Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; I'm merely borrowing them for the ride.

Background: This story was inspired both by the book and the musical. I took the things I liked better from each one.

Author's Note: I apologize profusely for all the language mistakes that I'm sure I have made. English is not my mother tongue and this is my first attempt at writing, so please bear with me ;).

Feedback is very welcome; good, bad or in between...

I uploaded three new chapters on this update, so be sure to read Chapters 12 and 13 before this one!

Chapter 14 – Hope

Elphaba felt the small hand she was holding jolt in her grasp, and not a second later she heard. "Elpha…ba?"

She heard her name whispered softly, but her enthusiasm at hearing that voice was short lived though, because when she took a look at Glinda's face she realized her friend was still very much asleep, and probably having another one of those fevered dreams. Dream or not dream, Elphaba couldn't help herself and squeezed the blonde's hand, as to let her know that she was there. The now awake prisoners sat a little closer to Glinda's body, while Shell remained where he was, still watching Elphaba's movements closely.

"Is she awake?" Mali asked hopefully.

"No, She's just…" Elphaba's words were interrupted by the weak voice again.

"I am s…sorry, El..phie." Glinda's voice faltered because of the shivers running through her body. "I've tri…tried to be s…strong." Mali came even closer to the shivering blonde.

"What is wrong with her?" She looked franticly between Elphaba and Glinda's faces.

"I think her fever is breaking." Elphaba answered, taking off her cloak and covering Glinda's body with it, tucking her in.

"I'm s…sorry." The blonde said again, and Elphaba couldn't take it any longer.

"Why would you be sorry?"

"Be...cause I fai…failed you." Glinda's words hit Elphaba like a hammer. "I wan…ted you to be pr…proud of me." A single tear left Glinda's eye, and with her last word she grasped Elphaba's arm, who couldn't hide the painful hiss that escaped her mouth at the contact with her burned skin.

"Miss, you are in pain!" Mali was at Elphaba's side in a second, while Lea kept a watchful eye on Glinda. The brown-haired woman was looking at Elphaba with interest now, she had seen the look on the stranger's eyes after Glinda's words, and something was going on here.

"It's nothing, just a bruise." Mali tried to take a look at the injury, but Elphaba moved her arm away.

"I said it's nothing." Her tone made Mali recoil and Elphaba kicked herself mentally for being so brusque. "I'm sorry. I'm alright, honest." She patted the red-haired woman on the hand and turned her attention to Glinda, her own injuries could wait a little longer.

Elphaba moved to check Glinda's temperature, and was happy to see it had come down a bit. The shivers were becoming less and less violent, and she seemed to be resting once again. The brunette was glad the delirious talk was over, it had left her feeling overwhelmed. What was Glinda talking about? Failing her? Why would she think that?

Lea chose that moment to speak again, after Glinda's fevered words and Elphaba's rejection of Mali's help, the cell had been immersed in an uncomfortable silence. "She keeps calling to that person." She said to no one in particular, and when Elphaba looked at her curiously she elaborated. "That Elphie, Elphaba or whatever," she made a dismissive gesture with her hand, "she's been repeating that name every time she has 'waken up'. I wonder who this person is. It must be really important to her, if it is the only thought she has while facing death."

Lea kept her gaze locked onto Elphaba's, trying to discern any sign of recognition in the other woman's eyes, but Elphaba didn't even blink, she held Lea's stare. It was as if the brown-haired woman was trying to bait her, so Elphaba simply said. "She's delirious, that's all there is to it."

It was Mali's turn to disagree with the witch. "Oh, I don't know about that, Miss. I've been around a couple of really sick people in my life, and I can honestly say they always seem to hold on what's dearest to them when their time com…well, when they are most in need." She had noticed the quizzical look on Lea's eyes when talking about Glinda's words, maybe the younger woman was onto something.

