My buddy "Denpa Wave Chick Saki" co-wrote this with me. Enjoy!

When Elphaba woke the next morning, she was a little dismayed to find that her hair, which had not been brushed since before the incident, was in a state of disarray. She grabbed the brush Galinda had brought and began the task of trying to manage the tangles.

Galinda woke with a start to the sound of a hair brush being ripped through hair. She looked around, her eyes falling on the green woman attempting to brush her hair. "Would you like me to help you with that?"

Elphaba froze. "Uhhh...no...I'm fine..."

The blonde shook her head, tsk-ing her. She got up, taking the brush from her hand and moving as far behind her as she could. She gently started working out the knots.

"M-Miss Galinda, please! This is...unnecessary!" Elphaba protested, trying to move away.

Galinda grabbed her shoulder, keeping her in place. "Nonsense. You weren't getting anywhere with your 'just rip it through' hairbrush technique. Mine is much more effective, see? I've already finished this portion." She leaned around her to give a slight smile.

Elphaba's face turned dark green. "My method is fine...my hair is nothing to concern yourself with," she mumbled.

"Yes, it is something to concern myself with." She continued with her gentle brushing. "After all, I don't want to be seen with a bald bodyguard." She giggled.

"I would not be bald. This is how I've always brushed my hair and it has always worked."

"Are you really going to make me order you to let me brush your hair?"

Elphaba looked down at her hands. "N-no..." She remained silent.

"Thank you. I don't see why you're resisting it so much. I've always loved the feeling of somebody brushing my hair. Don't you?"

"I...I wouldn't know...I've never had anyone brush my hair before."

"Really?" The blonde paused in disbelief before continuing. "I'm sorry. I suppose that's my fault too..."

"It's not anyone's fault. It was just never...appropriate...or called for."

"I guess so...if that's how you want to think about it." There were a few moments of silence. "So, now that you've felt it, how does it feel?"

Elphaba thought. "I...I'm not sure. It's too... new, I suppose."

"Well, why don't you try relaxing and enjoy it?"

Elphaba allowed her body to relax slightly and soon let out a sigh at the feeling of the brush against her scalp. She relaxed a little more, leaning back slightly.

Galinda finished getting all of the knots in her hair out but kept on brushing it. She gave a small smile when Elphaba ended up leaning against her. "Feels amazing, doesn't it?"

"Mmhmm," Elphaba replied, her eyes closed. She didn't quite realize that she was currently leaning against the heiress of Oz.

The blonde giggle softly. "It appears that I have put you into a stupor."

Elphaba suddenly snapped out of her trance. "I-I'm sorry! I lost myself..." She leaned forward, a hand flying to the back of her neck.

Galinda chuckled. "It's alright. It happens to the best of us. I practically melt whenever somebody plays with my hair."

"That's...different..." Elphaba mumbled. She leaned forward to scratch her casted leg. "So, I can leave today right?"

"I don't see how that is any different, but yes. You get to check out this afternoon."

"Thank Oz..." Elphaba reached over to the side table, grabbing one of Galinda's sketchbooks. She opened it and held it in her lap, only to have a frown cross her face.

"What's wrong? Is my picture that bad?"

"No. I had to take my contacts out...and my glasses were in my dress pocket...so unless you can find them, I can't really see."

"Well, that is a slight problem. I will go ask the nurse and then grab some food for you for lunch. Does that sound ok?"

"If that's what you want...but don't trouble yourself."

"It's alright. I'll be right back." Galinda left the room and tracked down one of the nurses to ask about Elphaba's glasses. After being told that they would look around, she headed to the cafeteria. The blonde gathered up and assortment of food on the tray. Too many different things looked good to her so she grabbed a little of everything. I'm glad I finally got my appetite back. When she returned to the front desk to inquire about the glasses, she was happy that they had been found, setting them on the tray and heading back to the room. "Good news. They found your glasses."

Elphaba looked up from where she had been squinting at the page. "Oh, how fortunate." She took them off the tray and slipped them on her face, smiling slightly at the familiar feeling. With her world in complete focus now, Elphaba turned her attention back to the drawings, completely ignoring the blonde and the food.

Galinda had started eating some of the food, so it took her a few minutes to realize that the green woman was not eating as well. She frowned and gently took the book from her hands, setting it down on her side of the table. "Eat now, look later."

