Disclaimer- I do not own Wicked or Rent.

Emrys still paced in the nursery. Every so often, he would pause to look at the small faces painted in the mural. One thought kept coming back to him over and over. The girls had powers. Their magic was active, and each had transported herself to the other more than once. Why had they never used their powers to get home? Why did they not use their magic on Zara? No matter how much he puzzled over it, an answer never came…unless…unless the Lioness had somehow drained their powers. Emrys of Burzee prayed that the Unnamed God was protecting his girls…and they were both his, just as they were both Fiyero and Elphaba' familial bond was strong between them and Emrys doubted that the girls even thought of themselves as cousins. They were sisters…just like their mothers. Each unique, each special, yet inexorably connected. Suddenly his thoughts were broken.

Emrys' body stiffened as he heard Mark below his name urgently throughout the palace. The staff stopped what they were doing and ran because never in the history of Burzee had the King, or any king before him, been called in such a manner. Still, they understood…and ran. Emrys met Mark at the top of the stairs just as he yelled for him again. Taking a gasp of air, Mark reached for Emrys' arms and looked into his eyes.

"The bubble! Glinda's bubble! It's coming!"

Together they ran down the stairs and out the front doors to the carriageway, arriving just in time to see the bubble hover and land ever so gently. When it disappeared, everyone could see Glinda and the two young princesses. When the girls saw Emrys, they both broke from Glinda's grasp and ran toward him. Kneeling in the carriageway, as if in a prayer of thanks, Emrys caught both girls up in his strong arms and held them tightly.

"Daddy!!!" His daughter's voice had never sounded so sweet to him!

"Uncle Rys…Uncle Rys!!!"

Elfie and Emmy, finally safe in his arms, broke down and sobbed uncontrollably. He let them cry for a time, and he remained there, kneeling on the gravel soothing them with soft sounds and stroking their backs and hair. When he stood, he kept them in his arms. Each girl wound herself around him, holding him as if she would never let go. They moved in that manner back into the palace. The crowds parted and King Emrys headed for the main sitting room.

The Bohemians followed him with Glinda quite forgotten at the tail of the little parade. When they reached the comfortable room, Emrys put the girls down and set them a foot or two away from him. He wanted to get a good look at them. Even here, Elfie and Emmy held fast to his arms. They were dirty, had some small scratches, and looked immensely tired. Other than that, he could see no obvious injuries. Their dresses were torn here and there but all things considered, his girls had never looked more beautiful to him. He had to ask however. His voice was soft and reassuring.

"Are you both alright? The doctor's been sent for and he'll take care of anything that hurts, but right now, between the both of you and me, I need to know if she hurt you…and if she did, how. I love you both; you know that; you know you can tell me anything. Did Zara do anything to hurt either of you?"

Emrys was relieved to the point of an audible sigh when they both shook their heads violently. It was then that Emmy reached out for him again, her eyes filled with new tears and she looked almost as though she was full of guilt.

"Daddy, it's all my fault! I didn't run far enough from Zara. Aunt Faba got hurt! Zara hurt her and it's all my fault!" His daughter was disconsolate, sobbing in his arms…and Emrys' blood ran cold.

Elphaba was hurt! How badly?

As he began to ask for details, Emrys heard Fiyero calling for help…loudly and with more than a little desperation in his voice.

"Emrys! We need help! Fae's been hurt!"

Emrys jumped up and left the girls with the Bohemians. Before they could feel lost again or more frightened than they already were, the girls were surrounded by Angel and the others. Angel pulled a distraught Emmy into her arms.

"Don't you worry, girlfriend. It's going to be okay. Your Aunt Faba is one strong lady!"

Elfie hadn't seen her mother get hurt. She had been more concerned with getting Emmy away from Zara the way that Mimi told them to...together. Between Emmy's words now and the tone in her father's voice, she found herself more frightened than she had been in all her time with Zara. Elfie began to cry again. The sound now and the way she looked broke everyone's heart. Before she knew it, Mark had scooped her up in his arms and was sitting down on the sofa. He cradled her in his arms and rocked her back and forth.

