"Get out."

"But Miss -!"

"I said GET OUT!" Glinda screamed at the man dressed in the green robes, who'd merely been trying to help. She didn't seem that intimidating with her dress in disarray and the fresh tears mingled with make-up streaking paths down her pale cheeks. But yet, the man left the room, leaving Glinda to her thoughts.

The blonde ripped the bobby pins from her hair, letting the long curls fall down her back, shaking them loose after the long, very hard, very rough day that she'd had. She tossed the pins onto the table in the corner, half debating on just throwing herself out of the single window then and there. She'd locked herself in one of the empty rooms at the tallest tower of the emerald palace after announcing that the Wizard had stepped down, and she'd taken over as Empress of Oz, as well as the announcement of the Wicked Witch's death, thanks to the little girl from Kansas.

But in reality, Glinda just wanted to murder the little girl herself for murdering her best friend.

Angrily, Glinda tossed her wand to the ground, not really caring if it shattered to thousands of pieces or not. With the palm of her hand, she rubbed furiously at her eyes and cheeks, her legs finally giving out as she collapsed on the ground in a sobbing mess of tears. She'd never been one to cry that much, but this was too overwhelming. Her best friend was gone, and she'd never see her again. The Wizard of Oz was gone and she was to now control all of Oz. So much to do for one person – Glinda was actually starting to regret naming herself as successor.

"What am I going to do without you?" She whispered, staring at the shining emerald floor. Her own face was reflected back, except in shades of green. She shut her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself.

She didn't look up as another knock at the door came, but instead sat there, crying. The knock came again, this time more insistent.

"Go away." She said, barely loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. She really didn't want anyone to see her in the state she was in.

"But it's an emergency." The voice on the other side said, the sound a deep baritone. Glinda didn't know who it was, but sighed and tried her best to compose herself. Stepping behind the door and opening it only a crack to where the other person could not see her, she answered.

"What is it?' She asked. Her gaze had trailed to the old worn book laying in the corner of the room, the sparkling ruby slippers setting atop them. The shoes should have always been yours, Elphie.

"There's a man here, Empress, who says he knows you from school."

Glinda's breath hitched in her throat as she turned slightly toward the door, heart hammering against her chest. It took her a moment to find her voice, but eventually managed to find the words stuck within her throat.

"Send them in."

There was a clanking noise before the door creaked open. Glinda scurried to her feet, wiping at her face with her palms – and only succeeding in smearing her make-up more, leaving black streaks across her cheeks. She didn't notice.

"You."

Her tears stopped as she suddenly grew angry, glaring at the man that had just walked into the room. The Tin Man stood there, shaking, his parts rattling together nervously. It was the only sound in the room until Glinda spoke again.

"Well?! What do you want?"

"I came to apologize. . . ."

"Apologize? For what? Leading a witch hunt against my best friend? Or for just now lying to my guards."

"Lying - ?"

"You did not know me from school." She said briskly. "I would remember studying history with a man of tin."

"Miss. Galinda - ."

"Don't call me that!" She snapped. He inhaled deeply.

"I know you used to go by Galinda, and changed you name to Glinda after Doctor Dillamond's death. The only reason you were allowed to take sorcery with Madame Morrible was because of Elphaba Thropp, your best friend -."

"Stop -."

"You were followed by a boy who was very much in love with you, but sent him off to be with Nessarose Thropp, Elphaba's sister. You fell in love with Prince Fiyero Tiggular, and were engaged to him for a short time until you realized he did not love you -."

"Stop - !"

"You gave Dorothy Gale the ruby slippers after she killed Nessarose. Scarecrow, Lion, and I have traveled with her and were there mere moments before you took over for the Wizard. It was Dorothy Gale that killed her -."

"Stop it!"

Glinda looked a bit wild as she glared at the Tin Man, trying hard to recognize just who this Tin Man was.

"How did you know - ?"

"I was the boy you sent trailing after Nessarose Thropp, Glinda. Boq." He said quietly. Glinda frowned, and suddenly, her eyes widened with recognition.

