(A/N: OMO, I am SO sorry for not updating sooner! This is kind of a boring chapter, so sorry if you were expecting more, but don't worry, the next one will be more eventful. Thank you to all that reviewed and favorited, alerted etc. I'd like to give a special thanks to Pernicia for being supporive of this little story I have going. Alright, well...that's pretty much it, so thanks and review!)

For the first few minutes in the carriage, things were awkward. Galinda cleared her throat louder and more times than necessary. Nessa tried to intrigue Elphaba by saying something to James about Animals or science extra loudly. But Elphaba just stared out of the window at the Vinkun Castle, a sad lookin her eyes.

"So James, I hear you majored in LIFE SCIENCES while you were at Shiz," Nessa said, glancing at Elphaba out of the corner of her eyes. But her attempts were futile; Elphaba was oblivious and just kept staring out of the window. When they were so far they couldn't see the castle anymore, Elphaba turned away from the window. A minute ago she couldn't stop looking out of the window, now she wouldn't look out of the window. She laid her hands in her lap and stared down, not knowing what to do. She missed Fiyero already. She had gotten you used to spending every waking hour with him, even falling asleep with him. Finally, she looked back up to Nessa.

"Um, Nessa, I'm sorry I turned father into a fugitive," Elphaba whispered, "I didn't mean to get him arrested or, almost arrested I guess."

"Elphaba, why would you apologize to me for that?" asked Nessa incredulously. Galinda and James looked away, realizing they shouldn't intrude in this conversation.

"Well, you made it pretty clear before that you didn't know what you'd do without father—I mean, Frex I guess, I'm just sorry." she said.

"Elphaba, don't be sorry, I'm sorry for being selfish and taking advantage of you your whole life and treating you like a servant." said Nessa.

"No Nessa, I was the older sister, I was supposed to do those things. You deserved it anyway, after what I did to you and mother." Elphaba said.

"Really Elphaba? As my older sister, were you supposed to do my laundry when you were four? Were you supposed to cook all of the meals starting at seven? Were you supposed to sacrifice any happiness for me since I was born? Was it normal for you to become a servant to me, to your own sister?" asked Nessa.

"Well, it was the least I could do after..." Elphaba murmured.

"It wasn't your fault." Nessa said firmly.

"But father—Frex always said--" Elphaba began.

"He also called you ugly, and beat you and was a rotten liar." said Nessa, "Honestly, nothing is your fault Elphaba. You're my sister, and I love you. Will you just be my sister and stop acting like you owe something? Like you owe it to me to love me? Elphaba, just, please, will you accept my apology? I am so sorry." Nessa had found that tears had crept into her eyes. Elphaba was shocked at this sudden real emotion. Nessa wasn't just crying to be persuasive; she was even trying not to cry. She actually was feeling this terrible.

"Nessa, I forgive you," Elphaba said. Nessa smiled and hugged her sister. Elphaba returned the hug, and couldn't help but smile, "And I--"

"No, don't say you're sorry, or you'll ruin my happiness." Nessa said before Elphaba could speak. Elphaba laughed lightly.

"Alright," she said, "I won't say it, but I am." she rubbed at her eyes subtly and smiled softly at Nessa. Nessa did the same. Galinda squealed happily and hugged them both, glad that they would all be getting along now. Nessa had been such a sweet girl and Elphaba had the kindest heart. James smiled at the girls. He didn't know what their relationship had been like before, but he understood that Nessa must have been a bit demanding and bitchy...well, maybe very demanding and bitchy, and Elphaba had just let her, because she thought she owed it to Nessa to do as she was told. He was glad they'd smoothed everything out.

"So Elphaba," he began, "I heard you were interested in Life Sciences."

*************

As the carriage ride went on, it seemed that the people inside began to feel more and more like a family. Elphaba was shy and didn't say much to James at first. But she'd loosened up a little bit at least by the time they'd reached the palace. Galinda on the other hand was like a chatter box, which was good because she always knew what strange topic to start next when nobody knew what to say, topics like: which is better, a spoon, a fork or a spork? And why do they even make sporks? The fork part doesn't work because it's too short and the spoon part doesn't work, because the fork part makes any whatever you put into your spoon, slip out. Galinda also couldn't seem to get over the new title Elphaba had inherited. Princess of Oz. Elphaba thought it was just the tiniest bit ironic, that she had turned out to be the princess and not Galinda. Elphaba was surprised at the ease at which James cared for her. Frex had had sixteen years to grow to love her, or at least care about her, it never happened. But James, he'd known her for only a few hours and he already cared about her. He acted like a father in many ways already. He grilled her about Fiyero and about school and what her grades had been etc.

