The World As We Know It

by elphabaoftheopera

When their long-awaited night of passion results in an unplanned pregnancy, Elphaba and Fiyero must navigate the consequences of the new world they've created. Years later, when Liir has questions about his past that even his Auntie Glinda won't answer, a startling discovery sets him on a journey that alters everything he once knew. Canon-Divergent. AU. Fiyeraba (& Gliyeraba).

24. A Son At Sunset

Content Advisory: Labor/Delivery, Grief/Angst

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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: A SON AT SUNSET

"Elphaba, you'd tell me if you went into labor, right?"

Elphaba glanced up from her watch. She and Fiyero were in the dining room packing an assortment of supplies into a single rucksack.

"Of course, Fiyero," Elphaba chuckled airily. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I was wondering the same thing."

"Did you find the canteens?"

"Yes," Fiyero said, handing them to her.

Glinda had magicked the sack for them with her bottomless bag charm which Elphaba, begrudgingly, had not been able to master. The trouble with the charm was that while you could hold as much as you wanted, you still felt all the weight. That meant packing as light as possible. It also meant that Fiyero and Elphaba finally solved the mystery of how Glinda's purse arm got so toned.

"The Monkeys have grown so fond of it here, I hope they'll be able to stay. I know this castle goes back centuries under Tigelaar rule but honestly Yero, two family castles? I think your family could stand to give up one so the Monkeys can keep their home base," Elphaba rambled. "Of course I imagine there will be some new superstitions around the castle. People may not want to go near it anyway. Or the opposite will happen and it'll be a tourist attraction. People could get the chance to…" Elphaba exhaled. "To take a picture…" Elphaba exhaled. "Where the Witch melted."

"Elphaba, my love?" Fiyero asked, looking up from his first aid supplies. "You okay?"

"Mmhmm."

"Still not in labor?"

"As I was saying…I hope the Monkeys still get the run of the place."

"Why don't you sit down?" Fiyero offered. "You've been on your feet for hours."

"Where is Glinda anyway? Didn't she say she was going to come today?" Elphaba asked as she folded a tarp.

"I'm not sure," Fiyero said. "Why do you ask?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you asking when Glinda is coming?"

"No reason," Elphaba said. "Just miss her. Don't you?"

"Of course."

"That's all."

Elphaba pulled on the strings to close their rucksack.

"Do you think this is too heavy to carry?" Elphaba asked, grunting as she lifted the bottomless bag.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Fiyero said, darting over to snatch the sack from Elphaba's hands. "Are you crazy? You shouldn't be lifting anything heavy!"

"Well I need to test it! I'll be carrying it too."

"You are pregnant. Extremely pregnant!"

"But I won't be."

Fiyero was quiet for a moment.

"Right."

Elphaba gestured for him to lift it and checked her watch as he did.

"It's heavy, but not too heavy," Fiyero determined. "I think we can manage."

"Good," Elphaba nodded. "Look! Packed and ready to go ahead of schedule. Could you go store it beneath the trap door? The one I'm melting through?"

"Oh yeah, that one."

"And fill the bucket with water," Elphaba instructed. "I know the mobs aren't due yet but we might as well plan ahead."

"Sure."

Fiyero picked up the sack with a grunt and started that way. Elphaba checked her watch.

"Hmm," Elphaba frowned. "Yero?"

"Yeah?"

"Say we hypothetically needed to summon Glinda. How do you think we should do it? Is sending a Monkey too risky?"

Fiyero eyed her suspiciously. "…why?"

"No reason," Elphaba said lightly. Fiyero continued to stare. "Only that…"

"Only what?"

"I think I'm in labor."

Fiyero dropped the sack with a loud crash.

"Elphaba!"

"Actually I'm certain that I'm in labor," Elphaba clarified. "Early labor. Although that'll likely change soon according to this," Elphaba tapped her watch face with her fingernail.

"You said that they were mild!"

"They are!" Elphaba said defensively. "They're just decidedly…less mild than before. And getting less mild by the clock-tick."

"For how long?"

"I mean…I suppose the first pain woke me around four, four-thirty? And then there was the bloody show around five—"

"The what?"

"Oh calm down," Elphaba rolled her eyes. "That's just what it's called when you pass the mucus plug!"

"The…" Fiyero paled. "Sweet Oz, Elphaba. You've been in labor since four this morning?! That's like—that's like—"

Elphaba checked her watch.

"Eight hours."

"You've been up and about this whole time! Packing, lifting things," Fiyero scolded. "Oz above, Elphaba. You'll be the death of me."

