"We should reach the Vinkus the day after tomorrow," Mr. Upland said that night at dinner.

"Good. My parents are very excited to meet you, Galinda," Fiyero said.

Galinda nodded and smiled, her eyes flashing towards Elphaba. The green woman's face turned a slightly darker green.

"Would you excuse me please?" Elphaba said, setting her plate down and standing up. She left the campfire and disappeared in the mix of carriages.

"Elphaba hasn't exactly been herself lately," Boq said. "I'm a little concerned. Maybe I should go check on her."

"No, I'll go. You stay. It may be a female issue," Galinda said, standing up. She left the others and headed for the carriages. A hand suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shadows.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Elphaba said, her sharp eyes scanning the area. "We're going to get caught, and then it'll be my neck."

"But danger only adds to the excitement," Galinda said, grabbing the front of Elphaba's shirt and pulling the green woman down to her level. "Now just kiss me before the others start looking for us."


Well, Morrible had never seen anything like what had just happened. No one had ever been able to break her control over someone. Obviously she had underestimated the feelings Elphaba had for the ringmaster's daughter. It seemed that Miss Upland could exercise her own type of control over the green woman.

"I won't stand for this insult. Go, find them! Bring Galinda Upland back alive and unharmed! I don't care what you have to do to the others, but bring Galinda back to me."


I shouldn't be doing this. I really should not be doing this. I'm going to get caught, and then it'll be hell to pay.

Elphaba closed the carriage door quietly behind her, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"Sneaking into my carriage at night? How perfectly scandalacious."

Elphaba turned to face the blonde behind her. "Galinda, this is insane. We're going to get caught."

"Then why did you come?"

Elphaba opened her mouth to reply, but stopped. She sighed. "Why do you think I came?"

Galinda grinned. "Because I asked you to."

Elphaba approached the blonde and leaned down. Their lips met in a gentle kiss, but only for a moment. Galinda grabbed Elphaba's shirt and tried to pull her down onto the hammock with her, but Elphaba's arm shot out and braced against the wall while her other arm caught Galinda before the blonde could fall out of the hammock.

"Oz, Galinda, love shouldn't be painful," Elphaba said.

Galinda covered her mouth as she giggled. "Sorry. I guess I forgot where I was lying."

Elphaba shook her head as she helped the blonde stand. "Look, if this is going to work, then you need to try and be more… subtle."

"But Elphieeeee…." Galinda whined. "That's no fun."

"Getting caught will be even less fun, trust me."

The blonde crossed her arms huffily. "Fine."

Elphaba couldn't help but smile. She placed a hand on the side of Galinda's face and leaned in, kissing her.

"Come now, my sweet, don't act like this. It's very childish and oddly seductive."

"Really?" The blonde wrapped her arms around Elphaba's neck and started to take control of the situation. She jumped at the green woman and wrapped her legs around her as well, giving Elphaba very little time to catch the blonde before she fell.

"Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?" Elphaba said.

"Shut up," Galinda said quickly before she took the green woman's mouth hostage again.

A sudden noise outside caught the green woman's attention, and she turned her head, alert. "Did you hear that?"

"It's probably just some animal outside. Elphieeeee..."

Elphaba set the blonde down. "Stay here," she said as she left the carriage, scanning the area. Nothing looked out of place…

A sudden blur crashed into Elphaba, knocking the green woman to the ground. She heard a screech and saw that her attacker was a monkey… with blue wings. Okay, that was definitely not right! The monkey jumped off of her and screeched again. Elphaba pushed herself up onto her elbows and saw dozens of the same flying monkeys coming down on the carriages and breaking down the doors.

"What the hell?" she heard Fiyero shout. He emerged from his carriage, throwing one of his knives and hitting one monkey in the wing. It screeched as it fell to the ground. The monkeys had awakened other performers as well, and it soon became chaos. The green woman scrambled to her feet and charged into her carriage, grabbing her torches and oil. She quickly lit the torches as she emerged from the carriage and swung at a group of monkeys, scattering them.

"Fiyero!" she said, helping the prince to his feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. What the hell is going on here?"

"I don't know."

"Elphaba!"

The green woman turned towards the sound of her name and saw that two monkeys were leaving a carriage… and they had Galinda.

"Galinda!" Elphaba started after them, chasing them out of the camp and into the woods. The green woman stayed hot on their heels, and when they started to fly higher, Elphaba knew she had to do something. She quickly raised her flask to her lips and took a quick swig of oil. She leapt over a fallen tree and raised her lit torch, breathing a short burst of flames, singeing the monkeys' wings. They dropped Galinda, and Elphaba dropped her torches as she moved to catch the blonde.

