Authors Note:

I suppose techniqually this chapter should have came first but oh well.

Enjoy while I get on writing part two of this (I had hoped to do it all in one shot but you guys just outdid me in how fast you reviewed! Wheew! I need to start another couple after this part too just to keep up!)

Melena had gone early into Glinda's room every day for a week. The blond woman was recovering much faster than she had expected, but then again, she hadn't thought her energy-therapy would actually work—she had only ever read about the practice, and had only seen it once.

She was by no means a master healer and many of Glinda's injuries still lingered and she remained in bandages, but she was in less pain, and really that's all that concerned to the brunette.

But, she had been a little less than encouraging when the blond wanted to have their talk outside.

"Your Goodness—"

"Call me Glinda, please, at least…"

Melena gulped softly, and breathed a nervous sigh. "Glinda… I don't think it's such a good idea for you to walk, your injuries are still healing."

"I won't have this talk with you in such a small room—I won't be able to keep my head," said Glinda. "I need to breath."

"You fly around in a bubble, but you can't talk in a simple bedroom?" Melena said, but not unkindly.

"What can I say, I'm a blond," but Glinda grinned, and she smiled sweetly when she heard Melena giggle. Oh, such a beautiful voice her daughter had. She never wanted to be without it again, but she had to calm herself and take it slow. Everything was still up in the air, and nothing was set in stone as to whether Melena would want to see her or not after they parted ways from this castle.

"Alright, alright, but I don't want you to walk."

"Dear, I hate to say this, but do you know how I move that bubble around?"

"How?" asked Melena with her eyes fill of curiosity.

"Walking." said Glinda with a smile.

"Are you serious?" Melena was dumbfounded.

"Completely," and Glinda giggled a bit. "Well, it's more like steering with my feet at times."

"Well, alright then," and Glinda let out a surprised gasp as Melena reached under her and lifted her up into her arms. "I'll carry you until we figure this little problem out… wow…"

"What? Am I hurting you? Put me down." Glinda said in a rush, afraid she had hurt her daughter.

"No, no, its fine—I'm just surprised, how much do you weigh?" Melena asked. Glinda was surprised at the question and blushed.

"100 pounds—I've unfortunately gained some weight over the holidays." Glinda made a face. "Bleh, I'll turn into a pig soon."

"Oh god, you sound like the girl's at my school." Melena said with a smile as she carried Glinda out of the room. "I'm fat, I'm fat, they say, and if a breeze rolls in they fall over."

"Oh… could I ask something?" Glinda asked after a few minutes of quiet.

"Yes Your—"

"Glinda,"

"Sorry. Yes, Glinda?"

"Would you mind…" but she couldn't ask, and she felt embarrassed.

"Sure," Melena said with a little smile. "I guess I can tell you about myself."

Glinda was thankful her daughter could seem to read her mind at that point. And so, as they walked to the apple orchard Melena told her estranged mother a bit about herself. She told of how she loved to dance, and sing and perform for people. She told her about her knack for learning quickly, she told her about how terrible she was at cooking, and she told her about how she loved to clean when she was bored or nervous to keep herself occupied.

"Do you have many friends?" Glinda asked as they reached the orchard.

"No, but not out of inability, I just find most girls my age vexing and annoying. I do have three good friends though. I haven't seen them in a bit. Honestly, I miss them." Melena said as she gently sat Glinda down on a stone chair.

"Are they girls?" asked Glinda as she got comfortable in her seat, and decided to use her magic to settle the mood, a bit. "Do you drink tea?"

"Yes, thank you, only one lump of sugar please. But, no, only one is a girl, I grew up with her and I've known her since I was small. The other two are boys I met four years ago on the sports team in my school." Melena sat down on the other stone chair across from Glinda and watched in amazement as Glinda murmured a spell and made two china cups appear and then a tea pot which hovered in the air and poured them both hot tea. Melena giggled when the tea pot twirled and changed into a sugar holder with small arms, and put two lumps in Glinda's tea and one in hers before vanishing all together. "That's amazing."

"Pssh, that's nothing. We learned to do that second week of Miss Greyling's magic classes—of course, half of us just made the china explode." And she had a blush on her cheeks that let Melena know that she was a part of the half that had the unfortunate experience of being rained on by pieces of charred china.

"I see." Melena giggled and smiled.

They talked for a while longer, comfortably. The long years of absence seemed not to matter to either woman. It was amazing, really, how at ease they felt with each other. However, there was a nagging in both of their minds. They both knew that there were many questions that floated in the air, which needed answers—and even if they did not like it—that would be answered by the other.

When they had settled with each other fully, the nervousness washed over both their souls. It was now. They could feel it. The moment of truth had come, and there was no stopping it now.

"Tell me why you gave me up." Melena asked softly, a plea that broke Glinda's already fragile heart.

"Do you really want me to tell you? Are you sure?" Glinda asked in a shaky voice.

"Yes." Melena replied.

Glinda took a breath and nodded. The moment had come, and she had known for years it would, in one way or another. She would have to tell about how her lover had abandoned her, and how in her fright she had given her to Nanny, in hopes of one day finding her again.