It took a while, but Fairest of Them All is finally finished! This is the final chapter, but no worries, it's a long one. Thanks all again for reading and reviewing, it's been a pleasure as always!

23. Raise You High

She couldn't have survived. Could she?

She had to.

Fiyero didn't think he'd ever been so scared and shocked in his entire life.

No-one had realised what was happening. Not until Elphaba had moved, and even then, it had looked like a low, jealous move on her part – attacking the winner because she couldn't bear not winning the crown herself. Of course, he and the others knew she would never do that, but it had definitely been what it looked like to people who didn't know her very well.

And then the light had fallen. It would have crushed Nessa if Elphaba hadn't seen it. Now all they could do was pray it hadn't crushed Elphaba instead.

He was pushing his way forward through the panicking crowd. The cameras were turned off, people were urged to stay seated, and other people were running onto the stage. Nessa was helped back up and into her chair, people swarming around her to check on her, but she was sobbing and crying for her sister. Nathalinia and Saraphina, utterly shocked, were both crying even as an equally shaken Reven tried to usher them backstage.

Fiyero heard Oscar bellowing commands at his guards, heard Dr Dillamond talking to the other man, and sensed Boq and Chistery making their way to the stage not far behind, but his entire focus was on the heap of magenta fabric on the stage. When he saw it move, he felt like he might quite literally topple over with relief. He didn't, of course. Instead he kept moving, elbowing people aside and starting to run when the way was clear.

He reached the stage and dropped down on his knees beside the heap of poufy gown. Other people were trying to get to her – security guards, Cashel, Oscar's guards – and some of them tried to haul Fiyero away, but he snarled at them and pushed them away roughly, trying to search out the heap of thick fabric to figure out how badly Elphaba had been hurt. The guards soon gave up and instead focused their efforts on lifting the light off the green girl.

He finally found her face. Her eyes were closed and for a clock-tick, he feared the worst; but then she groaned, moved again, and her eyelids fluttered open.

"Are you dying?" Fiyero blurted out, panic clouding his mind and his judgement. It was clouding his eyes, too… or were those tears? "Fae? Please tell me you're not dying." Something wet falling off the tip of his nose and onto that enormous ball gown of her. Yep, they were definitely tears.

"I don't think I am," she said, scrunching up her nose. She tried to sit up despite Fiyero's urgent attempts to hold her down. "Really, Yero, I'm fine."

"But the light fell on top of you!" he spluttered. "It exploded! We all saw it happen!"

She shook her head. "It didn't explode," she told him. "That was my magic."

Her magic. Waves of relief washed over him, so strongly they knocked the wind out of him. Of course. Her magic had kicked in and saved her, somehow. He looked over at the guards, who finally managed to lift the light off Elphaba, and he couldn't help but laugh a little hysterically with relief when he realised that it had never fallen on top of her; it had only fallen onto her enormous dress, trapping the fabric of her skirt beneath it. Elphaba was fine.

He gathered her up in his arms and buried his face in her hair, murmuring, "Thank Oz." She held him, too. He could feel her shaking. He couldn't even imagine how scared she must have been – both for Nessa and for herself.

As if reading his mind, she whispered, "Nessa," and he hugged her even tighter.

"She's all right," he said into her ear. "Don't worry, she's fine. You saved her life, Fae."

He finally let go of her – because she made him, not because he wanted to – and she quickly looked over at Nessa, obviously relieved when she saw for herself that her sister was all right. Nessa, in turn noticing that Elphaba was fine, started crying even harder. "Fabala!"

With Fiyero's help, Elphaba pushed herself to her feet and, swatting away the helpful hands extended to her and ignoring everyone's well-meant advice to stay down until the medics got here, she went over to her sister and hugged her tightly. "I'm fine, Nessie. Are you?"

Nessa nodded, unable to speak, and the two sisters held one another for a long time. Boq, who had reached Nessa a little earlier, looked on, also relieved.

Galinda, Fiyero saw now, was being held back by security guards, but there were tear streaks on her face and she looked absolutely frantic, even though Chistery was beside her and trying to calm her down. Fiyero called for the guards to let them through and Galinda ran onto the stage, instantly going for the Thropp sisters and throwing her arms around them both.

Dillamond, Oscar, and Chistery reached the stage as well, all of them appearing pale and shaken, and medics came streaming in. Elphaba told Oscar's guards about the light technician and they soon managed to catch the guy, who started shouting that Macy had made him do it. The both of them were taken away for questioning while Elphaba and Nessa were checked over by the medics. They were deemed fine, but Fiyero still couldn't help but worry.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked Elphaba, concern clouding his usually so bright blue eyes. She didn't quite look all right; her dress was torn and covered in dust, she was pale, and the pretty combs she'd been wearing in her long hair had fallen out, leaving the ebony tresses a tangled mess.

