"Miss Selky?" Dr. Dillamond called as the raven haired girl turned to leave his classroom. The Goat, having recovered his voice, was back to work at Shiz.

"Yes?" Selky replied, turning around.

"I wanted to talk to you about Miss Curyn," the teacher elaborated with an apologetic look.

"What about her?" Selky wondered warily.

"She's struggling in this class," Dr. Dillamond explained. "And you're my best student, as was your mother." A little tingle of unease wriggled up Selky's spine at the Goat's terminology. "Would you be willing to tutor her?"

"You're my favorite teacher," the raven haired girl told Dr. Dillamond. "But I'd rather stick a fork in my eye." The Goat sighed as if he'd been expecting this. His eyes tightened and he glanced around, as if afraid someone would hear.

"This is more than just helping Curyn out," Dr. Dillamond explained. "Her parents are dirt poor; she's here on a scholarship much like you were before the adoption. Curyn's doing well in all her other classes, but she's about to fail this one." The old Goat paused for a moment and looked Selky in the eye. "If Curyn doesn't get help soon the scholarship will be revoked and she'll be kicked out of Shiz. I shudder to think of the life she'll be sent back to if that happens." Despite her aversion to Curyn a little flower of sympathy unfurled in Selky's chest. She remembered how her grades had mattered so much only a few months ago; one F and she'd have been sent back to the community orphanage.

"I'll tutor her," the raven haired girl allowed, regretting the words even as she spoke them. "But only until she gets her grade up."

"That's all I ask," Dr. Dillamond assured her. "Thank you Selky." Her only response was a surly shrug.

***

"What's taking so long?"

"We're being careful milady, as you instructed."

"You told me you'd have her by now!"

"My men did not anticipate how many guards there would be in the Emerald Palace."

"So you're saying it's impossible."

"Not impossible; we just need time to observe and plan."

"I'll give you until the end of the month. If Glinda isn't in this camp by then…well I'll just let you find out what's in store for you and your men."

***

"I'm worried," Elphaba stated flatly, not looking up from the papers she was hunched over.

"You're always worried," Fiyero pointed out.

"I'm worried about Selky," the green girl elaborated. "She seems…distant."

"She's is a teenager," the Winkie chuckled.

"This is different," the witch insisted. "It's almost like she's wary. No, that's not the right word. Strained maybe? Uncomfortable? I don't know; it's probably nothing." Smiling fondly Fiyero pulled Elphaba into his lap. Her cries of protest were only halfhearted.

"It's official," the Winkie announced. "You need a night out."

"No I don't," the green girl grumbled. "Everything I need is right here."

"When was the last time you left the palace grounds?"

"Um… I think…"

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about. You need to have some fun."

"I have plenty of fun right here."

"If this is what you think is fun then…there's a screw loose somewhere." The only response was a simmering scowl. "That's it," Fiyero sighed. "I'm enlisting Glinda; she can be your fun tutor."

"I never thought I'd see the day when Glinda was tutoring me," Elphaba laughed. "It must be the apocalypse."

"I'll go fetch her now," the Winkie announced, planting a kiss on the green girl's mouth before leaping to his feet.

"I'm a little busy at the moment," the witch snorted sarcastically. "But I guess I could just let Oz fall into ruin and spend all my time partying."

"That's the spirit!" Fiyero teased as he danced out the door, already calling for a certain blonde witch.

***

There was a whoosh of air and Selky's sword carved through the middle of a cloth dummy. It split apart, spilling stuffing everywhere. "And that," the arrogant teenager announced to Izo and Shay. "Is how you murder a stuffed sack."

"Can I try?" Izo begged.

"I wouldn't trust him with a sharp object," Shay warned with a soft smile. "He almost cut my hand off once."

"That was two months ago," Izo insisted. "I've grown up a lot since then."

"Sure you have," Selky chuckled sarcastically. "But there's no way I'm letting you play with a weapon Izo. Someone could put an eye out."

"That's what mom always says," the young Liger complained, glowering.

"And you should always listen to your mother," came Caya's voice from the depths of the Gale Force Barracks. "Think fast!" she cried, launching a twig at Selky's head. The raven haired girl swung her sword in a quick arc, slicing the projectile neatly in half. "You are good," the Tiger commented. Selky gave a small bow. "I've actually been sent to find you all," she continued. "Apparently Glinda has a big announcement."

"Any clue what it is?" Shay wondered.

"No," Caya replied. "It's a secret."

"You know Aunt Glin," Selky snorted with a characteristic eye roll. "She always did love drama."

***

"Is there a reason that you called everyone to your quarters?" Elphaba wondered. She was the first to enter the suite Glinda shared with Boq.

"Of course there's a reason," the blonde chirped from out on her balcony. "Come out here." The green girl joined her friend outside. Glinda's face was glowing in the same manner Boq's had been when she passed him in the hall outside. A painful suspicion coiled around Elphaba's heart, but she shoved it away.

"I'm guessing this news of yours is good."

"Yes," the petite woman replied with a huge grin. "Very good." There was a pause and Glinda seemed to be searching for the proper words. She settled for the simplest. "Elphie I'm pregnant."

You'll be happy (or maybe decidedly unhappy) that my love of cliffhangers and plot twists hasn't faded in the time I spent away from this charming story…MUHUAHAHAHA!