Addena shifted her gaze from Bree back to Eadlyn, knowing the moment he pulled the trigger by the way his face lit up with anticipation. Almost like a kid who had just been told they were going to get a surprise. She quickly looked away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of looking into her eyes as the inevitable happened. She didn't know how someone could take such pleasure in causing others pain.

She should have been scared, but she wasn't. All she could think about was Bree and how she wished she could have kissed her or at least told her she loved her face to face instead of just mouthing the words to her. But that was how their relationship had been so far. Whenever they took one step forward, as they had the day before by finally making love, they took two steps back. And being separated from the woman she adored by the man who was bound and determined to tear them apart by shooting them both definitely qualified as two giant steps back in her book.

"Oh!"

Her head snapped back up when she heard her sister's shocked outburst, instantly realizing what she was reacting to.

"She's been shot, hasn't she?" Ginny's voice was edged with terror. "My baby's been shot."

"No I haven't." Glinda was quick to put her mind at ease.

"You haven't?"

"No."

"Has Dena?"

"No." Addena answered.

Ginny furrowed her brow. "Then what's going on."

Glinda shook her head. "Open your eyes and see."

Ginny did as she was told, instantly grabbing Glinda's arm when she saw Eadlyn's men pointing guns at them. Her mouth fell open as she watched the rounds they were firing hit what appeared to be an invisible wall in front of them and fall harmlessly to the ground. "Sweet Oz."

"Elphie or Bree must have cast a protection spell." Glinda explained.

The older woman watched in awe as more bullets hit the enchanted air before her. "Remind me to thank whoever did it."

"If we get the chance."

Glinda followed her sister's gaze, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Elphaba, Breena and the Wizard in a heap on the ground. "Elphie!"

"Glinda?" Elphaba, who had been understandably stunned when she was knocked over, found her voice when she heard her lover calling to her. "Glinda?!" She struggled to get away from the weight on top of her.

"Ow." Breena hissed. "Stop squirming."

"Get off me!"

"I can't. Dad is holding me down."

"And that's how it's going to stay." The Wizard countered. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're being used for target practice."

Elphaba clinched her jaw. "So are Glinda and the others!"

"They're safe, Elly. I cast a protection spell."

"You did?" She breathed a silent sigh of relief when she felt rather than saw her sister nod. Her reaction was short lived when she remembered the spell she herself had cast.

"Bree?!" It was Addena who called out this time.

"We're fine." Breena raised her voice to be heard. "Stay where you are."

Glinda only had eyes for the patches of green skin she could see. "But..."

"You both know if you move too far you could accidently break the spell." Breena chastised them.

Addena frowned as someone grabbed her arm, pulling her backward. "Mom!"

"You heard Breena." Ginny did the same thing to Glinda. "We need to stay back until we're sure everything is under control."

"That could take forever." Glinda sighed.

"Let us up Dad."

"No." The Wizard shook his head at Breena's request. "I can't risk one of you getting hurt."

"Contego." She repeated her spell. "There, now we're just as protected as they are."

"Are you sure?" He didn't sound convinced.

"Trust me."

"I do. I just..."

"Dad, I love you, but if you don't get off of us I'm going to have to throw you off." Breena threatened.

"All right, all right." The Wizard spoke as he started to get up, keeping a close eye out for trouble as he did. "There's no need for violence."

"Tell them that." Breena winced as she accepted her father's help in standing.

"Bree?" Addena looked at them anxiously.

"What are you doing?" Glinda stepped up next to her sister. "Stay down!"

"I cast another protection spell." Breena started to reach for her sister.

"What are you doing?" The Wizard knocked her hand away. "You can barely stand up by yourself. Do you honestly thing you'll be able to help her?"

Someone yelled, "Eadlyn's dead!" before she could respond.

"What?!" Another man questioned.

"I said Eadlyn's dead!" The man repeated himself.

"We wouldn't be so lucky." The Wizard commented as he righted Elphaba.

"He can't be!" Another man disagreed.

"Well he is!" The first one insisted. "Just look at him!"

