Disclaimer- I don't own Wicked or Rent.

Joanne and Mark were eating a late breakfast the following morning. They were joined by Emrys, who smiled at them as he entered. Joanne noted that his smile was totally genuine. She wondered that if, put in his place, she could act with such graciousness and warmth.

"Good morning. I hope you both slept well. Please forgive Maureen, she's sleeping in a bit this morning, thank heavens…Elphaba, is also, if I'm not misinformed. As awkward as this may seem, I'm glad to have a chance to get to know you both better. Maureen is special to all three of us. I want you both to know how welcome you truly are, not just diplomatically, but honestly welcome; and not just by Maureen, but by me also."

They watched as the King of Burzee served himself breakfast from the sideboard and then joined them. His air was easy and far from formal.

"You're both very important and special to my wife. In case you're wondering, let me be frank and up front. I know you both share a history with Maureen. I also know that each relationship is over in the lover context."

Mark was curious but glad it was out in the open. "That doesn't bother you?"

Emrys looked at him quizzically. "Why? Should it? We're happy; Maureen is content. As I see things, I owe you both a great debt. Each of your relationships with her helped Maureen become the woman I was lucky enough to have fall in love with me. I don't push her past away; I embrace it and I'm grateful."

Joanne looked into his calm face. "I wish everyone was as advanced a thinker as you. But speaking for myself, I remember feeling threatened by Mark when we first met. I knew he had shared something with Maureen that I had no part in. I was afraid it would rear its head again."

Mark looked at Joanne stunned. "You're kidding? I was threatened by you, but in a different way. I felt like an old pair of jeans that had been thrown away because she had a brand new better pair. It was…unnerving."

Emrys was interested and asked, "Yet you still became friends, didn't you? Have you remained friends…true friends?"

For the first time, Joanne and Mark faced a striking reality. They had become friends, and remained good friends. Through all the losses, they had supported each other, been there to see each other through the dark times as well as the light. To Mark, Joanne was the voice of reason and reality. In Joanne's case, Mark was the light that helped her see a better place, remember better times and helped her hope for more in the future, however much she denied it. Yes, they were friends.

Mark smiled as he thought of all the blind dates she had set him up with. Her standards for him were high. If they made it back to Bohemia, he would have to return the favor.

Somewhere out there was the perfect woman for Joanne and Mark decided he would find her for his friend.

It seemed to Emrys that both his guests had stepped away for a moment, only to return more self-aware. He repeated his question. "Have you remained friends?"

"Yeah" They answered together, smiling across the table at each other. What they had previously thought of as 'assistance in existence', both now knew was a closely bonded friendship born of laughter and love and sometimes pain and loss.

It was Mark who changed the subject. "Where are the girls, or are they sleeping in too?"

Emrys laughed and shook his head. "No, they rarely sleep this late. They're out playing in the garden."

Joanne looked concerned. "Are they safe out there?"

Emrys laughed aloud and wiping his mouth with the serviette, he moved to the large windows that overlooked the garden. He motioned Joanne and Mark over, pointing off to the left. "It's debatable."

There in the garden were Emmy and Elfie, Fiyero, and six flying Monkeys. The Monkeys would pick up one of the girls and fly up a bit with her. Each of the girls could be heard shrieking in delighted giggles. Then, the Monkeys would carefully let go and each girl would drop, only to be caught by Fiyero. Joanne gasped in fright when Emmy began to drop. Her gasp was audible.

"Don't worry." said Emrys with a soft laugh. "Fiyero hasn't lost one of them yet, and just in case, you notice the other two Monkeys? If they thought she was in danger, they'd swoop over and grab her."

From the garden, they now heard Elfie's voice pipe up. "My turn, Daddy! Now it's my turn!" With that, two of the Monkeys lifted Elfie up and flew her above the garden. When she was above Fiyero and at his signal, they released her. "Weeeeee…!"

Fiyero steadied himself for the catch, and then caught her up and into his chest when she reached him, and then spun in a circle. Emmy clapped in approval, and then jumped up and down calling, "Now me, Uncle Yero! Now me!"

Fiyero kissed his daughter's head and watched the Monkeys prepare the whole process again. "Higher! Higher!"

The Monkeys looked to Fiyero who shook his head and called to the Monkeys, "No… no higher."

Emmy looked downcast when they would fly her no higher than where Fiyero approved. Then, at his signal, Emmy began to drop, her face now alight, and her arms waving high above her head. "Weeee!" Fiyero repeated the catch and after spinning his niece, kissed her as he had Elfie.

"Ladies, I think that's about all for now. Why don't you two play on your own for a while?" The children ran and hugged him.

"Thank you, Daddy!"

