Note from me: Happy Thanksgiving! I ate a mammoth lunch yesterday, because things wouldn't work out for today, so I'm free to write! I wrote a really emotionally charged sequence in this chapter, which I am really surprised about, so I hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS OR LYRICS IN THIS STORY! =) Except Panthea. She be mine. XD Wow I have never changed this disclaimer, have I?

Panthea woke in a blurry haze, looking around in confusion. Everything was really, really fuzzy. And the room was spinning.

She grinned loopily, showing her teeth.

The world, it was spinning. So pretty . . . she giggled in delight.

"I don't remember her being this giddy . . . ever." A light chuckle came from somewhere to her right.

That voice, it sounded like . . .

"She never was, Fiyero."

Hearing those names, she bolted up, only to fall back down again. She was getting dizzy again. She opened her eyes wide.

"Panthea, stay down. You hit your head pretty hard over there," Elphaba said soothingly.

"My Oz, what happened- ELPHABA!" Panthea attempted to sit up, but Fiyero's hands, strong for being made out of straw, kept her down.

"Hey Panthea," Elphaba murmured, stroking her hair gently, "Nice to see you again."

"I've got," she coughed, and groaned, "a bone to pick . . . with both of you," she stammered weakly. The pair glanced at each other.

"We know, and we'll cross that bridge when you can move without falling on your face," Fiyero said stiffly. Panthea managed to turn and glare at him before passing out cold again.

Elphaba watched the half-conscious girl toss and turn on the couch with warm and guilt-ridden eyes. Fiyero massaged her shoulders as best he could with soothing strokes.

"How did she manage to find us, Yero?" she whispered.

"I honestly don't know," he replied, smiling slightly, "But I don't think she expected to find us here."

"So you think she was looking, then?" He hesitated.

"I- um, well," he stammered. He had a sinking feeling she had been, but he didn't want to burden Elphaba with more guilt.

"She was," Elphaba said clearly, "She was looking."

Fiyero was, in truth, a bit disgruntled that Panthea had come and ruined his and Elphaba's blissful fantasy, and he hated himself for that. He was well aware of the bond between them, and secretly he had been quite fond of the girl. She had made him realize his feelings for Elphaba could be acted upon. She had been the catalyst for their heaven.

Her face looked so peaceful in sleep, like it had been years ago, but there was a new element of wisdom that had reached her. She was a woman now, grown and controlled. Or so he thought.

Elphaba was caught up in memories, he could tell. One moment she would be smiling and the next she would be close to tears.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked. She turned.

"Just remembering, that's all," Elphaba responded.

"Remembering what?"

"Nosy much?" Elphaba laughed, turning back to Panthea. He looked slightly crestfallen. Sighing she expanded. "I was remembering Panthea telling me about you." Fiyero raised an eyebrow.

"What did she say?" Elphaba laughed.

"She said, 'He's a nice guy. I see why you love him.'" Fiyero looked back at Panthea.

"Do you think she's changed?" he asked softly. Elphaba shrugged.

"I don't know," she admitted, "Though I dearly hope she hasn't too much."

A few hours later Panthea's frail body could function properly. She sat wrapped in a wool blanket near the fireplace, with Fiyero and Elphaba. Fiyero kept a healthy distance from the burning embers, but Panthea appreciated the warmth. Her room at the inn was drafty.

"Well, you found us," Elphaba said carefully. "And look at you, a woman now! Your hair is lovely . . ."

"My hair?" Panthea snickered, "My hair is just about the only thing that has changed." Elphaba smiled fondly.

"How . . . how is Glinda?"

"Bubbly again, FINALLY. She was pretty messed up for a while, and I've been helping her run Oz, she proclaimed me," Panthea sighed deeply, "The Good Witch of the West."

Elphaba broke out laughing in her delicious cackle. Panthea missed it.

"So you're improving my legacy, then?" Elphaba asked, smiling.

Panthea nodded. "Basically."

"What about Boq? And the others? And the Wizard and Morrible, what became of them?"

"Whoa, slow down, let me think!" Panthea laughed. "Um, Boq, he's still made of tin. I wanted to find him, but he disappeared. The Wizard, Glinda sent him off in his balloon to join Dorothy back in Kansas, or wherever. Morrible, you'll like this Elphaba, she is rotting away in prison." Elphaba grinned.

"How is Chistery?"

"He is talking. Oh, Elphaba, you would be so proud. He cans ay my name, and ask questions-" Panthea's enthusiasm and excitement grew. Elphaba could finally hear of how she had matured and grown. She would be proud of her.

"I represent Animals and Animal Rights," she proclaimed contentedly. "And I'm a master sorceress. Which reminds me," she said, grinning, "The reason I sought you out." Elphaba raised a sharp eyebrow.

"What?"

"I can change him back."

The lovers gasped.

"Panthea, the spell is irreversible."

"That's only because you're looking at it the wrong way." Elphaba tilted her head.

"What do you mean?"

"If you say a spell backwards, it will reverse itself," Panthea said proudly, "I've been working on and testing my theory for months and working on the spell for years."

"On what?" Elphaba asked suspiciously.

"Fruit." Fiyero and the green woman exchanged a worried glance.

"Ever tried it on a living being?"

"Fruit is alive."

"You know what I mean," Elphaba snapped. Panthea's expression fell.

"No." Elphaba sighed.

"Give us time to think it out." Something in Panthea cracked.

"Time? I've been thinking it out for five years! I've been studying, testing, looking around, using all of my energy into this, and then in finding you! I'm sorry, but I have little patience left, Elphaba."