"Maa-mmaa!" Elfie wrapped her arms tightly around Mark, buried her head on his shoulder and cried. She didn't want to be safe if it cost her the mother she loved! The other Bohemians tried with everything in them to comfort the girls.

Finally, Mark spoke to Elfie gently. "Hey, hey, easy. You know how amazing your Mama is! Do you think anything could keep her from you…and your Daddy?"

"But Daddy…"

"Your Daddy is scared too. You know how much he loves your Mama. He'd worry no matter what happened to her…wouldn't he?"

Elfie's sapphire eyes met his and she nodded. "Once, Mama slid off her horse, Maro, in the Vinkus, and tripped. Mama was fine but Daddy got scared and made her let the doctor check her ankle. He was scared then too."

Mark continued. "The doctor isn't here, is he?" She shook her head in a solemn manner. "Well, that means he's with your Mama. Don't you worry, Pixie."

Elfie's head shot up and focused on Mark's face. "Pixie…only Uncle Rys calls me that. Sometimes Aunt Reena."

Mark hadn't been thinking, and began to apologize, "I'm sorry…I…"

Elfie tried to smile and looked deeply into Mark's eyes. "It's okay…I…I like you calling me Pixie."

"Pixie it is then! Don't you worry, Pixie. From everything I've seen of Elphaba, she's not about to let Zara beat her." He reached out his fingers and gently, carefully, wiped the tears from the child's cheeks. With a sigh, Elfie rested her head on Mark's chest and sat silently.

Joanne had been listening and watching, and saw the girls ready to fall asleep, yet they were still dirty and their cuts and scratches untended. She motioned now to Angel and together with Mark, they carried the girls upstairs and Joanne gave them both baths and washed their hair, finishing with clean, crisp nightgowns. Then, Mark and Collins treated their scratches and cuts, making sure that no wound would get infected. Then, they waited. After a time, the girls dozed on Joanne and Mark's laps in the nursery sitting room.

The palace doctor worked furiously to stop Elphaba's bleeding and finally managed to get it under control. Fiyero looked down at his wife, pale…to his experienced eyes…and weakened from blood loss. Glinda stood by the doorway fidgeting madly and hiccupping from her crying jag. Emrys and Maureen held each other tightly, as they watched and waited. After a time, they heard Elphaba's soft moan and Fiyero knelt swiftly beside her.

"Fae? Fae…come on, love. Wake up. That's it! Come on, open those beautiful blue eyes!"

They heard her whisper in an annoyed tone, "Brown! My eyes…they're brown."

Those eyes opened and focused on Fiyero, who smiled broadly.

"Yes, but it worked didn't it? They're open! You're going to be alright, love. You may be weak for a while, but the doctor stopped the bleeding. You did it, Fae! You did it!"

She shook her head slowly, almost as if the very act made her dizzy. "No… not bloodless, but better me than…" Suddenly she began to shift about in the bed, trying to rise and only Yero's hands on her shoulders kept her in place. "Elfie! Emmy!"

Fiyero stroked her long black hair and looked into her eyes.

"They're safe, Fae. Not a scratch…well, just the small ones from the brush and tree branches, but nothing else…I swear. Emrys?"

Emrys knew what Fiyero was asking…and what Elphaba needed. The girls. Elphaba needed to see them, touch them, kiss them, talk to them, to know that they were safe. In no time, Emrys was back with two sleepy little girls. Mark was carrying Elfie, and when he saw Elphaba's face, he smiled broadly and nudged the child awake gently.

"Hey, Hey, Pixie…" He pointed toward the bed. "I told you so!"

As her eyes opened and widened, his smile broadened more just watching her expression.

"Mama!"

Mark set Elfie down and in no time she was cuddled in the bed carefully against her mother, smelling her scent and feeling her long, black, silky hair tickle her cheek. While she was gone, Elfie had dreamed of this, dreamed of smelling her mother's own special scent, dreamed of feeling the silk of Elphaba's hair caress her cheek. She knew now she was home. Elphaba looked toward her niece and saw the hunger in her eyes.

