Elphaba nuzzled Fiyero's shoulder. She felt loved for the first time in her life. She wasn't sure how long the two had laid in the field. It seemed like a life time and she didn't care.

"Fiyero?" she whispered.

"Hm?" he replied, stroking her long dark hair.

"What are you going to do now? About Glinda and your job, I mean."

He took in a deep sigh. "Must we really talk about this?"

"I would like to know" she pressed, "Glinda is after all my friend."

He smiled. "I suppose I would have to apologize to her. Tell her that I never really loved her."

"And your job?"

"The job never meant anything to me" he replied, "I only took it so I could find you."

She played with the metals on his jacket, "But others would take it for the exact same purpose."

"But my reasons are different."

"How so?" she frowned, "Your objective is to capture me, is it not? And I'm your prisoner, am I not?"

Fiyero threw back his head and gave a light chuckle. "I would say that you are!"

"Then how is your objective different?"

"Because," he brushed a lock of hair from her face, "their objective is to kill you."

"And your's?"

He drew her in for a kiss, "To make love to you."

Elphaba wasn't too sure as to what she was doing but she gave into it anyway. She wasn't too sure if she was hearing correctly either. She wasn't sure at first, but now she was. "Love?" she asked herself, "He actually wants to love me?" She wrapped her arms around him as she kissed him back.

---

Captain Kirk examined the area around him. He and his party had landed in a small village of sorts. "What do you make of it, Spock?" he asked.

"It would appear captain that we are standing in the middle of a village of little people" was the reply, "My scanners aren't picking up any life near here, though."

"Probably out somewhere" the other reasoned.

"Or were driven away."

"Capt'n!" called out Scotty, "Take a look at this!"

Kirk walked over to his engineer. The Scotsman was pointing to a yellow road.

"Fascinating" commented Spock.

The captain knelt down and touched the road. "What is it?"

"Brick" replied Scotty, "Yellow brick."

"Once again, fascinating."

"Oh, to you, everything's 'fascinating" laughed Dr. McCoy.

"Not everything, Doctor" the other replied, "You being one of them."

McCoy's face turned back to seriousness. He huffed and returned to his work.

"What do you make of it, Bones?" Kirk smiled, amused with his two friends.

"We are standing in the middle of a civilization of people no bigger than children" was the doctor's diagnosis, "If the entire civilization is not entirely composed of children all together."

"Very good, Doctor" commented Spock, "But I would have to agree with your first findings. As you remember with Madame Morrible, she did appear fully mature."

"But they all can't be that size" continued Kirk, "She didn't look like a child's hight either." He opened his communicator. "Kirk to Enterprise."

"Sulu here, Captain" came the response.

"Sulu, scan the planet for life; we can't find any down here."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

"Kirk out."

"Kill her! Kill the Witch!"

Kirk and his party turned to find the source of the voice.

"Captain!" Stephens cried. He pointed over a hill from which ran a shiny man.

"Jim," McCoy gasped, "is that..."

"A tin man?" finished Spock, "Yes, it would appear so."

The six huddled close as the tin man approached yelling his cries of death and destruction.

"What do we do, Captain?" asked Stephens.

"Wait," was the reply, "he may be harmless."

"You gotta be kiddin' me, Capt'n!" cried Scotty.

But the tin man didn't notice them. He kept running around waving his ax and shouting "Kill the Witch." The party watched as he ran out of sight.

"I don't like this, Jim" whispered Dr. McCoy, "I don't like this one bit."

"I would admit it is rather strange" added Spock.

"Well let's just keep looking around" Kirk calmed down the group. He opened his communicator "Kirk to Enterprise."

"Enterprise here."

"Mr. Sulu, did you scan the planet as I asked?"

"Yes, sir."

"What did you find?"

"There are life forms, Captain. Just not in your general area at the moment."

"Okay, we're keep our eyes peeled. Kirk out."

"Didn't they pick up that tin man?" asked Uhura.

"Apparently not" replied Spock.

"But if he wasn't a life form, then what was he?"

The others shrugged.

