Darn! I didn't think so many people would know the answer! Well, I suppose we're all Wicked fans here… all right, congratulations to thetamarine, Sammichbatch, Wartime Parade, and Jamie for figuring out the answer! The answer: Idina Kim Menzel.

As the night grew later, Elphaba knew that they would have to leave soon. She sighed.

"You have to go back eventually," Kim said.

"I know. Have you seen Galinda?"

"I think she's in the bathroom."

"Oh. Great." Elphaba pushed herself away from the bar and headed to the bathroom. "Galinda?" she said, pushing the door open. She spotted the blonde standing in front of the mirror. "Galinda, come on. It's time to go."

The blonde turned to face Elphaba. "Time to go already?"

Uh oh. Elphaba knew that tone. Galinda was drunk now.

"Yes, it's time to go. Come on," the green woman said, taking Galinda's hand.

"Okay," Galinda said with a smile. She allowed Elphaba to lead her from the bathroom, but once they were back out into the bar, Galinda suddenly changed direction, pulling the green woman back over to the stage.

"Wait, wrong way Galinda! That's not the door!" Elphaba said.

"You have to sing with me like you promised!"

"I never promised you that!"

"Come on!"

"Galinda, no." Elphaba stopped in her tracks, jerking the blonde to a stop. Galinda looked down at their joined hands and pulled with a confused look on her face that almost made Elphaba want to laugh, but she managed to restrain herself.

"Elphie… you promised…" Galinda whined.

"I promised no such thing. You are too drunk to sing anyway."

"No I'm not…"

"Yes you are."

"Nooooo…" The blonde burst into tears… very loud tears. Elphaba could feel everyone looking at them and her face darkened.

"Galinda, please don't act like this. People are staring," Elphaba said.

"You… you… YOU PROMISED!"

Elphaba winced. There was obviously no way out of this. Drunk Galinda was even more stubborn than sober Galinda… and five times louder. "All right, Galinda. One song, but then we're out of here, okay?"

Galinda sniffled loudly. "Well… if you insist." The blonde pulled the green woman up onto the stage with her and fumbled with one of the microphones.

"Galinda, are you sure you're okay?" Elphaba asked.

"I'm fine… music!"

"Wait, wait, what song are we singing?" Elphaba asked as the music started. "Galinda, you can't just—"

"I hear the ticking of the clock, I'm lying here, the room's pitch dark. I wonder where you are tonight, no answer on the telephone. And the night goes by so very slow. Oh, I hope that it won't end all alone.Till now, I always got by on my own. I never really cared until I met you. And now, it chills me to the bone. How do I get you alone? How do I get you alone?"

Galinda looked at the green woman with a smile on her face and Elphaba realized that it was her turn to sing. She had only heard this song once before, and as she raised the microphone, she prayed that she remembered the words correctly.

"You don't know how long I have wanted to touch your lips and hold you tight. You don't know how long I have waited," Elphaba noticed that Galinda was about to fall over, so she reached over and grabbed the blonde's arm, straightening her back up. "And I was gonna tell you tonight. But the secret is still my own, and my love for you is still unknown… alone."

Elphaba would have continued, but it was at that moment that Galinda decided to make herself heard again. "Till now, I always got by on my own. I never really cared until I met you. And now, it chills me to the bone. How do I get you alone? How do I get you alone?"

Galinda smiled at the green woman and Elphaba just shook her head.

"How do I get you alone?"

"How do I get you alone?"

"How do I get you alone?

"How do I get you alone?"

"Alone! Alone!"

The music came to an end and the crowd applauded. Galinda threw herself at Elphaba, almost knocking her over as she embraced her tightly.

"All right, I'm glad you had fun. Now we need to go," Elphaba said, taking the blonde's hands.

"But… I…"

"You are very drunk. We need to get you to bed."

"Mmm… carry me."

"Wha—" Elphaba sighed. "Fine. I will carry you once we get outside."

"Kay."

Elphaba led the blonde off the stage and headed for the exit.

"Elphaba."

The green woman turned to see Kim looking at her from the bar.

"Good luck."

Elphaba nodded before she and Galinda left the bar. "All right, Galinda. How do you want to be carried?"

"I don't need to be carried! I can walk just fine!" Galinda said indignantly. She took three wobbly steps before collapsing. Elphaba shook her head, crossing her arms. She heard a muffled noise coming from the blonde.

"What was that?"

"Elphieeeee… owwieeeeee…."

Elphaba sighed as she picked the blonde up off the ground. "You're going to feel that tomorrow morning."

The next night came all too quickly for the green woman and before she knew it, she was preparing to leave the caravan. Elphaba sighed as she attempted to braid her hair, only to find that her mind had gone blank.

"You look nervous."

