Disclaimer: After the many one-shots I have written, I still don't own Wicked. Sad.
Author's Note: Because I'm still obsessed with the concept of Glinda and Elphaba having a chance meeting between Defying Gravity and Thank Goodness…
Summary: During the nights, Glinda escapes from the palace, living a part of her life no other being knows about. Until one night, when a chance meeting changes her life for good.
Didn't You Know-
-A One Shot
The night was dark.
Very dark.
Rain fell from the sky with fury, dark luminous clouds blocking the stars and the moon. The only light came from the dim fires glowing within houses, or pubs, or the occasional street lamp; whose fire had been lucky enough to avoid being dampened. The wind howled like a pack of a thousand wolves, threatening to lift buildings right out of the ground.
The streets were empty, save for the drunks who didn't seem to care if their socks got wet from the ankle high water that ran through the street. And the Animals…for now was the only time they could freely wander the streets without the hateful looks of those who despised them or the looks of pity from those who were too afraid to speak out.
The wind picked up and the rain changed, turning into small drops of hail that fell even harder from the sky.
The change in the weather was all the convincing that the remaining patrons needed to take shelter; all…save for one.
Glinda the Good pulled her cloak tighter around her body, trying to do everything she could to protect herself from the assault of the sky. She crept along the street, doing her best to stay in the shadows. Though, she figured, it would not be a big deal tonight as the only area of visibility was three feet on all sides; she would have to stick her face against a window is she wanted to be noticed in this storm.
A fact, Glinda was very grateful for.
Normally, her nightly treks were far more choreographed, as she had to take side streets and alley ways to keep from being seen. She even added a hunch and a limp to her walk to avoid suspicion. This was the EC after all, and no one would care to bother a crippled-old man walking down an alley.
But tonight, Glinda was able to walk upright, though her steps were still slow thanks to the river of water she was walking in. The only difficulty that she had endured tonight was sneaking away from the castle.
Every forth night, it was the same. Glinda would wait until the Wizard and Madame Morrible retired for the night before she two would retire to her quarters. Fiyero was hardly ever around, always out in the field with the Gale Force; though if he ever was, she'd feign a headache and request an early turn in.
When she was certain that only the guards were the ones awake she would quietly escape the stuffy confines of the castle by way of the servants tunnel system; an efficient service system was equally efficient for a concealed escape.
But tonight, had been a chore. The storm had kept the entire castle awake and had kept Fiyero and the Gale Force from their work. So Glinda had improvised. As the clock had struck eight, Glinda had once again claimed a headache and a sick stomach and retired to bed; requesting that the guard stationed at her suit door was not to let anyone in or disturb her for any reason. She locked her door, changed into her travel dress and cloak, magicked her sheets together and shimmed out her window.
Her bottom was still sore.
But it was a risk she had to take. She had promised she would return every forth night and Glinda the Good was not one to break a promise.
The hail fell harder and suddenly, Glinda found herself lying on the ground, face first in water. She pushed herself up and looked around, squinting to see through the storm. A broken crate was sticking up, apparently stuck on something; apples floated around her. She tried to stand up, but the wet weight of her clothes pulled her back down.
She cursed.
With a heave Glinda tried again, lifting herself up with all the strength she had and trudging on.
She would not be late.
Glinda's night time ventures had started out as just that. A night time stroll to get away from the high society drab of the Wizard's Palace. She took her precautions, and dressed darkly to conceal herself from prying eyes, but she needed the alone time. She needed a time for herself. Glinda loved her job, she did. She got no greater pleasure then helping the denizens of Oz by giving them hope. But their constant affection did get tiring. There was only one person in all of Oz that could would gladly spend all of her time with, she would welcome her constant affection, but it was the one person Glinda could never be with.
During the day, she was hardly ever alone. As she traveled from place to place, giving speeches and doing her goodly deeds. Or as she was forced to listen to the Wizard and Madame Morrible's new ideas for policy. Even Fiyero constantly flaked her sides when he was around. And then there were her guards. Even at night she wasn't left alone as the Wizard insisted on keeping a guard stationed outside of her sweet. He claimed it was for extra protection.