Shell was feeling antsy, sitting around in the cell was getting to his head, and he was starting to imagine things that weren't possible. Of course, Glinda calling out to Elphaba wasn't helping either. Her sister was dead, and this woman, whoever she was, wasn't Elphaba. Shell stood and spoke startling them. "She was my sister," he said, and when he saw the dumbfounded looks on the women faces, he tried to explain himself, "this person she keeps calling. She was my sister, Elphaba." He swallowed after saying the name out loud. "They were friends." With that he went to the door. "I'm going to go take a look outside, just in case." He closed the cell's door behind him and tried to calm his nerves. This wasn't like him at all, losing his composure like this; maybe he just needed some fresh air. "Too bad you're stuck down here for the moment." He muttered while walking the corridor from one end to the other. Maybe a little exercise would help.

"Well, her time hasn't come yet." Elphaba spoke inside the cell, trying to break the silence that had fallen upon them after Shell's revelation. Had it been sadness that look in his eyes when he talked about me? She shook her head to clear it of stupid thoughts. "She's getting better. So let's just wait for the oils to do their work, and then you can ask the Lady yourself what was going through her mind in her time of need." She said to Mali. Her words curt and to the point, she didn't have time to ruminate about Shell's reaction or Glinda's words. She had to get the blonde woman out of there as soon as possible, and everything else would have to wait. It would be morning in a couple of hours, and she had every intention of being out of here before the sunrise.

Liir hurried down the stairs Shell had shown him a couple of days ago. It was the quickest way into the Southstairs prison, and also the one where your chances of getting caught were the strongest. This time he didn't have the charming man by his side to ease his way through, Shell would have been a lot of help, but he hadn't managed to find him. So it was just him, it would have to be enough. He had to get to Glinda's cell and then he would have to think of some way to get her out of there.

He run through the corridors, trying to remember the way to the Witch's cell, and barely managed to stay out of one of the jailers' sight when turning a corner too fast. Some minutes later he was on the right corridor, and in his haste to get to Glinda, he collided with a distracted Shell.

"What in Oz?" Shell seized Liir to prevent him from falling backwards, and only when the boy was upright he recognized him. "Liir! My boy," he said patting the young man on the back, "we have to stop meeting like this." Shell's smile froze on his lips when he saw the worried look on the boy's face. "What is it, boy?" But Liir sidestepped Shell and run to the cell, with the man following right behind him.

Elphaba was getting anxious, Glinda's fever was almost gone, but the blonde was still unconscious and they were running out of time. It was almost morning and with it would come the jailers' patrols. She didn't know how to get the woman out of there in this state; flying with a dead weight behind her was out of the question. A sudden noise at the door made the three women jump.

"Liir, what is going on?" Shell's voice demanded, and Elphaba's heart stopped for a second when she looked up and saw her son walking inside the cell. The boy had grown in the past year, and his hair was longer than she remembered. The young man didn't seem to notice the stranger in the cell at first; he just turned and faced Shell.

"We have to get her out here! The three of them." Shell could see the panic in the boy's eyes, so he tried to calm him by placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, boy. Why the sudden hurry?" But Liir shrugged off Shell's hand. He didn't need coddling; he needed help.

"They are coming!" He said, practically shouting, but Shell didn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. "The Gale Force! They are going to kill her!" Liir turned around to point at Glinda, but his movement came to a halt when he laid eyes on Elphaba. He blanched as if he had seen a ghost. "Who…who are you?" His voice trembled.

Lea and Mali both looked at Elphaba, and then at Liir. Lea was the first one to speak. "You don't know her?" And at Liir's shook of his head she turned to Shell. "But you said he sent her here."

Shell just shrugged taken aback, not knowing what was going on. All the while, Elphaba was trying to wrap her mind around the idea of having not only her brother but also her son in the Southstairs' cell with her; so much for keeping a low profile. It was in that moment that Liir's words permeated her brain, and she turned her attention to Glinda once more.

"Who are you?" Mali's voice broke the sudden silence, and Elphaba didn't even try to hold back her temper this time.

"It doesn't matter who I am! Haven't you heard what he said?" Her voice was cold as ice. "They are coming to kill her." She took Glinda into her arms so the blonde woman's upper body was resting against her. "Come on Glinda, snap out of it!" Her tone was harsh, but it was easy to hear the concern behind it. Liir and Shell's eyes opened in amazement when Elphaba's undisguised voice reached their ears. "Your fever is gone, the swelling is gone, so you are just wallowing in self-pity!" She was desperate; she didn't know what to do. Glinda should be awake, the oils have done their job, and the concussion couldn't be all that bad if she is still alive, right?