Elphaba held onto the book as long as she could. "But, but, but...I'm not hungry." She reached for the book again.

"At least eat a little bit." She slid the book further away from the outreaching hands.

Elphaba scowled before she snatched up an apple and took a bite. "There." She lunged forward for the book.

Galinda quickly took the book and held it further away. "Nuh uh. More than that."

Elphaba let out a sigh of frustration before she quickly finished the apple off. "Happy now?"

"I suppose." She held out the sketchbook to her. "Although I never thought you would be enthusiastic about looking at my boring sketches."

"They are only boring to those who don't know how to appreciate art," Elphaba replied, opening the book to where she had left off.

"I appreciate art. I just never saw you as somebody who would appreciate it too."

"And why is that? Because I am one of the, as you say, Deprived and therefore do not have the mental capacity to appreciate it?"

"No. You're just so...serious all the time, I guess. You just seem like you would enjoy an intellectual talk in a lab-like environment far more than gazing at sketches."

"I can appreciate both, Miss Galinda, but if you would rather have an intelligent conversation..." Elphaba closed the book and looked at the blonde.

"Umm...how about you go back to looking at those sketches?" She chuckled nervously.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Why? Is this making you uncomfortable?"

"No, of course not." She quickly stuffed a bite of a croissant into her mouth.

The green woman wasn't convinced, but she went back to examining the sketchbooks. "When we return to classes, people will think I had kidnapped you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you've been gone for so long...and everyone knows who we are...they will never believe you stayed voluntarily."

"True. I suppose I'll just have to explain it to them."

"They won't believe you, and that would only ruin your image...unless you no longer care for your reputation."

Galinda looked away slightly. "I'm not sure what to do anymore."

Elphaba looked up at her and sighed. "I...I can only do so much, Miss Galinda. If you...if you truly want to change, it will be difficult. And...and if you decide now that change is not something you want...I understand."

"I do want to change. I just...I don't know how to start."

Elphaba offered her a small smile. "You already have." Galinda gave her a quizzical look. The green woman looked back down. "You'll figure it out...eventually."

Elphaba was all too eager to change out of that horrid hospital gown and into the dress Galinda had brought her. The green woman tied her cloak around her shoulders and slipped her right boot on, lacing it up. "I'm ready. Let's leave, please!"

"Alrighty then. Are you sure that you are ready for crutches? I would feel much better if you stayed in the wheel chair."

"I'm fine," Elphaba replied, slipping the crutches under her arms. "A wheelchair would only slow me down." She turned and started out of the room.

The blonde followed, chuckling and mumbling to herself, "In your case, that might be a good thing..."

"I can hear you! And no, it would not be!"

"Good. I'm glad you can hear me. You're more likely to hurt yourself or push yourself too far too fast on crutches."

"Miss Galinda, I know my limits, and I have a very high threshold for-" Elphaba suddenly smacked her injured leg on the doorframe. She inhaled sharply, setting her jaw. "Pain," she finished through clenched teeth.

"That's it. I'm getting the wheelchair."

"No! I don't need a wheelchair! I refuse to be so helpless!"

"Being helpless and just receiving help are two different things, Miss Elphaba."

"I don't want either! I am perfectly fine on these!" The green woman emerged from the hospital and started across campus towards Crage Hall. "See? This is so much nicer than that stuffy room."

With a sigh, Galinda followed her, quickly catching up. "Fine. But you better be more careful if you're going to insist on using those things."

"I am always careful."

"Yeah. Sure." She snorted. "That's why you hit your leg on the doorframe just a few minutes ago."

"I know not of the incident you speak of."

"Suuuuuuuuure. Of course you don't." The blonde rolled her eyes and opened the door to Crage Hall for her.

"I am capable, Miss Galinda," Elphaba said as she went through the door. She soon reached the stairs and paused, faced with a new challenge. "Stairs..." she muttered.

"Correct. Those are stairs." She looked up the stairs then back at Elphaba. "Would you like some help, Miss Elphaba? I know from experience that it is much harder than you may think."

"N-no! I can do it just fine!" She placed her crutches on the first step before lifting her foot up. She repeated the action on the next step. Though she was moving slowly, she was at least moving. "See? I can do it just fine."

"Yes, you're moving...at the pace of a 90 year old woman."

Elphaba let out a low growl. "It takes practice, yes..." She finally reached their floor and started down the hall. "I'm not going to wait up for you, Miss Galinda," she called over her shoulder.