"That very well may be true."

"Well I'm going to worry about the rucksack later. Okay? And the bucket. Those can wait for another day."

"Very well, Fiyero. But all I ask is that you do not panic."

From down the hall they heard the front door burst open followed by the sound of frantically clacking heels.

"Elphieeee! Fiyeroooooo!"

Glinda trotted past the dining room, did a double take, and circled back. She was in all of her Glinda the Good glory, ballgown and all.

"Sorry," Glinda puffed, straightening her tiara. "I came straight from work."

"Glinda, what's going on?" Elphaba asked.

"So—uh, there's been kind of a development," Glinda said. "About the witch mob thing."

"What kind of development?" Elphaba asked.

"Oh, just they—uh—they kind of…moved up their expedition."

"To when?"

"To…today."

"Today? Today today?" Fiyero choked. "I thought you said they weren't expected for at least two more weeks!"

"Yes, well, The Wizard realized that that would put the witch mob right during the summer carnival."

"Oh, of course," Elphaba said flatly.

"So they moved it up and…they're…on their way," Glinda concluded.

Fiyero slowly looked towards Elphaba.

"Can I panic now?"

"No, no, no! No need to panic!" Glinda said, panicking. "All we need to do is find a safe spot to hide Elphaba until baby comes and then we can…you know. Stage something else!"

"Oh is that all?" Elphaba said.

"Fiyero you wouldn't happen to have another castle up your sleeve, would you?" Glinda asked hopefully.

"No…just the two."

"Drat. Okay, well let's put our heads together. They're coming here on foot for press tour reasons so that should buy us several hours. But still, we need to get a move on."

"Glinda, Elphaba can't leave right now," Fiyero said.

"I know it's not ideal, Elphie, given how far along you are. But we've got hours to plan!"

"No, Glinda. Elphaba can't leave right now," Fiyero repeated. "She's in labor."

Glinda gasped, her head snapping towards Elphaba.

"Oh, Elphie. Is that true?"

"Only a little bit!" Elphaba said, defensively crossing her arms.

"Oh!" Glinda yelped. "Oh. Oh…oh."

"Oh, indeed."

"Oh, Elphie!"Glinda gasped, running to grasp Elphaba's hands. "It's coming! The baby's coming!"

"And how…" Elphaba muttered as her muscles contracted into a dull cramp.

"But they're coming too!" Fiyero gestured towards the outside world. "I-I need to fill the bucket and store the rucksack!"

"I need to prepare the birthing suite!" Glinda shrieked.

Fiyero and Glinda stepped towards the door but stopped to stare pointedly at each other.

"You need to stay with Elphaba," Glinda insisted.

"No, you need to stay with Elphaba!"

"You're the father!"

"You're the midwife!"

"Elphaba is fine! Look she's talking and breathing and standing all during a contraction," Elphaba gestured to herself. "The baby is on the way and the mob is on the way. So be it. It's not as big of a window as we hoped for but I suppose we'll just have to manage."

Glinda and Fiyero gawked over her calm tone. Elphaba checked her watch as the contraction eased.

"There. See? Fiyero, go prepare the tower. Glinda, go prepare the birthing suite. I am going to prepare myself a mug of tea. Any questions?"

Fiyero and Glinda shook their heads.

"Good. Now go on—and for Ozsakes, breathe."

They obeyed and went off to do their tasks. Elphaba took a deep breath and fixed her mug of tea as she said. All she needed to do was focus. Focus on her tasks, her plan. If she could do that, focus on the physical…she'd worry about the rest later.

Elphaba found Glinda in the bedroom, setting up supplies and sheets.

"I figured you'd be most comfortable here," Glinda explained. "Besides it's not like…"

Glinda trailed off but Elphaba understood. It's not like they'd be sleeping in there after today.

"I know," Elphaba said with a solemn nod.

"I ought to check your dilation—"

There was a sudden gushing sound like that of water splashing on stone. Elphaba, for a fleeting instant, wondered if Fiyero had brought the bucket to the wrong room until she looked down to see a small puddle between her feet.

"Glinda?" Elphaba called, her hand moving to clutch her stomach.

"Oh! It's okay, Elphie. It's your waters."

"What do I—"

"It's normal, perfectly normal! Let's just get you cleaned up and changed, hm?"

Glinda attended to the floor as Elphaba changed into a birthing gown Glinda had given her. It was cream white and lightweight without sleeves, a good thing considering the hot summer day. Along with her waters, Elphaba's smugness over how gracefully she was managing labor began to trickle away from her. It hadn't fully hit until then that this was really happening, that today was the day.

