A/N: Wow, writer's block is a stinker. But I feel so ridiculously triumphant when it looks like I've defeated it! And reviews, follows and favourites always keep me going. Sometimes it's a simple thing like seeing a new follower come through in my email alerts that reassures me I can still do this. So I want you all to know how much I appreciate you! I really, really do. I write for my own entertainment, but it still makes me happy to know others are enjoying it too.

WickedObsessed: Well, firstly I promise to always read reviews. Even if I don't reply, it's never because I didn't read the review. You are right about Frex, although there are actually one or two fics where Frex is a nice person! Granted, few people attempt it, but it's not unheard of. How is it that you picked out two lines I was most proud of? Haha. With the first one, I was just fascinated by the idea that Elphaba may struggle to connect with Nessa initially, due to her father's blatant favouritism. I also think that's a big contributor to the turbulence of their relationship later on, so it just interested me. I honestly don't know how I "come up" with lines. Most of the time it's more like vomiting on a page, until something comes out and I think, "Oh, I actually quite like that!" Also... you may have just given me my newest obsession with that conversation between Elphaba and Dorothy. That is pure genius, even if it is thoroughly depressing.

There was no way they could keep the boys at Colwen Grounds. But Elphaba couldn't stand to abandon them once more to the streets either. Sending them to an orphanage simply wasn't an option - the orphanages in Oz were renowned for their poor treatment of the children there. And once the children grew up, there was nowhere for them to go other than the workhouse. That left only one real option. Elphaba almost laughed to think of it – it seemed to be her go-to solution for everything lately, and it certainly held no hope of permanence or guarantee of safety. But really, what else was she to do?

So it was with a level of irony that she bundled them up as best she could that night once Nessa was asleep in warm coats that were the closest she could find to their size – old ones of Nessa's - and bit her lip to see the little urchins practically drowning in all the expensive fur and looking, nonetheless, supremely pleased and awed to be wearing such finery. They kept grasping onto the material with their little hands and pawing at it as if it might suddenly disappear were they to stop. They didn't even seem to care that the coats were technically designed for girls. And neither should they. It was probably the best thing they had ever worn.

To be honest, they were probably nicer than anything Elphaba herself had ever worn.

Girne seemed to have attached himself to Elphaba's hip. She would have been disconcerted about that fact had she not, surprisingly, found herself becoming quite attached to the child. He was currently heaped in her arms with his little legs wrapped possessively around her waist, and Elphaba had to tilt her head to an unnatural angle to see over the thick fur surrounding him in a kind of explosive nest. The others' names she had also learned in due course. Two of them were twins – Kernah and Oriel. In the midst of all the action, Elphaba had to confess she hadn't noticed at first the striking resemblance between them. Both had the same wild mop of raven hair, and the same button nose and mouth that seemed always ready to pull up into a cheeky smile. Jozen was the eldest of them; they had worked out his age to be around seven, although Jozen himself couldn't be sure of his age. Fiyero had remarked that Jozen was perhaps the most like Elphaba; even once fed and taken care of he had proven to be the most reticent, unwilling to speak unless spoken to directly, and even then, he seemed to jump at the slightest bit of attention paid him. The others were Filian and Yerak – rascals if ever Elphaba knew any. If Frex were to become aware of the boys' presence, Filian and Yerak would be the ones to give them away, for they had done nothing but tug each other's hair and careen around the mansion like hooligans since they had awoken. Nessa was quickly becoming sick of them, although she had the dignity not to show it, settling for a tight smile whenever she was bound to acknowledge them.

It seemed that the children had been begging together for quite some time, although it was anybody's guess how long that was. Street children in Munchkinland tended to band together if they could, if they didn't feel threatened by one another, and it was probably the safest thing for them. They had learned that the boys met after a close shave trying to escape from a man who tried to grab them. None of the boys could tell Elphaba or Fiyero what the man had wanted – they only knew that they had been awoken by chaos and they had enough sense to know to run.

Elphaba wasn't a fool, however. Slave traders were no uncommon thing, especially since the crash. It made her blood boil to think that someone may have wanted to do such a thing, but she couldn't deny that this was the most likely explanation. She wanted to melt with anger at the prospect that in times such as this, her Father's money ought to be going towards alleviating such poverty, and yet where it was actually going she couldn't begin to imagine.

