[center][img]http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o620/Vicier/Vicier%20-%20Through%20The%20Pages%20Roleplay/Character%20Collab%20Gifs%20-%20Everyone/Mark_zpslf4ahpqu.gif[/img][img]http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o620/Vicier/Vicier%20-%20Through%20The%20Pages%20Roleplay/Character%20Collab%20Gifs%20-%20Everyone/Elphaba_zpsminqko8g.gif[/img]
[h1][color=OliveDrab]Nicholas Chopper[/color] and [color=YellowGreen]Elphaba Chopper[/color][/h1]
[h2]The Tahoe Lodge ~ Earth, Lake Tahoe[/h2][/center]

[color=YellowGreen]"..we've spoken about this before, Nick- you can't just force them to come back with us..! It's not right; and somewhere inside, you know it... I know you do..."[/color]

The normally peaceful atmosphere of the car was broken by the desperate, and almost pleading sound of her voice as she once more tried to get through to her husband- just how many times did they need to have this argument before it finally got through..? This wasn't a decisions that he could make on everyone's behalf; not when it was going to effect their whole life, and everything that they had ever known to be real... The children needed to make this choice on their own... and he didn't even want to give them that chance...

[color=YellowGreen]"..we're talking about children here... and not just about uprooting their lives, but also turning them upside down- they are going to question everything they've ever known, and we have no idea how they're going to react to anything we tell them..."[/color] Twisting her body around in the passenger seat of the car, Elphaba reached her hand out to rest lightly over his own, her soft lips parted slightly as she looked up at him with a saddened look on her features, her fingers curling as she lightly brushed her thumb back and forth over the back of his hand in a comforting manner, [color=YellowGreen]"..please Nick... you can't make them do something they don't want to do; you have to let them decide for themselves..."[/color]

Nick, or Mark, as he was called here on Earth, narrowed his eyes a bit in concentration as he watched the pavement in front of him, his hands tightening on the steering wheel in front of him as he drove himself and his wife to the Lodge where everything was just about to come full circle. She was right, they [i]had[/i] argued this point before - numerous times - ever since they got here. But his mind remained firm on the subject. The children shouldn't be allowed a choice.

[color=OliveDrab]"They don't belong here, Zelena."[/color] Mark told her firmly, refraining from rolling his eyes. How many times was she going to bring this up? [color=OliveDrab]"They will learn our world just the same. A hatchling won't learn to fly unless the mother pushes them out of the nest."[/color] He kept from looking over at his wife.

[color=YellowGreen]"A hatchling..? Nick- they aren't birds; they're children..!"[/color] Clenching her jaw slightly at the blatant use of her pseudo name, Elphaba pulled her hand back towards her, bringing it once more to settle in her lap though she was sure to keep her gaze upon the man she had loved for the better part of her life, unable to help the way that her eyes betrayed her as hurt flashed across their surface.

[color=YellowGreen]"..and that is [i]not[/i] my name..."[/color]

[color=OliveDrab]"It is while we're here."[/color] Mark shot back quickly, a bit of a snap in his voice. He was silent for a few moments, then spoke up once more in a softer, though still firm tone. [color=OliveDrab]"We were sent here to do a job. We were given instruction to change our names. This is who we are here. And until we return with the children, it is who we will remain to be."[/color]

Slowing the speed of the car, Mark quietly pulled into the parking lot of the Lake Tahoe lodge and began to search out a parking space.

[color=OliveDrab]"Our job now is to find Pinocchio. He and the other guardians need to be informed with what has been happening in our world. The Sorcerer told me that he will be a hard one to communicate with and may not want to return with us. So we need to change that before we speak with the children."[/color]

[color=YellowGreen]"No..!"[/color]

The smallest flicker of a green ember seemed to light up behind her eyes as she raised her voice in answer- he was doing it again... making decisions for people who had to make the choice for themselves, and she was over it...

