Galinda shut the door behind her, panting as she looked at Avaric still unmoving in his spot. She scrambled over to where she had been sitting grabbing the purse there and running back to the door.

She only needed to use the restroom, she wasn't planning on listening in, but she did. Now she had to get out of here.

He had not returned.

Galinda had promised he would return and he hadn't. It would be easy to dismiss what she heard and continue playing the part but it was no longer safe. She could not do this alone. She didn't know if she was capable of doing it alone.

Her head jerked towards Avaric, her hand pushing some of her blonde hair away from her face. She didn't want to, and she absolutely hated it, but she needed to help him and she needed his help.

In a moment she crossed the room towards him grabbing at his shoulder and shaking it. "Avaric!" She whispered, hastily rocking his shoulder, A low hiss escaped from his mouth but otherwise he did nothing.

Galinda lifted her other hand and slapped him, his head jerked away but still nothing.

Morrible had mentioned something about him being injured. Galinda reluctantly peeled his suit jacket off and searched for the injury, finding it after noticing a red stain on his right shoulder. She bit her lip slightly frightened to see how he would react at what she was about to do. She took a deep breath and quickly pressed her thumb into the wound.

Avaric snarled, immediately pushing her away causing them both to tumble.

Her heart pounded as Avaric fell over her looking at her with wild hurt eyes. She pushed him away but he was too heavy and she began to hyperventilate, a memory of the past coming into her mind.

Avaric relaxed his expression and blinked as he took her in. "Galinda?"

She could not respond, her body frozen in fear at their position.

Avaric took a look at his surrounding finally noting his position above her, he scrambled back a terrified expression on his face. "Where am I? Why—Why was I—I didn't—

"We…." Galinda swallowed. "Have to go."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry- Galinda I'm so sorry." Avaric blubbered holding his injured shoulder with his hands as he shuffled away from her.

"We have to leave. Right now." She told him again and Avaric frowned, complete confused.

"Huh?" He said taking careful steps towards her.

"We have to go, now— don't touch me!" She yelled at him when his hand jutted forward, he pulled it away quickly.

"Okay, sorry!"

"Come on then!" Galinda turned to the door stopping only to find Avaric standing where he was.

"What are you doing? We have to go!"

He frowned and shook his head."It's your fault I'm here... I'm not going anywhere with you. I don't even remember coming into this room."

Avaric looked around and Galinda sighed in exasperation.

"I can explain some other time when we are safe, right now we have to go."

Avaric blinked repeatedly, tilting his head to the side. "Why?"

"Just please trust me, we have to go Avaric." She looked at him pleadingly and Avaric stared at her for a moment before nodding. "I trust you."

She sighed, slightly relieved. "Okay. Let's go."

She made to leave again heading to the door, but she wasn't hearing his footsteps behind her.

"Avaric, hurry." She pressed nodding to the door Avaric stood in his spot and looked at his feet before looking back at her.

"I-I can't move." His voice shook.

"What?"

He pointed at his feet. "I can't move my feet, Galinda."

"Avaric this isn't funny." Galinda huffed.

Avaric hands began to shake, "I think you should leave now."

"I suggest you run as well, but it appears it may be too late for you Miss Upland."

Her entire body froze as she turned her head. "Madame!"

Morrible's face was unreadable as she bore her eyes into Galinda's "I have to say, I honestly thought you'd be better than this. The opportunity the wizard and I had given you was generous and a tremendous honor."

Galinda stayed silent.

"Now we are going to show you what happens to those that oppose Oz's new laws." She smiled a terrifying sweet smile as she looked over Galindas shoulder, muttering something under her breath. Behind her Avaric gasped.

"Avaric. Seize her." Morrible ordered, Galinda turned around and watched as Avaric eyes watered as he fought against something. He finally straightened after a few seconds and looked blankly at her. "Yes. Madame. "

Her head felt heavy as she attempted to lift it from where she was laying, her entire body resisted her attempts to move. As her mind woke up she was beginning to focus on the noises that surrounded her, or better yet, voices.