"Emmy? Emmy, love? I have another side…"

With a half leap from her father's arms, Emmy aimed for the bed. Emrys thought it wiser to place her there gently, however. The others all looked on as Elphaba cuddled in bed with her girls. Maureen felt like she was taking a deep cleansing breath.

"Oh, my girls are home safe!" Elphaba's face was one of sleepy bliss.

Emmy looked at her, suddenly serious. "I'm sorry, Aunt Faba. I'm sorry you got hurt, it was my fa…"

"It was Zara, and she…she's been hurt too, love. You had nothing to do with it at all."

Elphaba's smile and warm embrace made Emaurie finally rest easily, and slowly, slowly, Elfie and Emmy slept…as did Elphaba. All of them lay curled together and safe.

It was Angel who broke the silence with a smile in a soft whisper. "Now isn't that a sight!"

It took some time for anyone to leave. To them, everything they could ever want, lay sleeping peacefully in Elphaba and Fiyero's bed. Fiyero, Maureen and Chistery never left at all. Emrys only left from time to time to assure himself that Zara was confined safely until Elphaba could deal with her.

-----

As the first morning light filtered in through the bedroom windows, Fiyero looked over at a sleeping Maureen. He had pulled an armchair over beside the bed hours ago for her. Before her lay her sleeping daughter and just past Emmy, lay Elphaba. Elfie was snuggled into Elphaba's other side. Fiyero had thrown a blanket over Maureen as she slept in the chair some time ago. She never woke, but snuggled beneath it as she slept.

After all their walking and all they had been through, the girls had fallen asleep and remained that way through the rest of the day and all through the night. Elphaba had slept on as her body worked to recover from her injury. Fiyero and Gavilan had gotten her to the palace just in time. The doctor had said that if Elphaba had lost any more blood, it was doubtful he could have saved her. Fiyero and Chistery remained awake though. Neither of them trusted their good fortune. The ones they loved were home… and safe. They would not soon let their guards down.

He stood before the windows now, warming his face in the rising sun. Eyes closed, he felt the warm rays give him strength and as he stretched, he heard her. The voice he loved… soft and whispered above their child's head.

"Yero…"

Immediately, he spun and saw her …his wife, his lover, his world. Her dark eyes followed him as he moved toward her and she saw in his eyes relief, love, and unyielding strength. He saw in hers, sleepy confusion and boundless love tempered by relief when she beheld and felt the two girls curled closely into her body, as if warmed and calmed simply by her presence and proximity. Fiyero knelt beside the bed right near Elfie's head.

"Too close, my Fae. Far too close! How are you feeling?" His whisper was low yet filled with emotion.

"Wobbly, I think, but Yero, better me than Emmy! Zara started to strike out as Emmy was passing her. I had to step between them! You would have done the same thing, in my place."

Her face dared him to disagree. He couldn't though; not in all honesty. She was right and they both knew it. To show his acknowledgment, he reached over and ran his hand through her long black hair, cupping her head with his hand as he did. Her skin beneath his hand was cool; a fact that made him more than grateful to whatever power ruled the universe. No fever from infection had set in.

"Are the girls alright? Did she hurt them?"

"No! No, they're fine, except for some scratches and cuts from branches…things like that. Joanne, Mark, Angel and Collins took good care of them while the doctor was preoccupied with…other things. He checked on them later." Fiyero laughed softly remembering. "I don't think a cannon could have woken them at that point! They slept right through it. She didn't hurt them, Fae. She frightened them and they're exhausted from all the walking, but they're alright. After we get some food into them they'll be even better. They were so tired yesterday they fell asleep before they came in here to see you. Once they got in that bed, well, let's just say all three of you had lost time to make up. You slept right through most of yesterday and through the night. It's just about dawn."

"Zara?"

"She's confined in the under chambers of the palace. Your spell worked perfectly. She's still sleeping too. Is that from the spell you used?"

She nodded. "She'll sleep until we remove the spell." Fiyero's face grew hopeful.

