AN: So this is proving to be a lot harder than I thought it would initially. Please respond with any advice/criticism. It would really help me with this.

When Glinda arrived at the Palace, she didn't have to look hard to find the Wizard. He took in the sight of her, obviously distressed, and immediately crossed to her despite the annoyance of his current petitioner. "Glinda, what's wrong dear?" His concern was so genuine that she allowed herself the smallest hope that things might be alright.

She told him quickly of Fiyero and his current fate, despair and hope warring in her voice. "Please, I know you can stop this. Make things right. Please, don't let them torture him. He didn't do anything wrong. He just…loves her."

His concern was first for her. "You certain you're alright? Neither of them harmed you?" Of course they didn't. They were her friends once upon a time, and even with this pain between them, they would be friends again someday.

The Wizard stepped aside, calling the guards to him. They spoke in low voices, but she could see by the soldier's nodding heads that he was issuing some kind of orders. Leaving hastily, the guards set out in the direction of the corn field, and she allowed herself to hope.

The Wizard returned to Glinda, "I only hope they are not too late." Glinda agreed anxiously, grateful that he had sent them to rescue Fiyero.

Again his gentle eyes fell on her, "Are you certain you'll be alright?" His concern for her was touching, especially from someone so powerful, to which she was merely a bug in comparison. How could she ever have believed that he wished her ill?

Looking back into his eyes, she allowed herself to feel the smallest bit of attraction for him, this powerful, charismatic and gentle man who cared for her. Or was it just an end to her loneliness that she was attracted to? He was old enough to be her father, and yet, she felt drawn to him.

She had not answered his question, so he repeated it, the worry apparent in his voice. Shaking her head, she told him she was fine, even if she wasn't. In fact, at the moment she felt terrified, worried and confused all at once. This was not how she had envisioned the day following her engagement ball. "Will they be alright?" she asked suddenly, childlike in her need for someone to chase away her fears.

He pulled her into his arms. "Yes dear. They will be alright. And so will you. Everything will be okay." He rubbed her back, and she felt guilty for enjoying the feeling of being held by someone who actually cared. After a moment he pulled away awkwardly, his kind eyes offering his apologies. "I have to go now, but I will check on you later. Okay?" She nodded, feeling slightly dazed as she walked away. What was she thinking? She tried to fight the absurd happiness she felt that she would see him later.

When Glinda opened the door for him later that night, she felt a turmoil of excitement, guilt, anxiety and happiness. She could see by his face that the news he carried was not good. Ushering him in, she tried to delay the storm she dreaded was coming, taking a long time hanging up his coat and preparing them tea. Finally, unable to avoid it any longer, she looked in his eyes, signaling she was ready.

"I'm so sorry." His eyes seemed sincere, and she knew what was coming next. "They were too late. Fiyero is … dead." He obviously didn't want to tell her, trying to spare her more sorrow, but he was compelled to. She blamed herself. How could this have happened? How could he be…? She couldn't even think the word, as if superstitiously not thinking it would prevent it from being true.

She dissolved in tears as the Wizard once again held her. Inconsolable, she thought of Elphaba. Did she know? Had she discovered that she was alone in the world now too? Elphaba was all Glinda had left now.

The Wizard stroked her hair, reminding her that he was still there. She felt destroyed, and she just wanted it all to go away. He had tried, but he couldn't stop this. He pulled the green bottle from his pocket. "I thought you might need this. It dulls the pain. Here, take it." She had declined it once, but now she decided that it would be nice to have the pain dulled.

She swallowed a mouthful, gagging on its strong taste. He smiled at her, taking the bottle and returning it to his pocket. A tingling had started in the pit of her stomach, wriggling its way through her. Sure enough, she felt the pain dulled; in fact, all her senses were a little blurry and out of focus. She might have been alarmed by this if she didn't feel like she was wrapped in a cloud with cotton stuffed in her brain.

The Wizard was still holding her, and she felt him kiss her gently, hesitantly. Her face was placid, eyes fuzzy and far away. He must have taken her lack of reaction as a sign of consent, and so she watched from afar as he kissed her deeply. She wondered what would happen, amazed that she didn't really care. She saw herself responding to him, thought she didn't really feel anything. Kisses turned to caresses turned to more, and she simply watched, waiting. At some point, numbly she must have drifted off to sleep.

She woke with a pounding headache, all the noise and pain and heartache rushing back in to fill the void from last night. The pain was all the worse for the previous release, and she found herself cursing that little green bottle. It was then she realized what must have happened last night. Looking down, she confirmed her state of undress, but she didn't see the Wizard anywhere. Ashamed, she began once again to cry.