The Wizard was oblivious to the storm clouds that rolled in and the thunder that started grumbling overhead. He didn't even seem to notice the first slow moving, fat raindrops until they starting coming harder and faster, forcing him to duck back into the house.

"I thought I was going to have to bring you an umbrella."

He turned when he heard Lion's voice.

"Nothing yet huh?" The oversized cat gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't worry. They'll be here soon."

The Wizard gave him a halfhearted grin. "I hope you're right."

"Me too." Lion admitted. "I noticed you didn't eat any lunch."

"I wasn't hungry."

"You need to eat." He argued. "I'll go get you something from the kitchen."

"That's really not necessary."

"Elphaba asked me to keep an eye on you." He countered. "Letting you starve isn't part of the job."

"I'm far from starving." The Wizard raised his hand to stop the cat from responding. "But if it makes you feel better I guess I could use a sandwich."

"That's better." Lion grinned. "So you just make yourself comfortable there where you can keep an eye on the woods and I'll be right..."

"Watch out!"

The Wizard, who had already returned his attention to looking out the french doors that lead to the patio he'd been standing on, turned just in time to see Lion narrowly miss running headlong into a man. The man reacted by trying to back up, spilling the drink in his hand down the front of his shirt in the process.

"Now look what you've done you imbecile!" The man mopped at the mess with his free hand, the other still holding the now empty glass. "Who are you anyway?"

"I... Uh..." Lion stammered.

"Well spit it out!" The man snapped. "I don't have all day!"

"Is there a problem here?" The Wizard asked as he walked over to them.

"Look at my shirt and tell me you honestly need to ask that question." The man growled. "If he had been watching where he was going instead of looking over his shoulder, this wouldn't have happened. But no. He has to be like all of the other insensitive, inconsiderate..." He gestured with his hand as he tried to come up with the appropriate word. "...things that have overrun my house. Without my permission I might add!" He pointed at Lion for good measure.

"Your house?" The Wizard frowned.

"Yes. I'm Maximillan Upland and you're..." Max's voice trailed off when he realized who he was speaking to. "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." His was obviously awed. "I... You're..." He offered his hand. "It's truly an honor to meet you." He blushed when the Wizard eyed the appendage, remembering he had been using it as a towel just moments before. "Sorry." He wiped his hand on his pants before offering it again.

The Wizard completely ignored the gesture this time. "He's with me." He nodded toward Lion as he stared at the man before him.

"Oh." Max looked shocked. "I'm sorry. If I had realized he was..."

"Lion, why don't you go to the kitchen now?" The Wizard interrupted him.

"Are you sure?" The feline eyed Max suspiciously.

"I'll be fine." The Wizard reassured him, waiting until he was out of sight to return his attention to Max.

"Good help is hard to find nowadays isn't it?" He was dabbing at his shirt again.

"He's not my help, he's my friend."

"But he's..." Max frowned. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but what are you doing traveling with an Animal? I thought you hated Animals."

"Well you thought wrong. That was nothing more than a public image perpetrated by a council of men who used to rule this land through me."

Max looked confused. "I have no idea what you just said, but I didn't mean to offend you."

The Wizard scoffed. "Men like you never do."

"Men like me?" Max's frown deepened. "You don't even know me."

"No, but I know of you and that's more than enough for me." The Wizard clinched his jaw and turned to walk away, determined not to give the man the time of day. But moral indignation had him turning back around. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How can you call yourself a father?"

Max's mouth popped open. "Excuse me?"

"As far as I'm concerned there is no excuse for you." The Wizard started toward him again. "For years I dreamed of having the pleasure of being a father. I would watch other men with their children and wonder why I never took the time to slow down and have a family of my own. And then fate saw fit to give me not just one daughter, but two."

"What are you going on about?" Max backed up nervously as the man kept walking toward him.

"Oz only knows everyone makes mistakes. I have a hell of a lot to make up for where my girls are concerned, but you..." The Wizard shook his head. "You've had Addena and Glinda with you their whole lives. And what do you do with that precious gift? You take it forgranted."

"Now just a minute." He grunted as his back hit the wall of the sitting room opposite the french doors. "What do you know about my family?"

"More than you can imagine." The Wizard growled. "And I'm warning you right now, there will be hell to pay if you try to stand in the way of Breena and Elphaba's happiness with your daughters."

"Breena and Elphaba?" Max's eyes lit up with realization. "You mean the Wicked Witch of the West and that other one are your daughters?" He chuckled. "And you're criticizing my parenting skills?"

"First of all, Elphaba is not wicked!" The Wizard took another half step forward him, making Max stand with his head pressed back against the wall. "Secondly, I would caution you to watch what you say about my daughters. It could be misconstrued as a threat against a member of the ruling family. That's punishable with arrest and a long stretch in Southstairs."

Max tried to look braver than he felt. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." He didn't even try to conceal the threat in his words.

"There's a group coming out of the woods!" An out of breath Lion came running back into the room. "The guards spotted..." His voice trailed off when he saw the position the two men were in. "Is everything all right here?"

