Authors note: Just a reminder, italics indicate a flashback.

Just Call My Name

The young boy frantically threw off the blankets and ran his hand along the lumpy mattress. Nope, not there.

He crouched down and stuck his head under the bed. The only thing he could spot was a pile of dust and a dirty pair of trousers that smelled quite foul.

He stretched his arm as far as it would go, but he still didn't find what he was looking for. He was looking for something special, something that had recently gone missing.

It was his lucky pebble, the one he had found down by the river last summer. The pebble that had stayed with him all the way up until he found out that his pocket had gotten a hole in it this morning.

He didn't know what he would do without it. He had grown accustomed to the feel of it against his leg and the weight of it in his pocket. The boy knew that he had to find it, for without it, his life may never be the same.

The young fellow searched every single crevice and crack, but he never again saw that pebble. After a while, he forgot all about it, until now.

He had suddenly recalled that day he lost his pebble because he found himself thinking how childish it was to fret over a lost stone. It seemed even more foolish now because he had something more fragile that had gone missing.

Glinda was still absent and he was currently on his way to find her. He sat uneasily in the carriage racking his brain, trying to piece together any clue that might lead him to Glinda.

He couldn't think of anything, but he knew that he would eventually run into her, for there was only one way out of the Emerald City.

The carriage was turbulent because of the rough terrain, but Chanter had not noticed. He was determined, and when he was determined, nothing disrupted him. He tried to think of what he was going to say to Glinda when he found her.

Something along the lines of, "I'm sorry for being such an inconsiderate, worthless, selfish, pig headed, yet handsome, husband. Please forgive me Glinda, I love you and I don't want to be away from you ever again." He added the handsome part for a touch of humor and he knew it would make her laugh.

He peered out of the window and kept expecting to see the little blonde standing there waiting for him to rescue her. Yet deep down, he wasn't sure if she wanted to be rescued.

Glinda looked over to the driver, but he was frozen in place like a human icicle. There was only one person to join her in witnessing the insanity that stood before her. She wanted to reach out her hand and brush it against the person before her, but she was scared.

It had to be a mistake, she had to be hallucinating. How else could this be happening? Glinda pinched herself, which evoked a zealous cackle from the other person.

"How?" Glinda managed to squeak.

The other person took a few steps closer. Being only a few feet away there was no mistaking that odd, yet endearing, hue.

"Glinda. Don't be scared." Elphaba said through a smile. She was trying to conceal her feelings but they burst out of her like a bunch of fireworks.

The tears stung her skin like acid and she wiped them away ferociously. The tears were painful, but not nearly as excruciating as the feeling of leaving the ones she had loved. The ones she still loved.

She couldn't hold back any longer, she ran to Glinda and pulled her close. The two women didn't need to speak to understand the gravity of their situation.

Glinda peered up at the green girl, the girl she thought had melted. Yet she was staring at her, she was touching her, and she was very much solid.

Elphaba was as beautiful as Glinda remembered, the only thing different was her hair. It wasn't long; in fact, it was only about shoulder length.

Elphaba saw the blonde girl eyeing her hair, and giggled, "Only you would be concerned with looks at a time like this. Don't you want to know what happened to your driver? Don't you want to know how I knew you were here and why I stopped your carriage? Or would you rather I entertain you with the story behind the hair cut of a phosphorescent witch?"

Glinda playfully hit Elphaba on the shoulder, "No, I want to know what's going on. And exactly how did you find me Elphie? And where have you been?"

The jade woman in front of her crossed her arms, and drew in a deep breath, "Well, as you may remember back at Shiz, I was learning how to perform spells. Well since then, I have perfected this magic cauldron in which I can observe any one I like. Every once in a while, I look in on you; make sure that you're alright. Well, the other day, I happen to see you and this man arguing,"

"Chanter," Glinda interrupted, "he's my husband."

Elphie nodded, and then continued, "well, I figured I had to leave seclusion to talk to you. I didn't like how unhappy you looked. Then, this morning, I wake with this terrible sickness. I ran to the cauldron, and sure enough, you weren't looking very well. So, I decided to come see you."

Glinda looked down at her hands, and then spoke softly, "Elphie, I'm pregnant."

Elphie's eyes grew in size and she looked quite comical standing there with her eyes spread wide, "Pregnant? Wow, the lovable Glinda the Good is great with child. I guess you miss a lot when you're hiding out in a cave."

"Yeah, though I was about to do something really horrible before you stopped my carriage. I was about to drink an elixir."

"What is it with you people and elixirs? You'd think you would have learned your lesson about the dangers of elixirs by now. Hello, do you want your child to turn out like, well, me?" Elphaba walked towards the carriage and held out her hand to touch the driver. He didn't move when she placed a green hand on his cheek.

