"Are you sure you're ready? It's okay if you want to stay in here while I-"

"Fiyero!" Elphaba cut him off with an exasperated sigh and a smile. "Stop worrying. I am not made of glass, and if I am, I'm like Quadling glass. Strong, hard to break. Your family will have to know at some point, your poor brother is practically ready to burst with excitement!"

He nodded and ran his hand through his hair with a long exhale of breath. "You're right... besides, it's only dinner. And we're not due to tell them until later anyway."

"Exactly. And you heard what Ziva said yesterday. Everything is going as it should be." She was still on the small side for five months pregnant, but their doctor was confident that that would change soon. "Now let's go! I'm hungry!"

He laughed then, and he kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled. She knew if Fiyero had his way, he would keep himself hidden away with her and the little family they made, safe where nobody, not even his own family and their well-meaning intentions could get to them.

"I have a surprise for you later."

The piqued her interest as he left the room with a grin. "Yero, wait!" she huffed and followed him. "What?"

"You'll just have to wait."

"Fiyero! Just tell me!" she pouted.

He laughed and threaded his fingers with hers as they descended the stairs. "No. You'll have to wait." He repeated.

"I don't want to."

"It's not yet time." he kisses her and tapped her nose, laughing when she snapped her teeth at him. "Save the biting for later."

She opened her mouth to respond and was interrupted by the dining room door opening.

"I thought I heard the two lovebirds!" Ambram grinned, hugging Elphaba. "Oz, I missed you."

She laughed and hugged back, more than used to him by now. "You only saw us yesterday."

"Yes, but- ouch!" he pouted, rubbing his head and scowling at his brother.

"We're telling them today," Elphaba explained. "He's a bit stressed."

"He's stressed? You're the one who has to go through everything."

She laughed again and shrugged. "And he's already freaking out. We'll be alright."

"How are you not?" Fiyero raised an eyebrow at her.

"Because me and freaking out don't mix very well, Yero. Magic explosions tend to happen when I get too emotional, and I prefer this place still standing in four months time."

He chose not to say anything else and the three of them walked into the dining room, taking their seats just as the cook signalled that dinner was on the way.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Elphaba. I hope we didn't worry you too much the last time we met."

Elphaba looked up as Florentina spoke and she shook her head with a smile. "No... I don't deal very well with new people in general or crowds. It's a habit I'm trying to break."

The older woman nodded in understanding. "Yes, Yero did explain a little bit."

"I will get used to it, I just need some time. But I will get there." she glanced at Fiyero who gently squeezed her hand.

"Of course you will. Quadling glass." he reminded her with a smile, waving his hand slightly at the confused looks on his parents' faces.

"Miss Efala? Why are you green? Are you a dragon?"

Elphaba smirked at the young six-year-old. "Only at the end of the month."

Ambram snorted and covered a laugh with a cough, Fiyero blinked in confusion.

Iona giggled at the green woman's imitation of a dragon.

Ambram then leaned in to whisper in his brother's ear; "Brother, she's referring to the wrong side of the month for a woman. I'm guessing hers were the last week of the month when she..."

Fiyero then turned red and remained silent, his brother laughed at him.

Fiyero's parents watched Elphaba interact with their youngest with a smile, noting that she came alive when around children and the spark was still there when conversations turned to topics that interested her.

Elphaba looked up, giving them both a small smile before turning her attention back to Iona, who was in the middle of telling her a story she absolutely must hear. It was nothing but the ramblings of a child with several loose threads to the tale and innumerable random tangents, but she listened anyway. It was easy to love the child, just merely being in her presence.

"Where are the others?" Fiyero asked.

"Arethousia and Cherilyn are down with the flu, we didn't want to risk anyone else catching it so they've stayed home," Irjii told his son.

"Riya has a date this afternoon," Ambram answered.

"A date? Who with?"

"Tosinn."

Fiyero laughed at that. "So she ditches the arrangement with Manek for his cousin?!"

Ambram nodded. "Which shouldn't surprise you at all, she'd sooner have Manek's head on a spike than share his bed."

"Bamble? What does that mean?"

He looked at his little sister, grinning at Elphaba's smirk. "It means that Riya doesn't like him very much."

"Why not?"

"Because he's not very nice to her. Or anyone for that matter."

