I'm back with another chapter. And I would like to say that the reviews I got for the first chapter were amazing. But…I can't. I mean, the TWO I got were great! (Thanks Love that Wicked and dolphin 64575, you guys rock!) But guys, really?! Why not review? It takes…what…a minute out of your time. Come on. I live off these reviews. They encourage me to continue. And you other authors out there know how that is. So…review! Please.

Another thanks to Laura. Just keep picturing an animatronic Glinda…just picture it. Now laugh.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

*****

The news reached Kiamo Ko weeks later. Chistery brought her an old newspaper from the Emerald City, dated weeks before. She read it with wide eyes, her mind not quite grasping the fact the Glinda had left Oz.

Her replacement's name was Centra; she didn't have a title yet. No Good or even Okay followed her name, that would come later. But Centra told 'her fellow Ozians' that Glinda went to visit the Wizard and there was no set return date.

Elphaba knew that was a lie. Glinda would never visit that old phony. But the green witch knew that Glinda needed to get away. That had been obvious to the woman when she last saw the blonde that night many months ago. She had been sitting up in her giant bed, just staring at the far wall, tears rolling down her cheeks. And Elphaba knew, deep in her heart, that many nights were the same for "Her Goodness". And that broke Elphaba's heart. She longed to scoop Glinda up in her arms and kiss her senseless, to take away her internal pain for good. But the time hadn't been right. That's what Elphaba told herself.

"And look where we are now," she muttered. "Glinda has disappeared. When will the time be right?"

****

Months passed. And Oz hadn't fallen down around the citizens' ears, as many had thought it would. Centra was a perfect ruler. In fact, her name soon became Centra the Perfect. She, of course, hated it but what could she do; refuse to answer to that name?

Elphaba mourned her lost chance. And barely took notice of the talk of a mysterious woman moving into an abandoned cabin just a few miles from Kiamo Ko. Chistery seemed fairly interested in this other woman but Elphaba just shrugged it off. No one ever came near the palace; for fear that the Wicked Witch's ghost would kill them. And she doubted that this 'mysterious woman' would have the guts.

But in fact, this 'mysterious woman' was trying to work up the guts in visiting her best friend's grave.

Glinda had in fact moved into the abandoned cabin; which, obviously, wasn't abandoned anymore. She had actually bought it anonymously two years before, thinking that one day would come where she could leave the Emerald City and live out the rest of her (as she liked to think) miserable life in peace. And that day had finally come.

It had been fixed up before she moved in; since she really didn't want to do all that kind of work. (Fixing roofs, painting walls, and nailing boards just weren't her cup of tea.) But she was enjoying what she did need to get done, since she had finally moved in.

She had become Ms. Linda from the Emerald City. It was a very simple name change, even if the name wasn't a real one. But she couldn't really think of a better one. That was one thing she hadn't thought of until someone actually asked her what her name was when they came to 'welcome' her to the neighborhood. (And she didn't really live in an actual neighborhood. Some people are just too nosey for their own good.)

Her days were spent gardening, cooking, and knitting. It could be considered a lonely life but she enjoyed it. It was a life unlike her previous one. She was the opposite of what she had been her whole life. She was…unsocial.

But her nights didn't change, like she hoped they would. She still didn't sleep. And when she did, she had nightmares. And they seemed to be getting worse. In fact, just a few nights ago she dreamed that she was the one that killed Elphaba. She just knew that they heard her scream at the next house, which was miles away.

The sun had been up for a few hours when Glinda ventured outside for the day. She adjusted her sun hat, tied her garden apron on, and picked up her hand shovel. She found that gardening actually helped her relax a little. Not much, mind you, but enough to maybe do some good.

But today, as she dug in the rich soil and pulled weeds, her mind wandered. It wandered to happier days, before the trip to the Emerald City and before the fiasco with the Wizard. Before it all went downhill so very fast.

****

"Come on, Elphie! Just this once!"

Elphaba sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why?"

Glinda echoed her girlfriend's sigh and plopped down on her pink covered bed. "Because I want you to."