"Thank you, Uncle Yero!" He lifted one in each arm and hugged and kissed them fiercely. When he put them down, the girls went to the Monkeys as they landed. Gently, they both hugged and gave their friends kisses.

"Thank you!" They said together. Then they began to skip off through the garden, Monkeys in tow. Fiyero saw them all at the window and moved toward the glass doors at the other end of the room. As he entered, Emrys was laughing. "When do you think they'll be too old for you to keep playing that game?"

Fiyero looked at him ruefully and stretched his back. "Yesterday? Seriously though, hopefully in about a year or two they'll be flying safely."

Joanne was, once more, stunned and gasped, "Flying safely?"

"Yes, flying. Elphaba flies on a broom. She's amazing. When Maureen was learning though, I was afraid she would crash and break her neck…not from the flying, from the landings. Sorry Emrys, but you know it's true. Everyone was afraid she'd kill herself. Maybe if she hadn't insisted on wearing those boots and tight leather pants…"

The king shrugged good-naturedly, his face wore a wistful smile. "Ah, but then she looks so good when she wears them."

Fiyero laughed aloud as he nodded, "True, true. But don't tell Fae I said so! She's still trying to get me to convince Maureen to wear something else, something practical. Me, I'd like to stay safely neutral; concerned about her wearing those pants and boots, yet highly appreciative of how she looks when she flies in them. Have a heart! I'm married to someone who's able to turn me into a scarecrow! I'll keep my mouth shut, thank you!"

Emrys threw his head back and laughed aloud. "Fine, fine, stay neutral; but I'll be sure to send your compliment to Maur, I'll just tell her to keep it to herself."

"I appreciate that."

Emrys then finished the story for Mark and Joanne so Fiyero could grab some breakfast from the sideboard. "It's true; Maureen had trouble with her landings at first. It was Fiyero's idea to make the girls comfortable with flying early though. They love flying with the Monkeys, and this game teaches them to relax when they drop. They could be wonderful flyers."

"And 'landers'!", shot Fiyero as he scooped up some eggs.

"And you could be a great receiver, Fiyero!" laughed Mark.

Both Fiyero and Emrys looked confused. Mark explained, "It's a football position… a game, the receiver catches the ball and scores touchdowns…never mind, it's a compliment."

"Thank you! Fiyero Tiggular, Prince and Receiver, I like it!"

With things in a lighter mood now, Emrys took this chance to inform Mark and Joanne about the afternoon reception they would host today.

"We planned it for Maureen's birthday, and although other more serious things have happened, I feel that it's important to show some continuity and balance. You are both, of course, more than welcome to attend. I'll see that the proper attire is made available to you both. Although there will be emissaries from other lands here as well, it is by no means overly formal. You should find it interesting."

Joanne and Mark thanked Emrys, although somewhat surprised, and planned to attend the reception. Dignitaries arrived several hours later and the whole palace was aglow and buzzing. The two Bohemians watched Emrys and Maureen meet and greet the well-wishers and watched as Elphaba and Fiyero circulated through the room. It seemed, to Joanne's eyes that Fiyero was far more comfortable during this activity than was his wife.

Elphaba appeared dignified yet quiet and removed to some extent. They also could not help noticing the stares and whispers that followed behind her back. Emaurie and Elfie wove around the room, saying hello to everyone and carrying on their own girlish conversation. When they approached Mark and Joanne, their faces lit up and they ran to them, sliding to a halt before them. It was Elfie that spoke up first.

"Joanne, you look very pretty. Do you wear yellow a lot?"

Mark smiled. "No, she doesn't. But she should shouldn't she?"

"Yes," the child enthused, nodding, "It makes you look like you brought the sun into the room."

Joanne felt truly complimented. Elfie's compliment had been from her heart and truly warmed Joanne's. It also allowed her to feel more sure of herself here in this atmosphere. They watched as the two cousins moved across the room, heads together, and deep in conversation.

It was not long after this that Mark noticed two young boys, sons of guests. They were watching Elfie and Emmy from a distance. Mark saw their smirks and had an unsettled feeling about them both. He glanced at them from time to time, but circulated with Joanne and lost sight of them. So had Elfie and Emaurie.

When the adults had moved into the dining area, the girls stayed behind. They were standing just behind the door when they heard the two boys begin to enter the room. Just as the girls were set to step into the open, the words they heard stopped them both dead in their tracks.

"I don't see why we had to come! It's weird here. Did you see that girl?"

"The green one? Yeah, how strange looking is she?"

"Almost as strange as her aunt, I guess. I hope the green doesn't rub off, how disgusting would that be?"

"Yeah, it's a good thing that they held the party in the palace. She would get lost if they held it outside!"