But Glinda wasn't stupid. Extra protection would have meant a guard outside of the Wizard's, Madame Morrible's, and even Fiyero's suite. But Glinda was the only one who had "extra protection". She knew that the Wizard was taking a precaution, he was spying. But he of all people should know that she didn't have any contact with—
Glinda finally reached her destination, a cellar door to an abandoned old building on the outskirts of the city. She kicked the doors three times, certain that the sound would be the only one audible over the downpour. She waited a few seconds before she heard the faint pound of her three knocks echoed back. She kicked four times, then put herself right up against the door and yelled, as quietly as she could, "It's Fae."
The door quickly opened and she tumbled inside. "We didn't think you would come tonight."
Glinda turned to the Bear who had let her in and huffed. "I promised I would come, no matter what."
Glinda's nightly adventures had quickly changed to something more than simple alone time. One night, after a particularly stressful day (a group of Munchkins had been certain they had seen a group of rampant Animals) and even more calming speeches to the public, Glinda had been too caught up in her own thoughts and she took a wrong turn. And then another. Before she knew it, she was in a part of the city she had never been before, at least at night, and horribly lost.
And then there had been pain, as someone attacked her, reaching for the small amount of jewelry she had been wearing, obviously unaware of whom it was they were robbing. She had been thrown to the ground, the tumble knocking her unconscious as she hit her head on a nearby wall.
And then she had woken to a dim light and a Bear standing over her, tending to her wounds. And it was then that Glinda began to understand the true vastness of the Animal Underground Movement.
The Bear that had found her was the head nurse of an Animal hospital, who treated Animals injured in the city from attacks, since the Wizard's Hospital now declined all Animals.
Apparently Glinda looked like a large lion cub when knocked unconscious and covered in a traveling cloak.
When Glinda had seen the horrible results of the beatings these Animals were receiving, and the even worse medical fixes they were using to treat the wounds, she had decided to take action. Swearing to return every fourth night to offer her services.
After all, there was a difference between giving speeches to fix Oz and actually fixing it.
And, for her own selfish reasons, it gave Glinda a chance to reconnect with a part of her life she longed to get back, a part of her life she had lost the day--
"You're soaking, Fae," Bear Nurse said as Glinda shrugged off her coat with as much grace as she could muster.
"It's storming, if you hadn't noticed."
"Ever cheeky, I think we may have some spare clothes somewhere around her. Go to the bathroom and dry up."
Glinda nodded gratefully and turned towards the bathroom, slipping down the hall.
They all had nicknames. Glinda knew the nurses simply as Bear Nurse, Lion Nurse, and Tiger Nurse. The rest of the helpers went by their species name; for, they were so few, that there was hardly ever any confusion. And so they had created a nickname for Glinda. Fae had been the first name to pop into her mind, as she had been thinking of one to go by, her eyes had fallen on a green blanket.
She hated it. But she loved it. And it worked.
If any of the Animals knew who she was, and she was certain they did, they didn't mention it. She kept their secret and they kept hers. And so Fae had been created.
There was a knock on the door and Tiger Nurse stuck her head in the bathroom. "Bear Nurse asked me to give these to you."
"Thank you," Glinda said, accepting the warm clothing. "I'll be but a minute."
"Take your time, we've got a Pig in labor and that's it. Going to be a slow night."
"The night has only begun."
The Tigress tisked, "You witches are always trying to predict the future. Pointless if you ask me."
"I didn't," Glinda said through a smile.
Tiger Nurse hissed lightly, her sharp teeth peering through a smirk. "Better watch yourself deary. I may be a Tiger, but you're still a human."
Glinda giggled as the Tigress walked back down the hall, she shut the door and changed.
The night of work began and Glinda was proven right. It seemed violence and sickness would not even stop for the rain.
As the night wore on, a beat Eagle, a mother Wolf with six sick pups, and a Cat with whooping cough all entered their secret hide away hospital. The nurses and Glinda worked quickly and efficiently, moving around their confined work room with ease.
"We're out of cough syrup," Lion Nurse said, as she poured the last of it for the Cat.
