Chapter 4

"Glinda" came the whisper. "Glinda, wake up."

Glinda slowly opened her eyes to find Elphaba leaning over her and staring at her intently. "Glinda, I can't sleep. There's something I need to tell you. It's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but haven't been able to until now."

Glinda's eyes widened with anticipation. Any lingering weariness washed away from her body as Elphaba spoke. She swallowed hard. "What is it Elphie? You can tell me anything. You know that."

"Glinda, I don't know how you're going to feel about this, but I just feel like I need to tell you." Elphaba looked away for a brief moment. Glinda sat up and put her hand softly on Elphaba's arm, encouraging her to continue.

"We've haven't seen each other in years, and over that time, I couldn't get you off of my mind." Elphaba resumed. " I don't want to take any chances that something will separate us again before I tell you how I feel." Elphaba, unable to directly meet Glinda's eyes just sighed. "I love you Glinda. I've loved you for a long time. I just couldn't say it until now. I've wasted so many opportunities to let you know before now. I thought my chance was gone forever. Now that you're here, I don't want that to happen again."

Elphaba sheepishly looked at Glinda, waiting for her reaction.

"Oh Elphie, I can't believe this. I love you too. More than you can even imagine." Glinda said excitedly as she flung her arms around Elphaba's neck wrapping her up in a fierce embrace.

They hugged briefly, then separated fixing their stare on one another. Elphaba smiled as she slowly leaned in to kiss Glinda on the lips. Glinda cupped Elphie's face as she accepted the gift Elphaba was about to deliver. The kiss was slow, soft and deep. It was everything Glinda thought it would be. Countless times she had pictured this moment, and it was finally here, just as she had imagined it. Elphaba slowly broke off the kiss and gathered Glinda into her arms. Glinda just closed her eyes, savoring the moment when suddenly, Elphaba began to laugh. The soft, feminine voice gave way to a deep, gruff, sinister laugh. In a panic, Glinda pushed Elphaba back, but it wasn't Elphaba. It was Baraq. His slick, black hair, thick eyebrows, charcoal eyes, pointed beard and moustache made him look demonic. He pinned Glinda down on the bed. "I told you I'd have my revenge" he said with a rough growl.

Glinda awoke with a start. She was sweating and breathing rapidly. 'It was just a dream. It was just a dream' Glinda kept repeating to herself. She looked over to make sure Elphaba was still there, that she hadn't also been a dream. Elphaba was lying on her side with her back towards Glinda. It was a site that relieved and reassured her. She reached out with a shaky hand to touch Elphie's hair and make sure she was real. It was still dark inside the room, but sleep would be impossible now.

Glinda got out of bed slowly so as not to disturb Elphaba. She went to the sliding glass doors that lead to the patio, parted the curtains and saw the glow of the morning sun just beyond the hills in the horizon. As she looked back at Elphaba, a thought occurred to her. She smiled and quietly made her way out of the Elphaba's room and down the hallway. She passed several closed doors that she assumed were occupied by other members of Elphaba's a Fiyero's group. After a little exploration, Glinda found the kitchen. She rummaged through some cabinets before she found her prize, an airtight container of Gillikin Coffee. She made an entire pot, filling two cups and putting the rest in a thermal carafe to keep it from getting bitter. She was sure that one of the others would appreciate it when they woke up.

Some cream and sugar went into both cups. Glinda knew how Elphie liked her coffee because they both took theirs the same way. She turned off the warmer, washed out the pot and replaced it before heading back to Elphie's room. Quietly slipping back into the room, she placed the two cups on coasters atop the bureau. Elphie was sleeping in the same position as when she left. Glinda quietly sat on the bed next to Elphaba. She slowly stroked Elphaba's hair behind her ear. "Elphie" she whispered quietly. "Elphie, wake up."

Elphaba slowly began to stir, rolling onto her back. She opened her eyes and saw Glinda sitting above her which brought on a smile. "Hey you" came the sleepy voice. "Is everything ok? What's going on?" She let her arm fall across Glinda's lap.

