AN: I'm not even sure why I'm doing this. I mean, I've had worse cliffhangers. I've seen worse reviews and worse threats. But for some reason, I just felt bad for you :'). I think I'm turning into a softie.

So... just this once (also because it's almost Christmas, the season of the heart, a special time of caring... virtual cookies for those who know what that is from), two chapters in one day!

EmeraldReine, here you go ;) and don't feel bad about that! It's your story, just write when you want to write, send it to me when you want to send it, and if you don't want to send it at all, that's fine as well. And really, don't apologise! I'm here for your convenience ;).

Elphaba'sGirl: I always keep my promises. I promise.

BlueD, I love that ending :P.

Chapter 13. A sentimental man

She dreamt that she was lying in a huge four-poster bed, with silken curtains draped over the top of it. There were fluffy pillows all around her, she was covered by a warm blanket and it felt like she was lying on a cloud. Melena was standing at the foot of her bed, smiling at her eldest daughter. She opened her mouth and sang a song.

Someone was clutching her hand, whispering, "I'm sorry, Elphaba… Oh, God, I am so sorry." She had no idea who 'God' was – the Unnamed God, most likely – or who was speaking, but the person sounded so pained that she wanted to comfort him. She couldn't, though – she still couldn't move.

Morrible's cackle haunted her dreams, as well as her sister's face, her pretty features twisted into an expression of disgust, eyes narrowed. "I am ashamed to be your sister," she hissed, before suddenly disappearing.

"Mum?" she asked Melena when she appeared by her bedside again. "Am I dreaming?"

"Maybe," Melena said mysteriously. "Maybe not. You've got a fever, Fabala."

Elphaba frowned. She knew that. What she wanted to know was what had happened after she had said goodbye to Fiyero…

Fiyero.

Suddenly it was him instead of her mother sitting next to her bedside. "I love you," he said, before turning into Galinda.

"Elphie!" the blonde squealed. "I want to give you a makeover!"

Then it was Melena again, smiling. "It's okay, Fabala," she said in a soothing voice. "Don't worry."

Elphaba scrunched up her nose. "Am I dead?" she asked. She had mixed feelings about that, really. On the one hand, if she really was dead, at least she hadn't felt any pain as it happened – she didn't even remember it. Was that because of the fever?

On the other hand she felt incredibly sad that she had had to leave Fiyero all by himself.

She was looking at her mother for an answer, but Melena disappeared again and everything went white.

Fiyero was lying in a corner of his cell, curled up in a ball, crying.

He didn't even care if anyone saw him like this. There was a time once, a long, long time ago, that he wouldn't have wanted anyone to see him crying, to see him vulnerable and weak; but right now he could care less.

He had no clue as to how much time had passed. She wasn't dead yet, was she? He would have felt it, he was sure of that. If she died, he would feel it, but he hadn't felt anything.

Or maybe he was all wrong about that. Maybe people couldn't feel it when other people died, no matter how strong the bond between those persons was or how much they loved one another. Maybe it had already happened. Maybe she was already gone…

Fresh tears welled up in his eyes and he buried his face in his hands.

When the heavy door opened, he didn't even respond at first. Footsteps resounded through the hallways and only when they came to a halt in front of his cell door did he look up, raising his head just enough to see two Gale Force soldiers standing there.

They seemed surprised at his tears, but they didn't say anything about it. Instead, one of them opened the door to Fiyero's cell and the other came inside.

"If you're here to kill me," Fiyero croaked, "then just get it over with."

The soldiers exchanged another surprised look. "That's not why we're here," the one in the cell said. "We have orders to escort you to the Wizard's private chambers."

Even in his grief-stricken and dazed state, he realised that this was strange, and he finally really looked up at them, his confusion written all over his face. "The Wizard's private chambers?" he echoed.

The guard standing at his cell door nodded. "Yes," he said. "His Ozness said that everything will be explained to you once you arrive there. We have orders to take you there."

Fiyero allowed them to pull him to his feet and they practically dragged him along, out of the dungeons and through hallways of the Palace, up stairs and through doors, until Fiyero had no idea where he was anymore. He was escorted into a room and then left alone.

Moments later, another door opened and the Wizard stepped out.

"Prince Fiyero," he said, nodding his head. "You can call me Oscar, that's my real name…" He faltered when he saw the state the prince was in. "Fiyero?" Understanding dawned in his eyes. "This is because of her, isn't it?" he asked, genuinely curious. "You really love her that much?"

The prince looked up and for the first time since he had entered the room, Oscar saw something flicker in his sapphire blue eyes.

"She means everything to me," was all Fiyero said, and the Wizard smiled at him.

