Here we are, everyone! The long awaited, ever-dreaded chapter! I know you were all SO EXCITED for this chapter! Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. Let us begin! *Smirks*

AirHawk19: Happy 23rd birthday! YAY for birthdays!

TrebledWriter: I believe you have started another hashtag: #NiaStillDoesn'tHaveChillBecauseTheNextChapterIsTHEchapter.


The official celebration of Queen Alyena's eightieth birthday was the following day. Elphaba watched from inside as the queen stepped onto the royal balcony with Navon, Raal, Amalie, and Fiyero. The crowd below cheered and the royals waved. Fiyero stole a glance back at Elphaba every so often to make sure she was alright. Elphaba would smile back at him, reassuring him that he was fine.

After the crowd calmed down, the parade started. Fiyero invited Elphaba out to see the parade, and she reluctantly came out, feeling slightly out of place. She relaxed slightly when she saw the queen flash her an encouraging smile. She watched the parade and clapped, skipping the part where she screamed her lungs out like everyone else.

The next week passed quickly. Elphaba continued to spend most of her time with Fiyero. Alyena learned more about her through carefully phrased questions and comments. Elphaba had decided that she was going to talk to her sister upon returning to Shiz, and asked Fiyero about her choice.

"I'll support whatever you choose to do, Fae," Fiyero said.

"I do want to talk to her again," Elphaba admitted.

"She's your sister, after all."

"I know. But she really hurt me."

"I know," Fiyero said, pulling the green girl closer. "But she feels really bad about it."

"That's what she said."

"And that's what she means, too. I saw her in the days following your big argument. She looked really angry, but she also looked very hurt. Am I wrong in assuming you two exchanged some hurtful words?"

"Are you trying to blame this on me?" Elphaba asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Of course not, Fae. I'm just telling you what I saw, and I saw Nessa trying to mask that hurt with her anger, with Boq more or less on the receiving end of it."

Elphaba thought about the Munchkin boy who doted on her sister. They were still together, despite all the arguments they had. Boq was really devoted to the younger Thropp; everyone could see that. "I'll talk to her when we get back to Shiz."

The prince smiled and kissed her forehead. "I like that decision."

The day before they were supposed to go back to Shiz, Raal and Amalie decided to treat Fiyero and Elphaba to a ballet performance.

"The Summer Lily is playing in the Theatre Royale," Amalie said. "I thought it would be nice if we could go. Just the four of us."

"You're not coming?" Fiyero asked his grandparents with a slight frown.

Alyena shook her head. "Not this time, Yero. But your grandfather and I have seen the ballet before. Many times, in fact. Why, if I was younger, I would be up on that stage, dancing with them."

The prince cracked a small smile.

"I've never been to a ballet before," Elphaba admitted softly.

"First the cherry blossoms, then the fireworks, and now the ballet?" Fiyero chuckled. "This has been a week of many firsts for you, Fae."

"I know," Elphaba smiled. "But I have had fun."

"That's very good to hear, Elphaba," Navon smiled and nodded.

Later that evening, the four of them prepared to go. Fiyero had knocked on Elphaba's door and asked if she was ready. She had told him to wait and he was currently pacing outside her door.

"Fae, are you ready y-" He stopped short when the door opened, revealing Elphaba in a dark purple dress with short sleeves, a flowing silk skirt that brushed against her ankles with a satin bow tied in the back. Her hair was out and flowing down to the small of her back, pulled back from her face with a silver headband. "Wow."

"I didn't think I had anything suitable, so your mother let me borrow this dress," Elphaba smiled, stepping out of the room.

"Wow…" the prince said again, clearly still in a daze.

"Yeah?" Elphaba blushed.

"You look beautiful, Fae."

"Thank you, Yero."

Fiyero offered her his arm, which Elphaba accepted, and the couple walked down to the foyer together, where Amalie, Raal, Alyena, and Navon were waiting for them.

"Have fun at the ballet, everyone," Alyena smiled.