That seemed to settle the child and she turned her attention back to Elphaba.

Dinner was served and the conversation turned to Elphaba.

"Do you think you'll go back to school to finish your degree?" Irjii asked.

Elphaba paused for a moment, thinking about the question. "No." she answered finally as she swallowed the bite she had taken. "No, I don't think I will. I can't go back to Shiz after everything that happened."

He nodded.

"If you could, would you like to?" Fiyero's mother asked.

"Yes, very much so." she nodded without hesitation. "Shiz was everything to me. The one thing I regret about the last four years is the fact I threw away my chance at an education for a cause that I ended up failing at. It took me away from the people that I love."

Fiyero held her hand. "You're back now." It took everything he had not to caress her small bump.

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I am." A small giggle left her when he kissed her.

Irjii smiled at his wife, watching the two of them. His son finally looked happy, relaxed, settled.

"I'm sure those two secretly eloped and just haven't told me." Ambram's comment brought a laugh from everyone.

"Oz, don't give him ideas, please!" Elphaba rolled her eyes.

He scoffed. "Like he needs any encouragement!"

"Maybe we could get a private tutor to help her complete her degree?"

Irjii turned to his wife's quiet question and he nodded. "Something we could look into for them."

"What?" Fiyero looked at his parents.

"Nothing, son." Irjii waved his hand with a knowing smile as Fiyero shrugged and turned back to his food.

When everything had been eaten, Elphaba bravely stood up. "If I may, I'd like to say something."

Voices quietened and all eyes turned on the nervous green woman. Fiyero stood up with her.

"Are you sure?" he asked her quietly and she nodded.

"Firstly, I... we want to thank you for agreeing to come here... I know... I'm not exactly what you expected for Yero..." she hesitated.

"You're all I want," he told her with a smile, holding her close. "We have something to tell you. A few weeks ago, Fae and I found out that she's pregnant." He held his breath, waiting for the reaction.

"What does that mean?" Iona asked innocently.

"Are... are you sure?" Florentina asked.

Elphaba nodded at the woman's question. "Twenty weeks..."

"Mama, what's going on?"

Ambram leaned into his little sister and whispered; "Elphie and Yero are gonna have a baby."

"But that's... How can it be so long?"

"The same night Fiyero left Glinda, that was when we..." she trailed off. "It wasn't something we planned to do."

"She saved my life, put mine before her own more times than she should have." Fiyero tightened his hold around her. "I would have died if she hadn't been there."

"We were stuck in a situation that we couldn't get out of for a long time, and I hadn't really noticed the symptoms... it was only really when we got here and I was able to get a hold on reality again that we sort of... realised what was going on."

Her next question died in her throat when she saw how they were together, with each other. The sheer love and devotion flowing between them as clear as the stream flowing through the woods.

"We were trying to get our heads around it all and getting used to the idea, which is why it took us a few weeks to tell you," Fiyero explained.

"You don't look shocked."

"I was the only one who knew." Ambram grinned at his father.

Irjii then stood up and walked around the table to stand before the young couple and he gently took hold of Elphaba's hand. "Congratulations, my dear. Welcome to our family." He smiled, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

"Congratulations." Florentina smiled, walking around to hug her. "When will we expect our grandchild?"

"The midwife said February twentieth." Elphaba smiled, relief coursing through her upon the realisation she had been accepted.

"Oh, that's wonderful! May I?"

Elphaba nodded. "The midwife is concerned about how small I am but she's confident everything is as it should be."

"I asked Ambram to put us in touch with our family doctor. She will take it from here." Fiyero grinned.

"What are the arrangements for the birth?"

"Hospital birth. I... cannot give birth safely in the traditional way. Family history." Elphaba didn't miss the look of concern and she shook it off, deciding it wasn't worth the argument.

"She'll have to be admitted a week before her due date," Fiyero added, oblivious to his mother's concern.

"Are you all prepared?" Irjii asked.

"No..." he admitted readily. "We have no idea what we need or how to get it."

"Then your mother and I will help in any way we can."

"Really? A-are you sure?"

"Yero, we've done this six times already. I'm sure we have some furnishings somewhere. Your mother and your sisters can help with clothes and whatever else you might need."

