Chapter 140.

Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: I just wanted to thank all of you for joining Elphaba and Fiyero on this journey. It's been an amazing ride, and I'm sorry it's ending.

Elements in 139?

Elements in 140?

Fiyero cradled his newborn daughter gently in his arms.

He looked up, seeing his wife sit up slowly. She lay back against the multiple pillows, her long raven hair in a loose plaite over her shoulder. She was worn out, but looked absolutely beautiful; and watched him, silently content. Slowly, Fiyero went to her, sitting by her side, leaning back against the pillows and holding their child close.

He was right, this was the beginning of a whole new journey.

"She's beautiful, Dove." Elphaba nodded. Gently, she rested her head against his shoulder, watching her husband with their daughter. Her eyes traced the baby's tiny features, landing on the child's eyes- her eyes. "What-"

"Melena."

He pulled away, locking their gazes. She knew what he was asking.

"Melena." He smiled at her.

"For your mother?" She nodded once, taking a deep breath to calm the pounding of her heart as she stared at her child. No, their child.

"Someday, I want to show her my mother's garden."

"You want to?"

"If it's still standing."

He thought a moment, before noticing that their child was sound asleep in his arms. Getting up, he laid her in her bassinet, and rocked it gently to get it moving, before going to the bedroom door and asking Nor to watch the child for them. Then, he returned to his wife's side and held out a hand.

"Come on, love. I want to show you something."

He helped her up, helped her into her shoes and pull on her robe, and then wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her out of the room. He led her outside, ordering her to keep her eyes closed. Melena was tucked in her cradle asleep in their room, Nor watching over her while her father took her mother outside for a special surprise. Slowly, Fiyero led his wife out through the kitchen garden. They stopped near the garden wall- the same wall Elphaba had seen when she first moved here at the age of fourteen.

"Stay here. I'll be right back." She nodded. He ducked under the hanging ivy, and unlocked the door, before reaching a hand out and taking his wife's wrist. Gently, he parted the ivy, and led her through the door; guiding her down the steps, he led her deep into the garden. Once he was safely behind her, holding her hand, one arm around her waist, he whispered,

"All right. Open your eyes, Dove."

She did, slowly. Her eyes widened, and she took in the beautiful blooms and crawling ivy, the roses and the lilies, the swing and the pond and statues. Her mouth dropped open as she took in everything. Slowly, she turned to her husband.

"Yero, how-"

"I went back to Colwen Grounds, the garden was the only thing still standing. The flowers had died and the swing had broken, the ivy had overrun the walls. I managed to find a few flowers that had survived, and I dug them up and brought them back here. I had a swing built, I trimmed the ivy, and had the statues cleaned up. This used to be my grandmother's garden. I asked Mother's permission, and when I got it, I made it yours. Do you like it Dove?"

She looked around the garden again, slowly, walking among the crocus and lilies, stopping to bury her nose in the roses. She opened her eyes, glancing at her husband, her nose buried in a red rose. Giggling softly, she moved on, kneeling down to run her fingers through the water in the pond, gently cupping a water lily in her hand before getting up and going to the swing. Gently, she reached out, running her fingers along the wood.

"Would you like to try it?" She turned, seeing her husband behind her.

"Can I?" He nodded.

"Of course. That's what it's here for."

Slowly, she sat down, and he moved behind her, taking the swing and gently pushing. He pushed her for several minutes, until she reached out and tugged on his hand. He joined her on the swing, facing her, his back to the garden entrance. They swayed softly for several minutes, before stopping. Gently, she reached up, cupping his cheek. His hands tangled in her hair, causing the strands to fall out of her braid. Their breath mingled, and they stared into each others' eyes, communicating silently. Finally, she whispered,

"Thank you."

He leaned close, rubbing his nose against hers as their eyes closed. Slowly, she tilted her head, her lips gently grazing his. His fingers tightened in her tangled hair, and she sighed in appreciation, rubbing their noses together again, before stealing another kiss. They sat in silence for several moments, sharing gentle, slow, tender kisses, on the swing in the garden. Her hands cupped his neck, before reaching up to tangle in his hair. One of his hands detangled from her hair, and moved down her side, wrapping around her waist and pulling her too him. Slowly, her hand trailed down his chest, grabbing a fist full of his shirt. She leaned into his body, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss.

"I love you, Yero." She whispered, breaking the kiss and looking up into his eyes.

Her own eyes were glazed over with desire. A soft smile graced his features.

Eyes.

Those beautiful aquamarine eyes.

Eyes that had gone for almost four years without seeing.

Tenderly, he untangled his hand from her hair, bringing his fingers down to gently trace her jawline, carve the almond of her eye. Finally, he thumbed her bottom lip, his eyes going from her lips up to her eyes. His nose rubbed against hers, and he teased her, leaning down to brush his lips against hers before pulling away, a grin on his face. She smiled, before capturing his lips in a soft kiss. Then, he pressed his lips against her forehead, pulling her to him. As his hand tangled in her hair again, she pressed her head against his chest, resting just beneath his chin.

Softly, he whispered into her tangled raven hair the four words he felt summed up their life together- from their first meeting at her debutante ball, to their marriage, the fire at Colwen Grounds, Elphaba losing her sight, his riding accident, their first year at Shiz, her surgery, their withdrawal from Shiz, her pregnancy, Melena's birth.

He whispered the four words he'd meant from the moment they met in the library at Colwen Grounds.

Even though back then, he hadn't known it.

"I love you, Dove."