"I was going to talk to you," he said. "I needed to verify some things with you, but that can wait. I think I need to show you something first." He beckoned the prince, gesturing for him to follow, as he disappeared again through the door he had first entered through. Fiyero slowly followed him, unsure as to what he would find inside.

His wildest imaginations, though, could not have prepared him for what he actually did find inside.

He stood there gaping for a few long moment before he ran towards the huge bed, falling down on his knees next to it and clutching one green hand in his own. "Fae?"

She murmured something, but didn't stir.

"She's under heavy medication," Oscar said from where he was still standing in the doorway. "Her fever was quite severe, but don't worry – the doctors said she'll be fine. Her life is no longer in danger."

Fiyero looked up at him, suddenly suspicious. "Why are you doing this?" he asked the Wizard warily. "The last time I saw you, you declared her a Wicked Witch; and only a few hours ago she was still in Southstairs, waiting to be…" He swallowed. "…executed."

Oscar smiled tensely. "Yes, well, that was before…" He sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Before I found out that she is my daughter."

Fiyero choked. "What?!"

Sensing that Fiyero wouldn't want to leave her now, Oscar pulled a chair over and sat down, while Fiyero perched on the bed.

"When my men came to arrest you," the Wizard began, "they took her things as well. Her hat, her broomstick… and inside her hat, they… they found something." He pulled out a small bottle made of emerald green glass.

Fiyero nodded, dazed. "Her mother's bottle."

"Melena…" Oscar sighed, rubbing his temple. "I have one of those," he said quietly. "An identical one. I made two, and I gave one of those to Melena, a woman I had a short affair with while I was in Munchkinland nearly twenty-three years ago."

"Frex isn't her father," Fiyero whispered, understanding. "You are."

Oscar nodded sadly. "And I didn't know," he said, clearly regretting that fact. "I didn't know, or I would have done things differently. I tried to kill my own daughter…" He trailed off, then looked up at Fiyero. "I'm sorry," he said. "I really, truly am sorry. I should never have done this in the first place. I was blinded by greed and power, and I did some horrible things… I regret that more than anything. I wish I could do things over."

"But you can't."

"No," Oscar acknowledged. "I can't. But I can try to do better from now on." He looked at the dark-haired witch in the bed. "I could try to get her to forgive me."

Fiyero scoffed softly.

Oscar sighed. "I know," he said. "It won't be easy. I might not even succeed at all. But saving her life and getting you out of Southstairs must be worth something, right?"

"If it weren't for you, she wouldn't have needed saving in the first place," Fiyero said quietly. "And I wouldn't have been in Southstairs, either."

Oscars shoulders slumped. "You're right." He ran his fingers through his hair. "You're completely right, of course, but I… I will clear her name," he said. "And I sent Morrible off to Southstairs – I discovered lately that she had been giving orders in my name that I never approved of and that she has abused her power, and for that she will be punished. I'm going to put an end to the Animal Banns and make sure Animals are introduced back into society. I will make sure that Elphaba gets better and that her name is cleared, that she will be free again to do whatever she wishes, and… and if she still hates me after that, so be it. But this is something I have to do." Much to Fiyero's astonishment, there were actually tears in the Wizard's eyes. "She's my daughter," he said, his voice shaking a little. "I've always wanted a daughter… I've always wanted a child. And look what I did to her."

Fiyero was actually starting to feel a bit sorry for the older man. "She might forgive you," he said.

Oscar looked up.

"It won't be easy," the Vinkun prince said. "You have hurt her in so many ways, and she won't be able to get past that very easily, but… but Fae has the biggest heart of everyone I know. If you're genuine, and I think you are, then I'm sure she'll give you a second chance. Eventually."

Oscar gave him a shaky smile. "I hope so, Master Fiyero," he said, suddenly sounding tired and looking thirty years older than his age. "I really hope so." He rose to his feet. "I will leave you two alone now," he said. "She could wake up, but the doctor warned me that she might be a bit drowsy if she does. It's nothing to worry about – the medication he had to give her was quite heavy – but she probably won't be responsive until a few days from now, when the medication has completely worn off."

Fiyero nodded, still holding Elphaba's hand. "Okay."

Oscar gave him a final, weary smile, then left the room.

Fiyero climbed into the bed with Elphaba, lying on his side to spare his whipped back and drawing her into his arms. "Fae?" he whispered, gently brushing her hair away from her face. "Can you hear me?"

She moaned softly; then her eyes slowly fluttered open. They were hazy and unfocused, but at least they were open.

"Yero?" she croaked softly, and it took him all he had not to burst into tears.

Instead, he just stroked her back. "It's me, Fae," he whispered, his voice thick with pent-up emotion. "I'm right here. You're safe now, sweetheart. You're going to be okay. You're safe, and so am I, and I'm going to stay right here with you until you are better, okay?"

