"Fae?" Fiyero stared at her as she sprinted out of sight. "Elphaba!"

"Let her go." Yackle dismissed him with a wave when he started across the room. "She'll be at the palace by the time you get halfway up the stairs."

He turned on her. "She can't go back there alone!"

"She can and she has." Yackle corrected him. "Now stop yelling. I have enough of a headache without you adding to it." She rolled her eyes when Betak sniffled. "You're still crying?"

"I..." The tiny woman choked on a sob. "I can't seem to stop."

"And you don't have to." Lion put his paw on the Munchkin's shoulder, looking darts at Yackle. "Can't you just leave her alone? She's worried about Breena and Elphaba."

"I know, but that's not going to help. And I keep telling you, everything is going to be fine."

"Fine?" Fiyero's voice dripped with sarcasm. "How can you say that?"

Yackle shrugged. "Because it's true."

"Then you have a strange definition of fine." Fiyero snorted.

"I don't think so," the hag shook her head.

"Glinda, Addena and now Breena being gone is fine? Elphaba going off on her own to face a palace full of Gale Force guards and Morrible is fine? Us being screwed is fine?" He threw his hands in the air. "You're crazy!"

"Yeah." Lion was quick to agree with Fiyero. "Sometimes I wonder if you have a compassionate bone in your body." He blushed when he saw hurt flash in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

"Just because I don't bawl my eyes out at the drop of a hat or overreact to everything doesn't make me any less human than the rest of you." Yackle cut him off. "I mean it when I say Elphaba and Breena can do anything together. Cliche as it sounds, it's true. They have a destiny."

"What destiny?" Betak sighed. "To constantly be in danger?"

"No, to save Oz from Morrible."

"What if they can't?" Fiyero growled.

Lion frowned at him. "Don't say that."

"I'm trying to be realistic."

"Well you sound like an ass." The feline stated.

"It's his nature." Yackle spoke up before Fiyero could. "And it's not just my opinion that they'll succeed." She patted the Grimmerie, which was still clutched safely in her arms. "It's a Chandra Malloy prediction."

"A prediction?" Fiyero scoffed. "What does some crackpot fortune-teller have to do with anything?"

"Chandra Malloy wasn't a crackpot or a fortune-teller." Yackle snapped at him.

"No she wasn't." Lion agreed. "She was the foremost clairvoyant ever born."

Fiyero looked at him in disbelief. "Do you even know what a clairvoyant is?"

"You've heard of her?" Yackle ignored his question for the both of them.

Lion nodded. "My mom had a lot of books about her. She used to read them to me as bedtime stories before..." He swallowed to clear the knot of emotion thinking of his mother caused. "She used to read them to me."

"Interesting choice of material," Fiyero muttered under his breath.

"Shut up." Betak chastised him.

"Most of those books were overly sensationalized to the point you could barely recognize her predictions. The ones written in the Grimmerie came directly from her personal journals. Even so I'm sure you'll recognize part of the prediction I was referring to concerning the girls." Yackle was talking so fast she had to pause to take a breath. "After the fall of the great leader..."

"A dangerous threat will arise." Lion picked up for her. "One that will be overcome..."

"By the power of two." Betak finished, frowning when she saw the look Fiyero was giving her. "What? I've read books about her too."

Yackle smiled. "Very good."

Lion blushed. "Aw shucks."

"It makes so much sense when you stop to think about it." Betak shook her head in awe. "The fall of the great leader was the Wizard leaving Oz, the dangerous threat is Morrible and the girls are the power of two." She looked at Yackle. "They're going to do it." You could almost see the weight of the world lift from her shoulders.

"They are." Lion smiled too. "Elphaba and Breena are going to beat Morrible."

"You've got to be kidding me." Fiyero looked at each of them in turn. "You spout off some cryptic nonsense written by a woman none of you has ever met and everything is suddenly all right?"

"She wasn't just a woman." Lion spoke up. "We're talking about Chandra Malloy."

