A/N I completely forgot to include a disclaimer on my first chapter. Sadly I do not, in any way shape or form, own Wicked. It's all Mr. Maguire's. Thanks to all who reviewed the first part! It was like a buffet for my muse. :)

"New magical advisor?" Fiyero frowned. "They just got her." He gestured toward Yackle with his thumb.

Lion nodded. "Why would they need a new advisor unless…" His eyes got big as he looked at Yackle. "Are you dying?"

"No." Betak waved away his question.

"Yes." Yackle nodded grimly.

Betak and Lion said, "You are?" at the same time.

She continued to nod. "We all are."

"We are?!" Lion looked horrified.

"No." Betak tried to reassure him.

"Yes." Yackle contradicted her.

"But I'm too young to die!" Tears swam in his eyes as he looked around at his friends beseechingly. "You won't let me die will ya?"

"No one's dying." Betak walked over to him.

"Oh yes we are." Yackle's tone was matter of fact. "From the moment we draw our first breath we start dying. Even you can't deny that."

"I can if it gets him to stop shaking." Betak rubbed gentle circles on the huge cat's back.

"Death isn't anything to be afraid of. It's a natural part of life."

Fiyero gave her a look when Lion whimpered. "Enough already."

"This isn't my fault." Yackle nodded toward the newcomer. "It's hers."

"Mine?" Maeve frowned.

"Yours." The old woman reaffirmed. "You can't just show up somewhere and start telling people you're there to take someone else's place without expecting that person to get upset. And when I get upset I tend to upset other people. This time it was the poor pussy cat." She gave Lion a sympathetic look.

"I..."

She raised a gnarled hand to silence the woman. "You've done quite enough. It's time for you to go."

Maeve's frown deepened. "Go?"

"As in run along." Yackle made a shooing motion. "You're not welcome here."

Betak glared at her. "What do you think you're doing?"

Yackle looked around before pointing at herself. "Are you talking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to? First you scare Lion and then you tell that poor girl to leave without so much as a blink of your eye."

"And?"

"And you know how high strung he is!" Betak snapped. "He's going to have nightmares for a week!"

"Didn't I just explain that I didn't mean to..."

"And you have no right telling anyone to leave!" Betak was on a roll and didn't seem to hear her. "This isn't your house! If Breena wants someone to leave she can tell them herself!"

"Lion has forgiven people for far more than a little scare. And sending her away is what's best for Elphaba and Breena." Yackle replied, not raising her voice. "So keep your opinions to yourself you bossy old cow."

"Bossy?!" Betak's nostrils flared. "I'll show you who's…"

"Stop it!" Breena finally spoke up. "I thought you were going to work on the whole arguing every five seconds thing."

"She started it." Yackle pointed.

"How very mature." Betak's voice dripped with venom.

"I said that was enough." Breena looked back and forth between them. "Now Maeve was it? Why don't you tell us why you're here? And Yackle, you play nice or I'll make you go in the house." She raised her eyebrows when the ancient woman started to open her mouth. "Don't push your luck."

"Fine." Yackle growled.

"I'm impressed." Maeve's expression reflected her comment as she smiled at Breena.

Addena glared at her. "Just get on with your story already."

Breena put her arm around the doctor's shoulders pulling her close before kissing her on top of the head. "You play nice too."

"I, uh…" Maeve was taken aback by her actions.

"They're together." Yackle barked. "Just like them," she gestured toward Elphaba and Glinda, who had been holding hands the whole time. "Get over it and start talking."

"Oh." Maeve paused again. "You make a beautiful couple. Or maybe I should have said couples. I meant the four of you. Well, not the four of you together. The four of you in twos."

"We get it." Addena huffed.

Breena ignored the rambling and the snarky comment that made it stop. "How are you related to Yackle?"

"I'm her niece."

"Great niece." Yackle frowned when Breena gave her a look. "What? I'm not allowed to correct her when she makes a mistake?"

"Niece. Great niece." Maeve gestured with her hand.

"Yackle's right." Addena's words was curt. "There's a difference."

"Addy." Breena sighed.

"Elphie, she's not having much luck." Glinda whispered to her lover. "Maybe you should give it a try."