Elphie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "So, you think that's all you need to say to get me to go shopping with you? I don't usually set myself up to be tortured, Glinda. Not even by my incredibly cute and lovely girlfriend."

Glinda couldn't decide if she should be offended or swept off her feet by that remark. She chose both by blushing and pouting at the same time. Only Glinda Upland could pull that off.

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Please, Elphie. For me?"

Another sigh. "Again, I ask why."

"Because I love you and what to spend time with you. Is that a good enough answer?"

Elphaba felt her breath leave her lungs. No one had ever said something even resembling that remark to her before. It made her feel warm inside.

"Glinda,"

"I mean, I don't even have anything I actually need," the blonde continued. "I just thought that I would combine the two things I love the most. You know, take out two birds with one stone, so to speak. I could walk down the street with you, knowing that I'm-"

She was cut off when a pair of lips covered hers. Closing her blue eyes, she let herself melt into the exquisite feeling of being connected to Elphaba, her Elphie.

When both girls were almost out of breath, Elphaba pulled back with a small smile. "You've won me over, my sweet. I'll go with you."

Glinda wrapped her arms around the green neck and smiled a full 'Glinda Smile'.

"Later. Right now, I have better things to do." She pulled the green girl down for another kiss.

They didn't go shopping that day.

*******

"Ms. Linda!"

The young voice calling her name pulled her from her memory. She looked up to see a young boy standing at her gate, waving his arms at her with a big grin on his face.

"Hello, Galdon," she said, standing up and wiping her hand off on her apron. "What are you up to today?"

She made her way over to her gate and opened it for the 10 year old boy, who practically skipped into her yard.

"I got a high mark on my Science test!" He pulled said test out of the bag over his shoulder and almost shoved it into her hands. "See?" His smile grew and his green eyes sparkled with excitement.

"How wonderful!" she said with a smile. "Great job!"

"And it's all because of you! If you hadn't helped me I wouldn't have done so well."

"It was nothing, Galdon. I was happy to help." She gave him back his test. "Would you like some cookies before you go home?"

He nodded excitedly, causing his light blonde hair to fall in his eyes a little. "Please? But only one. Mama would get mad if I was too full to eat supper."

When she got him settled with a cookie and some milk, he chattered on about his day at school.

They had met just a few days after she moved into the cottage. And it was only by chance. She was sitting on her front porch, gazing in the direction of Kiamo Ko when Galdon came walking by, tossing a ball into the air and catching it. When he caught a glimpse of her, he forgot to catch the ball and it bounced over her fence and into her yard. Glinda became an Aunt-like figure to him and he became a source of entertainment and happiness for her. But she had yet to meet his parents. Not that she really wanted to.

"How did you learn so much about Science, Ms. Linda?" Galdon asked as he finished off his milk.

Glinda chuckled. "My best friend from school loved Science. She made sure I studied enough so that I would pass the tests. And it all kind of stuck."

"Didn't you like Science?"

"Goodness, no!" Glinda said with a laugh. "It was my least favorite subject, next to Math, of course."

Galdon giggled and set his glass down.

"But when she explained it to me, I understood it. It made sense."

"Where is she now? Is she a famous scientist?"

The innocent question pierced her heart like a poisoned dagger. "No," Glinda choked out. "She's dead."

There was silence in the kitchen as the young boy pondered that thought. "Oh," he finally said. "I'm sorry."

Glinda swallowed and shook her head. Clearing her throat she gave a forced smile to the blonde boy. "Well, congratulations on your test, Galdon. You can come to me with questions whenever you need to."

The perceptive young boy knew that the blonde woman needed to be alone. He nodded and grabbed his bag. "Thanks for the cookie and milk, Ms. Linda. You're a good person." He jumped up and gave her a quick hug, before running out the door with one last goodbye.

For a while after he left, sobbing could be heard in the kitchen of Ms. Linda from the Emerald City. But that wasn't unusual. That was the most common sound that came from her house. And the only one who knew that was the small winged monkey that hid in the tree beside the cottage. And though he wanted to comfort her with all his heart, he knew that if he revealed himself to the blonde witch, he would never want to leave. He needed to get his witch to this house. And he needed to do it soon.

To be continued…

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