"Damn it Glinda, wake up!" Lea reached her hand to Elphaba's shoulder with every intention of getting the blonde woman out of her grasp and maybe even give the stranger a piece of her mind for talking to Lady Glinda in such a manner, but when Elphaba's eyes reached hers, the anguish that was held in the brown eyes made her think better of it, and she just rested her hand on Elphaba's shoulder to offer comfort.

As much as Shell wanted to stay in the cell and see with his own eyes if this woman was who he thought she was, he knew there were more pressing matters that needed his attention. He took a couple of steps back, still looking at the raven-haired woman cradling Glinda in her arms, and when he reached the door he went out of the cell, a stunned Liir followed him.

"Where are you going?" The boy asked.

"You said they were coming, so I'm going to keep an eye out." Shell answered.

"We should help the other two out, there's no nee…" Liir's words were interrupted by Mali's confident voice.

"We won't leave without Lady Glinda." And Lea nodded in agreement. Shell gave Liir one last encouraging smile before taking off running, calling back to the boy.

"Help them out if I don't make it back!"

Ten minutes later, Glinda was still deeply asleep, and Elphaba was out of options. She was cursing herself for not having paid more attention in her 'Healing through Magic' classes back at Shiz. What was it? Damn it! Something about body energy, or mind energy. She couldn't quite remember how it worked, but it was worth a try. Elphaba took off the scarf that covered her face and used her mouth to peel the black glove from her right hand, making visible for everyone in the cell her emerald skin. A collective gasp was heard around her, even Shell who had just returned from his short scouting trip couldn't hide his surprise when he saw the stranger become Elphaba before his eyes.

She glanced to the cell's door where Liir and Shell were standing; she could see the confusion and hurt in their eyes, but now was not the time, and Shell seemed to understand her thoughts because instead of asking questions he just volunteered the information he had obtained. "I've heard two jailers talking, two cellblocks from here. The Gale Force has reached the upper level. They'll be here in fifteen minutes," he held Elphaba's gaze, "if not sooner."

His voice held the urgency that all of them were feeling. Liir was biting his nails while clasping and unclasping his other hand over his sword's handle while Mali and Lea were huddled together, looking in awe as Elphaba gently cupped Glinda's cheek with her right hand, and lowered her head until their foreheads were touching. "I know you can hear me, you brat." She spoke with seriousness. "So you better open your eyes right now." Elphaba observed Glinda's features. The paleness of her skin worried her, maybe she is in worse shape than I had thought, and maybe this stupid mind-body thing is of no use after all.

"Elphaba," Shell went to her and spoke softly, "we have to go. We'll have to take her like this now, or we won't be able to take her, at all."

Mali and Lea opened their eyes in surprise when they heard Shell call the stranger by her name, and suddenly, everything became clear to the two cellmates.

Elphaba held his brother's gaze and shook her head displeased. "We won't make it anywhere with her in this condition, Shell." She exhaled in despair. "If I could just…" she was losing it, it was happening again. Someone she cared about was suffering and she was as useless as she had always been, some Witch you are!

"No!" She snapped to no one in particular. "I won't have it, you hear me?" She put her forehead to Glinda's again and spoke to her. "Glinda, open your eyes this instant!" She brushed a golden lock from the blonde's face. "Come on, you little idiot! I have to take you out of here." A note of despair crept into her voice. "Glinda, please." She was begging now. "I can't take you out of here if you don't wake up."

Liir was beside himself with fear, they were coming, he could feel it. "We have to go, now!"

Elphaba kept rocking Glinda's body in her arms, she didn't know what to do, she was grasping at straws. "Please, Glinda." She said in a hopeless voice. "Open those beautiful blue eyes of yours." She didn't even notice the tears running down her cheeks. "Please. Wake up, my sweet." It was then that Glinda's eyes burst open, and she took a sharp intake of breath. Elphaba had to swallow down a sob.

