A/N: (is stunned) Wow! An enormous thanks to everyone who reviewed, as ever! Sorry this took so long to update, what with the New Year celebrations and being back at school…anyway. Hope you enjoy!

Compass Point

5.

Fabala was almost startled right out of her large boots when Galinda suddenly let out an inhumanly high pitched shriek and took off down the hill they had just reached the peak of. Biting back a curse she attempted to calm her pounding heart, and glanced distractedly down to see what Galinda was so excited about. When she finally spotted the two figures standing at the base of the hill, she felt her heart freeze in her chest.

There she was. Herself, that was. Standing clear as day beside a frantically waving figure that was obviously Fiyero. She felt great relief at seeing him, but her eyes were drawn to the form of her younger self, dressed in a simple, dark navy dress with her hair pulled back into a tight plait. It was quite the oddest experience of her life, and that was saying something.

Studying the younger Elphaba further, she frowned. Much as she hated to admit it, Glinda had been right. She had been seriously fashion challenged in those days.

Straightening her hat and smoothing her dress, feeling inexplicably nervous, she adopted a passive smile and made her way uneasily down the hill behind the beige and mauve blur that was Galinda.

"Fiyero! So you decided to leave poor old Fabala behind, did you?" She called as casually as she could, giving him a significant look as she emphasised her compromised name. He looked surprised, and grinned, nodding almost imperceptibly to indicate that he had understood.

Meanwhile, Galinda and Elphaba were engaging in a far from civil reunion. Having charged full pelt down the hill, Galinda seemed to recover herself, skidding to a halt before her green-skinned schoolmate and clearing her throat, flushing with embarrassment. Elphaba's face sported the weirdest expression, as though her features were unsure how to arrange themselves. The result was something which looked vaguely like a constipated frog which had just swallowed a rotten fly.

"Galinda." She greeted, stiffly.

"Elphaba." Galinda returned, with similar hostility.

There was a long, awkward pause, as Galinda fidgeted with the hem of her skirts, and Elphaba cast her gaze elsewhere. Eventually, Elphaba broke the ringing quiet.

"You're unharmed?"

She muttered, trying to sound as unconcerned as possible. Galinda blinked in slight confusion, flushed pink again, and nodded hastily, quickly looking herself over.

"Apart from my shoes still being covered in icky goo and having about a million blisters on my feet, yes."

She said, gazing mournfully down at her ruined shoes which would no doubt be mentioned for many a year to come. Elphaba glanced down at them also, and suppressed a smirk as she recalled 'accidentally' spilling the sticky substance upon them during class.

"How very tragic."

She drawled, words practically dripping with sarcasm. Galinda puffed out her chest and poked Elphaba in the chest, exclaiming hotly:

"It is! These shoes were important to me!" Sighing in exasperation, she shook her head despairingly "Anyway, enough of all that. Look who I met!" She gestured behind her towards her former travelling companion "She's called Fabala, and she says she's a witch, a real live witch! Isn't that amazing?"

Elphaba glanced with disinterest towards Galinda's proclaimed 'Fabala', and did a double take. Wait. No. That couldn't be right, surely? It must have been a trick of the light…the woman couldn't be…

…green?

Her mind went entirely blank, bombarded with a million questions which overrode any sense of clear thought. She vaguely registered that the woman was about a head taller than herself…or did she seem taller due to that peculiar hat she wore? And bore features and hair similar to that of her own, although her face was more pointed, more dignified, and her eyes burned with a quiet maturity and confidence which was almost suffocating. And finally, as aforementioned…she was inexplicably, inescapably…green.

Green like Elphaba. Fabala smiled wanly at her, had ducked her head in a brief nod.

"Well, Miss Elphaba. I've heard an awful to about you." She said purposefully, and Elphaba felt drawn to her. Her manner was unassuming yet somehow powerful, her forebodingly black attire only adding to the effect.

Suddenly realising her mouth was hanging wide open, Elphaba hastily closed it, her cheeks filling with blood as she struggled to locate the appropriate words floating about in the foggy mess that was her brain.

"You…you're…" She spluttered, unable to convey her observation. Fabala's gaze softened almost imperceptibly, and she seemed to understand.

"I don't think either of us has cause to stare. Shall we dispense with all the exclamations and simply accept our mutual colouring?"

She said, quite pleasantly, as though she was discussing the weather. She extended a firm, emerald coloured hand half covered by a pointed sleeve. Elphaba stared at it for a moment, the situation seeming surreal. To see a hand before her, coloured so, but it not being her own, was utterly…perplexing. Unreal. Impossible. Improbable. True.