"I still don't like this, Jim" McCoy shuddered.

"Set phasers to 'Stun" ordered Kirk.

As they did what they were told, before them appeared a woman in a black dress and ruby slippers. She was surprisingly tall for what the buildings in the village made its occupants to be.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I am James T. Kirk, Captain of the Starship Enterprise" Kirk introduced himself, "I have received a message of distress that we believe came from this planet."

"No message has been sent from here" she replied, "Nothing here goes on with out my authorization."

"I believe I have not caught your name."

She squinted at the captain. "It is of no importance to you. Now I must ask you to leave."

"Leave?"

"You have entered my land without my permission. Leave now or suffer dire consequences."

"But we are in need of answers."

"You will find none here. Hurry, my patience grows short."

Kirk decided it was wise not to press further. He bowed his head politely and ordered his companions to follow. However, as they turned to leave, they were taken by some strange force. They faced the strange woman again. Her arms were extended and she was chanting. Each experienced a strange feeling of their throats closing up. One by one, they fell to their knees in suffocation.

---

Elphaba pulled away from the kiss.

"What is it?" asked Fiyero, "Don't you love me anymore?"

"Oh, Fiyero," she smiled, "I'll always love you."

"Good" he whispered as their lips slowly met but she pulled away again.

"What is it?" he asked, annoyed.

"I don't know" she replied, turning away, "I keep seeing this vision."

Fiyero frowned, "Of what?"

"Nessa."

"What about her?"

"She's in some sort of danger." Elphaba quickly got up and grabbed her things, "I have to go to her."

"Wait!" cried her lover, "Will I ever see you again?"

Elphaba shrugged, "I think so." She turned to go but Fiyero stopped her once again.

He pulled her in one more time and kissed her. "Listen," he said, "There's a castle that my family owns; no one lives there save for the guards that protect it. It's a marvelous hiding place full of trapdoors and hidden passageways. You can stay there if ever you need it."

"Thank-you" she whispered. With that, she left.

---

Scotty looked around. Stephens and Uhura had already passed out and Dr. McCoy was nearly there. Spock was barely holding on but he soon feel into unconsciousness. Scotty watched as his captain fell to the ground. His own vision became dark. "If only I can..." he thought to himself. Carefully, he aimed his phaser at the woman placing the spell on them. With his last amount of strength, he pulled the trigger. The phaser fired and struck his target.

The woman let out a cry of horror. Immediately, the spell was lifted and the party began to breath properly again.

"Nessa!" another woman's voice cried out.

Scotty looked up to see a green woman cuddling the first. She appeared to be crying. "What have I done?" he asked himself. He quickly looked down at his phaser, it was set to stun. "Good," he thought, "I thoug't I mig't have furgott'n to change it."

Mr. McCoy quickly regained his senses and had rushed over to the side of the crying woman. He checked the other with his medical equipment. However, the green woman disappeared before he could reach the place. From the expression on his face, Scotty could see that it was not good. He ran to the scene.

"How is she, Doc?" he asked.

"She's dead."

A cold shudder ran through Scotty's spine. "How? My phaser was set to Stun!"

"Phaser malfunction" replied Kirk as he approached the two, "It's been known to happen." He placed a hand on the engineer's shoulder, "Don't feel so bad, Scotty. It wasn't your fault, but an unfortunate accident."

"It's not me," replied Scotty, "But that other lass. She look'd so sad."

"Jim, did you see her?" asked Bones.

"Yes" was the reply, "Was she really..."

"Green? Yes."

Kirk took in a deep breath. "If there's nothing else you can do for her," he said, "maybe you can check on the others."

The doctor nodded and attended to the other members of his party.

Scotty stared down at the body. "Poor lass," he sighed, "So you'g an' beautiful."

"It happens to the best of us" comforted the captain.

"Captain!" cried Spock, "My sensors are picking up a life form headed our way."

Kirk looked around.

"Not another strange tin man, I hope," the doctor grumbled.

"No, this one appears to be human."