Part of her was annoyed by the question but, recognising he was genuinely worried about her, she reassuringly cupped his face and met his gaze. "I'm fine, Yero," she promised him, planting a kiss on his nose. "Really. Don't worry about me."

He nodded, the relief obvious in his face. "Okay."

She kissed him again, on the lips this time, and he took her hand when she pulled away again. He followed her over to the group of guards, who were taking Nessa's statement. Some of them turned to Elphaba when she approached and she told them what she'd seen, but also what she'd heard from Macy in the weeks before.

Things were a little crazy for the next hour or so as some people were questioned and others reassured and urged to leave the theatre. By the time Elphaba, Nessa, Galinda, Fiyero, Boq, Oscar, Chistery, and Dillamond could finally leave, it was quite late and the dark-haired witch was feeling exhausted now that the adrenaline had left her. After they filed into a couple of carriages that would take them back to the Emerald Palace, she laid her head against Fiyero's shoulder and drifted off within clock-ticks. She didn't wake up at all, not even once they'd reached their destination and Fiyero gently picked her up into his arms and carried her inside. The prince worried a little about that, but when he did try to wake her, she roused easily, which assured him that at least she didn't have a concussion.

"Yero?" she asked sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, smiling a little weakly at her. "Just checking you're okay."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm fine. I told you. Just tired. Doing magic takes a lot out of me," she reminded him. "Will you let me sleep now?"

"Only if you change out of that dress first," he said.

She looked down at herself and made a face. "Right."

They let her sleep in the next day, figuring she needed it, but Fiyero was still relieved when she eventually emerged, still in her nightwear, still looking drowsy and with her hair all tousled. When she sat down next to him, he silently pushed a full cup of coffee in her direction, earning himself a grateful smile.

Oscar came in not long thereafter, announcing he had news, and that seemed to wake her up – at least she sat up a little straighter.

"Well," he began, sitting down at the head of the table. "Macy and the light technician have been questioned. It was surprisingly easy to get everything out of them, really." He accepted the cup of coffee one of the maids poured him and took a sip. "The light guy turns out to be Macy's secret boyfriend," he continued to explain. "She wanted nothing more than to win the Miss Emerald competition and he wanted to help her do it. During the finale, the boyfriend would be up on the bridge above the stage to manipulate the lights there; and if Macy didn't win the competition, the boyfriend was supposed to drop one of the heavy lights onto the girl who did win from above."

Nessa gasped. Glinda shuddered. Elphaba actually felt a little nauseous. She couldn't believe anyone would go that far to win an Oz-forsaken beauty pageant.

"I feel like I seriously underestimated the lengths some girls would go to in order to be declared the most beautiful of all," she muttered. Some of the others nodded in agreement.

Oscar cleared his throat. "I feel like we should have listened to you," he said gravely to his daughter, "and taken your gut feeling more seriously."

She waved him away, however. "I wouldn't have taken it seriously, either, if I hadn't been the one feeling it," she said. "It was based on nothing."

"Still," Chistery chimed in. "It was right. Maybe it's linked to your visions and prophecy magical powers, or something."

"In any case, next time you feel that way, let us know and we'll listen," Oscar promised and she chuckled.

"Sure. I will."

"Did their plan have anything whatsoever to do with Madame Morrible or was that just a scary coincidence?" Glinda asked.

"The latter," replied Oscar. He looked a little sheepish. "We knew about Morrible. As I told you before, my security department figured that one out relatively easily and because we knew her plans and when best to strike, I suppose we let down our guard a little. No-one expects two attacks during the same event. Maybe we should have, though."

Chistery shrugged. "You couldn't have known."

"I agree," said Doctor Dillamond. "You did your best, as did Miss Elphaba, and it has all turned out all right, hasn't it?"

Oscar assured them that Macy and her boyfriend, as well as Madame Morrible, would be punished for what they'd done. He excused himself then, having some important things to attend to what with everything that had happened.

"Dad?" Elphaba called, going after him. "Before you go, we should say good-bye. We'll be leaving back for Shiz in an hour or so."

"Oh. Yes, of course." Oscar smiled a little wanly, taking in his daughter. Then he held out his arms and, much to his surprise, she actually stepped into them and embraced him.

"I still don't entirely agree with your methods," she said into his ear. "But I do understand that you did what you thought was best, that you were trying to help me, and I appreciate that. I'm not really used to people doing that for me, so thank you."

His smile was real now. "Oh, Elphaba." He hugged her a little tighter and then let go, holding her at a slight distance so he could take her in. He shook his head. "You've done wonderfully," he told her. "I'm very proud of you. I hope you know that. I told you, some time ago, that I'd always longed to be a father… but I'm especially glad to be yours."

She smirked a little. "That wasn't sappy at all," she teased him and he flushed a little, but didn't budge.