After saying goodbye, the four of them went out to the carriage and sped off. They made small conversation and Elphaba looked out the window, admiring the passing scenery. When they arrived, they were immediately greeted by the theater manager. He bowed as he welcomed the royals, but stared a bit too long at Elphaba. Elphaba tried to hide her discomfort, and the reassuring squeeze Fiyero gave her hand helped a bit. They walked inside and were immediately ushered to a special box in the mezzanine. A few minutes later, the lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play.

Elphaba's eyes remained glued to the stage as she watched the ballerina's dance. She admitted the way their toes pointed and how they spun around in mid air. She smiled softly as she let the music fill her ears and watched the dancers bring it to life on the stage. The whole thing was mesmerizing.

The prince was also mesmerized. Of course he had seen ballets before, but this particular performance intrigued him. He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard soft wheezing next to him. He looked over and saw Elphaba clutching her chest, and he immediately got up and helped her up as well.

"Yero?" Amalie whispered when she saw her son getting up.

"We'll be right back," Fiyero said as he took Elphaba's arm and helped her out into the hallway. He took the inhaler out of his pocket and shook it before handing it to her.

Elphaba immediately took the medicine and the prince helped her sit down. When she felt her chest tightening even more, she took it again.

"Fae?" Fiyero asked, his voice filled with worry. "What's wrong?"

"It's… n-not… working," Elphaba wheezed, then broke into a coughing fit.

"Dear Oz," the prince gasped when Elphaba stopped coughing and he saw blood covering most of her mouth. He signaled an usher to go back inside and get his parents.

"Yero, what happened?" Raal asked as he and Amalie rushed outside.

"I don't know. Fae started wheezing, so we came out here, but her medicine didn't work."

Elphaba tried to speak, but ended up coughing up more blood. Amalie sent the usher to call for an ambulance. Fiyero hugged Elphaba close, not even caring about the bloodstains on his shirt.

"It's alright, Fae. You're going to be fine," Fiyero whispered, stroking her hair.

Elphaba made a noise and Fiyero gently pulled away. He saw tears in her eyes and realized how scared she was. Her breaths were short and raspy, and Fiyero swore he heard her make a soft gurgling sound.

"It's okay," Fiyero said, rubbing her back. "An ambulance is coming and you'll be fine. I just need you to stay with me, okay. You have to stay awake."

Elphaba moaned and buried her face in Fiyero's shoulder. The prince rocked her in her arms, whispering words of comfort and reminders to stay awake in her ear. Finally, the Fiyero saw flashing lights out the window and realized that the ambulance had arrived. The EMTs rushed upstairs and immediately inquired as to what happened. Amalie explained what was wrong and the EMTs hurried to Elphaba's side. Fiyero helped them help her up, but didn't have time to move out of the way before Elphaba unexpectedly threw up.

Everyone could only watch as the green girl threw up all over the place. The EMTs weren't hit as much as Fiyero was. The front of the prince's shirt and his pants were now covered in a mixture of vomit and blood. The prince would have been grossed out if he wasn't deadly scared for Elphaba. He breathed through his mouth as he pushed himself up. Amalie pulled a hair clip from her pocket and used it to clip Elphaba's hair back. The EMTs immediately placed her on the stretcher and began to move her to the ambulance with Fiyero.

"… Y-Yero…" Elphaba muttered when she felt herself being moved.

"It's okay, Fae. I'm right here," Fiyero whispered, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"D-Don't… l-leave… me."

"I won't, Fae. I'll be right here."

The prince managed to talk the EMTs into letting him into the ambulance carriage with Elphaba. His parents would follow them to the hospital in the royal carriage. He knew that his parents had sent a message back to the castle, to let Alyena and Navon know what was going on. Once they were inside, they offered him a spare hospital shirt to change into. Even though it was much lighter and a bit more see-through, the prince was more than happy to get out of his soiled shirt.

"… Y-Yero…" Elphaba muttered.

"Yes, Fae?" the prince whispered, gently taking her hand.

"… H-Head…"

"Your head hurts?"

