Elphaba's POV

Today was the first showing of Don Juan. I wasn't nervous that I was going to mess up, but I was worried that people wouldn't like me, or that they only came to see my skin. Weeks of practice were put into this, and it was perfect. All of the dances were spot on, the singers were all on key, and the scenery was beautiful. Golden and red flames wrapped around stairs leading to a rafter of sorts at the top.

I was pinning up my hair when Erik walked in holding a single blood red rose with a white ribbon wrapped around it. I smiled and walked over to him, taking off his mask in the process. He still put his hand up to cover his face at first, but put it down before it got there. He was getting better at remembering, but it still disappointed me that he didn't trust me.

"You're perfect." I said, kissing his deformed cheek.

He smiled to me and held the rose out with a dramatic bow.

"For you, mademoiselle." I giggled and took the rose from him, breathing in its beautiful scent.

"Thank you." I said, pressing the soft petals to my nose. "You know, you're supposed to give flowers after the performance is done."

Erik shrugged his shoulders and sat in the chair by the corner of the room. "I'm not your everyday person, now, am I?"

"Not really, but you're wonderful all the same."

"Are you ready?" he asked me.

"Not really, but I'll do my best."

"Come now," he said "You've practiced for weeks. You'll do fine."

"What if they laugh? I am green you know. Even if you are used to it, most people aren't."

"If they laugh, they'll have to deal with me."

"You're the best." I smiled.

"Five minutes Miss Thropp!" a stagehand yelled from outside my door.

Erik stood to take his leave. "I must be going. You're due on stage."

"Will you be there? Watching, I mean."

"Box five, my dear. I'll always be in box five." With that he left. I laughed and hurried out the door after him, mask in hand. He may not want to take it off, but he always forgets to put it back on. Luckily, he was only a few steps out the door before I caught up to him. I tapped his shoulder and he turned around to face me.

"Forget something?" I asked, dangling the piece of porcelain in front of his face. He looked at it in horror and placed a hand over his face to make sure he didn't have it on before he took it. He was so afraid to be out in public without it. It was sort of sad.

I went back into my dressing room after he left and quickly pinned the rose he gave me into my hair instead if the prop rose and hurried backstage.

The show, I'm happy to say, was great. Nobody laughed. It was just a stunned silence. I'm not sure if that's any better, but it was in my book. The whole show was amazing… until the Point of No Return.

Everything seemed to freeze. I walked onstage and was done with half of the song until I noticed someone clad in all emerald green. At first I thought it was just somebody who was there to make fun of me, but when I got a better look, I was the seal from Oz. How did they find me? I continued the song, still, my heart beating furiously. I glanced up at box five a few times too. I could tell Erik knew I was uncomfortable, but he couldn't see why. The guard stayed stationary for a few minutes, but by the end of the song, he started advancing. I couldn't stay there. The guard would surely catch me.

I ran off stage and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Erik get up from his box and leave in a hurry. I ran to my dressing room and locked the door behind me. I changed as fast as I could into one of my light sundresses, snagging a few buttons in the process. Sweat beaded at my brow as I went into the tiny closet in the back of the room and retrieved a broom.

Banging occurred at the door as I straddled the broom. I concentrated and recited a few lines of a spell as my feet left the ground. I was only a few feet off of the ground, but that would have to do for now. I pointed to the door and shouted a phrase that unlocked it. Erik stumbled in. I breathed a sigh of relief, but grabbed him by the arm and pulled him on the broom behind me.

"Wha-"

"No time!" I said. He clutched my waist as we flew out the door and down a few empty corridors. When we got to the lobby, I panicked. There were people everywhere! I looked back at Erik. He looked terrified. I f I wasn't being chased, it would probably be something to laugh at.

"Erik," he looked up at me. "Is there another way to get out?"

He pointed up. I looked up and started to go where he pointed. I didn't see anything until I was closer and saw a thin line of light seeping through a crack. I pushed it and it sprang open, making a loud thump as it hit the floor of the roof.

"There she is!" I heard someone shout from below us. I didn't know if it was a bystander or a guard, but I wasn't going to look back and see.

"What happened?" Erik collected himself enough to ask.

"The guards. They came from Oz. I don't know how they found me."

"I do own the park, I could have just sent them away." He replied.

I laughed wryly. "The wizard may be a fraud, but they could overpower us with sheer strength in numbers."

We flew for a couple of minutes in silence until I saw a bubble in the distance. Galinda! I thought. It had to be!