"I brought three bottles with me last time," Glinda said, wiping the brow of a sick pup.
"They're gone," Tiger Nurse said, "This cough has been running through the Animal community."
Glinda swore quietly under her breath just as the customary three knocks signaled another arrival. Bear Nurse disappeared and returned minutes later, leading three Apes who all had broken arms.
The nurses and Glinda began to work faster, making sure all of their patients were attended to.
Around midnight, the room quieted.
The Cat had left, thankful for the syrup. The Eagle was resting and the Apes were talking quietly amongst themselves as they waited out the storm, their arms now secure in casts. Only the Wolf Pups made any noise, their high voices moaning their discomfort.
"It hurts," the tiny Pup Glinda was holding coughed.
Glinda soothed him quietly, rocking slightly, "I know sweet heart, just try and rest."
The Pup moaned and buried himself closer to Glinda's body, finding comfort in her warmth.
Suddenly, the quiet of the makeshift hospital was broken by a loud pounding from the cellar door. Every occupant of the room froze, looking to one another with questioning glances. The frantic knocking they heard was not customary signal knock of someone who knew of their Underground Organization. But clearly, someone knew they were there.
"What do we do?" Glinda asked, quietly, continuing to rock the Pup she held.
The frantic knocking continued.
"Maybe they need help," one of the Apes said.
"Everyone knows the rules," Lion Nurse snapped.
Glinda closed her eyes, waiting to hear the customary yell of the Gale Force for surrender.
But it didn't come.
Instead, came the frantic call from a voice completely unexpected, yet very familiar to the Good Witch.
"Bear Nurse, I know you're in there, open this blasted door now!"
"What's she doing here?" Tiger Nurse asked. "I thought she was in Quox."
"She wasn't supposed to be back for another three weeks," Lion Nurse added. "We didn't send her the new location."
"I've got a hurt Lion Cub! He's bleeding! Please!" the voice called.
At the words, Bear Nurse sprang forward running to the door to let their visitor in.
Glinda closed her eyes and shook her head, wishing it wasn't so. It was impossible. It couldn't be.
The thundering of footsteps signaled Bear Nurse and their visitors return.
Glinda slowly opened her eyes and felt the world around her stop as a slim, green woman wearing a black pointed hat came into the room. She was wet with rain and held a bleeding Cub in her arms, but her face was still the beautiful array of sharp features that Glinda remembered.
"Where did you find him?" Bear Nurse asked, clearing off a bed to set the Cub on.
"On the outskirts of the city, he was alone." Elphaba said, gently placing the bloody Animal on the bed.
"How did you find us?" Lion Nurse asked.
"The Underground isn't as large as you all seem to believe it is."
"Why are you back so soon?" Tiger Nurse asked, bringing over gauze.
"Complications," Elphaba explained curtly, "But I have the medication you asked me to get."
"Good girl," Bear Nurse said.
"I'm not your pet, you know," Elphaba said with a smirk, as she took off her cloak and rolled up her sleeves.
Bear Nurse smiled grimly as the four convened around the Cub. "Fae could you get a clean tray of instruments from the other room? The Pups should be fine with their mother for now."
The three nurses began to work on the cub, while Elphaba turned too look at the person Glinda had addressed.
Glinda held her breath and felt her heart stop as her eyes met her friend's for the first time in a year. Glinda watched as shock registered on Elphaba's face. She instinctively clutched the Pup closer to her body, needing anything to hold onto and fearing that she would let go if she didn't.
A year. It had been one year since Glinda had set her eyes upon the verdigris face before her and yet, she felt as if no time had passed. Her green skin was still the beautiful color she remembered. And her eyes. Her eyes were the deep, chocolate color Glinda had often found herself lost in.
Glinda felt nauseous as feelings she had suppressed for so long began to surface with the sight of the woman before her. No. She had promised herself she would never allow her thoughts to travel that way again.
But it was impossible. Seeing Elphaba. Her Elphaba. It was just impossible. Glinda couldn't help it. She never had been able to.
