Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked.

Ever since Frex's death, Elphaba had felt one hundred percent safe, a feeling she had never felt before. Sure, the nightmares tended to haunt her and she still had to hold Glinda close to her when she slept at night, but during the day, she wasn't terrified to leave the house and go into town. Things had been great for the green woman and her family. She had been sharing her story to people and made them aware that things like what happened to her did happen. Since she told her story, child services had found thirty seven abused children. One, in particular, had it horrible.

She was a little girl of about seven years old. She had been locked up in an attic for five years. She had been starved, malnourished, and forgotten. The parents of the child were nowhere to be found. So, Elphaba and Glinda adopted the poor girl and she was doing perfectly fine. She was able to learn how to talk and learned how to socialize properly. Elphaba was thrilled this girl had been able to get her childhood back.

Elphaba had gotten a job working with abused children. For some reason, these kids would gravitate towards her because there was just something about her that they picked up on. Her horrible experience was turning out to help others. Many of the children wouldn't talk to a therapist about the horrors they had seen or had done to them, but they'd always tell Elphaba everything. Needless to say, she was paid quite handsomely, although, she never requested a salary.

Elphaba made enough money so Glinda didn't have to work. Instead, she stayed at home with nine year old Anya (the girl they adopted) and five year old Fiyero who looked more and more like his father every day. The blonde did what any housewife would do- cook, clean, care for the kids, and that sort of stuff. Elphaba always asked her if she wanted to do anything with her life, anything at all, but she always refused, saying she loved her life the way it was. And she truly did.

With their family, they lived in a small cottage in Gillikin. It wasn't nearly as big as the Arduenna's estate and Elphaba worried it wasn't good enough, but Glinda Thropp (they had gotten married) assured her that living a simpler life was better and she loved having something to take care of instead of having someone else cater to her every need. The two kids went to school as normal kids did and received high marks.

Shell had gone off to an all boy's school- one of the best in Oz. Mr. Arduenna and Sir Chuffrey split the tuition cost for they had gotten in a heated argument about who would send this intelligent boy off to get the education he deserved. Shell received incredibly high grades as he took his studies seriously. He had learned from Elphaba that he shouldn't throw away any opportunity given to him, and he shouldn't waste it, either. He would be attending Shiz University in the fall.

Nessarose was happily married to Avaric. They had a little girl who was four, a son aged two, and a baby on the way. Needless to say, the two were busy. Luckily, Fiyero had left everything he had to his best friend, Avaric so the happy couple was financially set for life. Avaric didn't have to work, which was good, because having a wife with no arms and almost three kids kept his hands full. But Elphaba knew he wouldn't have it any other way. He loved his family, and Nessie, who thought she'd be alone for the rest of her life, was ecstatic.

Both sisters had given up the title as Eminent Thropp. The title would eventually go to Shell who accepted the position eagerly. Until he finished school, Sir Chuffrey would temporarily watch over Munchkinland, which was a good thing, for a house had fallen from the sky with a girl and a small dog going along for the ride. Luckily, nobody was hurt or killed, but the poor farm girl from a different land was left behind.

At first, Oz didn't know what to do with her. Some said the twelve year old was a witch, others said she was a saint, and a small percentage said she was a goddess. But that was such a small percent, nobody paid them any mind. Lonely old Madame Morrible took in the girl for she was a great sorceress, and tried her best to come up with something to send the girl home. So far, nothing had worked.

Elphaba's thoughts about Morrible reminded her about Frex's dead body in her home. Nessarose had frantically explained what had happened that night, and Mr. Arduenna and Sir Chuffrey got the body out of the house and had people come to pick it up. There wouldn't be a funeral because no one would attend, nor did anyone care what happened to him in the afterlife (for the people who believed in it, of course).

"Elphie, are you coming to bed?" Glinda yawned as she stumbled out into the living room. Elphaba was sitting by the fire, watching the flames dance in the fireplace.

"In a bit," she replied. The blonde sat down and cuddled up next to her.

"What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing, my sweet," she said before she kissed the top of her forehead.

"I had a nightmare," Glinda admitted. "They just won't go away."

"I know," Elphaba said and tightened her hold around her. "I wish I could make them go away for you."

"That's sweet of you, Elphie," Glinda said and closed her eyes, resting her head on her chest. "I assume you cannot sleep, either."

"It's just one of those nights," Elphaba replied. She had these nights frequently, the ones where Frex haunted her dreams.

"He can no longer hurt you, Elphie. He's gone. Nobody is going to do any of that to you again."

"I know he's gone, but he's still haunting me."

"You're safe now," Glinda tried to assure her. It was difficult for the green girl to believe her wife.

"Why do I feel like it's too good to be true?"

"I cannot answer that," Glinda whispered. Suddenly, they heard tapping on the window. Elphaba held the blonde close to her, either to protect her or comfort herself, but she had Glinda believe it was to protect her. "Elphie, go check it out," the terrified blonde whispered. Last time, it had been a rat scurrying across the floor. The green woman could definitely deal with rats. They were easy. But a mysterious tapping on the window wasn't something she was entirely sure about. Although fear gripped her and she felt she wouldn't be safe again, she hesitantly opened the window and gasped.

"Chistery!" she exclaimed and let the monkey jump into her arms as she hugged him. "Oh, I've missed you so much!" The blonde padded over and hugged him as well as giving him a kiss on the cheek. Elphaba could have sworn he blushed.

"Elphaba. Glinda," the monkey said and smiled up at the two women.

"How's my little monkey hero tonight?" Glinda giggled.

"Good. You?" he asked them.

"Very well," Elphaba replied.

"I must fill you in on everything!" the blonde squealed as they made their way back over to the couch. She talked and talked until she passed out from exhaustion with a small smile across her face. Chistery looked at her, then up at Elphaba.

"Happy now?" he asked her, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"Yes I am. I finally have my freedom, a family, and I can leave my home knowing that I won't be captured," she paused. "There is one thing that troubles me, though." Chistery urged her to go on. "I'm afraid to tell Glinda this, but after hearing my story, the Wizard wants to meet me and offer me a position. I'd be working for him. But the thing is, I don't know if I should go. I love my life the way it is, but working with the Wizard would be amazing. Maybe I should just meet him. What harm can that cause?" The monkey shrugged and made his way towards the kitchen for food. Elphaba sighed, not knowing what she should do.

She wouldn't go meet the Wizard. The last thing she needed was to feel trapped into a life she didn't want all over again. She loved her life the way it was: simple, yet satisfying. She was finally happy. As she watched the blonde sleep, she smiled, knowing that tomorrow was going to be another great day. Elphaba Thropp could never thank her family enough for saving her.