Addena's shoulders slumped in relief as she watched Fiyero storm out of the room. Her heart had been lodged firmly in her throat since Bree stepped between the former scarecrow and Cade. She could just picture one of the guys going into super hothead mode and taking a swing at the other, accidently slamming their fist into her lover's face. The damage wouldn't last long considering Bree was a healer but the thought of anyone laying a finger on her girlfriend drove Addena crazy.
Not that Bree ever took that into consideration when she stuck her nose in where it didn't belong. Thank Oz the phrase 'scared ten years off my life' wasn't literal, otherwise she would be an old woman already.
"What got into Fiyero?"
The Wizard's question pulled her from her thoughts.
"I don't know him as well as the rest of you but that seemed out of character for him." He continued.
Maeve rolled her eyes. "He's been acting kind of..."
"Glinda!"
Elphaba's panicked shout drowned Maeve out, drawing everyone's attention. Addena's heart, which had only just gone back to its proper place, plummeted to her toes when she saw the green witch lowering her sister's limp form to the floor.
"Glinda? Glinda?!"
"Is she all right?" Lion questioned as Elphaba tapped Glinda on the cheek, giving a shocked gasp when the blonde didn't respond.
"Addena, help!"
The raw fear Addena saw in Elphaba's whiskey brown eyes had her hurrying across the room. "What happened?"
"I'm not really sure. One second she was commenting on how strange Fiyero was acting and the next..." Elphaba swallowed hard, obviously trying to keep her emotions under control. "The next her eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp in my arms."
Addena tried to kneel next to the witch, momentarily cursing her choice in dresses before she hiked the tight fitting material up so she could move. The instant her knees hit the floor she started examining her sister.
"She just fainted, right?" Lion pranced nervously in place. "Right?"
"Shhh." Penny shushed him.
"What?" He frowned at her. "I just want to know if she's all right. She's my friend and I'm worried about her." His eyes went wide as he looked down at her again. "She's not breathing!"
"Of course she is." Maeve was quick to respond.
"Are you sure?" He was on the verge of panicking.
"She's sure." The Wizard assured him.
"But..."
"Stop." Penny pulled him back to her side.
"Let's all just settle down until Addy has had a chance to look at her." Breena, who had gone to stand behind her sister, put her hand on Elphaba's shoulder. "It's going to be all right, Elly."
Addena might have given her a grateful look if she wasn't so concentrated on her sister. She'd never seen anything like this before. People didn't go from being fine to being at death's door the way Glinda had. And as much as she hated to admit it, her little sister was in bad shape. Her pulse was weak and thready and her breathing was slow and extremely shallow.
"Dena?"
She hesitated a moment before looking at her mother, wishing she didn't have to dash the hope she heard in her voice.
Ginny's face fell when she saw the expression on her daughter's face. "It's that bad?"
"I wish I could say it wasn't." Addena switched her gaze to Elphaba. "But I can't."
"I don't understand." Elphaba furrowed her brow. "She was fine."
"I know." Addena put her hand on the green woman's arm.
"Is she..." Ginny bit her lip, trying not to cry. "Is she going to die?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it. We need to get her upstairs so I can do a more thorough examination."
"I'll take her." Lion volunteered.
Penny shook her head. "I don't think that's such a good idea."
Lion frowned at her again. "But I want to help."
"I've got her." Elphaba cut their discussion short.
"Elly maybe..."
"I said I have her." She cut Breena off as she scooped her lover up, cradling her close against her body.
"We'll use the secret passage." The Wizard spoke up again, already on his way toward the hidden passageway.
"Good idea." Cade agreed. "You can get to Elphaba and Glinda's room without any of the guests seeing you."
"Why go to the girls room when there's a perfectly good bed in mine?"
"Are you sure?" Breena asked.
"I don't think we have time to waste hopping around from room to room."
"He's right." Tears swam in Ginny's eyes.
The Wizard slipped his arm around the eldest Upland's shoulders. "She's strong and won't give up without a fight."
"She's not going to have a chance to give up." Addena growled. "Someone grab the wine glasses and let's go."
"I need to go check on my men." Cade commented. "But I'll come see how Glinda is doing as soon as I can."