"Thank you, sir..." Elphaba blushed, smiling a little.

"Mama, where do babies come from?"

"And that's our cue to get out of here." Fiyero grinned, ruffling his sister's hair and dragging Elphaba away, having just missed someone entering with the post.

"Fiyero!" Elphaba laughed and shook her head. "Yero, we live here."

"I'm not answering that question for them. They've done it five times before, they can answer it."

She rolled her eyes. "And when our children ask the same questions?"

"You're the smart one, you can tell them."

She scoffed and laughed. "Idiot."

He grinned and kissed her, his hand resting on her stomach. "Your idiot."

"Hmm. Mine." she agreed with a smile.

"Have you had any other visions?"

"No. I've had dreams, but nothing tangible like a vision." she shook her head. "I'm glad I was able to share it with you. I didn't think the spell would work."

"Me too."

She kissed him lightly. "I'm going to the library for a bit..." she trailed off seeing Ambram walk over to them. "Everything alright?"

Fiyero looked over his shoulder at him.

Ambram nodded, holding out two envelopes to her. "These just came for you."

She nodded, recognising Glinda's writing on one of them. "Most likely Glinda giving me updates on what's happening. I'll see you both later." She walked away heading to the library.

Fiyero exhaled and groaned.

"Well... that went well." the older brother grinned at his glare. "What?! It could have been worse!"

"And when Fae told mother how far along she was, I know she wanted to ask if it was mine!"

"And you can prove to her that it is. You two know what happened back there, they don't. Don't forget, they were so used to you talking about Elphaba for that first year, and then all of a sudden nothing. Nothing for two years, and then they receive a letter from Glinda with her intention to marry you."

"She did what?!"

"The next thing we know, we hear that you've run away, presumed dead until you make yourself known to put all of that to rest."

"I almost did die. I wasn't lying when I said that Elphaba saved me. If she'd have been five minutes later, I would have been, and she would be left to raise our child alone. Or descend into madness. Whichever happened first."

"This 'family history' of hers... it's from her time away, isn't it?"

He nodded. "We were told she would likely bleed out the first time she tries to push."

Ambram winced. "Poor girl..."

"Her mother also died during childbirth with her sister. There were complications."

"You were right when you said she hadn't had it easy. When is the proposal?"

"I'm gonna do it tonight. I have the perfect idea." he grinned.

Elphaba sat in the chair in front of the fire, setting aside the letter from her best friend, and toyed with the second envelope. She chewed her lower lip nervously before opening it slowly and pulled out the letter.

Dearest little sister,

First of all, why in Oz are you writing from the Vinkus?

Second of all, you have no idea how good it is to finally hear from you.

Oz, the rumours flying around about you, the things people have said about you, it's sick and it's twisted! And then I heard that you'd died, burned alive in a fire... I thought you were lost forever...Fabala, I tried so hard to come back for you... I tried to fight for you but I was blocked at every turn.

To hear you tell me that you thought I'd forgotten about you, that I just walked away to leave you to fend for yourself... It wasn't true.

Mother told me once, that if I had the chance to, I needed to get you out, to get you somewhere safe, and I tried so hard to do what she wanted. I couldn't take you with me, I was homeless for a while, the safest place, ironically, was with him... but once I found somewhere, I came back. By then, it was too late.

Oz, there is so much I want to tell you... So much I need to tell you.

Are you safe now? Are you happy?

I miss you so much, Fabala, will you allow me to meet you again?

Love always,

Your brother, Shell

Elphaba choked out a sob and pressed a hand to her mouth. Her brother still cared... her brother came back for her... Of course, Frex would have stopped him... he never wanted her to be happy or safe... She sniffled and wiped her eyes and reread the letter. Oh, how she longed to see him again, hear his voice, feel those safe, protective arms around her small body just as she had when they were children.

She held the letter to her chest and cried quietly. She cried for the childhood she lost, the loss of her big brother, her protector. Eventually, she calmed down and she picked up Glinda's letter, needing to smile after her moment of sadness.

My dearest Elphie,

I think I've found the one this time! No, really, I mean it! Don't laugh at me!

Oz, he just has the cutest brown eyes like a puppy... and messy red hair...Anyway! More about that when I come and see you! Did you get a reply from your brother? Is he alright?