"Hopefully Madame Morrible" Kirk sounded optimistic.

"I don't see anyone" Uhura reported.

"I'm not expecting you to" replied Bones, "It will take a short while for your vision to get back to normal."

Stephens scanned the horizon. Something soon caught his eye. He pointed to it, "Look!"

Kirk squinted at the strange object. "A bubble?"

Spock checked his sensor, "That's our life form."

"You've got to be kidding me!" scoffed McCoy, "Crazy Vulcan! First black holes can come and go like a storm cloud and now bubbles are alive!"

Spock made his comeback strong: "Must I remind you, Doctor, that throughout our travels we have encountered various forms of life that we never thought could possibly exist."

"Captain," Uhura gasped, "it's getting bigger."

The landing party watched as the bubble came closer and closer. They parted to allow it to land. Everyone gasped as before them stood a glamorous woman in an elaborate white dress, silver crown upon her head and a large silver wand in hand. She walked over to the body, examined it then turned back to the party. Eyeing Kirk as the leader, she asked him: "Are you a good wizard or a bad wizard?"

"I beg your pardon, ma'am" Kirk replied, "I do not understand your question."

The woman smiled as she asked the question again.

"I believe you must have us mistaken for someone else" was the reply, "For we are by no means wizards. I am Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship USS Enterprise."

The woman then turned to Uhura. "Are you a good wich or a bad witch?" she asked.

Uhura swallowed hard. "I am neither" she replied, "I am Uhuha, Communications Officer of the Starship USS Enterprise."

"Oh..." the woman smiled. These titles and names meant nothing to her and she pondered in confusion what to do next.

"May I ask why all the questions?" Kirk said.

The woman pointed to the dead woman, "This was the Wicked Witch of the East" she replied, "You have killed her and now her subjects are wondering if you are good wizards or bad wizards." She turned back to Uhura, "Or, in your case; a good witch or a bad witch."

"But she told you" replied Kirk, "She is not a witch. Witches are old and ugly."

Several high-pitch squeals and giggles filled the air. Kirk and his party looked around to find the sources.

"What was that?" asked Stephens.

"The people of this land. You are in Munchkinland and these are the Munchkins. They're laughing because I am a witch. I am Glinda the Witch of the North."

Kirk's eyes grew wide in astonishment and embarasement.

"Captain," Spock said, "It would appear that you, like most humans, have have the perception that witches are old and ugly."

"I beg you pardon, ma'am," apologized the captain, "I didn't realize..."

She smiled and stopped him, "Only the bad ones are ugly. The Munchkins are very grateful to you for you have ridden them of their suppressive ruler." She called to a group of bushes around the area, "It's alright, you can come out now."

The party watched in amazement as little people began emerging form the shrubbery. Some even came out of potholes in the road, others form houses. They inched closer to the group but stepped back at the sight of the dead witch.

"Fascinating" commented Spock, "They didn't appear on our scanners before."

"The bushes must have some sort of cloakin' property to th'm" suggested Scotty.

Spock raised an eyebrow in thought. "Again, fascinating."

Glinda called to the little people. "Come out, come out from where every you are and meet the strangers who have come from afar. They bring you good news. Haven't you heard? For when they defended themselves from the Wicked Witch, a miracle occurred."

"Miracle?" asked Scotty, "Nay, ma'am. It really was no miracle; what happened was just this: I aimed my phaser and accidentally killed her."

The Munchkins seemed fascinated by Scotty's explanation and the news. They sang out "Ding, Dong! The Witch is dead!"

Scotty thought he might weep. "But, I didn't mean to."

The group watched as the Munchkins placed gifts before their deliverers. Many sorts of sweets, some did dances, others songs.

Spock kept checking his equipment. The scanner was picking up another person—one he could not see. He alerted the captain that the being was coming closer.

"This could be our moment of truth" smiled Kirk.

Suddenly, the festivities stopped. The Munchkins ran as from the ground rose a red cloud. The cloud exploded and there stood the green woman that was crying over the witch's body. She walked over to the body and grieved once again.