"Fae, maybe we can…" She knew her husband and she knew how his mind worked.

"No! No, Yero. We can't just leave her that way. None of this was her doing. She was victimized by the wizard and his followers…perhaps more than I was."

Fiyero looked stunned. "What?! Fae, you lost years of your life, your reputation, your dreams!"

Elphaba turned her head to each side to take in the sleeping children. "Not all of them…not the really important ones. Yero, in the end, we found a way to be together. We have Elfie and Emmy and Reena and Emrys….and Chistery!" She smiled at her old friend who glowed knowing the esteem she held him in. "Yero, Zara lost everything. Her children murdered before her, her mate's sanity stolen and her own sanity almost lost. She was forced to kill her mate to survive Yero! Can you imagine?! No! Zara lost much more than I did; and I intend to help her get back what part of it I can. Beside that, don't forget, there are others she was working with. We need to know who they are…especially to keep Elfie and Emmy safe. They won't be safe until we make sure they can never hurt the girls or anyone else again. You know that, I know you do."

Fiyero nodded slowly. He did in fact, but deep down Fiyero felt he wasn't as humane as his wife. For someone labeled 'wicked', his Fae was the gentlest person he knew. Her heart was beyond measure. She always filled him with a sense of awe.

"Alright, love, but first…first you get your strength back. You lost a lot of blood! Zara caught your arm with her claws and nicked an artery. If she had clawed any deeper…if…you'd be gone, Fae. As it was, your black gown hid the blood. It was sopping it up. Thank Lurline you passed out! That's when I saw how bad it was and put pressure on it. I'm afraid you'll have a scar though, love."

Elphaba looked into his eyes and saw the fear still present just behind the surface. She tried to lessen it by lightening the mood.

"A scar? It's on my upper arm though, right?" He nodded. "I'm not worried then. The only other person who sees my bare arms sees me through a lover's eyes. Hopefully, he won't mind it too much." He heard the change in her voice. It was deeper, huskier, more sensual. Fiyero followed willingly, shaking his head slowly.

"I doubt it. He's blinded by love…always will be." Slowly, carefully, Yero leaned over their sleeping daughter and kissed his wife with passion…and pure gratitude for her continued presence in their lives. Their kiss was long and though passionate, gentle. Both of them were intensely aware of the two sleeping children nearby as and Emaurie were mature for four years old, but this kind of passion, this kind of wanting; it was a lesson that could wait for a time.

When Fiyero broke from his wife's lips and straightened, it was to see Maureen watching them from her chair.

Her head was still resting on her fist, but the look she wore was wistful. When she saw them both catch her eyes she sighed deeply. "Wow! Suddenly I need to find Rys…now!" She closed her eyes and gave herself a shake, as if back to reality. Maureen focused on her sister. "Faba. God Faba, how do I thank you?!"

"You don't!" Elphaba's voice was sure and firm but her sister would not be swayed.

"Faba, Emmy…Emmy could be dead now! She said you stepped between Zara's claws and her."

"Reena, if you were there, if it were Elfie, wouldn't you do the same thing? You know you would. I'm here, Emmy's safe…that's all we need to know."

Maureen focused on her sister. "You okay? The spell worked. Zara's sleeping down in the under chambers. Rys keeps checking. She hasn't moved yet."

Elphaba shook her head carefully so she didn't disturb the girls, or get too dizzy.

"She won't. She'll sleep until I remove the spell…which will be when the room stops spinning." Fiyero caressed her cheek. "It will be when you're strong enough! We have time enough for that at least. For now, you rest, Fae."

Elphaba was about to argue when Emrys entered the room and seeing her awake, broke into a broad smile.

"Thank Lurline! You frightened us, you know? I, for one, don't need any gray hairs. It may look distinguished, but I'd rather wait, just the same, thank you." He bent and kissed her forehead. "Thank you for our Emmy! Life without either of them would be…desolate." He saw her ready to tear up and moved the conversation forward swiftly.

