Disclaimer- I do not own Wicked or Rent.
A/N- I know it's been a very long time since I last updated. I'm so sorry; life's been busy. I want to assure you that I will absolutely finish this story, just to dispel any doubts. This chapter was largely inspired by Idina Menzel, who I had the privilege of seeing in concert a few days ago. Anyway, please review; it will make my day and I will appreciate each and every one of them.
While Elphaba healed and Fiyero was hard pressed to leave her side, Maureen spent much more time with the girls. The simple joy and relief and having them home safe and sound was more than enough to thrill the former diva. Joanne was watching her one day from the terrace. She was running and playing with Emmy and Elfie while Flying Monkeys swooped and flew overhead.
Joanne smiled as she watched Maureen toss her long, ebony hair down over her face and then peek through it as she chased the girls. They giggled in delight and Joanne saw that in many ways Maureen stillwas a little girl herself.
While she was not the same Maureen she had been when she lived back in Alphabet City, she was in other ways unchanged. The old Maureen lived for the moment; and while this one did that too, she also considered the outcome and ramifications of her actions. In short, Maureen had grown. Part of her, Joanne knew now, would always be that little girl, while part grew into the queen she saw before her. Queen. It still amazed Joanne to think of her Maureen as someone's queen…or someone's wife. She liked Emrys, she did, but in her heart, a part of Maureen would always belong to her.
When she looked up from her reverie, Maureen was approaching her. Behind her, the girls still played in the garden.
"You okay?" Maureen asked her, cocking her head to the side as she had always done when she asked an important question.
"Hmmm? Oh, yeah! I was just thinking…remembering. Hey, are the girls safe out there alone?"
Maureen laughed a full body laugh, throwing her head back as she enjoyed the moment.
"What alone?! They have a squadron of Flying Monkeys ready to fly them out of there or gnaw someone's hand off if they have to! Oh, and then there's this." She pointed to the tree lines around the garden. "Check this out!"
With that, she gave a whistle that would stop any Manhattan taxicab, and guards stepped out from behind trees and shrubs everywhere. All of them were alert, and all of them looked ready to handle anything. All of them were armed. They looked to Maureen and after a slight wave from her; they all resumed their 'invisible' positions. Maureen looked at Joanne dryly.
"Any safer, and they'd be under lock and key! They're good. So, what else is on your mind? There was a lot there a few minutes ago. What's up?"
Joanne considered how and how much to tell her but opted to let her know everything slowly. "I was watching you and the girls. I keep catching myself being surprised at how different you are now…and how similar. It still surprises me. You as a mom surprises me. This world surprises me. Emrys surprises me."
"Rys? What's so surprising about Rys? The fact that he's so informal?" Maureen was truly curious.
"No, the fact that you two are together at all." Joanne paused to allow Maureen to digest what she'd said. "As close as we were, the relationship we had…it throws me, that's all. How do you go from, 'This is my girlfriend.' to 'This is my husband.'? I know what you two have is real; I see that it is, but I'm still trying to figure out how you got there. I can't see me with any guy! How, for the love of God, do you switch midstream?"
Joanne was unprepared for what followed. The old Maureen would have read her the riot act. This Maureen just smiled at her confused friend and gave her a crooked smile.
"Honey, I didn't switch midstream, I just fell for the soul he is. Look, before we were together, I was with Mark. Straight, straight Mark? Looking back, I realize that part of that love…and it was love…was security and dependence. I mean, as scattered as I was, Mark wasn't…isn't. I saw his heart, and make no mistake, the sex was amazing! But in a way, Mark was the grown-up in our relationship. It could never have lasted because we weren't equal. The same goes for you and me." Maureen saw Joanne start. "When I got bored with having another 'daddy', I wanted to run free and have fun…run wild! Big time! And there you were! You were smart, firm and steady and so-o hot, and wild enough to want… well, women! To me, then, that was the forbidden, the exciting. How could I resist? I'd be safe and wild! Trust me; the rush was more than heady! But at the time, then? I was sure it was love…both times! Don't doubt that for a minute.
"Sure, I fooled around in between and during both relationships, but my logic was that if these women and guys wanted me that badly, it was just for fun and really didn't have anything to do with my relationships. It's like how I never saw a person's color either…just their soul. Then everything changed. Can you imagine? 'Welcome to this other world and oh! By the way, you have a twin sister…who's green and you're a witch! By the way, welcome to Burzee!' Faba was more than certain that I'd be a flop, I'm sure… but Rys? Rys saw me. He saw the impossibilities of me and the certainties. He never pushed, he never shoved, he just helped me land on my feet and then let go. When I fell, he helped me up, dusted me off and then let me try on my own again. When I succeeded, he was my cheering section.
