"Elphie?" The crack in Glinda's voice broke Elphaba's heart, but she had to remain hidden. Soft sobbing reached the green woman's ears and it was all she could do to not sob as well. "Oh, Elphie…"

Elphaba waited until the footsteps left before breathing again. She couldn't let anyone know about her hiding spot, not even her best friend. She waited a while, hugging her knees in the darkness until a knock sounded above her and the trapdoor flew open.

"It worked!"

Elphaba jumped up, poking her head out of the trapdoor. "Fiyero?" She smiled at him, despite what he looked like.

His clothes were still similar, but they were… different. Fiyero's face was made of a sort of sack, his hair now straw, and a cloth hat was tied around his chin. He could still move his eyes a little, although they were sewn on, and his lips were now just strands of thread. His voice was the same, and she could hear it, but it wasn't coming out of his mouth, as it wasn't able to move, with a permanent, but still comforting smile on his face.

"It's alright," he assured her. "Touch. I don't mind."

Elphaba cupped his soft cheek in her green hand. "You're still beautiful," she told him.

Fiyero ducked his head. "You don't have to lie to me," he murmured.

Elphaba touched her thumb and forefinger to his chin, making him face her again. "It's not lying," she said. "It's… looking at things another way."

Fiyero's eyes turned soft as he recognized the words. "You saved my life, Fae. Thank you for that. Come on. We need to hide for a while."

Elphaba stood up, looking out a window. "We can never return to Oz, can we?"

Fiyero shook his head, looking out the same window. "No, we can't. Now, come." He handed her hat back to her. "We need to go into the tunnels. Before the guards come back."

"I just wish…" Elphaba glanced at the window before facing Fiyero once again. "I wish Glinda could know that we're alive, that we're alright!"

Fiyero shook his head again. "She can't know," he said. "Not if we want to be safe. Not if we want to be… together."

Elphaba nodded, putting her hat on again. "Yes… she'll be alright, won't she? Without us?"

If his lips hadn't been sewn together, Elphaba knew Fiyero would have smiled. "She was alright before she met us, wasn't she? She'll be a great ruler of Oz, I just know it."

Elphaba smiled back and took Fiyero's cloth hand, letting him lead her to the tunnels and safety.

…

Glinda hugged the bottle to her chest. This was the last thing she had of Elphie, besides… did she still have those spectacles? She was sure she did.

"Well, everyone seemed happy with their brains, their hearts, and everything…" Madam Morrible was saying as Glinda walked up. "Ah, Your Goodness, there you are! Are you alright? What do you have there?"

Glinda looked to the Wizard, who was looking at the bottle with interest. "This was her mother's. This belonged to Elphaba's mother. I've only seen one other like this before." Glinda faced the Wizard. "You had one, in fact, you offered me a drink from it!"

"This belonged to… her mother?" Realization crept on the older man's face. "Oh, my lord!"

"So she was yours all along!" Glinda exclaimed.

"That's why she had such power!" Madam Morrible murmured. "She was a child… of both worlds."

"I hereby release you from Oz, and I will tell the people that you have taken an indefinite leave of absence." Glinda looked at the Wizard, who still had tears rolling down her face. "Did you hear what I said?!"

"Yes, yes." The Wizard stood up, leaving quickly.

"Miss Glinda, I know we've had our differentiations over time," Madam Morrible tried to say. "But I'd like to think –"

"Madam, have you ever though about captivity?" Glinda countered.

"What?"

"Captivity," Glinda repeated impatiently. "Prison…" She spoke over Madam Morrible's ramblings. "You see, it is my personal belief that you do not have what it takes. I hope you prove me wrong. I doubt you will. Take her away!" Glinda ordered the guards.

"Wait, no!" Madam Morrible cried.

Glinda ignored her shouting, creating a bubble to float above the Ozians. "Fellow Ozians. Friends," she corrected herself. "I know we have been through a hard time, but I would like to help. I would like to try to be Glinda the Good."

Glinda watched the citizens jump around in jubilation because the evillest thing in Oz was gone. Evil, wicked, villain. Villain? Her Elphie, a villain? No. It was only because she was different. Had she had the same skin colour as most, would she have been so… forced into seemingly wickedness? Glinda didn't know.

Why did you have to convince me not to tell them, Elphie? Glinda wondered. Why did you make me promise?

Glinda sighed, using her bubble to float into the Emerald Palace. She already missed Elphaba terribly. So much so she wasn't looking where she was going. She bumped into something and stumbled back, nearly falling before someone grabbed her hand and prevented the fall.

Glinda blinked, looking at whoever had caught her. It was a young man with the required Emerald City guard uniform. He had dirty-blond hair and grey eyes, his ungloved hands still clutching Glinda's own bare hand.

He flushed, taking his hand back and dropping to one knee. "Forgive me, Your Goodness! I didn't mean to bump into you!"