Closing her eyes, Elphaba turned her head off to the side, taking a few moments to clear her mind of the sudden flash of anger that crossed her path before slowly, she let her dark eyes open once more, her voice softer... more controlled as she spoke out, her attention then turning back over to where he sat in the drivers seat, [color=YellowGreen]"..I understand that Pinocchio is our priority right now; but he too was nothing more than a child when we were sent to this place..."[/color]

Pausing for a moment, she lifted her hand up from where it had been rested in her lap, her fingers lightly brushing over the amulet she wore around her neck- one of four that had been gifted to the guardians upon being appointed, [color=YellowGreen]"..our job is to keep the children safe; and if they believe themselves safer here in this world, then let them stay- let them decide their own fate... and Pinocchio should be given that very same liberty as well."[/color]

[color=OliveDrab]"Our job..."[/color] Nick said, though this time through slightly gritted teeth. [color=OliveDrab]"..is to ensure the children's safety. We can't do that after we return to our world. We won't be looking out for them. They must come with us. All of them. Pinocchio agreed to the job before all of this. He knew what he had to do."[/color] He was quiet for another moment as he found a parking spot and pulled the car into it. [color=OliveDrab]"We should have never been sent here. It... it isn't right. We are interfering in things that shouldn't be interfered with. So we need to make it right by having everyone come back and let things play out the way it was supposed to be."[/color]

[color=YellowGreen]"Damn it Nick..!"[/color]

Not bothering to give him a chance to respond her outburst, she turned back around in her seat, her hand reaching out and fumbling with the handle for a few brief moments before she pushed it open, stepping out and being sure that she was well clear of it before she turned and slammed it shut behind her, causing the two small animals in the backseat to whimper and jump at the sudden loud noise.

[color=YellowGreen]"Do you think I wanted to be here..? Do you think I want to leave the children here in this world..? Without our protection and guidance... Is that really what you believe..?"[/color] Staring at him from over the top of the car as he stepped out of the drivers side, she shook her head lightly from side to side, her brows furrowing together and her eyes showing nothing but pain and sadness as she continued to watch him for that little bit longer before opening the back door so that she could grab her emerald green overnight bag, handbag and the small orange kitten as it tried to attack her fingers; the woman quickly though carefully closing the door afterword to make sure her husbands dog didn't have the chance to escape before he had the chance to grab it.

Mark remained silent during his wife's outburst, taking his time to shut off the car, unbuckle, and exit. Shutting the driver side door, he then went to the back seat, letting the small Cairn Terrier puppy out which immediately trotted off to go sniff at things, though never ventured too far from his side.

[color=OliveDrab]"It is our job to bring them back home, where they belong."[/color] he reaffirmed, clutching the strap of his duffel bag and swung it over his shoulder. He winced, somehow forgetting about the shooting pain he often-times got through his arm and shoulder - a reminder of his past life that had managed to follow him to this world. Ignoring it for the time being, however, Mark tried to connect his eyes with Elphaba's to hammer in his words with a steely gaze.

[color=YellowGreen]"I don't care if our job is to join a goddamn circus, and run around as clowns for the rest of our lives- we're talking about their basic rights here, Nick."[/color] Tightening the grip she had over the handle of her overnight case, Elphaba turned away from the car, her own cold and rather uncharacteristically hard gaze holding that of her husband for a few moments longer as she led the way towards the entrance of the lodge.

[color=YellowGreen]"..and I'm [i]not[/i] going to allow you to take that away from them."[/color]

[color=OliveDrab]"You're being impractical."[/color] Mark said, shaking his head as he followed after. Though after realizing the puppy had become distracted with a bug on the asphalt, he cleared his throat and whistled. [color=OliveDrab]"Toto, come."[/color] The puppy sprung to attention and bounded after him, sticking close to his leg.