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed. The men were close enough to get a better view, but the girls could make out that Eadlyn was laying on the ground, motionless.

"Do you really think he's dead?" Glinda asked her sister.

Addena sighed. "I hope so."

Breena put her hand on her sister's arm.

"He looks dead to me." Yet another man agreed.

"Then what the hell are we still doing here?!" The first one yelled.

"Don't just stand there men! Stop them!"

"Cade." The Wizard's ears perked up when he heard the captain's voice. "Are you all right my boy?"

"Peachy." Cade replied. "Stay put until I give you the all clear." He ran toward his men. "Don't let them get away!"

"Do you want to help them out Elly?" Breena waited for a response but none came. "Clarus."

It was like a strong gust of wind hit the retreating men, knocking them off their feet.

"Bree." Addena growled her name. "No more magic."

"I feel fine." Breena defended herself, rolling her eyes at the look her lover gave her. "Did you want them to get away?"

"You heard me." Addena warned her.

Cade flashed a smile over his shoulder when he saw the effects of the spell. "Thanks."

"At least someone appreciates it." Breena griped.

"Elphie?" Glinda watched her girlfriend as she started to walk toward Cade.

Ginny grabbed her daughter's hand when she tried to follow her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"With her."

"I don't think so." Ginny scoffed. "The Captain said to stay here."

"But something's wrong." Glinda argued.

"Do as your mother says and stay there." Breena sided with Ginny. "I'll take care of Elly."

"Bree I..."

Breena silenced Addena with a look. "No more magic, I promise." She limped after her sister. "Elly?"

Elphaba, who had come to a stop next to Eadlyn, was too busy looking at him to even glance at her sister. "I..." Her voice caught in her throat as she stared into his sightless eyes. "I cast the death spell."

"I know." Breena saved her from saying more. "I heard you."

"I killed a man Bree." Tears filled her eyes. "I used my magic to take someone else's life."

"We don't know that."

Elphaba frowned at her sister. "What do you mean we don't know that? Look at him." She gestured toward the body with her hand. "He's dead isn't he?"

"As a door nail." Breena agreed. "But look a little closer sis. There's a bullet hole in his chest."

"There is?"

"Right there." Breena pointed. "Where did you think the blood all over the front of his shirt came from?"

"I..." Elphaba mentally kicked herself. "I wasn't really sure how the whole death spell thing worked."

"To be honest with you, neither am I. It's not like I had time to go look at the lieutenant after I used it. But my point is we won't know if you're the one who killed him until we get to the Grimmerie."

"The forbidden spells."

"I prefer to call them restricted." Breena corrected her. "Forbidden sounds too ominous."

Elphaba didn't respond to her attempt to lighten the mood. "Whatever you want to call them. If I can read them then I... I..."

"Then you took down one of the most evil people we're ever going to meet." Breena finished her thought for her. "If you did kill him you did the right thing."

"I did?"

"He would have just kept coming after us, Elly. We never would have known when or where he was going to pop up. That's no way to live your life."

"She's right."

They both turned when they heard Glinda's voice, shocked to see that she and Addena were behind them.

Elphaba swallowed hard. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Since Bree pointed out the wound in his chest." Addena answered.

"Then you know that I..." Elphaba hung her head, too ashamed to go on.

"Don't do that." Glinda's voice was gentle as she went to her lover. "Elphie, please." She cupped a green cheek, forcing the witch to look at her. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I might have killed a man Glinda."

"In self defense." Addena pointed out as she handed Breena her crutches, earning herself a silent thank you by way of an adoring look.

"It doesn't matter why I did it." Elphaba snapped.

"That's not what you told me."

Elphaba frowned at her sister again. "What?"

"When we had our little talk about me using the spell and I tried to say the same thing." Breena clarified.

"You were on your way to save us." Elphaba growled.

"And you were protecting us." Glinda spoke up, knowing exactly what Breena was trying to do. "Eadlyn wouldn't have stopped with Dena, Elphie. He wanted us all dead. It might make me sound cold and uncaring, but I think our lives in exchange for his is a pretty fair trade."

