Author's Note: Here's the next chapter. I hope you all like it. Reviews, Critique and Comments are welcome. Thank you, and enjoy.

The six months after the "Scarecrow's Ball" were a wonderful time for Glinda. Being able to have two friends close to her at all times was magnificent. Since the three almost always traveled together, it was not unwarranted that they appeared to become fast friends. Elphaba slowly began to relax among crowds and become more of her typical self; Fiyero was able to act normally also, able to wave any discrepancy away with the brains excuse. And Glinda could relax with those who truly knew her.

Everything was not storybook happy. Elphaba was still weary of being seen; Fiyero still struggled with his condition and his inability to help his clan, and Glinda needed to keep up appearances. Yet, they did not allow it to drag them down much. Their own personal growth buoyed them. With Elphaba's help, Glinda was becoming an exceptional sorceress. Her study of the Grimmerie made leaps and bounds too, enhancing her sorcery. For Elphaba's part, her social skills were coming along, and, though she loathe to admit it, that made her feel better. Her reverse engineering of the transformation spell was also coming along quickly. She figured it would not be long before she could change Fiyero back. Fiyero, on the other hand, was just enjoying the company and the near limitless amounts of books he could read. His nights needed to be occupied, and reading had become that activity.

In the City, though, tensions began to rise. Glinda was once again the most influential person in the City, and possibly Oz itself. Her good acts enamored her with the people; her close friendship with the Scarecrow gave her words legitimacy; and her constant level headed responses to the ever growing tension over the situation with Munchkinland made friends among the bankers and farmers. Also, due to her new closer relationship with the Arjiki clan, the Vinkun people were swayed to her. All in all, her presence was spreading malcontent for the Throne Minister and his advisors for they were constantly measured against her, and found wanting.

It was a blistery early spring night that would set Oz on its head. Full spring was just around the corner but winter was not going without a fight. Glinda was settling in after a normal day of being a social icon, brushing her hair in her nightdress, and Fiyero was reading. Elphaba, like always, was studying the Grimmerie. She wrote something down, double checked, and then looked up.

"I think I got it." She said quietly.

"Got what, honey?" Glinda said absent mindedly.

"Got the spell."

The room stopped.

" 'The' spell?"

"Yes, 'the' spell. Glinda, can you come and check it?"

"You know I'm not as good as you."

"Yeah but another set of eyes can't hurt."

Glinda nodded and came over. She looked from the page to Elphaba's notes and back.

"Elphie, I can't read the original spell so I can't tell."

"Good point. Hold on." Elphaba quickly copied it. "Here."

Glinda looked at the original spell and back to Elphaba's. It all looked correct.

"That looks good Elphie. You know, you should just transcribe the entire Grimmerie." She said thoughtfully, but as Elphaba opened her mouth, added "Scratch that. Too dangerous. Though it would save me a headache every day."

"Maybe just for you, then." Elphaba said with some humor in her voice. "To spare you headaches."

"Oh, please. It's too late for teasing."

There was an expectant silence.

"So?" Glinda said.

"So." Elphaba replied.

Fiyero walked over to Elphaba and put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you think you're ready, Fae? We can wait."

"No. We'll do this now." Elphaba said, determination coming back into her voice.

"You sure?" Glinda asked. "Elphie, you know magic takes a lot of energy. It's late, you may not be up to it."

"No, I can do it." She responded, an added almost to herself. "I can."

"Ok."

Elphaba took a deep breath and picked up the paper containing the spell. She read it a couple of times to make sure she had the feeling of it, and then looked to Fiyero.

"You ready?"

"Should I sit down or something?"

"I don't know. I wasn't there last time. How did it feel then?"

"I don't know either. I was unconscious."

"Oh."

"I'll remain standing."

"Ok."

Elphaba took a deep breath again, trying to calm herself. She was starting to get anxious and panic. What if it didn't work? What if it made things worse? As the ideas began to run through her head she began to breathe faster. Glinda noticed, and gave Elphaba's shoulder a little squeeze.

