Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked.

Eira was mad at her mother for not believing her about the green woman dressed in black who she talked to after every ballet practice. Just thinking about her family history made her angry, actually. She never realized how dysfunctional they all were, and the only seemingly functional one was her grandmother, Glinda, who wasn't really her grandmother by blood. Figures. Of course she told everything to Rhea. She was a good listener. "This Elphaba person doesn't seem very nice. I mean, she broke Glinda's heart and she's so nice! She's not even my grandmother and she ties my hair in a bun for me," Rhea said.

"I know. I am going to give Elphaba a piece of my mind after ballet today. She's messing with the wrong family."

"Sorry to point this out, but isn't she your family?" Rhea questioned.

"My grandmother is family. Elphaba isn't," Eira said angrily.

After practice, Eira noticed her mother had come earlier than she usually did. Of course, this interfered with her plan to end the odd friendship the two had. Eira knew this green woman had to be Elphaba because she was, well, green and she knew that was not a common skin color. She ran.

For the first time in her seven years of life, Eira disobeyed her mother when she called for her to stop running. The girl ran out of the ballet studio and towards the spot she always saw the woman in black. "Eira! Get back here! Eira Galinda, you are going to be in so much trouble," Ellie shouted as she chased her daughter a couple of blocks. Eira knew her mother meant business when she used her first and middle name in such a way, so if it was even possible, the brunette ran even faster. She panted when she came to a stop in front of the woman dressed in black-no, Elphaba, her great aunt. It wasn't a mystery anymore.

"My princess, why were you running so fast?" the woman asked her in a concerned voice.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," Eira panted. Luckily, her mother hadn't caught up yet. "And I am not your princess by any means."

"What are you talking about? And what's wrong?"

"You broke my grandmother's heart you disgusting…artichoke!" Eira yelled at her and tears began to fall down her cheeks. This was the woman who caused her grandmother to cry because her heart was broken.

"What are you going on about?"

"You hurt her and my mommy! You left them when they needed you! You are disgusting and you aren't a part of our family. You…you wicked witch!"

"Eira Galinda, you have so much explaining to do once we get home," Ellie said and grabbed her daughter's arm. The seven year old squirmed to try and get out of her grip. "I am very sorry about this, ma'am. She usually is a very sweet girl," Ellie explained.

"Mommy, don't be nice to her!" Eira cried out. "She's the one who broke grandmother's heart!"

"May I ask what she's going on about? I have been talking to your daughter for a while now, and she has never acted like this before," the woman in black said with only concern in her voice.

"It's just that she found out about our family history the other day. I don't think she was too fond of the answers. She found out why her grandmother is always so upset sometimes. She really looks up to her," Ellie said, making sure to keep a firm grip on the ballerina.

"I feel like we've met before," the woman said and stepped closer. She put her hand (gloved this time) on Ellie's face and her brown eyes went wide with shock. Elena flinched at the awkward touch.

"I don't think we have," Ellie said and stepped away from her. Instinctively, she held Eira closer.

"No, we definitely met."

"I am famous; perhaps you've seen my picture in the paper?" Ellie questioned.

"No, not in the paper. I've seen you in person. You…no…you're Elena Thropp, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Ellie said. She was becoming a bit scared, she had to admit. Eira could tell she was shaking. Calmly, she looked up into her mother's warm brown eyes with her blue ones.

"Oh, my pretty, how I've missed you," the lady in black said.

"It can't be you," Ellie whispered. She got the courage to step forward and carefully take off the older woman's veil. The person looking down into her eyes had sharp features, a thin face, and above all, green skin. "Please tell me this is some sick joke."

"This is really me, my pretty," she replied carefully.

"It really is you, Elphaba."

"See, I told you, mommy," Eira said and stepped closer to Ellie. She held her mother's pant leg and hid slightly behind her in a childish manor. Suddenly, she felt small compared to everyone and everything. The three were silent for quite some time until Elphaba broke the silence.

"Is she yours?" she asked Ellie. Eira's blue eyes looked up at her with sadness, but she didn't understand why she was upset because she had just felt angry only moments ago.

"Yes, this is Eira, my daughter; Eira Galinda Thropp," Ellie said quietly, but loudly enough for Elphaba's ears to pick up. "She's seven years old."

"She must have been the baby you were holding so long ago," Elphaba whispered and looked back and forth between Ellie and Eira. "And her middle name…does that mean you're still living with her? I mean…"

"Yes, we're all still in the Emerald City Palace," Ellie replied. "Elphaba…" Suddenly, Ellie felt Elphaba bring her into a hug. She hugged back and let her tears fall. They were tears of anger, sorrow, and confusion all in one. There was also a hint of happiness, but her resentment took over, although she failed to let that show. "Please don't let go," Ellie sniffed. "Please don't."

"I wouldn't even think of it, my pretty," Elphaba whispered and held her niece tighter and closer. "I'm so sorry about everything. You don't know how sorry I am. It hurts, my pretty, how I betrayed you and Glinda when you really needed me. I lost my sanity, and I honestly don't understand why I let everything I had slip away from me. I understand if you don't forgive me, but I hope we can start over."

"There's no need to start over because I forgave you a long time ago. Am I angry? Yes. Am I hurt? Of course I am, but I'm sure you'll find a way to make up for it when you come back home," Ellie replied and broke the hug.

"As much as I love to call the palace my home, I cannot go back."

"Of course you can. We've been waiting for you to come home for so long, Elphaba," Ellie assured her.

"I don't think Glinda would be very accepting of my sudden appearance."

"She'll probably be mad at first, then she'll cry, and then you and her will talk things over. You know how she is. Elphaba, she's still in love with you, deeply in love. And I'm sure your feelings haven't changed a bit," Ellie replied.

"But if you come back, you can't break grandmother's heart again, or else you'll have to get through me," Eira said seriously, and the two adults just laughed at her childlike wonder.

"I promise not to break her heart. I plan on fixing it," Elphaba assured Eira. However, the seven year old was smart.

"You can't fix a broken heart," Eira said, quoting what she had heard once before. Slowly, she looked up into the green woman's eyes and gave her a sad smile. "It's like fixing a vase; you can try and fix it once it breaks, but you can't ever completely fill the cracks."

"Those are some profound words for such a little girl," Elphaba said to her, and deep down, she knew that they were true.

"My grandmother told me that. And my mommy told me that wishing only wounds the heart," Eira quoted. Her great aunt was shocked at her words. Elphaba began to wonder what Glinda was like now that she had been gone for Oz knows how long. She was lucky that Ellie was as forgiving as she was, and what were the odds the little girl she was speaking to for all this time was none other than Ellie's daughter?

"Come on," Ellie said to Eira and Elphaba. "Let's go home."