"And?" Fiyero scowled. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

Lion looked shocked. "You've never heard of her?"

"Obviously not!"

"There's no need to be mean." Betak came to Lion's rescue. "I find it hard to believe you've never heard of her too." She raised her hand to keep him from speaking as he opened his mouth. "But you haven't. We get it."

"As Lion said, Chandra was a clairvoyant when magic was prevalent in Oz." Yackle decided it was time to fill him in. "People from all over the land came to see her about what would happen in their futures, but she couldn't pick and choose what she predicted. She kept track of her visions in journals. When my family started transcribing spells into the Grimmerie they were given her journals to chronicle her predictions as well."

"So you're all excited about some nonsense a woman wrote in a journal? How do you know it's true?"

"Every prediction she ever made has come true." Betak answered.

"Then how do you know this particular one is about Breena and Elphaba?" Fiyero persisted.

"Because she kept her visions in chronological order. This one is due to happen this year." Yackle stepped in again. "She made predictions for well into your children's children's lives."

"Pretty convincing, huh?" Lion practically squirmed with excitement.

"No." Fiyero answered him truthfully. "My people don't believe in visions and clairvoyants and being able to predict the future. So excuse me if I don't get too excited until I see the girls are safe with my own eyes."

Yackle stopped Lion from following him as he stormed into the living room. "Leave him be."

"But..."

"He has his beliefs and we have ours. You can't force him to change his mind."

"She's right Lion." Betak put her hand on his arm. "We have to hold on to the knowledge that Breena and Elphaba are going to be all right. Come on. I'll fix you something to eat. It will keep us both busy."

The big cat looked longingly toward the living room before saying, "OK," and following the Munchkin toward the kitchen.

Yackle watched them go before heading for the living room. Just because the Winkie was being stubborn didn't mean she had to let him wait alone. Besides, the chairs in the living room were a lot more comfortable than the ones in the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where is that blasted girl?" Morrible muttered to herself as she prowled the throne room. "I have her sister and her girlfriend." She threw a disgusted look toward the main doors. "She should be here by now!"

"You've only been back a few minutes." Boq spoke up from his favorite spot next to the throne.

Morrible gave him the evil eye. "What was that?"

"You've only been back a few minutes." He spoke louder this time. "You've got to give her time to..." His voice trailed off when he saw the look on the older woman's face. "Right. I'll just be shutting up now."

"Like that will ever happen."

Addena looked up when she heard the new voice. "Bree?"

"Breena." Glinda breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Elphie's sister sit up.

"Well, well, well." Morrible smirked. "Look who finally decided to join us. Perhaps things will get a little more interesting now."

"Hold that thought a second." Breena kept her eyes on Boq. "I have someone else to deal with first."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Tin Man tried not to sound intimidated.

"It means I want to know how you could do this. After everything you've seen and heard since joining us, how could you hand Glinda and Addena over to her?"

"Oh no you don't." Boq snapped at her. "You're not going to paint me as the villian here. I'm not the one who goes around turning people into tin!"

Breena rolled her eyes as she climbed to her feet. "When are you going to stop playing the victim and realize Elly saved your life?"

"Never! She ruined my life the same way I'm going to ruin your little blonde friends lives once Morrible is through with you and the Witch."

"Don't call Elly 'the Witch. And what the hell do you mean you're going to ruin their lives?"

"They're mine." Boq sneered. "I get them for telling Morrible where she could find you."

"What?" Breena frowned. "They're not toys, Boq."

"We'll see about that."

"You're not..."

"Stop her!" Boq yelled as Breena started toward him. "She's going to cast a spell! Stop her!"

One of the guards complied, slamming the butt of his rifle into the side of Breena's head. Her legs buckled, spilling her to floor.

"No!" Addena, Glinda and Morrible yelled at the same time.

Morrible went over to the guard as quickly as her hefty body would allow, ripping the gun from his grasp. "What did you think you were doing?!"

