In the light of the bathroom, Glinda took a good look at the girl. She was tall for her age and scrawny as anything, but had lengthy limbs and good facial structure, even for a child. Glinda lifted her up onto the counter and got to work wetting a towel and scrubbing at her knees. "What's your name, honey?" she asked kindly.

"I'm Rose."

That rung a bell, but Glinda ignored it. "That's a lovely name." She turned on the tap again and re-wet the towel, careful around the open cuts. "And you're very brave."

Rose's blue eyes brimmed with tears and she looked up at Glinda sadly. "No I'm not. I got caught."

Glinda took it that Rose had been some kind of street urchin. "It's all behind you now," she attempted. "You're in good hands."

"I know."

"Now, how could you know?" Glinda was only playing, but Rose was serious. It would be weeks before she could shake off the grimness of Southstairs.

"I know you," she said bluntly, with no intention of saying anything more or anything less.

Glinda smiled. "My dear, everyone in Oz knows Fiyero and I."

"But I don't know him, I know you."

"Oh." Glinda paused. "That's peculiar." Had she been living under a rock? But Glinda shook it off, it didn't matter now. "Have you ever been in a palace before?" Obviously not.

"Yeah! It was beaaaau-tiful!" Rose exclaimed, reminiscing the glamour of Colwen Grounds, which in reality, wasn't all that glamorous.

Glinda was taken aback. "Well, that's wonderful, but I'm sure it doesn't rival this one."

"I haven't seen this one yet," Rose replied wryly.

Chuckling to herself, Glinda set to work on Rose's hair. "That's true. Well, then tell me something about yourself. How old are you?"

"Seven." Rose wouldn't say anything more unless asked. She wasn't allowed to.

"Hmmm. Quiet one I see. Oh well, that'll change." Glinda tugged a brush through Rose's hair and then cut it evenly, so that it was short, but prim and proper. She could see that it was fine and dark. It had been years since she had seen such gorgeous hair. Excluding her own, of course. "What do you like to do?"

"I read."

"Oh, you like to read? I suppose that's always a good talent to have. Never could get into it myself. What about playing? What's your favourite toy?"

"I don't have any toys," Rose said honestly, but not wistfully. The poor girl didn't even know what she was missing out on.

"You don't have any-" Glinda cut herself off. Her own childhood had been entirely about dolls and dress up. "Well, Lurlinemas is coming up. That just might change." Her eyes twinkled. Lurlinemas shopping just got a whole lot more fun.

But Rose seemed to be struggling with something she didn't want to say out loud.

"What is it?" Glinda asked, hauling Rose off the counter and leading her out of the room. "You can tell me anything, Rosie, I'm here to help."

"I don't know what Lurlinemas is," Rose mumbled.

Glinda stopped and gasped. "Lurlinemas is the most important holiday in Oz!" Rose looked at her feet unhappily and she caught herself. "Lurlinemas is when Lurline and Preenella bring gifts to all of the good girls and boys. I'll have to tell you that story before bed. Now we'll get you changed and down for some real food." She did just that and then led Rose down to the dining room where Fiyero was reading a newspaper.

Fiyero looked up and saluted the girls with two fingers, thankful for the chance to forego the reading. Rose was wearing a pretty pink dress (of course) which Glinda must have commissioned a maid to retrieve for her. She was standing a little distance away from Glinda, which was understandable. Fiyero had been intimidated by Glinda when he first met her too. "Welcome," he called happily and stood up to pull out two chairs for them.

Rose floated towards him and plopped down in one of the chairs. Fiyero waited for her to acknowledge him but she trained her eyes straight ahead at the wall. He smiled to himself and then leaned over the chair, so he was directly in front of her upside down. "Hello."

She was biting her lip and looked at him closely. "Hello."

"How are you?"

"I'm confused." A slight smile played at her lips.

"Don't worry. Glinda confuses me too," Fiyero laughed.

"Alright now." Glinda patted his shoulder. "Sit down, dinner's ready. You can be immature later."

Fiyero gestured to her chair. "But you love when I'm immature!"

Glinda shook her head and took her seat, where the plates were set in front of her. She watched as Rose's eyes widened at the amount that was placed in front of her. "You don't have to eat all of it."

"I've never seen so much food in my life!" Rose exclaimed, before she caught herself. She hadn't been so open with Glinda yet, and definitely not Fiyero.

Fiyero noted this and smiled. "It's okay. She'll stuff it down this time and learn from her mistakes. All kids have to learn this at least once. In fact, I'm still learning it."

Rose looked up and fully smiled at him. It touched her eyes and illuminated the blue depths brilliantly. "You think you're really funny, don't you?"

"I think she's warming up to us," Glinda whispered to Fiyero, who nodded his reply and started a conversation about Rose's favourite things.

Over the course of the conversation, Fiyero seemed to gain a better idea of how to talk to kids. It wasn't hard. In fact, it was a hell of a lot more fun than talking to Glinda's friends. Rose was intelligent and responsive when she wanted to be. It made Fiyero proud.

"I...have a question," Rose started when the conversation died down. "Am I staying here forever?"

Glinda and Fiyero exchanged a look. Glinda nodded, but Fiyero shook his head. Unfortunately for Fiyero, Glinda jumped in first. "Yes! You're our daughter now, Rose."