"I never experienced anything like what I feel for Rys. It scared the crap out of me!! That's how I knew… Oh sure, when he first said he loved me and later said he wanted to marry me I did the intelligent thing. Once I ran crying into the garden, and once I ran crying to my sister. But in the end? In the end it was Rys that helped me believe in us. It wasn't easy for him either! Not only did he have to convince me that he was the one for me, he had to convince me that I was the queen for Burzee. I was sure I would screw things up for him. Thank God for Faba! Do you know what she told me when I told her I was afraid I'd ruin things for him, that I wasn't 'queen' material? She basically told me that Rys would only follow his heart and that he was smart enough to know what was right for his country. Trust me, she was so right!
"With Rys, things are simple, Joanne. We just…are! I can't imagine life without him and I also can't imagine wanting anyone but him…male or female. If he were a singer tomorrow, I'd be just as happy…so would Emmy."
Joanne digested everything that Maureen had told her. Things that had never made sense to her before made sense now. She could also see the implacable sense it all made. She more than most people… She had one more area she needed to know about.
"I get it. You've come a long way from the performance space in Alphabet City! Everybody should. One other thing, Maureen. Emmy. Did it ever…"
"Bother us that she's green? Not for a second! It was a surprise at first alright, but I think it bothered Faba more than us. She was so scared that Rys and I would be disappointed, I think. Especially afraid that he'd be disappointed and take it out on Emaurie in some way. Her experience had been far from welcoming and loving! Frexspar Thropp was grotesque to her! From the moment she was born she'd been judged and hated and mistreated…until Fiyero. My sister is amazing, Joanne! She's smart, powerful, tough, but still gentle and sensitive. If Emaurie is anything like her, Rys and I will be more than proud.
"Who knows, maybe one day, both Burzee and the Vinkus will be peopled with their descendants, Elphaba and Emmy's. Wouldn't it be a kick if the ones with green skin were seen for their gifts and as wonderfully special? You know, someday some guy will look at a girl who's green and realize just how special she really is. I wonder if Faba dreams about that too."
This last was said more to herself, Joanne knew. Still, she couldn't help imagining the future Maureen had. "If not, she really should! You might mention it to her some time. By the way, where is Elphaba?"
Maureen's smile faded. "She talked Yero into bringing her down to see Zara again. She thinks she's almost ready to remove the spell holding her. You can tell when Faba is ready to start something big. She starts haunting Rys's library. Just watch. She makes you with your law books look like a kindergartener! It's one of the ways we're not the same as twins!"
Joanne slid into a slow understanding of relationships in Burzee. Finally, she understood Maureen and Emrys…or thought she did. As she and Maureen were standing there watching the girls play, Emrys walked out onto the lawn from another door. He didn't see Maureen and Joanne at first, and they watched as he crossed the lawn toward the girls. His face was aglow and he looked as if each step closer to them lessened his burdens. When the cousins turned and saw him they screeched with glee.
"Daddy!"
"Uncle Rys!"
Then they were in his arms and wrapped around him. In a flash, he dropped to one knee and lifted them both into his arms. "Hello, my Princess! Give me a bigger hug, Pixie. Aah, thank you! Can anyone play?"
The girls' faces erupted with even bigger smiles. Elfie spoke up for them both.
"Course Uncle Rys! Anyone can play, but especially you!"
Emrys looked totally perplexed. "Why especially me, Pixie?"
Elfie shrugged, totally nonplused. "Because it's your country."
Emrys laughed easily and hugged his niece again. "So it is, Pixie, so it is. But I'll let you both in on a secret." His voice softened and took on an air of conspiracy. "It doesn't really belong to me. I'm just…a caretaker. Burzee belongs to her people and my job is to look after it for them."
"Like Grandpa and Daddy take care of the Vinkus?"
He nodded sagely, "Just like that, Pixie."
Joanne and Maureen watched all of this from the terrace with smiles. Elfie then took on a look of deep consideration. "You're a good caretaker, Uncle Rys…like Daddy is."
It seemed to Maureen and Joanne that suddenly a reality struck little Elfie that had never occurred to her before. With it came trepidation, since her voice almost quivered when she spoke again. Her large blue eyes fixed on her uncle and she gripped his hand tensely. "Will Emmy and I be caretakers some day?"