"I thought you said she was dead" Kirk whispered to Glinda.

"That was the Wicked Witch of the East" was the reply, "This is her sister the Wicked Witch of the West, and she's worse than the other one!"

"Who did this?" the green witch cried pointing to the dead witch, "Who killed my sister?" She advanced towards the party, "Who killed the Witch of the East?"

Scotty stepped forward. "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am" he said, "It was I. I'm sorry, it was..."

"Enough!" the witch yelled, "You shall pay dearly for this!" She began to chant a spell but Kirk stopped her.

"This man is under my command" he pleaded, "I am responsible for his actions."

"Suit yourself" she smiled, "Someone must be punished!" She finished her spell.

Captain Kirk felt a strong slap across his face by an invisible hand. He rubbed his throbbing cheek. "That's it?" asked he.

The witch pondered the statement for a moment. "You're right." She punched him in the gut and then knocked him to the ground. "I may think of something else later" she said, "So stick around."

"Jim," Dr. McCoy ran to the doctor's side, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," gasped the other as he was helped up, "she can really pack a punch, though!"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Glinda.

"What?" asked the Wicked Witch

"The slippers?"

"The slippers..." the witch pondered. Her eyes suddenly grew wide, "The slippers! Yes!" She went to her sister's body only to see that the slippers had already been removed. She grew furious. Turning to Glinda she yelled, "They're gone! What have you done to them?" Her voice became threatening, "Give them back or I'll..."

"Too late!" smiled Glinda. She pointed to Uhura's feet, "There they are, and there they'll stay."

"Oh my!" gasped Uhura. She turned to Captain Kirk, "I'm sorry, Captain, but I appear to be out of uniform."

"We'll let it go, this time" he smiled, "Besides, they go well with your dress."

"Give them back" the green witch ordered, "I know how to use them; they're of no use to you!"

"Hang on to them" instructed Glinda, "They must be quite powerful if she was to want them so badly."

"No one was asking your opinion, Glitter."

"It's Glinda."

The witch rolled her eyes, "Whatever...I don't have time for idle chatter." She turned her eyes to Uhura, "I'll get what is mine. Enjoy those shoes while you still have them, deary. I'll get you and your group of friends too!" Witch that, she picked up the body of her sister and disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Glinda comforted the Munchkins with the news that the Witch had left and they slowly came out.

"She's gone form my scanners, Captain" reported Spock.

"I don't like this, Jim" McCoy shook his head.

"Glinda," said Kirk, "where are we?"

"You are in Munchkinland."

"Yes, but what's the name of this planet?"

"This is the planet Oz."

"Captain," Spock said, "Madame Morrible said she was speaking on behalf of the Wizard of Oz."

"That means we're in the right place" deduced Kirk. He turned back to Glinda, "We came here in answer to a distress call which we received form here."

"I know of no such message" replied the witch, "But the Wizard will."

At the sound of their ruler's name, the Munchkins once again cried out in joy.

"Where is this wizard?"

"The Emerald City."

"How might we get there?"

"Follow the Yellow Brick Road!" the little people cried out.

The landing party shrugged to one another and followed the Good Witch to the beginning of a yellow road. "Just follow this road and it will take you straight to the Emerald City."

"Seems simple enough, Capt'n" commented Scotty.

Glinda smiled then turned to Uhura, "Under no circumstances are you to take those shoes off your feet—not even for a moment."

Uhura was a little confused, "Why?"

The smile faded, "If you do so, you will forever be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch."

The Communications Officer swallowed hard and nodded in understanding.

"Good" Glinda smiled once again, "and now I must leave you."

"Wait!" cried Kirk, "Is there..."

"Just follow the Yellow Brick Road" was the reply as she returned back to her bubble form and flew away.

"Gosh!" laughed Stephens, "People sure know how to come and go around here."

"Wonder if I can do somethin' like that with the transporter..." Scotty smiled in deep thought.

"Captain," offered Spock, "may I suggest that we begin our journey now before it gets any later?"