Smiling stiffly, but with substantial relief, she clutched the hand in her own and they shook, just once, then let go.

"Gladly. Galinda said you were a sorceress…?"

A dark shadow flickered behind Fabala's eyes, but within a split second, it had gone. Elphaba blinked in surprise, as suddenly, she could not read the elder woman at all. Her smile widened convincingly, and she bent her upper body in a small bow as she sarcastically introduced herself properly:

"Fabala. Former Witch of the West, as Miss Galinda so kindly pointed out."

Galinda did not hear this comment, as she was too busy looking curiously at Fiyero, who seemed distinctly uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Fascinated, Galinda circled the scarecrow slowly, staring with a rudeness she was blissfully unaware of.

"And who are you, Mister? Why, you're made of straw!" She idly prodded a protruding stem, and Fiyero flinched "How very odd. Are you an animated being? Or were you human? Is it difficult to wash? How do you breathe? Why-OUCH!"

Her meandering musings were abruptly cut off as Elphaba cuffed her soundly round the head with the back of her hand. Galinda reeled, although the blow had not been particularly strong, and scowled petulantly at Elphaba. Utterly speechless, she silently demanded an explanation. Elphaba shrugged, going to no expense to defend herself.

"You were gabbling."

She stated coolly, shoving her hands deep into her pockets and flicking her long plait over her shoulder in an uncharacteristically Galindafied gesture. Perhaps this land had gone to her head, she mused.

"That doesn't justify violence, Miss Elphaba!"

Galinda reprimanded, gingerly rubbing the back of her head. Elphaba rolled her eyes and returned tartly:

"You were being rude, callous and potentially hurtful. That does justify violence."

Galinda blinked in surprise at this statement, then scowled, and opened her mouth furiously to retort. Wisely jumping between them, Fiyero hastily intervened, addressing Galinda with a slightly tight smile on his face:

"Oh, it's quite alright, young lady. I'm used to such comments by now. Let's just let it lie, shall we? We're exactly the most picturesque of rag-tag bands."

Galinda, put out, looked over her fellows, and returned his smile a little sheepishly.

"I suppose not."

Suddenly all business, she whirled on her heel to face Elphaba and gestured imperiously to Fabala:

"Fabala says she can get us home, Elphaba."

Elphaba's entire attention was automatically focused upon the elder woman, as she whipped abruptly around to fix her with an intense stare.

"Is this true?" She demanded, and Fabala cleared her throat, and nodded curtly.

"Yes, I could, but…it's not very simple. You were transported here by powerful sorcery, so it would take powerful sorcery to get you back. But get back you must, and so…" She trailed off, unable to express the enormity of the situation with words. Looking meaningfully from Elphaba to Galinda, she eventually turned to Fiyero, a silent plea for help.

"Yero, is there anywhere we could stop to take rest?"

Change the subject, she thought, desperately. There was absolutely no way she could reveal the extent of her plans to return the two young time travellers without also revealing far too much information concerning their whereabouts. Fiyero seemed to understand this, and considered her request.

"A few miles back down the road, there's an old abandoned waterwheel building. We could reach it before daybreak if we hurry."

Elphaba and Galinda, feeling thoroughly left-out, started forwards simultaneously.

"Wait!" They exclaimed in unison, then glared at each other. Elphaba eventually broke the lock and continued "How do you intend to get us home?"

Fabala drew a deep breath. She had expected this; she knew she would not trust her own well-being to a pair of strangers she had barely met, and considering the fact that Elphaba was a younger, more hot-headed and more hostile form of herself…well, let's just say the next few days were going to be extremely difficult.

"Could you possibly save your questions for when we reach this place of refuge? I shall explain all I can then." She paused, and squinted into the distance, then gestured to Elphaba and Galinda "You two…could you run on ahead, to the top of the hill and see if you can see the river, to the east? I must discuss something urgently with my partner."

Elphaba gave her a suspicious look, and Galinda stomped both her feet rapidly in quick succession in an expression of frustration.

"Oh, why are we always walking uphill?" She groaned exasperatedly, but nonetheless beginning the long trek back up the hill"This is going to kill my heels…"

Elphaba, breaking her uncomfortable gaze upon Fabala, turned also. Reluctantly, the pair traipsed towards the crest of the hill, still bantering with sour enthusiasm.

"Oh, quit whining and move, you oversized puffball. You should have worn more practical clothing."