"He..." The guard stammered as he pointed at Boq. "He said to..."

"It doesn't matter what he says! You take your orders from me!!" Morrible swung the rifle, knocking him off his feet as it slammed into his face. "And you!" She turned her wrath on Boq. "Who do you think you are?!"

"You told them to keep her from causing trouble." Boq defended himself. "And she was about to..."

"I guess I'm going to have to show you who has the authority around here!" Morrible bellowed, drowning him out as she held one hand in front of her. An orb started to form as she glared at the Tin Man. "You..."

The doors exploding interrupted her. The guards standing just inside yelled as they ducked and scrambled for cover. The dust had barely begun to settle when someone said, "Clarus." The mens' protests were cut off as an invisible force swept the whole mess into the far corner.

Elphaba stepped into the now clear space, locking eyes with Morrible. "I hope I'm not late."

"Oh no my dear," Morrible smiled. "You're right on time." She threw the orb in her hand.

"Watch out Elphie!" Glinda yelled a warning at her lover.

"Obsido." Elphaba easily deflected the hard gust of wind into the guards she had already put in the corner. She clicked her tongue as she continued to stare at Morrible. "I'm afraid you're going to have to do better than that."

"I plan on it." Morrible already had new orbs in each of her hands. She laughed as she threw them both.

Elphaba sidestepped one, allowing it to pass through the open door and into the main foyer of the palace as she deflected the second one. "This works better. Agito!"

The spell hit Morrible in the chest, knocking her off her feet. Air rushed from her lungs as she landed on her back but she still managed to say, "Get her!" to a group of guards standing against the wall.

"Yes ma'am!" The men sprang into action.

"Conicio." Elphaba gestured with her hand, knocking them all off their feet. "Confuto."

"I..." One of the guards' eyes were wide with amazement. "I can't move."

His declaration was quickly followed by several 'neither can I's and a few 'me either's.

Morrible took advantage of her being distracted to form a storm cloud on the ceiling of the room. "Now we'll see what you're made of!" She hurled a lightning bolt at the unsuspecting green witch.

"Presidium." Breena shielded her sister as she shakily sat up again. "Absentis." She just as quickly knocked the other guard hovering over her into his counterparts who had managed to regain their footing in the corner.

"Stay out of this!" Morrible threw a lighting bolt at her.

"Obsido!" Elphaba barely managed to block it.

Morrible quickly threw a gust of wind at Glinda and Addena, knocking them off their feet.

"Vexo." Elphaba's blood boiled as she sent Morrible skidding toward the throne. "It's time to end this." She walked toward her, forcing her back to the ground with a stern, "Maneo!" as she tried to use the base of the throne to stand. "You're never going to hurt anyone again. Abe..."

"No!" Breena managed to cut her off as she started to cast the death spell. "Where did you learn that?!"

"It doesn't matter." Elphaba never took her eyes off of Morrible. "If anyone deserves it, it's her."

"No." Breena disagreed. "No one deserves that, Elly. Not even her. And you'll never forgive yourself if you use it." She winced as she climbed to her feet. "Let's just strip her powers like we intended to all along and..."

"Strip my powers? I hardly think so. Guards!" Morrible yelled, prompting Gale Force officers to pour into the room from every possible entrance. "Seize them!"

"Agito!" Breena threw the first guard who tried to grab her.

"Conicio." Elphaba did the same with one who reached for her arm.

"I would stop if I was you." Another guard whispered in Breena's ear as he grabbed her from behind.

"Then I guess I'm lucky you're not me." She drew out the last word when she saw both Glinda and Addena being held by guards, guns pressed to their temples. She relaxed into the guards grip, clinching her jaw as yet another guard pointed his gun at her chest.

"Amitto." Elphaba made a big group of guards coming toward her disappear. "Bree, let's..." Her voice trailed off when she saw the predicament the others were in.

"I have to admire your attempt, Thropp." Morrible gloated as she stood. "You had me worried there for a second, you really did. Especially after that entrance. But as you can see, in the end I still win."

