This is a long one (4000 words) :smiles proudly:...so just be prepared.

Disclaimer:Does the Hitler: Come on, everybody, get your Nazi legs up! Wicked isn't mine. But the Hitler is ;)

Pregnant. Gestating. Expectant. Fertile. Parturient. Knocked up.

I perched myself precariously on the branch of a tree on the grounds of Kiamo Ko, away from the castle. Thinking up all the ways to say 'pregnant', seemed to be a mind game that helped me to both to not break my neck, and to take the bitterness from my newfound revelation. I felt stupid for never having suspected I was pregnant. It's not like I could've changed it even if I had known. I so hated consequences.

I closed my eyes and thought back to the events that the past year had possessed: Fiyero's 'death', incarceration, revelations of my true parentage, Tale, Fiyero's 'resurrection', Kiamo Ko, Frou-Frou, Frex's suicide, the Wizard's much-deserved assassination, so much shit that made my life what it truly was.

Sighing, I lowered myself down from the tree. I had been gone for a while, and even though I knew Fiyero had sense enough to not come looking for me (he had already tried it, and look how that had ended), but I knew that he must've been worried (or at least wondering) about my whereabouts. I felt terrible about what I had said to him earlier, as strange it was. After all, he hadn't wanted to tell me anything I hadn't wanted to hear. And pregnancy definitely fit those qualifications perfectly.

The formidable façade of Kiamo Ko appeared over the horizon, and I sighed once more. I felt grateful that I was anywhere with Fiyero…but Kiamo Ko seemed to be a home full of secrets between man and wife. I didn't want to be here, especially seeing as I filled in a major chapter of those secrets. Well, our affair in the city of emeralds wasn't secret anymore, but it had been.

I wasn't exactly appalled to see Fiyero waiting for me in front of the castle. He seemed to be able to read my mind..he was the aurora of my faith, if you will. Without a word, he took my hand and smiled. I tried my best to smile back, but it was a vain attempt, really. "I'm glad you decided to come back to me, Miss Elphaba."

"Where else do you think I'd go? I'm not exactly in the best medical condition for traveling."

"Since when has anything remotely clinical stopped you?" He asked dryly, but smiling. Fiyero put his arms around my waist and hugged tight to his body. I didn't pull away, rather I let him just hold me. We both needed it, I thought.

"Never. But I have to stop being so selfish. I'm got to think about two right now. I didn't do enough of that when I was preggers with Tale." I drew myself away from him and took his hands in mine. "Oh…erm…how do I say this? I'msorryforthewayItreatedyouFiyero," I said, blushing immensely.

"Alright…Was that an apology? I think it was. It's fine, Fae, really. You're pregnant, you can get away with stuff like that," he said smilingly.

"Oh, I'm glad I know that now. I might just take advantage of that, you know."

"I had a hunch that you would. Oh well, spoiling you will just have to be my new lifelong goal."

"Sounds nice."

Silence. I didn't think either of us knew what to say now. I was pregnant, and I didn't exactly know how Fiyero was coping with it. After all, this would be his fifth child; his second by his inamorata. It was bound to be rigorous for him to know that his lover was pregnant again, and he already had a wife and three children. "I'm sorry, Yero, if this is troublesome to you-"

Fiyero put his finger to my lips. "Don't. It's my turn to say 'don't be so apologetic'. I can very clearly recall our nights of…ecstasy. This didn't happen with just your own doing, I believe I had something to do with it as well."

"Well, folks, he's man enough to admit his own mistakes."

"You're no mistake, Fae. Never. No way will I ever believe that."

I sighed. "You're so naïve. Really, Yero, you try too hard. I appreciate it, though," I replied, blushing.

Fiyero gently brushed a strand of hair out of my face and brought my face to his, gently kissing my lips.

"Ellllllllllphhhhhabbbbbaaa!"

"Sweet Oz, she always picks the worst moments, doesn't she?"

"It would seem so, Love."

"Elphie, I thought you had left for good, as did Emir. Fiyero didn't. Fiyero the Fatalist. Yes, that's what I'm going to call you know," she said, looking pointedly at Fiyero.

