Over the next week, Fiyero had to return to his captaining duties and Glinda took it as her opportunity to bond further with Rose before taking her to meet Nessa. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't ask Rose anything about her parentage or Southstairs and let the girl forget them completely. Rose needed to stay forever if things were going to be okay with Glinda's happiness. It was already so much better.

The first few days were spent in recovery; showing Rose the different rooms of the palace, letting her explore on her own and taking her around the city to topnotch shops and cafes. Most of the people who saw Glinda with child seemed to pass it off as some random act of kindness; babysitting or aiding a lost child, as it obviously wasn't hers. But as the days seemed to pass and Glinda kept appearing in public with the girl in tow, it sunk in that Captain Fiyero and Lady Glinda had finally adopted. Now big things were expected of Rose, having the two most well known parents on the good side of town.

Glinda dressed Rose well and enrolled her in school which was set to start in two weeks after the Lurlinemas break. She was forming the girl in her image, and Rose was responding well.

One day, having decided to stay in, Glinda sat in one of her seats that faced out of the window in the front parlor. She hardly ever used the room and decided that as long as she was home, she should make use of it. Contemplating the idea of picking out a book to read, Glinda decided against it and was content to enjoy the peace instead. Eventually, Rose wandered in and sat at Glinda's feet.

Glinda looked down, mystified and certain that most children would just crawl straight into their mother's lap. By now, she knew Rose viewed her as a mother, or at least hoped and prayed that she did. Reaching down, Glinda scooped Rose into her lap and lovingly pushed her hair behind her ears. Rose observed Glinda's beautiful face and turned back to her book. They both felt that, even wordlessly, they had crossed into a more open relationship.

Coming across a word she didn't know, Rose pointed it out to Glinda who wasted no time telling it to her. She didn't sound it out like Elphaba did. Try as she might, Rose couldn't ignore that. Still, she curled into Glinda and rested her head back against her chest, clutching the skirt of Glinda's dress and feeling every sparkly sequin sewed into the fabric like her own private stars.

"Glinda, don't tell me you're losing your mind already," Nessa scolded. "We've seen this child before!" She indicated Rose, who was looking around the parlor of Colwen Grounds, content in her explorations.

"No, we haven't!" Glinda exclaimed. "I would remember!"

Nessa smiled. The youngest of their original Shiz circle and by far the most mature. "Three years ago..."

Glinda tapped her finger against the arm of the chair and crossed one leg over the other, trying not to give Nessa the upperhand in this matter.

"Come on, Glinda!" Nessa encouraged. "Think harder!"

"Oh, my goodness! I am such a blonde!" Glinda cried suddenly. "The girl that was with Elphaba!"

Once again Nessa wasn't sure if she should expand on Glinda's knowledge. This wasn't just the girl who was with Elphaba and it seemed cruel that Glinda didn't know. It seemed cruel in general that the child should end up with Glinda and Fiyero while they were in the dark. But who had kept them in the dark? The woman who kept everyone, including her own self, in the dark.

And what made everything worse was that Nessa was the only one who knew, because even if Glinda knew, with all of the evidence being forced down her throat, she would deny it forever.

The questions were there and Nessa had the answers, but Glinda was avoiding them.

To break the silence, Glinda called to Rose, who scampered into her lap and smiled at Nessa. "You'd never think she's been to Southstairs," Glinda commented.

"A little affection goes a long way," Nessa agreed.

"What do you think about all of this, Nessa? Tell me honestly," Glinda blurted. "Do you think it's crazy?"

"I don't think crazy matters much in this case," Nessa reasoned. She squirmed slightly in her seat. "But I do know that I'm happy for you and Fiyero. You're learning the ways of parenthood quite well." And so she decided not to share her knowledge with Glinda again. If anyone was to do it, it should be Elphaba.

"I'm glad to hear that," Glinda said happily. "Because I have something to ask of you. Fiyero and I were wondering if you'd like to be Rose's godmother."

Nessa laughed sarcastically and disguised it as a laugh of joy. Technically speaking, Elphaba had already made her godmother. "That's absolutely wonderful!"

Glinda smiled and hugged Rose tightly. "Maybe I'll leave you two to bond for a bit then." Nessa tried to protest, but she ignored it and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Unsure of what to say, Nessa and Rose both stayed silent.

"Rose, does your mother know where you are?" Nessa said finally.

"She just left." Rose pointed to the door. Whether it was due to an early developed attitude, or genuine naivety, Nessa wasn't sure.

"I mean your mother." Nessa didn't play sweet with anyone, even children. But it was difficult not to detect the urgency in her voice.

"She left me."

Nessa knew how that felt, but she had no method of reaching out and comforting the child. So much of her affection had been lost that way. "Maybe it's for the best. You're happy with Glinda, are you not?"

"I miss her," Rose confessed.

"That's alright. You'll get better soon. You just wish- you wish you had some form of closure. I know," Nessa reassured and then trailed off quieter and quieter, until it took effort to raise her voice again. "What do you think of Fiyero?"