Elphaba nodded, more than willing to help her frustrated sister. "So that means Yackle's brother was your…"

"Grandfather." Maeve filled in the blank. "Not that I ever knew him. He left my grandmother when she was pregnant with my mom."

"Sounds familiar." Betak muttered.

Breena gave her a warning glance. "Don't start."

Betak frowned. "Start what?"

"Go ahead." Elphaba spoke before the tiny woman could say more.

Maeve timidly asked, "Are you sure?"

"She's positive." Breena fielded the question.

"OK." Maeve still hesitated a moment. "Like I said, my grandfather left before my mother was born."

"Can't say I blame him." Yackle clicked her tongue. "Your grandmother was a money grubber."

Elphaba sighed. "Yackle please..."

"No, she's right." Maeve interrupted. "My grandmother wasn't a very nice woman. She thought grandfather's family had money so she went after him."

"Mother liked to pretend we were well off." Yackle spoke again. "Father died in an accident at work when we were teenagers and his employer looked after us but we weren't rich. Not by any stretch of the imagination."

Maeve continued her narrative. "By the time she realized the truth, it was too late. She was already pregnant."

"So she tried to force him into marriage so he could, as she put it, make something of himself."

"Who's telling this story?" Betak harped at Yackle for interrupting again.

"Both of them." Breena's response left no room for argument.

"Grandfather ran off."

"With the Grimmerie." Yackle added.

"Grandmother never heard from him again. She gave birth to my mother, decided she didn't have what it took to raise her and handed her over to my great grandmother."

"You mean Yackle's mother?" Glinda tried to keep the story straight.

"The psycho herself." Yackle grumbled. "Being charged with something like learning and protecting the Grimmerie can have an odd effect on people. My father took it in stride but my mother's way of shouldering the burden was to drive my brother and I crazy by drilling its importance into our heads. We both flew the coop as soon as we were old enough to be on our own. She saw Maeve's mother as a second chance to achieve what she couldn't accomplish with us."

Maeve nodded. "Mom ate, slept and breathed magic growing up. Great grandmother scrimped and saved so that when she came of age she could travel around Oz to find the remnants of magical families to learn from. And when great grandmother decided it was time for her to further the family line she did that too by having my brother and I."

"You have a brother?" Lion had settled down during the course of the conversation.

"My twin."

"Too bad he's a good for nothing just like my own brother." Yackle grumbled.

"Darian. He ran away too." Maeve sighed. "Not that I can blame him. It wasn't easy being dragged around all over the place growing up." She looked at Breena. "But it wasn't all bad. We met you once."

Breena furrowed her brow. "You did?"

"My mom heard about you and wanted to talk to your mom."

"She wanted to study you like a lab rat." Yackle gruffed.

"She what?" Addena glowered.

"You don't know that." Maeve disagreed. "But we did come here to see your mom. She was working in the garden and told you to play with Darian and I while they talked. We were only eight so you couldn't have been any more than three. You healed me when I fell and skinned my knee."

"I did?"

Maeve nodded again. "Darian started chasing me around and I tripped over something."

Addena muttered, "Probably her own two feet," under her breath.

"I was fine until I realized I was bleeding. I started crying and Darian started freaking out because he thought I was really hurt. But not you. You just walked over to me, put your hand on my knee, did your thing, said 'all better' and went back to digging in the dirt."

"That's me." Breena smirked. "Calm cool and collected."

Maeve grinned. "Of all the people I met growing up... and let me tell you, there were quite a few... You were always my favorite."

Addena possessively slipped her arm around Breena's waist. "How sweet."

"Uh." Maeve swallowed hard at the look the doctor shot her direction. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get off track like that. To make a long story short Mom never quite fulfilled her role in the family. Eventually she got tired of trying and we settled down in a little village outside the Emerald City."

"You mean she gave up and turned her back on her responsibility."

"She most certainly did not." She snapped at Yackle. "What she did was get Darian and I into a stable environment where we could study magic."

"Out of cock and bull books." Yackle sneered.

"And what's the Grimmerie? A book." Maeve answered her own question.

