Note: I do not own any of these characters. They are the property of Gregory Maguire.

She awoke to the sensation of warm breath on her neck. She rolled over only to come face to face with Fiyero.

"Good morning sleepyhead." he greeted accompanying it with a long, loving kiss.

"Mmmmm....and what a good morning it is." she murmured drowsily. "What time is it?"

"Just about eight." Fiyero replied.

"We should get going." Elphaba yawned.

"We should," said Fiyero as he snuggled closer, "but I'd much rather stay here." He started to tickle her but she hit him playfully.

"Let's go before we lose anymore time." Elphaba said as she stretched.

She rose and walked to the larger room. Boq and Glinda were eating breakfast. Glinda looked up as Elphaba entered.

"My, don't we look rested." she remarked.

"For a change." Elphaba replied.

Boq handed them each some fruit. They quickly finished breakfast and left the cave. Summer was fading fast but the sun still scorched the four friends as they trudged through the Great Kells.

"How can it be this hot when it's so early?" Glinda whined.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and replied, "It's the summer."

She was trapped between a rock and a hard place. Her sweat was making her skin tingle uncomfortably and the Vinkus River was posing a threat to her right. All she could do was use Fiyero's shirt to dab the moisture from her lush skin. She had protested when he offered it to her because she hadn't wanted the sun to burn him. In the end Fiyero won by assuring her that he would cool off in the river if he felt the slightest burn. Boq was ahead of them, his face full of determination.

"We are making good time." he thought.

"Look!" Glinda shouted.

A swarm of flying monkeys was flying overhead. They looked like they were heading straight for them.

"Quick! Over here!" Fiyero directed them.

They headed for a huge boulder. They crouched behind it, silently waiting for the monkeys to pass.

"They're gone." Boq whispered. They crept slowly out from behind the boulder.

"For now." Elphaba said. "But they'll be back soon enough."

"We'll have to travel by night from now on." Fiyero decided.

"It's too dangerous in the daylight." Glinda agreed.

They set up camp by the boulder and waited until nightfall. Everyone was nervous and jumped at the slightest sound. Every shadow was an enemy, every creature a foe who could reveal their identity.

"I feel like we're being followed." Glinda whispered urgently.

"It's probably just a squirrel or something." Boq answered unconvincingly.

Elphaba turned her head swiftly. "Was that a gleam of metal?" she thought.

Her throat tightened and she swallowed hard. She gripped Fiyero's hand tightly. They started walking more quickly. An undeniable creak started to follow. Their quick pace soon graduated to a run.

"Oh!" Elphaba cried as she stumbled over a rock and fell to the ground. Fiyero ran to her side. As he reached down to help her up he felt a cold, metallic grip on his wrist. He turned and came face to face with their pursuer, one of the Wizard's tiktoks. Fiyero fought with all his might but he could not break from its steely grip.

"Let him go. I'm the one you want." Elphaba told the machine.

It looked at her for a moment before releasing Fiyero. He ran to her and hugged her tightly.

"I won't let you go." he whispered in her ear.

"I have to end this once and for all. If I run now they will only find me again and put you in danger. Go find Glinda and Boq. I'm a big girl. I've beaten the Wizard before I can do it again." She kissed him deeply, confidently before turning to the tiktok. "Ok you junk heap. Let's go."

Fiyero watched helplessly as the love of his life walked away into the hands of the enemy.

"I won't let you fight alone." he swore to Elphaba silently. He ran to find Boq and Glinda. Boq leaned against a tree, panting. Glinda plopped down beside him and took a drink from the river.

"I hope they made it." Boq told Glinda. Fiyero came running up alone.

"Where's Elphie?" Glinda inquired. He told them what had happened as tears streamed down his face.

"How could she just walk away like that? Doesn't she know how much danger she's putting herself in?" Fiyero asked them.

"That's why she walked away. She knew we would be in just as much danger if she tried to run. She doesn't want us to suffer because of her." Glinda answered.

"Well I'm not going to sit by and let her face the Wizard alone." Fiyero said fiercely. "I'm going after her."

"So are we." Boq said. "We are all in this together whether she likes it or not."

"To the Emerald City!" said Glinda.

A big thank you to all who sent reviews. I love getting them!! I'm glad you are enjoying my little baby. :) Keep em up!