Disclaimer:I own nothing, that's not quite true,but I do not own the main characters of this tale. They belong to their respective owners, Universal Music,most of all, do believe. I do not own the songs and lyrics quoted herein.I intend no copyright infringement of any kind.

A/N:This is a sequel to the Musical.I have read none of the books,by intention. The ending of the musical,in my humble opinion, was left rather open and its ghosts have not let me rest before I did not send them out into the world again.

I am not too firm in the original Wizard of Oz stuff..I can't even remember how old I was when saw the movie and it is not part of the popular culture of my country.

Moreover this is a tale of love (some might think Angst;-),in its own way, in whatever form..so if there are some kinds that make you uncomfortable..jump over your shadow,cause you're missing out on a lot of life:-)

This is unbetaed.I am truly sorry for this and this story will not be as perfect as the nagging little perfectionist in me might crave it to be, but then if I waited even longer,I guess it would never get published,and well, I do hope from my heart of hearts,that you will enjoy the read and the journey our heroes are about to take,nonetheless.

But enough of the preamble,here 's the real introduction:

Chapter 1

Darkness began pushing the last hues of pink and purple out of the previously brilliant sky.

Elphaba sighed at the light's demise as she tried to rethread the needle of her sewing wheel.

Not finding a match in sight for the candle resting at the edge of her table,she mumbled a few,rushed words and a small flickering light traveled through the air with an adept flick of her fingers.

„Romaine!" Fiyero bellowed behind her.

With a quick whirl,she spun around.

The scarecrow placed a hand on her shoulder looking at her imploringly.

„Elpha.."he whispered.."if anyone sees you..and in front of the children,too.."

Her eyes followed his to the small crib at the end of the room.

Two infants were lying in it..resting peacefully side by side.

„They're too small, Fie.."

„Shhtt..."

„Baldazar.."

Her eyes had a look of the most utter and complete sadness to them when they met his.

„No one must know..and no one knows when anyone .." he quickly kissed her in apology.

One of the little girls began to whimper in her sleep.

Elphaba quickly strode over to the small wooden structure and lifted her into her arms.

„Shhht..shhht.."

„Nessa,oh Nessa..you're so beautiful.." she started singing to her little girl on a high note but quickly changed into a more melodic song.

„Let's go down to the Ozdust Ballroom
we'll meet there later tonight
we can dance till it lights
find the prettiest girl...
give her a whirl
right on down to the Ozdust Ballroom
come on, follow me
you'll be happy to be there... „

Fieyro looked at her from across the room as she danced with their tiny daughter in her arms.

A tear stole itself over his cotton cheek.

Quickly becoming nothing but a mark on the cloth.

„Please..don't say Oz..they might.."but his voice was hardly loud enough for himself to hear.

Elphaba had danced over to him and quickly deposited the smiling infant in his arms.

He carefully adjusted the little girl against his arms and chest, being mindful that his straws would not poke at her sensitive skin.

With a couple of quick strides Elphaba was over at the crib again and quickly drew her other little girl to her.

She had woken up, crooning and gagaing and begging to be picked up and taken dancing as well with her little outstretched arms.

Elphaba gave her the most beautiful smile as she held the little girl with the tuft of blond hair highly up into the air.

„Popular...you're going to be popular.." she started to sing.

Fiyero danced along with his half of their children.

But the sadness in his eyes was not betrayed by his smile.

...

Everyone had left the party.

Finally.

Glinda carefully ridded herself of her tiara as she strode towards her room.

Without their constraints,her curls fell freely around her pretty face.

Deep lines began showing in her face,as she allowed her features to relax out of that everpresent smile she had learned to wear as consistently and faithfully as her higheels.

Thinking of her shoes,she stopped for a brief moment to slip out of them in that neverending maze of corridors in that huge castle of hers.

Holding onto them with one hand and to her tiara and cepter with the other,she kept on treading the worn carpets soundlessly.

Gratefully, the young ruler of Oz noticed the feeling returning to her toes with each step.

Honestly, Glinda could not remember the amount of people she had danced with tonight.

So many young men,so many smells,perfumes and sweats...

Breaths against her neck and face..suggestive of more..asking for an invitation to these endless halls...

But she had not cared..not in the least..not enough to remember their names..their faces..their clothes even.

All that time, with a dazzling smile painted artfully on her glowing face..with the stars twinkling in them like a pair of ballroom lights switched on and off at will..

Glinda's eyes,as if they had a will of their own, had kept a guarded lookout out of their corners.

For something green.

So,as she had been spun around,again,and again,as her toes had been trodden upon, quick apologies coughed against her ear,bodies pressed themselves to hers..

Her eyes had sought out..something..anything..over shoulders, beyond heads and impossible hairdos..anything..that might have..

She drew her hand quickly back up to her forehead, rubbing at the painful thoughts there.

Suddenly a shadow unglued itself from the darkness of the ceiling.

„Ma-dam.." Chistery looked at her,studying her closely as he tried to take her shoes from her.

„No,Chis..I can carry them myself..you don't have to..actually not do anything.." Glinda leaned heavily against the wall..surrendering her tiara to the monkey.

„You're not my servant,Chis..you know that..and you know that Elphaba"the name still hurt „wouldn't want you to."

„Bu-ut she would no-ot.." he still had trouble speaking,and Glinda wasn't too optimistic that she would ever have a full blown conversation with him.

„She wou-old no-ot.." he collected himself.

„Want Mada-am Gli-nda.." he paused,taking the shoes from her,"be-e by herse-elf."

Glinda surrendered her weight to the wall behind her completely.

She quickly sunk down into a heap,resting her head on her knees,and began to cry.

Again.

And as usual,she made the same request to her sole companion.

„Chistery," she whispered through her tears,"please see to it,that no one will come by.."

With these words,the monkey quickly left her,while she kept crying onto the soft carpeting of her quiet and beautiful castle.