The Chapel in Shiz University was seldom used. There was a little-attended Unionist service on Sunday mornings, and a service on Lurlinemas, but other than that, the building gathered dust. Many students never entered the building in all of their years there. But on that cold morning, all of Shiz seemed to be packed in, as well as visitors from the Vinkus and Munchkinland.

Girls cried onto to sturdy boys' shoulders. There was a loud weeping toward the front of the church- the Arjiki Queen, seated beside her husband with her younger children close at hand. Across the aisle sat a more somber party, the Governor of Munchkinland and the younger of his two daughters. Her head was down, her shoulders shaking. Her father was dry eyed and cold, staring at the minister.

Glinda sat a few pews back, Avaric's arm around her shoulders as she watched the funeral of her best friend and former boyfriend. Officially, the story was that they had been robbed in the City, and killed. The conspiracy theorists guessed it was really something political that the couple had gotten involved in. Those of a more romantic turn believed that the two lovers had come across something that would prevent them being together and had decided to end their own lives, killing themselves on the same dagger. The only consensus was that the authorities were lying to them. No one had seen either body, and both caskets were closed.

The funeral was beautiful, befitting two people of high rank, as they both were. The crowd was mixed, almost like one would see at a wedding. Indeed, her family sat to one side of the church, his the other. It was appropriate that there was only one funeral- as all of Shiz had known that Fiyero and Elphaba had begun courting each other, it had seemed natural for them to be mourned together. It had also been decided that they would both be buried in Shiz's cemetery, mostly filled with the remains of elderly professors, dotted with students who had contracted fatal illnesses.

His family had come from the West, accompanied by some higher ranking officials from the Arjiki tribe, as well as leaders of the other Vinkun tribes. Frexpar Thropp had also come, at Nessarose's insistance. Glinda suspected that was the only reason why he came, but knew better than to say anything.

The minister led the crowd outside. The day was warm and the ground was soft, making the burial easy. Glinda chose not to watch the caskets be lowered into the earth, feeling no need to. She tapped Avaric's arm and led him away. They walked in a somber silence into the woods that bordered Shiz. They walked part of the way through, Glinda leaning onto him to help keep her balance in heels on the uneven ground. She squeezed his hand. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said quietly, carefully remembering. "Wait. It should be just a few minutes, we timed it right."

Indeed, a few minutes passed and then two hooded figures came out of the deeper part of the woods. Glinda through herself at one of them. "It worked," she said.

"Thank... oh, I don't know who, thank someone," Elphaba said as she lowered her hood. Fiyero doing the same. "I was afraid we would get caught. I don't know why we were stupid enough to come back." As she said it she glared at Fiyero. "It's like we're begging to be caught."

"Don't you blame him now," Glinda chastized. "I would never, ever forgive you if you just vanished on us."

"We're just vanishing on the rest of the world, including our families. What makes Miss Glinda Upland so special?" Elphaba mocked her, but gently.

She pouted. "Because you're my best friend. And we know you aren't really dead." She choked up then, really crying. These tears rendered her mostly incapable of speech, unlike the pretty, delicate ones she had worked up for the funeral. Once she had recovered. "And even if we never do speak to each other again..." she let out a little sob as she tried to catch her breath. "And even if we never speak again, I feel better at having a chance to tell you goodbye."

Elphaba wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, not bothering to hide the fact that she was crying, too. "Don't do that, now. We made a choice and can't unmake it."

She and Fiyero had gone back to their hotel room. They had discussed their options, deciding the only real option that satisfied both of their demands was to move to the poorer district of the City and go underground, preferably falling in with a group of rebels, or perhaps founding one themselves. Although Fiyero did not have the same zeal for rebellion as she did, he shared her beliefs and would follow her to the end of the world. He knew his life was to be much more difficult than it had ever been, but he didn't care. The fact that they were wearing matching gold bands on their left hands was enough to make him content for eternity.

So Elphaba had written two letters to Glinda. One, meant for her to show others recounted a story, claiming that she and Fiyero had decided to elope(which actually had been true) and were going to stay in the City for a little longer than planned. Another letter gave Glinda very specific instructions, begging for her help.

With lies, disguises, and a bit of magic, they had faked their deaths. Elphaba had planned on slipping away, but Glinda had insisted on her returning to say goodbye, and Fiyero had badgered her into listening. "You'll be alright, won't you?" she asked her best friend.

"I'll have to be, won't I?" Glinda asked, wondering if it changed anything.

"Yes, and you'll be strong." She gave Avaric a significant look. "And you will have him to lean on when it gets to be too much to bare. You'll take care of her?"

Avaric nodded. "Of course I will."

Glinda leaned over to hug Fiyero. "And you'll make sure she won't do anything to crazy?"

"I promise to try," he said, smiling. Although the mood was somber, he was happy. He had what he wanted. He pushed the lingering feelings of grief for his family aside. He'd never felt that anything was more right than what he was doing just then. He touched Elphaba's arm. "We should go, Fae."

"He's right," she said, placing a small kiss on Glinda's cheek and taking her husband's arm. "Goodbye," she said, her voice shaking a little.

"Goodbye," Glinda and Avaric chorused.

The couple pulled their hoods back up, eager for the safety of the Emerald City, where they would be able to blend back in. They were alone, but they could be together at least in that.

The End

So, that's it... those of you who are going "Wait, that can't be it!" well, you're right. I've decided to split this story into two parts. Sort of like those movies that you just KNOW are setting up a sequel. I wanted to break it up because the second part of the story is quite a bit darker than the beginning. It also might wind up rated M (not for sex, don't get your hopes up). So look out for the second part of this, tentatively called "Until It Is Through".

In the meantime, why not leave me a review?