Kirk nodded and led the party down the road. As they left the village, Munchkins waved good-bye and bid them safe traveling.

---

Elphaba placed the shovel down on the dirt pile. Digging a grave was harder than she had anticipated. Wiping the sweat from her brow she sat down next to her sister's body. "Not even a coffin" she scolded herself. She had to wrap her sister in an old bed sheet and tied it with twine. "I'm sorry, Nessa" she wept, "You deserve better." She moved the bundle near the grave. How she wanted to partially unwrap the body and view her dear sister's face one last time. But she knew that soon the Gale Force would be out looking for her and she wanted to make sure that her sister's body was properly buried.

Carefully, she lowered the body into the pit. Soon, however, her strength gave out and the body landed with a thud. "Sorry, Nessa" she whispered. She proceeded to fill in the grave.

Glinda looked down from her bubble. She had to find Elphaba. She had to give Nessa her last respects. She had been flying over the southern lands where Elphaba had been known to be hiding but found no sight of her. Eventually, she moved on to the western lands. Finally, she came across a small abandoned grave site near a large castle. Looking down, she recognized a tall back figure hitting the earth with a shovel. She landed her bubble as the figure left the area. Pulling out a little bundle of wild field flowers, Glinda approached the grave. "Nessa," she began, tears flowed down her cheeks. She couldn't find the strength to finish her sentence, "Good-bye, old friend" she whispered.

"Such a touching display of grief."

Glinda turned to see Elphaba standing behind her with a grave marker in hand.

"She was my friend, too" replied the Good Witch.

Elphaba didn't reply. She walked to the head of the grave and planted the stone marker. Glinda could see that her friend's eyes were red from crying.

"You don't have to do this alone" she comforted.

The other didn't reply. She finished with the deed, wiping back the tears that fell from her eyes. Finally, she couldn't stop it anymore. She fell to her knees. "Nessa, I'm sorry!" Elphaba wept.

Glinda's heart filled with compassion. "Oh Elphie," she sighed, "No one deserves to die the way she did. No one deserves to be shot at by some strange gun." She placed a hand on Elphaba's shoulder, "I'm really sorry, Elphie."

But Elphaba pushed her away. "Then why did you give away her shoes?" she yelled, "They weren't yours to give."

"Well" Glinda got technical, "as I recall, I'm not the only one who's taking something does doesn't belong to them."

Elphaba let out a good long cackle. "I know what you're thinking, but he didn't love you. He never did; he loves me!"

This angered Glinda. She raised her and and hit Elphaba across the face with a loud slap. The green witch rubbed her throbbing cheek and cackled. "Feel better?" she smiled.

Glinda took a deep breath, "Yes," she replied, "I do."

"Good!" Elphaba returned the favor. Glinda recoiled in pain. She was hurt, not by the slap, but by the fact that Elphaba actually hit her—she never did that before. Tears in her eyes, she attacked Elphaba.

---

Fiyero ran to the site of the Wicked With of the East's dimise. Gale Force guards were already at the scene.

"Have you captured her, Sir?" asked a guard.

Fiyero was aback. "What?"

"The news was you have captured her."

The Captain of the Guard was sweating. True she was with him, but he didn't capture her.

"Private," a voice yelled, "arrest that man!"

Fiyero turned to see a sargeant running towards him.

"Sir?" asked the private.

"This man has committed treason to the Wizard" was the reply, "He has aided the Witch."

This stuck fear into the heart of the private. He raised his gun to Fiyero. "Hands up, Sir!" he cried.

"Private," scolded the sargeant, "he is no longer the Captain of the Guard. Fiyero Tiggular, you are hereby discharged from the service. Take him away." As guards came in from all sides, Fiyero quickly dashed into the bush. "After him!" cried the sargeant.

Fiyero could hear the sound of boots after him. Jumping over roots and small brush, he ran deeper into the forest further away from the soldiers.

A/N: Okay, this is really long and not really seeming to go anywhere. But, don't worry, it will soon. I'm leaving for Thanksgiving so I won't be doing any writing next week. Have a happy and safe holiday!