Disclaimer well by now you know.
After the gang had returned to Kansas things slowly returned to normal. After a few days Dorothy, Alex, Aislynn and Ellie returned to their normal routines. Going to school, returning home, checking in on the emerald city, and having occasional meetings at the gale farm house. Now it was early on a Saturday morning and Dorothy was sitting on a box in the field watching the sunrise. Toto was sitting in her lap and pockets was sitting in her pocket looking out. The scepter was floating next to her and was glowing dimly.
"Dorothy?" Pockets asked curiously.
"Yes pockets?" Dorothy replied.
"Were you scared with the giants?" Pockets asked.
Dorothy smiled and pulled pockets out of her pocket and held her up to her face. She then held pockets really close to her face and kissed her on the nose. Pockets shook her head and rubbed her nose with her paw. Dorothy giggled and shook her head.
"Pockets with all my experiences, no I wasn't really scared but I have been through much worse." Dorothy said.
"Hey are you forgetting me?" Toto asked in a tired and lazy tone.
"Toto, you weren't there, but yes, you and I have been through a lot." Dorothy said.
Pockets meowed and rubbed up against Dorothy's face. Dorothy sighed and began to relax. She continued watching the sunrise quietly. As she was about to get up a pair of hands clamped over her eyes. Dorothy giggled and sighed.
"Alex, what are you doing here?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Keeping myself amused, I'm not alone either." Alex said chuckling.
"Either Eliza or Donna is with you." Dorothy said.
"Well you're right." Came Eliza's voice.
"But only on one account my dear." Came Mr. Foreman's voice.
Dorothy smiled and Alex took his hands off of Dorothy's eyes. Dorothy took Toto off her lap and set him on the ground. She then took pockets and placed her on Toto's back before getting up and embracing Alex. Eliza and Mr. Foreman then approached. Dorothy then embraced both of them in turn and took a step back from them.
"How have you two been? It's been a while." Dorothy asked curiously.
"I've been alright my dear, but from what we've been told by Alex you've been doing fine on your own." Mr. Foreman said.
"I have." Dorothy said nodding.
"And as for me, I've been trying to keep myself from getting too bored." Eliza said sighing.
"That's nice, I was thinking about going to the emerald city today, I'm rather worried since the jester has been quiet for the past few days." Dorothy said turning away from them.
"Perhaps he's coming up with a new plan my dear." Mr. Foreman said.
"Don't even suggest that, that makes me even more worried." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy it's probably true." Alex said sighing.
"I, I, I know, but, oh never mind." Dorothy said.
Dorothy sighed and picked up Toto and pockets. Pockets climbed into Dorothy's pocket and Toto barked before licking Dorothy on the cheek and making her giggle. She then grabbed the scepter and looked up at the sky as the sun continued to rise. There were clouds rolling in and cold breeze was beginning to blow through.
"Come on, we should go inside." Dorothy said looking at them.
Alex looked up at the sky as well. He nodded and they started for the farmhouse. When they were inside they engaged in a quiet conversation while Dorothy decided to make some tea. As she had the kettle on she found a large container filled with tea bags of that mint tea she liked. She sighed and decided to listen in on the conversation in the other room.
"It's strange, you know, my dad, he seems a bit warmer towards me, his attitude hasn't changed, he just seems like he's sorry." Alex said.
"Well, maybe he's seen the light in you." Eliza suggested
"I hope so." Alex said chuckling as the smell of peppermint began to fill the house.
"I think he probably has changed, but just won't admit it." Mr. Foreman said as Em walked into the room.
"Ah, Mr. Foreman, Alex, Eliza, what are you three doing here?" Em asked curiously.
"Just visiting Em." Mr. Foreman replied.
Em nodded and started for the kitchen. As she pushed open the door she saw Dorothy pouring the tea and immediately walked over to her.
"Not bad for your first time." Em said smiling and kissing Dorothy on the cheek.
"Thanks auntie Em." Dorothy said.
Dorothy then sighed and set down the tea pot and picked up the tray. The scepter floated behind her as she walked out of the kitchen and over to her friends. When each of them had a cup of tea Dorothy picked up her own cup and sat down next to Alex on the couch. She smiled and took a sip as she leaned her head on Alex's shoulder.
"Alex?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Yes dear?" Alex replied.
"Does anyone know you're here?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"My mom knows both Eliza and I are here, really Dorothy I don't see why you bother asking." He said as Toto and pockets jumped into his lap.
Dorothy giggled and picked up pockets from Alex's lap before she tried to climb into Alex's pocket. She then allowed pockets to climb into her top dress pocket. She then smiled and took another sip of tea.
"I ask because I don't want your father coming here and yelling at you." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, I know you were probably listening in on our conversation, you know my father has somewhat warmed up to me a bit, he seems to have a bit of sorrow in his eyes." Alex said.
"I heard, but how do you know I was listening?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Because I know you." Alex said kissing Dorothy on the cheek.
Dorothy giggled and blushed. She then sighed. She then noticed Eve walk into the room and Aislynn following shortly after her. She could smell the mint in the air and figured someone else was awake. She walked over to Dorothy and hugged her tight. Emma's face then appeared in the mirror.
"Dorothy?" Emma asked.
"Yes?" Dorothy said turning to the mirror.
"I'm supposed to warn you guys, stay indoors, there's a storm coming, Glinda is already there, Ellie is here, she's asleep, she arrived last night, who's that over there?" Emma asked curiously pointing to auntie Em.
"Oh, right, this is my auntie Em, Auntie Em, this is Emma, Mrs. Yoop's daughter, she is staying in the city for her own safety, and I've mentioned her a few times." Dorothy said.