Glinda blinked again, but this time in surprise. "Please stand up! And, it's okay. Who are you? I don't recognize you."

The young man stood, smiling nervously at her. "I'm new. The Wizard just hired a lot of us. Something about protection from a witch. My name is Collin Farrand."

Glinda smiled at him. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Farrand."

"Call me Collin, Your Goodness." The young man returned the smile.

"Alright… Collin," Glinda replied.

"Oh, here, you dropped this." Collin bent down and picked up the Grimmerie. "What's this?"

Glinda took it from him. "Just an old book of magic."

Collin tipped his head to the side. "Is it the Grimmerie?"

Glinda nodded, hugging the big book to her chest. "You know about it?"

Collin grinned. "Are you kidding? Who hasn't? Especially people who use magic?"

"You use magic?"

Collin nodded. "I'm not any good at it. Whatsoever!" He nervously rubbed the back if his neck and let out a small chuckle. "But I'm trying!"

Glinda smiled. "I could give you some pointers. If you wanted," she added.

"Maybe…" Collin murmured thoughtfully.

…

"Fae?"

"I'm over here, Yero."

"What are you doing?"

"Trying… something…"

If he could have, Elphaba knew Fiyero would have frowned at her. "You've been doing that for months. When are you going to stop? Glinda is fine."

Elphaba looked up from her notebook, looking over at her bowl again. "You don't know that! What if… what if she's extremely depressed without us?"

Fiyero put a hand on Elphaba's shoulder. "Fae." His voice was chiding. "You're obsessing."

Elphaba closed her eyes for a second, then turned her head to look at Fiyero. "Maybe you're right… but I have to. It's the only way I can see her again."

Fiyero's voice sighed. "I know you miss her, Fae. I do too. But it's not healthy to be pouring over books all day and night, trying to make some sort of potion to see Glinda. Why don't you go see her yourself?"

"You know why I can't," Elphaba whispered. "I have to protect Glinda by not telling her we're alive. You're the one who first told me that, Yero. You were right then, and you're right now."

Fiyero raised his hand to Elphaba's face and stroked her cheek. "It's going to be alright, Fae. We're going to be alright."

Elphaba leaned into his soft hand, smiling affectionately at him. "I love you, Yero."

Fiyero tipped his head to the side, his eyes warm with the same affection. "I love you too, Elphaba. If I leave the room, can I trust you to clean everything up?" His voice was teasing.

Elphaba chuckled. "Yes, you can."

…

"Your Goodness?" A knock came at the door. A familiar three-tone knock.

"Come in!" Glinda called, widening her eyes to aid the accuracy of her mascara brush. "And I've told you to call me Glinda, Collin."

Collin chuckled. "I guess I keep forgetting." Glinda could see Collin's smile in the mirror's reflection. "You look nice."

Glinda smiled back, finishing with her make-up. "Thank you. Is the council ready?"

Collin gave her a single nod. "They're all in the Throne Room. Are you sure that's where you want to meet?"

Glinda nodded, turning and giving Collin a serious frown. "If there was ever a time to pull rank, it is now. Do you have the Grimmerie?"

Collin nodded again, showing her the book in his arms. "Are you ready?"

Glinda took a deep breath. "I think so."

She had put on something far more modest than most of her outfits, choosing what she called her bubble dress. She had also put on her crown, to show that she was the ruler of Oz, not her literal man-made council.

Glinda led the way to her Throne Room, not allowing Collin to go in front of her, and opening the doors without an introduction. Her council, which she knew had been talking, cut themselves off abruptly as she strode in. Glinda settled herself in her throne, making sure to look powerful by sitting up as straight as she could.

"Now," she began. "We're hear to talk about the rights of Animals, and the state of magic in Oz. Which one shall we begin with?" The men all shuffled in their seats and some straightened their collars. "Well?" Glinda prompted impatiently.

"Well, you see, Your Goodness…" one of the councilmen began. Glinda rose an eyebrow at him. "We don't think anything should change about the Animals, or the magic."

"Nothing should change?" Glinda repeated. "So, you're okay with people eating Animals? With Animals being put to work and getting no pay, or very little? Or with magic being treated as though it were some sort of curse than a blessing?"

One of the councilmen, whose name Glinda remembered was Tanlin, rose from his chair. "Your Goodness, if you forgive me for being upfront, you are far too young to know what you're talking about. Let us talk about the state of the Animals and get back to you with our verdict."

Glinda stood, barely able to keep her mounting anger away from her face. "If you don't mind my speaking without a filter, you're full of shit." Glinda ignored the gasps and kept her steely gaze on the now squirming Tanlin. "I was a student at Shiz University when we had a Goat on the premises as a professor. He was – is – one of the smartest people on this earth, Animal or otherwise. I had a good friend be turned against because she chose not to use her wonderful magic to harm the Animals. I have experience that you will never have, Councilman Tanlin, and if you do not think be qualified to lead Oz, then you can leave my council."