The day of all days.

Her next contraction only amplified the wake-up call. While still manageable, it crept up the pain scale a measurable bit. Glinda took Elphaba's wrist and monitored her watch until Elphaba's body finally eased.

"They're getting longer," Glinda observed. She rubbed Elphaba's arms up and down with her hands. "Keep it up, mama."

The next few contractions were the same if not incrementally worse. Elphaba, ever the hero, kept trying to prove to Glinda how well she could still talk through them.

"It's just uncomfortable really. Uncomfortable, sure. I'm not sure I would call it pai-hain—" Elphaba winced, "—ful. Plus I have a high—"

"Tolerance for pain?" Glinda nodded. "Yes, dear. You said that during the last two contractions."

"Well it's true."

Elphaba doubled over then, gripping the edge of the bed with both hands and letting her head hang down.

"Elphie?"

Elphaba held out a finger to Glinda, begging her patience.

"Just a—it's not—" she struggled to talk.

"What do you need?" Glinda asked. "What do you need, honey? Whatever you want today you get."

"Fiyero," Elphaba whimpered. "I want Fiyero."

Glinda instantly trotted from the room to find him, but she only needed to take a single step into the hall to spot Fiyero already jogging their way.

"Hey," Fiyero panted, as soon as he burst into the room. "Hey, how is she?"

"She's asking for you."

Elphaba sighed in relief at the sound of his voice but still couldn't speak. Between the heat and her ongoing effort not to cry out, beads of sweat had begun collecting upon her brow.

"Fiyero…" she called weakly when she was able, heaving in effort of the previous pain.

"Hey, I'm here," Fiyero said, rushing to Elphaba's side. "I'm here, Fae."

"You're moving right along, Elphie," Glinda commented. "It's like he knows we're double booked today."

"Yes, maybe…"

Elphaba held out her hand and Fiyero helped her stand upright. They looked over to see Glinda untying the apron she'd fastened over her ballgown.

"Where are you going?" Fiyero asked.

"I'm going to go check on the status of our little situation. I think if I get into my bubble I should be able to see where they're at."

"Wait—" Fiyero began.

"Ask Chistery too," Elphaba nodded, approving of Glinda's plan. "He should be able to scout things out."

"But you can't leave!" Fiyero said with a touch of panic. "What if the baby comes?"

"We have time. Just send a Monkey if she becomes fully effaced," Glinda said, forming a circle with her hands to illustrate.

"How do I know if she is?! What do I need to do?!"

"Fiyero," Glinda said calmly, putting her hand on his arm. "All you need to do is hold her hand."

Fiyero nodded and he and Elphaba watched her go.

"Double duty," Elphaba commented. "You have to respect a working woman."

"I'd better do as she says."

Fiyero offered his hand to Elphaba who softened and placed hers in his. Fiyero brought her hand to his lips and pressed a grateful kiss to it.

"How are you feeling? Really?" he asked intimately.

Elphaba was quiet for a moment.

"Is the tower ready?"

"It is," Fiyero said. "Are you?"

"I have to be. Don't I?"

Her hand curled to crush his fingers as her body contracted into a vicious cramp.

"Can you talk?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba shook her head, holding her breath.

"Hey," Fiyero said. "Look at me. Right at me."

Elphaba looked up, lips pinched together.

"Good, Fae. Now breathe," Fiyero guided. "Breathe with me."

He breathed deeply, encouraging her to inhale with him. Elphaba finally ceased holding her breath and let loose a rattling gasp.

"That's it. Again."

Elphaba managed a slightly steadier inhale and wheezed out with Fiyero's guidance.

"Great, love. Again."

It took until the third one for Elphaba to feel her lungs truly fill. They kept at it until they were breathing in sync with each other, broken up only by gentle words of praise from Fiyero. Elphaba's muscles relaxed as the contraction subsided and she shook her head.

"I'm feeling a little silly now," she confessed. "All of those keep breathing jokes I made. Joke's on me, I suppose."

Fiyero pressed a kiss to her forehead and Elphaba chuckled in complaint.

"Don't, I'm all sweaty."

"You're beautiful," Fiyero said, threading his fingers through her damp hair to push it off her face. "And sweaty."

Elphaba smiled weakly.

"Do you want to sit? Lie down?" Fiyero offered.

"No…it helps to stand," Elphaba mumbled. "But I'm not feeling very steady."

Fiyero thought for a moment.

"I can help with that," he decided. He guided her by the hand to the center of their bedroom floor. "Let's dance."

"What?" Elphaba chuckled in confusion.