"I've got you, I've got you!" Elphaba called. Galinda came crashing down onto her and both girls tumbled down the hill, coming to a stop at the bottom with Galinda on top of Elphaba. The green woman groaned as she sat up, putting a hand to the back of her head. "Are you okay?"

Galinda nodded, hugging Elphaba tightly. Elphaba could feel her trembling, and she put her arms around the blonde. "It's all right. I've got you."

"Why did those monkeys try to kidnap me?"

"I don't know, but I do know that no one is going to harm you while I'm around."

Galinda looked up into Elphaba's dark eyes and hugged her tighter. "Thank Lurline for you, Elphaba."

"Come on. Let's go back." Elphaba stood and took Galinda's hand. The blonde started to stand, but her ankle gave out on her and she collapsed against the green woman.

"I think I did something to my ankle," Galinda said.

"Well, I'll take a closer look at it once we get back."

"I guess you'll have to carry me."

Elphaba smiled and picked the blonde up. "If I keep this up, you're going to be spoiled."

"I'm already spoiled."

"True."

As the two made their way back, Elphaba collected up her torches and flask, which was now empty. The minute they emerged from the woods, the others swarmed them.

"Galinda, are you okay?" Fiyero said.

"Aside from an injured ankle, I'm fine," Galinda replied.

"What happened here? What were those monkeys?" Mr. Upland asked, approaching the group.

"I think they may have been working for someone, sir," Elphaba said. "Do you have any enemies?"

"Why?"

"Because they tried to carry your daughter off, sir. It makes me believe that someone is trying to sabotage your circus."

"If that is true, then we need to move quickly. Everyone back to your carriages; we're heading out now."

Everyone ran back to their carriages, except for Fiyero.

"I can take it from here, Elphaba," he said, trying to take Galinda from her, but Elphaba instinctively took a step back.

"While I understand you care for your wife, I think I am perfectly capable of carrying her to her carriage. You may follow if you like," Elphaba said. She made her way to Galinda's carriage and set the blonde in her hammock gently once she was inside.

"You're not really going to leave me, are you?" Galinda whispered as Fiyero came inside.

"You'll be fine now. Just stay off that ankle," Elphaba said, straightening up. She turned and left the carriage, heading back to her own as the caravan started to move.


Galinda watched the green woman leave, and felt the caravan start to move. She sighed as Fiyero pulled a chair up beside her hammock.

"Elphaba seems to be a handy person to have around," he said. "This is the second time she's saved you."

She's saved me from more than just physical danger.

"Yes. I don't know what we'd do without her," Galinda said.

"I can't help but notice that you two seem to be spending more time together."

"Well, she's my friend."

"All of a sudden?"

Galinda felt her anger start to flare up. "Is there some sort of problem here?"

"No, I'm just curious as to what's going on between you two."

"We're friends, and we enjoy each other's company!"

"Okay, Galinda! Calm down. I have something else I'd like to talk to you about anyway."

"Yeah? What?"

"When we arrive in the Vinkus, my parents will be attending our first show, and have invited us to dinner afterwards."

"Who's 'us'?"

"Everyone. The entire circus."

"I see."

"I have told them a lot about you, Galinda. They are very interested in meeting you."

"I'll bet…" the blonde muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'm interested in meeting your parents as well."

"Very good."


The rest of the trip to the Vinkus went without hitch and soon they had arrived and were setting up. Galinda was able to stand again, but had to limp around and do her best to keep her weight off her injured ankle. While everyone was setting up, Galinda limped into the main tent, where she knew she'd find Elphaba. Sure enough, the green woman was in there, sweeping, as usual.

"For such a handy person, they give you the easiest jobs," Galinda said as she approached the green woman.

Elphaba looked up and her eyes fell on the blonde. "Galinda, you really shouldn't be walking around."

"I'm not walking, I'm limping," Galinda said, sitting down on the bleachers. "We're having dinner tonight with Fiyero's parents."

"All of us?"

"Yeah…" The blonde's eyes suddenly lit up as an idea struck her. "I'll bet there are more than one beds in their castle."

"Why? Are we spending the night?"

Galinda turned to look at the green woman, and saw that she was serious. "Never mind."

"You're in my way, my sweet," Elphaba said.

"Too bad."

"But I need to sweep right where your pretty little ass is sitting."

Galinda scowled at her, but stood up, allowing Elphaba to continue sweeping.

"Thank you, you may sit back down," Elphaba said as she continued on.

"Oh may I? What a treat," Galinda said as she sat back down. Elphaba looked at her and shook her head.