No matter. The man had not managed to catch them. Now they were with her, and Oz help her if she let anything happen to them now.

Fiyero himself was just about ready to head out with Elphaba and the unlikely troop. Girne had been ready for quite some time and wasn't having any thoughts about shifting from Elphaba's arms. Jozen had stationed himself a little behind Elphaba and was waiting quietly, while the twins were circling Fiyero with fascination like sharks. Filian, at last, seemed to be settled enough to leave. Yerak was nowhere near ready, seeming rather too distracted by Cowper, but they couldn't just loiter about waiting for him, so Elphaba endeavoured to ignore the way he was playfully kicking her leg and watching Cowper closely as if to see whether he approved of the abuse. For Oz's sake, it hurt. The child had no gentle kick. She was keeping quiet however, since Fiyero had pointed out that besides having a larger-than-life personality, he was also most probably starved for attention.

"How are you going to keep this from your Father?" Fiyero asked as they all bundled into the carriage she had decided to use despite the late hour.

"Oh, that's easy," Elphaba replied nonchalantly. "I cast a little spell on the driver. He won't say anything. And besides," her mouth quirked upwards, "even if the spell weren't to work, I'm fairly certain I scared him enough to keep him silent."

Fiyero blinked and breathed in unsteadily. "Okay," was all he said to that.

Elphaba grinned.

When they finally pulled up a few streets away from the old warehouse, Elphaba was only too glad to be free from the close quarters with six children – and a feline, since Yerak insisted on bringing Cowper. By the look of him, Fiyero was equally exhausted by the mayhem. Elphaba couldn't blame him. Having one child bounce excitedly on your lap for any length of time was taxing. Multiplying that by five – Jozen was largely minding his own business – was enough to break the strongest man. Or woman.

The warehouse was as decrepit as Elphaba remembered it. If she hadn't been there for herself so recently, she would never have believed it to be a refuge for Animals in hiding. But then, she had already become acquainted with the resourcefulness of Animals. They had built the mill seemingly from nothing. The stone this warehouse was built from was cold and uninviting, and its dark patches mingled with stark shadows than overall gave the building a ghoulish feel. She hadn't taken the time to notice before, but weeds climbed up its sides like goblin's arms, as though to protect the place from the trespassing of outsiders.

Scooping up Girne in one arm and grasping Filian's hand with her other, she glanced at Fiyero, who smiled briefly. Fiyero took Yerak and Kernah, one on each side, while Jozen lightly shoved Oriel along to keep up with the others.

As they approached the door, Fiyero gave it a small kick in the absence of a free hand to knock. After a moment of thought he kicked again twice, a little harder, to make sure they were heard. He stepped back and soon they heard scuffling from inside the shell of a building.

"Yes?" the voice sounded timid, but Elphaba recognised it as belonging to Dr Dillamond and hurried to reassure him.

"It's Elphaba and Fiyero, Doctor," she couldn't help glancing again at Fiyero. "And, um, some visitors."

After that, the door swung open and the Goat greeted them with a slightly wobbly but easy smile. "Miss Elphaba. Master Fiyero. Of course, of course. Come in." Doctor Dillamond's eyes flitted over the party with some bemusement as they all traipsed in. Just as soon as they were all inside, he shut the door quickly behind them.

Elphaba took in the scene. It was large and open, and strikingly empty in comparison with the mill. There was nothing but a few candles placed here and there, on a solitary shelf hammered rudely into the wall or a basic wooden table. The little light there was worked hard to fight against the dank darkness but couldn't quite seem to dispel it. Nonetheless, once their eyes had adjusted, they could see well enough. The ceiling soared high above them, giving Elphaba the odd feeling of being a bug inside a jar. Throughout the warehouse, Animals were clustered in groups, talking idly or working on something with deep attention, or simply pressing in as close as they could to the light and heat of a candle, staring solemnly at the walls.

As they entered, several of the Animals looked up, greeting Elphaba with warm and yet strangely blank smiles.

It caused a chill to pass through Elphaba's bones that had nothing to do with the cold. Back in the mill, the Animals had been vibrant, hopeful beings that seemed to constantly burn with fervid passion. There was none of that now. Desolation had settled over them like an ocean.

