-1I didn't sleep all night. I didn't expect I would, though, so I just stared at my sleeping daughter instead. I had thought a lot that night; I asked myself what I had done for my life to turn out the way that it did, I asked myself why I had been born green, I asked myself why my father hated me, I asked myself why Fiyero loved me, I asked myself why I loved Fiyero, and the list goes on and on. I couldn't answer any of those questions, of course, I just felt like I had to ask myself.

I looked over to Sahlah and Emir, they gotten closer together while they slept, and they were barely six inches away from each other. I smiled at them; they looked cute together. Looking up at the sky, I saw that the sun was just beginning to rise. I sighed; it reminded me of that morning at Glinda's so long ago. Glinda. There was something wrong with Glinda! I remembered the events that took place yesterday, and the sharp tug at my heart that told me that Glinda was in trouble.

"Emir, Sahlah, wake up!" I called softly, trying to wake them but not Tale. Sahlah opened her eyes and blinked, she groaned and rolled over, "Oh come on, it can't be that comfortable."

"Five more minutes." She groaned.

"No! My friend is in trouble, get up!"

"Sweet Oz, Elphie." she mumbled but dragged herself into an upright position, "Emir, wake up, Her Majesty Queen Elphie demands us to get up now."

I knew Sahlah was teasing, but it pissed me off, "I'm serious, Salad."

"Sahlah. I thought you had it right."

"I did. I'm just hungry."

"So am I. When was the last time we ate?"

"Oz only knows. But judging by the growlige in my stomach, it's been quite a while."

"Eat some grass, you two, and let's go."

"Shut up, Emir."

He just smiled at me, "We're only a little less than hour away from the Emerald City, so let's go."

I frowned, remembering of what I had thought last night.

"What's wrong, Elphaba?"

"It's just..nothing. It's nothing."

"Alright. Let's go."

And so we..well, went.

Less than fifteen minutes into our hour walk, I heard footsteps. I grabbed Emir and Sahlah and jumped behind a bush. I listened to what they were saying, "We have to tell Elphie, you know. She's not going to like it but-"

It was Tasi's voice, I jumped out of the bushes, "I'm not going to like what, Tasi?"

"Sweet Oz, Elphaba! You scared me."

"I tend to have that effect on people."

"Elphaba," Fiyero said quietly, "I need to tell you something."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Not here, come with me." He offered me his hand.

I looked into his eyes, trying to see what this was all about. His sapphire eyes revealed nothing, "Sahlah, you mind?" I asked, motioning to Tale.

"No, it's fine. Come here Li!"

I watched Sahlah with Tale for a minute, then I cautiously took Fiyero's hand; I expected him to jerk away from me after what I'd said, but he didn't. We walked until Sahlah and Tasi were out of sight then he stopped and took both my hands in his, "Fiyero, what's wrong?"

"You're going to hate me for telling you this."

I shook my head, "That's not possible. Hating you, I mean."

He smiled softly, "Elphie…Uh, no, maybe it's better that you didn't know."

"Fiyero, what is it that's torturing you?"

"Elphaba, the Wizard is your father."

I stared at Fiyero for a minute before I burst out laughing, "You had me going there for a minute, Woo, that was a good one."

Fiyero didn't smile, "I'm serious, Fae."

I looked into his eyes, he was serious, "But, how? Why? Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yes. Glinda told him."

"Glinda?"

"Yes, I think she's in prison, Elphie."

My jaw clenched when I heard Fiyero say that, "Glinda, in prison?" I asked softly. That would explain that tug at my heart, "Glinda, in prison!"

Fiyero nodded. I was infuriated. No one, NO ONE, puts Glinda in jail without a fight with me!

"The Wizard is NOT my father-"

"Elphie-"

"No! He may be my father biologically, but a father, a real father doesn't cause his daughter so much pain! Yero, we're going to get Glinda out of prison, got it?"

He smiled, "I knew you'd say that. I'm going with you."