"Me too." Addena agreed as she looked down at her former tormentor. "Especially considering everything he put us through."

"Amen."

Elphaba chortled. "Yeah, but none of you killed him. You could have cast the death spell, Bree, but you didn't."

"I would have."

"You would?" Addena gave her lover a look.

Breena nodded. "In a heartbeat. He deserved everything he got."

"But you cast a protection spell." Elphaba reminded her.

"Only because I heard you cast first." Breena gripped her sister's shoulder. "I know it's hard to believe considering the family and friends we have now, but there are people out there this world is better off without. And Eadlyn was definitely one of them."

"Yes he was." Glinda slipped her hand into Elphaba's.

"What is your mother going to think?" Elphaba shook her head. "And Dad."

"We don't have to tell Mom if you don't want to." Addena offered.

"Or Dad." Breena agreed. "Although we both know he wouldn't think less of you."

"Neither would our Mom." Addena agreed.

"They're right, Elphie. He was shot. Even if you are responsible, people are going to think that's how he died." Glinda gave her hand a squeeze. "No one has to know unless you want them to."

"Yackle will know." Elphaba stated. "If it was me than I'll be able to read the..." Her voice trailed off for a moment as she looked at her sister. "Restricted spells in the Grimmerie."

"She would know somehow even if you can't read the spells." Breena pointed out. "But it's not like she's going to run around telling everyone. If she does I'll shut her up like I did Boq."

"Now that could be interesting." The corner of Addena's mouth turned up. "Couldn't you do it anyway?"

"As tempting as it is, no." Breena shook her head. "And don't try that infamous pout to get what you want either."

"Pout?" Addena stuck her bottom lip out. "What pout?"

She looked so much like Glinda Elphaba couldn't stop herself from chuckling.

"Finally." Breena threw her hands in the air. "Thanks for breaking the ice with her Addy." She pointed at her girlfriend. "But I'm still not hexing Yackle for you."

Addena snapped her fingers. "Damn."

"It'll be all right, Elphie." Glinda used their linked hands to pull her closer to her side.

"I hope so." Elphaba sighed.

"I speak from experience when I say it gets easier with time." Breena looked at Eadlyn again. "And we still don't know if you're the one who killed him. So why don't you put the deciding whether or not to tell people on the back burner until we're sure."

"That sounds like a great idea to me." Glinda put her free arm around Elphaba's waist.

"Me too." Elphaba agreed.

"And remember, no matter what happens Elphaba, you're not alone." Addena gave her a heartfelt grin. "We're all here for you."

"No one will need to be there for her when she's dead."

None of them had noticed Gregor was now sitting up and had yet another gun in his undamaged hand.

"You killed my best friend you bitch." He pointed the weapon at Elphaba. "And now you're going to pay."

"You've got to be kidding me." Breena's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Agito!" Addena pointed at him as she said the spell. It hit him so hard it made him do a somersault.

"Wow." Glinda raised her eyebrows.

"Nice shot." Breena was equally impressed.

"I can't believe I just did that." Addena looked at her still outstretched hand.

Breena grinned. "We're going to make the two of you wandless wonders yet."

The corner of Elphaba's mouth turned up too. "Thanks."

Addena was still shocked. "You're welcome."

"Is everyone all right?" A Gale Force guard asked as he ran over to them, holding his rifle on Gregor. "Did he hurt anyone?"

"No." Elphaba answered him. "We're fine."

It seemed like the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders as she realized the truth behind her words. She watched her sister talking to Addena and felt Glinda's presence at her side and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were right. No matter what might or might not have happened everything was going to be OK.

"Elphie?" Glinda furrowed her brow, obviously worried.

Elphaba gave her a smile. "I'm fine, Linny." The more she said it the better she felt. "I'm fine."

AN: Sorry this part took so long but I was checking out Gregory Maguire's new book A Lion Among Men. If you like the Cowardly Lion (as I'm sure most of you can guess that I do) it's a great read.