"Well, I mean it."

In a bout of sentimentality, she hugged him again. "Thanks, Dad. Despite everything that happened, I guess I'm glad you're my father, too."

His eyebrows rose. "You guess?"

She shrugged. "I don't have much to go on," she reminded him. "You're certainly doing better than Frex, but honestly, everyone could probably do better than Frex."

Oscar laughed and shook his head. "You're right about that, at least. Well… I hope we can grow a little closer from now on, Elphaba," he said, suddenly serious again. "I'd like to have a proper father-daughter relationship with you."

"I'd like that, too," she admitted and he smiled again.

"Have a safe trip," he said.

She kissed his cheek quickly, then turned and left.

Elphaba knew, of course, that most of Shiz University had probably seen the Miss Emerald finale and how wrong it had gone. She also knew, having heard so from Oscar, that there had been a second broadcast later the same night in which Reven and Cashel had assured the public that everyone was fine and explained what had happened, exactly, on a popular talk show. Nessa, as the winner, had been told that she would be contacted back at Shiz later that weekend, but on that night, it had been deemed safest for her to simply leave with everyone else and go home – at least until it was discovered what had happened.

They were prepared, therefore, to be swarmed by their fellow classmates demanding information on what had happened. What they had not been prepared for was the sight that greeted them once they exited the carriage.

The moment they arrived, it was like a buzz went through the student body. A hush fell over them all and they just stared for a little while. Then some of them ran off and the others started cheering and chanting their names.

"Miss Nessarose!" a first-year girl cried, running up to the girl in the wheelchair. "Would you sign my notebook?"

"And mine!" the girl's friend added excitedly.

Nessa was completely bewildered. "Um… sure," she said, quickly scribbling an autograph on the notebooks. The girls beamed and thanked her, but more were already on their way – and they were not just looking for Nessa's autograph, either. Elphaba's jaw quite literally dropped when one of them shyly asked for her autograph as well and even Glinda was handing hers out, looking radiant with happiness as she did so.

The students who had gone running earlier returned now, carrying banners saying Congratulotions Nessarose and, much to Elphaba's surprise and horror, Long Live Princess Elphaba. Most of the boys didn't seem to care much, although they happily cheered along. The girls, however, all seemed in various states of envy or admiration and they all wanted to chat to the girls. What had it been like on that stage? Was it scary being in front of cameras? Was Nessa happy to have won? How had Elphaba known her sister was in danger? Some of them even just came to tell Nessa they agreed that she was the deserved winner and to congratulate her, or to tell the green girl that she'd been 'awesome', saving Nessa's life like that.

In short, it was overwhelming to say the least and Elphaba was glad when she and Glinda reached their dorm room. Then, however, it felt weird again.

"It's over now," Glinda said miserably, sitting on the edge of her fluffy pink bed and kicking her legs back and forth. "Isn't that weird? Nessa won, you've turned into some kind of hero, and the day after tomorrow we'll be back doing homework and listening to professors in class."

By that time Elphaba was already sitting at her desk again, working on an assignment, and she glanced at her roommate over her glasses. "Hmm?" she asked distractedly.

Glinda rolled her eyes. "Or, if you're Elphie, you get back to doing homework right away," she muttered, heaving a sigh. "For Oz's sake, Elphaba."

Elphaba shrugged. "It's the best way to get back into my normal rhythm," she said, but Glinda just scowled at her.

"You're not supposed to get back into your normal rhythm right away! You're supposed to enjoy the aftermath of nearly –"

"Getting killed by a stage light?"

"Becoming Miss Emerald!" Glinda corrected her hotly.

Elphaba sighed, shaking her head. "Glin, I've never cared that much for it all," she said patiently. "You know that. It's been sort of fun, I guess. I'm proud of Nessa for winning and I'm happy for her. I like that Oscar and I might have a better relationship now than before because of this competition and I like the way it has brought us all closer, but now it's over and I'd like to get my old life back."

"You're not going to get your old life back," Glinda said knowingly. "You're known to the people now. They've seen their princess at her very best. You'll be swarmed by press for the rest of your life, Elphie."

Elphaba snorted. "Of course I will be."

'Swarmed' was a slight exaggeration, as it turned out; but there were indeed enough reporters wanting to talk to Elphaba about her participation in the competition, how she'd saved Nessa's life, and what her plans were as the future princess of Oz. They left the young witch completely flustered, since she had no idea what to answer to any of their questions. She didn't even know if she wanted to be a princess at all, let alone what she'd want to do if she did decide to become one.

When she wrote to Oscar about this, however, he reassured her that he would give her all the time she needed to make that decision and that he wouldn't blame her if she decided not to take up her role as princess of Oz. He also added, though, that she'd be able to do great things and make changes if she did choose to do it.

