"Fiyero?" Elphaba mumbled the name against Glinda's lips as they kissed, thinking she was imagining things when she heard his voice.

"The name's Glinda. And I hope to Oz I don't kiss like a boy." The blonde was too caught up in being so close to her Elphie to realize anyone had come into the cavern.

"Get away from her!" Fiyero marched over to them, grabbing Glinda's arm and somehow mustering up enough strength to pull her away from Elphaba. "She's mine!!"

Glinda tripped over her own feet as Fiyero tore her away from Elphaba and fell to the ground.

"Glinda!" Elphaba shrieked.

Breena looked up when she heard the unfamiliar voice yelling for her cousin. Seeing Glinda sprawled at the feet of someone she didn't recognize instantly brought visions of Boq hurting Elphaba to mind, shooting adrenaline through her system. She wouldn't be too late this time.

"Agito!" Breena gestured with her hand as she hurried toward her cousin and Glinda.

"Elpha…" Fiyero was in the process of reaching for her when the spell slammed into him. "…ba!!" The rest of her name came out as a screech as he flew through the air before slamming into the ground. "Ow!" He rolled a couple of times, losing stuffing as he went. "What the hell was that?!"

"I'd stay down if I were you." Breena put herself between him and the girls.

"Well I'm not you." He started to climb to his feet.

"Concido."

He literally did a flip as an invisible force swept his legs out from under him.

Breena looked over her shoulder at Elphaba, who was on the ground next to Glinda, the blonde cradled in her arms. "Is she all right?"

"I'm fine." Glinda answered.

"You're not fine until I say you're fine." Elphaba corrected her as she checked her over, earning a sigh from Glinda.

"You're starting to piss me off." Fiyero had managed to get to his feet again.

"I'm already there." Breena gestured with her hand again. "Maneo."

"Hey!" Fiyero yelped as he was slammed onto his back, more straw escaping his body. "That does it!" He tried to get up but couldn't. "I might stand a chance if you'd fight fair!"

"Fine. Laxo."

Fiyero found he could move again. "Finally."

"Let's see what you're made of." Breena started toward him.

"Ha ha, very funny." Fiyero looked at the straw on the ground around him.

"Elphie?"

"What is it?" Elphaba anxiously looked at Glinda. "Are you in pain?"

"No." Glinda couldn't help but grin at Elphie's concern. "But Fiyero might be if you don't stop Breena. At least I'm assuming that's Fiyero." She nodded toward the scarecrow.

"What?" The green woman looked up to see her cousin and her ex-boyfriend advancing on each other. "Oh!" She quickly let go of the blonde and jumped to her feet. "Breena, wait!"

"So you're Breena." Fiyero gave her a once over. "Maybe Lion was right. I can see a family resemblance."

"You're not going to be able to see much of anything when I knock your head off." Breena growled.

"Whoa!" Elphaba grabbed her from behind.

Breena frowned. "What are you doing? He hurt Glinda!"

"No he didn't." Glinda climbed to her feet. "I keep trying to tell everyone I'm fine."

"Then I need to teach him so manners." Breena struggled to get away.

Fiyero scoffed. "I'd like to see you try."

"Oh yeah?" Breena redoubled her efforts.

"Enough!" Elphaba shot Fiyero a look. "You keep your mouth shut." She tightened her grip on Breena. "And you calm down."

"If I do will you let go?"

"Not until you promise not to go after him again."

Breena glared at Fiyero. "But we don't even know who he is."

Elphaba mentally kicked herself. Of course her cousin wouldn't know him. "Breena, that's Fiyero."

"Fiyero?" Breena frowned. "You mean Fiyero, Fiyero?"

"Who's Fiyero?" Leto whispered to Milynn, who had found her way into his arms as soon as the scarecrow made an appearance.

The redhead shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Sorry!" Lion came limping into the cavern. "I got a cramp and he got away from me! But he said he was your…" He took in the scene before him. "Friend."

"There's your answer." Betak spoke up from beside them.

"Some friend." Breena commented.

"Do I have your word?" Elphaba looked at her cousin.

Breena sighed. "Yes." She pulled away from Elphaba as soon as she felt her grip loosen. "But I'm keeping my eye on you." She pointed at Fiyero.

"Ew, I'm scared." Fiyero's tone was flip as he started picking up the straw he had lost.

"You should be."

"Bree!" Elphaba cut her off before she could say more. "Do me a favor and check on Glinda."

"Elphie, I..." Glinda caught the look the woman gave her and rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"She's just worried about you." Breena joined her.

"I know. But I'm not made of glass. He barely touched me. I tripped over my own feet for crying out loud." The blonde groused.