"Glinda, lay off the caffeine, really. Now, why would you think such a thing? You knew that when I was pregnant with Tale, I was terrified of being by myself." Even though I had never said anything out in the open, I knew Glinda was smart enough to be able to see the fear…reverberating through my eyes. Maybe I needed a dictionary too.

"Yes…well, when you leave, it scares me."

"How sentimental, Glinda. I feel loved."

"You should," replied Fiyero, matter-of-factly.

"Come, let's go inside. The wind is picking up. It'll ruin my hair."

I shook my head. Glinda the Goon. Yes, that worked. Elphaba the Apathetic, Fiyero the Fatalist, and Glinda the Goon. We were a group alright.

Fiyero draped his arm over my shoulders and steered me inside, with my head resting on his shoulder. Maybe my second pregnancy wouldn't be as bad as the first.

I could not believe what a twit I was.

I wanted to bash my head in against a tree as I walked through the forest, put myself out of my misery. I had come all this way to just have to turn. Well, it was for a good cause at least. I had gone a couple of miles in the night, and in the light, the way looked even longer. I groaned inwardly. Damnable feet, they hurt like the dickens.

Suck it up, Sah- Adara.

Now I even felt even more like a twit. I was still calling myself Sahlah. How long had it been since I had assumed that name? Three years? More, or less? I hadn't a clue. It didn't really matter, though; I had my real name back. I had never really liked the name Sahlah anyways, it was just a pathetic attempt to lick the wounds that I had earned so long ago. Instead, it had just salted them.

I sighed. My past was so painful. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to forgive myself for what had happened to Abasi…my one true love. Every single day became increasingly painful for me with him not by my side. Who care if it had been a long time go? Maybe I should've just left regret in the dust, and abandoned all of my principles…but it was easier thought than done. I was doomed to serve a life sentence as a prisoner in my own body. I wondered if it had anything to do with my anarchism.

Subconsciously, I lightly ran my fingers over my neck, where my pentacle used to hang. I couldn't believe I had lost it! No one would stop me from getting it back, Elphaba or no. That piece had been in my family for generations, and I being the only left, was the sole owner of the priceless Evish family heirloom. Stupid Elphaba, I didn't speak Evian either. What the fuck was Evian? Apparently, Shiz wasn't at all what it was rumored to be.

I stepped in a mud puddle, and my feet sunk deep into the guck. "Damn it," I cried. "Why are things going from bad to worse?" I pulled my legs out the muck and sat down at a tree and cried. Like a baby.

Laying on Fiyero's chest, I traced his blue diamonds with my green fingers. I didn't know how I had missed it before, but green looked nice with blue.

"Fae?"

"Hmmm?"

"Just wondering, but how did you come up with the name Tale?"

"Oh. Well, that's an interesting story…"

"Please enlighten me."

"Alright. Her name was originally going to be Hasina, which means good. Trying to prove my innocence after I was dead, which was what Tasi said. It was him who really named Li. He suggested that it be Tale, which means green. It kind of stuck in my mind, I guess. Why?"

He shrugged ever so slightly, seeing as I was laying on top of him. "We've got another one to name now, I was just wondering how you came up with Li's name."

I paled. "Yes, we do…"

"What?"

"Nothing…I'm just…a little scared of having another baby. I have not so pleasant memories from inside jail. I guess I just have a stereotype of what pregnancy is like."

"Well, I'm determined to break your stereotype. You're going to live like a princess, when technically, you kind of are one."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Nice. I'm not your wife, remember?"

He smiled, "You might as well be."

"Fiyero the Fatalist. Ever the charmer."

"I'm only remotely a fatalist. I believe that everything happens for a reason, but I don't believe that things can't be changed by our actions. I find it hard to believe that our fates our predetermined at birth, we can create our own paths. I know I have," he said, rubbing my cheek with the back of his hand.

"You think you have. I'm probably more of a fatalist than you are. I believe that since we think of fatalism as a prophecy, we try and elude it, and just when we think we have defied it, our fate turns and goes back to what was predetermined before we were born. There is no eluding fate, my dear, even if you think you have, you're only fooling yourself. We all die thinking we have built our lives on the foundation of fate, but really, you're destined to do what you're destined to do. Nothing you do can change it."

"You think too much, Fae. So, does that mean I was always destined to be with you, then?"

I smiled shyly. "It is possible."

"I love you."

