(A/N: Alright, sorry you guys, but you can blame the late updates on minesweeper, I'm obsessed with that game! You can also blame my sister for kicking me off (literally) the computer. You can also blame my friend for texting me and my school for giving me homeowork. Also, I suppose you can blame me...heehee, guilty. Anyway....I was going to make this longer, but I decided no to. Ok, so, you all chose Aiden as the name for a guy, and although I like that name and I asked you all's opinions, I might just choose a diffferent name anyway, I kinda like Daniel. So...without further ado....oh and thank you to all that reviewed and favorited/alerted etc.)
Fiyero and Elphaba sat in a large chair in the lounging area of the exquisite library, Elphaba in his lap. Nessa sat across from them in her wheelchair and James next to Nessa on the couch. Fiyero was telling Nessa what had happened in her absence, but Elphaba and James couldn't stop staring at each other. At first Elphaba was just staring at him because well...he was the Wizard of Oz, but then she noticed that he was staring at her, so she kept staring at him, wondering why he was staring at her, because she could tell it wasn't just because of her skin. James couldn't concentrate on what Fiyero was saying. He knew he was talking about his daughter, so he should probably pay attention, but he couldn't when she was sitting right across from him. It was clear she was in a relationship with the Prince by the way he held her closely and kissed her sometimes and looked at her. James couldn't get over how beautiful his daughter was. Oh, he loved saying that, thinking that....his daughter. He was such a sentimental man. And really, he loved her green skin, it made her unique. She hadn't spoken the whole time. All James had heard of her voice was when she'd been cursing about her ankle and when she'd asked Fiyero if James was the Wizard of Oz. He knew it was rude to stare at her so, he was probably making her feel uncomfortable, but he just couldn't help it. He only snapped out of his trance when something Fiyero said caught his attention.
"What?" he asked in a choked voice, "Did you say she was raped?"
"Almost." Fiyero sighed, "Thank Oz it was only almost." he kissed Elphaba's forehead. She seemed to not being paying much attention. She was staring at James, confusedly and quizzically. James sighed and gestured for Fiyero to continue.
"I thought—I thought she was going to die," Fiyero said, "But she pulled through. Her ankle's still hurt, broken maybe, but it'll heal." Nessa leaned back in her chair some, overwhelmed by the news. She stared at her sister for a long time, wondering how she would take the news about James. Elphaba felt Nessa's gaze and she turned to her sister.
"I'm fine Nessa." she said.
"Fine?" asked Nessa sadly, "Are you really fine?"
"I'm fine." Elphaba repeated. Nessa just sighed again. It was silent, Nessa not knowing how to begin, and Elphaba not wanting to be rude by asking. The doors were thrown open then to admit Galinda. She walked in, rambling on as she walked.
"Elphie!" she squealed, "There you are, I went to your room but you weren't there, so I thought, well, where could she be, and it was so obviously the library..." Galinda trailed off as she saw Nessa and the Wizard of Oz, "Oh my Oz! Your Oz.....manship!" she gasped, curtsying a little sloppily. The Wizard smiled, never realizing before how difficult and confusing his title was to the citizens of Oz.
"Good morning miss..." James left the statement for her to fill in.
"Upland, Galinda Upland." she said, blushing badly.
"Galinda, have a seat." said Fiyero, gesturing to the seat next to him, "Nessa was just about to tell us something. Nessa, you don't mind if Galinda listens do you?"
"No." said Nessa, not really knowing or caring. She turned back to Elphaba, "Fabala, James and I came here to tell you something...that's going to change a lot of things..."
"What is it Nessa?" asked Elphaba as she saw the hesitant look in Nessa's eyes.
"Well...you know that little green bottle mother gave you?" asked Nessa.
"Yes..." said Elphaba, "What about it?"
"Well....um, James, the Wizard, whatever you want to call him, he's your...." Nessa stammered, "...he's your father."
"What?" Elphaba, Fiyero and Galinda all asked at the same time.
"How do you know?" asked Elphaba urgently.
"The bottle...well, mother didn't know if she was pregnant or not and James had to leave. So he gave her one of two bottles and told her that if she became pregnant, to give the child the bottle and then send the child to him. Mother was supposed to give the bottle to you and send you to James. If you showed him the bottle, he would know you were his daughter and you would've lived with him. But, she died before she could tell anyone to take you to the James and James never figured out she'd become pregnant and he figured that she'd never had a child." said Nessa.
"You mean...." Elphaba began, "Frex isn't my father?"
"No, I am." said James, speaking for the first time. Elphaba's head snapped up as she stared at him.
"I---well, why did you come here to tell me this?" asked Elphaba, "I mean, you can't want me, I'm--"
"Green?" asked James, smiling at her, he took her hand, "I don't care what color your skin is. You are my daughter and I love you. I know this is a lot to take in in one sitting, but I was hoping that you'd come back to the Emerald City with me, to live in the palace."
"Elphie, you'd be a princess!" Galinda squealed.
"Could Fiyero come?" asked Elphaba.
"Elphaba, I'd have to stay here." said Fiyero softly, "But I could visit you."
"Well I'm not going if you can't." Elphaba said quietly, "I want to stay with you."
