AN: Here is the final part of this three-shot. On the Other Side would have taken place between the second part and this one, so I think you can guess a little what happens now... :) I hope you like it!

Thirty Years

As Lori Tiggular sat by the fireplace, a smile on her face as she watched all the younger people together, she could not remember ever having a happier – or louder – Lurlinemas.

Of course, she had known Lurlinemases that had been just as happy. She remembered little Fiyero running into her and her husband's bedroom at the crack of dawn, shaking them awake and telling them in an excited voice that it was Lurlinemas morning, and that they had to get up right now to see what presents were under the tree. Those times were long ago, however; and when she had received the news that her only son had died, she didn't think she'd ever know a happy Lurlinemas again. When Hamold passed away as well, a couple of years ago, she had accepted the fact that she was going to have to spend the last Lurlinemases of her life alone.

And yet here she was, seventy-seven years old; and on her old day, she was celebrating Lurlinemas with the woman who could have been her daughter-in-law – the ruler of Oz herself – and her husband and children. And aside from Glinda, Cohvu, Hero, and Elphia, there were a few people there whose presence she had never expected to be in.

Her grandchildren.

Nora, five months pregnant, was nestled in the arms of her husband, Prazo. Bae was feeding his girlfriend bites of cake and young Rosey was talking and laughing with Elphia, the two having become fast friends within days of meeting one another. It was almost like they had always been there. Like there had never been a time where they were not a part of this large, happy family.

Of course Lori had been shocked to find out the truth. When she had first laid eyes on the three people standing in her hallway, she'd known without them having to say a word. They looked too much like him. She could see her son in all three of them, and though she hadn't understood how it was possible, she'd known instantly that it must be true.

She had been hurt when Nora told her the truth. She clearly hadn't realised how much Fiyero had truly loved the Wicked – Elphaba, she corrected herself in her head, and that he had been willing to give up everything for her. Not just his status, but his life. His family. She'd wanted to be angry with him for letting her and Hamold believe that he was dead, but she had to admit that there was a part of her that understood. Besides – it was over and done now. He'd died in an accident years ago, and Elphaba had lost a battle against Quoxian flu six years after that. They were both gone now.

But Lori still had her grandchildren.

Glinda had maybe been even more surprised – Lori heard she'd actually fainted upon hearing who Nora, Bae, and Rosey really were, though the blonde had always fervently denied that. All of them had, of course, immediately accepted the three into their family; and when they had decided to stay in Oz, everyone had helped arrange for things. Nora's husband, Prazo, had decided to settle in Oz with her, while Bae had found himself a girlfriend from Gillikin not long after moving to Oz. At the present time, Bae and Rosey were both living in the Emerald City, while Nora was living in the Vinkus with her grandmother, caring for her and meanwhile taking on more responsibilities – she was, after all, the rightful heir to the Vinkun throne. She and Prazo would rule the province wisely, Lori was certain of that. She just hoped she would keep living long enough to see their first child – her great-grandchild.

She watched as Rosey and Elphia tried to feel Nora's baby kicking, while Cohvu poured himself and the other men another glass of liquor. Glinda, who had been talking to Elphia's boyfriend, now looked up; and she and Lori shared a smile.

"Cheers," said Cohvu, looking around the room as he held up his glass. He looked at Lori. "To King Hamold."

"To Fiyero," Lori said softly.

"And to Elphie," Glinda added, glancing at the Lurlinemas tree, where the necklace and the green, glass bottle hung side by side, like they had every year since the last time Glinda had seen her friends.

"To Mum and Dad," Rosey agreed, sharing a look with her siblings. They all took a sip of their drink and Nora leant her head against Prazo's shoulder.

Lori could guess what they were all thinking – they probably missed their parents a lot. It must be awful, she mused, to be pregnant and to have to give birth in a few months without your parents there. She felt sad at the thought that Nora, Bae, and Rosey had to go through all these milestones without either Elphaba or Fiyero there; but at the same time, she was happy that those two had at least lived longer than she thought they had. At least they'd had a life together, they'd raised a family… they'd been happy. Somehow, the real truth was so much more bearable than the truth she had believed for all those years – that Fiyero had been beaten to death in that cornfield, for reasons she had not possibly been able to understand, without ever having lived a proper life. He'd still gone too early, but it was different now.

"Do you believe they're together?" she heard Rosey asking Glinda. "Mum didn't believe in an afterlife…"

Glinda smiled widely, remembering her friend. "I know. She never did. But I think Fiyero believed for two," she said honestly. "And I do believe that they're together now, wherever they are. Your mother wasn't always right about everything, you know. I mean, she was right about a lot of things," she acknowledged, "but not about everything."

Rosey chuckled.

"I believe it, too," she said after a while.

Glinda leant down to press a kiss to the girl's sandy hair.

"You know what?" she said softly. "I may not have seen them in over thirty years, but I knew them so well… I think despite everything, I still do know them. And I think they would be very proud of you today." She looked at the others. "All three of you."

Bae smiled and Rosey leant back against Glinda's legs. Nora, still sitting on the couch with her husband, nodded.

"You know?" she said with a thoughtful look on her face – a look that was so familiar that Glinda felt a pang at the sight of it. "I think so, too."

"Do you think they're here right now?" Rosey whispered.

Elphia nodded firmly. "They wouldn't want to miss any Lurlinemas with you guys," she said firmly.

Glinda stroked her daughter's hair. "I think you're right, honey." She looked up at the ceiling, as if expecting to see Elphaba and Fiyero descending from the sky to wish them all a happy Lurlinemas.

Lori imagined them being present, keeping an eye on their children. She couldn't really picture Elphaba, but she could picture Fiyero. She imagined his lopsided grin, the way he would look at his children; and for a moment, she almost swore she could actually feel their presence in the room – but that was probably just an old lady being a little crazy, she thought to herself, shaking her head.

They were all quiet for a while, none of them feeling the need to say anything as a certain kind of peace descended on the room.