"If you would have - "

"-Alot worse if -"

They were arguing, that much she made sense of. The words they spoke were too fast for her mind to comprehend in her current state. Her eyelids fought against her wish to open. She tried to recall what had happened to her, the last thing she remembered was Fiyero and trying to fight him off. He had pricked her with a needle. At that thought a growl came out of her mouth, and the voices surrounding her began to fade away.

"Elphaba?" A man's voice said her name gently.

"I recommend you leave." A woman's voice replied.

"I'm not going to."

"Stubborn as always I see."

"Elphaba?" A softer, sweeter voice said her name and she tried to say something but all that came out was something similar to a groan. She felt a hand under her head helping her sit up.

"Are you sure that the doctor was right?" Her head was let back down onto something warm.

"Fiyero, with caution please. "

"What? I'm helping her up? "

"If she awakens- "

"If she awakens, she won't be able to do a thing to me." He said matter-of-factly.

Elphaba focused on moving her hand and in doing so her arm jutted out, hitting Fiyero. A small chuckle was heard.

"Yes." Fiyero grumbled. "It seems she's up."

"Do you still believe the position you are in is a great idea?"

"Not really." He chuckled, making her head vibrate.

"Then go, I will talk to her."

"I already said I'm not leaving."

"If you think that's best." The woman said.

"I do."

"Then you may stay, but I will speak - I would let you but I find that at times you lack the words to say."

Fiyero made a disgruntled noise as he shifted her up. When he did she felt a tiny sting on her side where he had stabbed her with the needle.

"Hello Elphaba, First off, I apologize for Fiyero's bright idea to stick you with a needle."

"I had no choice!" He protested.

"Shush…My name is Elarra Tiggular, I am Fiyero's mother." Elphaba listened but could not reply.

"My son did not inject you with that needle with mal intent, he intended - "

"Ma? Can I tell her?"

A small sigh followed, "Quickly."

"Yes... Well, I didn't want to, Elphaba, I didn't do it to hurt you or scare you at all. I wanted to tell you but my carriage driver was..." Fiyero stopped when she groaned again.

"Fiyero sweetheart, I think we should let her rest and then explain when she is fully conscious. "

"I will mom, but she's a witch and I don't want her to try and kill me when she's gained her strength back because I drugged her. I want to keep my face looking as good as it does now and I want every part on my body to function until I'm an old man. "

"For Lurline's sake Fiyero!"

Fiyero moved her again. "I believe that is something you wish as well for the Tiggular family line. "

"Son you are impossible." Fiyero's mother sighed. "Okay, I will permit it. I actually have to step out for a few minutes to see if there has been any updates on the palace and your friend. I will return in a few minutes. "

"Thank you mom. "

Light footsteps exited the room. Fiyero moved slightly making her lean into his chest something she didn't know how to respond to.

"As I was saying, my carriage driver wasn't my carriage driver. He was appointed to me by Morrible who had sent me to find and capture you. So I made a big show of capturing you, but believe me that if I had time to explain I would have, so if you're mad please don't take out on my body."

She felt the edge of her lips turn up as her eyelids parted slightly. It was still blurry but Fiyero was looking down at her. Looking either terrified or relieved - she didn't know. As her eyes focused slowly, her hand began to rise towards his face, she let it rest for a moment and Fiyero began to smile when it rested on his cheek. It hadn't been her intention to rest it there and it wasn't with her full consent that she smiled back at him. She had really intended to slap him but when he began to smile that way to her, her entire body gave in and did the opposite of what she wanted.

After a few moments Fiyero raised his hand and let it rest on top of hers, smiling sweetly the whole time. Elphaba didn't know what to make of it other than her face felt hot and her mind went back to the kiss she gave him when he was unconscious. She had been so confused with her emotions then, and even now, but looking into his clear eyes, at his soft gaze, she knew. She had really fallen in love with him for some reason, somehow. It was stupid and impossible to understand how she did, but she did. Maybe it was when he helped her with that lion cub, or when he worried when she had panicked, or any other stupid reason, and although at the moment she felt like kicking him, she didn't hate him for what he did. Or...maybe it was just the effects of whatever drug was in her system? There was no way she was actually in love with him.

