TheWickedrae: Thanks for your funny review on Chapter 15! I forgot to thank you in the last chapter! Sorry!

Elphaba Thropp of Fiyero: Welcome to Fanfiction! Thanks for your review. Feel free to read and review my other stories, as well as the other stories written by all of the amazing authors here on Fanfiction! Enjoy your stay!

Galinda woke up early the morning she and Elphaba were going back to the Emerald City. She looked over and saw that Elphaba was still peacefully asleep. She silently pondered whether or not she should wake Elphaba up. It turned out that she didn't have to wake Elphaba. As soon as she heard Galinda stir, Elphaba slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning," Elphaba greeted with a small smile.

"Good morning," Galinda smiled, bouncing onto Elphaba's bed. "Are you ready for today?"

"I guess so," Elphaba said, leaning on her elbows.

"Don't be worried, Elphie. Everything will go smoothly."

"Thanks," Elphaba said as she got out of bed and got dressed.

Elphaba emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing a white blouse and a long, navy blue skirt. Galinda was wearing a long sleeved white blouse and a medium length white skirt.

"Are you ready?" Galinda smiled.

Elphaba nodded as she retrieved her bag.

"This is so exiting!" Galinda smiled as she looked out the window. "Again!"

Elphaba watched Galinda with an amused smile on her face. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself… again."

Galinda laughed and wrapped her arms around Elphaba's slender body. "Thank you for coming with me," Elphaba whispered, hugging the blonde back.

"Anytime, Elphie! This is what best friends do. Ooh, we're here!"

The carriage stopped in front of the Emerald City palace. Galinda squealed as she jumped out. Elphaba gracefully stepped out of the carriage and went to retrieve her bags.

Galinda locked hands with Elphaba as the two girls entered the palace. Colin was descending the stairs, a warm smile on his face.

"Welcome back, Miss Galinda!" Colin greeted, lightly kissing Galinda's hand. "Welcome back, Elphaba!"

"Hello, Colin," Elphaba smiled. "Is Papa here?"

"He's resting right now. He'll be up soon," Colin said, leaving the two young women alone in the foyer.

"What should we do until your father wakes up?" Galinda asked, looking around.

"Would you like a tour?" Elphaba asked, shyly shifting her weight.

"Yes, please!" Galinda exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement.

Elphaba began to show Galinda around the palace. She showed Galinda her bedroom, the parlor, the gardens, the kitchen (where they were able to sneak a few cookies), and finally, Elphaba's favorite place all of Oz, the stables.

"It smells like horse in here," Galinda commented, scrunching up her nose in disgust.

"Galinda, it's a horse stable. What else is it supposed to smell like?" Elphaba laughed.

"Anything else but… horse!"

Elphaba laughed as she walked up to one of the stalls. "Midnight?" she called.

Midnight stuck his head out, causing Galinda to shriek in surprise.

"Galinda," Elphaba said, trying to hide her laughter so she could introduce her friend. "This is Midnight. Midnight, this is Galinda."

"He's your horse?" Galinda asked, slowly stepping up to the two.

"Well, technically, no. When I was little, I used to sneak out here and ride him."

"When would you do this?"

"Sometimes before the sun rose. Other times when no one was paying attention to me, which barely happened."

"Why?"

Elphaba pushed her hair behind her ears. "When I was younger, someone was always with me… watching me."

No, keep Elphaba away from the stairs!

"They were afraid that if I was alone for one second, I would have an attack."

You're sick, sweetie. You need to focus on feeling better.

"And…"

Fabala, please don't die! Stay with me! Please!

"Die."

Galinda watched as tears slowly filled Elphaba's eyes and slid down her cheek.

"Oh, Elphie," Galinda sighed, slowly approaching Elphaba and giving her a light hug. "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay. It's not your fault," Elphaba sniffed, wiping her eyes. She turned back to Midnight and stroked his nose. "Have you ever been horseback riding before?" she asked Galinda.

Galinda shook her head. "No. I never learned."

"Would you like to learn?"

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Elphie…"

"We need something to do," Elphaba pointed out.

"Well…"

"Please?"

"Okay," Galinda said, giving in.

Elphaba smiled as she walked to another stall and opened the door. She emerged a few seconds later, leading a tall, bay horse.

"This is Stardust," Elphaba said, handing Galinda the reins.

"What do I do with these?" Galinda asked, staring from the reins to the tall horse in front of her.

"Wait there," Elphaba answered as she went to get Midnight's tack.

Stardust began to move out the door, causing Galinda to panic.

"ELPHIE!" she screamed.

"Galinda, relax!" Elphaba said, tacking up her horse. "Stardust is just excited. She gets like that when she knows she's going for a ride."

"How do I get her to stop?"

"Whoa, Stardust!" Elphaba commanded.

