Chapter 6

Dawn's cries were heartbreaking. Elphaba looked helplessly at her daughter. She didn't know how to help her. An evil smile was plastered on the Wizard's face as he held her screaming child.

"Give her back to me, do you hear me?" Elphaba yelled, enraged. Tears blinded her sight and burnt her skin, but she couldn't let it bother her; not when her baby girl was in danger. "She's mine!"

"Mama! Mama, help me!" pleaded Dawn.

The Wizard looked back at her emptily, indifferent to his daughter's pleading, to his granddaughter's cries for help. "She'll be happier with me, in my world, you know she will. Let her go, Elphaba. I'll take care of her," he said calmly.

"You'll take care of her? The same way you took care of me?"

He shook his head. "We could help each other. You had your chance."

"Give me back my baby!"

"I'm sorry, Elphaba. This is for the child's own good," he said as he stepped into his red balloon, taking Dawn along with him.

"Mama, I'm scared! Don't leave me here! Mama!"

"Deanne, NO!"

Elphaba woke up with a jolt. It took her a moment to make out her surroundings, and that she was in no danger. It was just a horrible dream. She crawled out of bed, carefully so she wouldn't wake Fiyero who slept next to her, and left the bedroom.

Dawn's room was quiet and the child was sleeping soundly. A sigh of relief escaped Elphaba's lips as she drew near her daughter's bed to take a closer look at her. Her features softened instantly as she watched her daughter in her sleep. How beautiful she was, and how peaceful. So peaceful, that the nightmare from such a short time ago seemed like a distant memory.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you, baby," she whispered.

The door opened and Elphaba turned, suddenly scared, but it was only Fiyero who stood there on the doorway, looking at her sleepy yet with unmistakable concern in his eyes. "Fae? What happened? What are you doing here?" he asked in a whisper.

"Nothing," she whispered back. She looked at Dawn once more before she joined Fiyero. "Nothing happened," she murmured, burying her face in his nightshirt.

"Then why are you shivering?" he asked gently, wrapping his arms protectively around her. She sighed, saying nothing. "Come on, let's go back to bed, okay?"

She looked up at him pleadingly as the essence of her nightmare was slowly creeping back in. "Can you just… hold me? For a moment?"

Fiyero nodded and tightened his embrace. Elphaba leaned her head against his chest and felt her fears fade away. Her daughter was safe and asleep and Fiyero was there to protect her… both of them.

When they came back to their room, Elphaba laid as close to Fiyero as possible. She couldn't stop shivering. Dawn's cries from her nightmare seemed to haunt her thoughts.

"Elphaba, what is it?" asked Fiyero, now somewhat panicked.

"I had this dream," she started, then stopped, suddenly hesitant. "Oh, forget it, it's silly."

"Silly it may be, but it's bothering you," he said. She looked away at his sharp observation. He touched her chin gently, making her face him. "Tell me."

"I dreamt that the Wizard… my father," she corrected, disgusted by the thought. "Came to take Dawn away-"

Fiyero sighed. "Oh, Elphaba-"

"…to this other country where he lives…" her voice trailed off. Fiyero sighed again. "I know, I told you it was silly."

"It's not. Sweetheart, it's natural that it scares you but it's not going to happen. Dawn is safe here, and he's not coming back," he assured her, holding her close.

Elphaba looked up at him in the dim light of the room. She managed a weak smile. He returned her smile and held her tighter. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she whispered. "I love you so much."

"You would get along just fine. You were always the strong one, remember?"

"You are my strength, Yero."

"And you are mine," he smiled and kissed her tenderly. "Now close your eyes. Sleep. He is not coming back here, Fae, you have nothing to worry about."

"Promise?" she asked as she closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him.

"Yes. I promise."