"Home is behind, the world ahead, / And there are many paths to tread, / Through shadow to the edge of night, / Until the stars are all alight."- "All Shall Fade" from The Lord of the Rings

Elphaba wadded up a dress and threw it violently into her trunk; Galinda looked over from where she was meticulously folding her clothes and abandoned her task in order to rearrange the wrinkled mass of clothes that now inhabited Elphaba's trunk.

"Why bother?" Elphaba asked as she watched Galinda fold one of her dresses neatly. "It's going to be wrinkled, regardless."

Galinda shook her head, "Ignoring the fact that appearances are important and that you should care about that, it's something to do rather than worrying."

"Fine," Elphaba muttered, snatching a dress out of the trunk and mimicking Galinda's actions.

They worked quietly for a short while when the door opened, and Fiyero slipped inside.

Galinda looked up in surprise as she said, "Fiyero what are you doing here? You should be packing."

He kissed her forehead carelessly and knelt in front of the two girls, saying, "I have something for the two of you."

He reached into the bag he was carrying and pulled out two small guns, holding them carefully in the palms of his hands. A crumpled shirt slid unnoticed out of Elphaba's hands as she reached out to touch the shining metal barrel of one of the guns, her fingers caressing it gently.

"Fiyero, what are those for?" Galinda whispered, shrinking away from the weapons.

"They're for your protection," he replied. "We can't all stay together all day, and I will feel better if I know you have a way of protecting yourself if you run into trouble."

"But, Morrible promised that we won't be harmed if we do what she wants," Galinda protested.

"Do you honestly believe a word that she says?" Fiyero shot back. "Galinda, she's manipulating us, and if she decides that she doesn't want one of us in the picture anymore, who's to say that she won't try to harm us?"

"I still don't want anything to do with that damn gun," Galinda snapped. "And, you can't make me take it."

Galinda flounced across the room to her bed, and when Fiyero made a move to follow after her, Elphaba pulled him out of the room.

He whirled on her, seething, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You're only going to make things worse," Elphaba hissed as she dug her fingernails into his arm to make her point. "Leave the guns, and I'll convince her to keep it with her after you go back to your room."

"Why is she refusing to accept it, though?" he asked, slumping against the wall. "I feel like I don't know what's going on in her head, and I don't know what to do."

"Give her time," Elphaba replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "She's worried. But, maybe it would be best if I just go and talk to her. You can come back in, if you want, but don't say anything just yet."

"Fine," he agreed, pushing off from the wall and following after her back into the room.

He hovered by Elphaba's desk, his face strained with worry, and Elphaba walked over to Galinda's bed, sitting down beside her friend.

"He's right," Elphaba murmured. When Galinda met her gaze, she continued, "I know it sounds awful, but it is a possibility that you can't dismiss completely. You'll probably never even need to use the gun, but we have to be prepared, Galinda."

Galinda sniffled and said shakily, "I'm scared, Elphie, and I don't know what to do anymore. I'm not good at this, but I'm stuck anyway. You keep saying that everything is going to be fine, that we're going to be all right, but you don't believe that. I know you don't, and I can't keep pretending."

Elphaba shot Fiyero a pleading look, and he quickly joined the girls on the bed, wrapping his arms around Galinda's waist.

"We're going to be together, darling, the three of us," he said softly, brushing a kiss against her cheek. "That's all that matters when everything else doesn't make sense."

Closing her eyes, Galinda relaxed against his chest as she said, "You'll never leave me?"

"Not willingly," he replied with a slight smile.

Elphaba watched them, her eyes growing distant as she realized that they were drifting into a world where she couldn't follow. She eased herself off the bed and retreated from the room; there were times when she was jealous of them. They were a constant reminder of something she could never have, not only because no man would ever want her, but she could not and would not allow someone to ever get that close. She knew that she wouldn't be the one to get the happy ending, but she could settle for that if she could make sure that at least Galinda and Fiyero got the life they deserved. She was determined to find a way to get them out of the dangerous web Morrible had woven for them.


Nessa twisted the skirt of her dress in her hands, shooting a glare in Elphaba's direction. Her sister was ignoring her in favor of carrying on what seemed to be a very serious conversation with Fiyero and Galinda. Boq had stopped paying attention to her the moment Galinda had arrived at the train station. For the first time in her life, she was glad that Elphaba was leaving her behind. Not only would she be taking Galinda far away from Boq, but Nessa hoped that the greater distance from her sister would make Elphaba pay more attention to her. While Elphaba and Galinda had hated each other, Elphaba had spent all of her time with Nessa, and she resented Galinda for replacing her as Elphaba's confidant. Nessa tried to be happy for Elphaba, she really did, but it was hard to hide her loneliness and anger as Elphaba drifted away from her.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Nessa jerked away irritably, twisting around in her chair, fully prepared to berate Boq for his abandonment. She froze in between a smile and a frown, however, when she realized that it was Elphaba standing behind her.