"Not like the ones your mother had." Yackle countered.

"Well what was she supposed to do? Your brother ran off with the Grimmerie before she was even born. No one knew where he went or what happened to the book. She did the best she could with what she had to work with." She clinched her jaw when her aunt snorted. "Why have you always had it in for my family?"

"You honestly want to know?"

"Obviously. I just asked."

"You're not going to like it."

Maeve squared her shoulders. "I'm a big girl. I can take it."

"I doubt that, but you asked so I'll tell you." Yackle stared into her eyes. "They all flaked out. Your mother, your brother, my brother, my mother. None of them could handle our family's obligation and neither can you."

"How would you know?"

"Because you're so much like your mother it's uncanny. Right now you're all gung ho to jump right in and learn the family trade but the instant you realize what it involves that will change. You'll either decide you think it's all a bunch of hooey or you'll crack under the pressure. You won't be able to handle it any better than they did."

"But you can?" Maeve fired back. "We come from the same family. What makes you so special?"

"I'm like my father." Yackle replied honestly.

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"It does to me!" Yackle finally raised her voice. "Do you think I like telling you all of this? I'm old Maeve. I would love to have someone young and fresh to take my place because I'm afraid I won't be able to teach these two half of what they need to know before I die."

"Then let me help!"

"I can't set them up for failure either! Their destiny is too important!"

"I know!" Maeve agreed. "That's why I'm here. As soon as I realized what was happening with that Morrible woman I went looking for you. And when I didn't find you at the convent I knew it was true. That the uprising had begun and the new leaders would emerge."

"You were in a convent?" Fiyero blushed when he realized he had asked the question out loud. "I know that's not the important part of what she's saying, but come on. Do any of the rest of you have a hard time picturing her in a habit?"

Betak silenced him with a gruff, "Shut up."

"I'm sorry Maeve, but I can't do it." Yackle suddenly looked her age. "I can't risk trying to teach you only to watch you struggle the way your mother did. She was too weak, just like my brother. Only when she ran away she did it under the guise of learning more about magic when in reality she was just trying to get away from my mother. Yes she traveled, but it was more to keep up appearances than to learn. And she had you and your brother in the hopes that my mother would get off her back and concentrate on one of you. When that didn't happen she shoved magic down your throats too in the hopes that one of you would succeed."

"Who says I can't?" Maeve looked at her imploringly.

"I do." Yackle shook her head. "This conversation is over."

"Why? Because you say so?" Betak's voice stopped the older woman from walking away.

Yackle sighed. "I don't have the strength for this right now."

Betak pointed at her. "Oh no you don't. You can't stand here and bad mouth the girl and then play the age card to avoid her."

"This is none of your business."

"Like you said earlier, I'm just watching out for Elphaba and Breena." She smiled sweetly.

"Betak." Breena sounded as worn out as Yackle looked.

"What?" The Munchkin gave her an innocent look. "She might know the Grimmerie inside out, but the two of you should still have a say in who's a part of your magical life."

"She's right." Glinda nodded.

"What?!" Addena frowned at her sister.

"All of us have to start somewhere Dena."

"I say you vote. If the two of you tell her to leave too she'll go with no hard feelings. But it shouldn't just be left up to Yackle."

"Betak…"

"Or maybe she should take the hint and leave well enough alone." Addena cut Breena off.

"Not you too Addy." Breena pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Maeve threw her hat in the ring with Betak.

"You stay out of this." Yackle snapped.

"I can't." Maeve shrugged. "It's all about me."

"So what do you say Elphaba? Should she stay or should she go?" Betak took control of the conversation again.

"I think we should give her a chance." Elphaba didn't hesitate to answer. "You're going to be teaching Bree and I about the Grimmerie anyway. Why not let her sit in?"

"Because what she would need to learn from the book is completely different than what I have to teach you." Yackle reasoned.

"We're going to have to learn to tell the difference between the spells, which is what she needs to know. When it comes to actually reading or casting them she can leave the room." Elphaba met the hag's gaze. "I appreciate that you worrying about us Yackle. But if she succeeds you can rest easier knowing we're still going to have someone to turn to someday when, Oz forbid, you're gone. And if she doesn't than there's no harm done."

