Took longer than I expected on this chapter..I've been busy jotting down other stories (by the way, my new oneshot: 'Blitzkrieg' looks review loney :hint hint:) Anyways, sorry if it sucks, I'm getting kicked off the computer by my damnable father. He's looking into private school for his little rebel (that would me). Damn it.

What a fucking communist.

I remembered how much I had hated my father when he had tried to make the Evian people do something even remotely against their will. And here I was, being kicked out by the 'dictator' of the Vinkus. I found myself wanting to go home to boring old Plenia. Damn it. I hated politics. When this was through, I was becoming an anarchist.

I doubted if I had stayed, though, I would've lived. I didn't think Fiyero would have the guts to punch me out; he was too amiable. But I was pretty sure that Elphaba would have no remorse at all for taking a swing at me. Come to think of it, I wouldn't of minded so much, either.

I closed my eyes against the stinging rain; despite the pain of the icy water flowing freely into my eyes, I felt somehow refreshed. I stopped in my tracks and held my face up to the rain, looking up into the dark sky above. The rain seemed to form an odd cylinder around me, the rain becoming more tremendous as it headed towards me.

I sighed as lightning flashed above me in the night sky. Rain storms were made all the prettier by lightning strikes.

Wait. Was it just my overactive imagination at work again, or did that lightning look eerily familiar. I had a feeling that it was the latter. That was not normal lightning; it was green lightning.

But…..had Elphaba been wrong? Ha, that would be a first. To her, anyways. But who else…? Sweet Oz, maybe her imagination was the one that was overactive.

(the fish)

Come to think of it, maybe both of our minds were overactive.

I walked deeper into the woods, hoping to find a nice tree to take cover under. Maybe I was suicidal. I rested my head against the wet trunk of an old willow tree, sighing as I felt my weary bones creak. Subconsciously, I put my hand to my breast, searching for the Gilikinese gold chain that held my….Oh, sweet Oz! It was gone! I searched the ground around me frantically. No! The pentacle my mother gave me before she died could not be gone.

But it was. I had had it when I murdered the Wiz; I made sure of that. And I had had it when I was in my room packing….It was at Kiamo Ko. Where else could it of been? At much as I dreaded going back there and facing Elphaba and Fiyero and the gang, I knew I had to go back. My mother had told me not to loose it on her death bed, and I would not break that promise.

I stood and started to make my way back…but my leg, in fierce protest, threw me against a tree, determined that I was not to move. It was no use going now, I realized. I would go tomorrow..after a good night's sleep….

"Come on, Yero, say something."

Fiyero shook his head. "No. It's a vain attempt to try and convince you that you're beautiful," he said.

I couldn't think of anything to say back to him. No smart comment, no comment, no nothing. Even though he was right, I enjoyed listening to him constantly pestering me about how 'beautiful' I was. I never believed him, or rather, I never let myself believe him. What could I say, it felt nice to feel loved. "So you're just now getting that through your head?"

"You're beautiful, Fae," he replied righteously.

It was almost scary how he knew my feelings before I knew them. "Sometimes I could just hit you, Fiyero. But then I reprimand myself, reminding myself that I'd be nothing without you. Really, I am nothing-" I said, adding the last part shyly.

"Please, let's not start that again."

"Fine." I didn't want an argument. I had become oddly amiable in the past couple of weeks, but even more so since the day of Adara's exit and Tasi's unexpected visit. I had no idea why, but I was beginning to accept it as a turning point in me. Fiyero seemed accepting of it, as well.

"Thank you. I love it when you're agreeable," Fiyero whispered in my ear seductively, as he ran his fingertips in light circles over my neck.

"Stop," I said, pulling his hand away. Then kissing his fingertips, not wanting him to feel rejected. "Not now."

He nodded, pulling me closer and resting his head in my hair. "Tasi was here, last night, you know," I said suddenly. "He's helping those people that are trying to kill me." I laughed then. "A whole group of them, just like you said: A heartless man of tin, a despondent Scarecrow, a Lion in a bush, and a pathetic farm girl."

"What?"

"The Lion? Yes, we….he's a homophile. Though, I have my suspicions that he's a pedophile as well as a homophile. Good thing Dorothy's a girl." I smiled, then continued after Fiyero gave me a aberrant look, "I feel nothing but pity for the little rube. She's on a quest to kill me, and even I couldn't succeed in that."