Elphaba turned to see Galinda smiling at her. The green woman sighed. "I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here, Galinda. If I act decent and don't mess up, then my new husband may decide that he likes me a lot and will go through with the marriage. On the other hand, if I make a fool of myself and he calls the wedding off, my father will disown me for sure."

Galinda smiled again as she approached the green woman and started braiding her hair for her. "Don't worry, Elphie. You'll be fine. Just… be yourself."

"Not everyone likes me when I'm myself."

"How awful for them."

Galinda finished with Elphaba's hair and the green woman turned back around to face the blonde. "Well, wish me luck."

"Good luck. You'll be fine," Galinda said. The two kissed and embraced before Elphaba left, heading for her father's house.

"You're late. They're already here," Frexspar said when Elphaba walked in.

"I apologize. I'll be down in a few minutes," the green woman replied, heading upstairs to her room. She found the mentioned black dress on her bed and she quickly changed into it. After checking her reflection with a sigh, she headed back downstairs, only to discover that her father was nowhere to be found. "Father, this is not funny, where are you?"

The green woman wandered into the dining room, where she found a man wearing a suit with his back to her. "Oh. You must be him. Have you seen my father?"

The man turned. "Elphaba?"

"Fiyero? Why the hell are you in my house?"

The prince looked surprised. "This is… your house?"

"Yes, this is my house! Now get out!"

"Your manners haven't improved at all, have they?"

"Are you starting with me again?"

"I'll finish what we started last time!"

The two lunged at each other, but were yanked back by their respective parents.

"Elphaba, I asked you to entertain, not fight!" her father said as Elphaba struggled to get away from him. He released her and Elphaba glared at the prince, who was straightening his jacket.

"Why is he here?" the green woman growled.

"This is the man you will be marrying, Elphaba."

"What?" Elphaba and Fiyero said at the same time.

"I can't marry the woman who stole my first wife!" Fiyero said.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't marry you if my life depended on it!"

"I wouldn't marry you if your life depended on it either!"

"Oh, that's so original, playing off the same insult I just used."

"At least I'm not the one picking up women who are already in a relationship!"

"She never loved you!"

"Okay, you two, that's enough. I believe it's time for dinner."

The five of them sat down at the dining table, Elphaba and Fiyero glaring at each other the whole time.

"Elphaba, why don't you go fetch the food?" Frexspar said.

Elphaba stood up angrily. "Yes Father."

"Don't spit in mine," Fiyero called as the green woman left.

"Don't flatter yourself," Elphaba replied. She entered the kitchen and sighed, leaning against the wall. How could this happen? Of all the men in Oz, why, WHY did her father have to set her up with Fiyero?

"Hey."

Elphaba opened her eyes and groaned in disdain. "Oz, what do you want now? I am not in any mood to deal with you."

"Look, I know it's hard to believe, but I didn't come in here to fight with you. I came to talk… about this." The prince approached the green woman, his arms behind his back. "You and I both know that we cannot get married."

"Did you figure that out all by yourself?

"Elphaba…"

"Sorry. So, do you have any ideas, or are you relying on me as usual?"

"Elphaba."

"Again, sorry."

"The only thing I've been able to come up with is to go through with it."

"That is not a solution, Fiyero! That is still the problem!"

"Let me finish. Look, we'll go through with the ceremony, unite Munchkinland and the Vinkus, make our parents happy—"

"I still don't see a solution."

"Shut up. And after all that, we never see each other again."

"What?"

"It makes sense, trust me. We'll be 'married' by law, but that doesn't mean we have to live together or even be near each other. I'll have power over the two places and you and Galinda can do… whatever it is you do."

"Wait. What makes you think that I'd be okay with you ruling over my homeland?"

"Why do you care? You don't even want to be the next Eminent Thropp."

"So? That doesn't mean I was some power-hungry dictator like you taking my place."

"Dictator? Is that what you think of me?"

"Well, you can't spell dictator without 'dick'."

"Really Elphaba? Really?"

The green woman laughed. "I have to get in my shots somehow."

"Can you please focus here? Do you have an idea or not?"

"I have one. You and I tell our parents that we can't get married. End of story."

"No, we can't do that. They're banking a lot on this union."

"Oh, for Lurline's sake, Fiyero, grow a pair! We're not children! We're old enough to make our own decisions!"

"Elphaba—"

The green woman closed the gap between them in one swift move and grabbed his tie, pulling him to her level.

"Someday, mommy and daddy won't be there to make the decisions for you. And then you'll be alone… and how will that feel?" Elphaba breathed.

Fiyero tried to reply, but found himself unable to say anything.

Elphaba smiled. "Are you going to help me carry the food out or not?" The green woman released the prince and picked up the plates.