"Panthea-"

"I waited." This time the bitter glare was directed at Fiyero. "I waited for you. I hid in the Grasslands, and held my own against those horrid Arjiki beasts because I thought you and Elphaba would appreciate everything I had done enough to at least let me know they're alive and well!" She realized then, that she had never truly forgiven them for it. She may have told herself otherwise, but on the inside, she was still extremely hurt.

"Panthea-"

"Shut up!" the angry words shocked herself, "I had a broken leg, remember that, Fiyero? It never healed, I never got help. It only got worse after you sent me off on that Oz-forsaken mission! I'm a cripple now. I walk with a limp!" Fiyero's gaze turned horrified.

"Panthea, I didn't think-"

"Of course you didn't! You never do! You sent me to deliver a note making sure I would never see my one and only friend in the world!" Elphaba visibly flinched. Fiyero's protective side took over. He would not allow Panthea to hurt Elphaba in any way.

"Leave," he said coldly. Panthea didn't move, she shook and trembled in her place, but then she dropped a simple letter onto the table before the couple and walked out. She turned as she reached the door.

"I missed you. Both of you. I was alone. And apparently, I still am."

When she reached her old inn, Lor was waiting. He walked up to her instantly and put his strong hands on her shoulders.

"Panthea, are you alri-"

"Not now Lor," Panthea hissed, shrugging out of his almost-embrace, running up the stairs to her suite. She collapsed on the bed, shaking with uncontrollable sobs. A knock.

"Panthea, I have a key!" Lor warned.

"GO AWAY!" she screamed, throwing a pillow uselessly at the door. It opened, and Lor crept in.

"Panthea, what happened?" Panthea sat up, crossing her arms.

"Lor, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, you're Panthea. You're stubborn, and sweet, and-"

"No, do you know my job?" he shook his head. "I'm the Witch of the West in Oz."

Reluctantly, but eagerly at the same time, she told him her story, along with her mission. He listened with wide eyes, and when she was finished, he stood wordlessly and left.

Elphaba watched Panthea leave, still as ice. Fiyero was staring after her with a hard expression.

"Fae . . ." he began cautiously.

"I hurt her, Yero. I really, really hurt her," Elphaba whispered. Fiyero went to sit next to her. "I honestly love her like she's my own sister, I do. But she must hate me now for deserting her . . ."

"It's not your fault-" he began, but Elphaba sprang away from his embrace.

"Did you listen to her, Fiyero? She hates me!" He sighed, remembering quite clearly what the young woman had said.

"Yes, I did listen. The anger was directed at me, not you." Elphaba's expression of self-loathing toned down a bit, and she glanced at him from beneath wet eyelashes.

In truth, Fiyero felt horrible. He hadn't known Panthea had relied on him so much, he had figured she would simply let it go. But she had only been fifteen, a girl . . .

Alone in the Grasslands . . .

He shuddered. As a young boy, he had gone out into the Grasslands, a coming-of-age ritual in his tribe demanded it, and it had been hard and horrifying enough without a broken leg and spirit.

He walked over and picked up the note Panthea had left.

It had the spell, examples, archives of her experiments, and drawings. She was right, she had worked hard on the spell.

"Do you think it could work?" he asked, tossing the paper to his distraught lover. She picked it up and read it.

"I . . . I suppose so," Elphaba replied, "But I want to test it out myself first." She stood up and did a complicated enchantment on their chair, and it hovered and spun in the air. She then said it backwards, after pausing to go over it in her head. The chair fell to the ground, as it was. She looked at Fiyero, her eyes hopeful.

"Do it," Fiyero said.

Waking up the next morning to a wet, salty pillow and another rainy day wasn't the best mood-breaker. Panthea felt horrible for going off on Elphaba and Fiyero. Truly, she did. The stricken expression on Elphaba's face was burned in her memory. She couldn't leave it like that.

But what was she supposed to do? Just go back, show up at their doorstep and apologize? Fiyero, the look on his face, he would probably flay her alive!

But some risks, well, they had to be worth taking.

She got out of her bed and slipped on a dark gray gown. She grabbed her cloak and wore her hair down.

Lor was downstairs, and upon seeing her he approached her, blocking her exit.

"Lor, let me by," she commanded, her voice slightly shaky.

He stepped forward, mere inches away from her. "You're not leaving until I get answers."

"Try me," she muttered wryly. He raised an eyebrow and then closed the distance between them, kissing her fully on the lips. When he stepped away, allowing her an exit she just stood there with her fingers on her lips, as if attempting to comprehend what had just happened.

"That was your first kiss, wasn't it?" he asked simply. She nodded, and bolted off.

The encounter didn't help her nerves too much. Now she was slightly giddy again, and nervous! Perfect!

She reached the couple's cottage in no time, hoping dearly that Elphaba would answer first.

She knocked on the door in quick, nervous taps.

Fiyero answered. His grave expression hardened at seeing her. Panthea paled.

"Fiyero . . . I'm so, so, so sorry." He just looked at her, as if waiting for her to notice something important. Suddenly, it came to her.

He was human!

"You were right, Panthea. About . . . about everything."

For once, she was speechless. The spell, it, it had worked! It had really worked!

I feel like the gap between Panthea hating and then feeling guilty was too short, but hey, she felt guilty, I suppose! Teehee

And she got a kiss! *awwwww* This chapter is Ok, I suppose, but not my personal favorite. *shrugs*

Review review review!