Chapter 3

Fiyero was going absolutely crazy by the minute. He could have sworn he heard a baby's crying from the other side of the door. Of course, he could have been imagining this, but it was impossible, as Boq said he heard it, too. He paced back and forth along the hall. If that was the baby, then why didn't Glinda-

The door suddenly opened, and a smiling Glinda went out of the room. A sigh of relief instinctively escaped Boq's lips the moment he saw that smile. Thank Oz!

"Congratulations, daddy!" she said, laughing, and hugged Fiyero tightly.

"How's Elphaba?" he asked urgently. The enormity of her news hadn't dawned on him completely yet.

Glinda's smile got impossibly wider as she beamed at him. "She is fine, and your beautiful baby girl is, too!"

"A girl?" he exclaimed, then gave her a pleading look. "Can I come in now?"

Glinda giggled at his reaction. "Of course you can!" she replied cheerfully. "I'm going to inform the sweet people outside that Elphie is alright. Darling, are you coming?" she smiled happily at Boq. He nodded and followed her.

"Glinda, wait!" called Fiyero when they were halfway down the hall. "Is she…" he stopped, unsure of how to ask what he wanted to know. Not that it mattered; he'd love her either way. He just wanted to know.

Glinda understood, nonetheless. She laughed softly. "She is not green, Fiyero," she promised. "Go in, see for yourself."

And Fiyero did just that.

Fiyero closed the door behind him and turned to look at Elphaba. She didn't look back. She was finally dozing off, thanks to the injection the doctor gave her several minutes ago. The doctor and the maid stopped at the threshold on their way out of the room.

"Congratulations, Master Tiggular," the doctor said warmly, shaking Fiyero's hand.

"Are they alright?" Fiyero asked in a low whisper.

"Both are fine, needn't you worry," the doctor assured him. "I gave Elphaba something for the pain, so she is somewhat groggy."

"And the baby?"

The doctor smiled reassuringly. "The prettiest creature I've seen in a long time."

A sigh of relief escaped his lips. "Thank Oz."

"You should be very thankful, indeed. We nearly lost both of them."

Fiyero was shocked to hear this. He was too excited to be aware to the severity Elphaba's condition, when he sat in the hall earlier. He guessed the all these water didn't help much, either. "You wouldn't," he said. He remembered his conversation with Boq only hours ago. Seemed like years have past.

"Well, we'll leave you now. I'll be back in the morning to check on them."

"Thank you, doctor." The doctor nodded and they left the room.

For a moment, Fiyero just stood there. Then he slowly approached Elphaba's bedside. She was asleep, propped on many pillows, with a bundle of blankets in her arms. She looked so peaceful in her sleep. He smiled and gently took the bundle from her.

The most beautiful, tiny face looked back at him from somewhere among the blankets.

"Hey, little girl," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears.

The baby fussed but didn't cry, as if she knew that she shouldn't wake her mother. She looked curiously at the man who now held her and flinched when one of his tears fell on her cheek.

Fiyero felt Elphaba stir next to him and raised his head to look at her as she slowly opened her eyes. "I see you have already met," she whispered huskily. She was dazed from the doctor's injection, as it has said she would be.

He reached over to touch her chin. "Yes, we have," he whispered back.

She smiled, then sighed. "Oh, Yero… Can you believe it?" she murmured, on the verge of tears. He took her hand in his.

"She is so…" Just like Elphaba did before, he stopped. He thought of million things that could be her. Their daughter.

"Tiny?" suggested Elphaba, offering him another tired smile.

Fiyero nodded. "That one too. And as beautiful as her mother."

"She is magic," said Elphaba, looking at the baby.

"Yes, she is," he agreed. "What are we going to call her?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't know."

They have already agreed to give their baby an original name, not a name of one of their loved ones who were dead and gone. Whether it would be a boy or a girl, this child would have its own life. Silence now fell between them. Each was lost in thoughts. Fiyero's gaze wandered from the baby in his arms to the window, where in the east the morning sun began its slow ascent. It was as if Nessa was watching them. He smiled at the thought, and then an idea suddenly struck him.

"How about Dawn?" he suggested.

"Dawn…" Elphaba murmured, trying it out. She looked at the baby, then at Fiyero, and smiled. "Dawn is perfect," she said finally. "What do you say, little one? Do you like your new name?"

"I think she does," replied Fiyero, laughing softly. They both looked at the baby, who slowly fell asleep in her father's arms. "You should sleep too," he said, looking up at Elphaba.

She nodded. She didn't have any intention to argue or protest; she was exhausted. "Will you stay?" she whispered, already halfway into slumber.

"Of course I will," he murmured. "Sleep now, love…"

Elphaba didn't need further persuasions. She leant back on the pillows and closed her eyes. The injection did wonders, and soon she was fast asleep.

Fiyero sat there next to her bed and watched his daughter… their daughter… Dawn… in her sleep.