This is a two-shot outtake of 'Hear No Evil, See No Evil', which tied 1st place for 'Best Overall Story' in this year's Greg Awards. ExoticPeachBlossom and I are so honored and humbled that people love that story so much. We had a chapter where the gang celebrated Elphaba's birthday and Nessa said that they didn't celebrate it after Melena died. So, here's a quick two-shot of how they celebrated it before and after she died. Hope you all enjoy it!
Elphaba slowly opened her eyes one warm, spring morning. Smiling, she pushed herself up and turned towards the sunlight pouring in from her window. Today was a very special day and she knew it. It was the day when the servants fussed around the mansion, trying to get everything straightened out. It was also the day where she got to eat cake and open presents. It happened around this time last year, and the year before that, and the year before that.
She sensed someone else's presence in the room and, turning, reached out her little, green hand towards the person. She felt the person take her hand and bring it to their face. As her hand explored the person's facial features, she recognized the person as Nanny and smiled.
"Good morning, little Fabala," the old woman cooed, lifting the six year old into her arms and kissing her cheek. "Happy birthday."
Elphaba giggled and rested her cheek against the old woman's chest.
"Let's get you dressed and ready for the day, shall we?" Nanny asked, gently rocking Elphaba in her arms as she walked out of the room.
An hour and a half later, Elphaba and Nanny made their way down the stairs to the dining room.
"Good morning," Nanny greeted, handing Elphaba over to Melena and kissing three-year-old Nessa's forehead.
"Nanny!" the little girl giggled, planting her thumb firmly in her mouth.
"Good morning, Nanny," Melena greeted. Smiling, she turned her attention to Elphaba and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, Fabala."
Smiling, Elphaba happily wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. Returning the hug, Melena remembered the day her firstborn daughter was born. She and Frex had gotten over the initial shock of her being born green and decided to love her, regardless of her skin color. Their happiness was short-lived when, two months later, they discovered that Elphaba was both blind and deaf. It felt like their whole world was crashing around them. It wasn't enough that their firstborn daughter was born green, but she would also be forever cursed with darkness and silence. Her world would be limited to what she could touch, and there was so much more in the world for her.
Frowning, Elphaba pulled away from her mother and stuck three fingers in her mouth. Moaning, she tapped her mother's shoulder, trying to communicate what she wanted.
Understanding, Melena kissed her daughter's forehead and sat her down in her chair. Nanny placed two small heart-shaped pancakes and placed Elphaba's hand on her fork. The green girl's other hand slowly rose and lightly touched the maple syrup covered pancake and she smiled. Giggling, she stuck her syrup-covered fingers in her mouth.
Chuckling to herself, Nanny took Elphaba's hand out of her mouth and wiped the syrup off with a damp rag. Frowning, Elphaba tried to pull her hand away, but Nanny had already finished wiping her hand. Elphaba began to happily eat her birthday breakfast. As soon as she was finished, Nessa jumped down from the table.
"Nessarose, where are you going?" Nanny called.
"Nowheres," the three year old called back, giggling as she skipped away.
Elphaba felt her sister leave the table and frowned. Pushing back, she hopped out of her chair and groped around the table. She paused when she felt Nanny gently take her hand.
"Let's get you cleaned up," the old woman smiled, taking Elphaba's little hand and leading her away.
Melena smiled as she watched her daughter and Nanny walk away, leaving her alone with her husband.
"She's growing up well, isn't she?" Melena smiled at her husband.
Frex nodded. "Both Nessa and Fabala are."
Melena sighed peacefully, but a frown quickly made it's way onto her face.
"Melena?" Frex asked, noticing the frown on his wife's face.
Without warning, Melena broke out into hysterical sobs. Frex hurried over to her and quickly collected Melena in his arms.
"Melena, what's wrong?" Frex asked desperately.
"Fabala… she… she deserves a better life than this."
"Oh, Melena…" Frex whispered soothingly.
"She's done nothing wrong to deserve coming into this world cursed."
Frex could feel his wife's body shaking against his and sighed. He didn't know what to say that would make her feel better. He had said everything he could before. He knew Melena loved Fabala with all her heart, and he did, too, and they had both been heartbroken when they had received the tragic news.
"I'm sorry," was all Frex could think of.