"Zara is safe…and so are we. Don't worry. Now that the girls are safe and Zara is …contained, we have time. Use it to recuperate and gather your strength. I don't want to do anything until you're strong and healthy again." Fiyero exchanged a look with him and together they let her know that they would brook no dissention. Elphaba saw the wisdom in it and nodded quietly.

Maureen looked stunned and laughed aloud. "Hah! Do you see that? Rys, you were born to be a diplomat! Nobody can make Faba back down that easy!"

"She's lost a lot of blood. Don't be fooled!" Fiyero laughed, half humorously, but half with absolute knowledge of the woman he was married to. "They'll see!" was all he could think.

They were suddenly all interrupted by soft cooing noises. Elphaba could feel the girls beginning to come awake and stretch on both her sides. When they opened their eyes this time, their parents were there. They engulfed them. Fiyero pulled Elfie into his arms and held her tightly to him. He closed his eyes in gratitude and simply felt relief and joy. His daughter was hugging him tightly and telling him how much she loved him, over and over. She smelled of her own uniquely childlike scent, and her mother. The scent, to the father in him, was heady.

He opened his eyes to see Elphaba smiling at him. He remembered all the times they had spent as a family when Fae was breastfeeding Elfie. Perfect, perfect memories. Elphaba finally looked peaceful.

Maureen was cradling Emmy and rocking back and forth. Emaurie looked blissful in her mother's arms and Emrys watched his wife try to hold back happy tears unsuccessfully. He leaned into them and the rest of the world dropped away. After a while, Elfie disengaged and was pulled into her aunt and uncle's embrace.

"Oh, Pixie. Our Pixie, you're home!" Elfie's eyes closed in an effort to disguise two tears that swam in her eyes. It was useless. Maureen saw them and hugged her all the harder. Fiyero grabbed Emmy and swung her around in a circle before hugging her fiercely. When they all came back to reality, it was to see Elphaba regarding them all with a placid, happy expression on her face. Gently, the girls climbed onto the bed with her and hugged her carefully again. After a time, Fiyero helped Elphaba sit up and pushed more pillows behind her. It was a time of happiness and also the realization that none of them would ever take the gifts they had been given in each other for granted again.

Finally, Emrys had to ask the girls the question he had been yearning to since their whole ordeal began.

"Girls, why didn't you use your magic to escape from Zara. Both of you can transport yourselves…why didn't you?"

The four parents watched as their daughters looked at each other in confusion. Finally, Emmy spoke up, "You told us not to."

Elfie nodded solemnly. "Yes, you told us if we used our powers, you would strip them from us."

Emmy took over again. "It was scary, and we thought about it, but we didn't because we want our powers."

Four adults sat completely silent. They looked from one to the other with the knowledge that their daughters' obedience may have cost them their lives. They needed to make sure that this never happened again. Elphaba spoke up.

"I think we need to give you some new rules…ones that allow you to use your powers to stay safe. After we eat, we'll talk."

Everyone began to head down to the dining room for breakfast. The girls were especially excited about this and Emrys happened to know that the kitchen staff had made each girl's favorite foods. Someone was bringing a tray up to Elphaba. As they left the room, Fiyero turned back and saw the dejected look on his wife's face. Fragile she may be, but Yero had made a promise to himself a long time ago that never, ever again would his Fae be made to feel like an outsider.

Looking back at her now, that outsider was who he saw. Moving back to the bed, Fiyero caught her eyes and saw the unshed tears. He moved to the wardrobe and gathered her robe. She looked at him questioningly until he knelt beside her and kissed her.

"If you think you're strong enough, I'll bring you down stairs." At her furious nod he carefully helped her into her robe, gently easing her injured arm into the sleeve. When she was ready, he brushed out her long hair and lifted her into his arms. Then he carried his wife down to the dining room.

When the others saw her, a cheer went up that brought the staff running. They were thrilled to see the Princess up and sitting with the rest of the family, and the head cook took special pains with her breakfast. Then she watched from the doorway as the Prince helped his wife eat her food. After such a time of turmoil and worry, the family finally looked happy. She only prayed that it would remain that way.