Distracting Elphaba from her thoughts, a familiar voice cried out in perhaps the most ecstatic tone Elphaba had ever heard her use. "Elphaba!"

Elphaba turned abruptly towards the voice. It was a voice she would recognise anywhere. A relieved grin split her face almost painfully. "Mareem!"

And there her old housekeeper was, coming to stand mere feet away to the left of Dr Dillamond. The sight of her sparse, greying hair, sparkling eyes and oh-so-familiar wry grin filled Elphaba with joy. She no longer wore the ragged apron Elphaba was used to seeing her in, but instead wore boots uncannily like Elphaba's own and a heavy dress that looked as though it had been designed to withstand unforgiving conditions, almost like armour. Her straw-like hair tumbled from her head, giving her an almost wild appearance, but somehow, Elphaba was sure she had never seen Mareem look more at home.

Overjoyed, Elphaba placed Girne on his feet and let go of Filian's hand in order to catapult herself into Mareem's arms. Mareem returned her embrace just as tightly. Soon, they were both laughing.

Mareem drew back and cupped her rough hands around Elphaba's face. "Ye've no idea 'ow much I've missed ye, lass."

"I think I might have an idea," Elphaba replied breathlessly.

Mareem's face lit up, and she hauled her young friend back into the embrace. Conspiratorially, she moved to whisper into Elphaba's ear, "Ye can tell me later what ye've brought this parade in 'ere fer." Her voice was rough and teasing – exactly how Elphaba remembered it.

Elphaba giggled. It felt like she hadn't done that in a long time. If she ever had. But then she mellowed and pulled away just enough to be able to look Mareem in the eye. "I'm sorry we had to bring them here," she said. "I didn't think we had much of a choice. We found them on the street and... my father..."

"Who are they?" Dr Dillamond interrupted curiously. Quickly, though, he looked down as though embarrassed. "If I may ask, that is."

"Of course, you may," Elphaba replied. She turned to Fiyero, and seeing her look, Fiyero nodded.

"We found them on the street, as Elphaba said," he continued. "They found us, actually," he laughed ironically, rubbing the back of his neck. "Elphaba didn't just want to leave them. They were clearly beggars."

"Clearly?" Mareem prompted him, brows skyrocketing into her hairline in interest.

"Clearly," Fiyero confirmed, but didn't elaborate. "So we took them back with us. We took care of them as best we could. Well..." he trailed off. "Actually, most of it was Elphaba." He looked at her, and something in Elphaba's chest tightened.

"Not all," she protested quietly. "I couldn't have done it without you, Yero."

They seemed to realise at the same moment that Elphaba had used the nickname. Fiyero merely looked taken aback, while Elphaba blushed furiously. Truth be told, she'd been referring to him that way in her head from time to time. She never intended for it to come out though.

Doctor Dillamond coughed, swiftly moving the conversation on. "And then you brought them here?"

"Yes," Fiyero answered, when it became clear that Elphaba was still too mortified to speak. "If we'd taken them to the orphanage, they would have been treated worse than when they were alone." He lowered his voice at that last addition. During their conversation, the boys had slipped away and were either gazing around them in awe or engaging one another in play fights on the ground. They weren't paying the adults much attention anymore, but it was an awful subject for any of them to overhear. "This is just a temporary solution," Fiyero continued just as quietly. "We found them – they're our responsibility. We'll find a better place for them, if you could just try to keep them hidden for a little while."

Dr Dillamond was nodding solemnly. "Of course. I completely understand the situation. But please, let us help you. We'll take them for as long as we can, of course..." he exchanged a look with Mareem, "but this is a dangerous life we're living. We can't guarantee their safety for very long..."

Elphaba stepped forward to gratefully grasp Dr Dillamond's hoof, staring at him earnestly. "We understand," she squeezed his hoof tightly. "Thank you."

Dr Dillamond smiled, although he couldn't quite hide the flicker of trepidation behind it. "Anything for you, Elphaba. And anything for any of our fellow citizens in need."

Elphaba opened her mouth to respond but was distracted by the sound of a cat yowling unhappily, and turned to see Yerak holding Cowper upside down in a most unnatural fashion. Groaning, she hurried over to the boy, quickly extracting Cowper from his grasp and turning him the right way up. Yerak pouted and looked ready to reach out to take Cowper back, but Elphaba grasped a hold of his fist – not roughly, but firmly enough – and sighed. "You can't hold a cat like that, Yerak. You have to hold him like this," she demonstrated, tiredly. "See?"