The mother Wolf walked up to Glinda and gently took her Pup. "They need your help more than we do, we'll be fine."
Glinda found herself nodding, though her mind felt disconnected from her body.
"Glin--?" Elphaba's voice trailed off, as if she couldn't believe Glinda was standing before her.
That voice. The one Glinda had once spent hours listening to. The one she dreamed about. The one that had softly whispered goodbye to her a year ago.
And just as fast as her shocked stupor had taken hold of her, it vanished and Glinda was left with the distinct feeling she had harbored for Elphaba since she had left her alone in the Wizard's attic. Contempt.
"You," she said quietly, her voice shaking.
The simple word grabbed Bear Nurse's attention, causing the Animal's eyes to widen as she mistakenly interpreted Glinda's shock the wrong way. She made sure Lion Nurse and Tiger Nurse were okay to work by themselves and walked to Glinda.
"Fae," she said, "I know what the rumors say, but Elphaba is good. I promise. She's helping the animals. Please, don't be scared."
Glinda's eyes snapped to the Bear. "I'm well aware of who Miss Elphaba really is, Bear Nurse."
The Bear looked between the two humans with confusion.
"We're friends," Elphaba explained when Glinda offered no explanation.
Glinda's eyes narrowed."I'll be right back with those instruments you asked for." She left the room without a backwards glance.
Glinda collapsed against the wall of the adjourning room, trying to steady her breathing. This couldn't be happening. She had tried so hard. She thought she had forgotten. She had forgotten. Feelings of affection for Elphaba mixed with the pain she had felt when the woman had left her. Two strong emotions, battling for control of her body. She clutched at her chest.
"Glinda?" Elphaba's voice broke through her thoughts as she came into the room.
Glinda rolled her head against the wall, looking at Elphaba through narrowed eyes.
"Are you okay?" Elphaba asked.
Glinda waved away the question as she tried to get a hold on her breathing.
"I can't believe it's you," Elphaba spoke again taking a step forward and placing her hand lightly on Glinda's shoulder.
Glinda closed her eyes at the touch, letting the warmth of Elphaba run through her. So warm, soft, comforting. And yet it burned with a pain Glinda could not ignore.
"Don't touch me," Glinda said, pushing away from Elphaba's touch and the wall.
Elphaba's head tilted to the side as she looked at her friend with concern and confusion. "I'm so glad to see you," she pressed on, quite unsure what to take of Glinda's attitude.
"Are you?" Glinda asked, collecting the medical instruments the Nurses would need.
Elphaba's head tilted even further. "Well of course—I—Glinda are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm just fine, Miss Elphaba."
Elphaba shook her head. "Why are you--?"
"If you'll excuse me, I need to take these back to Bear Nurse." Glinda briskly walked from the room, leaving a very confused Elphaba alone.
For the next two hours the three Animals Nurses, Glinda, and Elphaba worked in tandem to tend to the bleeding Cub. The poor Animal had more wounds than Glinda had ever seen and she knew the Cub was lucky to still be alive. He would recover. But it would be a painful one.
As they worked, Glinda did her best to avoid any contact with Elphaba. Only speaking to her when Elphaba asked a question about the Cub before them or what they were doing and nothing else. Though Glinda was aloof, Elphaba pressed on with trying to get her to speak. The three Nurses kept quiet, their Animal intuition telling them not to interfere.
Glinda supposed a part of her felt bad. She could tell Elphaba was becoming frustrated with her behavior. And truth be told, this was not the type of reunion she had imaged with her friend. But she couldn't help it. A part of seemed to had emerged and she couldn't control it.
She couldn't control the hurt she felt when she remembered Elphaba leaving her. She couldn't control the blame she carried for the woman.
Glinda loved the people of Oz. She loved her job. But she blamed it all on Elphaba. She blamed her for how she had ended up as the Good Witch. Though Glinda loved it, her life was not how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be helping the people of Oz. But Elphaba was supposed to be doing it with her. They were supposed to be helping the people together. Elphaba was not supposed to be the enemy. But she was.
Glinda's life did not turn out how she had planned it and she allowed herself to shamelessly blame Elphaba for it.