"Everything's fine. Isn't it Max?" The Wizard gave him a non to gentle clap on the shoulder.

"Fine." Max was quick to agree. "Everything's just fine."

Lion eyed them for a second longer before giving the Wizard his full attention. "Like I said, they spotted Cade and a group of others coming out of the woods."

"Remember what I said." The Wizard got in one more dig before backing away from Max. "Were the girls with them?"

"They couldn't be sure, but the group should be here in just a few..." As if on cue a commotion could be heard coming from the front door. "They're here!" Lion took off in that direction, not waiting to see if the Wizard was following him or not.

He needn't have worried. The Wizard almost beat him to the group coming through the door. "Cade?" He addressed the captain when he spotted him.

Cade's only response was a sympathetic look as Penny came through the doors with Breena's limp form in her arms, Addena hot on her heels.

"Oz no!" The Wizard rushed toward them. "Breena?" He tried but couldn't quite reach his daughter.

"We've got to get her upstairs." Addena spoke to Penny, seeming not to have heard the Wizard at all. "You can take her to my room. I'll show you the way."

The Wizard followed them as they started toward the staircase leading to the family wing. "What's wrong? What happened to her?"

"We need to get her out of those wet things." Addena continued as if he hadn't said a word. "Cade, can you send some of your men to the hospital in town? Have them load up on supplies, heavy on the antibiotics. We'll need them for her as well as any of the guards who were injured today. Bernice!" She yelled for the maid.

Bernice expertly shoved her way through the crowd of Gale Force guards who were now standing in the entry way. "Yes miss?"

"I'm going to need a basin of warm water, a basin of cold water, some rags, extra blankets and check to see if we have any ice." Addena lovingly ran her hand over Breena's brow. "We might need it to bring her temperature down."

"She has a fever?" The Wizard was getting more and more concerned by the second. "What happened?" His hands clinched into fists as Addena motioned for Penny to start walking again. He quickly cut in front of them, blocking Penny's path. "I demand to know what happened to my daughter!"

"Move." Addena tried to shove him out of the way.

"Addena." Ginny chastised her as she joined them. "Is this Breena's father?"

"Yes, but we really don't have time..."

"He deserves an explanation." Ginny cut her off.

"You're right." Addena sighed. "Of course he does." She finally took a good look at the Wizard. "I'm sorry."

"You're worried about my daughter." The Wizard swallowed hard as he looked down at Breena's all too pale features. "And obviously with good reason. Just give me the condensed version."

"She was stabbed in the leg. I did surgery in the field to repair the damage but she..." Addena caught her mother's eye, who shook her head, telling her not to mention the fact Breena's heart had stopped. "She lost a lot of blood and she's very weak. I knew she would more than likely get an infection but I was hoping her fever wouldn't get this high." She shook her head. "Getting caught in the rain didn't help either. The wagon we brought her back in wasn't covered."

"But her healing power will help, right?" The Wizard continued to stare at his daughter. "Once her wound heals she'll be better equipped to fight off whatever infection she has?"

"She doesn't have her powers." Penny fielded the question.

The Wizard frowned at the Lioness. "What?"

"The men who kidnapped her gave her some kind of potion." Ginny spoke up again. "It bound her powers."

"But that means..." Tears swam in the Wizard's eyes. "What are her chances Addena?"

"I..." Addena shook her head again, not even wanting to think about the possibilities. "Right now we need to concentrate on getting her fever down. Once we do that I should be able to give you an answer."

The Wizard nodded as he moved to his daughter's side. "Stay with us, Breena." He placed a gentle kiss on her scolding brow. "Please stay with us." He took a step back. "You'd better get her upstairs."

Addena gripped his hand. "I'll come find you as soon as we get her cleaned up and settled in so you can sit with her."

The Wizard gave her a grateful look. "I'd like that."

"Come on, Penny." Addena led the Lioness up the stairs.

Ginny felt for the Wizard as he watched them disappear from view. "She's in the best possible hands."

"I know." The Wizard turned to look at her. "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. I'm..."

"The Wizard of Oz." Ginny finished for him. "I'm Gi..."

"Ginella!" Max's voice overrode hers as he came rushing over to them. He started to hug her but stopped short when he saw the state she was in. "You're soaking wet." He waited for a response, fidgeting when he didn't get one. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"I just bet you are." Ginny's voice was like ice. "But don't fear. Your piggy bank is alive and well."

"Piggy bank?" Max furrowed his brow. "What in Oz are you taking about?"

"Did you know he doesn't have a cent to his name?" Ginny directed the question at the Wizard, who just so happened to still be standing beside her. "All that wonderful Upland money he's always throwing around is actually Arduenna money. My money to be more exact."

"Ginny." Max gave her a look.

"He comes from a wealthy family, but he couldn't save an Oznote if his life depended on it. His parents cut him off when he was still in school."

Max blanched. "That's about enough."

