"Fiyero she's awake!" Elphaba shouted, knowing the Winkie was in the next room eating breakfast. Bright, morning sunlight pooled on Galinda's face as her eyes flickered open and closed. "Good morning Glin," the green girl whispered. She gently took her friend's hand. "Can you hear me?"

"Hmm?" the blonde murmured. Slowly Galinda's eyes focused on Elphaba's face. She squinted for a moment before jerking away with a yelp. "Who are you?" the petite girl demanded, curling up defensively against the headboard. "Where am I?"

"You don't recognize me?" Elphaba gasped, holding up her hands to indicate that she meant no harm. "Glin it's me. I'm your best friend."

"I've never seen you before in my life!" Galinda exclaimed with profound revulsion in her eyes. "And I'd certainly never want to be friends with a green freak. Where are Momsie and Popsicle? Did you kidnap them too?"

"No! I'm not a…"

"Are you trying to keep me from going to Shiz? Do you work for one of those crazy groups that think women shouldn't go to university?"

"Of course not. I'm a girl."

"Could've fooled me with that hawkish, cabbage face of yours." Elphaba recoiled as if she'd been slapped. So all those assurances of 'Miss Elphaba you're beautiful' had been well meaning lies.

"Glin I understand that you're scared…"

"Don't call me that!" the blonde hissed. "I don't even know you." She watched Elphaba as she might a freakish, wild animal. It cut at the thin witch's heart.

Dian chose that moment to enter. "Ah Miss Upland," he exclaimed cheerily. "It's good to see that you're conscious." He turned to Elphaba. "Could you step back for a moment and give me time to ask Galinda some questions?"

"Take all the time you need," the green girl muttered stiffly. She stood and marched out before any tears could leak free.

"Fae!" Fiyero greeted as he came down the hallway. The witch looked up at him with raw, heartbroken eyes. "What's wrong? Is she…"

"Galinda doesn't remember me," Elphaba whimpered.

"What?"

"I think all her memories of Shiz are gone," the green girl explained. "We'll know for sure once Dian finishes examining her." Fiyero could clearly see how deep this had cut Elphaba. She'd just lost her best friend; her only friend. Apart from him, that is.

"Fae I'm so, so sorry," the Winkie whispered, pulling his girlfriend into a soothing embrace.

"Well it appears that Miss Upland…oh, sorry." Dian had waltzed in at a fairly inconvenient moment.

"It's ok," Elphaba insisted. She quickly composed herself. "How's Galinda?"

"The good news is that there's no sign of any bubbleheadedness," Dian informed them. "However the spell did wipe away Miss Upland's recent memories. She's under the impression that it's the summer before her first year at Shiz. Therefore she doesn't remember either of you." Elphaba swallowed thickly.

"Thanks for your help Dian," she responded. "Could you possibly explain what's going on to Galinda? You're an adult figure of authority; she'll trust you."

"My wish is your command." As soon as Dian was gone Elphaba began to cry again.

"The months at Shiz changed Galinda and I," she sniffled. "Without them she's a totally different person."

"Fae…"

"I'm going to get her back," Elphaba vowed. "Even if it takes years. Even if I have to spend hours upon hours poring over ancient magical scrolls. There's got to be a way to fix her."

/

"Galinda?" Elphaba was careful to use her full name upon entering.

"Oh, hi," the blonde responded nervously. She was sitting up against the headboard. "Dian told me what happened. About how I was in a magical accident and lost my memory."

"Oh. Did he say anything about me?"

"Just that you're his assistant," Galinda explained. Elphaba couldn't stand the disturbed, almost fearful look her skin was getting. It seemed like an eternity since the blonde had looked at her like that.

"Sorry for scaring you earlier," the green girl apologized, trying to ignore Galinda's staring. "I'll be your caregiver here. My name is Elphaba Thropp." She held out a hand, which was eyed with profound disgust.

"Do my parents know that I'm being cared for by someone with such an interesting skin condition?"

"Not exactly."

"Would it be ok if I spoke to Dian about changing caregivers?" Galinda sniffed.

"Of course," Elphaba replied coldly.

/

"It looks like we're back where we started," Fiyero pointed out at lunch. "We're trying to overcome serious mind manipulation."

"Except this time it's me and you instead of you and Galinda," Elphaba sighed wearily. She seemed to sigh a lot lately.

"Fae we'll get her back," the Winkie insisted, sensing her almost constant self doubt. "Galinda's a fighter. She'll come through just like you did."

"I hope she comes through soon," Elphaba whispered. "I miss Glin."

I must say that writing the beginning of this chapter was a rather heartbreaking experience for me…I hate putting Elphie in pain like that…

Don't worry; the story will not end in pain and suffering; I am already planning a sequel…It will be called 'Blondies' and will probably be appearing soon…

Next week I'll be on a mission trip without technology (I may go into withdrawal) and therefore there will be no updates…thanks to everyone who read and reviewed

If you've been reading this whole time please leave a review and let me know if you liked the story!