When they arrived at the palace, Fredrick was already waiting outside for Nessa. James helped Nessa out first, putting her in her wheelchair and then Galinda and finally Elphaba, just carrying her in his arms, much like Fiyero. Elphaba was a little surprised that James himself would carry her. He figured he'd dump her in a wheelchair or get a guard to do it. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, I think I can carry you," he scoffed, "You're not that heavy."

"Hey--" she began, but she looked up and saw the amazing Emerald Palace. It was huge, but the architecture was beautiful. She'd thought the Vinkun Castle was big, but not compared to the Palace. Fredrick quickly went to Nessa and hugged and kissed her. She smiled at him and kissed him back, happy to be back with Fredrick.

"Fredrick," Nessa began, "This is Elphaba and Galinda." Nessa introduced them. Fredrick smiled and kissed both of their hands. Elphaba was surprised he'd touched her at all, she was after-all green. Galinda just giggled, getting a glare from Nessa. They went inside and Elphaba immediately took a liking to the place. The halls seemed to stretch on and on. She loved that modern art was displayed rather than old dead guys that nobody cared about. She loved museums, but she hated that effect in living residences. Nessa and Fredrick took a turn down a different hallway, excusing themselves to get ready for dinner. James took Galinda and Elphaba to two other bedrooms. They took the elevator. Elphaba's room was in the East Tower, Galinda's just down a few of the spiral steps and down the hall.

"I've never ridden an elevator." said Elphaba as they went inside.

"Oh the biggest thrill of my life!" Galinda squealed, no sarcasm in her voice. Elphaba rolled her eyes, in five minutes, Galinda would probably find the next 'biggest thrill of her life'. The elevator began to move up and Elphaba felt her stomach flip. James chose the perfect room for Galinda. It was pink and not emerald. She squealed again loudly.

"Oh it's pink! The biggest thrill of my life!" she exclaimed. Yep, and just five minutes later. The bed was large with a pink comforter and white pillows, a four poster with curtains. The carpet was a nice pastel pink, the desk was white with pink drawers. A few chairs, a loveseat, large windows. A giant wardrobe which Galinda had had delivered before they got there. It was stuffed with dresses.

"We'll leave you to get ready for dinner." said James, smiling at her enthusiasm. He carried Elphaba down the hallway until they reached the tower entrance. There was a short spiral staircase and then a door at the top to her room. He opened the door and carried her in, setting her down on the loveseat. The room was white. The floor was carpeted, a fluffy white. Large windows framed the circular room. A large white four-poster was pushed against the wall. It didn't have curtains like Galinda's; it had more of a canopy type thing. There was white desk and chair and a loveseat like Galinda's, only white. There were two other doors, one leading to the bathroom, the other leading to a walk-in closet, which Elphaba hardly thought she needed. The walk-in closet alone was bigger than what she'd used to call a room. This room had an elegant, classy look to it, not the girly type room Galinda had. She saw her suitcase lying on the bed, it had already been brought up.

"Wow." said Elphaba, "This is a nice room."

"Well, what does the Princess of Oz expect?" James asked, teasingly.

*******************

Fiyero was in the library, reading anything he could that wouldn't remind him of Elphaba. But everything he word reminded him of Elphaba. Soon enough, he realized that just being in the library would remind him of her. He sighed as he threw a book behind him. He heard a loud thunk as the book hit the floor. He jumped slightly, not used to hearing the books he threw about carelessly actually hit the ground. He smiled slightly at that, thinking of Elphaba. Ugh! Even throwing books reminded him of her. He sighed, already missing her terribly. The Princess of Oz, wow, there was something he wasn't expecting. Now he knew what she meant by intimidating titles. He smiled, Princess, she deserved that. He went to pick up the book he'd thrown, went he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. The last thing he saw were two tall men standing above him as he fell to the floor, one who of them looked terribly like Frex.

(A/N: oooohhh, are you pumped for the next chapter?! I know I am!)