Yerak was still pouting. "I wasn't hurting him," he insisted, his eyebrows drawing together. "Give him back to me, Miss, please?"

He reached out again, but Elphaba swiftly lifted the cat up so he couldn't reached. "Uh uh," she admonished. "Not until you can prove to me that you will hold him properly."

Mareem barked a laugh before reclaiming her place at Elphaba's side. "I might have just the thing," she chuckled away, producing a strange object from one of the folds in her dress. It was long and shaped rather strangely like a kitten. It must have been some kind of old toy. Mareem handed it to the boy, who eyed the toy curiously. "'Tis a cat, but not th' kind 'at can get upset if ye manhandle it. How about ye play with this fer a while?"

Yerak shrugged. "Can I have Cowper later though?"

Elphaba pursed her lips. I don't think so, she thought to herself. "We'll see," she replied instead.

Yerak seemed satisfied for the moment, turning the toy over and over in his hands in mild interest. The rest of the boys immediately crowded around him, ooing and ahhing until Yerak began to swat them away in annoyance.

"Where did you get that?" Elphaba asked Mareem.

Mareem winked. "An old memento." She said no more.

Smiling, Elphaba passed Cowper over to Mareem, who accepted him with a curious lift of her eyebrow. "Trade?" she asked ironically. "A living cat in place of the old?"

Elphaba smirked. "Something like that."

"Elphaba," Dr Dillamond addressed her. "We have a lot to discuss. Much has changed since the explosion."

Elphaba nodded, biting her lip hard at the memory. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the thick black smoke, and the smell of burning almost made her choke.

Fortunately, Dr Dillamond didn't seem to expect her to respond. "You could leave the boys here while we talk. The other Animals will take care of them."

Fiyero interrupted, "I could always watch them if you like, Elphaba."

His tone seemed to suggest that he was trying to be helpful, but Elphaba frowned. "Aren't you going to help us work out what happened... at the mill... last time?" She still couldn't say it aloud.

Fiyero looked thoughtful at that, chewing his lip. Finally, he said, "I can, if you really think I can help." Elphaba didn't miss the look of insecurity that passed through his eyes. "I just thought maybe I would get in your way."

A thousand different emotions passed through Elphaba all at once, and in the end, she wasn't sure which one she settled on. Maybe it was frustration, but she found herself stomping towards Fiyero and gripping his hands in her own like a vice. "No," she almost spat, doing her best to command his gaze with her own. "You have to stop saying things like that. It's not true. Whatever you seem to think about yourself, it isn't true. I need you, okay?"

Fiyero looked astounded, but he quickly recovered and met her glare with one of his own. "Well, I hope you'll abide by your own words."

Whatever Elphaba expected him to say, it wasn't that. "What?"

His scowl deepened, but it seemed to be masking something. What was behind it, she couldn't tell. "Whatever you seem to think about yourself, it isn't true."

"Don't throw my words back at me."

"You need to hear them." Abruptly, his face softened, and his grip loosened. "I mean it. You're worth more than you know, whatever your Father has told you. And your value doesn't depend on how well you care for Nessa." He said the next part quietly, almost timidly. "You aren't her mother."

Elphaba tried to draw her hands back, but he wouldn't let her. Heat flooded her at an alarming rate. "We were talking about you." She fought to keep her voice steady. Did he notice how it almost gave out?

Fiyero sighed, but he still wasn't letting her go. "We were."

Elphaba surmised that was as close to acceptance as she was going to get. "Come," she rasped. "Please."

Fiyero closed his eyes, but when he opened them again, there was determination swirling amidst the timidity. "Okay."

His eyes were beautiful. Elphaba had noticed it before and she noticed it again. They seemed at this moment like boiling pools, where at other times they could be quiet and still. She couldn't decide which she preferred more. When they were calm, it was like the whole world steadied. When they were excited, she couldn't look away.

Right now, his eyes held her. When had he come so close?

Shakily, she lifted a hand and placed it flat against his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

Fiyero nodded against her hand and she wanted to lean in closer, but the moment was interrupted by a low cough.