"This obviously is not phasing you."

"Obviously. She's only a little girl."

"And the others?" Inquired Fiyero.

"The Scarecrow's depressed, what could he do to me? Flog me with molding straw? I doubt the Lion would even touch me, my offensive green skin might damage his precious claws."

"You're green skin is not offensive - And the Tinman?"

"I'm just seeing it as other people see it - And the Tinman….He might actually pose a threat….but Tasi's helping them, have you seen how persuasive Tasi can be? I'm sure he can turn the Tinman in my favor in a second if he wanted to. He was quite the little allurer," I said, nodding. "Don't worry, Yero," I said, when he gave me a skeptical look.

"I can't help it, Fae, I don't want to lose you again." Fiyero then glanced down at my abdomen.

"What?" I asked, I couldn't help but wonder what he was looking at.

He jerked his head up, and flushed, knowing I had seen him looking. "Nothing, I'm sorry, Fae-Fae. I know how uncomfortable it makes you when I look at you for too long."

"Stop, don't be so apologetic." There goes my amiability again. "But seriously, Yero my hero, there's absolutely nothing to worry about," I took is hand in mine, "really."

He stole another glance at my abdomen. "I hope not, I really hope not."

"Besides," I said playfully, "I have you to protect me, don't I?"

He smiled and ran his fingers through my hair. "That you do, my dear, that you do."

Suddenly feeling sensual, I wrapped my arms around Fiyero's neck and kissed him, then pushed him down on the bed, undoing his shirt. "How about protecting me now, huh?"

"That, I would be happy to do any time of the day, any day."

"So, Elphaba, when do you think it should be?"

"What?"

"The wedding, Silly," said Glinda, tapping me on the shoulder lightly.

"Oh…." To be quite honest, I could care less about when Glinda's wedding was. But I had imprudently volunteered myself to be benefactor to Glinda's wedding plans (moreover, who else here to help her with her wedding?) However, I was slowly proving through a string of events that I was more of a hindrance than a benefactor. Glinda, though, didn't seem to mind. "I don't know, Glinda, spring? Or summer? Winter? When are weddings usually?"

Glinda tossed her pad of pink perfumed stationary aside. "Are you telling me that you've never been to a wedding?"

"Am I really that obvious?" I asked sarcastically. "Don't answer that," I said when Glinda moved to answer me. "No, I've never been to a wedding. I was invited to one by a couple who was friends with my parents, but they declined on my part..because..well, you know why."

"That's horrible. That's spiteful."

"Yes, well, life's a bitch then you die. I was only six anyways, I had no desire at all to go to a wedding. I still don't."

"Not even your best friend's?" Asked Glinda, giving me her ever poignant pout. "I feel bereaved."

I stared at Glinda a minute before speaking. "What? Glinda, I'm going to give you a dictionary, and you're going to read it very carefully, alright? If you do as I tell you, you will see that the word 'bereaved' means mourning the loss of a loved one. No one has died. So there is no reason to mourn."

Glinda flopped herself back down, her curls bouncing. Grabbing her pink paper and abandoned pen, she said, "Oh..I knew that. Anyhoo, when do you think? I was thinking about spring, when the flowers are all in bloom, and the weather is nice. What do you think, Elphie? I need your opinion on this!"

I snorted. "Some how, Glinda, I doubt that. But, sure, spring is fine."

Glinda scribbled something hurriedly on her paper, then sighed, "I just can't believe this is happening to me. I'm getting married, Elphie!" She squealed.

I pushed her away from me when she tried to hug me. "Sorry, I don't do hugs." Then said, after Glinda started to say something, "Fine, I do, but only with Fiyero."

"I'm sure that's not all you do."

"Glinda, how old are you?"

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Oh my! Elphie, look!" Glinda squealed, pointing at a tree about three feet away from where we were.

I gasped and ran to Tale, hugging her to my chest; she had crawled for her first time! Kissing her forehead, I smiled. Motherhood was sure arduous, but it was moments like these that made it all worth it. "Well," I said, smoothing Tale's raven silk away from her face, "isn't Daddy going to be proud?"

