This couldn't be happening. Addena wasn't standing there, telling Bree she was engaged to be married. It just wasn't possible. If there were two people who were meant to be together, it was Breena and Addena. She couldn't have come up with a better match for her sister if she tried.

But it was happening. She was standing there watching her sister get torn to shreds. And there wasn't a damn thing she could do to stop it.

Anger had her stepping into Addena's path when she tried to follow Bree as she fled the house. The woman had caused enough damage without rubbing Bree's face in it by pretending she still cared. She wanted nothing more than to give Addena and that grinning buffoon behind her a piece of her mind but she didn't have time. She had to get to Breena. So she settled for a quick tongue lashing before hurrying after her sister.

Breena was just outside the door, a look of complete and utter shock on her face as she stared blankly ahead. She tried to talk to her but the sound of her voice seemed to spur her sister into action. Bree took off across the yard like a woman on a mission. It took her a minute to realize she was making a beeline for the horses milling nearby. She ran after her, grabbing her shoulder.

"Leave me alone, Elly."

The defeat in those four words broke her heart but they were nothing compared to the butterflies that erupted in her stomach when Bree pulled away to grab the reins of one of the horses and swung herself into the saddle.

"I'm sorry. I just…" Bree shook her head. "I need some time." And with that she set the horse in motion.

She watched her gallop toward the forest, wishing there was something she could do. That's when she saw the blackness creeping in. She blinked a couple of times, thinking it was just her imagination, but it wasn't. There was a darkness spreading through the trees. And it was headed right for her sister.

"Bree?"

Pitch colored clouds rolled across the sky as she called out. Bree didn't seem to notice any of the changes as she neared the tree line. If anything, the horse was going faster.

"No, wait!" She tried to run after her but she couldn't move. "Bree!"

Tears filled her eyes as her sister rode headlong into the nothingness the forest had become. "Bree?" Her breath hitched in her throat. "Come back!"

"Elphie?"

Her sister was gone.

"Elphie, wake up."

"Bree?" The name was little more than a whisper.

"No Elphie, it's me."

She bolted upright as her eyes snapped open.

"Great Oz." Glinda barely moved in time to avoid being headbutted. She put her hand on her chest as she looked at her lover. "You nearly scared the life out of me."

Elphaba frowned. "Glinda?"

"Are you all right Elphie? I was starting to think you were never going to wake up." She tucked a tress of raven hair behind a green ear. "That must have been some dream."

"Dream?" Elphaba repeated the word.

"Well, judging from the way you were tossing and turning and mumbling I would say it was more along the lines of a nightmare."

"I was asleep?"

Glinda nodded. "It was storming, remember?" She rubbed Elphie's arm, knowing she wasn't completely awake yet. "We came in here to wait it out and you dozed off."

"We were looking for Bree." Elphaba's eyes went wide. "Bree!"

"Elphie…" Glinda knew what was coming next.

"I'm supposed to be finding her and instead I take a cat nap?" Her voice was full of disbelief. "What is wrong with me?!"

"You were tired."

"That's not an excuse!" Elphaba growled. "Do you think Bree would let something like being tired stop her if I was the one missing?!"

"She's not missing." Glinda said it as much to convince herself as Elphie. "And you need to calm down."

"But…"

"You and Breena got stuck in the storm last night right?" She didn't wait for a response. "I'm willing to bet neither one of you got much sleep. Add that to being stressed out over what happened today and you were at your limit."

"I still shouldn't have…"

"Stop." Glinda stroked Elphie's cheek. "Beating yourself up over getting a little sleep isn't going to solve anything. Just like wearing yourself too thin won't help you find Bree. You were tired, my love. And I stayed awake so I would know when the storm ended."

"You did?"

"I knew you would want to leave as soon as possible." A low roll of thunder had her casting her eyes at the roof of the shed. "It's moving away but it's not gone yet."

"It will be soon." Elphaba gripped the blonde's hand. "I'm sorry for overreacting."

"You're worried about Bree. We both are." Glinda twined her fingers with her lover's. "But we'll find her once the storm is over. And when we do we'll tell her what's going on and come up with a plan to help Dena."

Elphaba sighed. "This hasn't been easy on anyone has it?"

Glinda shook her head. "I'm just glad we're together."

"Me too." Elphaba pulled her into her arms. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Being here. Keeping me in line."

