Chapter Four

DG was exhausted by the time the reception wound down. She'd danced with people she didn't know and decided she was better off not knowing. She'd danced with her father, Glitch, Raw and even been swung around the floor by her brand new stepson. That had been a little awkward. The entire night began to run together into one big blur as fatigue and her friend nausea began to settle in.

That's when Cain swooped in. And there was really no other word for it. She'd been dancing with crown prince duke somebody or the other, not even trying to laugh at his jokes. Trying to simultaneously not yawn or throw up in the man's face had been taking up most of her concentration. He seemed to be pretty appalled at her from what she could tell.

She'd been just about to give her excuses, find Wyatt and get the hell out of Dodge, when she felt him gently grasp her elbow. The fact that she knew it was Wyatt before she turned to look was a little freaky, but she didn't dwell on it. Relief had spread through her at the look in his eye. He was as done with the pomp and circumstance as she was. She smiled-at least she hoped she'd smiled-at the grand high pooba she'd been dancing with and slid her arm through her husband's.

Husband. Her husband. It was still an odd concept to realize that the tall, blond Tin Man was hers. At least in the legal sense. It felt even odder to be walking down the hall with him towards a room she'd always gone into alone.

Her stomach did a little trip when the memory of their kiss sprang unbidden to her mind. For the first hour of the reception, that had been all she'd been able to think about. The softness of his lips, the gentle way he'd urged a response from her. She couldn't ever remember being kissed like that before. It had been wonderful.

Her nerves were working over time, now at the promise that kiss had held. Her imagination had called up images of warm nights spent under the covers, huddled close while lots more of that kissing was happening. She imagined the feel of his hands as they slid over her body, chasing away the memory of any one else she might have been with and filling that space with him.

Then mind-numbing fear had taken over and she suddenly felt very, very sick indeed.

Part of her wanted to kiss him again, to make sure that what happened at the altar wasn't a fluke. Another part of her didn't because she was afraid he might be thinking of Adora as he kissed her, using her as some sort of surrogate for his dead wife. That certainly didn't set well with her. When and…when anything happened between them, she had just enough pride left to not want him thinking about Adora. No matter how much she respected the woman, that just wouldn't be cool. She didn't think her ego could handle it.

"Relax, Princess. Hard parts over." Cain told her as he led her through the halls. She didn't tell him she thought he was wrong. The hard part hadn't even started yet.

"I'm all right. Just really tired. Does the tired ever go away? Or the sick? Or how about the just general crappiness? Am I ever going to feel good again?" She sounded close to whining and she hated that. But, even Princesses whined sometimes.

"Yeah." Cain said with a chuckle. DG was so tired, she leaned heavily against him. Without a word, he slid his arm around her waist and held her up. She was extremely grateful. "In a couple of months, the worst should be over."

Should didn't sound very promising.

"I haven't thanked you. I know it sounds strange, thanking a man for marrying you, but this is a hell of a strange situation."

"It is. But don't thank me. That makes this seem sterile, cold. And I don't want that." He looked down at her, his clear blue eyes deep and unfathomable. She felt a thrill run down her spine and she almost stumbled. He felt it and held her closer, the heat of his body seeming to sear through the sheer material of her dress. There was something in those orbs that had her holding her breath, waiting for him to kiss her again. The intensity of the moment spread between them until DG was sure her nerves were going to pop.

Somewhere in the castle, someone very inconsiderate dropped something very heavy. So heavy it made a loud bang that broke the moment. DG almost screamed. Almost. Because at just about the same time, she felt the urge to throw up.

Shit.

"We need to hurry." She said. He nodded in understanding and ushered her quickly down the hall. Her door swung open and DG forgot all about her nausea. "Where's my stuff?"

They both stood in the door, staring at the empty room in shock. And it was empty. Echo empty. What the hell?

"Your Highness," a gasping voice said behind them. Turning, DG found Lissy, the blabbermouth maid, looking decidedly out of breath. "I'm sorry ma'am. I meant to be here when you came up. But I was down looking at the people in the ballroom. I'm so sorry. Please don't tell my mother."

"Don't worry. Just tell us where the Princesses things are." Wyatt asked calmly. DG could sense his impatience with the girl. Most people had that reaction to Lissy.

"In your suite." Lissy said looking at them like that was the obvious answer.

"Suite?" They said together.

"Yes. Come on." The blond girl seemed to perk up that she was going to get to show them something they didn't know about. She took them down the hall and up one flight of stairs. By the time they found themselves outside of a pair of double doors, DG was clinging to Wyatt like he was the only thing keeping her upright. And she had to admit, he was.

Lissy stood at the door, making sure they were both paying attention before she swung it open with a flourish. Cain whistled as they crossed the threshold. Without a thought, DG swung the door closed in Lissy's face. They each moved to a different part of the main room and looked around, the vastness of the space surprising them both.

