Note: I hope you guys are liking it so far. I noticed that I'm falling into a pattern. Jeb/DG stuff in the first part of the chappies then Glitch/DG stuff for the rest. I'm gonna try to break that pattern to make everything much more cohesive so cross your fingers. Anyway... hope you like the chappy

Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man. I quite simply don't.

It was only a dream, and one that was fading fast, DG decided as she woke with a vision of her dream swimming before her eyes. Opening her eyes his face slid like sand right through her fingers. But she knew who it was and could easily conjure his face if she wanted. Soon enough they would be traveling together. With that thought in mind DG slipped out of bed and walked into the waiting room of her suites. DG had ordered breakfast to be sent to her room so that she might pack. Sure she hadn't told her parent that was the reason but that would come later. Wiping the grogginess from her eyes DG looked on the table to find her breakfast and… was that a bouquet of flowers? DG smiled at the present and took a flower from the vase to hold to her nose.

With a yawn DG picked up the note that was with the flowers. That was Jeb's writing. DG didn't know how to face this right now so she gently put the note back on the table. DG walked as she chewed on a piece of toast, she simply couldn't stand still. After a few rounds of pacing she noticed something else out of place. Glitch's jacket was draped over a chair. Swiftly DG rushed over to the familiar article of clothing. So he had been here! DG smiled loving the thought of him watching her sleep. But what had he said? Something about leaving… keeping her safe… uh oh. That wasn't just a dream therefore… She had wanted to put off reading Jeb's note but now there was no avoiding it. DG clutched at the note and her eyes grew wide as she read it.

Dearest Princess,

My heart aches to have to write this but if no one else will tell you then I will. We have left to put down the rebellion. I can just imagine how mad you're going to be with us when we get back but it's all for the best. I would rather have you angry and alive then contented with us and winding up dead. And that's why I'm begging with you to not come after us! Your mother agrees with us that even if you can fend for yourself there are too many unknown possibilities. So please DG stay safe, please. I don't know what I'd do without you. The O.Z just wouldn't be the same if you weren't around. This may be out of place to tell you with current situations being what they are but I love you so please stay safe! I promise that when I get back I'll court you properly so please wait for me.

Love,

Jeb

She didn't know whether to be furious or start crying, and she almost never cried. They had abandoned her. The people who she loved and who loved her had left her to worry and "be safe" while they threw themselves into chaos and danger. And what was that all about "Your mother agrees with us…" had they talked to her mother about all of this? They knew that she wouldn't be able to go if her family got involved. No doubt her father and Az had stressed how much she should stay too. Decidedly DG stormed out of her suite, Glitch's coat and Jeb's note in hand. DG burst into the breakfast nook in a rather unladylike fashion, if she may say so herself.

"DG, sweetie, I thought you were taking breakfast in your room… and are you still in your pajamas dear?"

"I was but that was before I found some gifts in my room." She said completely ignoring the fact that she was in her pajamas, in the middle of the breakfast nook in front of important people, and basically throwing a tantrum. DG held up the note that Jeb had written and Glitch's coat

"Is that Ambrose's?" her mother asked more shocked by the coat then the note.

Yes, I mean kind of… It's Glitch's mother! And this…" she said shaking the note "is from Jeb"

"Aw! Is it a love letter?" Az exclaimed rushing over to her little sister to examine the note

"Well it's that," DG admitted "But it's also a farewell letter" she said never taking her eyes off of her mother. Blue eyes and lavender eyes clashed.

"Oh dear," Az said and wrapped her arms around DG. So maybe her big sister hadn't had anything to do with it all.

"Cain told you I wanted to go didn't he?" the Queen nodded

"None of us wanted you to go," she said looking lovingly at her younger daughter "You've been gone for so long DG. I don't think the O.Z could stand to loose you again. I wouldn't be able to loose you again."

"Why does everyone think I'm so fragile?" DG inquired truly wanting to know. Hadn't she been the one who had saved the entire realm?

"It's not that you're fragile Deege, it's just that none of us want to wind up loosing you. No matter how strong willed or courageous you are there's always a chance that you'll get hurt, a big chance considering how willing you are to help others." Az explained stroking her hair.

DG swatted her sister away with tears in her eyes. Clutching to the tattered fabric of Glitch's coat she wished that he was there in the coat. That any of them were still there to run to. She stood there looking between her mother, her father, and her sister. Realizing how silly she must truly look standing there in her pajamas DG decided to not even mention the idea of running after her friends. It's not like she would get anywhere anyway. They had left early in the morning and were probably far down their route by now. The old DG wouldn't have cared but this DG… when had she appeared? And so with the sound of bare feet padding against marble floors DG ran out of the nook and didn't stop running until she was in her room.

Throwing herself onto her bed DG willed herself to try and agree with everyone but found that her stubbornness was too great even for her. There was every reason to not put herself into danger but she couldn't resolve to simply hiding away. DG was furious but she also felt lonely and abandoned and that hurt. She changed positions on her bed so that her back was to the door completely and her head was resting against Glitch's jacket. Of all people they had never been separated by choice, not even when they had been chased by Longcoats after talking with the Mystic Man. The jacket smelled just like him of books and the outdoors with just the slightest touch of gunpowder from Cain's shooting lessons he had recently started taking.