"Where else would I be and it's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it." Glinda grinned. "Besides, I'm making up for lost time when it comes to watching you sleep. It's the only time you let those beautiful features relax." Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "If only you didn't drool."

"What?" Elphaba mouth dropped open in shock. "I don't drool."

"Oh but you do. And it's so cute."

"I'll show you cute."

Glinda giggled as Elphie rolled her onto her back. She sobered as she stared up at the woman she adored. "I love you."

Elphaba smiled. "I bet I love you more."

"That's not possible." Glinda silenced her protests by pulling her down for a kiss.

"Emm." Elphaba nodded as they parted. "That was nice but what about this?" She initiated a slower, more drawn out liplock.

Glinda melted into it, giving Elphie control as she let herself get completely lost in their intimate embrace.

Elphaba leaned her forehead against Glinda's when she finally came up for air. "So what did you think?"

"That was..." She swallowed hard, trying to regain her bearings. "I don't think they've come up with a word to describe what just happened."

"Does that mean you liked it?"

Glinda nodded. "But I think we should call the who loves who more debate a tie."

"You do?"

"Yes. Because I can do this..." Glinda flipped her, capturing her lips before her back had a chance to hit the sacks. She didn't hesitate to start a wrestling match between their tongues.

It was Elphaba's turn to get lost until the sensation of Glinda unbuttoning her shirt as she trailed feather light kisses down her neck drew her back to reality.

"Glinda." She caught the pale hand before it could get too far. "We can't."

"What?" The blonde seemed to be coming out of a haze.

"I think the storm is over." Elphaba elaborated.

"Oh, uh..." Glinda licked her lips. "I don't know what came over me." She looked at the woman beneath her and chuckled. "OK, so that's not entirely true. I know exactly what came over me, but I didn't mean to get so carried away."

"You weren't the only one caught up in the moment." Elphaba wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight. "We'll pick up where we left off as soon as this whole thing is over."

"Promise?"

Elphaba kissed the tip of her nose. "Promise."

Glinda pulled out of her arms and stood. "Then let's get moving."

Elphaba grinned as she let herself be pulled to her feet. "You're easily motivated."

"I might be a lot of things, but easy isn't one of them." Glinda kissed her soundly. "Now grab you're broom and let's go before I change my mind and finish what we started right now."

They were both smiling as they walked hand in hand out of the shed.

"A rainbow." Glinda pointed. "Isn't it pretty?"

"Not as pretty as you."

"Sometimes you say the sweetest things."

"Miss Elphaba."

"Miss Elphaba? You haven't called me that since our first days at Shiz." Elphaba gave her a sidelong glance. "Why are you being so formal all of a sudden?"

Glinda furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"You calling me Miss Elphaba."

"I didn't call you Miss anything."

Elphaba gave her a disbelieving look. "Then I must be hearing things because someone did."

Glinda shrugged. "Well it wasn't me."

"It was me."

They both nearly jumped out of their skins as a wolf cub came clamoring up to them.

"Oh look Elphie, a Puppy." Glinda knelt down to get a better look. "Who's a cute little Puppy?" she sing songed in a baby voice. "You're a cute little Puppy." If she didn't know better she would have sworn the tiny bundle of fur cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I'm not a Puppy, I'm a Wolf." His yellow eyes suddenly got big as he swallowed hard. "And you're Glinda the Good." He ducked his head. "I didn't mean any disrespect."

"You weren't being disrespectful, you were correcting her." Elphaba joined her lover in kneeling. "And she's not that easily offended."

"Wow." The cub was too busy staring to hear what she was saying. "It's really you."

Glinda giggled. "It looks like you have a fan."

"They teach us all about how you stood up to the Wizard and fought for animal rights." He took a half step closer to Elphaba. "It is truly a pleasure to meet you." He bowed the best he could.

"And a polite fan at that." Glinda beamed.

"Don't do that." Elphaba was embarrassed by the gesture. "Are you with your family?"

"No." The cub shook his head. "They're not here."

Elphaba frowned. "Did you get separated from them by the storm?"

"No. I was on a trip with a few of the other kids from my class when we were attacked."

"Attacked?" Glinda was shocked.

The cub nodded. "By a group of trappers."

"Trappers?" It was Elphaba's turn to echo what he was saying.

