Author's Note: Thank you for heatqueen for reveiwing. The mystery of that character must wait since he's exited the story from now on. I try to keep OCs from taking up too much of the spotlight, and he was a bit of a hog.

Thank you for MyLittleElphie for reviewing. Elphaba being startled is probably the only thing that actually caused her to shut up. As to missing updates, I'll be trying to continue updating every three or so days. Ill also be tagging my updates with a date so as to help me remember when I posted. :)

As always, read, enjoy, review. 2/6/14

The women were laying in the spare room trying to sleep. They had washed up using their cloths since Barrington had no tub, and Glinda had tended to Elphaba's wounds to much protest and cursing. Afterwards they had changed into their clean nightclothes, and laid down on the bundle of pelts laid out for them. Barrington never had human guests so he owned no bed or blankets. The pair cuddled under their cloaks for warmth with Glinda stroking Elphaba's hair.

"Hey Elphie?"

"Yes Glinda?"

"I was so scared tonight."

"Me too."

"I wasn't scared for myself, though. I had thought I'd lost you. For real this time."

"I'm sorry my sweet. You won't ever lose me."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

There was silence, then, "Elphie, why didn't you use magic to help, like you did at school?"

"I tried, but that takes a lot of willpower to do. After they ambushed I just couldn't do it."

"Oh." A pause. "Why did you keep the blindfold on me?"

"I did not want you to see it."

"But you had to…"

"I've seen many terrible things, my sweet, that I would gladly shelter you from."

"Thank you, Elphie, but I feel like everyone tries to shelter me from things. I can handle it, you know."

"I know. But the more horror one sees the less bright they shine. You are the brightest thing in my life, Glinda, and I don't want that to go away." Glinda sniffled and Elphaba smiled. "That wasn't supposed to make you cry, my sweet."

"But it's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me."

"I'm happy I said it, then."

"Elphie, why couldn't they find the Grimmerie?"

"I transform it when traveling. It looks like a book on Ozian architecture."

"I see." Glinda fell silent, stroking Elphaba's hair. They clung to one another with Glinda's chin resting on Elphaba's head. Sleep slowly started to overtake them.

"Elphie." Glinda mumbled sleepily.

"Hm?" she replied just as sleepily.

"What…what were you going to say at the end?"

"Oh…nothing."

"I thought you were going to say you love me."

"I do love you, Glinda."

She giggled drowsily. "Not like that. You love me, love me."

Elphaba did not answer. As Glinda's breathing slowly deepened, and Elphaba was sure she was asleep, she muttered into the blonde's shoulder,

"I don't know. Maybe I do."

In her sleep, Glinda smiled.

Glinda started awake. She did not know what had woken her, but a loud sob from the shivering woman in her arms quickly gave her the answer. She stroked her emerald woman's hair.

"Shh, Elphie, shh." She whispered softly to her.

"Oz, Glinda, they're here, I can see them." Elphaba muttered, eyes wide and unfocused.

"Shh, Elphie, there's no one here but us."

"There's blood everywhere. He's covered in it. Oh, Oz, the smell, Glinda." Elphaba sobbed.

"I'm here, Elphie, don't worry, I'm here."

Elphaba clutched Glinda tightly, almost crushing her. Her fingers dug painfully into Glinda's back. "Don't leave me, Glinda, please don't leave me."

"Elphie, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm…scared, Glinda. Please, oh please don't go."

Glinda held her as it started again. The cycle slowly degenerated into incoherent mumblings and eventually whimpers. Glinda consoled her the entire time, wiping her brow and lightly kissing her forehead. She whispered reassurances about her safety, and about how Glinda was not leaving. After several long hours, Elphaba had run herself to exhaustion and fell into a deep slumber. Glinda, spent, fell asleep soon after.

Glinda untangled herself stiffly from Elphaba. The emerald woman slept heavily. Glinda suddenly had the irrational fear that she may be dead but a quick check showed her chest rising and falling. Glinda stretched and dug in her pack for a robe. Since she was already there, she grabbed some food but made a face at it. Realizing she had nothing to drink to cover the taste, she went to see if Sir Barrington had anything. As she entered the living room she saw him sitting in a stuffed chair. He went to rise but she motioned him down.

"Good morning, Your Goodness. How is Her Goodness fairing?" He asked. Glinda hesitated and Barrington noticed. He sighed. "I thought as much. It will be tough for her, even for one who has seen so much already. I'm glad she has you."

"Thank you Barrington. She's so strong and I have leaned on her so many times for strength. To see her so weak…it scares me. How can I do it if she can't?"

"Your Goodness is strong. Her Goodness' strength comes from her fire and conviction. Your Goodness' strength comes from your heart and kindness. You are perfect together."