"No, don't, I don't want you hurt. The Wizard won't try to harm me, but he wants to kill you."

"Elphaba, we've been playing tag ever since I returned to Oz. I'm not leaving you again, I worry about you too much."

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Fae, but I can't stop worrying about you. It's just not that easy-"

"Please don't say it, Fiyero."

"Say what? That I love you? It's too late, I already did. Why are you so afraid of love?"

"I don't know. I guess it's because no one ever loved me-"

"Glinda did."

"True. But not like this..and then you come along, and you love me more than I believe possible..and I guess it's just too much for me."

"I do love you."

"I know. I love you too." It took me a minute before I could actually say it..but when I had, I felt myself relax; this wasn't so bad.

Before I could do anything, Fiyero's mouth was on mine, and his arms were around me. At first I felt terrified, what if I lost him again? But then I fell into sync with him, I wanted -no, needed- him almost as much as he needed me. After what seemed like just seconds, Fiyero pulled away. I stared into his beautiful eyes, "Let's go kick some Wizard butt."

"That's the Elphaba I love."

That reminded me of something I wanted to ask him, "Fiyero?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you love me?"

He looked at me, confused, "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I asked you. Why do you love me?"

"I don't know..You make me happy, you make me feel like my life has a meaning, I guess. One can't explain why one loves another, I suppose."

He pulled me closer into chest. I rested my head on shoulder and closed my eyes. We stood like that for awhile, "I guess we should get back, Yero, Sahlah and Tasi will wonder.."

He saw the glint in my eyes, "If only. We'll have time for that sometime soon."

"Says who?"

"Says I." He kissed me quickly and took my hand in his; this time, though, we laced our fingers together.

When we arrived back to Tasi and Sahlah, I slipped my hand out of Fiyero's. He looked a little disappointed when I did so, but I begged for forgiveness..telepathically.

I took little Tale from Sahlah and rocked and sang to her until she fell asleep. When I looked up, I saw Fiyero staring at me, "What?"

"Nothing."

"Did you…?"

"Yes, she knows, Tasi."

"What are you going to do?''

"I'm going to get that bastard for what he's done to me, and I'm going to get my best friend out of jail. That's what I'm going to do!"

Tasi looked at Fiyero, "You're going to let her do this?"

"I told you, once she sets her mind to something, there's no going back."

Tasi nodded, "And we're going to help. Me, Sahlah, and Emir."

"No! I was reluctant to let Fiyero come with me, but I will not be the cause of anymore pain for you three."

"Please, Elphaba," said Emir, "I'm going to finish what I've started; it's not in my nature to quit."

I nodded. I would probably need their help, even though I hated to admit it.

So once again, I was off to the Emerald City. I hoped this would be the last time.

"I told you, I don't know where Elphaba is. I haven't seen her since she was locked away here."

"You lie!"

"And so do you, but I choose not to point that in your face." I said, thinking of the most Elphaba-like thing I could say to the Wizard. I was going to fight him, just as Elphie had.

"You forget, Glinda, I will not kill Elphaba. I will you, though."

"I don't care. I'd rather be dead than see Elphie in your clutches!"

"No, you wouldn't. You'd rather be alive, dressing for parties, doing your hair and makeup, sleeping in your fancy pink bedroom."

"I honestly don't know where she is." I said quietly, biting my lip.

"Nobody knows where anyone is around here anymore!" Cried the Wizard, then he started mockingly, "Where's Fiyero? I don't know. Where's Tasi? I don't know. Where's Emir? I don't know. Where's Elphaba?"

"I don't know."

"Wrong answer!" The Wizard lunged at me, his eyes wild.

He grabbed at my hair and clothes, his short nails scratching at my face, "No! Let go! Let go! Please!"

He kicked me in each of my calves, and I sunk down to my knees. I looked up and saw the Wizard's foot coming toward my face. Right straight for my nose. I screamed in pain and disbelieve as it connected with my nose and I heard a sickening crunching sound, "My nose!" I cried, "You broke my nose!"

