Disclaimer- I don't own Wicked or Rent.

A/N- I sincerely apologize for the long wait. With Christmas and New Year's, I didn't have much time to write. I hope everyone's holidays were wonderful! On another note, thank you so much for nominating my stories for the Wicked Fanfiction Awards! I was awarded second and third place for Best Crossover and first place for Best Original Character. I am very grateful and extremely honored. Thank you!!

Elphaba stood by the window of their bedroom. Fiyero was asleep in the bed across the room and with the draperies pulled back as they were, she could glance and make out his handsome features in the moonlight. She turned back and looked out the window again. Her thoughts drifted to so many places: Elfie and Emmy, Zara and the images they had seen in the mirror, and the joyous reunion going on downstairs between her sister and the other Bohemians…alive and angelic.

Maureen and her friends were enjoying a reunion of sorts brought about by Elfie and Emmy's situation. Only Mimi was absent; she was planted firmly beside the little girls she had protected since birth. Mark, Joanne, Maureen, Angel and Collins were taking these moments to catch up with each other and just generally enjoy the opportunity they had been afforded. Elphaba smiled when she remembered logical, practical Joanne's reaction to the sight of her lost friends. Luckily, Yero and Emrys were close enough to help her onto a sofa.

After several minutes, Elphaba and Fiyero had said goodnight and left the Bohemians and Emrys together. Standing by the window, Elphaba hoped that Glinda would have the good manners and sense to give the old friends the time and space to catch up. One more thing to think and worry about! Her head began to spin.

Everything they had learned from the mirror had caused Elphaba to drastically change her opinion of Zara. She was insane, but that insanity had been caused by the Gale Force and humans. Elphaba knew she now had to save her daughter and niece and Zara. To do any less would, in Elphaba's eyes be against everything she believed in.

She felt for Zara. She had been captured, forced to watch her cubs tortured and murdered, only then to have her very intelligence drained from her mind and forced to see her mate turn wild and then kill him. Elphaba put herself in Zara's place and felt the pain she would feel if she was forced to endure all of this. In her heart, she wasn't sure she wouldn't become just as wicked as many had claimed her to be. Her only prayer would be the help and understanding of another soul. Standing at the window, watching the moon and skies, Elphaba vowed to be that soul for Zara. She only hoped time was on her side.

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Fiyero saw Elfie and Emmy die. He was roped down to the ground and helpless. He saw them tortured, heard them cry for him, and then saw them die. He heard the silence that followed. Not quite silence… he heard Elphaba's screams and the laughter and mocking of the Gale Force guards that had captured them.

They jeered and beat Elphaba into unconsciousness. Suddenly, he was in a cage, he felt as if he was losing "himself" and when nothing but fighting mattered, he was loosed in an arena. There were voices laughing and taunting him, and it only made him hate more. When someone else entered the arena, he knew the most important thing was for him to kill it, him, her, whatever. He attacked her with a force unequalled in any fighting he had done before. She tried to avoid him, but in the end, he won out…only to finally focus on the dead body laying near him and really see her.

Elphaba!! He had killed his Elphaba! Her dead eyes stared at him now as she grew cold and stiff.

"Elphaba!!"

Fiyero bolted up in bed, screaming his wife's name. He was sweating and shaking and more than a little out of breath. He felt hands on his shoulders and finally opened his eyes to see Elphaba, his Fae, concerned and very much there.

"Yero! Yero, it's alright! I'm here!"

Still shaking, he reached out and grabbed her, rougher than he realized, and pulled her closer. It really was her. He could see her beautiful emerald face in the moonlight. She looked frightened, but not of him… for him. One hand came up to stroke his cheek and the other gently played through his hair.

"It's alright, Yero, I'm here. You were dreaming."

He shook his head and looked into her dark eyes. "I killed you. I saw Elfie and Emmy die. I was captured and lost my mind…Fae; I killed you in the arena." He swept a hand over his eyes. There were tears spilling from them. Elphaba tried harder to sooth him.

"You were dreaming about what we saw in the mirror. It was violent and horrific, but it was not you. It was Zara and Stosh. Elfie and Emmy are with Zara, but Mimi is there. She's guarded them all their lives; she won't let them down now, when they need her so badly. It wasn't you, Yero."

Fiyero was calmer now, but he looked away from her eyes and wouldn't meet them. Finally, he drew a ragged breath and spoke quietly.

"Maybe in a way it was, Fae. I was in the Gale Force. I was Captain of the Guard! I…I heard rumors, stories about Animals forced to fight in an arena. I tried to discover the truth of it, but the Emerald City was one lie after another, one cover up after another. I could never get very far. Finally, I stopped looking. I needed the time to find you. That was why I put myself there to begin with. Fae, I failed them…the Animals, I mean." He finally looked into her eyes. "And you, Fae…I failed you!"