Glinda blushed. "Thank you. I've always felt whole when I'm with her, and when she's gone there's a hole in my life that can't be filled. It's funny; I've only spent three years of my life with her but I can't imagine it without her."

"When spirits connect, time and distance do not matter. Now, is there something Your Goodness needs?"

"You wouldn't happen to have any coffee, would you?" Glinda asked bashfully and held up two tin mugs. Barrington smiled.

"Of course."

Elphaba groggily awoke. Her memory of the previous night was hazy but she knew that Glinda had helped her through her breakdown. She felt both joy and shame. She loved that Glinda held her through it, but knew she would never look at Elphaba the same again. She had always been the strong one, the one Glinda could rely on. Now Glinda knew she could break. She finally registered the scent that had woken her and turned to see Glinda holding two cups.

"Coffee." Glinda said chipperly. Elphaba pushed herself into a kneeling position, wincing at the pain. She was happy for once for the wild cascade of hair covering her face for it hid it from Glinda. She looked at Glinda and caught some emotion as it passed.

"Coffee?" Elphaba croaked. "How?"

"Barrington. Apparently even Bears need coffee."

"I'd hate to see a Bear who didn't have their morning coffee."

Glinda giggled. She handed Elphaba a mug and kneeled across from her.

"Are you ok, Elphie?" she asked. Elphaba went to make a nonchalant remark but the deep blue eyes of concern killed it in her throat.

"I'm…I don't know. I'm functioning, I guess." She replied, looking into her coffee. She took a drink to try to focus herself.

"Do you want to talk?"

"I don't think I have any more to say. It all came out last night."

"Elphie, you know I love you and am always here for you, right?"

"I know."

Glinda put her mug down and gathered Elphaba into a hug.

"You matter more to me than anything in the world. If you ever need me, even to cry, I'm here."

Elphaba set her mug down too and wrapped her arms around Glinda. "I know. I'm…not really a crying person." She started but her breathing suddenly became harder. She was surprised by the wetness in her eyes, and hid her face in Glinda's robe. Glinda tenderly began stroking her hair.

"Go ahead Elphie. No one can see or hear, and no one will ever know. I'm here, and always will be. Shh, my beautiful emerald, shh. It's ok. Let it out. You don't need to be strong for me. Let me be for you. Shh."

Elphaba sobbed painfully into Glinda's chest. The torrent started for the horrors of the previous night but continued for Fiyero and his capture, for the years of exile that she knew hurt Glinda, for Fiyero's condition, for Nessarose, for Boq, for Glinda and Elphaba's broken friendship, for broken dreams, for lost Shiz, for a hateful father and a lost mother. She cried, finally, for herself. This went on the longest and hardest, and she only stopped when she could not cry anymore. After long moments of silence, she sniffled and managed to pull away. Glinda lifted her chin and looked into those hurt dark brown eyes.

"Feel better?" Glinda whispered, stroking her cheek.

"Yes." She replied hoarsely. She looked down again. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Soft dainty fingers lifted her chin again. Crystal blue met chocolate.

"I'm not, Elphie. You've been my strength for so long; this is the least I can do. I can only hope the little strength I gave helped."

"It was perfect, my sweet." Elphaba was so close their noses almost touched. She was drawn to those soft lips and wondered if Glinda flushed when she kissed. She never paid attention when they were in school. The thought caused violet to creep onto Elphaba's skin. She only hoped her previous state covered it. Glinda stroked her cheek again causing the blush to deepen.

"I'm…glad, my emerald." Glinda replied huskily. She began to lose herself in those green lips of Elphaba's. She wondered if they tasted different from others she had kissed, if they were as unique as the rest of Elphaba. Glinda blushed and felt Elphaba's face warm under her hand. She moved closer.

"Your Goodnesses?" came Barrington's voice. They both started. A voice in Glinda's head whispered again about those lips and Glinda could not resist. She managed to divert it by placing a kiss on her emerald woman's forehead, much to their (unknown) mutual disappointment. She suppressed the whispers about continuing lower.

"Oh, your coffee has gone cold." Glinda said, and went to get her wand. As she grabbed it out of her pack she saw something sitting on Elphaba's. "Elphie, what's this?"

"Hm?" Elphaba responded distractedly.

"This." Glinda picked up a red leather bound book and showed it to Elphaba. The green woman shrugged.

"No idea. It's not mine. I thought you placed it there."

"No." Glinda replied. The cover was blank (as was the spine) so she opened it up to the first page.

"A Comparative Study of the Magical Traditions in Oz and the Surrounding Countries." Glinda read the tight typed font out loud. "Hm. No author." She brought it over to Elphaba and tapped both of their coffee cups absentmindedly. They began to steam.

"Anything else?"

"Let me see." Glinda flipped a page and saw a neat but flowing script. She read it out loud also.