"Elphaba?" The small and confused voice tore at Elphaba's heart, and all she could do was hold the blonde woman to her, hugging her tightly. It wasn't just Elphaba who had to keep her emotions from getting the better of her; Mali and Lea were trying to hold back their tears after seeing the emotional display before them.

Shell cleared his throat, partly to get rid of the lump there and partly to get her sister's attention. Elphaba's mind cleared a bit, she knew this wasn't the time or the place for celebrations. She looked in Glinda's eyes and spoke softly to her. "I need you to stay awake for me, can you do that?"

Glinda was overtaken by the situation, she didn't know if she wanted to cry or to scream. Elphaba saw the lost look in her eyes and cupped her cheek again, forcing the blonde's eyes to hers. "Listen to me. I know you are scared and confused, but right now I need you to trust me, alright?" Glinda simply nodded, lost in Elphaba's eyes. "I need you to stay awake for me." When Glinda nodded her assent again, Elphaba sat her up carefully, and wrapped her black cloak around the smaller woman's shoulders.

"Elphaba, we really need to go, right now." Shell went to pick Glinda up into his arms, but Elphaba stopped him.

"No, you take them out of here." She said signaling the two scared women. "There's a passage in the corridor you found me last night, the wall has some bricks missing. I think it will be safer than going through your usual route." She took Glinda into her arms and stood. "I'll take her, just point me towards the courtyard." She walked out of the cell hurriedly.

Shell followed her and thought for a second, trying to remember the way to the place. "Alright. Four cellblocks to your left, then turn right and keep going until you find a big hall, cross it and exit the hall from the east side, two corridors to your right and you will find the courtyard." Elphaba memorized her route while Liir motioned Lea and Mali to follow him.

The women abandoned their cell looking worriedly at the weak blonde in Elphaba's arms. "Miss, how are you going to manage with her?" Mali asked, and Elphaba's only answer was to grab the broom from its resting position against the wall.

"Are you sure?" Shell asked one last time.

"Just go. If they don't see you getting into the passage chances are you will be safe." Shell nodded his agreement.

"We'll meet outside the City Walls," he said, "on the west side, by the Gillikin River, alright?"

Elphaba agreed and took one last look at Shell, and then at Liir, who was eying her reservedly. Who could blame him?

"I'll see you later." She told them, never leaving Liir's eyes, and with that she turned and left them standing in the middle of the corridor.

"We must go." Shell didn't waste any time and went running in the opposite direction from Elphaba, with Liir and the two prisoners close behind.

"Do you think they'll make it?" Lea asked unconvinced while running after them.

"We'll find out soon enough." Was Shell's cryptic reply before turning another corner in his search for the hidden passage.

Elphaba's arms were killing her, the neglected burns were making this run horribly painful, but she had to get Glinda to safety before she could worry about her wounds.

"We are almost there." She said looking down at Glinda's face; the blonde woman was struggling to stay awake. "We'll be there in no time, Glinda. Pease don't fall asleep on me." She pleaded with her, and received a small nod in return. She heard the running footsteps behind them just before she heard the shouts of the soldiers.

"This way!" They said. And the sounds of their voices were getting closer and closer. Come on Elphaba, don't give up now, you are almost there, she encouraged herself.

"They're going towards the courtyard!"

Come on, come on! Almost there, almost there… she kept chanting to herself, and soon enough, the courtyard appeared before her eyes, just as the Gale Force soldiers turned the corner behind them.

"There!" The soldiers were almost upon them. "Fire! Shoot to kill!"

Elphaba reached the courtyard and clutched the broom firmly in her grasp while throwing her leg over it; she held Glinda tightly to her and kicked at the floor, flying high into the starry night, the sounds of gunfire still ringing in her ears. "Let them be alright." She muttered, thinking about the people she had left behind.

She pulled Glinda closer to her and whispered in her ear. "Hold out, my sweet." And Glinda finally let her tears fall as she held on to Elphaba for dear life.

To be continued…

Wow, this one was a long one. The muse just kept talking and I'm too polite to tell her to shut up.

I know Glinda has been a bit uncommunicative in the last chapters, but it will change in the future, I promise. I hope you enjoyed the read and please, let me know what you think.

As always, thanks for reading.