Keeping her in my lap, so she couldn't wander off, I sat back down next to Glinda. "So, now that the date is planned, what's next?"

"The bridesmaids dresses." She examined me for a minute. "I'll have to get your measure- Nevermind, that won't work." She immediately clapped her hand over her mouth. It was perceivable that she had a mistake. I just didn't know why.

"Why won't that work, Glinda?" I asked.

Glinda shook her head. "No, I can't say anything more than I already have. I'm going to be in trouble…Fiyero wanted to tell you." Glinda put her head in her hands. "Oh dear, I've screwed up."

"Yes, Glinda, you have. I don't know why, but you have. What does Fiyero want to tell me, huh? Come on, Glinda! You're the fountain from which all gossip flows!"

She flushed a deep shade of pink, "Oh, Elphie! Now that I've opened my mouth, I suppose that I must say something…Elphaba, have you bled recently?" She asked, blushing even deeper. Immature Glinda, embarrassed about talking about girl matters.

I thought hard for a moment. "No…Oh, sweet Oz," I murmured.

"Elphaba Thropp, I pronounce you as pregnant. Announce, I meant announce."

"Pronounce works just fine, Glinda," I said, still in shock. This was no time for me to be giving Glinda English lessons! I was pregnant! "Glinda," I said, cradling Tale on my hip, "I have to go."

I walked as fast as I could to the castle, trying to supress myself from crying. It wasn't the fact that I was pregnant that hurt so bad (although that had something to do with it), it was the reality that everyone had known except for me. I felt as if I was being mocked.

"Fiyero!" I called when I stepped inside. "Fiyero! Hello, is anyone here? Damn it," I muttered when I got no answer. "Fiyero, where are you-?"

"Fae, I'm right here."

I turned to the side, and saw Fiyero walking down one of the long, dark corridors of Kiamo Ko, towards me. He immediately relented his happy demeanor when he saw my cold one. "What's wrong, Elphie?" He gently took Tale from me, cradling her in his arms.

"She crawled today, her first time," I started coldly. "When were you going to enlighten me on the fact that there was another on the way? Everyone knows, don't they? Except for me."

"Elphie-"

"Don't, I don't want to talk to you right now."

"I'm sorry, Elphaba, I just didn't know how to tell you."

I sighed. "I know, Yero, just leave me alone for awhile." I laughed. "This sure explains my amiability lately. That's why I didn't see it. Argh, I'm so naïve!"

"No you're not, Elphie."

I let out a shaky sigh. "I feel mocked."

"You're not, though."

"It doesn't matter if I am or if I am not. I feel as if I am."

Fiyero nodded. "I'm sorry-"

"Stop. Alright? I hate apologies. I hate apologies, I hate weddings, I hate being pregnant, I hate being…me."

Fiyero took his hand in mine. "Stop, really, please. You can't possibly hate being you, because you wouldn't have me." He smiled, a feeble attempt to make me smile.

"Pft. All you do is sleep with me then get me pregnant."

"Ouch. That..kind of..hurt."

"I'm sorry. I'm going out, I need to be alone, alright?"

"Be careful, Elphie," he said softly.

"I told you, don't worry about me. Me being pregnant doesn't change anything."

I kissed Tale's forehead, and hesitantly kissed Fiyero's lips softly. "I'll be back," I said, before slipping out of Kiamo Ko.

"So, what did you say your name was again?"

The boy smiled. "I didn't, but it's Tasi."

"I'm Dorothy," I said, holding my hand out to shake.

"Yes, that much I gathered."

"Oh." I felt my face heat up. "Um, come along, Scarecrow, don't drag your feet! The ground is wet, you'll mold."

Tasi only smiled softly. God he was handsome. "When do you think we'll get to think castle-place, Kimino Kove, was it?"

He chuckled lightly, "Kiamo Ko. And we should be there within a few days, if we're lucky."

"If we're lucky?"

"If the weather stays on our side like it has been doing, that is."

"Oh." I could feel my stomach drop, then I put on the bravest face I could muster. "That stupid Witch doesn't have much time to live then, does it?" And that doesn't give me much time in Oz, I thought remorsefully.

(With Tasi)

I swore thatI saw a dim flicker of morale in Tasi's eyes. He was on our side, wasn't he?

Review, and I'll...Yea, just review :)

Li