The boys broke into unfettered laughter. Elfie had taken Emmy's hand as this unexpected abuse began, and now she looked at her cousin with concern on her face. Only she saw the tears that ran down Emmy's cheeks. When she looked into her eyes, though, Elfie saw a pain that made her own heart fill with pain and anger. How dare they!? What made them think they were better?!

As Elfie opened her mouth to comfort her cousin, Emmy pulled her hand away and ran. She ran out the doors to the gardens as if the forces of darkness were chasing her. Elfie knew somehow that she was going there to try and do just what the boy had said she could: disappear into the green of the gardens. The two boys, not having seen them, jumped when a figure dashed past them and out the doors. Then it happened. The room began to shake and objects on tables and shelves started to rattle and rock. Frightened, the two boys turned to face something far more frightening. Elfie Tiggular.

When they turned she was blocking the doorway to the hall, her bright blue party dress almost unnoticed when they saw the anger in her startling sapphire eyes. Her hands were fisted, and she stood as straight as a rod. The longer she stared at them, the more afraid the boys became. As her anger grew, so did the disturbance in the room. Then she spoke.

"You! You hurt Emmy! What makes you think you're so much better? You're not! Emmy would never speak behind someone's back the way you did! She'd never make fun of someone because they're different! How would you like to be the one who's a different color? What if I turn you purple right now?!"

Both boys were now seriously afraid. She stood like a small fury ready to strike and soon they found themselves down on the floor shaking. It was then that a large crystal bowl sitting on a mantle shattered, making a loud crashing noise as it fell to the floor. The sound did two things. It broke Elfie's concentration, and it brought Elphaba in to see what had happened. What she saw brought her to a halt and at the same time brought back memories of herself in this position. Elfie was angry, and angry enough to shake and rock the room's contents and furniture. She moved to her daughter now.

"Elfie, Elfie, that's enough. Calm down, easy. Elfie?"

The sight of a grown green witch did it. The boys ran and ran for dear life. Their absence allowed Elfie to calm somewhat but now she had other things to deal with. She began to shake physically from emotion. Fiyero and Emrys had followed Elphaba in and saw the end result of everything.

Elfie grabbed her mother's hand and begged, "Mama, Mama, you have to help her! Emmy heard those boys saying nasty things about her…they made fun of her green skin! Mama, she's so hurt! She ran out into the garden. One of them said it was a good thing the party was inside because if it was outside she would get lost. I think she wants to get lost, Mama. Please!"

Elphaba had known this day would come, she had hoped it would be later. She pulled Elfie into her arms and hugged her. "I'll help her, lamb. I'll help her. Never fear."

"Yero?" Elphaba spoke to her husband now. "Stay with her. I think Emmy needs me more right now. Calm her down, she…she angers the same way I do. You know, you remember. I have to go." Elphaba hugged her daughter once more and then kissed her husband. She turned to Emrys as she started out the garden door. "I'll find her. I swear." Then she was gone

. Emrys looked at the room around him. It was in shambles…shambles, apparently caused by his young niece's anger. She was crying now…crying in Fiyero's arms. It sounded like her soul was bleeding. Emmy! Emmy. Emrys began to pray that Elphaba found her soon.

Right now, he approached his niece as she told Fiyero what had happened. His blood ran cold. His daughter had never experienced this kind of cruelty, and Elfie, Elfie had apparently come into her power in anger over her cousin's treatment. She looked up from Fiyero's shirtfront as he came close and knelt near them. Her voice was quivering in pain when she spoke. It might as easily been done to her, her pain was so intense.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Rys. I…I didn't mean to mess up the room, or break the bowl. I'm sorry. It just…it just made me so mad when they…"

He finished for her gently. "When they hurt Emmy. I know, Pixie, I know. I don't care about the room. I only care about the two of you. Your mother's gone after Emmy, it will be all right." He held out his arms to Elfie and she came into his arms, cradled against his chest. He spoke softly and stroked her back gently but firmly, soothingly.

"I love you, Pixie. Always remember that. Emmy's lucky to have you, you know. So lucky! I'm sorry I wasn't here to chase those boys off for you both."

Considerably calmer, Elfie smiled up through her tears at her uncle. "It's okay, Uncle Rys. I don't think they'll bother us again. I know they won't."

Something in her tone caught Fiyero's attention. "What makes you so sure, love?"

His daughter looked at them both with as slight smile. "I'm pretty sure because when I was making everything shake and all, I also told them I would turn them purple. That way they could see what it feels like to have someone make you feel them feel that way. I'm pretty sure they think I can."

The two men stared at each other over the child's head. Who knows, perhaps she could?