(A/N: *resigned sigh* ah well, I knew this day would come. My story has officially been shelfed. It's glory days were nice, but like everything thing, all good things must come to an end. It seems my quaint little story has lost the interest of most of its readers. But to those who are still a long for the ride, I'll keep writing this if you want. It was really nice of you guys that reviewed to review. It made me smile. So, this chapter is uber sad just to warn you. Review if you're still along for the ride :)

Fiyero shot through the forest, missing trees by inches. He yelled as he almost crashed head long into a giant oak tree, but he laughed it off as he looked behind him at the tree. In looking back, he didn't look forward, therefore, it was a bit of a surprise when ANOTHER giant tree was right in front of him. He pulled up on the broomstick and he shot straight up into the sky. There was nothing like it. Defying gravity was the best feeling (besides being with Elphaba of course). Fiyero felt light and free, Oz, Bird's really had it made. He went upside down in a loop, before returning back to where the others were. He landed in front of Galinda.

"I think it works." he grinned. Galinda squealed and hugged him.

"Now you be careful." she warned, "Or...else." was all she said. She turned to David, "And you too!" she snapped, "If I see one scratch on you head—I'll...I'll...let's just say you've got a storm coming your way buster."

"Buster?" asked David.

"It's what people say to sound intimidating." Galinda whined, "You know...buster."

"Ok...." David and Fiyero chuckled, "We're off now, we should be back in an hour max." They mounted their broom and shot into the sky.

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

She hadn't moved much since the last time Linus had come by. He easily slipped through the bars and stood before her on the stone. She didn't seem to notice him.

"Princess?" Linus finally spoke up when she still didn't notice him.

"Linus, is th--that you?" she asked, but she wasn't looking at him.

"Yes Princess." said Linus, "I've come to tell you that Fiyero and David are on their way right now to save you."

"W-well they bet-better not get h-hurt." Elphaba shivered violently as a small gust of wind blew through the window. She stared into space, her eyes focusing on nothing. Linus wondered why she wasn't looking at him. He shrugged it off; she was probably in a haze from all the pain she was in.

"Princess, are you alright?" he asked.

"Quite—quite fine." Elphaba mumbled, "T-tell my f-father that Frex is—is trying to get th-the Great Ke-kells to fight f-for him. The G-great Kells has al-always been a pr-pretty indiff—erent province, they j-just want to fight. I-if my father ne-negotiates with them f-first, I'm sure th-they will fight for us."

"That's a very good idea Princess." said Linus.

**********

Frex was still fuming from that blasted battle. How had they known?! He was almost certain there were no traitors among his own men. He knew them all well, they were all too shitty to pass over secrets to the enemy. He was muttered to himself and yelled as he paced around his study, slamming his fists onto the desk. Finally, when his energy was spent, he sat back in the hard chair. He nearly fell asleep when he heard two voices upstairs...in the East Tower. He knocked his chair over as he stormed up there. He stood at the door as he listened to Elphaba giving information to somebody. Frex's blood boiled as his face turned red. So this was how James had known about the attack. His daughter had told him. Before Frex had actually felt a little sorry for Elphaba, because of what Morrible did to her, now he just felt she deserved if even more! He couldn't wait to rub it in James' face tomorrow about what else he'd put Elphaba through. He flung the door open and saw Elphaba on the ground like yesterday, talking to a Bird. They both jumped as the door flew open. The bird scrambled to get to the window as Elphaba ushered him out, but Frex blocked the window, the Bird fluttered slowly to the ground, staring up at Frex with wide eyes. Frex pulled his pistol out of his pocket. He knew Elphaba couldn't see him, but she could still hear. He aimed the pistol at the Bird, and one shot was all it took. The shot mingled with Elphaba's scream and the Bird's last sound before death. The Bird lay dead on the floor, blood trickling across the stone.

"No!" Elphaba screamed as she felt Linus's blood spread slowly, thickly over her hand.

"You ruined my plans." said Frex coldly, "This will teach you not to pass along my plans to the Wizard." he stepped over the dead bird and walked out, locking the door tightly behind him to ensure that she wouldn't escape, but in her current state, he doubted she'd even try. Elphaba reached her hand out until she felt his soft feathers. Tears pricked at her eyes and fell on Linus's body, mixing with the soaking blood.

**********

Fiyero and David landed silently a few yards away from two guards outside. The guards were unsuspecting, making small talk and arguing over which constellation they were looking at. Fiyero looked at the stars, and it wasn't a constellation of either sorts, it was just stars. Fiyero rolled his eyes and he and David walked up behind them slowly. They hit them hard on the heads with theirs brooms and they were out like a light. It was rather humorous actually. Fiyero took off one of the guards caps and put it on his head.

"Now we have to undress them." he groaned as he began to unbutton the jacket of the guard.