How did it go telling Fifi's parents the wonderful news?

What did your midwife tell you?

Oz, you won't believe who I saw yesterday! Milla! God, she's changed so much, she looks positively miserable! I heard she's been institutionalised three times in the past year, she tried to commit suicide.

Everyone is calling for me to stay and rule Oz... But I don't think I can do it. I don't have the first clue about ruling or making decisions! I can't do it, Elphie, not without you, and I know that's simply not possible now. I miss you and I'll see you soon!

Love

Glinda x

Elphaba giggled, it was as though her best friend was in the room with her, spouting out different topics in one breath, not giving her a chance to formulate an opinion on one subject before bouncing to another.

She decided she wouldn't write to Glinda, the letter wouldn't get to her in time before her trip across Oz anyway.

She sighed and stood up, crossing the room to the writing desk to write to her brother.

Dear Shell,

You have no idea how good it is to hear you don't hate me... I was so scared you would after the Wicked Witch years...

I'm writing from the Vinkus because that's where I live now... Fiyero and I made a home here. I'm more than aware of the rumours about me, I'm sad to say that I had a hand in some of them. I can't remember specifics anymore, it's all a blur, truth be told.

Knowing that Frex stopped you doesn't surprise me at all... it actually makes sense now...

Of course, I want to see you. I miss you so much, there's only the two of us left, we can't lose each other now that we've found each other.

I am happy, and I am safe now. I'm away from everything... I will explain it all when we meet, there's simply too much to go through...

Don't worry about me now. I have found the love of my life, my soulmate. Fiyero is my best friend, my life, and he makes me so happy, so complete, so... loved. I know when you meet him you'll see it, and I'm confident that you will both get along just fine.

Love always,

Fabala x

"You've been crying."

Elphaba sealed the envelope and self-consciously wiped her face before turning to face the owner of the voice, giving a small smile to Irjii. "I'm alright."

"I've also been around enough women in my life to know when they're hiding such evidence." he smiled softly. "Is everything alright?"

She blushed and she nodded. "Yeah... I just received a letter from my brother with some good news. And I guess the pregnancy hormones are just making me feel more emotional than I normally would."

"Ah, yes, that will happen. And it will happen a lot." he gave her a knowing look.

"Great." she rolled her eyes, and he laughed.

"It's not a bad thing, Miss Elphaba. I imagine life on the run wasn't the safest or the happiest of times."

"I tried to send him back to Glinda that night... I told him it wasn't safe for him. But he wouldn't listen."

"Of course he wouldn't. Elphaba, my dear girl, he's been besotted with you since you first met! Oz, I half expected a letter from him by the end of that first year telling me he had asked you to be his!"

She blinked, confused. "I... I don't understand... he couldn't... He was happy with Glinda."

"That's just what he wanted everyone to believe. I think even he wanted to believe it. When you were forced out, he changed. He wasn't the same man anymore."

"I... He told me he wanted to tell me the day we left for the city... and then he wanted to wait until we came back."

He nodded. "His mother and I were expecting it. When it didn't come and the news broke out about what happened at the palace with the wizard."

"Which I don't doubt was all lies." Elphaba spat, a dark look in her eyes. "That man ruined everything for me. Every dream I ever had of meeting him, of him making my life better..."

"It's all over now. His reign is over and your new chapter starts now. Don't look back, Miss Elphaba, it'll do no good. Look forward, your future, your family are just within reach."

She smiled a little and she nodded. "Thank you."

"I can tell just by being around you, by seeing you both together that you love him very much. He's your equal."

"I do. I've always loved him... that's why I stayed away, to keep him and Glinda safe... That's why I tried to send him away."

"My son is a very stubborn man. He always has been, and when he gets an idea in his head there's no stopping him." Another knowing look at the blushing girl before him. "Sounding familiar?"

"No, of course not." came the petulant reply.

He laughed and shook his head. "You are indeed the perfect match! You're going to have your hands full when your little one arrives."

"I can believe that." she nodded. "Poor kid won't stand a chance."

"But it will be worth it. All the pain, the worry, the stress, it's all worth it when you see them grow up, and you see what they'll become."

"I hope so."

