"Well… now what?"
Elphaba paused in her bed making. "I'm not sure… that was our last lead. Now we have nothing…"
Galinda twisted her hands nervously. "You're… you're not going to run again, are you?"
"What else can I do? If I stay anywhere too long, the guards will arrest me for sure."
"What about me then?"
The green woman turned to see the blonde looking at her forlornly. "Galinda…" She sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "You… you didn't really think… we were going to be…"
"No…" the nurse replied, looking down and fighting to keep her emotions in check. "I just… staying with you… helped stave off the inevitable return home."
Elphaba approached hesitantly. "Galinda… I… I know you're scared… but really, what can Morrible do to you?"
"You don't know…"
"Trust me, she cut out pieces of my skin. I know she's evil. But you… you're just a normal person. What could she possibly have against you besides your assistance to me?"
"You don't know Elphaba… you don't know me…"
"Don't start this crap with me. We've been traveling together for almost a week! I think I know you." Elphaba turned away and went back to making her bed, fixing the pillows.
"I could make you hate me…" Galinda said quietly.
Elphaba looked over her shoulder. "After all you've seen me do? I doubt it."
"Elphaba—"
"Enough. I don't hate you, but it's dangerous for you to keep traveling with me. Where you go is your own choice… I cannot help you." Elphaba finished with the bed and looked around the room. "Well… this is it." She approached the blonde. "Good luck."
Galinda nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Y-yes… you too…"
Elphaba handed her the keys. "Lock up when you leave. I'll tell the clerk to add you to the family list so you can come back here if you ever need to."
"Thank you…"
"Hey."
Galinda forced herself to look up into dark chocolate eyes.
"You'll be fine. You're a seasoned traveler now. This is just the return leg of a trip you already know."
The blonde nodded again, and Elphaba smiled slightly before she turned and started for the door. Before she could open it though, there was sudden knocking on the other side.
"Elphaba! Elphaba, open the door, I know you're in there!"
"Nessa?" The green woman unlocked the door and opened it, seeing Turtle Heart and Nessa in the hallway. "How did you know I was here?"
"That doesn't matter! Our mother is dead!"
Elphaba's heart dropped. "Wh-what? How…?"
"We don't know!" Nessa began sobbing and fell forward against her sister before Elphaba could stop her. The green woman threw her hands up to keep from touching her, looking to Galinda for help. The blonde moved quickly, pulling Nessa back to stand on her own.
"I found her this morning. There… was much blood… I can only suspect it was an internal problem," Turtle Heart said.
Elphaba shook her head, not wanting to believe it. First her father… and now her mother too? When would this curse end?
"Elphaba… please come home," Nessa said.
"I can't Nessie… I can't stay. They'll find me…"
"You and Shell are all I have left!"
Elphaba sighed, looking at Galinda again. She didn't want to drag the blonde into any more of her problems… "All right… but only for a little while."
Turtle Heart helped support Nessa as the two started down the hallway, and Elphaba approached the nurse.
"Elphaba—"
"You need to go home. I don't want to get you into any more trouble."
"But I… I'm not ready…"
"Galinda—"
"Elphaba, please…"
The green woman looked into her sapphire eyes and sighed. "Fine… but this is the last thing. After this, we part, all right?"
The blonde nodded. "All right…"
Elphaba approached the casket slowly. "Why is it closed?"
"Well… she doesn't exactly… look her best," Nessa replied. "She… she clawed out her own eyes."
"Oh… yeah, that doesn't sound good." Elphaba turned around. "Nessie, you know I want to stay, but someone is bound to recognize me. I mean, this is the same chapel Father's funeral was held in… and I'm sure most of the same people are going to show up."
"But Elphaba—"
"I don't want to be arrested again…" The green woman started down the aisle. "I'm sorry Nessie, but I can't stay."
"But she was your mother," Galinda said, getting in her way.
"Yes… she was… and she also disowned me and had me arrested. I do not owe her as much as I did my father…"
"She gave birth to you."
"Drunk and in a clock! A clock that is somehow responsible for this curse!" Elphaba moved past the blonde.
"Elphaba!"
"Time for you to go home, blondie."
