Authors Note: Hi. I'm uploading a bunch of chapters simultaneously, so I thought letting you know that chapter 9 is the first new one if you're like me and can't remember what chapter you left off on. Otherwise, just keep on going.

Also, this chapter is almost a collection of one-shots. It's more like moments that happened. I wrote them because I thought it would help show how they are getting reacquainted after not seeing each other for five years. I hope you enjoy, and reviews are welcome.

Thus, they had a new routine of life, at least for a few months. Glinda remodeled the rooms so Elphaba's connected to hers. This allowed them to not only have more space but not worry about getting caught. It also meant Elphaba could sleep in her own bed; something they were both a bit sad about. However, they often found excuses to sleep next to each other anyway, just like at Shiz.

They would wake up, get ready (Glinda no longer needed to insist on Elphaba taking a bath), They would both dress, and Elphaba would don the black face paint that covered the skin around her eyes. After the first day, they realized the make-up caused a terrible rash, and discontinued using it. Now, a black strip was used to conceal. They would then do some social calling around the City, then return to the villa to learn about Vinkun customs. Then lunch (sometimes socially), etiquette training, and sorcery review. Elphaba had wanted to jump right into studying the Grimmerie but Glinda convinced her it was a better idea to get a strong foundation before playing with very powerful magic. Not that it mattered much; Elphaba was a prodigy at magic. Glinda had forgotten how talented she was. Sure, deft strokes made what was wanted to happen occur. The monumental task of learning and understanding spells and their composition was blown through by Elphaba also.

After that they would either take dinner (if it was social) or go out on Glinda's philanthropic endeavors. When they returned to the villa Glinda would study from the Grimmerie with Elphaba's help. Though it chafed her, helping Glinda also helped Elphaba.

During one of the etiquette session when Elphaba was practicing her dancing with Fiyero (who was actually quite agile), Glinda brought it to an abrupt halt. She cut in and took Elphaba's hands.

"Glinda, what are you doing?" asked Elphaba wearily.

"You must learn to lead."

"A lady never leads."

"True but a commanding woman, or a head of state, may have to someday. So, come one, lead!" Glinda replied, and they started to move. Elphaba made a mess of it, only avoiding smashed toes through Glinda's nimble feet. Finally, Glinda sighed and stopped them.

"Shoo. Fiyero." She said and Fiyero stepped in. "Now watch, Elphie."

They began to move, easily and gracefully. Glinda was beaming and even Fiyero had a smile on his face. Elphaba felt a pang of jealousy, though why she did not know. Perhaps it was the way the seemed to complement each other so well. She realized they had stopped and that Glinda was looking at her strangely.

"What?" Elphaba asked.

"Did you see how he led?"

"Oh, no. I must have zoned out." She replied sheepishly. Glinda sighed.

"Now watch this time."

Another time, when they were on a break between sessions, Fiyero asked Glinda a question.

"Hey, do you think you can find more information on Scarecrows? From what I read they're not all that uncommon, but I can't find much on them with what we have here."

"Sure, Fiyero. I'll get what I can. What's it for?" she replied.

"Just want to know more about my condition."

"Well, hopefully you won't be like this for too much longer."

"Hoping for the best but planning for the rest."

"A good philosophy. By the way, did you ever come up with an idea for why you've been missing?"

"Yes I did."

"I'd like to hear this." Elphaba said as she came out of the bathroom toweling her hair. Glinda noticed she was still tracking water everywhere.

"Ok, you ready?" he said, making sure he had both of their attentions. "I went looking for true love." Both Glinda and Elphaba arched an eyebrow at this.

"What." Glinda finally said.

"Yeah. You see after everything I wanted to find love. At first I thought it was this tiny Scarecrow made from a flour bag with golden straw hair and –umph!" Fiyero was cut off as he took a pillow to the face.

"That's not funny."

"Ok. How about this. She was green from a cabbage-" Both girls starting whipping Glinda's pillows at him. After a couple of minutes they had exhausted their ammunition.

"No? Ok, how about I wanted to see the world and went to Ev?"

"Probably the best idea." Elphaba said with a smirk.

"Did you hear?"

"Hm?"

"Miss Bubbly is looking for more information on Scarecrows. Searching the whole City for it."

"Interesting. You think it has something to do with the lead she was talking about?"

"It could. Best let the Commander know."

"Fiyero?"

"Yes Fae?"

"How did you stay in shape all those years at Shiz?"

"Good genetics."

"Seriously, Yero."

"Why Fae?"

"Because, if we ever do have to run again, I want to be able to."

"Don't think like that."

"I'm hoping for the best but planning for the rest."

"You really think that's necessary?"

"I can feel myself getting weaker just after these few weeks. Even when we were in Ev, foraging for food and working in the garden kept me fit. Now, I'm slowly turning to mush."

"What, dancing isn't hard enough?"

"Not nearly enough to keep me in shape. I remember those first few weeks on the run; how I hurt all over. I don't want to be there again."

"I can understand that. There are some things I can show you…."

Glinda later came in to find Elphaba on her hands and knees arching her back as Fiyero watched.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked curiously.

"Fae was wanting to stay in shape. Apart from some simple exercises, I put her through an old Vinkun tradition: Agoy. This is the end of the easiest pattern."