Elphaba and Fiyero startled and moved away from one another. Elphaba's hand dropped from his face like it had been burned. It was Dr Dillamond who had coughed. Elphaba had completely forgotten that they weren't alone.

"Sorry." To his credit, the Goat really did look apologetic. Mareem, on the other hand, did not. Elphaba couldn't help but notice she was grinning like a fiend. When Mareem caught her young friend looking, her smile widened in a way that was almost threatening and Elphaba shuddered to think just what might be going through the woman's head.

"Shall we?" Dr Dillamond asked.

As she followed him, Elphaba attempted to convince herself that she hadn't seen a knowing glint in his eye, before he quickly smothered it with cool professionalism. Of course, she hadn't seen anything like that.

…

A large assembly of Animals pressed in around a tiny fire that had been lit in one bare corner of the warehouse. It had the advantage of dispelling slightly the unearthly chill that had enveloped Elphaba as soon as they walked in, but it also illuminated the sad peeling of paint on the wall, the gaping cracks in the dark floorboards and the spiders' webs drooping dismally.

Elphaba stretched out her hand as far as she could reach towards the crackling flames, hoping for a lick of heat to warm her frigid fingers. It was a difficult movement – right now she was cocooned, or squashed, depending on one's perspective, between a Stag and a Jaguar. And for as fond as she had grown of the Animals, they really did stink.

There was anxious murmuring throughout the group as they waited to begin the conference.

Dr Dillamond was quietly saying something to Korèl, who had an air of rapt attention about him. Fiyero was hunched over to Korèl's right, but his eyes were fixed on Elphaba, a fact that hadn't escaped her attention. She endeavoured to ignore it as best she could, but his gaze bore into her and she shuddered. She tried to tell herself it was an uncomfortable shudder. She didn't like being watched so closely. An annoying little voice, however, insisted that she was lying to herself. She liked the way he was looking at her right now. She didn't want him to stop.

Thoughts of Fiyero had to be abandoned, though, when Dr Dillamond suddenly raised his head and called everyone to attention. "My fellow Animals and human comrades," he began, nodding in deference to Korèl and his wife Daryn, Fiyero and Elphaba. "We have carved out a decent existence for ourselves here in this warehouse. We are not yet at Death's mercy, for which we are profoundly grateful to Miss Elphaba," he smiled wearily at her.

Elphaba suppressed a grunt, but apparently her look of distaste didn't go unnoticed, for Dr Dillamond hurried to emphasise, "We are indebted to you. If you hadn't been there that day the mill exploded, who knows what would have become of us and our cause."

"We would be toast if it wasn't for you!" the voice of a young elephant piped up.

Alas, no one seemed to find that remark amusing. Silence ensued as several bodies shifted in agitation at the reminder. Out of the corner of her eye, Elphaba noticed an older Elephant pinch her son discretely. The youngster's face grew pink.

Dr Dillamond coughed. "Indeed. However, this subject is not yet closed." He leaned forward, capturing everyone's gaze directly to drive his point. "We haven't, as yet, discovered what caused the incident. I venture to suggest... we should do so as soon as possible." There was a gravity in his tone that Elphaba had never heard from him before.

"What are you implying, Doctor?" The Jaguar to Elphaba's right rumbled.

Dr Dillamond sighed deeply. "Merely that until we determine the cause, we must assume that something more dangerous is afoot."

There were shocked intakes of breath all around as those present took in the statement.

"It could have been an accident," a Black Bear from across the room suggested meekly.

"Yes," another female Bear agreed. "We had a lot of working machinery in the mill. Could there have been a technical problem that caused it? Or perhaps just the careless drop of a match?"

"It's possible," Dr Dillamond conceded. He didn't sound particularly convinced, though. "Such events cannot be predicted and must be considered in equal likelihood." He paused for a long time before considering. "But perhaps, friends, we ought to consider that the cause was not quite so straight-forward as you suggest. I propose that we consider the real possibility that the explosion was a deliberate act."

All at once, voices rose in panic and uproar.

"Deliberate!"

"Surely not!"

"How, Doctor?"

Dr Dillamond stood on his hind legs. "Everybody, quiet!" he commanded, as the shouts of fear descended like a receding ocean wave. "Do not panic. We already knew we were in danger from humans who don't understand us. We knew that at any moment our work in the mill could be discovered. At present this is only one theory, but we must admit the possibility."