For if she hadn't left they would still be together.
But they weren't. And they never would be.
Yes, this was not the reunion Glinda had imagined.
But it would have to do.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of work, they were able to get the Cub stable.
All of the other occupants of the hospital were sleeping soundly, except for the three Nurses and two humans; who finally began to relax over a pot of tea.
Glinda quietly sipped her hot beverage, savoring in the warmth of the liquid as it traveled down her throat. She sighed.
Elphaba sat down next to Glinda on the couch, smiling slightly at the blonde. Glinda moved over, putting as much space between herself and the green woman as she could.
Elphaba frowned.
"I should probably leave," Glinda said.
"It's still storming," Lion Nurse said, stretching.
"Stay until it eases," Tiger Nurse said.
"That could be hours. I won't be able to return to the Palace without being noticed if I don't leave soon."
"The girls are right, Fae. You were a mess when you got here, stay. We'll figure something out."
"I could fly you back," Elphaba said timidly, still attempting to break through the wall Glinda had built in the hours they had been reunited.
Glinda scoffed. "What if someone saw us? That would go over well."
Elphaba's eyes narrowed as her own anger began to build at Glinda's distance.
"So," Bear Nurse said, taking a sip of her tea. "How long have you two been friends?"
"We were roommates at Shiz," Elphaba explained, keeping her eyes trained on Glinda. Glinda looked at the wall.
"Were you two….close?" Tiger Nurse asked, looking back and forth between the two humans.
"No," Glinda said before Elphaba could respond.
At this, Elphaba's eyes narrowed to the thinnest of slits. "Excuse us," she said, grabbing Glinda by the arm and pulling her from the couch.
"Hey!" Glinda yelled as her tea spilled everywhere. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"I could ask you the same thing," Elphaba said through gritted teeth.
She pulled Glinda across the room, careful not to wake the sleeping inhabitants as they moved with force. She reached the far end and all but pushed Glinda into the adjourning room. "We'll be but a minute," she sneered before closing the door, disappearing from sight of the three nurses.
"Humans," Lion Nurse said.
Tiger Nurse and Bear Nurse nodded their agreements.
Glinda rubbed her arm where Elphaba had grabbed her.
"No wonder rumors of you continue to circle."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Glinda said nothing, but continued to rub her arm.
Elphaba huffed. "What's your problem?"
"I'm not sure I know what you're taking about."
"Don't play stupid Glinda, you know exactly what I'm talking about."
Glinda turned her nose up. "You were always the smart one, Miss Elphaba, please enlighten me."
Elphaba huffed again, seemingly at a loss for words. She took her hat off her head and crumpled it between her hands, at loss for anything else to do.
Glinda simply stared at the woman across from her, her own conflicting emotions taking their toll. Her heart bubbled with the feelings she had once harbored for the woman before her while her head was clouded with the hurt she felt.
"You know, I've never had any friends except for you," Elphaba said quietly, after a moment's silence. "And I don't understand how friendships work sometimes. But I had always thought that when we saw each other again things would be far different then this."
Glinda felt her heart break, echoing Elphaba's sentiment. But her mind was still reeling with contempt and her mouth spoke: "You lost that privilege long ago."
Elphaba's face fell before a hard mask quickly covered it. "And how did I do that?"
Glinda felt her heart trying to reach up and speak, but her mind was racing. "If you don't know, then--."
"For Oz sake, Glinda, stop playing games!" Elphaba snapped.
And Glinda felt herself snap.
"You left!" she screamed, her face finally contorting with the pain she felt. "You left me alone."
Elphaba closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I asked you to come with me Glinda, you could have said 'Yes'."
"No, I couldn't have," Glinda responded.
And they both knew it to be true.
"But you could have stayed."
Elphaba put her hat back on and took a step forward, gingerly placing her hands on Glinda's shoulders. This time the blonde didn't flinch away. "Glinda, I couldn't stay just like you couldn't come with me. You have to know that," she tried to reason.
Glinda looked away. "It isn't the same?"
Elphaba sighed in frustration and took a step away, rubbing her eyes.