"And it's alright to be scared." He smiled when she turned shocked dark eyes up at him. "Oh, yes. I remember that look. I've seen it on Florentina enough times, and on myself when I look on the mirror. It's natural to be scared. The unknown is a frightening thing. And you'll get things wrong sometimes. It doesn't make you any less of a good parent or a good wife, or husband in my son's case."

"Oh, we... we haven't...-"

"He will. I don't doubt it for a minute, Elphaba. He'll ask you."

Her heart fluttered and she couldn't help but smile then.

"Flora and I like you. We're both in agreement that you and Fiyero are good together, we've only met you twice, and we can see how much you love each other. Yes, I'll be honest, your skin was a bit of a shock when we first saw you, but it was easy to see why Yero is so taken with you. You're smart. You challenge him. You don't hesitate to tell him when he's done something stupid. He's needed that in his life, he's had it far too easy in his life with people giving in to him on a whim just because he demands it."

"Yero is my best friend... my life... He says that I saved him, and while that is true, he has also saved me more times than he knows, more than he realises." She wrote her brother's address on the envelope.

He nodded. "Would you like me to send that for you?"

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course, not." he smiled, taking it from her. "Have you told your brother the happy news?"

She shook her head. "I want to tell him to his face. If he'll agree to see me."

"I don't see why he wouldn't. It sounds like you have a lot to catch up on."

"Eight years. He... he was thrown out when we were kids, and I haven't seen him since. Riya and Yero found where he lives and I was able to contact him again."

Hours later, Fiyero had tied a scarf around Elphaba's head, covering her eyes and he led her up the stairs to the western tower again.

"Yero, where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"It's cold!"

He chuckled softly.

"Fiyero, what-?!" she stopped as the blindfold was removed and she was met with the surroundings of the tower, lit only by an oil lamp and the faint glow of the emerald city lying to the east, they stood before the vast lands of the Vinkus currently wrapped in a blanket of darkness. The stars glistened in a sea of black in the night sky above, and a low full moon shone brightly upon them. The scene stole her breath and her words away.

"You've seen a sunrise and a sunset. We haven't seen a full moon yet." He smiled, standing behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on the curve of her abdomen.

"Yero... it's beautiful," she whispered.

He kissed her temple as she gazed up at the stars, and she launched into a commentary on the constellations and what they meant. As he listened to her, he was transported to a time long ago, when a nineteen-year-old Elphaba jumped into a similar topic of discussion, eager to tell him what she had learned in class that day.

He could listen to her talk all day about something she loved, something else she had learned. It had been true all those years ago, and it still held true now. She lit up and glowed whenever she did talk at length, and she looked impossibly more beautiful. "Don't you ever breathe?" he teased.

She blushed and lightly elbowed him. "I haven't finished."

"Of course not, my love." he grinned and tilted her head back to kiss her.

She looked up at him, dazed and she smiled. "I love you."

Suddenly, the speech he had prepared got lost in his brain. The gesture he had planned had been more than enough to stun him, and now his own words failed him. "Marry me," he whispered against her lips.

"When?" she whispered back without hesitation.

He grinned and turned her around and he kissed her again, holding her close as she readily accepted and reciprocated it. Eventually, they broke apart, needing air, and he took out the small box from his jacket pocket, opening it to show her the delicate gold ring cushioned inside. The design was a simple, elegant infinity knot with three diamonds within it. A blue, white and green. He took hold of her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. "Perfect fit."

She giggled and nodded. "It's perfect." She kissed him again. "I love you, Fiyero."

"I love you too, Fae." He picked her up and spun her once, making her laugh. He kissed her once and then lowered himself to the ground, gently nuzzling her bump. "And I love you, and we can't wait to meet you," he spoke softly.

She smiled, brushing a hand through his hair. She loved listening to him speak to their child, her heart skipped a beat whenever he whispered his love and his plans and his hopes for their future. It was his way of making sure their baby knew his voice, knew his presence and knew that he wasn't going anywhere. She shivered from the cold not long after, pulling her cloak around her. "My love, maybe we should go to bed. It's too cold a night to stay up here."

He looked up and nodded, rising to his feet once more and he kissed her. "I'm sorry, Fae."

She shook her head with another smile and she let him walk her back down the stairs, and back to their bedroom. They dressed for bed and lay together wrapped up in each other's arms.