the living room. "All of you, stop it, right now!"

The food throwing stopped and all three Tiggular children froze in their spots. The front door opened and Fiyero stepped in with Zianna. He stopped at the doorway, taking in the whole scene. The dining place was a complete mess and it looked like food had been thrown at the walls and couch. It was all over Nailor, Mackaeyla, and Liir, too. Elphaba had his back to him.

"Hi, Daddy," Nailor waved.

"Go to your rooms," Elphaba pointed to the hallway. All three children stared at her. "Go!" They pushed over each other and she heard a door slam shut. She turned around and looked at Fiyero, then Zianna. "Ok, I know you didn't do anything but I really don't want to see any of you right now. Go to your room, Zia."

Zianna stood still, her brows furrowed. She'd never seen her mom this mad.

"Now," Elphaba raised her voice and Zianna ran into the hallway with her backpack.

"Hey, let me in!" She heard Zianna yell. She wouldn't be surprised if all the kids had actually gone into the same room and locked the door. Elphaba heard the door open and close again.

She didn't linger on that thought for too long though. Without waiting for Fiyero to say anything, Elphaba went over to the kitchen and picked up the pan with the chicken casserole the kids had spilled. She threw whatever food she could pick up on the pan, though she didn't really see the point of it; it was all going into the trash anyways.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt Fiyero wipe away her tears. Hell, she hadn't even noticed he'd crouched down in front of her.

"Hey," he tilted her chin up so she would look at him.

She swallowed. "It's been a very long day," and week, and month.

"Talk to me," he whispered.

Everything came out. "I'm really stressed. I'm looking after four of them now and they're all at an age where they don't have a care in the world. The twins like to pull and throw things, Liir follows their lead, and Priel requires so much attention. They all do really, and with us not having a sitter yet, I don't know what we're going to do when all five of them are home all day for the summer and I don't know how much more I can take-" she started to hyperventilate.

Fiyero grabbed her hands, not caring that he was also getting food all over him. "Elphaba, I'll just take more days off."

"No, you're busy."

There had been a series of robberies he'd been having to deal with and Elphaba, under Fiyero's protests, encouraged him to go back to work.

"Nothing's more important than you and the kids. Fae, if you needed help, or a break, you should've just told me."

He always helped her out when he was home and did as much as he could and with anything he could. When he would ask her about her day or how she was feeling, she'd always made it seem like everything was alright. He'd had a feeling that she wasn't exactly telling him everything, but he'd had no idea just how under stress she was up until today and he felt horrible.

"But-"

"We're parents, but we're still people," he interjected. "And we're a team. You don't have to do everything yourself. I'm sorry for not being there for you."

"Fiyero don't say that. You have been, of course you have," it was her own fault for not asking for help. He was right, she couldn't do everything herself, and she didn't have to.

"Agree to disagree," he kissed her hair and she sighed. "Now, I'm going to do it anyway, but I'm still asking you, would you like me to stay home with you for a little bit more?"

She laughed softly but nodded. "Thank you, love," she pulled him close and kissed him softly. Elphaba could actually feel herself destress as their lips moved against each other. She hugged him and took a quick glance at the crib in the living room. She was so thankful that Priel was still sleeping like a rock.

Fiyero helped her off the ground. "Let's tell the kids they can come out; they're going to help with cleaning this mess."

"I need to hug them, too. I feel bad for getting so mad at them."

"They'll be fine, it's not the first and it's certainly not the last time they'll make either one of us angry," he kicked some food aside, "we'll order out today, ok?" She also deserved a break from making dinner almost every night.

"Ok," she kissed him again and leaned against him as they walked to the first bedroom and upon seeing it empty, her earlier thought of all the kids going into the same room was confirmed. Elphaba knocked on the door. "Zia, Nay, Kaey, Liir, you can come out now."

The door immediately opened and all of the children launched themselves at Elphaba with a small chorus of 'Sorry, Mama'. It made her smile and she hugged them all as much and as tight as she could.

"It's alright," she reassured.

"All of you, to the kitchen and living room," Fiyero patted their heads, "we're cleaning up the house," they all groaned in protest. "You'll get a prize," they all ran to get to work.

"Devils," Elphaba whispered with a smile.

"They did come from you," Fiyero kissed Elphaba's temple then ran behind the kids to dodge Elphaba aiming a smack to his head.

He could run all he wanted, she'd get him later.

Two to go! Anyone guess what's gonna happen? R&R :)