She hated herself for not knowing what she was feeling.

"Yero." She tried to say his name but it came out short, it still made him grin wider, wrapping his fingers between hers.

"Elphaba."

"Wh- " She stopped unable to finish the word. He let her hand go and her hand fell.

"I really am I sorry for the needle thing, the doctor said it would take a few hours for the effects to fade away…Maybe, he wasn't really sure. Are you thirsty or hungry or anything? I can bring you something if you are?"

She turned her head rather violently. "Where. Am. I?" She asked letting her eyes wander around the large room.

"We're safe. We are in one of our castles we don't use out here in the west." Fiyero shifted her again and she was between his legs, still resting on his chest. She knew that if she was able to move freely she would fight against their position, she would slap him and curse at him, but she wasn't able to, she wasn't able to make her mind despise him like she wanted to. She froze when she felt his hand up her arm, resting on her hair and brushing it away.

"Sorry, don't curse me. Your hair is in my face." He chuckled letting his fingers run through her hair. If she was able to she would roll her eyes, the best she did was hope she was giving him a look.

"You have beautiful eyes, did you know?" He told her quietly, looking into her eyes.

"Fiyero, what happened to explaining that you did not mean to hurt her?" Fiyero sat up quickly looking over to where his mother had entered.

"I did." He said quickly and the Queen shook her head at him.

"Fiyero, I want you to leave the girl alone. Right now." She ordered and Fiyero glanced at her.

"But..."

"No buts. You can't leave a poor girl alone even when she's drugged up."

"I was helping her sit up!" Fiyero argued, jostling her.

"On your lap?"

"I didn't have any other intentions!"

"You never do." His mother sighed. "Fiyero I want you to step outside so I may speak to her and help her understand why you brought her here."

"I don't know what you thought I was doing mother but I honestly - "

"Fiyero," The Queen said more firmly, and Fiyero shut his mouth. "I'd like to speak to her. Alone."

"Why can't I-"

"Yero. " She murmured in what she meant as a warning and Fiyero looked at her in worry.

"Yes? What is it Elphaba?"

She tried to glare. "Listen. To. Your mother."

The Queen chuckled and Fiyero grumbled, "Okay. Alright. I'm going for a ride then. I'll be back really soon."

Fiyero gently laid her head back on the bed headboard taking a quick glance at his mother before getting to his feet and leaving the room. The Queen waited until he left the room and heard his footsteps marching off before she came closer to her and sat in a chair beside her. The Queen gave a tired sigh as Elphaba rolled her head to face the Queen's gaze.

She sat regally, with her hands on her lap."When my son told me that there was green girl at Shiz University I initially assumed it was a new slang word for...Well, I didn't know exactly what he meant, but I did not expect that he was being literal." The queen gave her a small smile as she gestured to her.

"Miss Elphaba. Around six months ago my son was expelled from his previous university, and after being expelled from various others, we begged him not to be expelled from Shiz. We began to write letters to see if they would give him a chance and this went on for a couple of months, with no avail. It went back and forth, sending letters to get him a chance to take the test to enroll, it being rather prestigious, they wanted to be absolutely positive that he would not do anything that would change that, to them it didn't matter if he was royalty or not. After a while we finally received a letter letting us know they would give him a chance, we were ecstatic, Fiyero wasn't but his father and I were. We begged him not to throw his last opportunity away otherwise we would have to resort to either going back to tutoring him at home - which he despises - or sending him off to Fliaan. Which was entirely out of the question considering his behavior," The queen smiled sadly looking down at her hands which were folded on her lap. "He took the test and he passed it of course, he goes and then a week later once he's already gone we receive a letter from the wizard himself. It was sent personally to us through one Madame Morrible, newly appointed press Secretary. The things they described in that letter... They sounded nice..."

Elphaba's eyes opened wide, her mouth falling open. Not Fiyero...

"...Having my son listen and be a wonderful king, until I read the how. Changing aspects of my sons personality to fit the perfect king was not something I was willing to do. Change his personality and make him forget certain memories. There wasn't a description of the process but there has been some rumor that a girl of green skin stole research papers from a well known doctor so you should know the how. "

"You. Didn't?"