Elphaba's moan was all the confirmation he needed.

"Can you give her something to stop the pain?" Fiyero asked the EMT who wasn't driving.

"We have Antitholen," the EMT who was driving said. "It's in the red pouch."

The other EMT looked through a pouch and pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid.

"… Yero…" Elphaba moaned.

"It's okay, Fae. He's going to give you a shot and you'll feel a bit better," Fiyero whispered, kissing her forehead, trying not to focus on how clammy it was.

The EMT immediately administered the drug through Elphaba's arm. It took a few moments, but Elphaba's face slowly relaxed, letting them know that the medicine had worked.

"Thank you," Fiyero smiled at the EMT.

He smiled and nodded as they pulled into the hospital driveway. As they helped Elphaba out and onto the stretcher, they explained that Fiyero would have to wait in the waiting room or the hallway, due to standard procedure. Although the prince was not happy, he understood. He just didn't want to have to leave Elphaba.

Elphaba moaned as she was moved, and Fiyero secretly hoped she wouldn't throw up again. She opened her eyes and looked at Fiyero before her eyelids fluttered closed, and her chest stopped moving.

Fiyero numbly watched as the EMTs rushed her inside, speaking a mile a minute. Blinking, he regained himself and rushed after them. He was forced to wait in the hallway and, after putting up a brief fight with the nurses, relented and waited for his parents.

"Yero!" Amalie exclaimed as she rushed into the hospital, her husband right behind her.

"They took Fae into the ICU," Fiyero said, clinging to his mother as she wrapped her arms around him. "I don't understand. She was doing so well before."

"She'll be okay, Yero. Elphaba's a very strong girl," the princess whispered, kissing her son's forehead.

"I already lost her once. I can't lose her again."

Amalie hugged her son closer and stroked his hair. For a moment, she felt like she was hugging her seven-year-old son, her little boy. Raal joined the hug, and that's how the royal family was found when the nurse came out of the ICU.

"Your Highnesses?" she said softly.

Fiyero immediately shot up. "How is she? Is she alright? What happened? Can I go see her?" came his rush of questions.

"The doctors are doing everything they can, but I came out here to invite you to wait in the waiting room. It might be a while longer."

The younger prince didn't look happy in the least, but allowed his parents to escort him into the practically vacant waiting room. There were only two other people in the opposite corner; a young woman holding a four-year-old girl, most likely her daughter. It looked as if both of them had been crying. The little girl clung to her mother, fast asleep. The woman looked like she wanted to sleep, but her nerves were keeping her awake.

A few clock-ticks later, a doctor came in headed straight for the mother and daughter, a grim look on his face. The mother looked up, a glint of hope filling her eyes as she gently laid her daughter on the seat next to her, but it immediately faded away as the doctor whispered something to her. She gasped, tears streaming down her face as she collapsed to her knees. The doctor knelt next to her and hugged her, knowing that there wasn't anything more he could do. The woman let out a strangled cry of agony, which woke her daughter.

"Mommy?" she asked softly. "Is Daddy okay now? Can we go see him now?"

The woman made a noise and the doctor slowly got up. "I'm sorry, sweetie. But your daddy…" He paused slightly, licking his lips. "He died."

The little girl blinked, clearly not understanding. "Does that mean we can go home together?"

"I'm so sorry, sweetie, but no. It means that Daddy doesn't get to go home."

"Why not?"

"Because Daddy… Daddy isn't alive like you and me anymore. It's like…" The doctor paused, wondering how he was going to explain death to a four-year-old. "He's sleeping, but he doesn't get to wake up."

The little girl blinked again. "But… But Daddy promised me that he would be fine. He promised!" Tears streamed down her cheek as she ran towards the two double doors leading to the hospital rooms, but the doctor lifted her into his arms. "Daddy! Daddy, wake up! You have to wake up right now! You promised, Daddy! You promised! DADDY!" she screamed at the closed doors.

The royals looked up at the scene, their hearts aching. "Go," Fiyero said, knowing what his parents wanted to do. "I'll be fine."