Galinda, as expected, was incensed by this comment.

"Well, when I chose my wardrobe this morning, I wasn't exactly anticipating travelling to a hostile parallel universe of all places, believe it or not!"

"Do you ever think of anybody but yourself?"

"What has that got to do with any of this!"

"Oh, just shut up and walk…"

Galinda let out a strangled, high-pitched shriek of frustration, and stomped even harder upon the yellow paving beneath them.

"This is not going to be any fun at all!" She wailed, thoroughly disappointed with the days most recent turn of events. Elphaba slid her a sidelong look, and nodded grimly.

"For once, Galinda, I completely agree with you."

&&&&&&&

"I had forgotten."

Elphaba blinked in surprise as Fiyero spoke softly, a strange smile playing about his awkward lips. She turned her gaze away from the retreating figures in the distance and gave the scarecrow a questioning look.

"Oh?" She inquired, and he shook himself, his smile widening.

"How much you detested each other. They're so…untouched. Full of life. Not innocent, but…different." His smile faltered "You both changed so much."

Fabala swallowed thickly, forcing her mind not to go wandering into a past that seemed as far away as though it was another world. She pinched the bridge of her nose and turned away from the hill.

"How in all of Oz, did this happen, Yero?" She murmured quietly "It's…utterly impossible for them to be here…"

Fiyero hesitated, then placed a tentative hand on her shoulder and squeezed in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

"Everything happens for a reason, Fae." He muttered encouragingly, although he didn't really know whether he believed that. Fabala gave him a tight, yet grateful smile, and sighed.

"This changes everything. If we do not return them to their time, there will be no future for us." She clenched her fists at her side "But I…cannot do it, without the Grimmerie. And I left that with…"

She faltered, her voice catching, unable to voice the name. They had not spoken of the life they left behind since they had walked out of a small side gate within the Emerald City.

"With Glinda." He finished, softly, and she nodded, lowering her gaze. Fiyero could do nothing but look at her, feeling inordinately useless.

"Oh, Fae. I'm so sorry." Was all he could say, and it sounded entirely lame. He frowned as a thought occurred to him.

"I don't suppose there would be a way…" He hesitated, then blundered on "…to steal it, without her knowledge?"

Fabala stiffened. After a long moment, she slumped, seeming suddenly far older than she was.

"It would break her heart." She whispered bluntly "I left it as a token of our friendship, and practically ordered her to keep it safe. If it went missing, she would feel she had failed me." She smirked bitterly "Not to sound arrogant, but that…it would destroy her."

Fiyero removed his hand from Fabala's shoulder and looked away.

"But then…what can we do?"

Fabala pulled herself up to her full height, and drew a deep breath, rolling her shoulders briefly, the defensive walls coming back down around her. Fiyero sighed quietly. He hated it when she clammed up like this; she became an entirely different person.

"We must find a way to take the Grimmerie for just one night. Then we can return them, replace it, and continue on our journey."

She made it sound so simple. Fiyero very much doubted it would be anywhere near as easy as she made it out to be.

"Elphaba?" He said automatically, and winced as she flinched.

"Have you considered that…they might be here for a reason? What if they are here to prevent us from leaving into exile? Maybe they were brought here to…mend the ways between you and Glinda, to clear your name, maybe even to-"

"Stop it." She cut him off with finality, an indistinct quaver to her voice. She continued, quietly: "I can't hope. I daren't hope."

Fiyero nodded hastily, and patted her awkwardly on the shoulder again, cursing his inability to do or say the right thing.

"We'll take it one step at a time. We'll work it out. You'll see."

Fabala laughed genuinely if a little brokenly, the sound catching and grating in her throat unpleasantly, but somehow, she managed to smile.

"Yero, my Hero, you are far from brainless. You are the wisest man I have ever known."

Fiyero felt himself light up and shine inside, and cleared his throat uncomfortably, fully aware of the goofy smile which was probably covering his lips. Catching her elbow, he steered her gently back to face the hill, where the figures of Galinda and Elphaba had long since vanished.

"Come we must go, before Galinda and…well, you…kill each other."

Fabala, for a moment, said nothing, considering the journey, and, no doubt, the fight to come.

"This is going to very a very odd experience."

She stated as casually as she could manage, as though commenting on the weather. Fiyero grinned and clasped his hands behind his back as they began to walk.

"Nothing but the most extraordinary for us, Fae."

A/N: Again, apologies for the wait! Please review and let me know what you think!