[color=OliveDrab]"It's pointless to further argue the point, Zelena. The children didn't have a choice in coming here. The children don't have a choice in returning. End of discussion."[/color]

[color=YellowGreen]"..and [i]you're[/i] being a tyrant."[/color]

Stopping dead in the middle of the pathway and causing some of the others moving about to have to go around her, Elphaba turned back around to face him, her dark eyes narrowing as she once more met with his gaze, [color=YellowGreen]"But you're right... the children had no choice when they were sent here; neither did we, and that's why we're going to let them choose their fate... let them make their own path, and allow them to follow it. Don't argue with me Nick, because that's how it's going to be..."[/color]

Holding his gaze a few moments longer, she slowly turned herself back around, her long and wavy chocolate brown locks bouncing lightly over her shoulders as she once more began to lead the way inside, though this time making it past the doors and into the lobby, [color=YellowGreen]"Oh; and end of discussion, [i]Mark[/i]."[/color]

Standing rigid, almost statuesque, Mark only moved when Zelena headed inside the hotel, stooping down to scoop up the small dog to hold him under the belly with a single hand and at his side to ensure it's safety. Toto squirmed around a bit, but it wasn't anything Mark couldn't handle.

Following her inside, he approached the front counter and made the necessary arrangements for their room. Just two nights - if all went according to The Sorcerer's plan.

[color=OliveDrab]"Holding steadfast to why we are here, we still need to find Pinocchio."[/color] Mark told Zelena, keeping his voice down so as not to be overheard by the other guests, acting as though their squabble moments before had never happened.

..by Oz, he could be frustrating at times... but she'd be damned if she didn't love him...

Pursing her lips, and quirking her eyebrows ever so slightly as he did what he could to brush the conversation aside as though it had never happened, Elphaba turned her attention back down to the small kitten she held in her arms, her fingers lightly running over Oliver's fur in a soothing manner causing the feline in question to begin to purr soundly as it rested itself up against her chest.

[color=YellowGreen]"..fine- but we still have time to find him. We can't make any moves until the opening of Snow-fest tomorrow night anyway; and then, we can't leave until the following day- and only with the kids who actually want to go."[/color] Pausing her actions as she spoke, she let her dark gaze flick up to meet with her husbands for only a moment before she once more relaxed, her hand slipping down into her pocket before she found what it was she was looking for, and pulled her mobile out so that she could look at the screen, checking for any messages before she slipped it away, her hand then reaching out expectantly for one of the two key cards to their room.

[color=YellowGreen]"..and I haven't heard from Frost in a couple of hours... last he said, he was on his way, and that he would meet up with me when we were all here..."[/color]

[color=OliveDrab]"The sooner we find him, the sooner we can debrief him on what's been going on - and then he can start to at least act like a Guardian."[/color] There was a bitter edge to Mark's tone as he spoke about Pinocchio. He didn't know much, only that he had fallen far, far from the tree. He tried reasoning with The Sorcerer that it would just be best to leave him out of it, to let the [i]adults[/i] do the job, but The Sorcerer was unyielding.

Setting down the duffel bag, Mark retrieved one of the key cards and handed it over to her. Then, opening up the duffel bag, he found a small, red leash sitting on the top and clipped it onto Toto's collar, finally able to set him down and then handed the other end of the leash to Zelena.

[color=OliveDrab]"So I'm off to do just that. We'll meet up for dinner later."[/color] He reached his head forward to press a quick, almost only for show kiss to her cheek and then retrieved his duffel bag, zipping it back up so that he could sling it back over his shoulder.

Of course that was how things were going to be- business first, business last. There was no in between when it came to Nick... not since his heart had been ripped from his chest by that witch back in Oz anyway...

Transferring the leash into the hand of the arm she was using to hold her kitten, she couldn't help but frown, pain flashing across the surface of her eyes as she turned her head lightly to the side, her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly as she felt him press a kiss upon her cheek- everything was for show... it was who he was... and it had been like that since long before they had been sent to Earth...

[color=YellowGreen]"..okay... I'll make us a reservation..."[/color] Shifting her bags in her arms so that she had more room, she held out her now free hand, waiting for him to give her his duffel before she slung it over her own shoulder, her hand then reaching back to take the handle of her overnight bag once more- if he was on a mission to hunt out Pinocchio, then he wouldn't be heading to the room any time soon...

[color=YellowGreen]"..I'll see you later..."[/color] Sighing dejectedly at the thought that she wasn't going to be spending any down time with her husband on this trip, Elphaba let out a soft and short whistle, gaining Toto's attention before she glanced down at the room number on the key card, her feet already carrying her, and all the luggage they had down the hall and towards the elevator...

It was going to be a long three days...