Elphaba collapsed, sweating. "I never knew moving slowly was so hard."

"Yep. It's deceptive. It's good for strengthening the entire body."

"So, Glinda, you want to join?"

"No, thank you. I'm perfectly fine."

"You sure? I thought you were a bit…curvier than before. You know what they say with age…"

"Why, Miss Elphaba, what an atrociocious thing to say! You've never complained of my curves before, so I think they're just fine, thank you!" she huffed and Elphaba arched an eyebrow at the comment. Flustered, Glinda added, "You know what I meant. Besides, I don't want to end up all hard and tough like you."

"Actually, Agoy doesn't make you look like a man. Our women only do Agoy, and it helps makes them strong but not hard. It's the other exercises that do that."

"Hmph." Was Glinda's reply and she stormed out.

The next day, Glinda joined Elphaba for Agoy. She had seen many Vinkun women, and she decided it was worth a shot.

"Did you hear about the incident with Miss Tiara head the other day?"

"You're really running low on these, aren't you?"

"Shut up. Answer the question."

"You mean the cutpurse that tried to steal from her?"

"Yeah. Her Vinkun assistant snatched him up and held him in the air like he didn't weigh anything."

"Yep. You know what they say about Vinkun women. They're a handful."

"Who knows if she's a handful under those layers."

"Good one. Let the Commander know she's feisty."

Glinda and Elphaba were out visiting one of Glinda's low rent apartments. It was actually not a bad looking complex; Glinda had set good standards for care and tenant behavior, and her father vigorously enforced them. While they were touring the open garden in the middle of the complex, a young boy overeager to see Glinda fell from a tenth story balcony. There was a shriek and Glinda's wand was out. She started chanting a spell, and heard Elphaba do the same. Suddenly, a strange feeling came over the both of them. They felt as if they were being pulled from their bodies towards each other. The boy slowed his fall and then gently touched down. Glinda turned and stared dumbstruck at Elphaba, who looked at Glinda the same way. Only when people rushed Glinda in gratitude did they snap out of it. Later, at the villa, the talked about it.

"Did you feel…pulled?" Elphaba asked, and Fiyero looked up from a book.

"Yeah, it was like we were being drawn to each other." Glinda replied.

"I've never heard anything about something like that."

"Me either."

"What spell were you trying to use?"

"A floating spell."

"I was trying to use the levitation spell from the Grimmerie."

"You think they're connected in some way?"

"They could be. They are similar, so they probably use similar construction. Maybe floating is a form of levitation, or vice versa."

"I know that your broom was much faster than my bubble was."

"Yeah, but my hair wasn't perfect when I got to where I was going.

"True. I guess there are advantages to both."

"Miss Perfect caught a kid yesterday who was falling with magic."

"Interesting. Why do I care?"

"Because I've never seen any witches do that with magic. Most are restricted to small weights, or slow moving."

"Are you suddenly an expert?"

"I took a correspondence course for a while. Anyway, that level of magic is unheard of. Either she has improved her skill, or found stronger magic."

"Huh. This definitely goes to the Commander."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Hey Elphie?"

"Yes Glinda?"

"Why does Fiyero call you Fae?"

Both Fiyero and Elphaba looked at her.

"I don't know. I honestly don't remember when he started doing it."

"It was shortly after we left." Fiyero responded. "I needed to call you something that wasn't your name. So I sort of combined Elphie and Elphaba, got rid of the Elph, and came up with Fae."

"Interesting." Elphaba said.

"It's just so sweet and adorable. And you call him Yero, which is so strong and passionate." Glinda said, pouting. "I don't get to call you anything like that."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "What about Elphie?"

"Elphie isn't cute. It's just shortened name. I mean cute, like what I used to call Fiyero."

"Don't you dare Glinda." Fiyero warned.

"Wait, I don't remember you calling him anything other than dearest." Elphaba said curiously.

"We made a pact to never say it in public." Fiyero replied quickly.

"Oh, now I got to know." Elphaba said with a smirk.

"Don't…" Fiyero warned and Glinda's pout deepened.

"Please?" she whined.

"No."

"Too bad. We're not in a relationship anymore so the pact doesn't count." She turned to Elphaba. "I used to call him Fifi."

"What?" Elphaba said, and doubled over laughing. She finally could no longer stand, and actually hit the ground. Glinda high pitched giggle and Fiyero's groans accompanied her.

"Fi…Fi…Fifi?" she said, choking it out. "Is he a dog?"

"I think it's adorable." Glinda huffed.

"I'm sure you would."

"Anyone have a match to put me out of my misery?" Fiyero lamented.

"Now, Fifi, it isn't that bad." Elphaba barely managed to get out before breaking into laughter again.

"I'm surprised, Fae, you haven't given Glinda a nickname considering you penchant for them." Fiyero retorted. That sobered Elphaba up really quick. Fiyero might not understand why she called Glinda her sweet. He might take it the wrong way. In fact, Elphaba was starting to forget what way she meant it.

"She has." Glinda said and Elphaba looked at her warningly. "The same night I gave her the nickname Elphie." Elphaba grew curious. She thought it was much after that. Glidna leaned towards Fiyero and said, "I told her, you can call me: Galinda!" And of course she struck a pose.

"You two are really weird, you know that?" Fiyero said, shaking her head. Elphaba could only smile.