"The blonde followed behind at a leisurely pace, still easily passing up Elphaba and snapping at her, "Don't push your luck, vegetable. My patience with you is wearing thin." She froze, dropping her bag and her hands flying to her mouth. She turned to look at the green woman. "I am so sorry! I didn't mean- it just came tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop it!"

Elphaba didn't stop. "It's all right," she said, her voice emotionless. She had foreseen something like this happening. It wouldn't be easy or possible for Galinda to completely change that quickly.

Galinda picked up her bag and ran ahead of Elphaba to open up their room and leave the doors open for her. When she opened up the door to the bedroom, she tossed the bag and her hands fell to her sides after an exasperated sigh. "Ozdamnit...they did it all wrong!" She rushed forward taking the new pillows off of her bed and moving them to Elphaba's cot.

Elphaba entered a few moments later. She raised an eyebrow as she watched the blonde. "Might I ask why your bed is covered in pillows of assorted sizes?" she asked, picking a particularly pink fluffy pillow up.

"Because the dangnabbit workers mixed everything all up. The new pillows," she snatched the one out of Elphaba's hand, putting it with the others on the cot, "are for your cot."

"Wait...why do I need so many pillows?" Elphaba approached her bed and picked a large beige body pillow up. "I can't even see my cot anymore."

"Well, since you're so hurt and all, that uncomfortable cot can't possibly be of any help. So I figured I'd cover it in pillows to make it better."

"Uh..." Elphaba blinked a few times. "I appreciate the gesture, but you really shouldn't have...I am not used to comfortable things, so what you see as uncomfortable is actually decent for me. Luxury as you have may be my definition of uncomfortable."

"But I did need to do it. I would have felt horrible leaving you to sleep on that old thing. I would have offered my bed, but then where would I sleep? And after what you have done for me, you deserve what you consider as luxury."

"Miss Galinda, I really don't know if I need all of these...please don't go out of your way for me. Serving is all I know. I cannot live any other way."

"It's not out of my way. I'm already here, aren't I? And I simply sent out a written request on one of my trips out of your room in the hospital." She patted the now pillow-covered cot. "Now, sit and make sure it feels ok."

Elphaba looked uncertain but sat gingerly on the bed. She stood up quickly. "Yes, too many pillows." She began picking some pillows and hobbled to place them in the linen closet.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be uncomfortable." She sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Miss Galinda, please. Have I ever complained about such things before?" Elphaba said as she threw the pillows into the closet. She returned to her bed and placed her crutches under her arms. "Now...is there anything I can do for you?"

The blonde let herself fall back onto the bed. "You could stop being so frustrating. I'm only trying to help..."

"I'm sorry...but please try to understand this is hard for me too. If I can't serve you...I have no purpose. I cannot allow you to get hurt again. Your father will not be so forgiving if we must go a second time around."

Galinda didn't answer, having quickly fallen asleep after collapsing onto the bed.

Elphaba sighed before she sat down. Now that the blonde as asleep, she had time to actually think. What could she make of this? Galinda wanted so badly to change...but how? They had lived so long like this...what could she, the green bean of Oz, possibly mean to Galinda, the heiress to the throne? Surely Galinda was not only in this for the friendship, or even for Elphaba's forgiveness. So what then? Elphaba looked back at the blonde. "What is it that you want from me?" Galinda would give her no answer of course. Elphaba sighed again. And what would she herself gain from this? There was no way she could rise even with Galinda's "friendship" or approval. So what did it matter to her if Galinda got what she wanted out of this? Was it for the respect? That was something she had never truly had.

The blonde in question rolled over in her sleep.

Elphaba watched her, slightly amused. Or was it perhaps the tiny glimmer of hope that Nessa could actually know the truth? But no...it would destroy her world...everything she had been given...the life Elphaba could never supply. And there was the question of Galinda's image of course. The blonde said she didn't care, but Elphaba knew better. Galinda was a vain, silly thing and giving up the reputation she had so carefully purchased would no doubt be hard for her. It would be like having a limb removed; it was a part of her. Perhaps she hoped that by being with Elphaba, she could stop this pretense? Elphaba sighed for a third time. Whatever the reason was, only time would tell if the two girls could live with this new "respect".

When Galinda finally awoke, she groggily sat up in the bed, running a hand through her hair and squinting around the room in the bright midday sunlight. She spotted Elphaba sitting on her cot. "Mmm...what time is it?"