"Boq. . . . What happened to you?" She whispered, taking a careful step forward. She stared at him a moment longer, waiting for him to reply.

"She – Elphaba – turned me into a man of tin." He said quietly. Almost afraid, Glinda reached up and rested her hand against his cold cheek. "Nessarose, she said something in that book that shrank my heart. Elphaba tried to save me and this was the only way she could do it." He explained quietly.

". . . I'm so sorry." She said after a few moments, letting her hand drop back to her side.

"I was hoping you could change me back." He said, casting his gaze downwards. Glinda chewed her lip for a moment.

"I-I'm not exactly sure I can. I'm not as good as I should be at magic." She admitted quietly, as she went to the corner, picking up the Grimmerie. She carried it in one hand, the ruby slippers in the other, setting them on the windowsill as she passed back toward Boq. He frowned.

"I thought Dorothy had those?"

"She did. Lost them when I sent her home." Glinda replied, and flipped open the ancient book. She frowned – all of it was written in Ancient Ozian. She'd taken the class back at Shiz, but that had been just basics. This was complicated, and she could barely make out even half of it. "I think I'm going to need help. There's only two people I know of that could read this. One of them is dead, and the other is locked away in the jail at the end of the Emerald City."

"Who?"

"Madame Morrible." She said, almost as if the name in her mouth left a bad taste. "Come with me."

The trip to the other side of the Emerald City didn't take long, once Glinda managed to get around the people wanting to thank her, and congratulating her, and all the other parties people were having. The ideas of partying while her best friend was dead nearly brought the tears back, but she just pulled her cloak tighter around her and leaned back in the carriage. Boq sat across from her, looking rather nervous about the entire thing. She suspected he wasn't happy about seeing Madame Morrible either.

"Empress Glinda, we're here." A voice informed as the carriage rolled to a stop – it was the quieter part of the city, where things such as the jail and sanitarium rested. A man was at the door of the carriage instantly and helped her down. Lifting the skirts of the ruffled blue dress she had yet to change from, she led the way into the police station, being certain Boq was following.

"Announcing Empress Glinda Upland, the Good." The man who'd opened the door of the carriage announced as she approached the front desk. The man in green at the desk jumped to his feet instantly, giving a low bow.

"We're here to see Madame Morrible, previous Headmistress of Shiz University." She stated in a regal tone. The man in green frowned.

"Uh, she's under heavy security, Empress." He squeaked.

"I order you to let me and this gentlemen see her. Now."

He seemed to have an internal debate, but the look on Glinda's face convinced him otherwise. He nodded quickly and grabbed the keys off the desk, leading her down a long hallway.

"I must warn you, Empress, high security cells aren't something you really should -."

"I don't care." She cut across him in that sweet tone, but in a sharp way that silenced him instantly. She'd been Empress of Oz for a mere few hours, and already she had that orderly tone about her. Boq figured it was only fate she be a leader. She would be a good ruler, he knew. It just seemed to fit her, as much as most people wouldn't admit it. The vain, careless Glinda that he'd known in school had grown up.

They were led down a long hallway full of closed doors, which led off down other hallways that were lined with cells. They were headed for the door at the end of the hall, guarded by two men in green, armed with several guns that looked pretty terrifying. They stepped aside at the sight of their Chief and their new Empress, allowing them to pass through. It was another hallway, this one a rather darker looking place with doors with tiny windows, that were the entrances to the actual cells.

"I also must tell you that because of enchantments placed on here, you will not be able to use magic while in this hallway or in any of the cells. Its just precautions, and we normally take away things like that book you're holding there, but since you're Empress and all, we'll let it pass." He said, not looking Glinda in the eyes as he stopped at one of the doors. He pulled a key off the hook and shoved it in the lock, opening the door.

Madame Morrible sat with her back against the wall of the empty room – the walls, floor, and ceiling were made out of the bright emeralds, and a soft glowing light seemed to come from within them, lighting the room since there was no window. It had grown dark outside anyway.

"Well, Glinda, you look a right sight since I saw you last – only hours ago." Morrible said as they entered. The Chief shut the door behind them, but Glinda did not hear footsteps, so she assumed he was lurking right outside the door, just in case.