"A big group of them." He continued. "Miss Penelope tried to distract them so us kids could escape but I was the only one who got away. I was going to bite one of the men but she told me to run and get help."

Glinda wrinkled her nose. "So you came looking for us?"

"No, I mean yes." He sighed. "I guess kind of in a way I came looking for you. But only because Miss Breena told me to."

"Breena?" Elphaba certainly wasn't expecting to hear her sister's name.

"I ran into her in the woods and she told me to find you and tell you what was going on. I ran as fast as I could but the storm came and I was scared so I hid and..."

"Slow down." Glinda soothed him.

"Sorry." He ducked his head from her gaze again. "Momma has to get after me about that all the time."

"Did Breena say anything else?" Elphaba tried to bring him back to the subject at hand.

He thought about it for a moment. "No. I told her about the trappers and she told me to go find you at Upland Manor and let you know what was going on."

Glinda gripped Elphaba's arm. "You don't think she went after them by herself?"

"If someone was in danger I think that's exactly what she did."

"She's really brave." The cub agreed. "They teach us about her in school too."

Glinda tightened her grip on her girlfriend's arm. "Elphie?"

"We have to find her." Elphaba stared down at the Wolf. "Will you take us to her?"

"I... I..." The little guy stammered, ending with a barely audible, "I can't."

"Can't?!"

"Elphie." Glinda used a warning tone as the cub flinched.

"But..."

"He's just a baby."

"I..."

"And yelling is going to scare him. He can't help us if he's scared."

"I'm sorry." Elphaba's shoulders slumped as her anger quickly faded.

"No, I'm sorry." The cub avoided her gaze. "Like I said before, I got scared of the storm and started to get lost so I hid in a log. The rain must have washed away my paw prints because when I came back out I couldn't tell which way I'd come or which way I needed to go."

Glinda resisted the urge to pick him up and hold him close. "You poor thing."

"Luckily I saw you two coming out of the shed." He swallowed hard as he looked up at his hero. "I'm sorry Miss Elphaba."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for." Elphaba assured him. "You did exactly what Bree told you to."

"But..."

"You found me and told me what happened." She continued before he could.

"She's right." Glinda agreed. "Elphie, what are we going to do?"

Elphaba sighed. "I don't know."

"Jasper!"

They were all three startled as an orange blur came hurtling toward them. It hit the Wolf, sending him tumbling away from Elphaba and Glinda.

"What was that?" Glinda latched onto Elphaba's arm as they both stood.

"If I had to hazard a guess I'd say it's a Tiger cub." Elphaba answered as the two Animals finally came to a stop with the Tiger on top.

"Jas, I'm so glad I found you."

"Sorry, Tigress." Elphaba corrected herself as the tiny cat spoke.

"Leta." The Wolf looked up at her. "How did you get here?"

"We followed your tracks until the rain started to wash them away." She answered.

"We?" Glinda asked.

As if on cue a colt with a tiny goat clinging to its back came crashing out of the forest.

"You all got away." The cub sounded relieved.

The Tigress nodded. "This woman showed up and started fighting the trappers. Miss Penelope told us to run and stayed behind to help."

"Oh Elphie." Glinda was on the verge of tears.

Elphaba clinched her jaw. "I have to look for them."

"It won't do you any good." The Colt spoke as they joined them. "There have been several similar attacks lately and the trappers never leave anything behind. Between the storm and the way they clean up after themselves, you'll never find Miss Penelope or that woman."

"You're saying there have been other attacks?" Glinda clarified.

"Four over the last week." The cub spoke again as he climbed to his feet. "Our parents were worried about Miss Penelope taking us out but she told them everything would be fine."

"And now she's gone." The Tigress hung her head.

"Go." Glinda let go of Elphaba. "Find them."

Elphaba tightened her grip on her broom. "I can't leave all of you out here alone."

"Elphie..."

"We'll go to the Manor and then I'll come back." Elphaba spoke over her.

"You'll be wasting your time." The Colt flicked his tail. "We've looked for the others that went missing but no one's been found. It's like they just disappeared."

Elphaba looked out into the trees, his words echoing through her mind. Glinda had been wrong before. Breena was missing.

Just like in her dream, her sister was gone.

A/N: I'm off to see our favorite witches on Broadway in NYC and won't be able to post until next week. Here's hoping you all enjoy it and I'll be sure to say "Hi" to Elphie and Glinda for you.