Elphaba looked up from her book. "Around noon I believe."

The blonde let herself fall back to the bed again. "Wow, I sure slept for a long time."

"You were most likely tired after moving that mountain of pillows off your bed."

Galinda stuck her tongue out at her as she sat up again. "Meanie..."

"I apologize," Elphaba said, looking back down. "Your boyfriend came looking for you while you were asleep. You may want to remind him that men are not allowed in Crage Hall."

"Well, what did he want?"

"He wanted to see you, most likely to get back to your nightly fu-" Elphaba stopped, catching herself. "He wanted to see you." The blonde ignored her comment and slowly managed to get herself out of the bed, heading for the bathroom to freshen up. "M-Miss Galinda? Might I ask you something...somewhat personal?"

"I suppose so. What is it?" She turned on the bathtub faucet, waiting for the tub to fill.

"What...what do you see in him? Master Fiyero, I mean."

"I see a charming, handsome young man who loves me just as much as I love him. Why do you ask?" She turned off the faucet.

Elphaba looked down. "No reason. But...how do you know you love him?"

The blonde thought for a moment as she stripped off her clothes and slid into the bath. "I'm not sure really. I just...do. Does that make any sense at all?"

"I don't know. I've never been in love, so I have nothing to compare it to. Is it...is it nice?"

She smiled. "Yes. It is quite nice actually. Having somebody you can always talk to, who loves you for you, who thinks you're the most wonderful thing in the world...it's wonderful."

Elphaba nodded. "It does sound nice..." She shook her head and returned to her book. "If one were interested in such human affections."

"You mean to tell me that you're not interested in having any of that, Miss Elphaba?"

"I don't think so. It would distract me from my job of serving you. Besides, who could feel such emotions towards me, the green bean of Oz, anyway?"

The blonde shrugged. "You never know, I suppose. Maybe there is somebody out there who is right for you. Maybe you will find a Fiyero of your own."

"I highly doubt it. But don't feel sorry for me. All that sounds like too much work."

"Oh, really? How so?"

"Always doting on the other person, giving them your attention, not to mention if they really like you and can't go one day without you. I can't have people hanging on me, and I can't have them expecting me to hang on them either."

"Well, this might be the hopeless romantic in me talking, but I think that if you found that right person for you, you would be willing to go through all of that. You would enjoy giving him your attention because you know it makes him happy. And having him be happy makes you happy, because you love him so much. You would find yourself craving to be hung on and showed affection, because, coming from the right person, it would make your heart fly and you would feel like it was made to be." She blushed.

Elphaba smiled slightly. "Perhaps...but I doubt I will ever find someone who could see past the green...and actually see me." She cleared her throat. "Do you need my assistance?"

"N-no. I'm fine, thank you." She dropped the subject, picking up her handtowel and washing down her body." Soon enough she was stepping out of the tub and wrapping a towel around herself before she moved out into the bedroom.

Elphaba was already back to reading her book by that time. "So...will you be off to see your boyfriend or off to class?"

"I'm not sure yet." She sat at her vanity to brush through her wet hair.

"Will you accept my opinion on this matter?"

"It depends on what your opinion is."

"My opinion is that you go to class, which you have missed because of me. I believe that is more important than running back to your boyfriend. You said you wanted to change; that you wanted people to see you differently, correct?"

Galinda banged her head against her vanity softly. "Gah! Why must you being right also mean that I must go to classes?"

"Please don't do that!" Elphaba said, jumping up and stumbling on her injured leg. "I'm sorry! I'm just trying to help you!"

"Stop. It's fine." She sat up and looked at Elphaba in her mirror. "I wasn't really hurting myself. She stood and moved to her closet. "Now it's time to get ready for class. Joy..."

"Miss Galinda, please, if it really makes you so upset...you shouldn't listen to me! I...may I be honest with you?"

"Sure." She rifled through her dresses. "Although, I am pretty sure that even if I said you couldn't, you would tell me anyway."

Elphaba looked down. "I...I want you to go to class not only because I believe that is the best choice, but because...I want...I want to attend Dr. Dillamond's class again. It's the only time I am accepted as a...student. I apologize for my selfishness."

"You really want to be a student that badly?"

Elphaba's face grew dark green. "I...yes. It would be...I would love...Shiz is..." She couldn't finish.

