A/N: Sorry for the delay--this chapter was kind of tricky. Not sure how happy I am with it. Curious to know your thoughts, so please review! :)

Morrible was halfway to the Vinkus when she had a terrifying realization. She had been concentrating with such intensity on locating Elphaba that she hadn't been thinking about where she herself should be, right then. At this point in history, Morrible certainly hadn't been traveling all over Oz on a wild goose chase. Rather, she had been at Shiz, preparing for the arrival of new students.

So Morrible wasn't where she was expected to be. She needed to get to Shiz to take her place as Head Shiztress, and fast. To not do so might drastically affect her own future.

Besides, if she wasn't mistaken, this year's incoming class included one Elphaba Thropp. Of course, the girl might not attend the University...her life path may have led her elsewhere. But still...Morrible held high hopes that getting to the green girl may have just become exponentially easier.

Fiyero hadn't been told, nor had he cared to ask, the exact date that the Uplands were expected to arrive. Their sudden appearance therefore came as a bit of a shock.

That morning, Ama Nori had asked that he, Elphaba, and Isme each conduct literary research—Isme was assigned one relatively short novel, while he and Elphaba had been instructed to work together on a paper analyzing the bibliography of a prolific author.

The two of them hadn't spoken at any length recently. Elphaba had done her best to avoid him, but he hadn't made himself readily accessible to her, either. He told himself it was because he was angry. Why should he want to talk with her? She'd basically told him he was an idiot for wanting to be with her, for loving her... She'd had the nerve to act as though she, better than he, knew what was best for him. He'd given his heart to her, and she'd called him ridiculous.

So he told himself he avoided her because he was furious with her. But honestly, he knew it wasn't that. He knew that he was afraid that if he talked to her, he wouldn't be able to keep from trying to convince her that she was wrong. And if he did that, she would leave. She would make good on that threat, despite the fact that she had absolutely nowhere else to go. And that was a sacrifice he wouldn't let her make.

Now, Fiyero found himself anxious about this research assignment, terrified that he would screw up when he was forced to talk with her, and say something that would drive her away.

He was determined to just focus on the project. But who was he kidding? His attention span when it came to schoolwork was...lacking. Elphaba typically helped him with his papers, and since they'd first kissed, his tendency was to interrupt her help with shameless flirting. She'd pretended to be irritated, which he found particularly endearing.

But this time, there would be no pretense. And there would be no flirting. There was too much on the line. Her ultimatum was terrifying to him, and it made, and would continue to make, things painfully awkward between them.

So it was with an uncomfortable silence that they proceeded to the castle's library to locate their books, Isme in tow.

But when they arrived, they found the library already occupied.

Silam and three other people—only one who Fiyero recognized—sat in overstuffed chairs near the fireplace. When Elphaba, Fiyero, and Isme entered, Silam stood with a smile.

"What perfect timing! Prime Minister, Lady Upland, allow me to introduce you to my children, Fiyero and Isme." He then turned his attention to Fiyero. "Son, you are surely familiar with the Uplands, of the Upper Uplands? But I don't believe you've met their daughter, Miss Galinda."

He'd known they were coming. He'd expected to see her. Yet nothing quite prepared him for the shock, for the horrible, heavy feeling in his stomach. He hadn't realized the extent to which he had dreaded this moment, until it was actually upon him.

He glanced over at Elphaba, who stood stiffly next to him. The blood had drained from her face, and she clutched her notebook so tightly that the whites of her knuckles were visible. She was clearly uncomfortable. But he frowned as he realized it was more than that...she looked afraid.

He suddenly understood, with a sinking feeling, the origin of her fear. Elphaba rarely met new people. The castle was, after all, relatively secluded, so the Royal Family typically kept to themselves. He knew, on some level, that Elphaba took comfort in that seclusion...in not having to face strangers, who might be curious, and quite possibly unkind about their curiosity. He took a deep breath, desperately hoping that Galinda would not be so unkind.

As if on cue, Galinda interrupted his thoughts. She stood, and offered a curtsy. "It's a pleasure," she murmured.

"Um...likewise," he rasped. He glanced at her then, briefly meeting her eyes. There was something...strange, there, as she looked at him. But he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, so he brushed it off. It didn't matter. Galinda didn't matter. This whole ridiculous meeting didn't matter.

But the king obvious thought otherwise. "I was just preparing to give the prime minister and Lady Upland a tour of the grounds. Fiyero, why don't you stay here, and I'll have tea brought up for you and Miss Galinda."

The king hesitated, and when he spoke again, his voice reflected a strained harshness. "Elphaba, I believe it's time you assisted Isme with her homework."

Fiyero's jaw clenched. He wasn't sure what angered him more—that his father was clearly directing Elphaba to leave, or that he was talking to her much like one would a servant.

"Of course," Elphaba responded quietly, turning to usher Isme out the door.

Fiyero glared at his father defiantly. "I don't believe Isme has homework today. And even supposing she does, she typically doesn't do it until much later." Fiyero steadily held the king's glowering gaze, as though daring him to press the issue.

Before Silam could reply, Isme piped up. "I hardly have any, father! And I don't wish to do it right away. Elphie can help me with it after dinner."

Suddenly, Galinda interjected. "And with all due respect, your Majesty," she said, "I don't feel that it's...proper, for the prince and I to have tea without a chaperone. Perhaps it would be best for Miss--Elphaba, is it?--to stay."

