Okay - I know I said you'd find out the stalker's definite identity in this chapter, and you sort of will; but you won't get any definite answers until the next chapter. To be honest, I'm kind of anxious about your reactions, haha. I tried to explain everything, make it as realistic as possible, and to give clues about the stalker's real identity without being too obvious about it. I just hope you won't all be like, "Man, that's lame!" when you find out who it is. :P

31. Panic

Mayor Samms's anniversary gala was held in a beautiful, renovated castle in northern Quadling Country, about a three-hour drive from the Palace in the Emerald City. Once again, they left in two cars – Fiyero driving one with Elphaba beside him and Oscar and the twins in the back, followed by the second car, which was filled with security guards. Galinda had suggested it might be easier for them to stay the night at a hotel in Quadling Country, rather than driving all the way back to the City in the middle of the night after the party; but Fiyero had dismissed that idea.

"It wouldn't be secure enough, Glin," he explained. "I'd really much rather drive them all back home after the gala. I don't mind – I've gone several nights without sleep before and so have the other guards. It's safer that way."

Since it would be a long day and they wouldn't be back until late that night, the twins were given two days off from their tutoring sessions with Cohvu, something they were very excited about. They chatted and played games with Oscar in the back of the car, just like they'd done on the way back from Munchkinland. Next to Fiyero, Elphaba was clutching the edges of her chair so hard her knuckles went white.

He glanced at her. "You can open the window a little, if you want to," he suggested. "Just a crack can't really hurt."

She managed a smile at him, though it was forced and faint, and she opened the window the tiniest bit. She heaved a sigh and looked back at the twins, who appeared to be having fun. Then she glanced down at her phone, but there were no messages from anyone. She'd talked to Nessarose on the phone again that morning to ask her sister if everything was okay and to inform her of the plans for the gala. Thankfully, there had been no indication of stalker activity in Munchkinland, but Elphaba worried about Nessa regardless.

The phone beeped and she jumped. She ran a hand through her hair with a sheepish look at Fiyero, who grinned slightly at her exaggerated reaction.

"Hey, I don't blame you," he said. "We're all paranoid these days."

She snorted in agreement and opened the message, which was from Galinda.

I hope you remembered to bring your dress, Elphie, and you'd better stay safe on your trip, okay? Have fun!

She sniggered a little. "Galinda says she hopes I remembered to pack my dress. Speaking of paranoid people…"

"It says a lot about Galinda that she's paranoid about your dress, though, rather than your stalker," Oscar said with a chuckle from the back seat and Elphaba smiled.

"It does," she agreed. "Though trust me when I say that Glin is at least as paranoid as we are about my stalker. She just likes to focus on more cheerful things instead."

"So… did you pack your dress?" Fiyero asked and she gave him a sideway look.

"We're not starting this discussion again, are we?" she asked. "I'm not Galinda, you know. I won't kill you if my dress clashes with your tie." She cocked her head a little to the side. "What colour is your tie?"

He looked disgruntled. "I don't know. Galinda insisted on picking it out for me and she told me not to open the box until we get there."

Elphaba laughed, her tension momentarily forgotten. "In that case, you won't have to worry about your tie clashing with my dress, because knowing Galinda she chose the exact right colour for you."

They drove in silence for a while. Elphaba looked out of the window, trying to take comfort in the tiny open space through which she could feel the wind rushing in, but it didn't really help much; she felt confined, trapped, and she could feel her heart begin to pound. Trying to distract herself, she thought of the upcoming gala and of her dress. Galinda had proclaimed that Fiyero would fall down onto his knees to propose the moment he saw Elphaba in her dress. The green woman, of course, had laughed, but not believed her friend at all. She did wonder now what Fiyero would think, though.

She continued to stare out of the window, but it felt like her chest was slowly constricting; she couldn't breathe. She was starting to feel faint and a little dizzy, too.

Fiyero, noticing the way she was shaking, reached out to take her hand. "Fae? Are you all right?"

She shook her head wordlessly and he said gently, "Slow breaths, not too deep. It's all right. Do you want me to stop the car?"

"It's not safe," she said, sounding breathless. She was breathless and she wanted nothing more than to burst out of this car, but she couldn't. "What if Avaric is following us?"

Fiyero looked over at her and when he noticed the sweat on her brow, her trembling hands, and the way her breaths came in short bursts, he wordlessly drove the car over to the side of the road and stopped it. He leapt out of the vehicle and moved to the other side to open Elphaba's door, helping her out and guiding her to sit down in the grass.

"Keep breathing," he said calmly, running his hand over her head and down her back repeatedly. "That's it. You're all right."

Dimly, she was aware of Fawn asking worriedly, "Grandpa? Is Mum okay?" and her father replying, "She's fine, princess. She just got a little scared because she had to be in the car so long."

"Why doesn't Mum like small spaces?" Xalo asked, but Elphaba didn't hear Oscar's reply to that. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, on feeling the air and the wind around her. She was fine now. She was free.

Fiyero stayed beside her until the attack had passed and then she slowly exhaled and opened her eyes, looking up at him. "Thanks."