"Wow. I hate being a student, and you want nothing more than to be one. Maybe we should trade places." She chuckled.

"You wouldn't last one day in my shoes," Elphaba said with a slight smile.

"I don't think you would do so well in my shoes either."

"No. I wouldn't have your sense of fashion."

"Plus I think you would have some trouble walking in my stilettos."

Elphaba laughed. "This is true...and I doubt your legs are strong enough to lift my boots."

"I'll have you know that my legs are quite strong actually." She pulled on a dress and found the matching shoes before heading back out into the bedroom. "Dance is a great exercise for the legs."

"If you say so." Elphaba retrieved her crutches. "Miss Galinda...you don't need to go to class just because of what I said."

"No. You were right. I'm never going to change if I keep putting off the little things that will help me towards it. And that includes going to classes."

"All right." Elphaba made her way over to the bedroom door. "Are you ready then?"

"Almost." She slid on her shoes and grabbed her bag, putting her things for class in it.

Elphaba went out into the other room and caught sight of her reflection in the small mirror on the wall. She approached, this being the first time she had seen her reflection since the accident. Her eye was still black, though she could open it now. Small cuts littered her exposed skin. Elphaba raised a hand slowly to touch her black eye lightly. "Vulnerable...weak...broken..."

Galinda finished packing her stuff and left the room. She watched as Elphaba stared at herself in the mirror, whispering, "I'm sorry."

Elphaba heard Galinda enter and turned quickly. "I...are you ready?"

The blonde gave a little sniff before pasting on a small smile. "Yes. Let's go, shall we?" She headed out the door.

"Y-yes." Elphaba followed the blonde out the door, and the two made their way to Dr. Dillamond's class, the only sound coming from Elphaba's crutches. Galinda sat in her seat, silently pulling out the chair next to her for Elphaba. She went into her bag and set her things out on her desk. Elphaba sat down, leaning her crutches against the desk. "Miss Galinda...you needn't show me such respect in public."

The blonde smiled a little. "You should really make up your mind, Miss Elphaba. One day you want me to show you respect, and then the next, you don't. Which is it?"

Elphaba opened her mouth to reply, but stopped. "I...I want to be treated like a human...but not like a helpless cripple. Do you understand? I don't want to be babied."

"Pulling out a chair is being polite, no babying you." She opened her notebook.

"But I can pull out my own chair," the green woman protested. "How about you only help me if I ask for it?"

Galinda sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you," the green woman said just as Sarima entered the room. "Miss Galinda, you've returned," the brunette said, approaching her.

The blonde looked up at her, putting a small smile on her face. "Yes, I have."

"I'm glad to see both of you here," Sarima continued. "Safely," she added, looking at Elphaba. The green woman's face grew dark and she looked down. Sarima smiled slightly before she left to sit off to the side.

Elphaba looked at the blonde. "She seems nice..."

"Yeah. Sure." Galinda's smile faded almost as soon as Sarima had left. She picked up her pencil and started doodling in her notebook.

Elphaba's brow furrowed slightly. "Do you not like her?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Something about her...irks me, I guess."

Elphaba looked at Sarima, who was writing something or other in a notebook, occasionally stopping to chew on the end of her pen thoughtfully. She looked up and offered Elphaba a slight smile. The green woman looked away quickly, turning back to Galinda, her face a dark green. "So...where is your boyfriend? He was so eager to see you," Elphaba said, eager to change the subject.

"You know him. He is always fashionably late." She cracked a smile.

"Not the best trait to have," Elphaba muttered as Dr. Dillamond entered.

The Goat's eyes fell on the two girls. "Miss Glinda, Miss Elphaba. So glad to see you two are back with us."

Galinda gave a small nod of her head. "Thank you."

"Yes...I would like a word after class. Now, let us begin."

Elphaba watched the Goat, transfixed, as he began his lecture. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed being here. A small smile crossed her face, and she forgot about her injuries. The blonde did try to pay attention, but she found her thoughts drifting around as she doodled some more.

Towards the end of the class, Fiyero finally walked through the door, striding to his seat in the back of the classroom and winking at Galinda on his way. The blonde was so lost in her reverie that she almost didn't even notice that he had come in. She smiled at him, winking back.

Elphaba watched him with some slight disdain, but didn't give him that much of her attention. She noticed Galinda's actions and rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You're going to make me ill," she said with a slight smile.

