CHAPTER TWELVE

"No, ma'am," Galinda said, taking a pen away from Jade as she put it in her mouth, causing the baby to cry. "You can't eat it, it's not food. It's yucky," she said, picking Jade up and kissing her cheek. "You need something to bite? Let's get a bitey toy," she said as she walked to the kitchen.

"Why is my baby crying?" Galadriel asked as she walked into the living room with Julian.

"I wouldn't let her eat a pen," she said, taking a toy out of a drawer and rinsing it off before handing it to Jade, who started chewing on it immediately. "I must have left it out when I was doing homework," she said, laying the pen on the counter. "You can't reach it up here."

When the pen started floating, Galadriel smirked. "She can if she does that."

Galinda sighed, looking at Jade. "That's cheating, young lady," she said, putting the pen on the counter again before going to the living room and putting Jade in a play pen. "Mister, are you ready to eat now that you have a clean butt? I'm lopsided."

"He got a little grabby, so probably," Galadriel said, handing Julian to her sister.

"You can't eat from Auntie like that, silly goose," Galinda said, kissing her son's cheek and sitting on the couch.

"So, Morrible seemed to be on your side when that little bitch mouthed off. That was weird."

"Not really. She might not like me, but she stands up for what's right."

"I just find it odd. Something is off about her. She literally promised Elphaba a visit to The Wizard. How does a school headmistress have that kind of power? How is she even in cahoots with The Wizard?"

"In cahoots," Galinda chuckled. "It was probably just good timing."

"It doesn't make sense. Why would The Wizard pay attention to mail that comes from a school?"

"You sound jealous, Gilly."

"It's not that. I just think she has an ulterior motive. She took a special interest in Elphaba, but not you?"

"I'm not as powerful as Elphie. I've always been able to use my abilities, but not as strongly as Elphie can."

"But the babies are just as powerful and she hasn't taken an interest in them. You'd think she'd want to start them young."

"The twins have been able to control their powers. Elphie is still learning how to activate and control hers without her emotions being the trigger."

"You've always been able to control yours."

"Because Momsie and Popsicle raised us knowing how to hone our powers," she said, lifting her shirt and letting Julian latch to her breast.

"Just be careful and wary around Morrible. I get bad vibes from her."

"Gilly, you get 'bad vibes' from carrots."

"Because I broke a tooth on one. They're vindictive vegetables. Vindigetables."

"Sweet Oz, stop being so paranoid. Until she actually does something, there's nothing we can do."

"She'll slip up eventually. Just wait and see."

"And I'll take it seriously when and if it happens. You have a habit of only seeing one's flaws instead of the good."

"Because those flaws outweigh the good."

"If you can find incriminating evidence that Madame Morrible is an inherently evil sorceress, then I'll be more inclined to believe it, but not just based off of a bad vibe."

"My vibes have never been wrong before."

"There's a first time for everything."

"Mhm..." Galadriel leaned over and kissed Julian's head. "Your mommy's kissing Horrible Morrible's ass," she said, getting a giggle from her nephew.

"Give that back to your brother," Galinda scolded as she saw Julian's binky pop out of his mouth and into Jade's. "I'll get yours, but you give that back to him," she said as she got a binky out of the kitchen drawer designated for the twins' things. "Come get yours, Witchling. I'm rinsing it off."

The binky floated back to Julian and Jade quickly crawled her way to the kitchen, babbling the whole way. "Mama," she said, holding her arms up.

"Hi," Galinda said, picking Jade up and kissing her cheek before rinsing a binky off and popping it in her mouth. "You wanna help me wash the dishes? This counter's a mess, we gotta clean it up so we can dirty it all over again for dinner."

Jade pointed to the sink, the water turning on as she reached for it.

"Yeah? Julian, you wanna come play in the water with Sissy while Mommy washes the dishes?"

Julian babbled, quickly crawling over to his mother.

Galinda got a hand towel out of a drawer and laid it in the bottom of the sink before getting both babies undressed and out of their diapers and putting them both in the big side of the sink. "You know what... let's take a quick bath and then you can help me with the dishes. Just don't poop in my sink again, mister man," Galina said, gently tickling Julian's bely and earning a giggle.

Once the twins were bathed, Galinda left them in the sink while she started on the dishes.

"Where's my beautiful wife?" Fiyero asked as he walked into the unit.

"Getting these dishes washed. Hey!" Galinda said as the running water sprayed at her. "You stop that, stinker," she said, gently poking Jade's nose. "Wait... beautiful wife? What did you do?"

"Don't kill me," he whispered as Boq walked in.

Galinda's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she looked at her husband with a scowl as he loved on the twins. "Seriously?"

"It's only for a few days," he whispered. "Make yourself at home, Boq."

"Yes, Bick. Please. Make yourself at home."

"It's Boq," Boq said.

"I don't care."

"Hi, cuties," he said, waving to the babies.

Suddenly, the water sprayed at Boq, soaking him in the process.

"That's not nice," Fiyero said.

"They're babies," Galinda shrugged, trying to hide a grin.

"I'm gonna go dry off," Boq said flatly.

"Take your time. Please."

Once he left the room, Galinda looked at Fiyero. "What in Ozma's name is he doing here?"

"His dorm is being fumigated because a potion went wrong. He'll only be here a few days," Fiyero said.

"He has to sleep on the couch. I'm not kicking my sister out of the guest room for him."

"You don't have to."

"I wish you'd run things by me and ask if I'm okay with it before you invite weird Munchkins to my house."

"You don't ask when Elphaba stays over."

"Because she's always welcome."

"Boq could be."

"No."

Galinda's eyes shot open when she heard a shrill scream. She got up immediately, rushing to Galadriel's room and bursting in, her brows furrowing when she saw Boq getting out of her sister's bed. "What did you do to her!" she shouted, pushing Boq away from the bed.

"Nothing! We were asleep, she just started screaming!" Boq said.

Galinda made her way over to Galadriel, sitting next to her. "What did he do to you?"

"I said nothing!"

"Shut up!"

"He didn't do anything," Galadriel interjected. "It was just a nightmare."

"Get out, Bick."

"It's Boq."

"I don't care! Get out!"

As soon as the Munchkin left the room, Galinda looked at her sister, taking in her appearance.

Galadriel was undressed but covered by her sheet and she just realized Boq had only been wearing boxers.

"Wait a damn minute... did you sleep with him?"

Galadriel sighed, running her hands over her face. "Does it really matter?"

"Yes!"

"We're adults, you know. Much like you and Fiyero, we have sexual needs."

"But... with Bick?"

"His name is Boq."

"I don't care. Why him? He's been annoying since middle school."

"Because we were both horny and available. Don't worry about who I'm messing around with. It's none of your business."

"It is when it's with him. He's an annoyance."

"Well, you're not the one having sex with him."

"I would rather die."

"He's Fiyero's best friend. You're kind of stuck with him."

"Only on occasion. Besides, the twins don't like him, either."

"Because you don't like him."

"They form their own thoughts and opinions."

"They're 10 months old. They don't even know how thoughts and opinions work yet. They're barely considered humans."