"How is it not the same?"
Glinda's head snapped back to look at Elphaba faster then lightening. For the first time since Elphaba's arrival that night Glinda allowed her eyes to meet the green woman's.
How was it different? It was very different. Very, very different.
Glinda felt her whole body relax as her heart finally found its voice. "I loved you," she said whispered quietly. "I love you and you left me. You left me and you broke my heart."
The color drained from Elphaba's face, leaving her ashen and pale. "Glinda…" she said quietly, her voice catching at the end. "I…"
Glinda felt her eyes water as she spoke words, she had always known to be true, aloud for the first time. "Didn't you know?" She shook her head. "No, I don't suppose you would have."
The two women stared at another. Glinda trying to stop her tears as a new emotion mixed with Elphaba's shock.
After a few seconds Glinda couldn't take it any longer as she mistook Elphaba's silence for a rejection. "I'm sorry Elphie. I shouldn't have said that. Especially not after how I treated you tonight. Will you ever forgive me?"
There was another moment's silence as Elphaba continued to blink at Glinda.
Glinda felt herself beginning to fidget as her tears continued to fall.
And then suddenly, Elphaba moved.
Before Glinda could register what was happening, Elphaba was pulling her close and her lips were upon hers; kissing her more tenderly then she had ever been kissed before.
Just as quickly as the kiss had begun, Elphaba pulled back gauging Glinda's reaction. The blonde was certain she would see her own shock reflected back on Elphaba's face, but she was surprised to find that Elphaba looked more certain than she had ever seen her before. A certainty that was mixed with tenderness and something more.
Glinda closed the gap again; wanting, needing, to feel Elphaba's lips upon hers once more.
"I love you too," Elphaba whispered against her lips, sending jolts down Glinda's spine.
The kiss turned passionate as the women pulled each other closer, each trying to get as close to the other as they could. Elphaba's hands began to roam Glinda's sides and back while Glinda's found their way to Elphaba's face, cradling the sharp features like she had often wished to.
It was dizzying and exhilarating and everything like Glinda had imagined. And so much more. Her body was screaming for air, begging her to breathe. But she couldn't. She wouldn't stop this contact, not after she had longed for it so.
The two stumbled backwards and Glinda's back hit the wall with a thud. But she didn't care. She merely continued her assault on Elphaba's lips.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Elphaba tore her lips from Glinda's, placing small kisses along her jaw line and up to her ear.
Glinda felt a moan resonate from the back of her throat, as her hands worked their way up Elphaba's neck and into her hair.
"What are we doing?" Elphaba panted into Glinda's ear as she continued to place small kisses on any spot of the blonde's skin.
And then Glinda's hands hit Elphaba's hat.
And reality returned.
What were they doing? Glinda panted. She was living out her dream. Her fantasy. What she had longed for since she and Elphaba had shared a room at Shiz. It was perfect. The woman she loved returned her love.
And yet. What of the lives they were living now? Glinda and her obligations to the people of Oz. Elphaba and her obligations to the Animals. What of tomorrow? What would happen when they left this room?
"Nothing," Glinda whispered. "We're doing…nothing." She gently stroked Elphaba's cheeks, letting her eyes convey the message she could not voice.
Elphaba nodded lowering her eyes to the ground. Glinda rose on her toes, placing as light kiss on the green woman's forehead.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Elphaba looked up. "What for?"
"Everything."
Elphaba shook her head. "I'm not," she said, placing one last chaste kiss on Glinda's lips.
The two straightened themselves up as best they could; smiling shyly at one another.
Glinda watched, straitening out the last creases of her dress, as Elphaba finished righting her hat. The green woman opened the door, pausing with her hand on the knob to turn to Glinda, she smiled.
In a few hours time, she would return to the Palace were she would once again become Glinda the Good. Elphaba would fly her back just in time to miss being caught. They would kiss goodbye and Glinda would wonder if they would ever kiss again.
"Coming?" Elphaba asked, holding out her hand.
Glinda smiled.
But until that time she would enjoy the company of the Animal Nurses, her hand clasped tightly in Elphaba's.
Fin