"He's my favourite."

That encouraged a simple nod. At least she was forming bonds with someone who was blood related to her. Oh, how frustrating Elphaba's puzzles were turning out to be.

Glinda burst through the door. "You'd think all the times I've visited that I'd actually know my way around but-"

"It's alright," Nessa cut in. "Rose and I were finished here anyway."

After Glinda and Rose returned to the city a few days later, Nessa continued on with her daily routines. Prayer, attending meetings, granting audiences to locals. It was tedious and monotonous, but her duty nevertheless. And every night she sat in her study and looked over papers that had been submitted to her, revised them and then sent them in to be signed by an official who had the privilege of arms.

Although this night seemed different. Her back to the doorway, Nessa was sure she could feel a presence. She was also sure that it was someone she wasn't open to seeing, and with the way fate was swirling around her family and friends lately, she was probably right.

"Elphaba, I know that's you," Nessa called.

"Do you have eyes in the back of your head now?" Elphaba asked, crossing the room and seating herself in the chair beside Nessa's desk, clutching the red velvet arms with all her might. "I'm going to get straight to the point-"

"Let me guess," Nessa chimed, "you've lost your daughter." She looked at Elphaba's expression. "Lucky guess, I suppose." She looked down at the papers in front of her. "Would you do me a favour and sign my name on the bottom of these papers?"

"What?"

"Just grab a pen-" Nessa nodded toward a canister filled with pens and pencils, "-and sign with your signature, but replace the 'E' with an 'N.' I was just thinking about how lovely it would be to have a signature of my own."

Elphaba did as she was told.

"Now as for your little problem, I think I might have an answer." Nessa was withholding her information. If Elphaba was set on this, she had to fix it herself or Fiyero, Glinda and Rose would never break out of this mess. "You're not going to be able to do this without Fiyero's help."

"Why would I need his help?" Elphaba argued.

Nessa was blunt and to the point. "Because you aren't kidding anyone. I knew he was the father the minute you showed me your bumpy green baby belly. You've been in love with him for too long, Elphaba, and it isn't good for you."

"Spoken by someone with a surplus of experience," Elphaba retorted sardonically.

The words cut into Nessa, but she didn't show it. Love was a sore spot; an open wound on the mend. "Maybe not, but I've been watching you long enough." Nessa faced her sister, feeling like she was the eldest. "He's married now."

"Because I didn't already know that," Elphaba hissed.

"My suggestion would be to tell him everything before it becomes even harder on both of you."

Elphaba thought back a few weeks. "It's too late for that."

Nessa ignored what she didn't understand. "You should consider leaving Rose in his care. I think with a little encouragement, Glinda would make an excellent mother. She certainly made an excellent sister."

"I don't have time for your melodrama, Nessa," Elphaba snapped.

"Maybe things have already fallen into place under your nose and you should let it go," Nessa offered. "That would be better for you in the long run."

"Nothing I do seems to be of your approval anyway," Elphaba muttered. "I know she's in Southstairs. I just don't have a way in and out. I've hired every lead and followed every clue, but I can't map it out properly!" She was speaking more to herself than to her sister; the curse of the lonely.

"People have escaped Southstairs," Nessa stated.

"A seven year old?" Elphaba shot back incredulously.

"Children are crafty."

"Nessa, I came for your advice," Elphaba reminded.

"And I gave it. You won't get anywhere without informing Fiyero and I mean on a grand scale. You're stuck in the same place until you're finished." Nessa was ruthlessly tearing apart Elphaba from the seams and not noticing.

"How do you know..." Elphaba didn't want to voice her question for fear of the answer.

"He has no excuse for leaving Glinda anymore. It would mean risking everything he has. We're all the same as we were in school. He won't leave Glinda for you darling, not when you're such a mess." And not to mention the fact that they're parents now too. "He loves her, even if he does still love you. He was yours. Now you share him and you've got the raw end of the deal. It's only best to finish it off. I can't bear the thought of you making things even worse for your poor soul. It's unfathomable how you live with yourself already. But I suppose we all have to one way or another."

Elphaba sucked in a breath. "You have the talent for speaking your mind now, Nessa."

"Politics will do that," Nessa replied simply, her hazel eyes searching her sister for a sign of anything akin to an emotion.

And she found it when Elphaba said, "It's not as easy as you think Nessa."

"Politics? Tell me about it..." Nessa chuckled.

"Falling out of love!" Elphaba snarled.

"Maybe because he's the only one that cares about you," Nessa replied lightly. "I'm about to retire for the night. Can I offer you the guest room?" Elphaba shook her head. "Well, then I hope you'll at least consider my advice."

"I can't give Rose away," Elphaba murmured.

Nessa looked at her questioningly.

"If I do then Fiyero won't ever need me again."

"And that's a good thing," Nessa finished. She stood up and left the room without requiring her sister's assistance. Her shadow followed her across the floor and then out of sight, leaving Elphaba alone. It seemed that all of the people Elphaba had left years ago were now finding ways to leave her.