Elphaba's breath caught in her throat. Could it be true? Could the explosion have been a purposeful act of arson, of terrorism against the Animals? But who would ever have known they were there?

Here, she spoke up. "Dr Dillamond, if I may?"

The Goat inclined his head, giving her permission to speak.

With difficulty, Elphaba shuffled onto her knees, standing uneasily in her confined spot. Fortunately, the Jaguar and Stag caught on to her intent and both shifted to the side giving her room to manoeuvre to her feet. She flashed them both a grateful smile.

"I had a premonition that night," she began. Startled murmuring broke out, but she ignored it. "I don't know why, or how. I've never had one before. But just a few seconds before... that is... I knew it was going to happen," she finally expelled a sigh. "I didn't see what caused it. But I knew. Fiyero thinks that could be why I was able to get everybody out in time." She ducked her head. "It may not be helpful information, but I thought you should know. Maybe it can give us some clues."

Dr Dillamond looked deeply thoughtful and intrigued by this revelation. "I see. So you believe your magic may have taken over for a moment?"

"Something like that, I suppose," Elphaba nodded. "I'm not very experienced with sorcery. I don't exactly know the extent of what I can do, and I understand little about what I am able to do."

"You said you've never had a premonition before, but if I may ask, have you ever had magical outbursts before, of any description?"

Elphaba bit her lip hard as fear coursed through her at the question. Yes, she thought. Many, many times. Too many. She tried to answer in the affirmative but found that her throat closed painfully, and it was suddenly very difficult to speak. She wanted to hit herself, to shout and command herself to speak, but all she could hear was her father's voice.

Wicked!

Fiyero, noticing her struggle, quickly took over. "She has had difficulties controlling her powers in the past, Doctor," he answered in Elphaba's stead. "But she does very well, and her control is improving along with her capabilities."

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable in any way, Elphaba, or to judge you respecting your level of control," Dr Dillamond said kindly. "I only wondered whether there might be a pattern to these events."

Elphaba swallowed, but managed to ask weakly, "What kind of pattern?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly," he admitted. "But if we could find that out, it may give us a clearer picture of what happened."

Elphaba frowned. She had to admit, she'd never considered the possibility that there might be a theme to her magical outbursts – that there may be a thread linking them somehow.

As she pondered that, to her alarm, a strange haze seemed to settle behind her eyes, and she tensed as the room blurred. Or rather, the image of the Animals was overlapping with something else – another picture. Elphaba wheezed in panic as she recognised the sensation.

It was like the night of the explosion all over again.

Before she could cry out, however, her vision was swamped and she no longer saw the faces of any of the Animals present, or the fire, or the peeling paint and cobwebs.

Instead, she saw her father, and he was talking to Nessa. He was awake and seemed in far stronger condition than he had been when last Elphaba saw him.

They were in Frex's chamber together. "Where's Elphaba?" he was asking – or rather snarling.

Nessa for once looked pale rather than fair, and she was shaking slightly. She looked afraid, and she was breathing heavily as though from great exertion. "I don't know, Father," she said. "I haven't seen her since last night."

"Do you have any idea where she could have gone?"

"No. I mean, I don't know. That is..."

Frex stopped. "Nessa," he said, almost tenderly. Elphaba almost would have fallen for it if she hadn't known the other side of his temper so well. "Is there something more to this than you've told me?"

Nessa looked conflicted. There was silence for several achingly long seconds. But finally, she spoke.

And Elphaba trembled to hear what she said.

The vision dispersed just as quickly as it had come, and Elphaba found herself once again in the old warehouse, with several faces peering at her anxiously.

"Miss Elphaba? Miss Elphaba, are you alright?"

"Did she faint?"

"Elphaba?" The last voice was Fiyero's, and Elphaba immediately latched onto it, frantically seeking his face.

"Fiyero?" she croaked, blindly stretching her arm out to find him.

"I'm here," he let her take his arm, but it didn't calm her.

Instead, she drew him closer, almost begging him to understand. "Fiyero, I have to stay here. I can't go home."

Fiyero frowned deeply. "What? What do you mean, you can't go home?"

"I can't," she almost wept.

"Elphaba..."

"He's going to kill me."

A/N: Cliffie!