"You're just jealous 'cause you don't have your own eye candy." She grinned.

Fiyero looked around the classroom, his eyes falling on the sexy brunette he had bumped into at the hospital.

"Why would one want candy for their eyes?" Elphaba asked, her brow furrowing in slight confusion. "Is it an expression? Or is it like having fancy eyewear?"

The blonde chuckled. "I'll explain another time."

Elphaba looked back at Fiyero and saw that his gaze was not on Dr. Dillamond, but it wasn't on Galinda either. She followed his gaze and found that it was on Sarima. Wait...why was he looking at her like that? Elphaba quickly turned back around. "Love is hopeless..."

Galinda looked up at her. "Or maybe you are just too much of a pessimist about love to see the true potential of it." Elphaba didn't reply. Love was hopeless because humans were fickle creatures; never pleased with what they had. No one was able to remain faithful anymore.

Class ended and the students quickly left. Elphaba stood slowly, putting her crutches under her arms. "Remember Dr. Dillamond wants to talk to you," she said.

"Ah, yes. I remember." She gathered up her things and headed towards the front of the classroom.

"I trust you are feeling better?" the Goat asked as Galinda approached.

"Yes, sir. And I would like to apologize for missing class the past few days."

"Yes, well...your absences were understandable." Dr. Dillamond placed a hoof on her shoulder and pulled her aside slightly. "And, uh...Miss Elphaba? She is...?"

"She is fine. She looks much better now than she did when..." Galinda hid a small sniff as she remembered the scene of Elphaba's beating exactly as it was, unable to say the words. "Well, the doctor said there isn't any lasting damage, and that she'll be perfectly healed in a month or so."

"Well, that is good to hear, but I wonder..." The Goat didn't finish. "Anyway, I won't take anymore of your time." He turned away to begin cleaning his board.

"What did he want to talk about?" Elphaba asked, approaching the blonde. Unknown to her, the light caught her black eye just right, causing it to stand out against her green skin.

The blonde turned to her and winced at the sight. "He just wanted to make sure you were alright." She paused holding back a familiar wave of nausea. "I- um, I need to go back to the room. I'll meet you there." She rushed out the door.

"Galinda!" Elphaba started after her, moving as fast as she could on her crutches. "Galinda, wait!"

Galinda ran back to the room and headed straight for the bathroom. She collapsed on the floor, vomiting into the toilet as she started to sob. Elphaba panted as she strained to keep up her pace. She managed to get up the stairs, entering their room minutes after Galinda. The green woman put a hand to her chest, which was screaming in pain. "Ga...Galinda..."

The blonde grabbed a nearby towel wiping at her mouth. "P-please go away..." Elphaba sat down, trying to catch her breath, but finding herself unable to. She continued to gasp for air. Galinda looked away from her, managing to whisper through her sobs, "I'm sorry..."

The green woman fell to the floor as she continued to gasp for air, her body convulsing violently. Galinda finally looked over at her, her eyes widening. "M-miss Elphaba? Are you alright? Oh, Oz, what's wrong?" She pulled the green woman up into her arms.

Elphaba clung to Galinda's arm as she continued to gasp. One hand flew to her chest. The blonde lost her composure, completely freaking out with tears rolling down her face. "Sweet Lurline, I don't know what to do! I've never had to do anything like this before! What do you need! Water? A bandage? A banana? What do I do?" Elphaba could see spots dancing in front of her eyes, but she forced herself to remain conscious. She grabbed Galinda's wrist and placed the blonde's hand on her own convulsing chest.

Galinda shook her head slowly. "I don't know what to do..." Elphaba weakly grabbed Galinda's other hand and brought it up to lie on top of the one on her chest. She looked the blonde in the eyes, her own dark eyes pleading. The light finally went on in Galinda's head as she figured it out. She slid Elphaba off of her lap and thrust her hands down onto her chest, forcing her to exhale.

Elphaba finally managed to take a deep breath as she rolled onto her side, coughing. The green woman lifted herself up weakly, her arms shaking.

"Are you ok?" She helped her sit up.

"Yes," Elphaba managed to get out. She gave the blonde a weak smile. "I think...we need to go over the emergency plan again..."

Galinda buried her face in her hands, collapsing into sobs again. "Oz, that was so scary..."

"I...I apologize for scaring you...but you saved me." Elphaba smiled slightly again. "You really are changing...slowly but surely...you are changing."