A/N: I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I really planned this fic to be a one-week thing, but I got a huge case of writer's block after Boq's chapter, and I felt like my duty was to update my other Wicked fic first, so I did that and now I'm finally posting Chapter 4 of this!

I'm actually sort of disappointed with this chapter. It didn't quite turn out like I had it planned. I hope you all disagree, and like it! I think it's the longest so far...

One more chapter after this, based off the Finale!

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Elphaba

I stood in the entry hall of Kiamo Ko, my broom in one hand, a piece of paper in the other, and my spell book under my arm. My heart beat furiously against my ribcage. I had just received a letter from one of my Flying Monkeys, and I could hardly think straight.

The letter was from Fiyero. But Fiyero was supposed to be dead. How could that be? I thought he had been killed…but apparently my hurried spell had worked, in a strange way. According to the note, written in Fiyero's messy handwriting, he was now a Scarecrow, of all things! And he had a plan to help me escape the Witch Hunters. It was almost too much to drink in without giving myself away to the young woman who stood nearby, watching me carefully. However, I managed to hide my excitement as I let my eyes skim the contents of the letter, memorizing the details of the escape plan before slowly tucking it into a pocket in my dress. Then I looked up at Glinda, trying my best to look melancholy.

"It's Fiyero, isn't it?" Glinda asked, the trepidation evident in her voice, "Is he…?"

I swallowed. "We've seen his face for the last time."

Glinda gasped. "Oh no!"

"You're right," I said, "It's time I surrender." I propped my broom against the stairs and slowly joined Glinda in the center of the room.

"Elphie…Elphie what is it?" my friend cried, looking worried.

"You can't be found here!" I explained, "You have to go!"

"No," Glinda said defiantly.

"You must leave!" I argued, pointing towards the door.

Glinda shook her head. "No! I'll tell them everything!"

"No! They'll only turn against you!"

"I don't care!" she countered.

"I do!" I exclaimed, "Promise you won't try to clear my name…promise!" I pleaded.

Glinda deflated, hanging her head. "All right. I promise. But I don't understand."

I smiled sadly and sang, "I'm limited - just look at me. I'm limited…and just look at you, you can do all I couldn't do…Glinda." Carefully, I held out the Grimmerie, its cover soft yet powerful-feeling in my hands. "Here – go on. Take this."

She took a half step away, shaking her head violently. "Elphie…you know I can't read that...Elphie..."

"Well, then you'll have to learn," I replied, thrusting the volume into her unwilling grasp, "Because now it's up to you…for both of us. Now it's up to you…" I took her hand, squeezing it gently. "You're the only friend I've ever had." The absolute truth of those words only added to the feeling of failure already bearing down on me.

"And I've had so many friends…" Glinda began, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. She blushed, as if realizing how shallow that sounded, and amended, "But only one that mattered." She looked at me fully, and continued in a soft voice:

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

Her voice broke on the last word, and she put a hand over her mouth to hold back the threat of oncoming tears, turning her face away from me slightly. I felt as if I might cry myself, but I wanted to let Glinda know how much her words meant to me, so I gained control and put a hand on the blonde witch's arm, adding my voice solemnly to the stillness:

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a sky bird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

She smiled at me:

Because I knew you

Our voices joined together in the harmony they had been destined to create:

I have been changed for good

I suddenly remembered Fiyero and the letter I had just received from him…and how I had stolen him from Glinda:

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for

My friend only smiled, and took my hand:

But then, I guess

We know there's blame to share

Once more, our voices combined, in harmony and then with our own words,adding a truth to the situation we could not have achieved on our own:

And none of it seems to matter anymore

Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun

Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea

Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
I do believe I have been changed for the better

Glinda smiled:
And because I knew you

I responded immediately:
Because I knew you

And we finished together:
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good…

I scanned my best friend's face hungrily, soaking up every detail there. I always envisioned Glinda at her best, strikingly pretty. Tonight, though, her happy smile was gone, and the morose expression that replaced it caused her normally sparkly blue eyes to appear a dull color, almost gray. A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth. Still, her gaze was steady. I almost wanted to look away, but somehow I couldn't. I didn't want to break the peaceful spell that had settled over us, because I knew it would be the last one we would ever get to have together.

Emotions surged through me – regret for the things I had put Glinda through, leaving her alone at the Palace and later stealing her fiancée at their engagement celebration; sadness for all the things I would never get to say that I wanted so badly to express; anger for the death of my sister; but mostly happiness at the wonderful friendship I had been granted in the past years. I could never, never thank Glinda enough for everything she had given me.

The Good Witch stepped forward suddenly and pulled me close in a tight embrace. I tensed, not used to affectionate physical contact, but then relaxed and returned the hug. A soft moan involuntarily escaped my mouth, and Glinda stepped back.