"No." The queen said quickly with a horrified look. "We would never have agreed. We didn't agree." Elphaba let her head roll to the side, she meant to nod but…

"Elphaba, we declined the offer for the time being. We are royalty but trying to defraud the wizard with no proof would mean imprisonment. But it's odd because...the son I sent to Shiz is different than the one that returned."

"You. Think.…?"

"Maybe. I sincerely hope not. I want to know if he is and we have people out there trying to find some proof but so far nothing has come. My husband would be here right now but he is busy trying to get more leaders behind us... When I heard from one of those people that information was stolen... I want to know how they do it, what they did exactly so I could know... Is the Fiyero that returned my Fiyero?"

Elphaba tried to swing her legs to stand.

"Don't try to get up." The Queen placed a hand on her arm. "That thing he injected you with will make you nauseous and dizzy."

"Dangerous. If he. Is."

The Queen looked grief-stricken. "Tell me how?"

"Change. Memories. To whatever. They want." She forced out and the Queen nodded taking it in. "Say spell. To control."

"Is there a way to know if he has been?"

"Yes. Incision behind. Ear."

The Queen blinked and nodded. "Thank you, Elphaba. Now I must find a way to look behind his ear without letting him realize I distrust him, just in case he is... If that woman touched my boys head..." The Queen shook her head angrily. "For her sake and mine as Queen, it is better she did not."

"If she did. She wont. Get away. With it." Her words began to come out easier.

"No, she will not. But having those papers you took will aid us more quickly."

"Not with. Me."

"That's good. That is if you allow me to know the location of those papers, It could make a stark difference. It would not only be proof of what's being planned but leverage with the other leaders of Oz who do not yet believe."

Elphaba merely stared at the Queen. Her mind was still reeling from her previous words, Fiyero could be working for Morrible and now the Queen was asking for the papers that were proof of what was going on in Oz? Those papers were something that she could not lose.

"I know, and I understand what you must be thinking. You and I hardly met, but this is something that has to be done. If the procedures are written down somewhere we can do something about this before it's too late..."

The Queen was being sincere. And she couldn't do everything alone.

"...I want my son to be my son...and if his head has been touched I will personally make sure I'm the one that has the Wizard and Morrible punished for it. Elphaba, I don't wish for anyone to have this done to them. It's inhumane. Please. " The Queen pleaded and Elphaba knew what she had to do.

"Okay. " She finally said and the Queen smiled.

"Thank you. I promise you we're on your side. " The Queen placed her hand on hers and Elphaba smiled.

It took her another few minutes to get the words out. Telling the Queen where she hid the documents, it wasn't far from the shelter, it was hidden in a small opening high up in a tree. The Queen thanked her but before she left Elphaba had asked about her sister. The Queen admitted that Fiyero had mention that she never returned to Shiz, rumors heard were that she had been depressed after her friends death and was being privately tutored. She left promising Elphaba that they would end this before it got too late. She did try and rest, she tried her best. The Queen said she and the King would handle it all, but then she thought of Fiyero and the Queen's doubts about him, of Sanevan and what they had done to him. Her sister still hurting over Boq's death...

Fiyero might be working with Morrible, he might not even be himself. His kindness towards her…just an act. She was positive he was changed, she didn't want to scare the Queen but she didn't want to lie to her. Then again, it didn't surprise her. There was a lot of talk of Fiyero's reputation, of his past actions. None of which he really showed in the days that she knew him. Now she knew it wasn't him. There was no other reason he would be speaking to Morrible. It angered her to know that his brain was messed with as well, and it saddened her as well. She could not stay, she could not lay in this bed while Morrible was out there doing this to others. Avaric was right about one thing, by the time justice caught up to the Wizard and Morrible, it would be too late. Something had to be done now with the papers going into the Queens hands.

She attempted one last time with one leg and then the next but nothing really happened. Her hands were already coming to, her fingers able to wiggle and move. She took a deep breath pushing herself with any strength she could muster to get her legs working.

She needed to leave and now.