Disclaimer- I do not own Wicked or Rent.

A/N- Thank you for all of your reviews, and also thank you to those of you who nominated "If You Fear the Storm Ahead" for Best Crossover in the Wicked Fanfiction Awards. I really appreciate it! And a special thank you to greengirl16 for writing the longest review I have received. :-) Here is the next chapter:

The days that followed were both tense and a test. They were however a time of healing. One morning when she finally felt strong enough to visit Grale's grave, Elphaba received quite a shock. A prominent stone had been placed there. She read it now:

GRALE

BELOVED FRIEND AND NOBLE PROTECTOR

WE HOLD HIM IN OUR HEARTS AND YEARN FOR THE DAY WE CAN FLY FREE TOGETHER AGAIN. HIS SACRIFICE AND GENTLE SPIRIT WILL REMAIN IN OUR HEARTS AND MEMORIES FOREVER.

Elphaba felt her knees give way and she found herself sitting on the grass beside the grave. She reached up with shaking fingers and traced the lettering carefully, as if she were a child afraid of being caught doing something naughty. As emotion filled her, she heard a voice behind her…Fiyero, he had found her.

"Emrys asked that it be carved. He felt it only right that posterity remember Grale for all he did and was."

He moved to her side now, joining her in the grass. As he did, a familiar scent caught her attention and she looked at him quizzically. His answer was a gentle smile as he drew his hand from behind his back. "I stopped by the greenhouse."

Poppies… in his hand were sheaves of poppies. Yero knew they were Elphaba's favorite flowers. He passed them to her, sure of their destination.

Elphaba brought the flowers to her face and smelled their perfume. Fiyero always knew what she needed. She laid them before the granite stone, straightening them, and then, pulling one from the bouquet, she kept it as a remembrance. When she was ready, he helped her to her feet and they began to walk together. Still clutching the poppy, Elphaba waited until she felt she was far enough from the cemetery to speak with strength and clarity of spirit.

"Tell me, Yero. Tell me what you know." When he paused and was about to make light of it, she continued. "You needn't stay silent any longer. I know there's something you're keeping from me. Oh, I know it's out of love, but I need to know now, Yero. It's time for me to get back to work."

He regarded his wife carefully. In all the years he had known her, she never failed to amaze him. Her strength and determination matched with her magic and intelligence made her a formidable, yet gentle woman. Looking at her now, he could see the determination to put this all to an end in her eyes. Fiyero was smart enough to realize their best bet was to be united. As in the past, Fiyero knew his strongest fighter and ally would be his wife.

"You noticed how Grale was killed. I know you, you must have recognized it. The attack was the same as Gorrian's. I'd be willing to bet that whatever killed Gorrian killed Grale as well. I have no idea yet why Gorrian was killed, but my gut tells me that Grale was killed because he was protecting us…Emmy especially. It knows that she saw Gorrian die. As for Grale, he was outside on the grounds that night to keep an eye on things. Chistery told me he wanted to look things over and make sure everything was quiet one last time that night. He must have seen something near the tree line."

He let her digest all of this information and then took a deep breath and got ready to scare her to death. She knew something was coming. He could see it in her eyes.

"Fae, when we found him, his body…Grale was pointing at something when he died. I'm sure he was trying to warn us, to give us a message. Fae…he was pointing toward the nursery windows."

She stopped walking and pulled him to a halt. "Emrys! We have to warn him!"

"I did already, love. I noticed it that day and told him what I suspected then. That's why the guards around here have been doubled. I suspect though, that guards and soldiers won't be enough to handle this." Fiyero watched her now; he could practically see her mind working.

"Magic? Magic." He saw her square her shoulders and when she met his eyes, Fiyero Tiggular saw a most formidable foe. He saw the Witch of the West. More than that, he saw a mother and aunt who would stand before the gates of hell itself in order to protect the little girls she loved. "Alright then, magic it will be, but first, Yero, we should get the girls as far away from here as possible…so far it will be hard to find them."

"Fae?" For once, Fiyero was clueless.

"I think now would be a perfect time for the girls to visit their grandfather."

He jerked in surprise. "The …" She placed her hand over his mouth and gave him a knowing gaze, shaking her head. "I'll tell Reena."

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Maureen stood staring at her sister. Her face was white and she was sure she had misheard her. "You want to what? You want to send her…"

"Quiet!" Her sister was firm. "Don't mention where." Emrys looked on as he watched his wife digest Elphaba's plan for the girls' safety. As much as he wanted to protect his daughter himself, Emrys saw the merit in Elphaba's plan. Part of him was glad he was not the one to explain this to Maureen. He felt for Elphaba right now; and he was grateful. He listened to his sister-in-law continue calmly.