Fiyero looked over at Galinda, shocked at her unexpected intervention. He again had a strange feeling that something was off about her. Different.

For his part, the king seemed embarrassed. "Of...of course, you're right, Miss Galinda. Forgive me. I wasn't thinking. I'll have tea sent up for all four of you." He turned to his other guests. "Prime Minister, Lady Upland, if you'd care to join me?"

With that, he left them. Fiyero was somewhat relieved that Elphaba was staying, despite their coolness toward one another as of late. Isme seemed thrilled about not having to do her homework, and was currently ignoring them in favor of attempting to play with the cat resting by the fireplace. Even Galinda seemed oddly pleased.

Elphaba was the only one of the four who looked decidedly unhappy about the arrangement. She sat stiffly in a chair, her hands clenched together in her lap, her eyes cast to the ground.

An awkward silence enveloped the room.

Then, suddenly, Galinda clapped her hands together. Fiyero glanced over at her, to find her grinning.

"I can't believe it! It worked!" She giggled, her demure demeanor seeming to dissolve quite suddenly.

The other three stared at her, baffled.

"What...worked?" Fiyero managed.

Galinda rolled her eyes. "The spell, of course, what else? I mean, here you are, and here she is, so, it must've worked, right?"

Fiyero's eyes widened. She couldn't possibly mean...

Galinda sighed, but was still smiling. "I was so afraid it hadn't. Because as soon as I left the castle, on the day that I performed it, I began to feel strangely dizzy," she explained. "I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was ten years old again. It was absolutely bizarre."

Fiyero's mind was still reeling, but he began to digest what he was hearing. "You mean...you sent yourself back, too?" Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Elphaba glance over at him, still utterly confused.

Galinda nodded. "I hadn't meant to, of course. And you know, all this time, I thought I'd sent only myself back, instead of you. I couldn't believe how badly I'd messed things up." She glanced apologetically at Elphaba. "I tried to make the best of it, though. I tried to find you. But I couldn't. And so all this time, I've felt like a horrible, horrible failure."

Despite her characteristic dramatics, Fiyero could tell that Galinda was sincere. He smiled, and glanced over at Elphaba, who seemed to have temporarily forgotten her shyness, and was staring at Galinda as though the other girl had come from another planet. Fiyero grinned at the thought...because really, it wasn't too far off.

He decided that proper introductions were—finally--in order. "Elphaba, Galinda—Galinda, Elphaba. Elphaba, Galinda's the mutual friend I told you about, who performed the time travel spell."

"Oh!" Elphaba's eyes suddenly reflected understanding. "Of course..."

Galinda smiled at her. "It's so nice to finally meet you," she said. "I've heard quite a lot about you. Or rather, who you used to be. Or who you still are, I guess! It's so incredibly odd, how all this time traveling works, isn't it?"

Elphaba hesitated, her nervousness returning.

Galinda continued, unfazed by the other girl's discomfort. "Fiyero told me we were apparently very good friends. Isn't that interesting? I thought it was interesting. I'd very much like to see if we might be friends again. Wouldn't you?"

Elphaba shifted in her chair. "I...suppose so," she responded. Fiyero grimaced sympathetically. It was evident to him that she felt overwhelmed. Galinda could certainly be overwhelming.

Galinda seemed genuinely happy at her response. "Oh, good." She paused, watching Elphaba thoughtfully. When she spoke again, she seemed a bit calmer, her usual flightiness now more subdued.

"I truly am glad you're okay, you know. I mean...what happened to you...no one should have to go through that."

Fiyero's breath hitched, and he caught Galinda's eye, trying desperately to communicate to her to be careful...to not say too much. Because he hadn't told Elphaba everything. Not about what had happened at the end, right before Galinda had sent him back. There were some things he wanted to protect her from--she didn't need to know what state he had found her in before.

Thankfully, Galinda seemed to understand his silent message. "Anyway, I'm just...I'm glad everything turned out okay this time."

Elphaba seemed taken aback by the other girl's sincere concern. She nervously brushed her hair behind her ear, her hand trembling slightly. "Thank you," she responded quietly.

Galinda nodded. "Are you going to Shiz in the fall?" She asked, suddenly flitting to another topic. "I heard Fiyero was going, and I assumed you were too? He told me you were very smart."

"Yes..." Elphaba flushed. "I mean, 'yes,' I'm going," she managed.

"What orientation are you scheduled for?"

"Um...the one next week," Elphaba offered.

Galinda clapped her hands again, delightedly. "Oh, me too! That's absolutely perfect! We could go together, Elphie!" She paused briefly, considering. "Is it okay if I call you 'Elphie'? I heard the little girl call you that."

Elphaba glanced at her, surprised. "Well...she's nine."

If Galinda heard the wryness in her tone, she ignored it. "This is so wonderful. Here I've been, for the past six years, all by myself and thinking that I'd ruined everything. And now, here I am, and here the two of you are, and now we're all about to go to school together! How amazing is that!"

She'd elicited a slight smile from Elphaba, but no verbal response. She turned to Fiyero.

"It's...pretty amazing," he told her. She smiled at him, then suddenly glanced away. For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw a flash of sadness in Galinda's eyes, briefly marring her excitement. He couldn't help but be reminded of the last day he saw her...how she'd looked at him, finally resigned to the fact that he'd never truly loved her. That it had always been Elphaba.

He saw, briefly, that sadness in her now. And he felt for her.

But he also felt overwhelming relief. That Galinda was no longer an obstacle, but rather an ally.

It changed everything.