She was so surprised her spine stiffened. "Me? Yero, how did you fail me? You loved me, you saved me, you found me again, and you gave me our daughter; but never in all the time I've known you have you failed me!"

"The Animals, Fae. No matter what it cost you, you fought for them, but me? When it became difficult and inconvenient, I quit."

"To save me!! Fiyero, if you had found the truth of the arena then, the chances are you would be dead now. Then wasn't the time! You can't blame yourself, anymore than I can blame myself for not hearing Zara that day. But now…now we can help; now my Yero we can make a difference. We'll do what we can now…together."

Elphaba took him in her arms, sliding onto the bed beside him. At the moment, their roles were reversed. Usually Fiyero was the strong one who cradled and reassured her. Now, it was her chance, her turn to show him her love and strength.

Elphaba pulled Yero's head down and he rested it on her chest. Her arms wrapped around him and she hummed softly as his breathing slowed. She felt his body relax against her. Elphaba knew that part of it was due to the fact that she didn't blame him for not protecting the Animals more. She had seen the pain in his eyes when he awoke, the pain and fear.

No man who loved the way Yero loved, who protected the way Yero protected, who cared the way Yero cared, could thoughtlessly dismiss another's pain. Her belief in him was the balm he needed to assuage his guilt and grief.

Fiyero lay nestled closely against his Elphaba, his love. She hadn't blamed him and had managed to ease his conscience as no one else could. He could hear her heart beating; no one knew her heart like he did. It had been hurt so many times and yet she had such love and such a capacity to forgive, she sometimes took his breath away. His mind was so busy he missed it at first.

Elphaba's hands had begun moving gently and slowly upon his body. Suddenly, his body was awake and he lifted his head to look in her dark eyes. She drew him up to her face and began to kiss him…easily, gently, slowly, sensually. All the while her hands moved upon him. This time, Fiyero let Elphaba take the lead and he followed as she brought him to a place of contentment and love that only they knew. As she finally slept in his arms later, Fiyero knew peace.

He looked down at his wife and kissed her just before falling asleep. His dreams were finally forgotten.

Elphaba felt herself leaving the bedroom as she slept. She knew she was moving into a portent. While she had not willed it on or used magic to ensure it, it came none the less. She felt her conscious slip from the warm grasp of Fiyero's arms and suddenly she was in the same forest she had been in before, although now they had moved a bit farther it seemed and there was no river nearby.

She saw Elfie and Emmy, still side by side, still calm, and she saw Zara sleeping fitfully nearby. If the girls made any attempt to run right now, she could pounce in a moment and kill even faster. Between the girls and Zara stood Mimi; she was gazing at the girls lovingly and suddenly looked straight at Elphaba. Her smile, when she gave it was warm yet half hearted.

"Don't worry; they're safe…well, relatively. She's not getting near my babies though." Suddenly she looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. They're yours but…"

Elphaba cut her off with a smile, "They are yours too, in a way. We all feel that way. Mimi, you've protected them in ways we never could. All their lives you've been there to comfort them and make them feel safer. If that doesn't make them yours too, I don't know what does."

Mimi looked truly touched. Without thinking she reached out her hand to Elfie's mother and Elphaba reached back. They both felt the connection. It startled Mimi and she looked at the witch in wonder.

"I'm here in a portent. I can see, hear, speak…and feel." She continued to hold Mimi's hand. She was surprised to see how much this connection meant to the Bohemian.

As she thought this fact through, Mimi spoke softly. "I never realized how much I miss feeling until now." She seemed to stir herself next though. "Is there any way you can get here and get them out? Zara's getting touchier, easier to set off, you know? We have to get the girls away before something happens. I worry for them both. She thinks Emmy is your daughter and she's taking her to other scum like herself. I don't want to know the reason…I know that much! Elfie…well, she was completely upfront about her and said she'd use her for food if she got out of line." She squeezed Elphaba's hand gently as she told her this last bit. "Elfie's smart though. She's calm and she even tries to help Zara. The Lioness, she gets headaches, you know? Elfie offered to help with them. You should be proud of her."

Elphaba smiled toward her sleeping daughter lovingly. Mimi needed to know about Zara.

"Zara, she's bordering on insanity, but it's because of her past, Mimi. She was beaten, tortured, her cubs were killed in front of her and the Gale Force tortured her mate and in the end she was forced by the humans to kill her own mate to survive. She isn't scum, Mimi. She needs our help as much as the girls do…maybe more."

Mimi smiled. "So that's where Elfie gets her heart, from you."