Joanne saw Maureen tense as well. Under her breath Maureen whispered, "Damn! We never told them. We wanted to wait to tell them…wait until they were ready."
"I'd say if they thought about it, they're probably ready." Joanne answered softly, her tone comforting. They both stopped to listen to Emrys when he answered gently, yet honestly.
"Probably. Don't worry about it now though. Time enough for that when you're older. For now, just concentrate on being yourselves. You're both off to a good start. You're kind and thoughtful, and you both think of others before you do something." Emmy still looked nervous, so he added, "It takes time to become a good caretaker, so it's going to be a long time till you need to worry about it; and listen my loves, if you decide then that you don't want the job, Fiyero and I will understand. What we want most is to see those beautiful smiles of yours on our daughters' faces; we want you both to be happy. That's more important to us than almost anything! Give it time, my loves...relax and just live today for today."
Emmy smiled at her father. "Like our Angels sing? No day but today?"
"Exactly! But for now, I'm tired of caretaking and I need a good game of tag!"
The girls giggled and shrieked, backing away from him. He began to chase them around the gardens and suddenly, Maureen was running down the steps toward them. Joanne watched from the rail.
"Hey Baby!" Maureen called to Emrys as she ran toward him. The girls warned her off however.
"Watch out, Mommy!!"
"Aunt Reena, he's it!"
"Sure is!" Maureen called out laughing as she ran.
Maureen was grabbed easily by Emrys and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her toward him. "Tag." He breathed it, looking in her eyes sensually. Joanne watched her former lover slide against her husband. She leaned in and kissed him passionately. When they separated, Emrys pulled back enough for her to see his eyes.
"You're it!"
"You too, Baby! You too."
Joanne looked out at the scene before her. It really did look like a painting in a gallery or museum somewhere. Maureen and Emrys were kissing each other again, and the girls were laughing and waving to the Monkeys that flew over head. As complex as the questions she had needed answers to were, a child's game had answered it simply. You're it!
Hearing a rustling sound behind her, Joanne turned to see Elphaba and Fiyero. Joanne laughed aloud as Fiyero's face broke into a grin and he vaulted over the terrace rail to join the game of tag. Elphaba walked over to join Joanne and together they watched the cavorting. Without taking her eyes off the tableau before her Elphaba spoke, a giggle half hidden in her voice.
"To an outsider it would appear that there were three adults and two children out there." Joanne saw her easy smile. "They'd be wrong, however. Fiyero Tiggular may be Prince of the Arjikis and the Vinkus, but anyone who knows him can see the little boy inside. Just look at him."
"It doesn't bother you, then…Fiyero acting like a kid sometimes?" Joanne was truly curious.
"Lurline, no! Bless him for it. Children need to play and laugh; it's important. I had no experience with that as a child. Fiyero did. He grew up in a loving, well, castle. His parents adored one another and of course him. He always knew what it was like to laugh and play and smile and be loved." Elphaba paused and shrugged. "For me, love came with Yero. I find it…" She searched a moment for the word she really wanted and then looked at Joanne quickly. "Intoxicating! I still have trouble with the fun parts though, so while the girls will go to Yero or Reena or Rys for fun and games, they come to me with the serious things, magic and growing up and the like."
Joanne nodded knowingly. "You can expect a visit from those two soon then. They just discovered that someday, barring anything unseen, they'll fill their fathers' shoes. Oh, Emrys was wonderful; of course, he called it being a 'caretaker'; but your Elfie, she knows. I think they both might be a little worried about it. I know I would be!"
Elphaba smiled gently as she watched her daughter, now being chased by her father.
"Which one of them figured it out? It was Elfie wasn't it?"
Joanne nodded silently and Elphaba nodded in return.
"I always knew it would be Elfie that understood first. Yero always says that she gets her eyes and coloring from him and her hair and brains from me and that means she's got the best of both worlds. She's a thinker my Elfie. Oh, Emmy is too, but she likes to fight for the here and now and Elfie…Elfie is like me. She dreams about tomorrow and puzzles things out."
"Maureen said you all wanted to wait till they were older to tell them they could rule one day."
"It's true. My fault I suppose. I wanted them to live in that world that Rys, Reena, and Yero know so well. Childhood. I didn't really have one. I became an aware adult before I was three. I wanted that…pure joy for them. It sounds so wonderful. I'm so glad that Rys was there to make things easier. Knowing him, he made it sound like an adventure, something marvelous. He's wonderful!" She shook her shoulders as if to shake off her new worries and then smiled out at the scene before her.