"Okay," she mumbled faintly, eyes already closing again. Fiyero kissed the top of her head, then pressed his cheek to it, allowing his own eyes to close as well now that he knew she would be okay.

When he woke up, an hour or so later, the room was still dark, heavy curtains covering the large windows. He blinked a few times, stretching carefully. The wounds on his back itched, but then everything that had happened came rushing back to him and he quickly turned towards Elphaba.

She was curled up on her side, with one arm under her head, still sleeping peacefully. He reached out to feather-lightly trace her featured with his fingers. She wrinkled her nose and stirred, but she didn't wake up.

Fiyero exhaled slowly, realising that it was really over now. The Wizard was on their side. Not only was Elphaba safe now and would she be completely healthy again; she wouldn't have to fight anymore. Her days as the Wicked Witch of the West were over. He wondered what Oscar would tell the people, but he didn't really care. He would think of something.

Suddenly, there was a lot of commotion in the hallway – footsteps and angry voices. Fiyero pushed himself up in order to take a good look at the door, which opened mere clock-ticks later, only to reveal…

"Galinda?"

The blonde stopped dead in her tracks. "Fiyero?!" Her gaze drifted towards the green girl next to him. "Elphie?! But… but…"

"What's the matter, Galinda?" Fiyero's jaw quite literally dropped when he saw that the blonde girl was followed by none other than Hamold and Lori Tiggular. His parents.

"Yero!" Lori cried, rushing across the room to hug her son. Hamold just stayed in the doorway, blinking.

"What in Oz…" he began, but Fiyero cut him off.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking from his mother to Galinda and back.

Galinda looked a bit crestfallen. "We… we came to rescue you," she said, pouting a little. "When I got to the hospital I heard about you two getting captured, and then I went to the Vinkus in my bubble and told your parents, and we got here just in time, because the sun is almost setting, and we thought we could do this great rescuing thing in which we would free Elphie and kidnap her to the Vinkus and then let your parents talk the Wizard into letting you go as well and we'd be your heroes and you and Elphie would live happily ever after in the Vinkus and…" She cut herself off when she realised she was rambling. "Fiyero, what in Oz happened?" she demanded instead.

Oscar slipped past Hamold, moving closer to have a better look at his daughter, but Galinda stepped forward, hands on her hips, chin raised. "I don't think so," she declared. She pointed one finger at him, nearly jabbing it into his chest. "You stay away from Elphie!"

"Glin, it's okay," Fiyero said, forcing himself to move away from Elphaba and step in between the bed and their unexpected guests. "It's a long story, though. I think we'd better all sit down somewhere." He hated to leave Elphaba behind, but this was something that needed to happen. Besides, this discussion might get heated, and he didn't want to wake her up. She needed her rest.

It took Fiyero and Oscar the better part of an hour to explain everything to Lori, Hamold and Galinda – especially Galinda, who kept on glaring at the Wizard through narrowed eyes – but eventually they accepted the explanation.

"We'll be staying here in the Palace," Hamold told his son, but he was looking at Oscar, daring the other man to refuse.

Oscar, however, just nodded. "You're welcome to stay for as long as you'd like," he said faintly.

Hamold looked at Fiyero now, his face softening. "We know by now that you really love this girl, Yero," he said. "Just stay here and take care of her. If you need us, we're right down the hall."

Fiyero smiled at his parents gratefully. "Thanks, Dad. You too, Mum."

Lori smiled at him.

Galinda accepted Oscar's offer to stay in the adjoining room, not wanting to be too far away from Elphaba, but at the same time wanting to give Elphaba and Fiyero their privacy, because she realised they needed one another right now.

Fiyero stayed with the green girl constantly. He slept with her in his arms, and when he was awake, he would often read or just watch her as she slept. Galinda came by several times that day and Oscar stopped by twice, but although Elphaba opened her eyes every now and then, she never seemed to be fully awake.

Late that night, when Fiyero was just dozing off, her voice started him from his sleep. "Yero?"

His eyes snapped open and he looked at her, only to find her looking back at him. Her eyes were still a bit foggy with fever, but they were clearer than they had been so far.

"Am I dreaming?" she mumbled, furrowing her brow slightly, and he stroked her cheek.

"No, Fae, you're not," he said. "You're awake."

She blinked slowly. "Am I dead?"

He swallowed. "No. No, thank Oz you're not."

"Then how…"

"I'll explain everything to you, okay?" he said, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on her lips. "Once you're feeling a bit better. You'll be fine, Fae, I promise. You're safe now, I'm right here with you and I'm not going to leave you alone, okay?"

"Okay." She squirmed a little, wriggling until she was curled up against him, with her head on his chest and her arm draped over his stomach. "'Night, Yero," she murmured, already half asleep again.

He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair. "'Night, Fae," he whispered.