"Reena, if Yero's right and I think he is, they're not safe here! Emaurie especially needs protection, but before they leave, I need to get more information from her. I have an idea that might help us and her. But Reena, hear me! I love you both dearly; but I will not let fear endanger those girls! I'll do whatever I must to keep them safe."

The King and Queen of Burzee looked stunned.

Emrys finally spoke to her, his voice firm but soft. "Elphaba, are you saying that you'd take Emmy no matter what we say?"

Elphaba nodded with a terrible resolve. "Yes. Hate me if you want, yell at me if you want, whatever you choose, but yes, I will see them both to safety. We've always thought that Emmy's portent was to give solace to Gorrian. What if the reason is to protect her as well? What if I fail to act?! I refuse to consider the outcome of that possibility! You know how much I love her! Know that whatever I do is for her!" They could see her eyes fill with tears. "I can't stand by and let the girls slip through our fingers because I chose polite behavior and manners over their well-being. You know me too well to ask that of me. How many times in my life have I chosen what was easy over what I knew needed to be done? Please, try to understand."

Maureen looked at her sister now. Elphaba stood firm in her beliefs. Fiyero's hands were on her shoulders, squeezing them gently. Faba's eyes gave her the answer she need though. She would take Emmy, no matter the cost to her. Maureen knew that her sister would gladly accept their censure or any other price demanded in order to keep their daughter and niece safe…any price.

"Where will you take them?" Maureen's voice was a whisper, a pleading whisper of a mother, not a queen or a witch or a tough Bohemian.

Elphaba shook her head. "No, I won't say. I don't want a path left behind." She touched her sister's arm though, stroking it gently. "They're sure to come home spoiled though."

Emrys saw her lift an eyebrow. It was a clue! He remembered Fiyero saying something of that sort a while back. The girls were with Elphaba and Fiyero at the time. When governmental business had called them both away suddenly, they had left the girls with Fiyero's father, King Adair. The Vinkus! Elphaba would take them to Adair in the Vinkus! Before they had collected the girls from Adair, Fiyero had remarked about his father's delight at having 'his girls' stay.

He thought of Emaurie as his granddaughter just as much as Elfie. He was the only grandfather Emmy knew.

Fiyero had laughed and shook his head saying, "Oh, they're sure to come home at least a little spoiled! They'll have him wrapped around their fingers." Elphaba was entrusting the girls to Adair in the Vinkus. They were loved there by the people as well as the king, and they would be far from the madness here. Emrys smiled and nodded to Elphaba, letting her know he understood.

He touched Maureen's arm now and whispered one word. "Think." When she did, suddenly Maureen's eyes opened wide with understanding. She relaxed into her husband's arms. Maureen had no doubt that Emmy and Elfie would be safe with Adair. He and his men would lay down their lives for the girls.

Maureen looked with resignation at her sister. "Alright Faba, alright. Do what you think is best. The only thing…I need to say goodbye to them. Please, not before that."

Her sister embraced her. "You have my word. Right now though, I'd like to try to help Emmy with her portent. I have what may be, if not a solution, a drastic one, but not for her; more drastic on my side. It also may help her deal with it better."

Maureen and Emrys looked confused. "How?"

Elphaba smiled slightly. "I'm going to use a spell that will help her relive it. This time though, she won't be alone. This time, she'll have me. It helps having a friend."

Sometime later, in the nursery, Elphaba explained her plan to Emaurie. While she was unsettled, the idea that she wouldn't be alone and that she might be able to help capture Grale's killer, spurred her on. She trusted her aunt and knew she would keep her safe. Elphaba kissed her niece and had her lay on her bed. Elphaba sat on the floor beside her and gripped her hand firmly.

"Remember, little one, don't be afraid. It will be like reliving it only this time I'll be there with you. I can help you, guide you, and perhaps see things that you missed. Are you ready?"

Emmy nodded and gave a half hearted smile to her parents who sat across the room with Fiyero and Elfie. Elphaba had warned that under no circumstances should they interrupt or interfere. The spell must run its course and then they would awaken.

She rested her back against Emmy's bed and closed her eyes, then she began to chant. Over and over, the words seemed, to Emmy, to be a jumble at first and then slowly, they seemed to flow. She listened to her aunt's calming voice as she lay with her eyes closed upon her bed. Aunt Faba never released her hand and Emmy found her presence reassuring and comforting.

The words flowed like water over and around her and Emaurie felt as if she were floating on them until suddenly, they stopped and she opened her eyes only to see the strange nursery from her portent.

Elfie's bed was gone again. Everything was as it had been…except for one thing. This time Aunt Faba sat beside her on the floor looking around. She gave her a reassuring smile and wrinkled her nose. "I like your nursery better. Are you alright, little one?"

Emmy nodded, looking around again.

"What did you do first? Try to follow your portent as closely as you can. I'll never leave you. I promise."