He smiled. "Not a problem." He brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheek. "Are you okay now?"

She nodded, taking a deep breath and then letting it out again in a sigh. "Yeah. I'm good. Just… give me a minute before I have to get back in there."

"Take all the time you need." He continued to stroke her hair and she reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing tightly. He squeezed back, which made her smile faintly.

She got back in the car not much later and the rest of the drive was uneventful, though Elphaba was glad when they reached their destination. Mayor Samms greeted them all warmly and offered them dinner before showing them to some rooms in the castle where they could freshen up and change into their party clothes.

Fawn and Xalo were entranced by the castle, which looked like something out of a fairy-tale. They also very much liked their clothes; Xalo loved the fact that he got to wear a tux, parading around the rooms like a little gentleman, and Fawn admitted to her mother in a whisper that her party dress, which was puffy and coloured ivory and gold, made her feel like a princess.

Elphaba slipped into her own dress and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Her dress was pale blue and sleeveless with a high neck. The bodice was fitted and covered in darker blue beading, which continued down to her hips and then flared out in strands that fell into the folds of the widening tulle skirt. She wore dark blue heels with it, along with some simple jewellery. She wasn't very good at doing her hair without Galinda's help, so she just brushed it and let it fall around her shoulders in an ebony curtain. She also applied some make-up to her eyes and lips.

When she emerged, Fawn and Xalo both squealed and ran in to throw their arms around her middle.

"Mum!" Fawn exulted. "You look amazing!"

"When I grow up, I want to marry you," Xalo declared, looking up at her. Both Elphaba and Oscar, who was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, laughed at that.

"You do look beautiful, Elphaba," her father said with a smile and she blushed and thanked him. She glanced around, looking for Fiyero, and Oscar said knowingly, "He'll be out soon. He's still getting ready himself."

As if that was his cue, the door opened and Fiyero came out, struggling with a tie – indeed in the exact same colour as the pale blue of Elphaba's dress. "Oz, I'd forgotten how much I hate ties," he grunted, pulling at the offensive garment. "I can never get them –"

He cut himself off when he saw Elphaba. Fawn and Xalo both giggled and ran over to Oscar, the three of them watching eagerly as Fiyero's eyes slowly wandered across Elphaba from top to bottom and then back up again, a look of complete and utter awe spreading across his face.

"Wow," he breathed at last and Elphaba's blush deepened. He looked completely awestruck at the sight of her. "You… You look… Sweet Oz, you look amazing." He shook his head slightly, as if to clear it, and then approached her and placed his hands on her waist, looking her over once more. "This dress was definitely worth the wait," he conceded and a laugh bubbled from her throat. She was more touched by his reaction than she was willing to let on. It wasn't quite a proposal, but she thought Galinda would have found this satisfying, too, if she'd been here.

Smiling, she reached up to fix his tie, straightening it and then giving it a little pat. "You don't look so bad yourself."

He grinned boyishly at her and she lowered her gaze, feeling herself blush again, but he tilted her chin up with his fingers to plant a soft kiss on her lips. "Are you ready?"

She nodded and accepted the arm he offered her. Oscar left the room first, followed by Elphaba and Fiyero, and then Fawn and Xalo. They paraded into the ballroom downstairs like that and some of the people already present turned around to smile at the family when they came in.

Mayor Samms's wife approached them, smiling widely. "You two look so beautiful!" she gushed to Fawn and Xalo, who respectively blushed and beamed at the compliment. The woman laughed and kissed Oscar's cheek. "Welcome, Oscar. It's good to see you again. And your grandchildren! They are even more adorable than the last time I saw them!"

"They are," Oscar agreed with a chuckle. "They get that from their mother. You look beautiful as well, Evanne."

She thanked him and then moved on to Elphaba, exchanging kisses with her as well. "Look at you! You only get more beautiful with time, too," she exclaimed, shaking her head. "No wonder those children of yours are such adorable little sweethearts. Dear, how do you manage to stay so skinny?"

Elphaba smiled wryly. "Stress makes me lose my appetite."

The mayor's wife nodded in understanding. "And being the Emerald City's deputy mayor is obviously very stressful."

"Yes," Elphaba agreed, exchanging a knowing look with Fiyero. They both knew it wasn't her job that had been causing the majority of her stress lately. "Besides, you're one to talk. You have a gorgeous figure."

Evanne sighed gracefully. "It's kind of you to say so, dear, but I'm getting old and it's starting to show – in my weight as well as in the wrinkles in my face." She made a face. "Oh, well. I suppose I should be grateful I get to grow old at all. Besides, my husband keeps telling me I'm still the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. He's such a sweetheart." She glanced at Fiyero, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Speaking of sweethearts, I see you finally found one of your own. Hi," she said to Fiyero, kissing his cheek as well. "I'm Evanne Samms, the host's wife."

"Fiyero Tiggular," he introduced himself. "I'm Elphaba's boyfriend."

