"Elphaba?"

Elphaba awoke as soon as the tiny voice sounded. "Nessa? What're you doing up so late at night?"

Nessa sniffled and wheeled herself over to the bed. "Elphaba, there're things under my bed."

"Things? What things?" Elphaba said, sitting up quickly.

"I don't know, just things!" Nessa whimpered. "They crawl around and make scary squeaking noises. Elphaba, I'm scared ..."

Elphaba lifted her sister off the wheelchair and into her small bed. She patted Nessa's head as they snuggled together and said reassuringly, "Don't worry about it, Nessa. It might've been just some mice. Nanny and I will take care of it in the morning."

"What if they hurt you?" Nessa said, eyes widening.

"They won't. I'm eight years old, remember? So much bigger than you!" Elphaba said teasingly, poking her sister in the ribs. The two sisters fell into a comfortable silence, lulled slowly into sleep.

"Elphaba?" Nessa whispered, lifting her head. "They'll be gone tomorrow, won't they? Promise?"

"Promise."

Stupid, stupid, STUPID! Elphaba thought furiously as she stomped back home, her schoolbag bouncing on her shoulders. "I didn't eat grass for lunch!" She said aloud angrily. "I don't ever eat grass. I eat food!"

Her classmates' laughter echoed in her ears, and she paused at the gate to blink them away. Crying is a sign of weakness, she reminded herself. It's okay to cry at funerals, but never cry at home because Nessa might cry too, then Father will get mad.

"Elphaba! Elphaba!" Her sister's bright voice caught Elphaba's attention. Nessarose was waving at her, stuck at the kitchen door, evidently unable to push the wheelchair over the doorstep.

Elphaba put a smile on her face and quickly unlatched the gate, rushing forward to help her sister. "Nessa, I'm home! Where's Nanny?"

"In the kitchen baking. How was your new school, Elphaba?" Seven-year old Nessa asked eagerly as Elphaba pushed the wheelchair out into the garden.

"Well, it was … Eventful." Elphaba said evasively, sitting on a bench and facing her sister. She didn't want to tell Nessa what had really transpired.

"You didn't – You know …" Nessa lowered her voice meaningfully.

"No." Elphaba shook her head. "Didn't happen."

Nessa smiled in relief. "Good. I don't like Father angry, and it's so awful that you have to go to another school that's so far away!"

Elphaba smiled genuinely then, touched by her sister's words. At least someone at home had missed her when she was gone.

"Why don't you tell me what you learned today?" Nessa said. "I want to learn lots; maybe, I'll even top the class!"

Elphaba laughed and stood up, pushing the wheelchair out among the flowers. "Today, we learnt more about Munchkinland's botany," she began. "See that? That's a …"

"Rose, I know," Nessa interrupted. "Father said Mother named me after that."

"Did she, now?" Elphaba said softly. "She must've liked roses a lot."

Nessa was quiet. "Does it seem strange to you … That our family governs the land that we're learning about? The flowers, the grass, the people … It all belongs to our family."

"Well, it'll belong to you one day." Elphaba said matter-of-factly. "Father always said so."

"Oh, Elphaba …"

"Who would want a green Governor, anyway?" Elphaba cut in off-handedly. "I'll probably blend in with grass so well, they won't be able to tell where I was!"

"That would help in those boring meetings, I'm sure." Nessa laughed at that, and pointed at a pale yellow blossom. "What's that?"

"A yellow maridaisy," Elphaba replied automatically, relieved at her sister's change of subject. "And that would be …"

A/N: Some NessaxElphaba sisterly relationship for the reviewer who wanted it! C'mon, guys, 64 views and only 7 reviews! Y'all can do better than that! Perhaps I should start bribing ... With imaginary cookies ...