Breena seethed. "He shouldn't have touched you at all."

"She's right, you shouldn't have." Elphaba looked at Fiyero. "What are you doing here?"

Fiyero ignored her as he restuffed his arm.

"Yero?" She waited but no response came. "Fine. Be an ass."

"An ass?" He frowned at her. "I'm the one who got attacked as soon as I walked in!"

"No, you screamed like a banshee and manhandled Glinda first!" Breena clinched her jaw when Elphaba shot her a glance. "Sorry."

"I did not scream, I yelled." Fiyero snarled. "And she said it herself, I barely touched her."

"And said Elphaba was yours." Betak mumbled.

"Grandmother!" Milynn gave her a look.

"What?" Betak frowned. "He did. I believe his exact words were, 'She's mine.'"

Elphaba quirked an eyebrow. "You said that?"

"I…" Fiyero would have blushed if he could. "It didn't mean anything. I said it in the heat of the moment."

"Fiyero, we talked about this." Elphaba sighed. "I don't have those feelings for you. I never really did. I know that hurts you and I'm sorry, but I want to be honest."

"I know!" He snapped, instantly regretting it. "I am being an ass, aren't I?"

Elphaba nodded.

"I'm sorry." He looked past Elphaba to Glinda. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't." Glinda assured him.

"And I didn't mean to get you riled up." He switched his gaze to Breena.

"Believe it or not that was relatively calm for me." Breena met his gaze. "And don't expect an apology. I'm not sorry and I would do it again in a heartbeat if I thought you were going to hurt Elly or Glinda."

Fiyero raised his eyebrows as he returned his attention to Elphaba. "She really is your cousin, isn't she?"

"Yes she is." Glinda answered for her, putting her hand on Breena's arm in silent thanks for what she just said.

"She sounds just like you." Fiyero sighed. "I didn't mean to cause a scene, Elphaba. I know you don't have those feelings for me. You made that abundantly clear a long time ago. But that doesn't mean I don't still care for you. I came because I was worried."

Elphaba frowned. "It's only been a couple of days."

"A very long couple of days." Fiyero rolled his eyes when she still looked doubtful. "Obviously you haven't heard the news from the Emerald City."

"I was going to tell them over breakfast." Leto spoke up, letting go of Milynn so he could move closer to the others.

"Tell us what?" Breena frowned.

"Well, I knew you two would want to know what was going on in the outside world, so I made a trip to the city yesterday."

"And?" Elphaba prompted him to continue.

"And everyone is in a panic because the Wicked Witch of the West is alive."

"They know already?" Glinda went to Elphaba, grabbing her hand.

"That's to be expected." Elphaba pulled her close. "We knew Boq wouldn't keep his mouth shut about me."

Leto nodded as he continued. "Apparently Nevin broke the news in a speech. He also told everyone you kidnapped Glinda and that you injured him and he injured you in return when he tried to rescue her."

"That's a lie!" Lion gestured with his paw. "Glinda wasn't kidnapped! And Nevin wasn't even there when Elphaba was stabbed. Boq did it!"

"So it's true?" Fiyero cut in before he could continue. "You were stabbed?"

"In the chest." Lion nodded. "She would have died if Breena hadn't healed her."

Fiyero's eyes got big. "You almost died?!"

"She sure did." Lion answered again. "One minute she was laying there with blood all over her and a dagger sticking out of her chest and the next Breena was healing her. It was the greatest thing I've ever seen. Of course they were both unconscious for two days afterwards, but they're fine now."

"You were unconscious for two days?" Fiyero finally went to Elphaba and gripped her shoulder. "Are you really all right, Fae?"

"I'm fine." Elphaba gave Lion a look. "It wasn't as bad as he made it sound."

"Yes it…"

"That'll be just about enough out of you Chatty Cathy." Breena cut him off.

Lion frowned. "Chatty who?"

"Never mind." Breena shook her head. "Just go help the others finish breakfast, all right?"

"Sure." Lion walked back over to Betak and Milynn with Leto. "Do you know who this Cathy person is?"

Leto chuckled. "It was just Breena's way of calling you a blabbermouth."

"Oh. Hey!" Lion suddenly looked offended. "That wasn't very nice of her."

"I wanted to believe our contacts in the city were wrong." Fiyero shook his head. "I knew I never should have let you leave! What if you died?!"

"Fiyero." Elphaba tried to soothe him. "Everything is fine."

He scowled. "But it might not have been. Do you know how that made me feel? Getting a message that you were out there somewhere hurt and that that bastard captain was bragging about it?"