"Now, where is Elphaba?"

"I don't know! I didn't even know she had escaped! She never saw me! I swear on Ozma!"

"Don't swear on Ozma. It's a bad thing."

I suddenly felt an Elphaba-like cruel streak pulse through my body, "You're a bad thing." I sneered. I stood up, forgetting the numbing pain in my nose, "You need to stop ruining people's lives! Including your daughter's! Even though I'm more of a father to her than you are, and I'm a girl."

He backed up, I could tell he was frightened by me, I guess all of those nights with Elphie paid off.

"What I want you to do is leave Oz, forever. Never come back. Never try and come in contact with your daughter or your grand-daughter. Never think of a place called Oz again. Go back to wherever you came from."

"No! Oz is mine, and no one will ever take it from me!" He cried and lifted his chair above his head, I dodged just as he swung it towards my head. It crashed into the wall behind me, making a dent.

I looked around for something to throw back at him. Nothing, there was nothing.

He smiled at me triumphantly when I looked back at him, then he threw that blasted green bottle, clipping me just above the eye, sending me swirling into a dark abyss.

There it was. The Emerald City. Looking just as ugly and dark as it always had. Somewhere in that city, my best friend lay awaiting her doom. I couldn't stand the thought of Glinda being dead. I couldn't stand the thought of the Wizard being her murderer, "You okay?"

I looked at Fiyero, "No. Glinda is just waiting to be killed..and by my bastard father."

Fiyero took my hand in his, squeezing it gently, "Hey, don't worry. You said you felt a pain when she was first locked away, right? Have you felt anymore since then?"

"No…"

"Then she's still alive."

"I suppose you're right…But please, try and imagine Glinda, our Glinda, incarcerated."

He looked thoughtful for a moment, "I can't see it."

"Exactly. Pink doesn't go good with dank."

"Then let's go!" Tasi called, walking ahead, holding Sahlah by the waist.

"Ugh. I can't imagine anyone wanting to be with Sahlah."

"I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be with me."

"Fae, don't."

"I already did." I smiled at Fiyero, "Come on." He shook his head but followed me.

When we reached the city limits, I gasped at what I saw. The Emerald City had always looked bad, I thought, but it was as if a Hiroshima had struck. I saw no one. Dirt and debris littered the street, where was everyone? "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know, Elphie. There was people here this morning. They were all volunteering for the Gale Force.."

"Don't finish that sentence, Yero, you'll regret it."

"I know."

"Come on, I didn't think you wanted people to see you." said Emir.

"Well.."

"That's what I thought."

Emir and Tasi led us to the palace, but surprised me when they went to the back, "Where are we going?"

"You're friend's in jail, right? This is the easiest place to get in without getting caught."

"Caught by who, Tasi? There's no one here."

"Whatever. It's still the easiest way."

Tasi took out a set of keys -the same pair he had broken me out of jail with, I realized- and swung open the large door, "After you."

"You go first, Fiyero." I said, stepping away from the prison.

"What, it's not going to hurt you."

"If you forget, love, I spent most of my pregnancy with your daughter in here. I've had my fill."

"Oh yea." he stepped inside first, and I saw his nose wrinkle in disgust. He held his hand out to me, "Watch your step."

I stepped into the west wing of the prison, I didn't want to be here, and I felt myself begin to panic. My mind flooded with memories; gruel, and guards, and pregnancy, and morning sickness, and dirt, and…Fiyero must have sensed me slipping away from reality because I was thrown back down to Oz when Fiyero hugged me tightly to his chest, "It's alright, Elphie, it's alright…"

"No!" I pulled away from him and backed into the light, "I can't go back in there!" I tripped over the step and fell hard on my behind, almost dropping Tale. Then I burst into tears, "I can't do this, I can't do this."

Fiyero walked towards me slowly, I watched him in slow motion. It was then that Sahlah, Tale, Tasi, and Emir disappeared. It was just Fiyero and I. He sat next to me and wrapped his arms around. I leaned into his chest and cried. It'd been a while since I had cried, and it felt kind of nice to just let the tears flow, "Elphaba, you can go back in there."