A huge window greeted them, covered by heavy, white curtains. The furniture was the kind she hated. Old, uncomfortable and expensive. What she would do for a recliner or a squishy couch. The rug was thick, muffling their steps as they tried to take it all in. Flowers and candles adorned the tables, deep red blooms DG had never seen before. She briefly thought about asking Cain what they were than thought better of it.

He was a guy after all.

Wyatt had made his way to the far right of the room, and DG saw he was standing in a small kitchenette. She blinked at that and followed him over as he pulled open the cold box.

"Fully stocked. Guess they don't want you to get hungry." He told her, smiling.

"Ugh. Food." She' actually eaten some at the reception. She just hoped she didn't regret that soon.

"You look tired, Princess."

"Quit calling me that, Wyatt. It's…weird." He shot her a grin as he swung the cold box door closed. That grin made her heart do a little trip. He really was good looking when he smiled. It kind of wiped away the years, the hard edge that seemed ever present. She suddenly realized she wanted to kiss him again. Very much.

"Sorry. I'll work on it." He captured her hand and led her to the back of the suite. Her heart went into complete spaz mode when she realized just what room waited for them back there. How could he be so calm?

"I think this is bigger than the farm back in Kansas." She said, trying to hide her nerves. Her voice sounded a little to high to her, she hoped he didn't notice.

"I know this is bigger than my homestead." Cain opened the first door and found a bedroom. DG thought she might pass out as he led her inside. She settled on the edge of the bed, watching him as he looked around. The bed was done in a soft peach, the blankets looking fluffy and comfortable. The walls seemed to glow gold, illuminating the room better than any lamp. "Looks like all your things are here. But mine aren't."

That was weird.

He went to another door, which DG found was the bathroom. God, the tub was huge. She wondered if it were possible to fall in love with a bathtub. Peach seemed to be the color of choice in here, offset by splashes of black with the marble and accessories. Through the opposite door was another bedroom.

"Guess I'm supposed to sleep in here." No little amusement filled his voice as he looked around. Near identical to her room, except the colors were black with cream walls and carpet.

"This should be the nursery." She said, looking around. But he was right. There was his holster draped on the bedpost. His hat and duster were thrown across a chair like he'd already been there to make the space his own.

"It will be. If you want it to be." Her gaze shot to his at that. There was no mistaking the heat in those eyes. Her heart started its race again and her breath caught in her throat. What the hell was she supposed to say to that?

Cain smiled at her and turned his head away. She wanted to say something, but she still didn't know what. Despite her current circumstances, she wasn't exactly an expert on men. There had been one other guy before Josh, but both of them had been young, damn near boys. There was no mistaking that Wyatt was a man.

"Come on, DG. Time to tuck you in." He was teasing her. That had to be a good sign, didn't it? She watched him unbutton his jacket and sigh gratefully as he pulled it off. Then he reached out a hand to hers and led her back to her room. She followed, her nerves kicking in again when the reentered her room. He left her to stand as he sifted through her belongings.

She thought she should say something. After all he was going through her stuff without so much as a 'can I?" But she found didn't really care much. It wasn't like she had anything she didn't want him to see. "Here you go. Why don't you go take a bath? I'll make you some tea."

Oh god, he was going to make her tea? Who was this and where was her Tin Man?

"Ok." Was all she could manage. Then she saw the mischief in his eyes and felt her nerves slide away. She grinned back at him and took the clothes he held out to her. "Thank you." She started to turn away, stopping only when his warm, calloused fingers closed around her wrist. "Wha…"

Her words were cut off when his lips closed over hers. She practically melted against him, her mouth opening easily under his. He took his time, just like on the altar, his lips making the most delicious sensations cascade down her spine. The thought that Wyatt was definitely a man reentered her thoughts and this kiss proved it.

"Have a nice bath." He said when he pulled away. Bath? She'd probably drown now. He'd practically kissed her boneless.

"Uh huh." She managed as he squeezed her hand, his smirk firmly in place. Evil, evil, evil Tin Man. He better watch it. She might get really good at using her magic and turn him into…well, she didn't know what. Because it couldn't be disgusting. Because she was married to him and all. Dammit.

Wyatt left the room, softly closing the door behind him. That kiss had been a cheap trick, he knew. But she needed to get used to him, to his touch. Not that he'd ever try to get her to do something she didn't want, simply because they were married. And if her eyes hadn't clouded when they kissed at the altar he wouldn't have tried to kiss her in her room.

He rolled his sleeves up and made his way through the suite to the kitchenette. He'd felt overwhelmed when the maid had opened the door. He'd just gotten used to sleeping in a bed again. How the hell was he supposed to sleep in this place?

A quick search of the cabinets revealed a teapot and some tea. He quickly put the pot onto boil and went in search of a cup. He would kill for some coffee, but he really didn't feel like making it. So, he added another cup and resigned himself to tea. He probably could have summoned the kitchens to make his coffee, he realized as he measured the tea. That wasn't the way he lived and he wouldn't start now.