"It's not fair," she complained to Fiyero one night later that week as they were both sprawled on her bed, Elphaba with her head on Fiyero's stomach. "He's guilt-tripping me."

The prince was concentrating on making lots of tiny braids in Elphaba's long hair. "You shouldn't look at it that way, Fae. It's true, after all, what he says."

"It is," she admitted, staring up at the ceiling. "Do you think I could do it? Be the princess, I mean?"

He snorted. "What kind of question is that? Of course I think you could do it. I can't think of anyone who would be better for the job."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "What if… and I'm really only speculating here," she stressed. "No plans or anything in that direction. Not even the assumption that there might be plans in that direction at all. It's just… if I'm the princess, and you're the prince of the Vinkus, and suppose we may or may not want to… you know… get married, or something… one day…"

She didn't even have to look at Fiyero's face to know that he was grinning like an idiot and she hit him in the chest. "Don't do that."

"I wasn't doing anything!" he protested, but he was still grinning. "And to answer your question, it's perfectly possible," he assured her, continuing to run his fingers through her hair lazily, playing with the braids he'd made. "It'd be a politically savvy marriage, even, securing the position of the Vinkus in Oz. A lot of people would be quite happy with such a match." His grin widened. "Including me, albeit for different reasons."

She scowled at him, but he just looked back at her until she had to look away. She'd thought he was joking, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he had been serious.

"Maybe I could," she said again, slowly, actually considering the idea now. "Couldn't I?"

"You definitely could." Fiyero turned his head and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Just think about it. Oscar said you don't have to decide anytime soon. You know, finish school, see how your new-found fame works out. If you really hate it, you can still back out. I know how much you hate being the centre of attention and that's what you would be as the princess, after all."

"True." She was still thinking about it, though. She'd be able to actually change things in Oz. To make good. Wasn't that what she'd wanted for a long time already? "I'll give it some more thought, then."

He nodded. They were quiet for a while before he asked, "Where's Glinda, anyway?"

"Off to help Nessa give that interview," said Elphaba. Nessarose had been called upon by the Miss Emerald crew a few days ago and asked if she could be interviewed later; having been declared the winner but having had her moment in the spotlights ruined, they wanted to give her that moment now. She'd gone shopping with Glinda the day before for the occasion.

Fiyero smiled. "So everything's working out then, isn't it? You and Oscar, Nessa winning the competition… even Glinda is happy with her spot and all the attention she gets. The threats have been averted, the culprits caught – thanks to you – and everyone is healthy and happy and alive…"

She rolled her eyes at him, but he ignored her as he went on.

"…and you and I are together now, and we'll be together forever and get married and have pretty little princes and princesses…"

"One more word from you and you're not siring any princes or princesses with anyone, ever."

He wisely shut up, which made her chortle. She raised her head to kiss him and then snuggled back up against him.

Despite all the cheesiness, he was right. Everything had somehow worked out and although she was sure something would come up again sooner or later – after all, she wasn't a walking commotion for nothing – the events of the past few months had at the very least convinced her that whatever life would throw at her now, she could take it. Between Glinda, Nessa, Fiyero, Boq, Oscar, Chistery, and Dr Dillamond, she had a wonderful group of friends and family to support her – something she'd never had before, but that she didn't want to lose now that she had it.

Once upon a time, not even that long ago, she'd longed to meet the Wizard in order to be able to make a change in Oz, yes, and to help the Animals; but also to be recognised for her talents, rather than her faults, and to not be lonely anymore. That meeting obviously hadn't turned out the way she'd thought it would, but she marvelled at how, somehow, she'd still managed to achieve her goal. The Animals were saved, she could change Oz for the better, and she wasn't alone anymore.

"Half of Oz's favourite team," she whispered to herself, smiling a little at the way everything seemed to have come full-circle.

Fiyero turned his head to look at her. "Hmm?"

"Nothing." Her smile widened and she looked up at the ceiling, but her mind was far away, thinking up new laws and ways to make Oz prosper. "Just trying to imagine myself as a princess, is all. Maybe… maybe you're right. Maybe I really could do it."

And even if she couldn't, at least she could try. Her whole life was still in front of her. There were so many choices she could make, so many things she could do… it was overwhelming, but at the same time she knew she didn't have to decide anything right away. She had time. And maybe she could do even the things she never thought she'd be able to pull off. After all, in Elphaba's mind, running a country wasn't half as scary as running for the title of Miss Emerald. With so many wonderful people to help her, she decided, nothing was impossible.

I'm going on holiday (again) tomorrow for two weeks, so updates probably won't be regular. However, I have almost finished writing my next fic, To Protect and Serve, which is inspired by The Bodyguard, and I'll probably post the first chapter of that one later this week. I hope you'll all be reading again! Thank you once more and hopefully until soon! *waves*