"Elphaba," said Fiyero, speaking quietly into her ear so that only she could hear, the others turned around and talked amongst themselves to give Elphaba and Fiyero their privacy, realizing the conversation wasn't open to the public. Fiyero continued, grateful for their understanding, "You don't seem to realize that you are getting the chance at a better life, a life with a father that loves you. You'll live in a palace and you'll have a real family over there. You'll have your very own father that looks at you all the time and not Nessa, he'll be there for you. You'll have Nessa and Fredrick, maybe Galinda would go with you too." Fiyero tried to persuade her to go, much as it would hurt him, she deserved to have a father who loved her, "Elphaba, please see reason. You'll have it all."
"I won't have you. You're my all. I don't care about living in a palace or being princess." Elphaba said, "I want to be with you always. That's what you said earlier wasn't it? That I'll stay with you forever. We should be together always, can't you see that?"
"Elphaba," said Fiyero desperately, "I know I said forever and always, and we'll still be together always...just not as close. I'll visit. I promise you I will. Elphaba, don't you want to have a father? Don't you want that relationship? You'll regret it forever if you say no and push him away."
"But Fiyero--" Elphaba began.
"Listen," Fiyero began, "James is leaving in a few hours. I want you to go with him and Nessa--"
"But I--"
"Let me finish," Fiyero said, "I want you to give it a chance. In a week I'll come to see you at the palace. If you really hate it there, and I mean really hate it, I'll bring you back, I swear."
"You swear?" asked Elphaba. Fiyero nodded.
"But I hardly know him!" Elphaba exclaimed.
"He's your father," said Fiyero, then he softened, realizing what Elphaba must be thinking, "It's not like he's going to be Frex. James cares about you; he'll be good to you. I promise you, life with him, won't be a repeat of your time with Frex."
"It sounds like you're sending me away." Elphaba murmured.
"Oh Fabala," Fiyero said, pulling her closer, "Don't think like that. I love you. I just—Fabala, understand, I'm doing this for you." Fiyero tried to explain, "And now I want you to give him a chance for me."
"But he's--"
"--A great man who'll love you and be your father, not Frex. You think this isn't killing me right now? You think I won't miss you, that my life won't be empty without you?" Fiyero asked.
"Then don't make me go." Elphaba pleaded.
"I'm not making you, I'm asking you." Fiyero said softly.
"Then I'm saying no." Elphaba said, crossing her arms. She looked at the defeated fire in Fiyero's eyes and she sighed, "Fine. I'll go, for you. Not for him or me or Nessa, for you. And you'll come back for me in a week."
"I'll be there." said Fiyero said, smiling, sadly and triumphantly, "I'll be there."
*****************
James of course was overjoyed that Elphaba had agreed to come with him. Elphaba invited Galinda along too, and of course, Galinda was coming. James liked Galinda well enough; she was just a little....perky. He was just readying the carriage and lifting Elphaba's one small suitcase into the carriage when he saw Fiyero and Elphaba come outside. Fiyero was carrying her and they were talking quietly. James felt bad for pulling her away from Fiyero, because it was obvious how much they loved each other. But he would be visiting in a week anyway.
"I love you." Elphaba whispered, her nose touching his.
"And you know I love you." Fiyero said. He kissed her passionately. She responded eagerly, a sense of goodbye in her kiss. Fiyero deepened it. Elphaba didn't mind and she didn't even thinking about air, neither did Fiyero for that matter. They heard a loud....really loud clearing of the throat. They broke apart to see James looking at Fiyero sternly, his arms crossed across his chest, just like a father would after seeing his daughter kissing a boy like that. Elphaba blushed and she couldn't help but feel like James really was her father.
"I was wondering when you two were going to come up for air." James muttered, "We all may have just realized this, but I am her father and I'm not too sure I'm comfortable with the way you were kissing her young man." To any other teenage daughter, this would've annoyed them beyond hell, but Elphaba felt her heart warm at James's fatherly behavior. She smiled at him softly, causing James's heart to leap. Elphaba wondered that maybe, living with James wouldn't be so bad.
"I'm sorry sir." said Fiyero, playing the role of nervous boyfriend that had been caught by 'the father'. James just chuckled.
"I'll let you two have a moment before we leave." he said, walking back to the carriage.
"I'll miss you." Elphaba whispered.
"Not as much as I'll miss you." Fiyero grinned. He leaned in to kiss her again, but she stopped him. He looked at her confusedly. She giggled at his expression.
"We don't want my father to catch us again, do we?" asked Elphaba.
"Who cares?" Fiyero grinned and kissed her.
**************
"Don't forget to come back for me." Elphaba said, "Or maybe," she glanced at James, "Maybe you can just come back to me."
"See, you're already warming up to him." said Fiyero, "And don't worry, I promise I'll come back for you, come back to you, whichever, I'll come back."
***********
Frex and Victor were nearly to the Vinkus. They were on the main road leading there, when they passed the Wizard's carriage. Frex wondered what the Wizard was doing in the Vinkus, but was glad none the less that he was leaving. He looked out the window and saw the tall towers of the Vinkun Castle looming ahead. There was his ticket to power, a life, and Elphaba.
p.s - don't forget to review!