"Of course, I just, wait a minute." Em said walking closer to the mirror.
"You just expected her to be a giant? Yep, she is, normally, but she is currently wearing an emerald pendant similar to the one the china princess uses." Glinda said walking into the house.
"Thank you Glinda." Dorothy said a little annoyed.
"Right, anyways, it's snowing outside." Glinda said referring to the window.
Dorothy looked out the window and gasped. It was now snowing rather hard outside. Glinda however seemed to have no snow in her hair.
"Glinda, send the other's to the city, you know for their safety, send the teaks as well." Dorothy said grabbing the scepter as well as her jacket.
"Dorothy where are you going?" Alex asked curiously.
"Nowhere yet." Dorothy said.
"Well, I'm not leaving you here alone." Alex said.
"Alex." Dorothy said sighing.
"Dorothy, do you want me to send the cats and Toto as well?" Glinda asked referring to pockets.
Dorothy looked at pockets and picked her up. She then handed her off to Glinda.
"Eve, keep an eye on the others, Toto you too." Dorothy said as all of a sudden she was left alone aside from Alex and Mr. Foreman.
She then ran to her aunt and uncle's room and found her uncle and the triplets no longer there. She sighed with relief and then returned to the living.
"So, Glinda still doesn't trust me alone." Dorothy said.
"No, it's that Mr. Foreman is an adult that has much more knowledge than any of us, is good in a sticky situation, and is rather strong for a man his age." Alex said.
"I thought we weren't going to do any planning behind my back." Dorothy said looking at him.
"We didn't, and be we, I mean all of us, this was between Mr. Foreman, and Glinda, and I was the middle man." Alex said.
"Ah, but still." Dorothy said walking over to the window.
"Dorothy my dear, we meant no harm, and did intend to tell you." Mr. Foreman said.
"When?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Dorothy, seeing as you probably will hit me, I was supposed to tell you the day you nearly blew your stack and ended up in father time's domain." Alex said.
"Don't even mention that day, I don't want to think about it." Dorothy said.
Meanwhile in the city.
Aislynn was sitting on the window sill of the chambers with her legs hanging over the side. She had seen Dorothy do this several times and both Ellie and scarecrow were keeping an eye on her. Ellie was standing close by in the event she started losing her balance. She was pretty relaxed sitting there. A few birds even perched on the ledge next to her.
"Ace?" scarecrow asked curiously as he walked over.
"Yes scarecrow?" Aislynn replied.
Scarecrow opened his mouth to reply just as a crow flew in the window cawing loudly. This caused Aislynn to lose her balance and nearly fell off the window sill if scarecrow and Ellie hadn't grabbed her. Scarecrow picked Aislynn up and pulled her in just as a murder of crows flew in through the window. Aislynn screamed as scarecrow set her down and she tried to run away from the flock. The crows immediately flew around her.
"Scarecrow, I don't have my sword." Ellie said running towards the flock and trying to shoo them away.
Scarecrow sighed and ran over to the Aislynn and shielded her from the crows. He then took out what looked like a pea shooter and calculated where a good target would be. He then put it in his mouth and blew out what looked like dry corn. It flew into the mouth of one of the crows. It choked and turned back and flew out the window. Still choking it let out a loud screeching, yet stifled caw. The flock of crows cawed loudly in response but did not turn back. Scarecrow sighed in frustration and waved his arms about hitting crows in the process.
"Get out of here, you have no business in the city, stop antagonizing my friends." The scarecrow shouted.
One of the crows burst into laughter and flew out the window. The rest of the crows followed suit with him but one. The scarecrow plucked that one out of the air and held it by the neck as he brought it up to his face.
"Tell your friends to leave and never come back!" scarecrow shouted
"Hey straw head calm down, we're allowed to have a little fun, for old time sake." The crow said.
"What do you mean? We, oh, okay it's great to see you again, but GET OUT!" the scarecrow said releasing him.
"Okay, okay, don't blow your stack, you have changed since the cornfield." The crow said flying out the window.
The scarecrow sighed just as the door to the chambers burst open and Glinda and Emma, as well as auntie Em ran in.
"Well you took long enough." Ellie said sarcastically.
"We couldn't open the door." Emma said.
Scarecrow sighed and turned to Aislynn.
"Did they hurt you at all?" Scarecrow asked as Ellie explained what happened.
"I'm fine scarecrow, just a little shaken." Aislynn said.
"Yea, those crows can be mischievous, they were the ones that used to be around my cornfield." Scarecrow said rather grudgingly.
"Thank you for protecting me." Aislynn said kissing scarecrow on the cheek.
"No trouble, heh, no trouble at all." The scarecrow said physically blushing.
"Scarecrow?" Aislynn whispered in his ear.
"Yes?" He whispered back.
"I know, I love you, and I know you love me." She whispered before running of giggling.
Scarecrow turned towards the door of the chambers. His face now beet red. Ellie giggled and ran after ace. But not before explaining to Glinda what she assumed just happened.
"Oh dear." Glinda said giggling.
"Well, that was an odd chain of events." Em said as Emma walked up to her and tugged on her shirt to get her attention.
"Can I help with the babies now?" Emma asked
"Sure dear, come on." Em said leading Emma out of the chambers.
Glinda then smiled and walked over to the scarecrow. She chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, she's a nice girl." Glinda said.
Scarecrow chuckled and walked into his workshop. Meanwhile Glinda noticed dark clouds were beginning roll in. a storm was coming to Oz to and now she knew.