"Elphie, you're the most talented witch on the planet. You've got this."

Elphaba just nodded. With one last deep breath, she began to chant. She felt the magic rising into her. The heat of the earth coursed through her, setting her aflame. The cool of the wind swept into her, chilling her. The sun and moon raced past her, alternately bathing her in light and darkness. As she neared the end of the spell, she pushed it out to Fiyero. She felt/saw the magic begin to weave over his form. Unlike other spells, it seemed to be trying to breakdown instead of construct. But something was wrong. She could feel it. The magic woven would not pull part; it remained steadfastly in place. The threads were stayed as tight as they once were. As Elphaba's spell released and gave one last crash on the tapestry of magic that kept Fiyero in his form, nothing happened. After a moment, they all realized it. Elphaba gave a cry of frustration, and threw the piece of paper.

"Elphaba, you're probably just too tired. Sleep tonight and you can tackle it in the morning." Glinda soothed.

"Yeah, Fae. I felt something happening but it just didn't seem to be strong enough. Tomorrow you'll get this." Fiyero added

"It's not that I'm tired! I felt it; the spell couldn't get in to unweave it. It just doesn't have the power." Elphaba yelled and dipped her head low. Her shoulders began to shake.

"Elphie, don't cry, we all get-"

"She's not crying." Fiyero cut her off. "She's having a vision."

"What? A vision." Glinda said, and looked at him confused. When she turned back she saw Elphaba's head up but her eyes were rolled back, showing only white. Glinda gave a little squeak of fear. Elphaba remained like that a moment more, then slouched forward. Glinda could see those dark eyes again.

"We need to go." She breathed.

"What? It's late."

"We need to leave now!" she said stronger. "The Gale Force is coming. Fiyero, get some supplies. We have to change."

"Of course." He said, and took off at a run.

"Elphie, you're probably just overly tired and the magic-"

"It's not a hallucination." She hissed and began tear clothes out of her closet. "How do you I knew about Nessa's death."

"I don't know…" Glinda said.

"I see things sometimes. Anyway, we need to get prepared for the road. Come on!"

Elphaba swathed herself in a many layered, dark outfit, and then started stuffing the clothes she wanted into a travel satchel. She put her heavy boots on, and then moved to Glinda's closet.

"Don't you have practical clothes?" she grumbled. She found a pair of leather riding boots and tossed them at her. "Here, put these on."

"But they're not in season!" Glinda said.

"We're about to be running for our lives! It doesn't matter! And these too!" she threw more clothes at Glinda. It was the rest of the riding outfit. Elphaba then began to throw similar clothes into her satchel.

"Elphie…"

"Now!" the tone in her voice made Glinda snap to it. She quickly changed, and saw Elphaba gathering other things into a different satchel.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of any sign of me, or anything that could help them associate me to you." She responded. The hat, the bottle, and the Grimmerie went into it, along with her notes and other odd items. "I think that's everything. Fiyero?"

He strode back into the room. "I've got plenty of food for a week."

"Good. Now the broom and we can go."

There was banging on the door downstairs so loud even they, shut in an upstairs room, could hear it. Then the cacophony of booted footfalls reached their ears.

"Crap. The broom's on the far balcony." Elphaba said

"Why'd you leave it there?" Glinda asked.

"I figured it would look strange in either of our rooms, or this balcony."

"Oh."

"Too late now. Is there a back way to the garden?"

"Yeah, follow me."

Glinda opened the door and peered out, making sure there was no one in the hallway yet. The porters must have stopped the Gale Force momentarily. She quickly turned left and hurried down the hallway. Elphaba and Fiyero followed. She cut through a guest room, out on to the balcony, and down a spiral staircase into the garden.