The blonde felt the small flame of anger ignite inside of her, and she ran after the green woman, grabbing her back of the jacket. "Why are you acting like this?"
"Because it's the only way I can survive!" Elphaba tore herself away from the nurse. "With a curse like mine, I cannot allow myself to get too attached to any one person… or else it will kill me."
"Elphaba…"
"Please… just go home… before you get hurt." Elphaba exited the chapel, but Galinda ran in front of her again.
"I can't leave now… I'm in too deep. I can't go home… and never know what happened to you."
The green woman crossed her arms, looking away and shaking her head. "You can't get attached to me…"
"Well I didn't want to, but it happened!"
"Don't… don't do this…"
The two would have continued fighting, but at that moment, the sound of hooves caught their attention, and they turned to look.
"Serlock?" Elphaba said, surprised to see the Horse again.
He stopped upon reaching the two. "Hello again, my friends. I apologize that we must meet on these circumstances, but I have some bad news."
"Of course. Because that's all we receive nowadays," Elphaba said.
"Miss Galinda… your family lives in the Pertha Hills, correct?"
"Y-yes…" The blonde didn't like where this was headed.
"Well, I have heard through a few friends of mine that the Uplands were involved in an… accident."
Galinda's face drained of color. "What… what kind of accident?"
"I'm not sure… it did not sound favorable."
The blonde felt sick. Her vision grew fuzzy and there suddenly wasn't enough air to fill her lungs. Elphaba quickly covered her hands with her sleeves before she caught Galinda.
"Steady," the green woman said.
"E-Elphaba… my parents…"
"We don't even know what the extent of the accident is. Try to stay calm…"
The nurse looked up at her companion. "I have to go home now…"
Elphaba nodded. "That is probably for the best." She helped the blonde up onto Serlock. "I hope it is nothing serious."
"W-wait… aren't you coming with me?"
The green woman shook her head. "I can't… I'm sorry, but I can't risk being caught by that Morrible woman. You'll be fine… I promise." Elphaba almost had to force those last words out. Of course, she had no idea if Galinda really would be fine, but she had to remain confident… for the blonde.
"E-Elphaba…"
"You can do this…" Elphaba turned away from her. She didn't cry of course, but to Galinda, the sting of separation was real.
It was all a matter of waiting. Pressure… and time. That's all one needed to break any substance in Oz… even people. Morrible had applied the right pressure to her blonde nurse… now all she had to do was wait for her return. She knew it wouldn't be long… the only question was when would Miss Thropp decided to return as well?
"I said I don't want to be disturbed!" Fiyero slammed the door on yet another nosy reporter, angrily stalking back to his chair in front of the fireplace. He put a hand to his head with a sigh. He'd been feeling off ever since he and Elphaba had… well… gone their separate ways. Of course he hated everything that had happened, but what else could he do? How could he have a life with a woman who killed everything she touched?
A knock at his door brought him from his thoughts. "I said, go away!"
"But Master Tigelaar, if I could just speak with you for a few moments—"
The prince stood up angrily and threw open the door. "It's been two weeks! Let it go! I have nothing to say!"
"But how do you feel about it?"
"How do I feel?" Fiyero's anger finally got the better of him, and he lashed out, grabbing the reporter by the throat. "I feel like I could kill! IS THAT ENOUGH FEELING FOR YOU?"
The reporter, who looked terrified now, clutched at the prince's hand, only to go limp a few moments later. Fiyero realized what he was doing and released him, watching him collapse. He didn't get back up. The prince quickly closed the door, his heart racing.
Did I… just do… what Elphaba did?
"Galinda, my dear! It's so good to see you in one piece!"
The blonde was not expecting to be ambushed in a hug by the chief nurse, and she almost fell.
"Tell me: whyever were you gone so long? Your parents and I have been worried sick!" Morrible said after pulling away.
"I… I was in… Munchkinland… at the hospital."
"Volunteering I see. Gathering experience from different parts of Oz. I like your enthusiasm, but really, you have to tell people before you just run off!"
Galinda wondered why Morrible hadn't yet asked her about Elphaba. "Um… I heard my parents were in… some sort of accident?"
Morrible gave her a funny look. "Now where did you hear that?"