Elphaba shook her head. "No, she gets that from her father. Fiyero has the biggest heart in the world. Maybe she gets her calm from me, but her heart…that's Yero."

Elphaba took a moment to really take in her surroundings and realized she recognized a nearby mountain peak. She had flown over it more than once. Mimi watched her get more and more excited.

"Mimi, I know where you are! I know that mountain! I'll be here tomorrow, with help."

The Bohemian was smiling widely, "You go, girl! But remember to be careful! If she sees you, or hears you…I'll be here and keep them as safe as I can."

Elphaba felt a jolt to her 'body'. Something was pulling her away.

"Mimi, tell them we love them! Tell Elfie I'm proud of her…and Emmy, tell her I know how brave she's been and we're on the way!"

"I will! I promise!"

It was the last thing Elphaba heard as she was mentally jerked back to her body. She opened her eyes to see Fiyero above her, shaking her and calling her name.

"Fae! Oz, Fae come back! Fae!" He stopped shaking her when he saw her eyes open and watched her take a deep breath. "Fae?"

"Yero….what…"

She was in his arms as he scooped her up and held her to him, rocking her back and forth. Fiyero had tears running down his face.

"You were cold, love. I woke up because your body was like ice! You were barely breathing! Fae, what happened? Are you…"

"Portent…" She managed as her body began to react normally again. "I got pulled into a portent."

"Fae…"

She interrupted excitedly. "I know where they are, Yero, I know where they are! They're skirting Mount Evish. If we're careful, we can have the girls back tomorrow. I spoke to Mimi. We need to get to them soon, Yero. They need us. Zara needs us too, or she'll lose what grip she does have on reality."

"Tomorrow, love, tomorrow. I doubt you could walk to the hallway door before you collapsed right now. I'll go tell Maureen and Emrys now if you promise to stay in bed. "Promise me!"

She knew he was right and nodded weakly. She watched as Fiyero threw on some clothes and ran off to tell Emrys the news. It seemed like no time and he was back. He seemed content when he saw her right where he had left her.

"Emrys is getting what troops we need ready and making the other arrangements along those lines. Maureen…well, she's probably still crying on his or Angel's shoulder. Tomorrow, Fae, we'll have them home tomorrow!"

Elphaba tried to sit up shaking her head violently, only to have Fiyero gently push her down again. She held him in place and got his attention though with her tone.

"No troops, Yero! Zara will hear them and she could kill the girls! No, what assault we have to make, must be made from the air. Perhaps General Gavilan will help us again. I can use my magic to force Zara into sleep once I'm close enough. It must be silent and from the air!" She tried to push up again and he gentled her down once again. This time his tone was calm and soft and his hands stoked her hair gently.

"Alright, Fae, alright. I'll talk to Emrys but for now, you need to rest especially if you're going to be using your magic tomorrow. The portents…they take a lot out of you. Rest, Fae and let us do some of the work." He kissed her and on his way back out met Angel.

Her face was alight. "I heard the news! We'll have our little chicas home at last, hmm?"

Fiyero nodded but whispered to her, "Only if Fae gets some rest. That last portent drained her. She won't rest, Angel."

Angel patted the prince of the Vinkus on the shoulder and threw him a knowing smile. "You leave that to me, sugar. I've been helping your daughter sleep for years, let me try my own 'magic' on her mother. Now shoo, and finish what you need to do. I'll be here till you get back."

With that, she gave him a wink and sent him on his way. Fiyero knew Elphaba had more than met her match. She turned toward Elphaba in the bed and strutted across the room knowingly.

"Okay, girlfriend, it's time for you to get some shuteye. We want those babies home, don't we?"

"But…"

Angel shook her head. "Don't 'but' me! Those girls need you, chica, and they need your strength. Now lie back down and listen to Angel. If you don't, my feelings will be hurt and I'll never sing for you again."

Before she even knew what was happening, Angel started to sing to her, soft and low and easy. There was something about Angel's very presence that made Elphaba feel calmer and more relaxed. As she tried to think, she yawned and as she tried to stay awake, she dozed and fell asleep.

When Fiyero returned later, Elphaba was sleeping peacefully while Angel watched over her humming softly.

"Thank you, Angel. You're amazing. Fae…."

Angel shook her head in his direction firmly. "Fae needs you, baby. You did what needed doin'…now get some sleep with your honey. She'll sleep much more peacefully in your arms than alone. Go on, get! I'll see you both in the morning."

With a smile and a wink she was gone and Fiyero took Angel's advice. He crawled into bed and when he neared her, Elphaba snuggled closer and seemed to sleep sounder, easier, and deeper. With the hope of tomorrow in his heart and his love in his arms, Fiyero finally fell sound asleep.