"Oh, it's you," Nessa forced out disdainfully, her features smoothing over into a vaguely pleasant mask.

Kneeling at the wheelchair's side, Elphaba said softly, "I want to talk with you, Nessa."

Nessa considered refusing, but with one look at Elphaba, she relented, "All right. Wheel me over to that bench so you can sit down."

Elphaba complied, and once she was settled on the bench, Nessa said, "Now, what do you want to discuss?"

"First, I want to apologize for all of this," Elphaba said with a tentative smile. "I've been neglecting you, and I am so sorry. But, I'm going to try to be better. Even though I won't be able to visit right away, I'll try to find the time, and I'll write every week. I just want to make sure that you'll be fine without me."

"Of course I'll be fine," Nessa replied with indignation. "Why does everyone think that I'm such a helpless person?"

"Nessa," Elphaba said warningly, resting a hand on Nessa's arm.

Sighing, Nessa said quietly, "Is that all you wanted? Or, is there something else?"

"Actually, I did want to talk with you about Boq," Elphaba mumbled. As Nessa started to vehemently protest any such conversation, Elphaba pushed past her objections and said, "I know you don't want to hear this, but it might be best for you to consider ending your relationship with him. I've kept my mouth shut for a long time, but I can't leave with the worry that you might have your heart broken. Nessa, he has a crush on Galinda. I'm not sure why, considering that she hardly acknowledges his existence, but I can't help but see that he ignores you whenever she is in the room."

"I appreciate your concern, but I think I know what I'm doing," Nessa said icily, her expression darkening. "I'm well aware of the crush he entertains for Galinda, but as long as he can't tell me that he doesn't want to be with me, I'm going to stay with him because he gives me the love he can."

"You deserve better than that," Elphaba protested.

Nessa shook her head and allowed her eyes to drop to take in her wheelchair and the crippled legs hidden by her dress, "I don't think I do, and I can't help it, Elphaba, I love him. I can't make myself let him go."

Pulling Nessa into a hug, Elphaba murmured, "I hope things get better, Nessie. I wish I could do something for you."

"Don't worry about me," Nessa whispered, brushing her fingers against Elphaba's cheek. "I'm going to be fine, I promise."

"Your train is going to be leaving soon, and I need to make sure my luggage makes it onto my train," Elphaba said when she noticed Boq approaching them. She separated a little reluctantly from Nessa and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Take care of yourself. I'll write to you as soon as I can."

Nessa released Elphaba with a sigh and watched her leave, her heart sinking in her chest. Boq gripped the handles of her wheelchair and pushed her in the opposite direction of the platform Elphaba was waiting on.

"You'll see her soon," Boq said confidently when he noticed Nessa's crestfallen face.

"I don't think I will," Nessa murmured, keeping her eyes trained on her entwined fingers to stop herself from looking back.

Elphaba watched Boq wheel Nessa away, and Galinda wrapped an arm around Elphaba's waist.

"She's going to be fine, Elphie," Galinda said softly, leaning her head against Elphaba's shoulder.

"I hope so," Elphaba murmured. "Come on, we need to get on the train."

Fiyero took Galinda's hand as they boarded the train and headed for a seat that was out of the way of all the other passengers. Elphaba settled next to a window, and Galinda and Fiyero opted to sit across from her.

"Well, it looks like we're onto the next great adventure," Fiyero said with a slight laugh. At Elphaba's unamused expression, he nudged her leg with his foot, "Smile, Elphaba. I refuse to spend this whole train ride to the Emerald City with the doom and gloom you've been predicting for the past several months."

"Don't tease her," Galinda admonished him gently. "But, maybe we should just try to enjoy this. It will be the last time we can all three just be together without worrying about whether someone is listening in on our conversation or not."

"I'll try," Elphaba said grudgingly.

"I'll tell a fascinating story from my childhood," Fiyero offered.

Her eyes sparkling with amusement, Elphaba said, "And, you don't think too highly of yourself?"

Fiyero stuck his tongue out at Elphaba, and Galinda giggled as she cuddled into Fiyero's side. Elphaba huddled down into her seat and propped her legs up on his knees.

"Am I now demoted to the role of a footrest now?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Just tell the damn story," Elphaba shot back with a smirk.

Groaning, Fiyero winked at her, and played affectionately with Galinda's hair as he started to speak as the train sped down the tracks towards the Emerald City where all that waited for them was the unknown.