Author's Note: Okay, this is the for real last update for a while. I might be able to update while in NY, but most likely not.

Chapter 23

"Gale Forcers?" cried Glinda, her voice soaring to previously unheard pitch levels.

Elphaba stiffened visibly. She felt for a moment that she was going to suffocate as the memories of fifteen years of suffering came rushing back. The world seemed to freeze around her, and everything was quiet and cold all of a sudden, though she was sure nothing had actually changed. She spun around, half expecting to find Yackle standing behind her. There was nothing there except the door flap of the tent, moving a little in the strong wind from outside.

Fiyero laid a hand on her shoulder, and Elphaba was torn from her thoughts with a start. He met her gaze with dark eyes full of concern. His hand fell away after a second, but he gave her a little push on the back, turning her back toward the Tin Woodman, who was staring at her suspiciously.

"Friends of yours?" he asked nastily.

Elphaba gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to screech profanities at the man…whatever he was. Instead, she contented herself with giving him the most piercing glare she could muster. Chistery clawed her shoulder hard, and batted at her ear.

"What?" snapped Elphaba, turning to face the little monkey.

"Fight foul fools!" pleaded Chistery, pointing toward the door flap of the tent.

"No, Chistery, it's suicide. We can't try to fight them."

"That didn't stop you before," said Glinda, choosing a particularly inopportune moment to be observant.

"That was different."

"How?" asked Fiyero.

Elphaba turned to face them, breathing hard. She had the sinking sense that they were all about to turn on her, to force her to go out and face the Gale Forcers. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt that she would go insane if she had to go out there, to see them, even.

"I…it…it just was," she managed, choking on her own words.

"What, you will fight for your own people, but not for mine? The Scrow are inferior? They don't deserve your protection?" said the Tin Woodman.

"Leave her alone!" said Fiyero, stepping between them.

"Oh, protecting the witch, are we now?" said the Tin Woodman.

Elphaba made a move to strike the Tin Woodman, but Fiyero grabbed her around the waist, grunting as she struck him instead.

"Hey! Easy, easy!" soothed Fiyero, as Elphaba continued struggling with him.

"Oh, a brave one, aren't you?" taunted the Tin Woodman. "Aren't you afraid she'll put a spell on you?"

"I wish I could," grunted Elphaba, elbowing Fiyero in the ribs. He gasped and stumbled backwards.

She stopped cold and rushed over to him, shocked at her own actions.

"Look," said Fiyero to the Tin Woodman and the others. "You need to go and try to protect the camp. We'll be with you in just a few moments."

Glinda nodded, and she and Igitur dashed out of the tent, followed by Chistery, Boq and finally the Tin Woodman.

"Are you all right?" Elphaba asked breathlessly when they were gone.

Fiyero stood up, clutching his stomach, and nodded awkwardly.

"All things considered, I think I should be asking you that question," he retorted.

Elphaba sighed deeply and massaged her temples.

"I…I don't know."

Fiyero came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, but she pushed him roughly off.

"This is no time for that, Yero. We're in the middle of a war zone. We stay here, we're going to get captured."

"Well, then what do you suggest we do?" asked Fiyero, frustrated.

"I don't know!" snapped Elphaba, angry her own weakness.

"Well," said Fiyero, "we have two choices. Either we can stay here and wait to be captured, or we can go out there and try to help the others fight. Why is this such a problem for you? You had no trouble with the tiktoks or the Necavit…why the Gale Forcers?"

"You even have to ask?"

Fiyero took her firmly by the shoulders and refused to let go.

"Elphie, I know you've been through horrible times. And I know that can't be easy. Believe me, I do know. But that doesn't mean you can just give up and forget what we came here to do." He kissed her lightly on the cheek, then grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door of the tent. "Come on."

Outside, the once tranquil camp had been turned to complete pandemonium in a matter of minutes. The Gale Forcers were taking no notice of which tents were already empty and which were inhabited, but instead were simply destroying any sign of civilization they could find. They were gathering the remaining Scrow that weren't killed in the course of the battle into a line and shackling them at the hands and ankles.

The Tin Woodman and the others were attempting to fight off two Gale Forcers that were trying to take them prisoner as well. There were close to forty others, and a much smaller number of Scrow.

"Come on!" called Fiyero to the others.

"Where?" asked Glinda, without turning.

"Into the Thousand Year Grasslands! They won't follow us there!"

"And give up?" cried the Tin Woodman, enraged.

"There's no way we're going to win! Come on, unless you want to get captured along with the rest of your people!"

Glinda and Boq turned and fled immediately, Igitur following a little way behind them. The Tin Woodman continued chopping at the two Gale Forcers with his axe, but was eventually forced to flee as well.

The Gale Forcers gave up pursuit as soon as they entered the first tall blades of grass, as fearful as ever.

"You know, I always wondered about that," said Elphaba absently, as they continued to watch the fight.

"What?" asked Fiyero.

"They're afraid to go in the Thousand Year Grasslands, and yet somehow they came to Kiamo Ko."

"Yeah," said Fiyero absently.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

They sat and watched in silence as the Gale Forcers desiccated the Scrow camp, completely destroying all remaining signs of life.

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