"I know. I love you too. Did you ever notice that our most meaningful conversations take place in the bedroom, usually when we're stark naked?"

"Yes, I've noticed that. It's strange."

"I wonder how the Gang-O-Dorothy is doing? Coming here to kill me." Maybe it was just my paranoia, but I thought I saw worry flash in Fiyero's eyes. "Fiyero, my darling, please do not worry about them, really! I'm pregnant, and really, what harm can come to me with you and Emir here?"

"I suppose you're right."

"I am."

"Elphie the Egoist."

"Please don't call me that."

"As you wish."

I felt my heart stop beating as the Arjiki castle of Kiamo Ko appeared over the painted hills. I took a deep breath.

"Nervous?" asked the Tinman from my side.

"Of course I am. I'm terrified of killing this woman."

"Believe me," he said, "she has no family, no friends. She is probably nothing but a harem, a spurned whore. She'll probably welcome us to kill her."

"Possibly," I replied. "But if she's so 'wicked', why would she let us do that?"

"I don't know," he replied with a shrug of his tin shoulders, causing them to squeak.

"Oh, you haven't been oiled since last night's rainstorm! Oh dear," I cried as I ran to Tasi who held me basket which contained the oil. Where he had gotten it, I'd never know. "Oh, Toto, leave Tasi alone! Sorry, he's a bit overfriendly." I quickly took the can out of the basket and oiled the Tinman, or Nick, as he had told us his name was. It seemed that the Scarecrow was the only one who didn't have a name. Even the Lion had a name, I had taken the liberty of calling him 'Fluffy'. He seemed to like it.

"Wow. Kiamo Ko sure is big."

"Biggest castle in all of the Vinkus," stated Tasi, like he was proud or something.

"Just a minor question, but who's castle is it? Castle's just don't build themselves."

"Um…"

"I didn't hear his answer, for he mumbled it quickly and quietly. I shrugged my shoulders. Whatever. As long as the owner didn't interfere with my duties, I was fine. Though, if she was as 'wicked' as she was proclaimed, the Winkies would be happy to get rid of her. I knew I'd be glad to be rid of her; this woman who had so haunted me the past few weeks. Despite me never having seen her.

"Come," said the Scarecrow bluntly. "We'll be there soon if we continue at this pace."

I felt bad for Scarecrow. I didn't know why, but I did. Maybe I was too empathetic. Was that even possible? Oh well. This was only another good deed to me.

I looked out the glass window of me and Fiyero's second story bedroom. I saw an oddly shaped bunch of 'people' coming down the hill towards the front wrought-iron gates. It seemed that my guests had arrived. "Yero my hero," I whispered.

"Yes?" He mumbled almost incoherently, it was still morning, and my restless movements and bouts of sudden morning sickness had woken him. Now neither of us were able to go back to sleep.

"They're here."

"Who's here, Fae?" He asked, getting up and pulling some clothes on.

"Them. Dorothy, the lethargic, the pedophile, the heartless, and Tasi."

Fiyero put his hands on my shoulders and he examined the group. Despite Fiyero's boyish charm and good-nature, I knew that years of living in the Vinkus had taught him war tactics inexplicable to the human nature. "What shall we do, Fiyero, warrior-prince?"

He didn't answer me, and I turned around to see his serious sapphire eyes darting from Tasi and the Tinman. "Tasi's on our side, right? That leaves on the Tin one to worry about. I'm going to wake Emir. I want you and Glinda and Li to stay in here, alright?"

"No. I'm going with you."

"Elphaba-"

"No. I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. I'm going. I'm sure Dorothy will be none too pleased to learn of the Wizard's death. What's the point of killing me when the entire purpose happened to be one in which the Wizard helped them get home. It doesn't too much now what happens to me, huh?"

"To me it does."

"I didn't mean it like that."

Fiyero sighed, exasperated. There was no point in debating with me. "Fine. Get dressed. I'm going to wake Emir."

I gave him a one-hand salute. "Yes, captain!"

He smiled and slipped out of the room. I glanced once more at the posse before I pulled a black dress out of the closet. I slipped it over my head and walked downstairs where a very pale Glinda sat at the table watching the two men argue. Was I the only one who wasn't worried?

I sat down next to Glinda. "What are they arguing about?"