"Dance with me. Here. Lean on me just like this…"

Fiyero took her hands and placed them on his shoulders so that she may wrap them around his neck. He then guided her head to forward against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"And then we'll just…sway."

Fiyero began guiding Elphaba in a lulling back and forth motion. After a moment he felt Elphaba melt fully into him, trusting in his sturdy support.

"That's it, Fae. I've got you," Fiyero murmured against her hair. "I'll hold you steady."

Elphaba, soothed by Fiyero's rhythmic swaying and the pumping of his heart against her ear, found their dance preferable to any of her previous laboring positions. Whenever her contractions came she'd cling tightly to him as he rubbed comforting circles into her back, softly talking her through it. Still, Fiyero could feel the tension in her body and the feeble whines she was restricting from becoming full-bodied outbursts.

"I know what you're doing. Stop that," he murmured, stroking her hair with one hand. "Let it out, sweet Elphaba. It's okay."

Elphaba resisted for a final moment before expelling a strangled, sustained cry against Fiyero's chest.

"There you go, there you go," Fiyero encouraged. "It's okay."

When the worst of it wound down, Elphaba groaned in tired complaint.

"It's so hot…" Elphaba panted. Fiyero used the brief window between her pains to pat a dampened cloth over her sweaty forehead and neck."I feel like I'm melting…"

"No love," Fiyero said, setting the cloth aside. "That's later."

Elphaba laughed feebly over Fiyero's dark joke.

"Only you could make me laugh in a time like this," Elphaba said. "But any distraction is most welcome."

"It's a shame I can't perform my usual means of distraction," Fiyero flirted, leaning forward to kiss her temple.

"Mmm…such usual means are what landed us here in the first place," Elphaba jested.

"I don't see it like that."

Fiyero cupped her face in his hands and tilted her gaze up to his.

"We're here because I'd spent years loving you without getting to tell you. Because I couldn't wait another moment to show you how I felt about you."

"Nor could I…" Elphaba breathed. "For all my visions I just couldn't see this far ahead. That night…all I could see was you."

Another pain swelled and Elphaba's hands clumsily gripped Fiyero's shirt.

"Hold onto me," he instructed, bringing her head back to his chest as her arms linked round his neck. "Hold onto me."

She did, and he did too. Tightly. Too tight, and yet still somehow not tight enough. Like their first night Elphaba's wave of discomfort passed, Fiyero's hold did not loosen. He held her strongly against him, a question burning in his chest.

"Do you regret it, Fae?" Fiyero asked softly. "That night we shared?"

Elphaba closed her eyes and considered his question at length. How had a single encounter of frenzied passion come to all of this? Still, even considering the past, present, and future pain to come, her gut gave her the answer.

"No, Yero," Elphaba whispered. "I don't. Even now…I wouldn't trade it for anything."

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The tragedy of their current situation could not be questioned, but as Fiyero held his Elphaba in his arms, for the life of him he couldn't bring himself to feel unfortunate. He felt lucky. Lucky to have her. Fortunate to hold her. Privileged to love her. Overwhelmed by the moment, Fiyero's next words slipped straight from his heart to his lips.

Perhaps before consulting with his brain.

"I want to marry you."

Elphaba jerked her head back to give Fiyero a crazed look.

"Are you asking?"

"Yes," Fiyero decided. "I'm asking. Marry me, Elphaba."

"I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment."

"When we get to where we're going," Fiyero clarified. "Or just before. Or on the way there. I don't care when, just say you will."

"You've picked a choice time to propose, Fiyero."

"What do you say?"

"I say…" Elphaba trailed off. "No."

Fiyero's eyebrows shot up. "Oh."

"Not no—I mean, yes I do mean no. Oh…" Elphaba shook her head fretfully. "Oh, I love you Fiyero, and I'm honored to be asked. But I'm not in a place where I can think about that right now so…so I say no."

"Well I can't say that's the answer I hoped for…"

"I'm so sorry, Yero," Elphaba sighed. "Please don't be mad."

"Mad? How could I be mad?" Fiyero chuckled. "You're having my baby and then we're running away together. That's plenty for one day."

"Maybe so."

Fiyero pressed a single kiss to Elphaba's lips.

"But answer me this…when we get to where we're going…" Fiyero said, looking straight into Elphaba's eyes. "May I ask you again?"

Elphaba felt her stomach flutter over his sincerity, a welcome change from her pains.

"As many times as you'd like."

