Ekk sorry for how long I have been MIA I have been working other stories and much homework. The writing bug bit me and my writers block was lifted. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Thank you my loyal reviewers! You guys do keep me going. And Msglinda if you are reading this…I'm pestering you again. Please write more stories!

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"I don't want you to go." Galinda said her voice muffled from being buried in Elphaba's long mane.

"Darling, I'll be back in a few weeks."

"Longer than a few!" Galinda wailed. "It's a week there, a week back and who knows long you'll have to wait for your audience with the Wizard."

"Oh Glin." Elphaba whispered holding the blond closer. "I'll write okay? Even though I'll probably be back before the letter gets here I promise I'll write."

"Every day?"

Elphaba smiled. "Every day," She tipped Galinda's face up to hers so she could kiss her lips. "Take care of your self and remember to study. You need to keep your grades up."

Galinda managed to smile through her tears. "Yes mother."

"I love you Glinda." Elphaba whispered into her hair.

"I love you too." The blond pulled back. "You should go." She whimpered. "You'll miss your train."

Elphaba nodded. "I'll see you in a few weeks." She pressed her mouth to the blonds and then she was gone.

Galinda sank to the floor. She had no idea how she was going to get through the next month.

Elphaba walked down to her sisters room she opened the door. Nessa was sitting in her chair next to her father. "Nessa?"

"Oh Elphaba." She smiled.

"I'm leaving now. I should be home in a few weeks." She said walking over to the girl and embracing her.

"I'm so proud of you Elphaba."

"Thank you." She glanced at her father, his expression was unreadable. "Please watch over Galinda for me. Make sure she doesn't sit in her room the entire time I'm gone."

"Oh Elphaba don't worried. She is Galinda Upland, Queen of popularity she has plenty of friends. She will be fine."

Elphaba nodded. "Right," She paused. "Good bye Nessa." She picked up her suitcase and left the room without a backward glance. As Elphaba walked away from her sister's room she reached into her pocket and fingered the little green bottle that resided there. She turned on her heal and walked back to her dorm. Opening the door she found Galinda lying on her bed.

"Glin?"

"Elphie?" She sat up. "What is it?"

"I wanted to give you this." Elphaba said holding out the bottle.

"Oh Elphaba no, it was your mo…"

"I know… I want you to have it." She pressed it into Galinda's palm. "I'll be back soon." She whispered kissing Galinda who nodded chewing on her bottom lip trying to hold back fresh tears that sprung to her eyes.

"Have a safe trip."

"Oh Galinda how can I leave you when you blubber like this?" Elphaba asked gently wiping away her tears.

"Then don't leave! Catch a later train."

"Glin. You know I can't."

"I know." She whispered, she reached up and pulled Elphaba's mouth to hers. "Hurry home."

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Elphaba's first night on the coach was a lonely one. She sat alone staring out the window as the dreary land traveled passed her dark eyes. Just when it was becoming almost impossible to see out the windows the carriage pulled to a stop in front of a dingy looking hotel. Elphaba stepped out carrying her single parcel and was handed a room key by the conductor. "Do they have a post here?"

"Have to ask inside miss." He said before turning away.

Elphaba walked into the dingy motel. "Sir," She said getting the attention of the man at the front desk. "Do you have a post here?"

"Yes ma'am we do goes out every morning at ten."

Elphaba smiled and thanked him she had a supper of dry bread and tasteless soup before heading up to her room. She sighed when she saw the sleeping quarters, no bath, no furniture except a weak looking bed with two blankets and a sheet. She set her bag on the bed and opened it searching for her pencil and stationary. She sat and situated herself, chewing on the writing utensil;

My darling Galinda,

Be glad you didn't come dear. The travel is long and bland, food is tasteless and the room, which is where I am writing you from is dirty and drab. You wouldn't fit in here. I have to be up by five tomorrow to board, they don't do role call so it is very easy to be left behind or so I'm told.

I hope you are well and studying. Know, my darling Glinda that I miss you. I'll write tomorrow if the next motel has a post.

All my love,

Elphaba

Green hands folded the paper and placed it in an off white envelop sealing it with her saliva she placed the note on the floor next to her bag to be mailed in the morning. She changed into her night clothes and turned in for the night.

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It took four days for the first letter to reach Galinda's hands. She squealed with delight as ripped it open, eagerly reading the words. "Oh Elphie," She whispered pressing the letter to her chest.

"And what you so happy this morning Miss Galinda," Ague asked sliding up to her.

"Oh nothing," She said trying to wipe the smile from her face. "Was there something you needed?"

"Well…need no, want yes." He smiled his eyes glittering. "Tonight is the first showing of 'A Romance' its only going to be in town for a week and I wondered if you would accompany me to the show." He asked.

Galinda blushed. "Why that is so kind of you, but I-I don't think so." She knew of the show it was the buzz of the school oh how she wanted to go but she had wanted to see the show with Elphaba.

He mocked pain gripping his chest. "Miss Galinda! Oh the pain."

She rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself.

Ague righted himself. "Please? I'll be a perfect gentleman, pick you up and walk you to your door." He said pouting a bit.

The blond scuffed her foot against the pavement; she really did want to see the show. "Well…'

"Yes…"

"You win." She said smiling.