"I-in Munchkinland… that's why I came back… early," Galinda added quickly.
"Well, I don't know who told you that, but your parents are perfectly fine, and I'm sure they'd love to hear from you."
The blonde's world was moving too fast. Galinda looked down, trying to figure out what was going on. Serlock had said her parents were in an accident, yet Morrible said they were fine. Why would he lie to her?
Unless he wasn't lying… and that's really what he heard.
Of course. How could she have not seen this? It wasn't just a chance encounter; Morrible had meant for that rumor to reach her.
"You set this up…"
"Pardon?"
"You spread that rumor about my parents… you did it to get me to come back!"
Morrible's expression changed. "Maybe I did… but you believed it. And you came back." She leaned in close to the blonde. "And this time, you won't be leaving. Not unless you want to see your parents have a real accident."
Galinda could only stare at the chief nurse, unable to form words.
"Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-yes…" the blonde managed to get out.
"Good." Morrible turned and left, leaving Galinda with a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Galinda, dear, we're so relieved you're all right!" Mrs. Upland said, embracing her daughter tightly after opening the door for her. After work, Galinda had hurried to her parents' home, wanting to make sure that they truly were okay.
"I'm… fine…"
"Where were you? Why did you leave without saying anything?" her father asked.
The blonde looked down. She didn't particularly want to lie to her parents, but she couldn't tell them about Elphaba. "I… I had to go to a hospital in Munchkinland… it was unexpected…"
"Galinda, we know you're dedicated to your job, but we'd appreciate it if you told us what's going on before you just take off. Madame Morrible came to us very concerned."
"Morrible spread a lie to bring me back," the blonde muttered before she could stop herself.
"What was that?"
Galinda knew she shouldn't, but she found herself repeating, "Morrible spread a lie to bring me back."
Her parents looked confused. "Galinda… why in Oz would you say a thing like that?"
"Because it's true… she said you were in an accident."
Now her parents looked appalled. "Where did you hear that?"
"From a Horse."
"A Horse? So she didn't actually say it to you?" Her father sighed. "Galinda… you know the Animal population isn't terribly pleased with the treatment they receive here… how can you believe a rumor they spread?"
"They didn't start it! She did!"
"Galinda, this has gone on long enough. Now stop it. What reason would Madame Morrible have to spread such a ridiculous lie anyway?"
"She did it to separate me from Elphaba!"
As her parents' expressions changed yet again, the blonde realized she'd made a mistake.
"I… I mean…"
"Elphaba? As in Elphaba Thropp?"
Galinda winced, looking down. Yes, definitely a mistake.
"Wasn't she arrested for murder?"
"That was a misunderstanding…
"A misunderstanding? You were in Munchkinland with a murderer!"
"She's not like that!"
"How could you lie to us?"
"I didn't!" Galinda could tell she was fighting a losing battle; her parents had passed the point of believing her. "You're not listening to me!"
"What business could you have with someone like that?"
"She isn't the person you think!"
Her mother looked grief stricken and had to sit down. "Galinda… please tell me it isn't because of… that."
The blonde fought back her tears. "No… it wasn't because of that… and you said you forgave me…"
"Galinda… we do… we just don't want you to have a relapse."
"We're very sorry. She isn't usually like this. I'm sure it's just a phase."
"No. I won't allow it to happen. You are never to see that woman again, do you hear me, Galinda? I don't want this family to suffer any further embarrassment," her father said firmly.
Galinda looked down. "I… understand."
The next few days somewhat blurred together. Galinda went to work day in and day out, but unlike she'd anticipated, Morrible did not make her life a living hell. Oh, she watched the blonde with the eyes of hawk, just waiting for any misstep, but she didn't outright do anything to her. Galinda went about her life, feeling somewhat detached. The sting of Elphaba's absence waned slowly, and the nurse began to wonder how she'd really felt about the green woman.
As Galinda returned home one night, she felt almost completely drained, both physically and emotionally. She made her way into her tiny kitchen, only to see that someone was already there. She froze, expecting the worst.
Her visitor straightened up at hearing her enter. "Oh, hey blondie. Have anything to eat? I'm starving."
"E-Elphaba?"