Emmy got off her bed and looked at her aunt. "At first I got up and noticed how strange it all looked. I got scared because Elfie was missing. Then I remembered how you taught us to trust our instincts. I wished you were there, Aunt Faba. I knew you'd know what to do and you wouldn't panic. I knew you could fix it. I went looking for you. I went to the doors and into the hall."

They moved there together now and as they looked at the strange and deserted corridor, Elphaba reminded her niece, "Well, we don't need to find me, do we? But we'll go anyway. Which way, little one?"

Emmy turned left in the corridor and whispered to her aunt. "I was scared. I wanted Daddy or Mommy, but no one was there."

Elphaba nodded. The palace was as silent as a tomb! It seemed as if they were alone. Emmy continued though, "Then I wanted you and Uncle Yero. I knew you could figure it out and Uncle Yero would keep me safe."

"That's my girl! You knew what to do; it was just frightening in the dark, and alone. You did it though. What next?"

They stood at the top of the stairs and Emmy hesitated, clutching Elphaba's hand tighter. She looked up at her aunt now, "I don't like the stairs!"

"Why, love?"

"Because I got mad on the stairs and decided I wanted everything back. You and Uncle Yero and Elfie, and especially Mommy and Daddy. I got mad and went down the stairs. When we're near the bottom, you'll hear it, Aunt Faba. We'll hear the monster. Ambassador Gorrian is in the formal sitting room. It's killing him now."

Elphaba's heart went out to her niece. She'd been truly frightened but she had the heart and courage to do everything necessary. The hardest part was yet to come. Emmy had to relive the sitting room again.

"Emmy, I know you're scared, but we need to go into the sitting room again. It will look the same, but remember, it's over and done. Ambassador Gorrian isn't suffering anymore. Can you do it?"

When Emmy took a deep breath and nodded, they started down the stairs. Just as predicted, they heard the monster near the bottom step. Elphaba listened to the sound carefully and this time, Emmy pulled her quickly through the sitting room doors. She didn't curl up near the floor of the stairs. Aunt Faba was here now. She was safe.

The outcome was a change in the portent. Instead of seeing only the monster's shadow as it disappeared, this time they saw the monster!

Elphaba saw the bloody footprints and recognized what she saw. Then she took in Gorrian. He was dying, a deep gurgling coming from him as he died. Unbidden, Emmy fell into place and tried to calm and reassure the dying man, this time, however she told him that Elphaba was there. Elphaba watched as Gorrian held out his hand to the child and she took it comfortingly. She saw him squeeze her hand. The look was a look of gratitude. Then, he was gone.

Elphaba looked around carefully. She knew they would be pulled forward in time soon and she wanted details. Unfortunately, she had more details than she cared to comprehend.

Emmy turned to her now and she held fast to her hand.

"Close your eyes again, little one. Just like before." Emaurie moved to her aunt and wrapped her arms around her, never letting go of her hand. Then she closed her eyes as she felt Aunt Faba slide to the floor with her held tightly in her embrace. She felt the spell surround her again and heard her aunt's voice chanting again. Just as before, the words were separate and disjointed at first and then began to flow together smoothly until they finally slowed and stopped.

After a dizzying moment, Emmy opened her eyes and focused. She was home again, safe in her room. Her parents and uncle and cousin were watching with a sort of quiet awe and she was not on her bed but safe within her aunt's embrace on the floor. Aunt Faba smiled down at her broadly. "Well done, little one. Well done! Tell me, what did you learn?"

One thing jumped out at Emmy before anything else. "I did everything I was supposed to. I looked even though I was scared, I tried to help the ambassador even though I was afraid the monster would come back and I did what I could for him. Is that it?"

"That's it, little one. I'm so proud of you... so proud!" Emmy was engulfed by her aunt's embrace. When she rose, she felt stronger, more sure of her gift. Then she was in her mother's arms. Fiyero helped Elphaba rise and pulled her into his arms, drinking in her scent and her presence.

Elfie tugged at her skirt and Yero lifted her with a laugh. "Mama, I want to be a witch just like you! I love you!"

When the girls left the room for a snack, the four came together. Three faces looked to Elphaba expectantly.

"You should be so proud of her! She overcame her fears in order to trust her instincts in a very frightening and confusing place, and we learned."

Her face and voice were suddenly serious and troubled. Fiyero wrapped his arms about her. "Learned what, Fae?"

She sighed and her eyes looked haunted. "We learned that she was there to comfort Gorrian. Even when he was bloody and dying, she was calm and positive. I learned that Grale was indeed killed by the same…monster. Then, I learned that the monster was not a monster at all."

Three faces wore looks of amazement. Fiyero asked what no one else had the courage to ask. "Fae, if it's not some kind of monster, what is it?"

Her eyes looked haunted. "An Animal, Yero. An Animal. Be afraid, be very afraid. I don't think she's working alone, and I don't think she's sane."