AN. Thanks to everyone who read this, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Epilogue

Elphaba and Fiyero were married in a private ceremony in the Governor's household the next night. The only people in attendance besides the couple themselves and the justice of the peace were Fiyero's parents, Carmela, Galinda, Boq, and Nessa, who held Alitash on her lap.

It was a simple, yet beautiful service, and Elphaba and Fiyero both glowed with happiness as they exchanged their vows.

After the wedding, Elphaba turned her energies to preparing to return to Shiz. That involved packing up the entire house, her and Nessa deciding what should be sold, stored in Boq's family barn (as graciously offered to Elphaba and Nessa by Boq's parents). Nessa's belongings that would not go to Shiz with her were being organised to be sent to the Vinkus with Elphaba's belongings; where they would await her until the summer.

It was an emotional time for both Elphaba and Nessa, no matter some of the bad memories, they had lived their whole lives in this house. They'd both been born there, Elphaba's own daughter had been born there, and it was the house where their mother had died. And within days, the new Munchkinland Governor and his family would move in.

Governor Frexspar Thropp was officially impeached the day after Elphaba and Fiyero were married. He was later sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for his crimes against his daughter. Omega was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting, down from ten years for her willingness to testify against Frex.

When the group returned to Shiz, they weren't quite sure what was considered a hotter topic of conversation- Elphaba and Fiyero's marriage, their daughter or the truth about why she had been absent since last semester.

Fiyero's parents had organised a beautiful, spacious apartment for the couple, just off-campus. It had two bedrooms, a large kitchen and light-filled living room. And they'd also organised a nanny to watch Alitash whilst Elphaba and Fiyero were in class. Drucyllah was a woman in town who's youngest child had just moved out of home, so she was more than happy to busy herself watching Alitash. Most importantly, Elphaba was completely comfortable leaving their daughter alone with her.

Elphaba was loving being back at Shiz, although it was different being there as Fiyero's wife and with a child than before. She was working hard so that she would be able to graduate at the same time she would have if she hadn't fallen pregnant, and Fiyero made sure that she wasn't working herself too hard.

"Father wrote to me," Nessa said to her sister one day in April.

The two were in Elphaba's apartment, and the three-month old little girl had just gotten up from a nap.

Elphaba answered casually. "Have you written back?"

Nessa shook her head. "No. I can't. Not yet."

Elphaba nodded slowly. "Well, don't turn him away on my account. He loves you."

Nessa shrugged. "Maybe one day I will. But not now. He mentioned you."

Elphaba tensed. "Oh?"

"He just said he hopes you're happy."

Elphaba smiled slightly. "I am happy."

"That's always good to know," Fiyero announced as he entered the apartment, making both girls jump slightly.

He grinned as he kissed Elphaba softly and lifted Ally into his arms.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked.

Nessa and Elphaba exchanged a glance. "Frex wrote to Nessa," Elphaba informed her husband and Fiyero tensed, as he always did at the mention of Frex.

"Oh."

"I'm not writing back," Nessa told him, and Fiyero nodded slowly.

"Ok."

He was quiet all afternoon, and when Nessa left and Ally had been fed, bathed and Fiyero put her to bed, Elphaba approached him and slid into his embrace as he stood in the nursery doorway.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

His arms tightened around her and he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I hate thinking about what he did to you, and to Ally. Or what could have been. If Nessa hadn't gotten so worried and upset about you, she never would have told us and then…"

He trailed off. Elphaba had confessed to him a while ago that if Frex's plan had come to be, she most likely would not have returned to Shiz.

"I couldn't have gone back to you knowing our child was out there somewhere and I could do nothing about it," she'd admitted and it made Fiyero even more grateful for Nessa's actions.

Now, Elphaba looked up at him and shrugged. "Why stop there? If Carmela hadn't overheard the conversation between my father and Omega, I would have still been taking the tonic. Ironically, she overheard it because she stayed late because I was so sick from taking the tonic… but whatever. My point is, any decision could have changed the outcome. I could have written to you as soon as I realised I was pregnant, and none of this would have ever happened."

Fiyero regarded her suspiciously. "Why do I feel like there's a "but" coming?"

She grinned. "But I feel like everything happened for a reason. I think you and I are stronger because of how everything happened, and Nessa and I are definitely closer because of what happened. Even though what happened was horrendible, we survived it."

Elphaba directed her gaze to Ally's crib for a moment before looking back at her husband. "I can't keep wondering about what might have happened if someone had done something or not done something. It's too easy for me to get lost in 'what if', and I don't want to focus on what could have been. I just want to focus on what we have. Please, Yero?"

Fiyero kissed her softly. "I love you."

Elphaba smiled. "I love you."

And they stood there together, watching their daughter sleep.

The End