"Steer clear of Fiyero. The last thing we need is the two of you getting into a fight." Breena cautioned him as she picked up the tray she had put down earlier. "I've got the glasses."
Everyone was silent as they followed the Wizard and Ginny into the passageway. It wasn't the dark and dusty place that came to mind when someone mentioned a secret passage. It was more of a well lit hallway that gently sloped, making it nearly impossible to tell they were walking upwards. Before anyone knew it they were walking into the sitting room outside the Wizard's bedroom.
"It's not much but I call it home." The Wizard pointed to his right. "The bed is in there."
Elphaba didn't make a sound as she went in the direction he indicated, Ginny hot on her heels.
"Bree?" Addena looked over her shoulder as she followed them.
"Go ahead doc. The rest of us will stay here to give you some privacy." Breena gave her a peck on the lips. "Take good care of our girl."
Addena put her hand on Bree's cheek, staring into her eyes for a moment before walking away.
"Do you really think she's going to be OK?" Lion whimpered.
"Yes I do." Breena put the tray down again.
"We need to stay positive." Penny ran her paw up Lion's arm. "Right?"
He looked toward the bedroom. "I guess so."
"I wish there was something we could do." Maeve sighed. "I hate feeling useless."
"Hey!" Lion snapped his fingers. "I don't know why someone didn't think of it sooner."
Penny furrowed her brow. "What?"
"Breena is a healer. She can make Glinda better." He grinned like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No she can't." The Wizard informed him.
"What do you mean she can't?" Lion's grin quickly faded. "I've seen her in action plenty of times. If anyone can help Glinda it's her."
Breena shook her head. "I can't heal sicknesses, Lion."
"But Glinda's not sick, she's poisoned." The oversized feline argued.
"Her powers only work on injuries." Penny tried to help out. "That's why we were so worried about her when she was hurt in the Uplands. Even if her leg had healed she still would have had her fever."
"That doesn't even make sense."
"I don't like it either, Lion, but it's true. All I would be able to do is take Glinda's symptoms for a little while." Breena glanced toward the bedroom sadly. "And that's not going to help anything."
The Wizard was quick to say, "She's in the best possible hands."
"Yes she is but that doesn't mean I don't wish I could do more."
"You can." He took her hand in his. "Be there for Addena, Ginny and Elphaba. Glinda would want you to take care of them right now."
"She would, wouldn't she?"
"Yes, she would."
"Are you sure you can handle Lion?"
"No, but I know Penny can."
Breena gave him a half grin. "Thanks Dad."
"Anytime." He gave her hand a loving squeeze. "Now get in there."
She did as she was told, quickly making her way to the bedroom. What she saw when she did made her stop in her tracks. Glinda was propped up in bed, looking even more pale than she had downstairs. Ginny was gripping her hand, watching Addena as she listened to Glinda's chest with her stethoscope. Breena could tell from the expression on her lover's face that Glinda wasn't doing any better.
"Bree." Elphaba stopped pacing in front of the bed when she saw her. "I need you to do something for me."
Breena hated the haggard look on her sister's face. "Anything."
Elphaba went to her, grabbing her arm to pull her further away from the bed. "Get the Grimmerie."
"The Grimmerie?" Breena furrowed her brow. "Why do you want the book?"
"She's slipping away, Bree." Tears shown in Elphaba's eyes as she looked at her girlfriend's still form. "She's slipping away and there's not a damned thing I can do about it. Unless..."
Breena waited a beat for her to continue before saying, "Unless what," when she didn't.
"There might be a spell."
"No."
Elphaba clinched her jaw. "What do you mean no?"
"Just what it sounds like. Yackle made sure we had a firm grip on the spells in the front of that book but the forbidden spells..."
"Could save her life."
"Elphaba..."
"What if it was Addena, Bree? Wouldn't you do anything you could to save her?" Elphaba pointed at her before she could answer. "And don't you dare try to say you wouldn't because I know you would. You're always telling me to trust my instincts where our magic is concerned and every fiber of my being is telling me to look in the Grimmerie. Let me look to see if one of the spells can save Glinda's life."
"I..."
"Please." Elphaba's voice cracked. "It could be her only hope." The tears she had been holding at bay spilled down her cheeks.