"Yes, Madame, I suppose I do. Losing your best friend and taking over a country will do that to you." She said in a brisk tone, the corners of her lips turning down. She shifted the book in her arms, and Madame Morrible's eyes fell on it with curiosity.

"And just how did you get that?"

"Afore mentioned friend. Small problem though – I can't read Ancient Ozian as fluently as Elphaba, so I've come here to make you translate it."

"I will do no such thing." She said, almost as if Glinda had insulted her. Boq stepped up behind from behind Glinda.

"Madame Morrible, please. I need to be changed back into a human. Its me, Boq."

"Nessarose's servant? Shame what happened to the girl. I thought the house took you out with it." Morrible said and got to her feet. Glinda stepped back instinctively, but tried very hard to seem intimidating. Boq was glaring at Madame Morrible from beside her.

"Listen to me very carefully, because I'm only going to say this once. Translate this, and I'll have you out of this jail cell and under house arrest instead. Make me threaten you to translate it, and I will have you moved to the jail cells under the Emerald Palace – and I'm afraid the guards there are much less kinder than those here." Glinda said in a serious tone, her face completely blank as she held out the Grimmerie out to Madame Morrible. The older woman looked at her for a moment, before reaching out and taking the book.

"The last page in the book." Glinda said quietly, and flipped the book open for her. "I've figured that spell turns anything back into its original form, no matter what. Just tell me what it says, and we'll leave."

Morrible stared at the spell for a moment, frowning. Her eyes scanned the page, and Glinda stood there, hands clenching and unclenching around the clasp of her cloak. It was freezing in the cell, so she pulled it tighter around her, waiting as patient as she could for Morrible to finish.

"It's a simple spell really. . . ." The woman muttered, glancing up at Glinda. "But I cannot perform it. As I told you once I am skilled in weather spells more than any. If you wish to return your. . . friend, to his former state, then repeat after me."

Glinda nodded, but Boq stepped forward again.

"Wait – how do we know she's not going to trick you?"

Glinda seemed to weigh this suggestion in her mind, glancing between Boq and Madame Morrible.

"I'll know."

Boq did not look so at ease, but he merely managed to nod as Madame Morrible began.

"Elaka menka hetra."

"Elaka menka hetra."

"Aman el e mento."

"Aman el e mento."

"Laka me endo mantra."

"Laka me endo mantra."

Boq suddenly let out a loud cry of pain, falling to his knees onto the hard cold floor, clutching at his chest. The last thing he saw was Glinda's blurry pale face as she hovered over him, before everything went black.

X

"I hate rain."

"You hate everything Elphaba."

"Its been raining for two days straight, and we haven't been able to leave this cave. We should have been out of Oz by now."

Fiyero sighed, looking over at Elphaba, who was sitting with her back against the cave wall, arms wrapped around her knees. She was watching the rain fall in heavy torrents at the mouth of the cave, as it had been for the past two days. They remained sitting in silence for a moment as Fiyero poked at the small fire Elphaba had conjured up the day before.

"We should have said goodbye." Elphaba suddenly said. Fiyero looked up at her, backing away from the fire carefully again, just in case a spark popped out and landed on his straw. Elphaba had yet to change him back – she was trying hard to remember the spell from the Grimmerie, but it wasn't going well. She needed to see it.

"We've been over it. We can't. We have to continue to let everyone think we're dead. More you than me." He said.

"But Glinda -."

"Has a country to run now, from what I've heard. She's taken over as Empress – I learned a bit when I went into the village last night when the rain had stopped for that bit." He replied – he'd gone into the nearest village to get food and some other things that would be light to carry on their journey out of Oz. He knew that both of them did not want to leave Oz, but staying meant someone discovering they weren't dead. It was just too dangerous.

In the glow of the fire, he could see the rare smile on Elphaba's lips.

"What?"

The smile disappeared instantly.

"Nothing."

X

So, reviews are love. I've never really written WICKED before, but I'm giving it a whirl. The story continues soon, and it will be better!