Stardust instantly stilled, waiting for Elphaba to give her the 'okay' to go. Galinda stared at Elphaba, wide eyed and mouth opened. "H-H-How did you do that?"

"That's what you say when you want your horse to stop," Elphaba said, smiling at Galinda's confusion. "Let's go!"

Elphaba, Galinda, Midnight and Stardust walked into the field together. It took Galinda many tried to mount Stardust, most of them resulting her falling on her rear end. Finally, once Galinda mounted Stardust, she and Elphaba were off, riding around the field.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Galinda exclaimed, bouncing up and down in her saddle and clutching Stardust's main for dear life.

"Isn't this fun?" Elphaba laughed.

"Noo-ooo-ooo-ooo!" Galinda answered.

Elphaba gently tugged at the reins, causing Midnight and Stardust to stop. "Would you like to go back to the palace now?"

"Please!" Galinda begged.

Elphaba sighed, upset that their ride was being cut short, but led the way back to the stables.

"How are you feeling?" Elphaba asked as the two walked back to the Palace.

"I. Am. Never. Doing. That. Again!" Galinda said, limping and rubbing her saddle-worn bottom.

Elphaba bit her lip, desperately trying not to laugh at Galinda's sad attempt at horseback riding. Galinda glared at her friend, but then cracked a smile.

"Elphaba!" Colin called from the front door.

"Yes, Colin?" Elphaba said in a half-amused voice.

"Your father is awake. He wishes to talk to you," Colin said, disappearing down the long hallway.

"This is it," Elphaba muttered.

"I'll wait in the parlor," Galinda said, squeezing Elphaba's hand and walking into the other room.

Elphaba took a deep breath before walking up the stairs. She slowly pushed open the door to her father's room and walked in.

"Papa?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

The Wizard looked up and saw his daughter standing at the door, a shy and worried expression on her face. He slowly pushed off the bed and walked towards her.

"I'm so sorry, Fabala," the Wizard said, engulfing his daughter in a hug.

"No, I'm sorry," Elphaba sighed.

"I should have told you the truth."

"I understand why you didn't."

"You deserve to know the truth."

"I'm okay."

"Fabala…"

"No. I'm fine. I don't need to know anything else."

"What are you talking about?"

Elphaba looked away, wondering if she should tell her father what she and Fiyero discovered about the green elixir. She sensed that her father felt guilty for everything, and she didn't want to make him feel any worse.

"Nothing," she muttered.

"Fabala, please. Tell me what's wrong."

"I…" Elphaba started. "I had a dream about my mother. She told me that she drank this green elixir before I was born."

The Wizard was speechless. He gaped at his daughter, unsure of what to say.

"And F-Fiyero and I researched it and f-found out that…" Elphaba broke down into a wave of sobs. The Wizard quickly wrapped her in his arms and walked her to the bed.

"I'm so sorry, Fabala. This is all my fault."

"No."

"Shh. You don't have to be strong for me."

Elphaba sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Fabala," the Wizard started, staring deep into Elphaba's eyes. "You're not a mistake. All of this is my fault and I'm so sorry."

"I didn't mean to make you feel guilty," Elphaba whispered.

The Wizard wiped a tear from her cheek. "Come, let's go downstairs and get some tea."

He stood up and wrapped his arm around Elphaba's waist. They walked into the parlor, where Galinda was lying on the couch, taking a nap.

"She seems tired," the Wizard smiled.

"We went horseback riding. After what happened, she should be tired," Elphaba said, laughing at the memory.

Galinda stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Hello," the greeted sleepily.

"Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty," Elphaba giggled.

"Not. Funny. Elphie," Galinda playfully hissed, knowing that she probably didn't look her best since riding.

"I'll get the tea," the Wizard announced, leaving the room.

"Did you two talk?" Galinda asked, sitting up to make room for Elphaba.

"We did. It's all sorted out," Elphaba said as she sat down next to her.

Galinda didn't fully believe Elphaba, but let the subject drop.

"Are you feeling better?" Elphaba asked seriously.

"Yes," Galinda said, shifting her weight.

A small smile crept its way onto Elphaba's lips. "Elphie, it's not funny!" Galinda admonished.

"I'm sorry, Galinda!"

"Did you ever have lessons?"

Elphaba shook her head. "No. It just came naturally to me. I guess because I wanted to ride to prove to everyone that I wasn't a helpless child, but I ended up doing it in secret."

The Wizard returned with the tea, handing Elphaba and Galinda their cups.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes, Papa," Elphaba nodded. "Everything's fine."

"Good. I have some work I need to finish, but I will see both of you at dinner," the Wizard said, kissing Elphaba's forehead and leaving the parlor.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Galinda asked.

"Galinda," Elphaba said gently. "I'm fine. Really."