Melena looked up and gave her husband a watery smile. She slowly pushed herself up and began to clear the table.
"Melena, let the servants do that," Frex insisted.
"No, it's alright. I can do it," Melena said, flashing her husband a small smile. "Could you go check on Nessarose. I think she's in her room."
Nodding, Frex gave his wife a quick kiss on her cheek and went to check on Nessa. He found the little girl sitting on the floor, surrounded by ripped up pieces of wrapping paper and bits of tape.
"Nessarose, what are you doing?" Frex asked.
Nessa turned towards her father and smiled. "I'm wrapping Faba's birthday pweasent."
The Governor chuckled and sat down on the floor next to his daughter. In front of Nessa laid a box, wrapped messily in one large sheet of folded and taped purple wrapping paper. Nessa obviously must have wrapped the present herself.
"Would you like me to help you?"
Nessa shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I can do it all by myself."
Frex smiled as he watched Nessa have a mini war with the tape dispenser. Winning the battle, the little brunette stuck the tape to the side of the box and, holding it up towards her father, smiled. "Done!"
"Very good, Nessa. I'm sure Fabala will love it. What did you get her?"
"I can't tell you. It's a secwet."
"Ah, well, we'll just have to wait and find out, won't we?"
"Uh-huh!" Giggling, Nessa pushed herself to her feet and grabbed the box before running out of the room.
Frex pushed himself up and followed his youngest daughter into the parlor.
"I have Faba's birthday pwesent!" Nessa announced loudly to the adults.
Nanny and Melena turned around and smiled. "Did you wrap that all by yourself, Nessa?" Nanny asked, smiled as she knelt down in front of the little girl.
"Yup!" the little girl nodded proudly.
Elphaba, who was clinging to her mother's skirt, lightly tugged on it, grabbing her attention.
"I think Fabala wants to open her birthday presents now," Melena chuckled, lightly stroking her daughter's hair.
Frex and Nanny went to get Elphaba's presents while Melena, Nessa and Elphaba stayed in the parlor together. A few seconds later, Frex and Nanny returned and the opening of presents began.
"Happy birthday, Faba!" Nessa smiled as she handed Elphaba her gift.
A small smiled tugged on the ends of Elphaba's lips as her fingers ran over the box. She quickly tore the wrapping paper off and, opening the box, pulled out a stuffed, white teddy bear. Running her fingers over its soft fur, Elphaba giggled and wrapped her arms around her sister.
"You're welcome, Faba. I wrapped it all by myself," Nessa smiled proudly, glad her sister liked her present.
Nanny smiled as she handed Elphaba her next present. Elphaba happily took the box and tore off the wrapping paper. She pulled out a beautiful dark purple velvet dress with a large bow in the back. Elphaba smiled as she ran her fingers over the soft material.
Smiling, Nanny took Elphaba's hand and spelt 'dress' into her palm. She turned her hand over and placed Elphaba's palm against hers, waiting for her to repeat the word back to her.
Elphaba thought it over for a moment and slowly spelt 'dress' back into Nanny's palm.
'Good girl.' Nanny smiled as she took Elphaba's hand and, placing it against her cheek, nodded.
Elphaba pulled her hand back and continued to explore the dress.
Melena was next. Smiling, she placed her present in Elphaba's lap. Elphaba's fingers paused in roaming over the dress and she gently placed it aside and tore the paper from the box. She pulled out a flat, wooden rectangle with strange bumps on the cover.
"Melena, is that a braille book?" Frex asked, turning towards his wife.
Melena nodded. "Yes."
"Where in Oz did you find one?" Nanny asked, knowing that braille books were extremely rare in Munchkinland.
"A Quoxen nomad came through town last week and he had only one," Melena said as she watched her daughter's fingers wander over the braille bumps. "I bought it, thinking that when Fabala learns to read…"
"She'll love it," Nanny interrupted softly, noticing the tears slowly forming in Melena's eyes. She went over to Elphaba and signed 'book' into her palm.
Elphaba put the book aside and reached for her mother. Smiling, Melena lifted her daughter into her arms and kissed her forehead. Smiling, Elphaba slowly lifted her hand to her mother's cheek. Melena's smile widened as Elphaba gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"You're welcome, Fabala," Melena smiled.
"Papa's last!" Nessa said, bouncing up and down, wanting to know what her father got Elphaba.