The older woman eyed him appreciatively and then squeezed Elphaba's arm. "You did well, dear," she said to the young witch before turning back to Fiyero and adding, "And so did you. My husband and I have known Elphaba since Oscar first brought her to one of our little parties, just after she graduated from Shiz University, and she's a sweet girl. Very smart, too. My husband just loves discussing politics with her." She patted Fiyero's shoulder. "I'm happy for you both. Enjoy tonight," she said, smiling again, before walking away.

Fiyero chuckled a little awkwardly. "Well, then."

Elphaba just smiled at his discomfort. "Evanne is nice. She and her husband were among the first people to accept me and get to know me after Oscar started bringing me into the public eye. They've been a bit like an aunt and uncle to me for the past ten years or so."

"She does seem nice," Fiyero admitted. He smiled softly at Elphaba. "Although I do think I'm luckier to have you than the other way around."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Oh, please." She watched fondly as Fawn and Xalo ran off to play with some of the other children that had already arrived and then turned her attention back to Fiyero, who was still watching her. "What?" she asked, self-consciously fidgeting with a lock of hair.

"You just look so beautiful," he murmured, reaching up to touch her face. She blushed and lowered her gaze, but he cupped her cheek to make her look at him again. "Will you dance with me?"

"I'm not good at dancing," she protested, but he gently tugged her to the middle of the ballroom nonetheless and drew her into his arms, swaying with her to the music the band on the stage was playing.

Elphaba had never really been one for dancing, but tonight, she somehow lost track of time whilst in Fiyero's arms and they danced most of the night away. Fawn and Xalo were enjoying themselves with the other children, Oscar was mingling, and the security guards that had accompanied them were keeping an eye on everyone and everything; so Fiyero and Elphaba could just focus on each other for once. They talked to a couple of officials and went to get a refreshment or a bite of food every now and then. Mostly, though, they danced, and by the time it was approaching eleven o'clock, Elphaba's feet were incredibly sore.

"No more," she gasped, laughing, when Fiyero tried to lead her into another dance. "Please. I swear, if I take one more step, my feet will fall off."

He laughed, too, and scooped her up in his arms bridal style. He planted a kiss on her lips. "Problem solved."

She chuckled breathlessly and Fiyero gently set her down again. She took off her shoes and moved to a bench near the wall, letting herself fall down on it and flexing and curling her toes a few times. "Sweet Oz, how does Galinda do everything in heels all the time?"

"Practice?" Fiyero suggested and she nodded, smiling.

"Probably." She tilted her head a little to the side, watching everyone dance and laugh and have a good time. "Do you think anyone would notice me not wearing shoes for the rest of the night?"

"I do think they'd notice, yes," Fiyero said with a grin and Elphaba grinned back.

"It was worth a try." She pushed herself back to her feet, heels in her hand. "I'll just go get my ballet flats from upstairs instead. I'll be right back. Would you ask Fawn to dance?" she asked him more quietly, nodding at her daughter, who had abandoned the other children and was now standing alone, looking a little lost. "She's never been too good with crowds… they tend to overwhelm her. She's a lot like me, in that respect." She smiled a little sadly.

Fiyero kissed her cheek. "I will, don't worry," he promised her and she looked relieved.

"Thanks. I'll be right back," she said again, slipping out the door on her bare feet and into the hallway. They had both had such a nice, carefree night, neither of them thought twice about the fact that maybe she should have brought a guard along – especially since the entrances to the castle were all guarded by their own men.

It was when Elphaba was out in the hallway that someone suddenly shot at her and she was startled to recognise Duran. "Dur?" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

His face was ashen. "I need to talk to you," he said urgently. "In private. We can't risk him overhearing." He took her elbow and led her around a corner. Her heart was pounding in her throat. Who was 'he'? She could make an educated guess, of course, and the conclusion she was coming to was something too terrible to even imagine.

Duran pushed her gently through an open doorway, glancing around nervously. He made to follow her, but then the door suddenly slammed shut before him and she heard him cry out.

"No!" Duran shouted and there was the sound of something slamming into the door. "You stay away from her! Elphaba, run!" he called through the door, but when Elphaba whirled around, she saw that she was standing in a small room with no windows and no other doors. She was trapped.

She heard a hiss from outside the door. "Shut up!"

The voice was a familiar one and she stifled a panicked sob when she realised it was Avaric on the other side of the door, doing Oz knew what to Duran in an attempt to get to her. She tried the door, hoping she could maybe help her friend with her magic, but the door was locked and instantly, she was gripped by a whole different kind of panic. She screamed, banging her fists against the door. "Avaric! Leave him alone! Let me out!"

She heard nothing but the sounds of an ongoing scuffle – thumps, gasps, and grunts of pain – and she beat against the wooden door fruitlessly, screaming until her voice was hoarse, not just afraid for Duran now but mainly just desperate to get out of this tiny, confined room that made her feel like she couldn't breathe.

Suddenly, there was silence on the other side of the door and she sobbed, wondering what Avaric had done to Duran. She continued to pound on the door, but there was no reply whatsoever and then she became aware of something else. Something that sent a wave of fresh panic through her, so overwhelming she thought for a moment that she was going to faint.

She could smell smoke. Avaric had started a fire in the castle.