"Okay. Glinda, I can't stay much longer. This spell is going to wear off soon, and I can't risk the driver getting a look at me. I just wanted to see you. Make sure that you're okay. I really should go." She began to retreat towards the tree where her broom was levitating.

"Wait!" Glinda called out, "you didn't tell me where you've been this whole time."

Elphie sighed, and reluctantly turned around, "Well, the day I 'melted,' Fiyero and I escaped to Kiamo Ko. We've been hiding in the caves there ever since."

"So, Fiyero is alive too?" Glinda whispered, feeling a bit faint from the shock of the news.

"Yes, we had to fake our deaths; it was the only way we could ever be," she paused to think of a word, "together. Glinda I never wanted to leave, but sometimes we don't have easy choices. I had to do what was best, and I had to disappear. Although I'm not with you, know that I'm always looking out for you. Anytime you need me, just call my name. I'll be listening." Elphaba took her friend's hand in her own, and squeezed it.

Then, suddenly she was on the broom and hovering into the air. She went higher, until she was above the trees and seconds later, she was only a spec.

Glinda stood still, recalling what had just happened. Elphaba was alive, and Fiyero too. How had she not known this whole time? She was standing there in the silence trying to keep her heart from bursting out of her chest.

Chanter was getting anxious. He had been out of the city for a while and still no sign of Glinda.

Chanter did not like the feeling that was beginning to develop in his stomach. He sensed that something was wrong and he knew that he had to find her soon.

Up ahead, there was a carriage and Chanter screamed for the driver to hurry up. When he drew closer the driver slowed, and Chanter jumped out. He lost his balance, and tripped.

He got a face full of dirt, but he didn't care. He had to pull her close to him and beg for forgiveness.

She was standing there with her hands on her chest. Her face was flustered, and she was a bit shaky.

"Glinda!" he called out as he made his way quickly towards her. She jerked her head in his direction and a small smile appeared.

Chanter grabbed her and buried his face in her hair. He twirled her around in his arms and she squealed.

"Chanter, you came for me! I'm sorry I left without telling you where I had gone." She pulled his face to hers.

"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I have been horrible and I…" Glinda silenced him with a finger to his lips.

"All is forgotten, after all. I have just received some news. We are about to add little bundle to our family." Glinda peered down at her stomach, than back at Chanter whose jaw had fallen open.

He leaned over and picked her up into his arms. Their lips met in a frantic kiss filled with an overwhelming amount of relief and passion.

They instructed the driver, who had awoken from the spell without any idea that he had been under it, to return to the palace.

Chanter placed his hands on either side of Glinda's face, "I really am sorry." Glinda smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

It had been five months since Glinda had found out she was pregnant, and boy had things changed. Her once flat stomach had expanded to about ten times its original size. Her chest had also grown, which was an annoyance to her, but Chanter didn't complain.

None of her clothes fit, but that wasn't a problem, it just gave her an excuse to go shopping for new outfits.

She still had several months left, yet her tiny frame didn't look as if it could grow much more.

That night in bed, she found herself rubbing her belly, and cooing at the little one inside, "Hey sweetheart. Momsy is so excited to see you. I can't wait to see your beautiful face and show you around the palace."

Just then, Glinda felt a sharp pain and a poke, "Hey you, that wasn't very nice. Don't kick your mother while she's trying to get some sleep." Glinda giggled, and rubbed her stomach where the baby had kicked.

Chanter watched Glinda talking to her belly and couldn't help but feel his heart swell with love. How amazing did she look? Her cute little body with their baby inside.

He climbed in to bed next to her. He lifted up her nightgown to reveal her belly, he loved looking at it. Her soft skin and the veins that ran in a most interesting pattern intrigued him. He kissed her stomach which caused her to giggle and her belly to shake.

He placed one hand on top of her belly button and the other one slightly higher on her belly. He felt odd, but he began to talk to his child.

"Hey baby, its daddy. I love you, and I hope you're feeling okay. Mommy's right here too, but I'm sure you already know that. We love you so much."

Chanter pulled Glinda's nightgown back down over her belly. It hardly fit and he knew she would need a new one soon.

He placed his head on her stomach and tried to listen to the movements of the baby. Glinda ran her hands through his hair and he soon fell asleep.

Glinda lay in bed awake. Chanter had fallen asleep on her belly, and she was pretty sure the baby was asleep too, for it hadn't kicked in a while.

She looked up at the ceiling and began to speak to an old friend, "Elphie, I know you can see me. Can you believe how huge I've gotten?" She pointed to the rounded part of her body.

"It's not so bad actually. It gets me a lot of attention and it makes a nice arm rest when I get tired. Of course, I can't wait to see the baby. I'm just glad that you get to see us, no matter how far away you may be."

Glinda giggled when Chanter woke up.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked sleepily.

"Oh, just the baby."