A/N: My second songfic. Set to a portion of Defying Gravity. Musicalverse, obviously. Please review, it brings me immeasurable happiness!
Disclaimer: I wish I owned them. And this song, because it's amazing. But I don't. Damn.
"Glinda. Come with me- think of what we could do. Together."
Her tone is clear, piercing, decided. My breath catches in my throat, quickened. The world is in chaos, mad hammering on the door of the tower. Threats. She stands with one hand gripping her broom, the other outstretched in my direction. Beckoning. Begging.
"Unlimited. Together we're unlimited. Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been..."
She moves forward, cautiously. I'm frozen in place, a frightened deer in the headlights.
"Glinda..."
My name awakens me.
"Dreams the way we planned them!" she prompts.
"If we work in tandem..." I whisper, the enormity of the situation bearing down on me, crushing.
She smiles encouragingly, and links her fingers through mine.
"There's no fight we cannot win!"
I smile now too. I am giddy, over-tired, petrified- but her touch makes me feel safe, invincible.
"Just you and I! Defying gravity!" I laugh, we grasp the broom between our hands, her eyes on mine and mine on hers. Just her and I- finally.
"They'll never bring us down!" she screams. The door threatens to cave in, the hash sound of base fists on wood is replaced by one large metallic BANG- they are ramming the door in.
Her eyes dart quickly to the straining wood, the euphoria is gone and urgency flashes across her features.
"Well? Are you coming?"
She speaks, a woman desperate. The pleading in her voice breaks my heart. Another violent crash erupts from the door. I shake my head gently in answer, and her head dips imperceptibly. An acceptance. A regret.
I turn from her, hiding the sudden, burning tears of shame that have sprung to my eyes. I walk over to her dreadful black cloak, and drape it slowly over my arm. Praying for composure, I face her again.
"I hope you're happy."
I fix the cloak around her slender neck, ignoring the faint electricity that sparks beneath my fingers when they brush her skin. I look into her eyes.
"Now that you're choosing this."
She nods. She understands.
"You too."
And there we separate. This is our goodbye. She has chosen her path, and I mine.
"I hope it brings you bliss."
She speaks from her heart, but I know that what I have chosen is not happiness. Nowhere but beside her could bring me happiness- but I am not brave enough now. She must be brave for the both of us.
"I really hope you get it-"
What, neither of us know.
"and you don't live to regret it!"
I feel regret already, pooling hotly in my stomach- the door creaks dangerously- my nausea swells.
"I hope you're happy in the end."
The end. She is smiling slightly now, a knowing sadness around the edges of her mouth. Her face captures mine, and I study it greedily. I can't bear to think of when next I'll see her features, and I gather them in my mind.
"I hope you're happy. My friend."
And in this moment, we understand each other perfectly. Because it is much easier to part as friends, much easier to let go of her hands and her gaze. Friends.