He smiled back. "So I'll be picking you up around eight?"

"Sounds perfect," The blond said before trotting off to her dorm.

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Five days and there was an end in sight, well sort of. Three more days and she would be in the emerald city. Elphaba had kept herself busy thinking about what to write Galinda but with all the thought she put into writing, not much got onto paper. She didn't feel safe writing the things she was thinking down on the paper in the carriage, too many prying eyes. She waited till she was in the safety of her room to write but by then she was so exhausted she didn't get much on paper, just about her days travels and telling the blond about the growing ache she felt each day they were apart.

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Wearing her new snow white gown Galinda was a site for all to see when she walked into the theater on Ague's arm. She had reminded him repeatedly on the way over in his private carriage that this was not, in anyway a date. Just two friends going to see a show together, he of course agreed readily.

After some small talk the theater darkened and the show began. Galinda found herself being sucked in to the world before her. An unrequited love satisfied only for a few days before the lovers were ripped apart for years only to have the man see the woman on a train. Demanding it to stop he ran for his love but falling short of only a block dropping dead before he could reach her. She sobbed at the end wished Elphaba was there to hold her.

Ague was quite on the walk to his carriage parked on the curb. He helped Galinda in nodding to the driver. Her held her kindly to his side and comforted her. It was a good ten minutes before Galinda realizing that they were not heading back to Shiz. She sat up and sniffled. "What? Where are we going?"

Quick as lighting he had the blonds hand's tied with at thick rope. The Gillikin girl screamed. "Shut up!" He said tightening the ties.

"What are you doing!" She asked her eyes wide with fear.

He leaned in close his breath hot on her ear. "I know what you do with that green girl disgusting fuck that she is." He breathed heavily. "You know what they do to girls that do it with other girls?" He pulled back and looked at her as if expecting an answer. "They torture them," He smiled. "But lucky for you I'm a nice guy, I'm going to show you what its like to be with a man, straighten you out a bit." He said pressing his mouth to hers.

Galinda tried to push him off but he was too strong. "Please, no…stop!" She cried.

"Oh shut up! You talk too much." He said hitting her hard against the face.

Galinda saw stars dance in front of her eyes, her teeth rattled in her head and she was forced to lay still. She felt her new beautiful dress get torn away and this seemed to rouse her. "No." She said again her finger nails digging into the soft flesh of his chest. He yelped in pain but this seemed only anger him more. He grabbed her shoulders squeezing so hard Galinda could feel her own pulse in her arms.

"Your mine now, you think that swamp creature loves you?" He scuffed undoing his pants. "She can't get it from anyone else so she turns to you. Dear sweet miss popular. And you fall for it." He entered her and Galinda screamed so loud that her voice broke.

For the next five minutes Galinda endured the most painful moments of her life. She stared wide eyed at the blur of black forest passing in the window above her, the night was cold but she was sweating, why she didn't know. Suddenly he stilled and moaned. He pulled out and roughly kissed her. "Like that huh?" He asked smiling.

"Bastard," She muttered half crying her voice was horse and the blood coming from her nose was making her hard to speak.

"Ohhh you like it rough huh baby?" He asked advancing on her again.

Galinda coward, "Please no."

"Awwh what's wrong? Did that green thing make it nice and rough for you?" He asked touching her breast. "You'll forget her after tonight baby. I'll make you forget all about her."

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She guessed it was about two in the morning when she awoke, confused as to where she was. Looking around the bare walls and the stale smell entering her nostrils she realized where she was at. Sighing she laid back but something was bothering her. Standing Elphaba moved towards the window. She suddenly felt very cold and began to shake violently, confused Elphaba retreated back to the bed. Still she couldn't stop shaking and swiftly tears sprang to her eyes. Her heart constricted something was wrong, very wrong. She sat up and lit a candle with a shaking hand she began to write to Galinda.

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Delirious and distraught was what Galinda was feeling as she struggled up the steps to her room. How she got to Shiz she couldn't' for the life of her remember. Opening the door she locked it tightly behind her and staggered to the bathroom she emptied her stomach into the bowl and pulled herself up by the sink. She gazed at her reflection, blood was flowing from her nose and caked in her hair, her left eye blackened. She glanced down at her beautiful dress but now it was torn and blood covered. Slowly slipping out of it she stepped into the shower and scrubbed feverishly at her skin trying to rid all of the feeling of him on her skin. She gasped in pain when she ran her hand across her breast. Looking down she saw why, it was red turning purple and was quite swollen. She sighed and let a few tears trickle down her face mixing with the water.

When the water was finally running cold she stepped out and toweled herself dry. Stepping out into the main room she gazed at herself naked in front of the large full length mirror. Her face turned up in disgust it seemed the shower had only made things worse. She flashed back to what Ague had said. "She won't want you now, you've been touched by a man, and experienced what a good time is really like."

"He's right," She said out loud to know one. "She can't love you like this, who would want to."

'You have to go.' A voice said.

"Yes," She said aloud once again. "I must go." In an hour Galinda had three suitcases neatly packed. The rest she would send for. She stood at the door and her gaze fell on Elphaba's bed the green bottle sitting were she had left it. Walking over she picked it up. "Oh Elphie," She squeaked.