She leaned into me and whispered, "How to get rid of the Tinman. Fiyero's afraid that he poses a threat."

I nodded. "Fiyero,"

He whirled around. "Oh, I didn't know you were there."

I smiled sarcastically. "I noticed. Dearie, just pour some water on the damnable man. He'll rust and the rest will be history."

"I told you that you're sublime. You're expertise will never be surpassed by any other living being."

"My expertise being terrorism? I'd say not. I'm getting Tale."

Fiyero gave me a wary look. "Do really think they'd hurt a baby?"

He relented. "No."

I quickly retrieved Tale and brought her downstairs, holding her close to my breast. "Hello, Sweetie," I said softly. Motherhood had done something to me. Something weird.

I sat at the wooden kitchen table with our little group, playing with Tale, until I heard a loud banging at the door. Glinda paled. Fiyero's jaw clenched. "Oh, I wonder who that could be," I said in a false doltish innocence. "I think I'll get the door."

"Elphaba, this isn't a game."

"Yes, it is, and I'm holding all the cards."

Fiyero took my arm and walked with me towards the large Quoxwood double doors, despite my protests. Fiyero swung the doors open to reveal the strange group. Tasi included. This was where the revelations would begin. No matter how painful…or strange.

"Hello, Tasi," I said casually.

"Good to see you again, Elphie," he replied stepping in. "And in the light. You look good, you gain some weight?"

I flushed. "Uh, sort of."

"Um.." I heard the girl in pigtails say. The rube.

"Oh, you brought friends?"

"Yes, this is Nick," he said pointing at the Tinman, "and that's Fluffy," he said, pointing at the Lion, "that's Dorothy," he said, pointing to the rube, "and that's Scarecrow."

"You know each other?" Asked Dorothy. The first coherent thing I heard her say. Why was I documenting things? I was strange.

"Of course," I said, smiling my best smile. The smile that I usually only saved for Fiyero. "Tasi is an old friend. He helped me escape racial persecution. It is really quite a trifle to be born with a slightly off skin pigmentation."

"Slightly off?" Said the Tinman. "You're fucking green. I'd say that's a little more than 'slightly off'."

"Yes, when you put it in perspective. So, may I help you?" I asked, looking straight into Dorothy's eyes, knowing the answer I was about to receive.

"I'm here to kill you," she said, barely audible. "The Wizard said to. It's the only way to get home, to Kansas."

"Honey," I said, "The Wizard is dead. He can't help you."

"What?" she cried.

The Tinman raised his axe threateningly over his head. "Did you have anything to do with it, Witch?"

"If you touch her, I will rust you so fast, you won't have time to say 'sweet Oz'." It was the first thing Fiyero had said since the group had arrived. Grr, more documentation.

"Oh," he said, gaining more courage, "and who might you be?"

"I'm her husband," Fiyero growled.

My breath caught in my throat. That just being said made my heart thump madly in my chest.

"Her husband, huh? Isn't that interesting," challenged Nick, even though I could tell he was loosing his enthusiasm.

Fiyero took my hand in his and squeezed.

"Now how am I supposed to get home?" cried Dorothy. What a rube. What a whiny rube.

"That, I cannot help you with. I have worries of my own."

"And what might those be?" she asked bitterly.

"I'm pregnant, you little brat."

I heard gasps from all around, except from Tasi, from which emitted an "Again?"

I allowed a small smile. "Yes, again. Fiyero just can't stay away from me."

Tasi shook his head. "I didn't need to know that."

"Hello? Guys? Me? Home? How am I supposed to get there?"

I glared at Dorothy. "I don't know. You should of thought of that before you landed your house on my sister. And took her shoes!"

"Elphie," Fiyero said warningly.

I heard Glinda cry out from the kitchen. "Glinda, what are you doing?" I called, gritting my teeth angrily.

I heard the clip-clop of her shoes as she ran to me, holding Tale away from her. "Your daughter vomited all over me! Ew!"

I took Tale from Glinda and wiped her mouth. "I hope you don't plan on having children anytime soon."

"HELLO!"

"Sweet Oz, I don't know how to get you home, you little rube! I never studied sorcery. Glinda did, though."

Dorothy looked at Glinda helplessly.

"What is she trying to do?"

"Get home."