"Luckily someone with a family fortune fell for him. And like a sap she felt sorry for him and made sure he got a job at her uncle's firm. Her family looked out for him. Gave him a huge salary and a roof over his head and a sense of what it was like to be part of the upper echelon of society."

"Ginella..." Max tried again.

"And all she ever asked was that he love their family."

"I do love you!" He protested.

"That he use what her people had so generously given him to provide and care for and nurture the beautiful daughters they created."

"I have!" Max huffed. "Those two never wanted for anything!"

"And how does he repay her and her family for their kindness?" Ginny glared at her husband. "He overindulges one daughter and practically sells the other into slavery."

"I did no such thing! All right, so I spoiled Glinda a little. Big deal. And I arranged for Addena to marry the son of a client." Max gestured with his hand. "That's hardly slavery."

"She was a baby, Max! A poor, defenseless, couldn't say a word in her own defense baby!" Ginny bellowed. "And when I found out I told you to make the whole thing go away and you said that you would. You lied to me!"

"Merrick threatened to pull his business from the firm!"

"And?" She threw her hands in the air. "Did you honestly think my family would turn their backs on you for doing the right thing where your own daughter was concerned?!"

"Yes." Max nodded. "That's exactly what they would have done. I would have been the laughing stock at the firm and..."

"So rather than sacrifice your Oz be damned pride you decided to leave the marriage plans in place and force our little girl into a life she never wanted."

"How would she know whether she wants it or not? She never even gave it a chance."

"Can you even hear the words coming out of your mouth?" Ginny looked at him in disbelief.

"Of course I can." Max defended himself. "And I'm sick and tired of being made out to be the bad guy here."

"Well you won't have to worry about that anymore because you won't be here."

Max frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I want you out of my house!" Ginny snapped. "Take whatever clothes you want and leave!"

"Ginny..."

"You're through, Max. We're through."

"Now wait just a minute!"

The Wizard stepped between them as Max moved toward her. "I believe she asked you to leave."

"This is none of your business!" Max glared at him.

"Well I'm making it my business." The Wizard gestured for Cade to join them. "Get a couple of guards to escort Mr. Upland out of the house. He's allowed to pack clothes, but nothing else."

"My pleasure." Cade nodded toward a couple of his guards.

"Sir," one of them gripped Max's arm. "We're going to have to ask you to come with us."

"Let go!" Max tried to pull free. "Ginny, we need to discuss this in private. Ginny?" He practically begged. "Ginny, please."

"It's too little too late, Max." Ginny's eyes were dry as she looked at him.

"But..."

"We have nothing more to say to one another."

"Ginny." Max drug his feet but that did little to stop the guards from dragging him up the stairs. "Ginny!!"

"Thank you." Ginny turned to the Wizard.

"You're most welcome." The Wizard took her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Mrs. Upland I presume?"

Ginny nodded. "Soon to me Miss Arduenna again."

The Wizard couldn't stop himself from grinning. "I can see where your daughters get their good looks." He cocked an eyebrow. "And their spirit."

"Thank you." She suddenly shivered.

"You should get out of those clothes before you catch your death of..." The Wizard's voice trailed off as he glanced up the stairs. "I can't believe I just said that."

"They're only words." Ginny tried to assure him. "And Addena will take good care of her."

"I know." The Wizard looked at her again. "She loves her."

Ginny nodded. "Yes she does." She put her hand on the Wizard's arm. "I'm going to go get cleaned up and then I'd like to wait with you, if you don't mind."

The Wizard patted her hand. "I'd like that."

"Good." Ginny started up the stairs.

"Cade." The Wizard called for him again.

"Yes sir?" The captain hadn't gone far from the last time they spoke.

"Have another guard keep an eye on her." He watched Ginny's retreating form. "Just in case Max decides..." He frowned as a guard walked past them and started up the stairs. "One step ahead of me again?"

"Mr. Upland seems like the trouble making type." Cade shrugged.

"You're a smart man, Cade." The Wizard clapped him on the back. "Now when can we expect Elphaba and the others to return?"

"Elphaba?" Cade frowned. "You mean Fiyero and his group didn't make it back here yet?"

The Wizard's heart sank. "They weren't with you?"

"No. From what the men told me Fiyero arrested Eadlyn and then sent them ahead to help us at the trappers camp. I thought they would have made it back here by now."

"Damn it." The Wizard slammed his fist against his leg. "Damn it!"

"I'm sure they just got caught in the storm." Cade tried to calm him down.

"Maybe you're right." The Wizard didn't sound convinced.

"I'll send some fresh men out to help them along." Cade waited a beat. "Let's not start freaking out until we know there's something to be freaking out about, all right? Why don't you go upstairs and wait for word on Breena and leave everything else to me?"

"You'll let me know the instant you hear anything?"

Cade nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you, Cade." The Wizard suddenly looked his age. "For everything."

"You're welcome. Now get upstairs."

Cade sighed as the Wizard started up the stairs, shoulders slumped. He hoped he was right about the others being stuck in the storm but he couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened to them. Something bad.

He offered up a silent prayer to the Unnamed God that he was wrong as he went back over to his men.