Chapter Eleven:

"Are you sure? You really believe that they will be here by tomorrow?" Glinda was desperate to find some fault in Elphaba's calculations. It couldn't be true.

She looked at the green witch to find that her jaw was clenched, her eyes far off. She was planning.

"Can't you conjure something up to cause them to lose their way? Or some spell so they can't reach us?"

Elphaba was still silent. Glinda felt sick. A pit of terror was forming in her stomach. Her plan was not working out as she had wanted to. Sure she and Elphaba were back on familiar terms but she had wanted more time with the woman so that she could plan out exactly how she was going to reintroduce her to Oz.

"There is nothing that can be done, Glin." Elphaba's voice was hollow.

Glinda wasn't convinced.

"There must be something! What about a storm?"
Elphaab shook her head, "They'll come anyways at another time. This can't be avoided, Glinda."

She shut the Grimmerie, frustrated.

The blonde sat down, stunned and horrified.

"So you're just planning to give up?" her voice was small, sad, and on the verge of breaking.

Elphaba looked at her, "I don't know. Maybe it's time."

Fear struck Glinda's heart.

"Elphie, you can't! I won't let you!"

The witch looked her way with a small, sad smile on her face.

"You really are so optimistic, aren't you?" She sneered before she continued, "My fate does not end up walking off into the sunset, Glinda. I'm the Wicked Witch of the West, don't you remember? Doomed to a life of wickedness and the looming threat of death from those who oppose me. And I've kidnapped you, of course this isn't going to end well for me."

She paused, "You'll be fine, of course. You'll go back to your palace in the city with that husband of yours and be the darling of Oz. They'll worship you even more once they've heard that you survived all these months in my clutches. Maybe they'll even erect a statue to your bravery. Glinda the Brave, it does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Stop it," said Glinda softly. She didn't want to hear anymore.

"I wonder how that husband of yours is planning to kill me..." her fingers traced the seaming of her book thoughtfully, "Do you think he'd rip my head off or shoot me? Or maybe he'll make a complete display of it all and have me publicly executed."

"Chuffrey will do no such things if I forbid it," Glinda said in a low growl.

Elphaba just laughed, "You think the citizens of Oz won't kill me because you tell them not to. No, my dear I've left too many bridges burning for that to ever happen."

"You could run away, hide somewhere and go to someplace new once they take me home," proposed Glinda.

"And be hunted again in a new town? Be a fugitive. No, I'm too old for such games now. If I'm to die, I want to die here. No more running, no more hiding, it's too childish," Elphaba glanced at Glinda who was near her breaking point.

"Now, don't you go making such a sob fest of this," she scolded the blonde, "You knew eventually this was bound to happen."

Glinda swallowed her tears at her request and pondered on something else for a minute.

"Why did you do it?" she asked softly, "Why did you kidnap me?"

There was a long pause before Elphaba answered her. For a while, Glinda didn't think she would. She thought that they would sit there in uncomfortable silence, letting the question brew there between them.

"I-I'm not quite sure," Elphaba started, "I didn't go to to Munchkinland to kidnap you if that's what you're asking."

"Then what did you come for?" asked Glinda.

"Morrible," Elphaba answered quickly, "I wanted to eliminate her. But there were so many people. So I decided on you... it was a snap decision but I figured it was the best one. I knew that if I had you that I could bend the entire land to my will. I must say you really do have Oz wrapped around your finger quite tightly. I'm impressed."

Glinda barely blushed at the compliment.

"Besides, we haven't seen each other in a while. And I figured if there's anyone that I'd want here it would be you."

Glinda looked at her longingly.

"Oh, Elphie."

Elphaba snarled, "Don't you go making this all sentimental. You're just lucky I didn't magick you or something."

Glinda half-smiled, "You would never do such a thing, not to me anyways."

Her eyes met the blonde's.

"Please don't give up," begged Glinda, "Please. For me."

Elphaba tilted her head, and seemed to consider it.

"I just don't want to fight anymore, Glin, can't you see that? I'm tired and I'm done trying."

"Please, please Elphie," Glinda's eyes were filled with tears now,"I'll help you. We can get through this together."

Elphaba didn't say anything for a moment.

"If you insist," was all she said and she opened the Grimmerie once more. Relief flooded Glinda's features and her heart grew light again.

"I promise it will all work out," she promised the Witch.

Elphaba didn't look as convinced but she said nothing of the sort.

Sorry this is so short. It's sort of a filler chapter. Please review! :)

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