I'm Not Sad Anymore
Chapter 1
AN: Okay, here I am with the first official chapter of this story. I don't know how many of you are fans of Criminal Minds, but I have a set of one-shots along with a multi-story series focusing on JJ and Emily as a couple, if anyone is interested. I'm going to do my best to update this fic at least once or twice a month from now on. Thank you all for sticking with me!
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Wicked. I only own Unna.
Fiyero arrived home on the same day Unna had arrived at the cottage. Unna had fallen asleep on the couch. Without waking her, Elphaba headed to the door to greet her husband. The green woman had an acute sense of hearing, so she heard the scarecrow approaching.
She opened the door and stepped outside. Once he was within arms' reach, Elphaba reached for the bag of supplies over his shoulder. She placed it on the ground and took his hand, leading him to the porch swing Fiyero had built years earlier. He was confused. "Fae? What's going on?"
"We need to talk," she stated simply.
"Is everything alright?"
Elphaba sighed. "I don't even know where to start."
Fiyero, knowing his wife was in some sort of distress, instinctively reached out to take her hand. "Fae, darling, you're scaring me. What is going on?"
Elphaba whispered. "There is a little girl sleeping on our couch."
"What?"
Elphaba whispered louder. "There is a little girl sleeping on our couch."
Fiyero searched his mind, but came to an inevitable conclusion. He didn't know a little girl. "Where did she come from?" is the question he eventually managed to ask.
"She said she comes from Munchkinland," Elphaba informed her. "Apparently, she's been sleeping by the heater for days. She ran out of food."
"Elphaba…."
"I know, Yero, it was ridiculous. I should have sent her back home….But," she swallowed thickly. "She looked so sad, so alone. She looked like me."
"What do you mean, she looked like you?" Fiyero was trying hard not to be angry at Elphaba for basically kidnapping a little girl because he knew that she must have had a good reason.
"There was this look in her eyes. It was like she was begging for someone to love her. Yero, I used to look at people like that. And nobody ever loved me, never, not until Shiz. She was sweet and smart and I…." she trailed off.
"She reminded you of you," Fiyero supplied.
"I'm so sorry, Yero."
Fiyero wrapped a burlap arm around his wife. "Don't apologize for being you, love. You don't ever have to be sorry for that. If this girl needs help, we'll help her. Even if that just means giving her a warm place to stay until she's ready to go home."
"I don't think she has a home," Elphaba commented.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, she must live somewhere. I just don't think she feels safe there. There's something about her, Yero, I just couldn't close the door on her, I couldn't. I know we might not have enough supplies, but we'll make it work. We have to."
Fiyero nodded. "I trust you, Fae. If you think this girl needs help, then I believe you. What is her name?"
"Unna."
"That's it? No last name?"
"She probably doesn't want to connect herself to her family. I know when I was younger, I never wanted to say my full name," Elphaba observed. "It's different now. I'm proud to be a Tigelaar." She smiled softly.
Fiyero smiled back. "Shall we go inside?"
The scarecrow picked up his bed and led his wife into the cottage they owned together.
"She was sleeping on the couch when I-" Elphaba cut herself off when she realized Unna was nowhere to be found. "Where did she go?"
Elphaba began to panic. This girl was her responsibility now. She couldn't let anything happen to her.
"Unna?!"
Suddenly, the girl in question stepped into the common area from the bedroom. She had some clothes in her hands. "I'm sorry, miss. I thought I should help out with chores. I am washing things."
Elphaba sighed in relief. "That's alright, Unna. Come here for a moment, please," she said.
Unna gently put the pile of clothes down on a table. "Is this Fiyero?" she asked.
Elphie nodded. "Yes, Unna, this is my husband, Fiyero."
Unna curtseyed. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir, and I promise to stay out of your way."
The moment Fiyero made eye contact with Unna, his heart exploded. This girl looked like Elphaba's daughter. Not that Elphaba had a daughter; Fiyero was the only man she had ever been with, and after ten years, they had come to the conclusion that a scarecrow and a witch could not conceive children. Fiyero knew exactly what his wife was talking about when she said she saw herself in this little girl.
The scarecrow got down on his knees and reached out for one of Unna's tiny hands. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it. "Don't be silly, little one. While you are staying with us, you will be a part of our family. Tomorrow, we will introduce you to our friends, the Oxen."
"Oxen?" Unna was in awe. "Animals can live here?"
Fiyero nodded. "They are our very good friends and I am sure they will like you. But for now, how does some supper sound?"
As if on cue, Unna's stomach rumbled. She giggled, embarrassed. "Would you like some help, Master Fiyero?"
"Just call us Fiyero and Elphaba, darling," Fiyero assured. "We're your friends. And yes, some help would be wonderful. Let me go change and I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes."
Unna nodded. Fiyero kissed his wife's cheek and then strode into their bedroom. Elphaba reached out to touch Unna's shoulder. She noticed the flinch instantly. This girl, much like Elphaba, had a story. "Unna, I didn't mean to startle you. I am sorry."
"It's alright, Elphaba. It's not your fault."
The once wicked witch made eye contact with the girl. Her green eyes reflected to Elphaba sadness and fear, but also a level of trust that had definitely caused her pain in her short life.
AN: Alright, first chapter done. Please let me know what you think. Reviews are really appreciated and great motivators. I need a few more chapters for exposition, but soon the ball will really get rolling.