"What?" Tanlin sputtered. "You can't do that!"

"Actually, I can." Glinda narrowed her eyes. "Do you not read the Book of Law? If you did, you would find it in there, written by the first Ozma herself. You would also find that equal rights between humans and Animals have been set since her time as well. You are the ones that are in the wrong and going against the law by treating Animals so."

Glinda swept her eyes over the twelve or so men at the table before her throne. "If there are any of you who do not wish to share equal rights with Animals, then I request you leave before I throw all of you in the dungeon for breaking the law." She glanced at a large clock mounted on the wall of the Throne Room. "You have ten seconds to decide." She glanced at the men, who weren't moving. They didn't think she was serious. She set her jaw. "Ten… nine…"

Once they realized she was serious, nine of the oldest men scrambled for the double doors, almost trampling one another in the process. Only three of the younger men remained.

Glinda finished counting down from ten, and all three of the young men glanced at one another, nodded, and pushed back from their chairs. They all stepped up to the bottom step of the raised floor leading to Glinda's throne, bending down to one knee and staring at the ground respectfully. Glinda exchanged a surprised look with Collin.

The middle councilman began speaking. "Your Goodness, we three have been talking with one another for a long time, and we fully agree with your ideas and ideals. We have often disagreed with what the other councilmen have said about Animals, and laws, and magic, but were never permitted to state our opinions on the matter. We wish to still be a part of your council and hope to lead Oz to a brighter future than its past."

"Tell me your names," Glinda prompted.

The one on the right spoke this time. "We are Crope, Avaric, and Tibbett, Your Goodness. We are sorry we couldn't say or do anything before now."

"Stand up," Glinda requested.

They did, and while Glinda was slightly disappointed to see they were all taller than her, she realized they couldn't be much older than she was. She wondered if she ever went to school with them. She smiled to each of them, putting them at ease.

"I thank you for speaking up now. You were brave to do so with the danger of being thrown in the dungeon. I do believe your story, however, and believe you did everything you could to stop the Animal discrimination. Please stay on my council and help me choose others who will be as great a help as I know you three will."

The three young men beamed, glancing at one another with joy and relief.

The middle one, whose name was Avaric, smiled at Glinda, giving a dip of his head. "Thank you, Your Goodness. We appreciate your graciousness."

Glinda returned the smile. "You're welcome." She beckoned to Collin. "This is my personal secretary Collin Farrand. He will lead you to your new rooms, and tomorrow we will decide what to do about my lack of a council."

"But Gli – Your Goodness," Collin corrected himself. "What are we doing about the Grimmerie? Why did you bring it here?"

Glinda picked up the dusty, old book. She could hear her Elphie's words as she gave it to her, telling her to take care of it. I am, Elphie.

"I think its previous owner would agree with what I'm about to do." Glinda walked over to the open fireplace with a roaring fire in it and threw the book in. Collin and the other three young men let out little astonished cries. Glinda glanced at the four of them before watching the Grimmerie burn. "Before a friend of mine had this, this book was used for bad. Now, it shall never be used again. For bad or otherwise."

Glinda couldn't see it, but Collin was smiling with pride behind her.

…

Elphaba was cleaning everything up as she had promised Fiyero when she heard a crash. Since there was no one else in the castle, Elphaba came rushing out of the room to see Fiyero on his knees in the hallway.

"Yero!" Elphaba exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

"No…!" Fiyero gasped. "There's something wrong! I'm burning. I'm burning from the inside out!"

"Let me see," Elphaba demanded, trying not to let her voice shake, but failing to do so. "Yero…"

Fiyero turned his face to her, but… he blinked! Elphaba's jaw dropped a little in astonishment. As though it was melting away, the sack that had made up Fiyero's face for months, was vanishing. Instead it was replaced with… skin? Elphaba reached out and touched Fiyero's face, and sure enough, it was skin again!

"Yero…?" Elphaba whispered. "You're back?"

Fiyero blinked again and again, moving his face in ways that he had been unable to for several months. He held out his hands, both of which also returned to skin. He clenched and flexed his fingers. He looked at Elphaba, wonder-filled brown eyes finding their twins.

"I'm… back…" Fiyero murmured. He reached out, really touching Elphaba's face again. His thumb brushed her lips, and he turned his head a little. "Elphaba…" He tilted her chin and brought his lips against hers, softly, testing. "I love you… Elphaba…"

"Fiyero… I love you too." Elphaba smiled against his lips. "All of you…"

Who recognized the cameos? They won't have the same characters they do in the book or musical. I'll be using them as my own characters. Like Nausika Universe did with Avaric. Speaking of! Go read Nausika Universe's book! It's called Goodness, and it's the absolute inspiration for this book, so yeah! The way she depicts her characters are amazing, and you should check it out!

Alright, enough of me ;P

Tiger, out!