"Oh.." Glinda pretended to thing hard, even though I could see right through her. The task really required no effort in a person who had studied sorcery. No matter how effectively. "Um, just click you heels together three times and say: 'there's no place like home' with each click." Glinda smiled proudly.

Dorothy stood up and wiped her teary eyes. "Really?"

"Really."

"Alright," Dorothy said uncertainly.

"Hey, Tasi," I called, turning away from Dorothy. I had no desire to see her off. "Got any idea what we should name the new one?" I asked, pointing to belly, which was not even raised yet.

Tasi stepped next to me and though for a moment. "Hmmm..Name her-"

"Her?"

"It's a girl. Trust me. Name her Zamurrad. It means 'emerald'."

"You like making fun of my skin, don't you?"

He shrugged. "I don't make fun of people. It's more of an acknowledgement."

"…There's no place like home, There's no place like home…."

I saw something that remotely represented pain in Tasi's eyes as Dorothy began in her final click in what seemed like slow motion. I thought Dorothy must've seen in too, because as she was saying the word 'like', she grabbed Tasi's hand, finished her sentence, and then they were both gone.

I rubbed my head. Strange. Very strange. Tasi running off with the little rube. Well, it's not like I could talk, I wasn't much better. "Wow," I said. "that was weird."

"Yes, it was."

I looked over to the Lion, who cowered in a corner, the Tinman, who stood as if oblivious, and the Scarecrow, who stood hunched over. Pretty pathetic group, if you asked me. "So, what are you going to now, now that your leader is gone and the Wizard is dead?" I asked, as if interrogating them.

None of them answered. I just shrugged it off. I didn't give a damn if any of them answered me. I just wanted them to leave. Then I heard a crash upstairs. "Fiyero, what was that?"

"Fae, do you really think I know?"

"No, I was just asking. It's a reflex."

"I'll go check."

I watched as Fiyero jogged up the spiraling staircase, his diamonds a beautiful blue blur. I clutched Tale to my chest and kissed her forehead. Zamurrad. It was weird, but I liked it. It would work.

I was snapped out of my name reverie by Fiyero holding the arm of his captive: none other than Adara. I shook my head. "What are you doing back here, I thought you left."

"I did leave. But I left something here. An Evish family heirloom. I'm leaving now, alright?"

"Adara?"

"Yes, Strawboy?" she said, nonchalantly, picking at her fingernails.

"Adara, look at me," he said, his exhausted and beaten voice gaining momentum.

"What?"

As we watched, the Scarecrow tore off his pants, straw covering the floor, to reveal a pair of regular trousers, and normal feet. I watched boredly, I had no desire at all to see a Scarecrow strip. Next, he tore off his shirt, revealing a well muscled, pale chest. The chest of a person who hadn't seen the sunlight in a long time. Now he tore off his face, to reveal himself as a good looking man. I didn't really care, seeing as Fiyero would always be better, but I heard Adara gasp.

Adara ran into the arms of the former Scarcrow, crying, and touching his face. I couldn't make out any intelligible words. I gathered that she knew him, although one could never be quite sure.

"Adara, would you like to introduce use to your friend?"

She quickly kissed him and took his hands, turning to us. "Everyone, this is Abasi."

Despite myself, I had to smile. We all deserved a happy ending, didn't we? Adara, no matter how creepy, included. As Glinda hurriedly talked to a frazzled, but happy, Abasi, Fiyero stepped next to me and took my hand. "How are you?"

"I'm tired, but I'm good. You know," I said, after observing Adara for a minute more, "I may be quite the cynic, but I think we all deserve a happy ending. What's the point of living if we don't have one?"

"Can't answer that, Elphie. But I suppose you're right, though. I sometimes wonder about you, you know; you pretend not to believe in yourself, and you pretend you're not beautiful, but I think, in the back of your mind, you know. And you believe."

"Believe whatever you want, Fiyero. So," I said, gently butting his shoulder with mine, "husband, huh?" I felt brave for acknowledging something so sensitive to me.

He flushed, ever so slightly. "Yes." Then he leaned down and whispered in my ear, "And I meant it, too."

Fate. I was destined to be what I was destined to be. I wasn't quite sure what that was, but as long as I had Fiyero with me, I wasn't sure I cared.

Review, and the epilogue will be up in a couple of days.

Li