Rose liked the sound of that. It made her heart happier, just from the way Glinda said it, so warmly. Elphaba never said that to her, and when she said it to someone else it was harsh and unconvincing.

"Oh, Fiyero, let's take Rose around the city!" Glinda burst out suddenly, letting her fork clatter against her plate.

"You're telling the wrong person," Fiyero replied.

Glinda turned to Rose. "Rosie, would you like to see the city?"

Rose laughed for the first time, but it was hollow and sarcastic. She had seen a lot of the city. Although she hadn't paid much attention as she wandered on her own before her capture. But the prospect of wandering the streets with these wonderful strangers seemed like a lot of fun that she had never experienced before. As long as she was staying here forever...why not? She nodded her consent furiously.

"Ah, to have the mind of a child again," Fiyero sighed.

"You've always had the mind of a child," Glinda teased. "I think it's what's made you such a grump lately."

"Enough insults, let's go." Fiyero faked a hurt tone, but it was lost easily as he waited for them at the doorway. "Come on, now you've gotten me all excited!" Rose drew closer to him hesitantly and he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the front of the palace. Their laughter reverberated throughout the foyer.

All Glinda could think to herself was, I am a genius.

"I don't have many friends, but I know a Zebra," Rose told Fiyero, as they walked down the boulevard. She clutched his and Glinda's hands in her own tightly, not used to the feeling, but enjoying it tremendously. It hadn't taken long for her to open up for them. When she wasn't talking, she was busy collecting snowflakes on her tongue and looking up at the flakes that had settled on her eyelashes.

"You mean a zebra, dear," Glinda corrected.

"Nope, he talks," Rose argued.

"That's impressive," Fiyero mused. "I don't think I've ever met one."

"Oh no, wasn't there a Zebra cook at Shiz?" Glinda asked. "Or was it a Gorilla?"

"I've heard that before!" Rose interrupted.

"What? Gorilla?" Glinda responded.

"No, no, no." Rose shook her head. "The other thing."

"Shiz?"

"Yeah."

Glinda laughed, seriously doubting that this girl's parents were educated. "It's the school where we studied."

"I know where I heard it," Rose blurted. "My- ...I know someone who went there."

"What's their name? Maybe we know them," Glinda offered, jumping at the chance for a possible bragging session.

"I can't remember," Rose rushed and decided to cover up her mistake. "Can I go to school?"

"I don't see why not," Fiyero replied, brushing some of the snowflakes from Rose's hair gently.

"We have a little surprise for right now, Rosie," Glinda said excitedly. "We thought we could get you a little welcome-to-the-family present."

Fiyero reached around Rose and covered her eyes with his hands. "No peeking." He led her into the toy shop they had stopped in front of. When he removed his hands she froze and blinked as if to clear away traces of a dream. She stepped forward and took in the singing Lurlinemas figures, the red and green decorations and the mountains of boxes containing toys she had never seen before. Perhaps the most surprising was the multitude of kids running around. Rose had been under the impression that there weren't this many kids in Oz and that it made her more special. Suddenly, she felt like she was in a contest and had to be the best daughter she could for Glinda and Fiyero or else they'd leave her all alone in prison again, which she was still shaking off the remnants of. Still, her curiosity took her out of their sight as she explored the phenomenon of playing.

"There's something really fishy going on here," Glinda muttered to Fiyero. "She's so deprived of everything."

"She knows how to read, she read all the signs," Fiyero stated.

"But she didn't know what Lurlinemas was...she didn't have toys...she didn't even go to school!" Glinda retorted angrily.

"Maybe she was a street kid," Fiyero suggested, not thinking too hard on the subject.

Glinda predicted he wouldn't put much into his answer and retorted automatically, "And she was imprisoned for that? In high security?"

"Most of those are revolutionist," Fiyero admitted. "Political prisoners."

"So she was in the Rebellion at the age of seven? That makes absolutely no sense!" Glinda hissed. "There's something strange about that child...but I must say...I've grown rather fond of her."

"As have I," Fiyero agreed. "Far too fast for my own good."

"I suppose I'll enrol her at St. Prowd's," Glinda decided, "and I was thinking of taking her to see Nessa soon."

Fiyero nodded and watched Rose running around, noticing that she wasn't nearing any of the other children. "Deciding on godparents already?"

Glinda blushed. "How did you know?"

"Glinda, you have to think ahead," Fiyero warned. "We have to try to find her parents at least. And if we're successful, we have to give her back."

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

"Rose, we need to know something," Glinda said, trying her best to muster a serious tone. She stood before Rose's bed, having tucked her in and read her a story. Something she had wanted to do her whole life long. Now Fiyero had joined her and slipped an arm around her waist. "We need to know who your parents are."

Rose's eyes widened and she looked up at them blankly. "I can have TWO?"

Fiyero and Glinda exchanged a look. This was the kind of thing they had feared, but also hoped for. "Yes, honey, you can have two."

"Can I have three?"

"No, you can't," Glinda said, distressed. "But you can have us and that's all you'll need." She left the room, close to tears for whatever reason, and Fiyero was forced to face Rose alone.

But with Glinda gone, Rose seemed to unwind a little. "She's my secret."

"What?" Fiyero asked bewilderedly.

"She can be your secret too, if you ask nicely."