Elphaba's active labor continued to strengthen as the afternoon crept towards early evening. While things of course spiked during her contractions, dull cramps kept her uncomfortable between them as well. She could tell the child, cramped in her womb, was anxious to come low, sustained groans were slowly becoming punctuated with sharper cries and yells.

"Where the hell is Glinda?" Fiyero mumbled, Elphaba's agonized cries muffled against his chest.

He tried to remain outwardly calm for Elphaba's sake but was scared senseless inside. He couldn't help but envision what would happen if the stars didn't align. If they were sieged before his son could be born. He silently pictured the worst, pictured what he'd have to do to protect the baby, to protect Elphaba. They had made it nine months. They'd kept their baby secret and safe. It couldn't come crashing down in the eleventh hour.

"What if I can't do it?" Elphaba heaved, her usual headstrong behavior having cracked and eroded over time. "What if I'm not strong enough?"

"You're strong enough," Fiyero said. "Your body knows how to do this."

Elphaba was quiet a moment.

"That's not what I meant."

The door flung open to admit a harried Glinda.

"Glinda! Where were you?" Fiyero said, still hanging on to Elphaba.

"I am sooooo sorry," Glinda panted. She grabbed her nurse's apron and began tying it over her ballgown once more. "The crowd spotted my bubble and I was forced to stop and give a few speeches. Express my gratitution and all that."

"For what?" Elphaba asked.

"For killing you."

"Ah, right."

Glinda removed her tiara, the side combs leaving frizzy wisps behind as they pulled through her blonde corkscrews.

"How has she been?" Glinda asked Fiyero, uncaringly tying her hair into a disheveled bun atop her head.

"They're getting a lot worse, Glinda," Fiyero said, rubbing Elphaba's back. "How are things out there?"

"They're breaking for an evening picnic. We have time. Not oodles of time, but time," Glinda said. She turned to Elphaba with an encouraging smile. "Alright Elphie mama, let's get you up on this bed so I can take a look."

Fiyero helped Elphaba up onto the bed with Glinda stationed at the foot of it.

"There goes any shred of dignity I had left," Elphaba complained as Glinda examined her progress.

"Oh Elphie, shush. It's just us girls."

Fiyero rolled his eyes over Glinda's repeated joke. A contraction hit and Elphaba's arm blindly flailed for Fiyero's hand. He moved to sit beside her, taking her hand as she groaned through it.

"Yep. Yep. That's a big one. We're definitely having a baby here," Glinda nodded. "We'll be pushing before long."

"Really?" Fiyero asked.

"Really."

Elphaba, spent and sweaty, collapsed her head against the pillow.

"What if he's green? What if he's green?" she mumbled dizzily. "The plan is ruined if he's green…"

"Fae, it's okay. Just focus."

Delirious from the heat and fatigue, Elphaba closed her eyes and shook her head back and forth against the pillow.

"I should have been chewing milkflowers…" Elphaba whined. "I should have chewed milkflowers."

Glinda looked up seriously.

"Elphaba Thropp you bite your tongue."

"What? What is she talking about?"Fiyero frowned.

"Oh, my poor mother…" Elphaba moaned. "My poor mother! Mama, I'm so sorry."

Glinda scurried to sit at Elphaba's other side.

"What is this about milkflowers?" Fiyero asked Glinda concernedly.

"I should have taken them! I should have taken them…"

"No, Elphie," Glinda shook her head, stroking Elphaba's cheek. "Those made Nessa come too soon. You don't need those."

Fiyero's face changed, disturbed as he understood.

"But Nessa wasn't green. What if they worked?" Elphaba whined. "Oh, Mama died in agony because of me. It was my fault and if the baby's green it'll be all my fault again!"

"Now, Elphie. Remember what I told you before?" Glinda asked. "That was the milkflower's fault. Not yours. Not yours."

"I'd rather die myself than have him be green because then he doesn't stand a chance. If he's green he'll die no matter what."

"Neither of you are dying," Fiyero said fiercely.

"Fiyero's right. The baby's tough and so are you."

Elphaba didn't say anything else. Fiyero grasped her hand tightly and kissed her temple as Glinda began searching for the baby's heartbeat with her coils sprung from Glinda's bun as her hair grew frizzier and frizzier in the heat. Her face was flushed and shiny, her makeup slightly smearing at the edges. But her voice stayed steady. Positive. Confident. Fiyero was so grateful for that, for her, to put on a brave face for Elphaba despite her nerves over being the closest thing they had to an expert in the room.

"Ah! See? What did I tell you? Loud and clear," Glinda smiled reassuringly as she detected the heartbeat. "He's ready, Elphie, and so are you. Let's get pushing."