Glinda started to massage Elphaba's arm. "I need a favor from you."

"I'd do anything for you. You know that." Elphaba inhaled a delicious scent. "Do I smell coffee?"

"You do. I made us each a cup." Glinda said with a huge smile.

Elphaba looked around the dark room and sat up in the bed. "Glinda, it's not even light out yet."

"Not yet, but it will be soon. The sun is just coming up over the horizon. It's going to be a beautiful morning. It's our first morning together in years, and I just wanted you to share it with me."

Elphaba smiled and gave Glinda a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "Alright then. Let's have that coffee."

Glinda smiled and clapped her hands together. She jumped up and grabbed the two cups, handing one to Elphaba. Elphaba took it appreciatively. "Mmmm. Gillikin roast." Elphaba noted.

"Nothing but the best for you my dear" Glinda replied. She grabbed Elphaba's hand and lead her out of bed onto the patio. The truth was, Glinda's dream had frightened her and she needed Elphaba's company right now. 'How could a dream start out so wonderfully, and turn so dark?' she thought.

As Glinda and Elphaba sat next to each other on the porch swing, Glinda seized the opportunity to wrap herself around Elphaba's arm, putting her head on the green woman's shoulder. She tried to concentrate on the first part of her dream. That most wonderful part. The part about Elphaba kissing her stirred up several incommunicably wonderful emotions, but she couldn't keep her mind from wandering to the part where Elphaba had morphed into Baraq. That had scared her through and through.

"It is a beautiful morning." Elphaba remarked, taking a sip from her mug.

"Thank you for sharing it with me" Glinda replied. She placed a soft kiss on Elphaba's shoulder, then resumed her position.

Elphaba closed her eyes at the touch, savoring their closeness. She was grateful for this moment. The two women drank their coffee in comfortable silence, but Elphaba knew something was not right with Glinda. She'd never known the blonde to be an early riser, and even though Glinda didn't outwardly show any distress, Elphaba knew intuitively that there was some level of turmoil under the surface. She took Glinda's coffee cup and placed both of theirs on the ground in front of them before sitting back on the porch swing.

"Glinda, is everything alright?" she asked pointedly.

Glinda didn't answer, choosing instead to reclaim her position against Elphaba's shoulder.

"Whatever it is, if you need to talk about it, I'm here for you."

"I know you are" Glinda replied weakly. "I just had a bad dream, that's all. Right now, all I really need is to have you next to me."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? I won't press you if you don't, but I'm worried about you."

Glinda looked up at Elphaba whose eyes betrayed her concern. "Don't be." was all she could manage.

Both women continued to stare into each other's eyes. The intensity of that moment burned within them. Each one experiencing unparalleled emotions. Elphaba was just about to risk kissing Glinda, when the moment was shattered by a small tremor. The women looked around in confusion. Suddenly there was a jolt, and everything began to shake.

"COME ON!" Elphaba yelled. She pulled Glinda back into the room, and away from the glass window. They could barely keep their balance. The doors were swinging back and forth, the lamp on the nightstand threatened to topple. Elphaba spied the desk in the corner of the room by the fireplace. She quickly pulled Glinda to it, and had her duck under it for protection. The desk was only big enough for one of them. Elphaba's need to protect Glinda left no doubt as to who it would be occupying that safest spot in the room, even through Glinda's protests. Elphaba just held tight to the desk as the room continued to shake. What seemed like an eternity had actually lasted only a few clock ticks. The shaking stopped abruptly. After a moment of making sure that the tremors wouldn't return, Elphaba helped a disheveled Glinda out from under the desk. As Glinda and Elphaba rose to their feet, the women immediately locked in a reassuring embrace.

Reluctantly pulling away, Elphaba pushed Glinda's hair back from her face. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Sweet Oz, what was that?" Glinda replied. "I've never felt the land shake like that before."

"I can only guess, but I'd say that Baraq is up pretty early this morning as well. We'll need to move quicker than we had originally anticipated."

