"So just what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Elphaba, we're supposed to be dead, and we just broke into the Emerald Palace, not to mention the Empress of Oz is currently lying unconscious beside you!"

Elphaba shot Fiyero a look as Glinda stirred slightly, signaling for him to lower his voice. She watched the blonde for a moment, but since she didn't wake, turned back to Fiyero and dropped the stick she'd been using to poke the fire. They'd set up deep within the forest, until they could figure out what to do with Glinda, who'd been out cold for an hour.

"We'll have to tell her the truth." She said finally, brushing black hair from her eyes, sweeping it behind her ear. Fiyero sighed. They'd been over it countless times since Glinda had fainted. His eyes strayed to the ruby slippers that shone in the firelight.

"We can't. She'll tell. She'll want to help us, or something, and we can't let her."

"Would you rather me cut out her tongue so she doesn't speak? Or use a spell to bind her from ever talking about us ever again?"

Fiyero frowned.

"I didn't mean something that serious." He muttered. Elphaba looked away from him and back to the fire, leaning back against a tree with a soft sigh as sparks from the fire rose up into the night air.

It wasn't long before Glinda's eyelids finally fluttered open and she stirred. Elphaba snapped to attention, nudging Fiyero, who looked over silently at Glinda who picked herself up off the ground. For a moment, the blonde sat there wearily, trying to figure out just where she was before she glanced up, catching sight of Elphaba and Fiyero. Her blue eyes widened for a moment, and she pressed a hand to her head.

"I'm dreaming." She whispered suddenly to herself, glancing around. "I'm going to wake up, and this will all be a dream."

"Glin?" Elphaba asked gently. Glinda looked up, frowning slightly, as if debating whether or not to respond to the Elphaba she thought was a dream.

"What was the secret I told you?"

"Pardon?"

"The secret! I need to know if what I'm seeing is real. If you're real, you'll know it." Glinda stated. Elphaba didn't bother pointing out that even if she were a dream, she would answer correctly anyway because it was Glinda's subconscious.

"You told me you were going to marry Fiyero. But he didn't know yet. Then I told you my father hated me because it was my fault my sister Nessarose was born without arms and my mother was dead." She said in a very steady, very calm voice. Glinda paled, then looked at Fiyero, trying to decide if he was real or not too, in the rags he wore, looking very much the part of a scarecrow.

"You're supposed to be dead." She said finally in such a quiet tone, Elphaba nearly had to strain to hear her. "You lied to me."

"Glinda, I had to. Fiyero and I planned to leave Oz, and we were going to but we needed the Grimmerie." Elphaba said quickly. Glinda's nostrils flared.

"So you're the one that broke in." She said evenly. "Elphaba I have half the mind to turn you in right now."

Fiyero opened his mouth to protest, but Glinda cut across him.

"But you know I won't. You still have too much explaining to do anyway." She waved a dismissive hand at him, rubbing her temples. "Why aren't you dead?"

"I faked my death. And I turned Fiyero into something that couldn't die."

"A scarecrow?"

"It was short notice."

Glinda frowned.

"I've got to be dreaming." She muttered, and got to get feet suddenly. She swayed, but swatted Elphaba's hands away when the green witch tried to help her. Glinda dusted her robe off and began walking away.

"Glinda where are you going?!" Elphaba called, and followed after her with Fiyero.

"I'm going to keep walking until I wake up from this dream." She hesitated. "Or nightmare."

Elphaba grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Glinda looked at her.

"What?"

"Glinda, you're not dream. What can we do to prove it to you?"

"People don't come back from the dead." She answered, her voice quivering slightly. It physically hurt her to look at Elphaba and Fiyero – she'd barely just gotten over the fact that they were dead. And she was busy trying to convince everyone else they were too.

Fiyero sighed and strode forward, grabbing Glinda by the shoulders. He glanced between her and Elphaba for a moment before pressing his lips firmly against Glinda's.

"There. That was real." He stated, ignoring Elphaba's rather spiteful look. Glinda stood there a moment, looking between them.

"So you're alive. Why didn't you tell me again?"

"We were afraid if we told anyone, then that would be too many people knowing. Surely you've heard of the sightings of Elphaba when we've absolutely had to pass through a place with people?" Fiyero said. Glinda nodded. It'd been kind of hard not to.

"Of course, with your stupid guards increasing everywhere, you haven't exactly been making it easy for us." Elphaba stated, folding her arms across her chest.