At Glinda's declaration, Elphaba's face betrayed an uncommon expression for her. Fear. Glinda caught sight of it and swiftly reached for Elphaba's hand.

"Now listen here, Elphie. I want you to scream. I want you to cry. I want you to blow the roof of this place like only you can," Glinda said. "Fiyero and I are here. We're both here and we both love you. You've got this. Okay?"

Elphaba nodded weakly. "Okay."

Glinda kissed Elphaba's hand before returning to her supplies. Elphaba looked towards Fiyero.

"Yero?" she called softly. "Would you hold me?"

"Always."

Fiyero rolled up his sleeves and helped Elphaba sit upright so he could sit behind her against the headboard. Situating a leg on either side of her, he braced her back against his chest.

"How's that?" Fiyero murmured, securing his arms around her.

"Much better…"

Elphaba breathed easier, slightly easier anyway, to have Fiyero so near.

"Alright let's get those knees spread nice and high. This is no time for modesty," Glinda instructed, helping to position Elphaba's legs to bend at the knees. "Oh marvelous, Elphie. You're glowing. You're a miracle."

"I feel like I'm dying."

"That's the spirit," Glinda said. She blew a strand of hair out of her face before examining Elphaba's progress."Sweet Oz…" she said with a rare wobble of composure.

"Is everything okay?" Fiyero asked worriedly.

"Everything's fine, Fiyero. Just be thankful you don't have a cervix," Glinda shook her head, pulling on some sterile gloves with a snap. "Okay Elphie on the next one I need you to push hard and yell."

Elphaba thought the contractions were bad, but pushing was worse.

She'd read about the agony of childbirth, she'd heard accounts of it, but nothing could have prepared her for experiencing it herself. She must have been yelling, she was probably crying, but every time she pushed she heard only a ringing in her ears and some foggy snippets of Fiyero and Glinda's encouragement.

"That's it, Fae. That's it, that's it, that's it," Fiyero chanted in her ear.

Between contractions Elphaba's head would limply fall backwards onto Fiyero's shoulder and he'd kiss the side of her head as she panted for dear life. Stars burst at the corners of her blurred vision when she was able to open her eyes at all.

"I don't like this," Elphaba whined in a child-like tone. "I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this."

"You're doing sooo good, Elphie," Glinda said. "Again, again."

And somehow she did. Again, again, again. Round after taxing round Elphaba continued her work, bringing her son closer and closer to his birth.

"Oh! Oh! I think I feel his head," Glinda yelped, pulling back her shaking hand. There was blood on her sterile gloves and her poise seemed flimsier both with the wonder and the horror of it all. "Yes, yes, I can see it."

"You can?"

"Yes, Elphie. Oh! Oh, the head is born," Glinda announced.

"You're brilliant, Fae. Absolutely brilliant," Fiyero said.

"He's so close, Elphie. He's so, so close," Glinda sniffed, shaking her head to ward off premature tears. "Just one last big push oughta do it, mama. One last one."

Elphaba braced herself, smeared tears and sweat staining her face, and waited for the next contraction to hit. When it did she let loose a hysterical howl, squeezed her eyes shut, and pushed, pushed, pushed with every last shred of energy she possessed. Then she felt a pressure, a surge, and it was through.

Elphaba's body collapsed bonelessly against Fiyero and his arms wrapped around her from behind. She could feel his chest shaking against her back as he half-laughed half-sobbed against the side of her head. But Elphaba could not hear Fiyero's awed outburst, nor could she hear Glinda's announcement that the child she'd newly delivered was indeed a boy.

She could only hear her son. His piercing, hiccupping, musical cries. She heard him use his first independent breaths to call and shout to the world as if to say I'm here. I'm here, I'm here, I'm here.

"Oh, he's perfect," Glinda sobbed freely as she cleaned her godson with a towel. "He's here and he's perfect. Just perfect!"

"Is he…" Elphaba feebly managed, unsuccessfully attempting to sit forward to see him. "Is he gr…"

Elphaba trailed off as Glinda lifted the child up so that his parents may properly see him for the first time.

"Oh," Fiyero choked. "Oh, Fae. He's beautiful…"

Their son had a full head of inky black hair like Elphaba's and, though he still bore the purplish hue of new birth, his skin very clearly shared Fiyero's gorgeous coloring. Then his eyes opened and Elphaba and Fiyero's son looked upon the world, and his parents, for the very first time.