Amalie smiled softly and kissed her son's cheek before she and Raal went over to the woman and child. The princess knelt down next to the woman and whispered something softly to her, rubbing small circles on her back. Raal went to the little girl and gently took her from the doctor. He gently rocked her in his arms, trying to dry her tears, but the more he wiped them away, the more tears she created.

"Doctor, you're needed in ICU room seven," a nurse said as she peeked her head into the waiting room.

The doctor nodded and thanked the royals before hurrying out.

Fiyero watched as his parents were left alone with the grieving family. Raal seemed to have calmed the little girl down, but Amalie was having a bit of a harder time with the mother. Fiyero slowly got up and walked over to his parents. The little girl looked up at the younger heir to the throne as he approached, her eyes red and a few residue tears sliding down her cheek.

"Hi," the prince said, smiling softly at the child.

The young girl sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

The prince thought quickly of a way to distract her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw picture books and a light bulb tuned on in his head. He grabbed a book and held it up for her to see. "Would you like to read a book?"

"I want Daddy to read to me," the little girl said, more tears threatening to spill.

"I know you want your Daddy to read to you, but how would you like a private story time with Prince Fiyero, just the two of us?"

The little girl seemed to perk up slightly at the thought of the prince reading to her and nodded slightly, reaching out to him.

"You can go help Mom," Fiyero said as he took the little girl from his father.

Raal smiled and went to help his wife comfort the grieving woman. Fiyero and the little girl settled on a couch in the corner before Fiyero opened the book and began to read.

It took a while, but the woman managed to calm down enough to realize who was comforting her. She looked shocked and a bit embarrassed to have been sobbing in front of the royals, but Raal and Amalie were more gracious, understanding, and kind than she could have ever imagined. She looked over and saw Fiyero reading to her daughter, making silly faces and using character voices, making the little girl laugh, and smiled softly.

"And when the prince kissed the princess, he was surprised to see her wake up as soon as his lips met her cheek," Fiyero read, the little girl held securely in his lap.

"I'm the princess," the little girl, who Fiyero discovered was named Elyith, said, turning slightly in his arms.

"Yes, you are. And since I'm the prince, there's only one thing to do, isn't there?" Fiyero asked, chuckling softly.

"Uh-huh," Elyith nodded.

The prince grinned as he planted a soft kiss on the little girl's cheek, causing her to squeal happily.

"And then, the princess awoke and was eternally grateful to the prince for breaking the evil spell the wicked witch had cast on her, and they were soon married and lived happily ever after."

"The end," Elyith finished with a big smile.

The doctor, who had returned while Fiyero was finishing the story, smiled softly at the sight of the little girl sitting on the prince's lap. The mother looked up and her face dropped slightly at the sight of the doctor. "Doctor…"

"Mrs. Metuchen, if you would like to say your final goodbyes…"

The woman nodded and reached for her daughter. "Of course. Come, Elyith."

The little girl jumped off the prince's lap and took her mother's hand. "Do we have to say goodbye to Daddy now?"

"Yes, sweetheart, we're going to say goodbye to Daddy now."

The little girl nodded sadly and turned to wave at the younger prince and Fiyero waved back.

"Thank you, Your Highnesses," the mother said sincerely, curtsying slightly.

Amalie and Raal nodded as the two vanished behind the doors.

A few minutes later, the same doctor that told the woman her husband had died came back out, looking directly at the royals. "Your Highnesses?"

Fiyero looked up at the doctor, his breath hitched in his throat when he saw the grim look on his face, as he waited to hear the fate of his beautiful, precious Fae.


DOWN ON YOUR KNEES BEFORE THE QUEEN! *Cackles as lightning flashes behind her* MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! #NIAHASNOCHILL! I'M NOT AFRIAD OF THE NIA HUNTERS OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU ALL SEND TO HUNT ME! BRING THEM ON! *royal pink scepter appears in hand*

DO I STILL HAVE MY TOUCH, MADDY?!