"Come here." Breena pulled her into a hug.
Elphaba clung to her. "I can't lose her Bree. I just... I can't."
"You won't." Breena held her close.
"Dena?" Ginny's voice broke into their conversation.
Breena kept one arm around her sister's waist as they both switched their attention back to the bed.
Addena looked down at Glinda sadly. "She's getting worse."
Ginny choked on a sob as she brought her daughter's hand up to her cheek. "Not my baby."
"I'm not giving up on her Mom." Addena fought tears of her own.
Elphaba looked at her sister. "We need the book."
Breena nodded. She knew she should try to talk her sister out of using the Grimmerie but it was obvious they didn't have much time. And to hell with any consequences that might come of their decision. They could deal with them once Glinda was well again.
"Hurry."
Elphaba's voice pulled her from her thoughts. She gave her sister another hug before hurrying out of the room.
Addena frowned as she left. "Where is she going?"
"To get the Grimmerie."
"Did you hear that Glinda? Elphaba and Breena are going to help you. All you have to do is hold on." Ginny ran the back of her free hand down her daughter's clammy cheek. "Please hold on."
Everyone looked up when Breena came running out of the bedroom.
"Oh Oz she..." Lion burst into tears. "She's dead isn't she?"
"Stop that." Penny chastised him at the same time she put her arm around his shoulders to comfort him. "Breena?"
"She's still with us but it's not looking good." Breena fixed Maeve with her green eyes. "I need the Grimmerie."
"The Grimmerie?" The Wizard echoed her words. "Is there a spell that will help?"
"We're not sure. That's why we need the book."
"But the only spells you haven't studied are the..." Maeve's voice trailed off when she realized what the witches were wanting to do. "No Breena. You can't."
"Can't what?" The Wizard frowned.
"Now isn't the time or place for this, Maeve." Breena answered before she could. "Just tell me where the book is."
"The time or place for what?" The Wizard's frown deepened as the two women continued to stare at each other. "What's going on?!"
"Maeve?" Breena ignored him.
"Fine." The brunette growled. "But don't blame me if this whole thing blows up in your face."
"We won't."
"Won't what?" The Wizard was getting frustrated.
"You trust me, right Dad?"
"Of course." He answered without thinking.
"Then don't worry about it. I'll explain everything after we save Glinda."
"Come on." Maeve started for the door. "The book is in my room."
The Wizard sighed. "Why do I get the feeling I should be worried?"
"I think you have good reason to be." Penny commented.
He watched the door, wondering exactly what his daughters were up to.
Meanwhile, Maeve was trying to come up with some way of convincing Breena that what she was doing was wrong. Yackle would have just told her no and refused to give her the book. But she wasn't her aunt. If she told Breena no the witch would turn the palace upside down trying to find the book. No, she was going to have to try and talk some sense into her and hope the woman listened.
"Breena..."
"Don't even try it, Maeve."
"But..."
"You weren't in that room. You didn't see the look on Addy's face or the torture in Elly's eyes."
"I don't want to lose Glinda anymore than anyone else but..."
"There aren't any buts. We're going to find a spell to save her life and that's that. So keep your opinions to yourself and give me the book."
Maeve tried not to let the sharp words hurt her feelings but it was hard. After all, she was Elphaba and Breena's magical advisor now. It was her job to make sure they weighed the pros and cons of using their powers. And right now they were running on pure emotion. "I wish Aunt Yackle was here." The words left her mouth before she knew it. "I'm not good in situations like this. I'm too indecisive. Even Darian would be able to do more than me."
Breena frowned. "What?"
"He's studied so much about poisons and potions he could probably tell you what was in that wine just by hearing Glinda's symptoms."
"Really?"
Maeve chortled. "Oh yeah. If he couldn't figure it out he would know someone who could." She pursed her lips. "But not me. I was always too busy getting caught up in our family history to study much of anything."
Breena gripped her arm. "Do you really think he could help?"
"Yes." Maeve tried not to flinch at the vice like hand around her bicep. "But he's not here."
"He could be."
"But..."
"Get the book to Elly." Breena instructed before saying, "Extorque," and disappearing.
"Damn it." Maeve threw her hands in the air. "How do I always get myself into these situations?"