Elphaba's mouth fell open and she let out a shaky gasp as her baby's eyes seemed almost to meet hers. The instant that they did something shifted inside her and she swore she could feel it as her son carved his place upon her heart. The action of it hurt, just as bringing him into the world had hurt, and Elphaba could do no more than lay helplessly as the little boy before her scarred himself to her soul.

Elphaba ripped her gaze from his and looked down upon her shaking wrist to clock the exact timestamp of their meeting. The moment that her entire world had ended. The moment that her entire world began.

She knew that she was changed, she knew that she was different…

And she knew what she had to do.

"Fiyero? Shall you do the honors?" Glinda asked.

Fiyero gingerly eased Elphaba back against the pillows and she set her vision squarely upon the canopy above her joined Glinda at the foot of the bed and, with her instruction, cut the umbilical cord with trembling hands.

"You're a daddy," Glinda congratulated him.

"Can…can I…" Fiyero held out his arms weakly.

Glinda wrapped the towel around the baby and placed him into his father's waiting arms.

"Oh…" Fiyero uttered hoarsely. "Hi son. Hi kid. I'm your dad."

The baby had stopped crying and looked up at his father with wide, curious eyes.

Fiyero looked up at Glinda. "And—and he's—"

"A healthy, perfect, lovely little boy," Glinda confirmed.

Fiyero looked over at Elphaba who was still staring upwards at the canopy.

"Fae," Fiyero called. "Fae, look at him. You did it. He's perfect."

Elphaba didn't answer or went to the side of her bed.

"Alright mama, let's sit you up so you can hold him—"

"No."

All of the air sucked out of the room, and with it, Fiyero and Glinda's giddiness over the miracle. The hairs on the back of their necks stood and they exchanged a troubled look.

"Why—" Glinda spoke up in a small voice. "Why not, Elphie? Don't you want to hold your boy?"

"No."

There was a screech at the window which made Fiyero jump. Chistery was perched on the sill. Glinda went pale.

"Why is Chistery here?" Fiyero asked.

"He's our warning," Glinda squeaked. "They'll be getting close now."

Fiyero rushed to the window which they'd opened for air. A late summer sunset painted the sky a brilliant reddish-pink.

"Hold them off," Fiyero begged. "Please, Chistery. For as long as you can."

Chistery nodded and flew off, rallying the other Monkeys with a great screech which they echoed back to him in a chorus.

"Elphie, we don't have much time left," Glinda said in desperation. "He wants his mother. It's now or…or it's never."

Elphaba twisted her head away and squeezed her eyes as tightly as they could go.

"No," she repeated through her teeth, her fingers clawing and fisting at the bed sheets.

"Elphie—"

"No."

Fiyero strode over to them and gingerly placed the baby in Glinda's arms before kneeling at Elphaba's bedside.

"Fae, please hold him," Fiyero said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "Please, my love."

"No."

"Elphaba—"

"I SAID NO!" Elphaba screamed, flinging her eyes open to shoot Glinda and Fiyero a wild look. She wrenched her hand from Fiyero's grasp. "NO!"

Fiyero stood and stumbled back, alarmed over Elphaba's fierce response. Elphaba turned her head away from them both, away from them all, and stared at the opposite wall.

"Take him, Glinda," Elphaba hissed, unable to look her direction. "Take him away."

"But Elphie, if I go then it's goodbye," Glinda near whispered. "Goodbye, goodbye."

"Go."

"Fae—"

"I said take him away!" Elphaba shouted hoarsely.

The baby started to cry. Glinda started to cry. Stunned and shaky, she tightened the towel around the baby and looked towards Fiyero.

"Go," Fiyero urged weakly. "They'll be here any time. Don't let them see you. Keep—" his voice hitched. "Keep him safe."

"I will," Glinda nodded. She slowly turned her face towards Elphaba. "Elphie?"

Elphaba said nothing.

"Elphie girl?" Glinda tried one more time.

Nothing.

Glinda's lower lip trembled but she nodded.

"Okay. Okay, then. Goodbye, Elphie…" Glinda wept. "I love you."

Elphaba closed her eyes.

Glinda took two steps back, whimpered once, and then fled with the baby. Fiyero, paralyzed, stared after her. He looked at Elphaba who had begun passively watching her watch. She was still as could be. As if she'd turned to stone.

The castle was nearly under siege. Glinda was gone. His son was gone. Elphaba was…

Fiyero shook his head. He didn't know what to do. He had never felt more uncertain in all his life.

More afraid.

A thought leapt to his mind and, in an impulsive burst, Fiyero sprinted out of the room and down the hall. He ran until he, thankfully, found Glinda on the western balcony preparing to depart.