"All right, I'm done," the green woman said after a few more moments.

"Good. Come here and kiss me, which you haven't done in one whole day!"

"I have things to do."

"Elphaba!"

The green woman smiled and approached the blonde. "Fine. One quick kiss."

Galinda smiled, knowing she had won. She pulled the green woman down and kissed her none too modestly.

"Wow. I didn't realize what 'one kiss' meant," Elphaba said after they had moved apart.

"One more."

"No. I have to finish my job."

"Elphieee…."

"No, not this time, my sweet."

Galinda crossed her arms huffily, but she could see that Elphaba was not going to give in this time. "Fine. Go, do your important job. Just leave me here… alone… by myself… with no one around."

"You're so dramatic," Elphaba said. She gave the blonde one last quick kiss before she left the tent. Once outside, she headed to put the broom away, but a couple caught her eye, only because they looked lost. "Can I help you?" Elphaba asked, approaching them.

"Is this the Uplandian Circus?" the man asked.

"Yes, but we're setting up. The performance isn't until this afternoon."

"Elphaba, I see you've met my parents," Fiyero said, coming up beside the green woman.

"O-oh. I see. I'll be leaving now," Elphaba said, turning to leave. She walked away from the three and went back to her carriage.

"You can't hide from me forever."

"Galinda, what… why… oh, Oz."

The blonde smiled. "I wasn't satisfied with your parting kiss."

"Galinda, please, Fiyero's parents are here, and if we get caught now—"

"They're here already?" the blonde sighed. "I guess we'll have to be even more secretive."

"No, Galinda! We have to just… slow down!"

That took Galinda aback. "You think we're going too fast or something?"

"No, I'm just saying that we need to think about what we're doing here… logically."

"Logically? Elphaba Thropp, you are one of the most difficult people in Oz!"

"Funny you should say that because that's what the Wizard said about me too."

"What did you say?"

"I believe I told him that he was 'exceedingly ignorant'."

"Elphie, you didn't!" Galinda said, but she was smiling.

"I believe those were my words. Let me go back… yeah, that's what I said."

Galinda tried to stifle her laughter. "I'll bet he didn't take kindly to that."

"Not really."

"Elphaba! Elphaba, where are you?"

The green woman cringed. "Uh, oh. Sounds like duty calls, my sweet."

"Do you have to go?"

"Elphaba!"

"It sounds that way. I'll be back later," Elphaba said. She kissed the blonde on the forehead before she left the carriage.


That afternoon, the circus went off without a hitch. Elphaba and Fiyero's new act became an instant crowd pleaser, setting the audience off like crazy.

"It looks like your idea was a success," Fiyero said as the two left the tent.

"It would appear so," Elphaba said.

"Were you nervous?"

"Do you want the truth? I was terrified."

Fiyero laughed. "I can understand that."

"Fiyero!"

Elphaba and the prince looked up as they saw his parents approaching.

"That was very… talented," his mother said. Elphaba could tell by her tone that she most likely didn't approve of Fiyero's choice to be in a circus. "But I thought you said that Galinda opened the shows."

"She usually does, but she sustained an ankle injury and had to sit out for today," Fiyero replied.

Elphaba suddenly felt a weight on her back and almost fell over, but managed to regain her balance.

"I thought for sure one of you was going to die!" Galinda said, her arms around Elphaba's neck.

"Galinda… not breathing…"

"So, this is Galinda?" Fiyero's mother said. The blonde looked up, just noticing that there were other people present. She slid off Elphaba's back and moved to stand beside Fiyero.

"Yes. Galinda, these are my parents," Fiyero said, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Hello. I'm very glad to meet you," the blonde said, shaking their hands.

"Likewise. So, you will all be joining us for dinner, correct?" Fiyero's father said.

"Of course. We'll all be there shortly," Fiyero replied. His parents nodded before leaving. Fiyero turned to Galinda angrily. "What was that?"

"What? I thought you two were alone…" Galinda said, crossing her arms.

Fiyero shook his head. "You will not do anything like that at dinner tonight."

"So, you're telling me what to do now?"

"Galinda, don't start with me—"

"Fine. I won't do anything to ruin the reputation you have so carefully purchased."

Fiyero shook his head, but left the two girls to heads back to his carriage.

"Galinda, what did I tell you?" Elphaba said once the prince was out of earshot.

"So now you're going to nag me too?"

Elphaba softened. "No, of course not. I just… I don't want anything to happen to you… or to us."

Galinda smiled and hugged the green woman. "You're right. We just have to get through dinner. How much trouble could we possibly get into?"

"Knowing you, my sweet? More than we need."