Hey guys! Didn't upload yesterday, but this is still in the 4-5 day window :) Lots of you are reading... Review please? :) Thanks! And look, it's longer!

Dahl arrived back at the balcony, breathing heavily. He had had a very difficult journey, for reasons he would tell Fae when he saw her. Catching his breath, the Sparrow looked into the window, blinking in surprise when he saw that the lights were off. Was she asleep? No, there was only one figure on the bed. Then where was she?

He flew to the glass door, hovering in front of it as he scanned the room. She definitely wasn't in there. Flying back to the balcony railing, he scanned the countryside, surprised to see a fire burning in the distance. That hadn't been there before; he had flown over that very piece of land.

Jumping into the air, Dahl flew quickly towards the source of light.

X

Two in the morning.

Elphaba, wake up. Wake up. You need to wake up. The Bird is back.

Elphaba, only half awake, felt around for Glinda's face. Once she had found it, she slapped her friend across her cheek and rolled over. She could feel it wasn't time to wake up yet, why was Glinda trying to get her out of bed?

Glinda had been asleep, and the slap had very obviously woken her up. "OW! Elphie!! Why did you slap me??"

Elphaba was unfortunately awakened anyway by the shrill sound of Glinda's yells. She opened her eyes and looked back over at Glinda. "I didn't want you to wake me up. Thanks for doing that anyway."

Glinda stopped yelling, a confused (yet still offended) look appearing on her face. "Elphie, I was sound asleep. You woke me up by slapping me."

Elphaba was silent.

"You were dreaming, and now I'm going to have a handprint on my face!" She was being overdramatic, as usual. "So if you don't mind, I'm going back to bed!" And she made a show of rolling so her back was to Elphaba and snuggling into the blankets.

Elphaba remained silent, slowly sitting up. She was also confused, and then her instincts kicked in. Fiyero.

Throwing the door open, Elphaba sprinted to Fiyero's bedroom, entering silently and running to his side. She quickly went through her routine checking of his temperature, pulse and breathing – all were normal.

"Then what...?" She went through what her dream had told her. The Bird... Why hadn't her dream told her Dahl's name? She obviously knew it.

Nevertheless, Elphaba moved to the door, opening it without hesitation and stepping out onto the balcony. She looked around, scanning the sky. A smile appeared on her face when she saw Dahl's form flying quickly towards her, but it dropped when she saw that he was fleeing an owl. She could tell by its behavior it wasn't an Animal.

Elphaba held out her hand and Dahl quickly landed in it, and she brought him closer to herself to protect him as she held out her other hand at the owl.

"Go!" The owl stopped suddenly, as if forced, and instantly flew in the opposite direction.

Elphaba watched it go, and then walked inside, Dahl in her hand. She closed and latched the door, and the Sparrow flew out of her hand and onto the chair she had been keeping watch in.

Elphaba shook her head, sitting in the chair and looking at Dahl when he moved to the arm of it.

"Are you okay?"

The Sparrow nodded. "Yes. Look out the window and tell me if you see anything out of the ordinary."

Elphaba obediently did so. "No... Why?"

"Neither did I when I first arrived here."

"You were kept waiting? I apologize, I had fallen asleep in another room."

He nodded his acceptance. "Then I looked back and there was a small fire in an area I had just flown over. I flew back to investigate and there was a deserted campsite. I could find no evidence of who had been there, so I returned. As I was flying that damned owl appeared and pursued me, and while I was evading him I looked back and the fire was out."

Elphaba frowned. "I don't like it."

"Me either, but that was only an owl, so he won't be reporting you. I doubt anybody else here would, or you would not be here."

Elphaba was silent for several moments. "And what about Freya? Is she coming?"

Dahl sighed, and shook his head. "No. She wasn't at headquarters and the council told me nothing other than she was otherwise engaged. I had to track her down myself, and she's busy in a several week long mission. She sends her condolences and says that she would help if she could."

Elphaba was silent again. "Okay. I can't ask any more than that. Thank you Dahl." Pause. "And the council?"

"They understand your reasons for leaving, have no new missions and no punishments, and eagerly await your return, whenever that may be."

She nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Dahl. You can stay if you like, wherever you want save this room. I'm protective of him."

Dahl looked over at Fiyero's still form. "Freya suggested that I complete your proposed task, and I agree. If you like, I can watch over him for you. If something were to go wrong – which it won't – I would be able to reach you faster than Freya would have been anyway."

Silence, and then a smile. "I would be honored to accept your offer, Master Dahl. I trust you. But now you can sleep. I'll look after him until tomorrow and then we'll figure out how we'll do this. You may stay in here if you like."

The Sparrow inclined his head and flew into the attached closet. Making a makeshift nest amongst the clothing, he soon fell asleep.

Elphaba moved over to Fiyero, taking the chair with her. Placing it beside the bed, she sat in it and gently held Fiyero's hand, just watching him. She wouldn't be getting any more sleep tonight anyway.