Betak smiled. "That's one yes. What about you Breena?"

"Yeah Bree." Addena looked up at her. "What about you?"

"I…" Breena's gaze went from Addy to Elphaba to Maeve and back again before finally settling on Elphaba. "You're right. She deserves a chance."

Addena's mouth popped open in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

"Yackle didn't deny that she's her niece." Breena gave the doctor a squeeze. "And Maeve's right, Yackle won't be around forever. Elly and I have to think about what's best for us as far as the Grimmerie is concerned."

"Do whatever you want, you're going to anyway." Yackle started toward the house again, throwing a, "Keep her out of my way," over her shoulder as she went.

"What's the matter?" Betak followed her. "Mad because they sided against you?"

"They didn't side against me."

"If you asked me they did."

"Well no one asked you."

Their bickering faded as they went inside.

"I can't believe you two." Addena pulled away from Breena so she could face both the witches.

"Dena…"

"Stay out of this." She pointed at her sister. "After everything we've all been through you're going to welcome someone you don't know into the fold with open arms?"

"She Yackle's niece." Elphaba, who knew the comment was directed more at her sister than herself, tried to come to Breena's defense.

"Well Leto was Milynn's husband and look how that turned out." Addena regretted the words the instant they left her mouth. Especially when Breena physically flinched at the names.

"Addena!" Glinda scolded her sister.

"I…" Addena was too shocked with herself to form a complete thought.

"Don't worry about it." Breena's voice was barely audible.

Addena's heart fell to her toes when her love wouldn't look at her. "Bree?"

"I should show Maeve the guest house. That way if we need anything from Munchkin Proper we can get it before the shops close."

Maeve picked up on the fact that Breena was using her as a means of escape and played along. "You have a guest house?"

Breena nodded. "Behind the garden. It's not much but it will keep you out of people's way for a while until they get used to you being around." She let the comment hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "I'm afraid it hasn't been used in a really long time though."

"That's all right." Maeve fell into step next to her as she started around the house. "I'm pretty good at cleaning."

"I'll come with you." Elphaba gave Glinda's hand a 'you deal with your sister, I'll deal with mine' squeeze before letting go and joining Breena.

"We're coming too." Fiyero spoke up as he nudged Lion.

"We are?" The feline looked confused.

"Yes." Fiyero hissed as he gave a barely visible nod toward Glinda and Addena. "They might need the help of a couple of big burly men."

"Oh. OK." Lion cluelessly followed the girls.

"I am so stupid." Addena smacked herself on the forehead after watching Breena disappear around the side of the house. "Why did I do that?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Glinda shook her head. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I just… I opened my mouth and it came out." Addena gestured with her hands. "I have to go talk to her."

"No. You need to leave her alone for a while."

"But…"

"Trust me. Give her some time with Elphie."

"All right."

Glinda's heart broke at her sister's dejected tone. "Everything will be all right."

"I'm not so sure." Addena tucked an errant piece of hair behind her ear. "I hurt her pretty bad just now Linny."

"And she loves you enough to forgive you."

"I hope so."

"I know so." Glinda tried to correct her.

Addena rolled her tear filled eyes. "I'm glad one of us does."

"Hey." The smaller blonde gripped her sister's hand. "What's gotten into you today?"

"I don't know." Addena grumbled. "I think it's a combination of the talk we were having and being insanely jealous of Maeve."

"Maeve? Why would you be jealous of her?"

"She was touching Bree and smiling at her and being all flirty."

"Flirty? She's been here all of five seconds."

Addena gave her a look. "Says the woman who wanted to rip Fiyero's head off for being within ten feet of Elphaba."

Glinda wrinkled her nose. "I see your point. But you have to take your own advice and realize that Breena doesn't want to be with anyone but you."

"I know that. It's just…" Addena swallowed hard as her tears finally started to fall. "I'm afraid of losing her."

"Now you're just talking nonsense." Glinda pulled her into a hug. "Those Thropps are stuck with us whether they like it or not."

Addena returned the embrace but couldn't shake the feeling that she was right. That some how some way she was about to lose Bree forever.