The women embraced again.

There was a frantic knock on the door. "Elphaba! Elphaba! Are you two alright?" Fiyero yelled.

Elphaba hurried to the door to let Fiyero in. "We're fine. How about you, are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a little unnerved is all. What in Oz was that?"

"I think Baraq is using the Grimmerie to produce the land shakes. We have a new sense of urgency now. We'll need to move up our timetable and get back to that castle as soon as possible. He's getting stronger with every passing moment."

"Well, we can't use the Animals to produce the same distraction as last time. The guards are wise to the ruse and won't leave their post this time. We'll have to think of something else."

Elphaba thought for a moment before a knowing smirk played across her face.

"Elphie, what is it?" Glinda asked.

"I have an idea. A small spell. One that would never cause a commotion or bring us unwanted attention, but one that would be very effective."

"What do you have in mind?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba look at Glinda. "Poppies!"

Glinda smiled at Elphaba acknowledging that she approved of the plan.

"And don't you interfere this time" was Elphaba's smart remark towards Glinda.

"Oh I promise." Glinda replied holding up her hand and crossing her heart. The two women giggled.

Fiyero rolled his eyes, but he too was happy with the simple, clever plan. "I'll go check on the rest of the men. We'll get moving within the hour"

Fiyero left, and Elphaba went to her closet to pick out her attire. Black pants, boots and a black tank top.

"I swear Elphaba; do you think you'll ever get any color sense?"

"Why bother. Black suits me. Besides, what are you wearing?"

"Point taken" Glinda replied as she gathered her black outfit from the night before.

"I'll tell you what, I'll have Myrahh bring you some clothes. One good thing about being in a safe house is having extra supplies on hand. I'll be right back." Elphaba left the room, but was back only moments later followed by a staunch, overbearing looking woman.

"Glinda, this is Myrahh. She's in charge of all our supplies."

Glinda just nodded, feeling a bit intimidated by the woman's presence.

"Myrahh, we need to get Miss Glinda some clothing. Something suitable for our line of work." Elphabe said. "I was thinkiiiiiing, something in black might do." She looked directly at Glinda, displaying a sly smile as she said this.

Glinda gave Elphaba a harsh glare.

"Yah Miss Elphaba" Myrahh said. "Come Miss Glinda. Ve must haf a look at you." Myrahh went to Glinda looked her up and down, forcibly turning her around to get a full sense of the blonde woman's size. "I vill come back vis ze proper clothing." Myrahh added. She quickly turned on her heels and left the room.

"Oh and Myrahh, if you could find Miss Glinda something with a little pink bow…."

SLAP!

Glinda smacked Elphaba on the shoulder. Elphaba just broke out in laughter.

"Really Elphie, you think you're so funny don't you." Glinda said sardonically

"Oh, I don't have to think." was Elphaba's reply. She continued to chuckle, defensively turning away as Glinda threatened to smack her again.

Glinda couldn't help being amused as well. She giggled with Elphaba.

Within moments, there was a loud knock on the door. Elphaba answered. "Wow Myrahh, that was fast."

Myrahh came into the room and pushed a weeks worth of clothes, all black, into Glinda's arms."

Glinda just took the clothes, but didn't speak, still feeling intimidated by the gruff woman.

Myrahh looked at the cowering Glinda. "You're velcome." She said. Then Myrahh turned and quickly left the room.

"Honestly Elphie, she scares me to death."

"Me too." Elphaba whispered. They both smiled at each other.

"Come on. We need to clean up." With that statement, Elphaba headed toward the bathroom.

Glinda let Elphaba get ready first. She sat on the edge of the bed feeling uneasy. They wouldn't have the cover of darkness this time and Baraq wasn't a stupid man. They would have to really be on their guard. 'Oh why couldn't it be somebody else? Anybody else!' Glinda wondered. At least her Elphie was with her. There was some measure of comfort in that thought. Glinda sighed, grabbed her clothes, and began to get ready.