Melena gently returned Elphaba's feet to the floor and watched her daughter grope towards her father. Frex smiled as he knelt down and extended his hand towards Elphaba. Tiny emerald fingers found his and he handed the little green girl a small box. Elphaba tugged on the ribbon and, opening the box, pulled out a small wooden bird. Her sensitive fingers traced over the object and she frowned, not knowing what it was.
Nanny came to the rescue and signed 'bird' into Elphaba's palm. Elphaba quickly signed 'bird' into the old woman's hand and went back to exploring her new present.
"She still doesn't know, does she?" Frex asked, sadness laced within his voice.
"No, her little mind doesn't connect the two yet," Nanny said as she stopped Elphaba from placing the wooden bird in her mouth. "Who knows what she's thinking right now. But she will. With time and patience, she'll understand."
Clutching the bird against her chest, Elphaba slowly groped out of the parlor. Quirk came inside the house from the stables and saw Elphaba slowly walking towards him. Smiling, he reached out his hand to her.
Feeling Quirk's fingers bump against hers, Elphaba blinked and slowly ran her hand up Quirk's arm to his face. A smile tugged on the ends of her lips as she traced Quirk's facial features and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Happy birthday, little butterfly," the servant smiled, returning the hug. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a small piece of hard candy. Unwrapping it, he held it under her nose.
Sniffing the candy, Elphaba opened her mouth, allowing Quirk to plop the candy inside. She moaned in content as she sucked on the fruity candy.
"What's this?" Quirk asked, noticing the small wooden bird in Elphaba's hands. "Is that one of your birthday presents?"
Elphaba smiled as she showed Quirk her new wooden bird, completely unaware that he was asking about it.
Quirk smiled back as he playfully ruffled Elphaba's hair. "It's very beautiful. I'll see you soon, okay?" Chuckling, he went back to work.
After lunch, the family shared Elphaba's birthday cake. The servants made her favorite; chocolate. Elphaba and Nessa loved the cake. Chocolate icing covered their faces and Melena and Nanny immediately went to work cleaning them off.
After the cake, Elphaba wandered towards the back door, leading to the gardens. Finding it, she tried to push the door open, but wasn't strong enough. Grunting, she pushed as hard as she could, but the door still wouldn't budge.
Suddenly, the door opened. Startled, Elphaba let out a small noise of surprise and jumped back, bumping into someone. She felt a strong, yet gentle, hand on her shoulder and immediately recognized the person as her father.
"You want to go outside, Fabala?" Frex asked as he lifted Elphaba into his arms.
Elphaba pointed in the direction of the gardens and moaned softly.
"Alright," Frex said, patting Elphaba's back. "We'll all go outside together." He called the entire family together and they all went outside into the gardens.
"Ooh! Flowers!" Nessa smiled, running to a patch of poppies.
Elphaba squirmed in her father's arms, wanting to be released.
"Let her go," Melena whispered softly.
Frex looked a bit unsure, but obliged and set Elphaba down. The green girl slowly felt her way over to where Nessa was. She stopped when she felt Nessa's fingers bump against hers.
"Look, Faba! Poppies!" the toddler smiled, handing her sister a flower.
Elphaba brought the flower to her nose and inhaled its sweet scent. Smiling, she reached for Nessa hand. Finding it, her fingers slowly slid up her arm to her hair. Giggling, Elphaba placed the flower in her sister's soft, shoulder length brown hair.
Squealing, Nessa picked another flower and placed it in Elphaba's hair. "Now we match!"
The green girl smiled as her sister took her hand and led her through the gardens.
"Ooh! Butterflies!" Nessa smiled as a swarm of butterflies flew up from the flower patch.
Elphaba felt the butterflies fly past her and reached out her hand. Feeling only air, she turned and groped to where the butterflies had flown, but stopped.
Nessa turned around and noticed the sad expression on her sister's face. She quickly ran over to her and gave her a hug. Elphaba startled a bit, but quickly relaxed and smiled as she returned the hug.
"I love you, Faba," Nessa smiled.
The adults watched from a safe distance, smiling as the two children shared a hug. True, Elphaba wouldn't have the childhood they dreamt for her, but she had a loving family, who would do their best to give her the life she deserved. As long as they were together, everything would be alright.
Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays to all!