"Elphaba…" she murmured pleadingly.

I glanced away, knowing that if I continued to look at my friend, my resolve would fail. Instead, I stared at the heavy doors to the entrance hall. Somewhere out there was an angry mob that wanted to kill me. The idea was frightening, but I wasn't going to back down. Too late for second guessing…

Suddenly, I heard a sound like an army's footsteps coming up the path to the castle. I spun towards Glinda. Her eyes were wide with terror as she faced me, and I knew she had heard the oncoming march as well.

"Quick!" I exclaimed, my heart racing, "You must hide! No one can know you were here! Hide yourself!"

"But-" Glinda began, but I impatiently grabbed her arm and pushed her into a room off the hall.

"Remember, you promised," I whispered, shutting the door behind her. On an impulse, I turned the lock on the outside – just in case.

Then I made my way quickly to a bucket of water in the corner and lugged it to the center of the hall, in a spot directly in front of the hidden trapdoor.

The trapdoor. It was so cleverly disguised in the floor that if one didn't already know it was there, they would never find it. Luckily, I did know it was there, and I had a plan, too, compliments of Fiyero.

The mob was getting closer and closer. I positioned myself directly over the trapdoor and waited with baited breath. It didn't take long.

There was a great boom and the castle's whole foundation shook. The doors splintered, and suddenly a great onslaught of people was rushing through them. The Witch Hunters assembled before me, defiant, terrified, and exhilarated. I let my best glare sweep over all of them, checking for recognition. I spotted Boq, the Tinman, and a brief spark of anger ignited inside me, but it was quickly doused as I spotted the Scarecrow beside him.

I knew the straw man was Fiyero, but it was still shocking to see my lover in such a form. The only thing about him that I recognized was his engaging sapphire eyes. When our gazes met, I felt a slight chill, but I didn't have time to think about it as a door upstairs slammed open and that bratty farm girl, Dorothy, came sprinting down the stairs, ending up just between myself and the others.

A spasm of something strange overcame me and I moved, unsure quite what I was going to do; run, beg for mercy…it didn't matter. Dorothy squealed, seized the bucket of water, and splashed it over me.

Instantly, as planned, I shrieked. A long-drawn out scream, as if I was experiencing the worst pain in the world. In reality, all I felt was wet. And cold, because it wasn't exactly warm in the castle, and the water was freezing. Still, I had to concentrate on making the last, and most crucial, part of the plan work, so I ignored the startled looks on my adversaries' faces and began to sink down to the floor, slowly, as if I were actually "melting". My foot felt for the trip that would open the trapdoor beneath me, and when I had successfully caused it to open, I slowly began to descend the stairs into the hidden room, still screaming, though with a higher pitch and a little softer. I felt a slight catch on my back and my cape slipped off as I carefully lifted my hat from my head while I got fully into the nook. Then I quickly began to shut the trapdoor, pushing my hat up and closing the door all the way, leaving my hat and cape above me as I stopped screaming.

There was a long silence above. Then the cheering started. It was an extremely triumphant sound, if a bit muffled by the trapdoor. I smiled bitterly, tucking a strand of wet hair behind my ear.

It had worked. They all thought I was dead.

There was a general scuffle overhead, and the many footsteps began to recede as the Witch Hunters left the castle as suddenly as they had entered it. I sighed and backed up onto an old wooden crate, drawing my knees up to my chest. I couldn't see a thing, but I could tell by the air that my hideout was not very big at all. At least it was warm.

Suddenly, I heard a noise overhead and stood up again, listening carefully. It couldn't be Fiyero – he had written that he would only be back after returning to the Wizard. Then I heard a voice and my blood froze.

"Elphie?" Glinda. She sounded frightened. "Elphie?" There was a slight rustle from overhead, and I knew Glinda had done something with the small pile of belongings I'd left behind.

Sobs followed shortly afterward, and I had to restrain myself from announcing my presence, my very alive presence, to my friend. Instead, I placed a hand on the bottom of the trapdoor and closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry. I wanted so badly to call out to Glinda, to let her know I was okay. But I couldn't. Gradually, I realized silence had stolen over the room above me, and I knew that Glinda had left.

Sighing, I sat back down on my crate. I knew that even now the news of my "death" would be spreading, and celebrations would be commencing all over the country. A choked laugh escaped me as I realized that my vision of so long ago had come true at last. There would be a celebration throughout Oz all to do with me – I just wouldn't be reveling in it.

I felt the paper containing Fiyero's note in my dress pocket and managed a small smile. He would come soon. Then we would be together at last - fugitives, yes, but still together. For now, I would wait. My time would come.

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A/N: And...? Review!