"Aren't you used to undressing guys by now, fruity?" asked David, quirking a smile at him.

"Haha, very funny." said Fiyero as he put the guard's jacket and began to unlace his shoes. Once they were fully decked in the black uniforms Frex's men wore, they snagged the guard's set of keys and let themselves into the palace quietly. Inside it was dark, there were no lights on. The palace was so different when it was home to Frex. They kept to the shadows, even though they had Frex's uniforms on. They didn't run into any other guards until they were almost to the East Tower.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked one of Frex's men.

"The bathroom?" said Fiyero.

"Together?" the man quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, he," Fiyero pointed at David, "Has a little um...trouble if you know what I mean..."

"Ugh, get lost!" the man yelled, pushing them in the opposite direction.

"We're going that way." Fiyero said, making to step around the man towards the steps to the East Tower.

"No yer not. The only thing thataway is the East Tower, and the only thing in the East Tower is the Princess and I don't think she'd help you in the bathroom even if you asked nicely." said the man.

"Fine fine." Fiyero backed off, "If you'd have just let us go, I wouldn't have to do this."

"What?" asked the man.

"This." David hit him hard with the end of his broom.

"Hey!" Fiyero said, "I was going to do that!"

"If I'm made to have bathroom troubles, I think I get to knock him out." David growled, "Now c'mon." he and Fiyero quickly raced up the steps. Luckily, they didn't have to break down the door. They did however have to search the whole Ozdamn ring of keys till they found the right one.

**********

Elphaba heard the click of the lock in the door. She flinched, thinking it was Frex again. She heard the door open slowly, gently even. She frowned, that couldn't be Frex, he almost banged it. She heard two pairs of footsteps. Her back was to the door. She heard a sharp intake of breath. Slowly she let her hand slide across the stone floor until it came to the stranger's foot. She felt the cool steel of the toe. Those were what Frex's men wore. She quickly brought her hand back.

"What d-do you want?" she asked coldly. Fiyero felt unable to move as he looked at her. Her back was lashed badly, horribly. Long, deep gashes split her skin and blood covered her. She was shivering violently, from cold or blood loss, Fiyero couldn't tell. He kneeled down next to her, only then did he notice the Bird in her hands. It was Linus Fiyero realized with a jolt. He was bloodied and....dead.

"Oh my Oz." Fiyero murmured. David slowly approached the two.

"Elphaba?" he asked.

"Who are you?" asked Elphaba, her hand traced Fiyero's face. She knew that face...wait, was it--?

"Elphaba, it's me." said the voice next to her.

"Fiyero?" she asked quietly. He nodded. She didn't say anything. There was silence until she asked again, "Are you Fiyero?" she asked.

"Yes." Fiyero said, confused, hadn't she seen him nod? She had been looking right at him, "I just nodded." he said, concern embedded I his voice, "You saw me." he said.

"Fiyero...she's...she's....Fiyero, she can't see you, she's blind." said David, his eyes widening. Fiyero looked more closely at Elphaba's eyes, and with a jolt, he realized David was right. She hadn't seen him at, she hadn't been looking at him.

"Oz, Elphaba." he quickly gathered her into his arms and held her close as he felt tears come to his eyes. She buried her face in his shoulder as she felt tears fall, burning her, but she didn't even notice that minimal pain when the rest of her body was in agony. They suddenly heard footsteps and David quickly pulled them up.

"We have got to go, now." said David urgently. He pulled the match and stick of dynamite out of his pocket. Fiyero pulled Elphaba closer to the wall, and held her safely to him. David lit the fuse and set it by the far wall, walking back to where Fiyero and Elphaba stood. Two seconds later, the dynamite exploded, sending stone flying and dust spiraling in the air. It didn't take long for the dust to disperse and a big gaping hole became clear, blasted through the stone wall. They heard shouts behind them. Fiyero quickly mounted his broom and pulled Elphaba on in front of him. She still held Linus tightly to her chest. Fiyero quickly kicked off the ground, zooming out of the hole. David right behind him. Elphaba jumped a little at the sudden loss of ground. But soon, she realized what they were doing and what had happened, how she'd escaped. But she couldn't be happy.

"We did it Elphaba." Fiyero whispered in her ear as tears poured down his face, "We're defying gravity." tears shone through his words, and Elphaba didn't need to see him to know he was crying.

"Yero my hero." she murmured as she felt her own tears run down her face. She felt the wind on her face, all around her. She shivered, but not as badly. She wanted to be able to look down when she defied gravity and see how high up she was. See exactly how free she was. But she couldn't see anything. She hugged Linus closer to her heart and could only feel: the wood of the broom, the wind in her hair, Fiyero's strong arms around her, the feeling defying gravity, and the still of Linus's heart.

(A/N: if that beginning author's note freaked anybody out, sorry! I am going to continue this story, you don't think I could end it LIKE THIS? did you?)