Wyatt was tired. The reception seemed to drag on forever. He'd wanted more than once to just call it a day and bring the very tired DG back to her room for some rest. He was pretty sure she wasn't getting any, since the morning sickness seemed to be rough. Adora had been sick only in the mornings for the first few weeks. Then she'd been fine the rest of the time. He had heard that pregnancy was different for every woman, hell for every pregnancy with the same woman. And DG's looked like it might be a hard one.

Maybe he shouldn't have kissed her. She was having a hard time and sex or any incarnation of it might not interest her. It had been a spur of the moment decision. She'd looked so nervous when he'd led her to the bedrooms, he just couldn't resist. She was so beautiful in her wedding dress with her eyes so wide and expressive. He couldn't believe he'd missed how lovely she was.

It just hadn't been a priority, he reminded himself. Now, he was looking through different eyes. He could admit, to himself anyway, that he had a touch of hero worship towards her. After all, she'd taken on the fate of the OZ onto her slender shoulders and hadn't buckled once. Every new bit of information that turned her truths into lies hadn't shaken her. She took everything thrown at her with little or no complaining and did what was right.

He hadn't been lying when he told her she was amazing.

Too bad most of the OZ didn't feel the same way. There had been rumblings at the reception, things said under breath and into the air that were only half hidden from the Royal Family. As far as he could tell, nothing made it back to DG, or even Az, but he'd heard. The nobles spoke of a coupe. Like the OZ needed another one. They whispered that the Queen couldn't rule, that she'd lost her ability while in captivity and her daughters were too weak to take over.

The people of the OZ were quickly losing the little faith they had in the house of Gayle. Trouble was coming. And fast.

The teapot whistled and Cain poured the boiling water over the tea in the cups. He let DG's steep for a few minutes as he drank his, savoring the warmth if not the flavor. He'd never understood how Adora could drink this stuff, but it seemed to calm her when she was upset.

He wouldn't let anything happen to DG, he thought with a sudden fiercness. Even if he had to take her away from the palace. Hell, if he had to take her back to the Other Side, he would protect her and the baby. They were his now, his to keep safe. He'd failed Adora and Jeb. He wouldn't fail her.

Wyatt swallowed the rest of his tea with a grimace, and then picked up DG's cup. He made his way back to her room and gently knocked on her door.

"Come in." She called sounding nervous again. He couldn't help but smile. When he opened the door he saw she was already sitting in the bed, her hair damp and braided, her face washed clean. She looked so young right then, he almost felt shame for his desire for her. Then he saw the way the plain t-shirt clung to her breasts and shame was the last thing he felt.

He composed himself as he walked in.

"Feel better."

"Yeah. This has been a crazy week." She punctuated this with a yawn. He smiled and set the cup onto her nightstand. She scooted over a bit and patted the spot next to her. "Look, I want to say something…" she started. Wyatt quirked a brow and waited. Her pale skin flushed bright under his gaze and he was strangely charmed by it. "I know it's our wedding night and I know what's supposed to happen and considering the way you kiss I wouldn't object to it but I'm really tired and I still feel sick and I just don't want to start something and it's still a little strange and…"

Wyatt interrupted the long, run on sentence by tapping a finger against her lips.

"No hurry. Whenever you're ready." Gratitude brightened her face and she let out a relieved sigh. She sighed again when he leaned forward to brush his mouth against hers, and it was a happy sound. "Goodnight, DG." He got up to go, fully intending to leave her alone for the night. Then her tiny hand snaked into his, pulling him to a stop. She looked almost sheepish and her blush was back in full force when he looked down at her.

"Could you stay?" She whispered this, looking up at him through her lashes. He smiled and reached out with his free hand to run a finger along her cheek.

"Sure. Just let me clean up." DG nodded and let him go, settling back against the pillows with her tea.

It didn't take him very long to wash the craziness of the day away. He'd gone into his own room to hunt down something to sleep in. He settled on a pair of cotton pants he'd frankly forgotten he'd owned. He generally didn't bother sleeping in anything.

When he walked back into DG's room, she was already asleep. He chuckled and walked across the room, sliding into the bed as carefully as possible. He settled into the soft mattress, thinking there was no way he'd be able to sleep. Then DG rolled over and curled up next to him like a cat. It didn't matter if he slept, if his presence was enough to let her get some rest.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and settled down as much as he could. He listened to her breathing and in a matter of minutes, he drifted off himself.

a/n-So i've been getting some comments about how distracting my comma use is and my minor spelling errors are. Not that i've spelled the word wrong, but used the wrong one. Just so there's no confusion, I am not interested in a beta. I had one when I wrote spuffy and while I liked her alot, it slowed the process. I'm a...instant gratification kinda girl. I do a pretty darn good job of cleaning up the junk myself-you should see how these chaps look before I run spell check. Scary. And since I deal with editors in my other writing life, I'd just like to keep this fun. So, in short, I know about the errors, I do my best to fix them, and no I'm not getting a beta. Much love to everybody that likes this story, including those that get aggrivated at my grammar/punctuation usiage. Hopefully you'll stick around to find out where this goes. Review, please. I'll give you lots of something. wee. Wow, this was almost as long as the chapter. ;)