Elphaba glared at her. "You haven't won yet."

"Oh really?" The older woman looked surprised. "Tell me, which one of them are you willing to sacrifice to prove your point? Because you're talented, Thropp, but you're not enough to save them all."

Elphaba swallowed hard as she looked at Glinda, knowing Morrible was right. She couldn't risk their lives but she couldn't let Morrible win either. What was she supposed to do?

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Get away from him!" The guard waved his gun at the Wizard.

"Let me guess," he raised his hands, still holding one of the pillows. "You're Cade."

"How did you know my name?"

"He told me." The Wizard nodded toward the other guard.

The guard noticed his downed companion for the first time. "What did you do to him?!" He knelt down, being careful to keep the gun trained on the Wizard as he used his free hand to feel for a pulse.

"Is he alive?"

"He's breathing." Cade frowned at him. "Wait a minute, why would you care? You're the one who... did whatever you did to him. Did you hit him with this?" He kicked at the vase as he stood up again. "Never mind. That's not important."

The Wizard shrugged, deciding he liked this boy a lot better than the mammoth lying on the floor. He seemed more his speed.

"What were you going to do to Nevin?"

The question pulled him from his thoughts. "I was, uh..." He tried to come up with something convincing when he remembered the object in his hand. "Fluffing his pillows."

Cade's frown deepened. "You knocked someone out to fluff his pillows?" He wrinkled his nose. "Aren't you the Wizard?"

The Wizard answered by throwing the pillow at him before rushing him, hoping to get the gun out of his hand. But the guard wasn't having any of it. He knocked the projectile away and aimed the weapon at the Wizard squeezing the trigger a moment too late as the older man hit his arm. Neither one of them noticed where the bullet went as they continued to fight.

"What are you doing?!" Cade looked down at the Wizard after gaining the upper hand for a moment.

"What I have to." The Wizard managed to knock him off again.

They wrestled beside the bed, each thinking they had the other when in reality they were pretty evenly matched. That was until the Wizard managed to land a lucky right hook, taking advantage of Cade being dazed to pry the gun from his hand.

"Ha!" He clambered to his feet, taking a moment to celebrate his victory before tightening his grip on the gun and turning toward the bed. "I'm sorry Nevin, but I can't let my girls down. I know what I have to do. So..." He quirked an eyebrow when he caught sight of the boy on the bed.

"No!" Cade sprang to his feet next to him. "I can't let you..." His voice trailed off when he saw Nevin had a bullet hole between his eyes. "You shot him!"

"No, we shot him." The Wizard clarified. "It must have happened when we were fighting."

"Huh." Cade seemed to think about it for a second before saying, "Oh well. Good riddance to bad rubbish."

The Wizard frowned. "What?"

"No one could stand him." Cade turned away from the bed. "We all wondered who he slept with to get to be captain. It had to be someone on that stupid Merchants Council cause it certainly wasn't Glinda. He wasn't her type." He chortled. "Apparently none of us were her type if you know what I mean." He looked at the gun in the Wizard's hand. "Can I have that back now?"

"Uh..."

"I'm not going to use it on you or anything. You're the Wizard for crying out loud." He was quick to reassure him. "But I have a feeling I'm going to need it if I can talk my friends into helping me get rid of Morrible."

The Wizard looked intrigued. "You don't like her?"

"Oz no! Who does?" He made a disgusted face. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure why I didn't think of leading a revolt before. She's no leader, let me tell you." Cade suddenly eyed him. "But you were. Would you be interested in having your old job back?"

"I..."

"Think about it." Cade took the gun from him. "And get out of here. We'll take care of the body. No one will ever know what happened." He flashed him a smile before breezing out of the room in much the same manner he had entered.

The Wizard looked after him for a moment before turning back toward the bed. "I hope you know how truly sorry I am my boy."

With that he left too, praying he hadn't been too late to help his girls.