"Y-yeah. Sure. Hey, I'm still mad at you!"

"Whatever you say."

"Yeah, I still hate you!"

"Thanks for the back-up, JERK!"

"Come on, what was I supposed to say?"

"You were supposed to agree with me when I said that we couldn't get married because you were still emotionally unstable after your sudden and unexpected break-up with Galinda."

"Why do I have to be the emotionally unstable one?"

"Because you're the one whose wife broke up with him suddenly and unexpectedly!"

"Yeah, but you're acting more emotionally unstable than me."

"YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT, YOU JACKWAGON!"

"May I ask you something? Is a jackwagon a real thing, or did you just make that up because you're really angry?"

Elphaba could feel herself literally trembling with rage.

Don't punch him in the face. Do NOT punch him in his stupid Ozdamn face!

"Thanks to you, we are going to be married in just a few short months!" the green woman shouted. "I hope you're happy because I'm sure as hell not!"

"Look, we'll just go with my plan."

"I DON'T WANT TO GO WITH YOUR PLAN! YOUR PLAN IS AN AWFUL PLAN!"

"You really shouldn't be so negative, Elphaba."

"Listen you! I—" The green woman stopped when her eyes fell on the caravan... which was in shambles. "Galinda!" Elphaba ran up to the ransacked carriages, but found no sign of the blonde. "She's not here!"

"No one's here, Elphaba. They're all gone," Fiyero said, kicking at debris on the ground.

"How could this have happened? We were only gone for a few hours! Who even knew we were gone?"

"I don't know," Fiyero said. "Uh… Elphaba?"

"What?"

"You haven't uh… you haven't seen the lion around, have you?"

"What?"

"I said, you haven't seen the li—"

A sudden growl interrupted the prince and he stopped, turning around and finding himself face to face with the very creature he had asked about. "Never mind. I found him."

"I can't hear a word you're saying." Elphaba emerged from the carriage and found Fiyero and lion staring each other down… and Fiyero was losing. "Fiyero, just stay still and don't move."

"Easy for you to say."

"I'll be right back."

"Don't you dare ditch me!"

"Relax, you baby."

Fiyero took a step back as the lion drew closer. "Elphaba, hurry up!"

The lion suddenly leapt at him and Fiyero let out a yell as he jumped back, raising his arms in defense. There was a loud snap, and Fiyero opened one eye cautiously. He saw that the lion was backing up. He heard the snapping noise again and the lion flinched.

"Get up before you embarrass yourself further," Elphaba said. Fiyero stood and saw that she was holding a whip in her hand, her eyes on the lion.

"I had everything under control," Fiyero said.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Of course you did."

"Too bad that lion can't talk. He could tell us what happened," Fiyero said.

"Who says I can't talk?"

That took both Elphaba and Fiyero aback.

"You're a… Lion?" Elphaba said.

"I am. You got a problem with that? Come on, I'll fight you with one paw tied behind my back! I'll fight you with my eyes closed!"

Elphaba and Fiyero exchanged looks. "Uh, no, that's okay," Elphaba said.

"Oh, you're scared, are you?"

"Not really, no."

"Come on, I'll fight you with—"

Elphaba snapped the whip again, and the tip caught the Lion on the nose… which caused him to burst into tears.

"Why'd you have to go and hit me like that?" he sobbed.

"Really? You're crying? You're a Lion!" Fiyero said.

"Fiyero, shut up," Elphaba said. She approached the Lion. "You're making quite a fuss."

"Well, that whip really hurt."

"I apologize, but… did you see what happened?"

"I was asleep, and when I woke up, my cage was open."

Elphaba sighed. "Of course you were."

"Which is surprising because I am a light sleeper."

"So… you wake up at little noises?"

"Yes."

"Morrible. This is Morrible's work; it has to be!"

"Elphaba, you don't know that!" Fiyero said, following the green woman as she ran into Galinda's carriage.

"Look, we already know that she can put others to sleep. She must have done that to the Lion before—"

"Before what? Before she single-handedly kidnapped everyone? I don't think so."

"Look Fiyero, you don't know this woman like I do. You don't know what she's capable of!"

"So what are you going to do then? Track her down? Fight her?"

"You don't fight Madame Morrible. Not the way you're thinking anyway. But I will track her down… and if she's done anything to Galinda, she's going to seriously regret it."

"You plan on taking her down alone?"

"Why? Are you concerned for my safety?"

"No, but I have nothing better to do."

Elphaba sighed. Fiyero was hardly the ideal partner, but still… perhaps she could use him for something.

"All right. If you're set on coming with me, but I have some rules."

"What's that?"

"I'm in charge. Try to keep up, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Without the attitude!"

Song used: Alone sung by Kristin Chenoweth