"Dear Misses. I apologize for sneaking this in here but it is something I think you'll find interesting. This book took more time to acquire then I had thought, meaning I could not include it in your packages. I had just picked it up when you called and luckily had the sense to bring it with me. This may help you I reconciling the magics between sorcery and the Grimmerie. Your servant, Duran. P.S: It is magicked so only you two can read it. This is a bit too important for just anyone to read."

Elphaba arched an eyebrow (painfully). She took the book from Glinda and read the inscription again. Shrugging, she bypassed the table of contents and read the foreword out loud for Glinda's sake.

"This book is a summary of our research into the links between the Ozian sorceroric traditions and other magical heritages in and around Oz. Our original hypothesis was that sorceroric magic was either a derivative or evolution of a more primitive, purer magic. In the course of our research this was proven false. The authors will now attempt to prove that all magical traditions draw from the same magical elements, whether it be sorcery, witchcraft, shamanism, or the wilder magics of the outer countries."

Elphaba looked up at Glinda.

"They almost sound like us. They thought the same thing we did."

"Yeah, I'm intrigued to say the least." Elphaba replied, and then continued reading.

"This hypothesis is based off a set of assumptions that will be tested. One, that there are four major physical magical elements that are inherent in every physical thing: air, earth, water, fire. Two, there are four major spiritual elements: death, love, chance, and time. These eight major magical elements either solely or combined are in every magical traditions spells. Finally, we will deconstruct some basic spells from all the traditions to show the elements. In appendix A we will have tested elemental spell triggers that can be used in spells, and in appendix B some spells created or modified to use these triggers. We caution, however, to thoroughly study and understand them before use. These triggers are powerful and therefore more dangerous."

"Elphie, if this is true, do you know what that means?" Glinda asked excitedly.

"You're going to make a lot more money?" Elphaba quipped.

"No! Well…yes, but it means we can figure out how to make our own spells as powerful as the Grimmerie's! Maybe even more!"

"And maybe I can figure out why Fiyero's didn't work!" Elphaba joined in excitement.

"Let's do it Elphie!"

"Your Goodnesses?" Barrington's voice called. "We must get going if we are to meet your contact."

"Oh, boo." Glinda huffed. Elphaba laughed and replaced the book. She gave Glinda a light kiss on the cheek causing them both to flush but act like nothing happened.

"We'll have plenty of time."

Two men talked as they descended dank cold stairs. A third followed in silence.

"They're not back yet, that means they failed." Said the lead man.

"Commander, perhaps they just haven't found their quarry." The second man replied.

"No, they always check in. They've failed." The Commander sighed. "That was the last trick up our sleeve."

"So, another all-out manhunt?"

"No. It didn't work last time, and that's when we could devote all our men to it. This time we could only supply a regiment; the others are too busy keeping peace here or keeping Munchkinland in check. We need more troops; start conscriptions."

"That won't be popular."

"What is? Let the Minister deal with it. With losing men every night here, and rumblings of revolt in Northern Munchkinland, were stretched too thin."

"Mum it is then?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

They walked into the dark prison that was Southstairs. They slowly made their way to the largest cell, if it could be called that. It was an underground mansion. They were stopped by a hired ruffian but their uniforms and demeanor got them an entrance to the prisoner. They were shown into the parlor and a large Gillikinese woman in fine livery strode into the room. She came over and kissed each on the cheek.

"Gentlemen, so nice of you to stop by. I apologize for the accommodations."

"As do we, Madame." The Commander said.

"Well, let's not beat around the bush. You're here so that means your White Skulls must have failed."

"That they have."

"So now you need my help. I'll do so on one condition: you make me Regent of Oz."

"What!" the second man exploded. "You must be joking! If you think we're-" the man gargled and started choking. The Commander watched as the woman chanted and pointed her wand. After several long minutes the man fell to the floor and did not move.

"Neat trick." The Commander said. "Why don't you use that on all your enemies?"

"To easily disrupted by physical and magical means."

"I see. Anyway, I agree to your deal. What do you need?"

"Simply send this letter." The woman said, pulling out a sealed envelope. "Don't worry about the mess; I'll have the staff clean it up."

"Yes, but now I need a replacement Commander for the Home Guard."

"Dear me. What about this young man?"

"Me?" the third man finally spoke.

"Yes. You are trustworthy enough to be here but smart enough to keep your mouth shut. You'd do nicely." The woman said.

"I agree." The Commander put in. "What's your name son?"

"They call me Ess Tee, sir."

"What kind of name is that?" the woman scoffed.

"Being an orphan I didn't have one, so they assigned me it."

"Well, Ess Tee, you're officially promoted to Commander of the Home Guard. Let's go get the paperwork started. Madame." The Commander tipped his hat to the woman. The new Commander did likewise.