"Wait, Glinda! Wait," Fiyero pleaded.

"Fiyero?"

"Liir," Fiyero blurted out.

"What?"

"His name. Name him Liir. That way…" Fiyero's chest heaved with a dry sob. "That way he won't be afraid."

Glinda didn't understand Fiyero's reasoning but didn't have time to question him on it. She simply nodded with a little sob and strengthened her hold on the hold on Liir.

"Liir. His name is Liir," Glinda echoed, assuring Fiyero. "It's perfect, Fiyero. A perfect name for a perfect boy."

Fiyero stepped forward and pressed a parting kiss to Liir's head.

"I love you, Liir. My son. My boy. I always will."

"We will all see each other again, won't we, Fiyero?" Glinda asked hopefully. "Someday?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "But I hope so."

Fiyero pressed a long kiss to the corner of Glinda's mouth and then her cheek.

"Take care of him."

"I will. Take…" Glinda sniffled. "Oh, Fiyero. Take care of her."

"I will."

Fiyero took several steps back, Glinda took a deep breath, and then she vanished behind a puff of smoke and bubbles. When the vapor lifted she was gone. Just…gone.

They both were.

Fiyero, numbed, moved at a dejected pace back to his and Elphaba's room. When he got back he stopped short in the doorway.

"Elphaba? What are you…"

Elphaba was standing out of bed, her cream nightgown stained and clotted with the gore of childbirth. She was barefoot, her hair was matted with dried sweat, and her body quaked with head-to-toe tremors.

"You shouldn't be up—"

"I changed my mind," Elphaba said in a small voice.

Fiyero sobered. "What?"

"I'd like to hold him now."

Fiyero was speechless.

"Fae he's…he's…"

"Please Yero?" she pleaded. "Let me hold him. Let me hold my baby."

"Elphaba, he's already—"

"No," Elphaba shook her head. "He can't be. Because…because I haven't gotten to hold him yet."

Fiyero couldn't speak.

"I haven't gotten to hold him!"

He feebly held out his arms to reach for her.

"Come here…come here…"

"No!" Elphaba shouted wildly, stepping back and away from Fiyero.

She looked at her hands and shook her head as if she wasn't sure what to do with her empty arms.

"No…no bring him back," she muttered. "Bring him back this instant. We can still figure something out! We can—we can…"

"I can't…"

"Bring him back."

"I can't, Fae…"

"Bring him back, Fiyero! You bring him back to me!"

"I can't! I can't, my love. He's gone!" Fiyero choked out a rough sob. "He's…he's gone."

Elphaba went very still, dangling by a single thread as the denial slowly drained from her body. Fiyero, helpless with dread, watched as the horror of their cruel reality finally, finally dawned on Elphaba's features.

"Elphaba?"

With a feral, despairing cry Elphaba's thread snapped and she crumpled to her hands and knees upon the hard stone floor in a fit of screaming sobs. Fiyero rushed to kneel in front of her and frantically collected her into his arms. She struggled wildly against him, arms reaching, swiping, clawing past Fiyero's shoulders as she screamed, she screamed, she screamed, she screamed.

"No!" Elphaba cried. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

A thick crack began splintering up the center of the largest window in their room, zigzagging crookedly as it split the glass.

"It's okay, Elphaba. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay," Fiyero lied in desperation. "Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay."

The window burst into a thousand tiny shards of glass and Fiyero shielded Elphaba's face against his chest as bits of glass rained down upon them.

"My baby!" Elphaba wailed against Fiyero. "My boy! Oh, what have I done?! What have I done?! My baby! My baby, my baby, my baby!"

Fiyero held her, rocked her, comforted her best he could, but Elphaba was inconsolable. Of course she was. Her howling cries continued until the last sun, the last light, the last color she and Fiyero would ever see in Oz sunk below the western sky.

The Witch would go on to make her date with destiny in the tower.

She played and dressed her part well. She just barely managed to fit into her old dress. She donned her old hat. Her broom burned, she was struck with water, and The Witch melted.

Oz would later remark how very haunted The Witch seemed, how sickly, how shaky, as if her wickedness had been rotting her from the inside out long before the heroes arrived. Oz would also go on to tell stories about The Witch's cries as she melted, lauding them as the most awful, the most piercing, the most unbearable screams anyone had ever heard.

But Fiyero knew better.

As he listened from below, prepared to assist Elphaba once she made it through the trapdoor, he knew that there was no comparison. The Witch's melting wail, nor any other worldly noise, would ever compare to the anguish of Elphaba's screams as she mourned her wasted chance to hold her son.