"Good. Is there a back gate?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes." Glinda said, and took off at a jog in that direction. She normally never moved that fast but she could hear yells and banging from inside the villa. She reached the back gate, an oaken door with a large sliding bar lock, and began to tug on the lock. It was rusted and steadfastly refused to move. Elphaba grabbed ahold and together they managed to slide it back with a loud screech no one welcomed. They threw open the door and Elphaba peered out quickly. It was all clear. She moved out and Glinda followed with Fiyero in the rear.

"We'll make for the river. With any luck we take a boat and sneak out through the port gate." Elphaba whispered.

They moved hurriedly, trying not to draw attention to themselves. They tried to stick to the alleys and servant ways that snaked between the villas. Elphaba and Fiyero moved with subtle grace. Glinda, never being trained, was awkward. However, they got within sight of the river without being spotted.

"Ok, we got one long dash until we get to the riverfront. Let's get it over with." Elphaba said, took a deep breath and stepped out. An arm shot out of the darkness.

"Stop you! Who are you?" the voice demanded. It was a Home Guardsman, probably deployed to help the Gale Force. Elphaba did not respond and twisted to get out of his grip. He struggled back against her but she managed to slip free. His fingers, grasping for purchase, caught the veils covering her face and tore them off. Elphaba stood exposed in the lamplight and the man gasped.

"Wicked Witch-" he breathed but Elphaba's fist connected to his face. The man crumpled, groaning.

"Hopefully that's the only one." Elphaba said but she heard a whistle. Someone either heard, saw, or were coming to check up on the man. Elphaba's eyes widened.

"Go." Fiyero said, and tossed the food satchel over Glinda's shoulder. "I'll lead them away."

"Fiyero, no." Glinda said, but he gave her a push.

"Go, now, or we're all ruined. Go!"

"Fiyero…" Elphaba breathed.

"I'll meet you a Kiamo Ko." He said, and then gave her a quick peck and a lopsided grin, and took off.

"Miss Glinda! Please hurry this way!" He yelled as he ran off into the distance. Glinda stared after him but Elphaba grabbed her hand.

"We have to go. Come on!"

They ran down the steps to the river walk. Elphaba glanced this way and that but could not find a boat.

"Perfect." She grumbled, but then had an idea. She took out the Grimmerie and quickly began flipping through it. She found a spell that could work. Chanting quietly, she began to feel cold, very cold, and then with a pop the spell spread out before her. The water began to freeze. She grabbed Glinda and started out onto it.

"Elphie, what did you do!"

"It was called To Call Winter onto Water. I assumed it was a freezing spell. Why they couldn't just call it a freezing spell is beyond me."

"Maybe that's why sorcery was invented. Much more simple and direct." Glinda responded. She was still in disbelief at the situation.

"Possibly." Elphaba said. They were about half way across, but the spell had frozen over the patch of the river completely across. They heard a whistle behind them and saw a group of Home Guard coming down the stairs. Elphaba cursed and picked up the pace. The Home Guard, in better shape, began to close quickly.

"We need to lose them." Elphaba said.

"I got it." Glinda replied and took out her wand. Elphaba blinked. In the hurrying, she had forgotten hers. "Don't worry, I've got yours too." Glinda said as if reading her mind. She did few flicks, and fire streamed out from her wand. As it near the Home Guard it exploded, send sparks everywhere. They cowered away.

"Combat magic?" Elphaba gasped and Glinda giggled.

"Nope. Carnival magic. Illusionary fireworks. Spectacular but completely harmless."

"Good thinking." She said, smiling but then cursed. On the other side there were three men in Gale Force uniforms standing with their rifles drawn. "Glinda!"

"On it." She incanted again and the fireworks came out. The men didn't move and as the neared the river's edge, he heard one laugh harshly.

"Nice try, Witch, but I know those can't harm us. These rifles, on the other hand, can kill you. Come here and surrender peacefully, and I promise you won't get hurt. At least, not too much." He smiled cruelly.

Elphaba knew they were trapped, as she could see the Home Guard regain their senses. She gritted her teeth, trying to think of a way out.