"Look at them! Aren't they perfect?! I'm going to miss hearing those giggles!"
"Miss?" Joanne was suddenly confused.
Elphaba nodded and now, looking closely, Joanne saw tears.
"I'm ready to remove the spell from Zara. No two people could be in more danger when I do. Fiyero…Rys…they're adults and can think like a predator thinks…outwork her. Glinda, Reena, they're witches. But Elfie, Emmy…they've been through enough. I won't remove the spell with them here."
Joanne was stunned and somewhat saddened. She would miss the children too she realized. "But they just…"
"Got back? I know. But I think now would be a good time for them to go away on a visit."
"Visit? Visit who?"
"Visit me." The firm, male, voice had come from behind them and Joanne spun to see a tall, distinguished gentleman. He wore smile and bowed his head politely in her direction. Then he turned to Elphaba and kissed her on the cheek affectionately.
"How do I thank you, Fae? It's a precious job you've given me…and an utter joy! I promise you, I'll keep them safe. Safe and happy!"
Elphaba hugged the man and nodded to him with ease. "I know you will, Papa." She pulled back a bit and introduced Joanne, who was still slightly confused until she finished.
"This is King Adair, Fiyero's father. The girls' grandfather."
"Elfie may be my granddaughter by blood, but Emaurie is the granddaughter of my heart. I adore both of them! Fae, may I surprise them now?"
He looked like a little boy suddenly and Elphaba nodded, smiling broadly. Joanne and Elphaba watched as the distinguished King of the Vinkus moved to the steps of the terrace and called out loudly, "Is there anyone here who's willing to cheer up an old king?"
Movement on the lawn ceased and suddenly two little girls erupted in shrieks of delight.
"Grandpa!! Grandpa!!"
He moved down the stairs and knelt on the lawn with open arms.
"Daddy, Mama! Grandpa's come!"
"Mommy! It's my Grandpa! He came to see us."
In no time they were in his arms and hit Adair so hard he toppled backward still holding the girls, still laughing and kissing them furiously.
"Alright, let me get a look at you two! You've both grown while you were off adventuring and proving yourselves to be young ladies of courage I see. I'm so very proud of you both! You remembered what was important. You kept your heads and stayed true to each other." When he had righted himself and they were sitting on the grass he turned to each one in turn.
"So, Elfie! I hear you've inherited your mother's passion for justice and some of her other abilities too! Bravo! Wise girl! You keep that up!" He turned to Emmy and hugged her fiercely. "Emmy, Emmy, my beautiful, brave Emmy! I don't know many grown men who would be as brave as you were! You never, told her, never let on! My precious girl, do you know that whenever I hear your name I smile? Well, I do! Now listen to me you two. I've missed you both terribly and the Vinkus hasn't enough laughter or giggles in it. Why don't you both come and stay with me for awhile? I know that will take care of that….and it just so happens that there are two new ponies in my stables. They have no names or owners. Why not cheer them up as well and make them your own? What say you?"
"Mommy, Daddy! Can I please? I'd like to visit Grandpa…even if I'm not really his."
Adair turned Emmy in his arm and rubbed her cheek.
"Hear me, Emaurie, and hear me always. You are no less precious to me than Elfie! Maybe a bit more in one way. You were and are and unexpected treasure to me. Elfie was expected and I rejoiced, but you, you my Emmy, you are the blessing I never expected. It makes me love you all the more."
Emmy hugged him fiercely and looked to her parents. When they nodded, she practically flew.
"Mama? You brought Grandpa didn't you?"
"I did, my Elfie. I thought all three of you could use some time together."
"Thank you, Mama! Daddy, I'm going to the Vinkus with Grandpa!"
Fiyero looked at Elphaba, love in his eyes.
"Alright, let's get some things together for you both and I'll bring you all to the Vinkus."
The family rose and headed back to the palace together. One girl held each of Adair's. On their way up the stairs Joanne heard Adair.
"Before we leave, I'd like to see the mural on the nursery wall. I imagine you've both grown a bit since it was painted. Still, I imagine it's lovely. Perhaps we could have one drawn at the castle. Would you both like that?"
The squeals of delight drown out Elphaba's explanation to Maureen and Emrys.
"I won't wake Zara up with them here, perhaps in danger again. Let them be safe. Let them be loved. Let them be…children."
After hugs and kisses and some goodbyes and packing, Elphaba used her magic to bring the girls to the Vinkus. When she returned, everyone noticed how quiet the palace had become.