"Well sorry." She snapped. Sighing, Glinda shifted slightly. "And now they're going to be looking for me. I may have forgotten to tell them I was off to find the miscreants who stole the Grimmerie from me. I just took the slippers and left." She frowned. "Why didn't you take the slippers while you were there?"

"I wouldn't need them while I was out of Oz." Elphaba shrugged. "Did you use them to find us?"

"Yes. But that's not important. The important thing it you're alive." She finally grasped the concept, and pulled Elphaba into a tight hug. "I've missed you so much."

Elphaba laughed, and hugged her tightly. "I wanted to tell you so badly that we were alive. But you've been doing fine without me – Oz is starting to reform itself."

"Barely. There's still so much to do – Oh come back with me Elphaba please." Her voice switched to one of pleading. "I can convince them all you're not wicked and -."

"No."

Glinda's face slipped into one of distress and despair.

"Glinda, we can't. We can't take that risk. Even if the Wizard is gone, there are those still loyal to him and only him." Fiyero said gently. "They'll want us dead. We're safer letting them think we're dead, and trying to get out of Oz."

"Don't leave Oz. You mustn't!"

Elphaba opened her mouth to reply, but the sounds of shouting and dogs barking caught her attention in the distance. Glinda turned, to see the specks of light coming through the forest, shouting her name. The Gale Force. She turned back to Elphaba.

"Come with me. Please." Glinda whispered.

"I can't Glin." She said, as Fiyero turned to put out the fire. "We have to run. You have a job to do. You have to go back to the Emerald City and fix Oz."

"But you can help!"

"Not if I get caught. I promise I'll try to contact you somehow. Trust me." She said quickly. Glinda hesitated, tears coming to her eyes, but nodded. Elphaba hugged her again and Fiyero pressed a kiss to her cheek, before they took off into the trees. Glinda frowned. They still had the Grimmerie.

But she had more pressing matters – like trying to explain how she had gotten out in the middle of the forests. She probably needed to look a bit more dishelved, like she had been kidnapped, so she reached up and tousled her hair, ripping off her robe so she was only standing in her pale pink nightgown. Tossing the robe behind a tree, she ripped her nightgown in several places, and with a bit of magic created red marks around her hands as if she had been bound.

"Over here!" She finally called – she didn't have to fake a hoarse voice, because she was already near tears. Her voice cracked, but they heard her, now running through the trees to get to her, dogs braking frantically now.

"Glinda!"

She was surprised to find Boq coming toward her, leading the Gale Force guards. She was shaking and he removed his coat, throwing it over her shoulders and pulling it tight around her. She wasn't cold, but she wasn't going to tell him that. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she glanced back, toward the place where Elphaba and Fiyero had disappeared.

"Who did this ma'am?" The captain of the guard asked her. She looked at the ground.

"I- I didn't see them." She said. "I heard them breaking in, and went to investigate. They grabbed me and tied my hands together, but it was dark and I never saw them." She whispered, acting as if the whole experience had traumatized her. It wasn't that hard, really, but she'd never been that good of a liar. At least they were believing it. "They brought me out here and I used my magic to break free – I managed to get back the slippers -." She stuck out her foot and one of them shined a flashlight down to see them sparkling in the dark. "But they got away with the Grimmerie. I've been walking for an hour trying to find a way out of here."

"Don't worry ma'am. We'll find who did it. Are you going to be all right with a small escort taking you back to the palace?"

She nodded, and Boq led her away from the Gale Force as they men pressed forward into the trees. She hoped Elphaba and Fiyero were far enough away, or at least had already taken to the sky. She was so absorbed in her worries for them, she didn't notice Boq speaking to her until they reached the Yellow Brick Road and he gently shook her arm.

"What? I'm sorry."

"I asked if you were all right." He said, as one of the officers helped her up onto one of the horses. Boq hoisted himself up onto another, riding alongside her as they were instantly surrounded by guards on horseback.

"I'll be fine." She murmured in return. He looked at her a moment, then leaned over, speaking so only she would hear.

"You lied, Glinda."

She looked at him.

"I did no such thing."

"Yes you did. I can tell when people lie – when someone lies they don't look you directly in the eyes. You lied, Glinda. Tell me what happened."

". . . Not now. Later."

"I'm holding you to that."

She nodded and they continued on in silence, back toward the Emerald City in the distance.

X

Short update, I know. Sorry! I'm so glad everyone is loving the story though! Reviews are love!