"No, no I can't!"

"For me, you can."

"No I can't!" I cried harder. It was so unlike me to say the word 'I' and 'can't' in the same sentence.

"If not for me, then for Glinda."

Glinda.

I stopped crying then. I snapped back to reality. Tale was in my lap, Tasi, Sahlah, and Emir were standing behind me, and I was crying into Fiyero's chest. This was for Glinda. I took a deep breath and stood. Fiyero offered me his hand, and I took it. Then he led me into the darkness.

I almost gagged when I stepped in the prison, it smelled as if something, in fact, had died. I looked at Fiyero's form in the darkness; he was holding his free hand over his nose.

"Who died in here?" Asked Sahlah.

"I'm afraid to find out."

"There's no one here. All of the prisoners are gone, too!" exclaimed Emir.

"Where is everybody?" I was so confused, was everyone hunting me? Even the prisoners?

"Come," said Tasi, "Let's go to the top-level. If there's anyone left in this Oz-forsaken city, it's going to be the Wizard."

Tasi and Emir now in the lead, they led us through the dark corridor of the prison. In the dark, I could still see the metallic glint of the iron wrought bars. It was kind of creepy, to be the only ones in a prison, "This is creepy."

"Tell me about it, is this where you stayed, Elphie?" Fiyero asked me softly.

"No. I was in a more secluded area of the prison. I punched the Wizard."

Emir opened a door, practically blinding me with the light that emitted from the hall it let into, "This is the infirmary. Though they don't really help sick people, it's more like the loony-bin."

I nodded. There was no one in the infirmary either. I looked up ahead and saw Sahlah clutching to Tasi's arm. She looked terrified. I smiled and squeezed Fiyero's hand. He gently squeezed back.

Emir then led us into another hall leading from the infirmary. He lead us up a flight of stairs into a marbled foyer. He took a door to the left and led us into another hall, this one longer, carpeted in plush, green, carpet, and green doors lined the walls, "This one." Emir stopped in front over a door marked C. Stuart, Wizard.

I furrowed my brow, Stuart? I'd never heard that name before. Where did the Wizard come from? "Look, guys..I want you to stay out here-"

"No!" said Fiyero, "I'm not letting you face that bastard alone."

I smiled, "Fiyero, love, we've been through this before. The Wizard will not hurt me. Do not worry about me."

"What about Tale?"

"I doubt he'd hurt his grand-daughter, if he won't hurt me."

"Be careful, Fae."

I kissed him quickly, "Don't worry about me. I can take of myself. You know that." I quickly opened the door and slipped in before Fiyero could change his mind about letting me go in.

Just as I'd thought, there was the Wizard. He was sitting in a golden armchair, facing the window. As I walked toward him silently, my feet struck something. I looked down. Glinda. I narrowed my eyes.

It was then that he turned around, "Well Elphie, dear, it's nice to see you again."

"What did you do to her?"

"She choose to disobey me, so I silenced her."

"You killed her!"

"No, no, I did not. She is still live, you needn't worry." His eyes glanced down..Oh no, he'd seen Tale, "I see you've brought my grand-daughter to visit!"

"No. I did not bring her to visit. I came to save Glinda, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Before I could say anything else, the Wizard was directly in front of me, and he had Tale. Did I black-out or something? "Give me my daughter back, you asshole." I said through clenched teeth.

"No, she'll be fine with me."

I tried to wrestle Tale from his arms, but then I felt something cold, hard, and round land hard against my head. I felt faint for a moment, then it everything went blank.

I heard footsteps coming down the carpeted hallway. I turned to look, hoping it was Elphaba. It wasn't. But it was Glinda. She was covered in blood and dirt, and her pink dress was torn and filthy, "Glinda! Are you alright?" I went to her.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine! But Elphie isn't! He hit her like he hit me, and he's got Tale!"