Moving her head into a more comfortable position DG could feel a hard object in the right hand pocket. Bewildered DG snaked her hand into the pocket. Glitch had probably glitched out and forgot something. Oo maybe it was something important and she'd have to take it to him! DG's hand wrapped around a small metallic object that was connected to a chain. She pulled it out of its home in Glitch's pocket and gasped. It was a small golden locket with flowers engraved around the edges. In the middle her name was engraved in an elegant script. Before she could inspect the trinket further, however, her door creaked open and she shoved the locket under her pillow. Why was she hiding it? Was it such a crime to receive a gift from her… her… friend? What exactly were they… what exactly were her and Jeb… my this could really confuse a girl.

"Deege…"she heard her sister venture warily "You alright?"

"I feel like a caged bird" the younger princess answered.

Az walked across the room and settled herself on the edge of DG's bed. She rubbed comforting circles on her younger sister's back then began stroking her hair.

"They're gone…" DG said almost mechanically "He's gone…"

"Shhh… Don't worry Deege, Jeb'll be back. He did promise." DG didn't have the heart to tell her that Jeb wasn't the "he" she was talking about. No she wasn't worried about Jeb. He'd be back alright but Glitch…

"They left me here… after they all promised to never abandon me…"

"I'd hardly call trying to prevent you from getting into danger abandoning you." DG shrugged and sat up

"Either way I was left behind"

"Maybe that's for the best."

"I just need to be alone right now, I'm sorry Az" she said her hand resting on Glitch's coat. Hopefully her sister would understand.

"Okay Deege, just don't run away on us okay?" DG nodded with a small smile.

"I'll try not to."

"I guess that's all I can hope for" Az smiled and left the room.

Sighing in relief that her parents had sent Az instead of coming themselves Dg slipped her hand under the pillow that hid her locket. DG pulled out her new trinket. She ran er thumb over the engravings and turned the locket over to examine the other side. Gasping as she read what was engraved there DG put a hand to her heart. For When We're Apart. Those four words spoke volumes.

Curiously DG opened the locket to see what Glitch had put inside. She smiled reminiscently at the photos he had chosen. They were ones that they had taken when the group (Raw, Cain, Glitch, and herself) had gone to her home in Kansas in order to fetch DG's personal items.

On the right hand side was one of her favorite pictures. It was of them as a group. Cain was on her left and his hand rested protectively on her shoulder as he smiled like DG had instructed them to. Raw stood next to him with a funny little braid in his bead. The three men had insisted that DG show them how hair ties worked and Raw had liked the little braid. Finally, on her right was Glitch. DG had linked their arms together and they were holding hands, something they had become accustomed to on their previous journey. It still gave her tingles sometimes to hold hands with him.

Turning her attention to the picture on the left side of the locket DG's heart skipped a beat. It was just the two of them, Glitch and DG that was. It was taken on the same day as the first picture. Not only had she wanted a group picture, but she had also insisted on individual shots. This picture however was completely candid. DG had handed the camera to Cain when she realized just how disheveled Glitch really was. She loved his unkempt demeanor but all the same had run over to him laughing at just how scruffy he looked on that particular day. They had traveled in a tornado after all.

She wanted the picture to be just right so DG had tried to tidy him up a bit. Cain, who didn't know how exactly to work the camera, had managed to snap a picture, and a rather good one for an accident, of the two. In the picture they were facing each other. Glitch was smiling goofily and rubbing the back of his neck. DG had laughter in her eyes as she looked up at him. Her hands were on the lapels of his tattered jacket as she tried to straighten them out. Glitch's hand that wasn't rubbing the back of his neck was resting on top of one of hers.

Snapping the locket closed DG decided that although Az had asked her not to the time to run after her friends had come. No matter what distance was between them now somehow DG would catch up even if she didn't sleep. Running over to her closet DG quickly shed her pajamas in order to put on a dress. She picked out a comfortable one that would be good for traveling and wouldn't attract too much attention. After getting dressed the young princess tenderly put on her locket. Her fingers lingered on the cool gold for a moment or so before she donned the jacket that had been left for her. She would bring it back to its rightful owner! Throwing her door open DG's blaze of defiance was snubbed out when she saw a royal guardsman standing outside. He looked at her when the door flew open.

"Queen's orders" he said almost mechanically "You're not to go anywhere but your room without an escort." Had her mother thought of everything? "Princess, are you really going to lunch dressed like that?"

DG was fuming. Slamming her door as forcefully as she had thrown it open the young princess paced around her room. She would have to think up a plan. It had to be a good one. Sure this guy probably wasn't as good as Cain was but Cain had been given the job of training every soldier and guardsman there was in the palace. What was she going to do now? Sinking onto her bed all she could think about was how the hell she was going to get out of here and where her friends were right now

Little did she know her friends were all thinking about her just as much as she was thinking about them. None of them had even said a word that wasn't just the slightest bit related to her.

"I wonder how…" Glitch would start

"Not again!" Cain would say then smile gruffly "Bet the kid's fuming right about now"

"Raw think he can feel DG's anger from here" Raw joked with a small laugh

"No doubt we'll be feeling it when we get back…" Jeb joined in with a chortle

"At least she's safe" Glitch would sigh for the millionth time.

"Yup." Cain and Jeb would answer at the same time.

None of them even wanted to think about the prospect that they might not come back. It just wasn't in them to fathom such an idea that maybe they had seen their princess for the last time. Surely they would succeed as quickly as possible and rush home to see her once again. They'd get an earful but it sure would be worth it.