"Probably the same way I felt when I got the message that Morrible had escaped from Southstairs and Glinda might be in danger." Elphaba countered.

"Point taken." Fiyero sighed.

"You got a message that Morrible had escaped?" Glinda frowned. "How is that possible? You showed up at Betak's right after Breena got us out of the palace."

Fiyero looked at Breena. "So you were her contact."

"Guilty." Breena nodded. "And Elphaba and I were wondering the same thing, Glinda. I never sent her a message about Morrible. I didn't have time. As a matter of fact I left Betak's to get word to her that you were all right and ran into her."

Glinda's frown deepened. "Then who sent it?"

"We don't know." Elphaba sighed. "But someone is obviously playing both sides of the fence."

"A spy." Fiyero looked disgusted.

"Someone in deep enough to know Elly is alive and that Nevin trusted with the knowledge he was going to free his mother from prison."

"Wait a minute. Back up." Elphaba looked at Breena. "Morrible is Nevin's mother?"

"Yeah." Breena raised an eyebrow. "I told you that."

"No, you told me Morrible was with the new captain of the guard. You never mentioned he was her son."

"Is that the new captain's name? Nevin?" Fiyero chimed in.

"Wow. He's even more behind than you." Breena held up a hand to silence them both. "I'm sorry if I didn't tell you, Elly, but it's not like we've had a lot of time for a heart to heart." She looked at Fiyero. "And yes. To answer your question Nevin is the new captain."

"And he's Morrible's son?"

"Yes."

"Ew!" Fiyero made a face. "Who's the father?"

"I didn't stop to ask him when I was trying to keep Glinda out of Southstairs." Breena quipped. "And there's one more thing you should know. Nevin had magical abilitities too."

"What?!" Elphaba shook her head. "This just keeps getting better and better. Does he control the weather like his mother?"

"No, he controls people." Glinda tried to take some of the heat off of Breena. "What?" She frowned when Elphaba gave her a quizzical look. "I was there too, remember?"

"So now we have a weather witch and a mind controller to deal with." Fiyero whistled. "I'm glad you're a witch too, Breena."

"Two on two might seem like good odds, but I would feel better if we had a bit of an advantage." Elphaba squeezed Glinda's hand. "We need the Grimmerie."

Breena nodded. "I think that's a good idea. But if it's in the city I don't think you two should go."

Elphaba frowned. "What?"

"Hear me out before you get all defensive." Breena scolded her. "Now that everyone knows you're alive just stepping outside this cavern is risky. And we can hardly sneak Glinda back into the palace."

"She's right." Fiyero nodded.

"But…"

"Elly, please." Breena cut her off.

"Going to the city won't be an issue." Glinda jumped in. "The Grimmerie is at Upland Manor."

"Upland Manor?" Fiyero echoed her words.

"I knew keeping it at the palace was dangerous. If someone found it by accident they would wonder what I was doing with it. And once I realized what the Ozian government was really like, I didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. So I hid it in my room at home."

"That's my girl." Elphaba gave her an adoring look.

"You gave it to me to keep it safe." Glinda shrugged. "I did what I thought you would do. I put it somewhere no one would think to look." She giggled. "And now I get to take you home to meet my family."

"I can't wait." Elphaba grinned.

"They're going to love you. Not as much as I do, mind you." Glinda put her arms around the green woman's neck. "No one could love you as much as I do."

"You think so?"

"I know so." Glinda captured her lips in a kiss.

Fiyero watched them for a second before clearing his throat. When that didn't work he tried again only louder with a little more flair. He looked to Breena for help when they still didn't come up for air.

"I'd tell them to get a room, but that's impossible here." Breena smiled. "Besides, you have to admire their stamina."

"I knew they would be together but I didn't expect them to be so…" Fiyero gestured toward them. "Public about it."

"I kept my feelings under wraps for way too long, Yero." Elphaba's voice was slightly breathless as they finally pulled apart, her eyes still on Glinda. "I'm not going to hide from them anymore."

"Lucky me." Glinda grinned.

"If you four are done being antisocial over there, breakfast is ready." Betak called to them.

"I don't eat." Fiyero went back to restuffing himself.

"Then you can keep us company." Betak's tone was no nonsense.

Elphaba shook her head as he opened his mouth to respond. "Arguing won't do you any good."

Glinda nodded. "Just go with it."

Breena watched Fiyero stare at Elphaba and Glinda as they walked toward the kitchen, arms around each others waists as they whispered to one another.

"That's got to be weird, seeing two of your ex-girlfriends so happy together." She gave him a radiant smile. "Ah, to be young and in love."

Fiyero couldn't do anything but shake his head as he followed her across the cavern.