Pre-Shiz. Fiyeraba. 15 year old Elphaba Thropp takes a vacation with her family. On a night of exploring, she meets a handsome boy her age and they find that they have a connection therefore beginning their summer romance. AU

(A/N In this fic, Melena, Elphaba and Nessa's mother, passed away when the girls were 10 and 8 respectively. She passed away from an ectopic pregnancy with her 3rd child. They haven't gone on a vacation since her passing. Also in this story, Elphaba and Nessa are closer due to past events. After Melena's death, Frex became very depressed and neglected his children leaving Elphaba to care for her little sister.)

Also, thanks for the lovely comments I received on my songfic 'Piece by Piece' it really means a lot. I've been reading Wicked fanfics forever and it's incredible seeing writers that I love commenting on my work. It also really helps with my motivation and confidence!

x-Niamh


Elphaba Thropp felt the carriage come to a stop. She couldn't believe that she was on vacation...correction, her father and baby sister were on vacation and she would stay inside of the cottage while her family had fun and explored without her. Still it would a chance for her to be somewhere outside of Munchkinland.

"Papa, are we here?" Nessa exclaimed.

"We are my sweet girl." Frex replied. "Elphaba, be useful and help your sister!"

"Yes father." Elphaba replied as she assisted her thirteen year old sister into her chair.

Elphaba knew that the only reason she was brought on this trip was to care for Nessa and cook the occasional dinner; but that wouldn't stop the fifteen year old from having her own fun. She had already decided that after Nessa and her Father would leave for the day, she would spend her day reading the books she'd brought for the trip, there was a back enclosed deck that overlooked sea; and of course, there were always the nights when everyone was asleep. She had already snuck out plenty of times back home and this trip would be no different. Despite being stuck indoors for most of the day, she would have the dark of night to explore.

She got Nessa settled into the room they would be sharing. She unpacked and then helped her dress for the outing their father had planned.

"I'll take as many photos as I can for you Fabala!" Nessa promised.

"You don't have to do that Ness. I want you to have fun."

"Well I won't have fun without you! It's stupid that Papa won't let you come out with us."

"A vacation is supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing, being stared at and harassed because of your green child defeats the purpose." She replied. "Ness, listen to your big sister and please have fun for me."

"Fine, I'll only do it for you though." She replied.

She gave her sister a kiss on the crown of her head and then rolled her out to her father. After their mother passed away, Elphaba had been left to care for her sister. Their father, in his depression, turned to drinking and completely forgot about his daughters. It was up to Elphaba to make sure that Nessa was bathed and had clean clothes and that food was on the table. Elphaba and Nessa had grown so close that they occasionally shared Nessa's queen sized bed and spent their nights chatting and laughing before finally dozing off. There was nothing Elphaba wouldn't do for her sister and it was the same for Nessa. The bond they shared was special.

"Good, you're ready!" Frex smiled at Nessa. "Let's go, I've reserved us a spot at one of the best restaurants in town."

"How exciting!" Nessa replied hoping to sound enthused. "Bye Fabala!" She said extending her arms for a hug.

"Bye Ness. Remember to have a lot of fun."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

After they left, Elphaba tidied the cottage up before settling on the deck with her book. She would have the afternoon to herself, a rarity in her life. After school, she spent her time with Nessa or cleaning and cooking. She was the glorified servant for her father. Nessa would always try to help with dishes or any tasks she could physically achieve, but every time their father would catch her, he would grow angry with Elphaba. Nessa would try to defend her older sister but Frex would ignore her.

The sun shone through to the deck and Elphaba sat indulging in the warm sunlight. The summers in Munchkinland however were always cool due to the mountains surrounding the area. Here, she felt a nice sea breeze through the warm summer air.


Nessa and Frex returned by nightfall. Elphaba already had dinner set for them as soon as they entered the cottage.

"Welcome back!" She greeted Nessa. "How was it?"

"Oh Fabala, it's so beautiful! I took pictures for you too."

"I told you didn't need to do that...did you at least have fun?

"I did, although it would have been more fun with you there."

"You're too sweet. Come on, dinner's ready."

Frex silently watched as his daughters chatted away to each other. After the death of his beloved Melena, they had grown extremely close. Frex found it unsettling at times; he knew that it was Elphaba's fault that Nessa was resisting his efforts at reconciliation. The entire outing, she'd barely spoken to him and wouldn't stop mentioning her sister...'Oh Fabala would love this cafe' 'Oh look, an art museum...I bet Fabala would love to see this.' He'd kept a smile on his face and tried to act oblivious to her constant sighs.

After dinner, Elphaba prepared Nessa's bath and helped her get ready for bed.

"How did you enjoy your afternoon of solitude?" Nessa asked watching her sister braiding her long raven locks.

"It was nice. I missed your whiny voice though." She teased.

Nessa rolled her eyes. "How many books did you manage to read?"

"One and a half." She replied. "Thank you for the pictures."

"Anything for my big sister!" She replied. "Perhaps I can convince papa to let you come out with us tomorrow?"

"Ness, no!" Elphaba exclaimed. "It's best not to, it'll upset him and we don't want that."

"But Elphaba?!" She cried. "I don't like it when you're not around."

She hated seeing her sister upset, but she didn't want her upsetting their father either.

"We're supposed to be on a family vacation which means you have to be there too!" Nessa exclaimed.

"I am here Ness. We can still enjoy our vacation together."

Frowning, the thirteen year old huffed in frustration.

"Come on, let's just go to bed." Elphaba ordered.

The rest of the night, Elphaba received the silent treatment from her sister. As much as it pained her to see her sister upset, she knew she was far too young to understand the consequences of their father's anger.

It had begun after their mother died. Elphaba was trying her best to keep the family afloat, but a ten year old could only do so much. She had managed to keep the house clean and her father and sister fed for a few months before money ran out. Her father was now spending all of his money on alcohol, leaving Elphaba to scrounge for small coins in the house and on the street. The day that had started the abuse, was the day Elphaba was caught with her hands in her father's wallet. She intended to use the money at the market, as there was no food in the house, however Frex, in a drunken stupor, caught her and slapped her so hard that the small girl fell and hit her head on the corner of the coffee table. There were no visible injuries; but Elphaba's cheek and forehead were tender for the next few days. From then on, Elphaba was his main target. Even when she'd done nothing wrong, Frex would find her guilty of any offense in his day.

She would try to shield Nessa from finding out the truth, and she had mostly succeeded. Any time her sister would find a bruise on her skin, Elphaba would claim she had fallen, or a cruel classmate had pushed her into a wall.

Once Frex became sober, his abuse had stopped. He still ignored her and held her in disdain, but the physical hurt was over. She was still on high alert, never truly letting her guard down. She would do anything to protect herself and her sister.


Elphaba looked over and saw that her sister was now fast asleep. She waited a beat before getting up from her bed and dressing herself. Nessa, like her father, was a heavy sleeper, giving her peace of mind that she could leave undetected. She put on the thin cotton dress and cardigan before slipping out of the open window in the shared bedroom.

Once outside, Elphaba ran for the beach. The beach was the first destination on her night out. She recalled the last time she was on a beach, her mother had held her hand as they waded the waves of the ocean.

She ran up to the pier, the boardwalk under her feet. The lights from the pier still shone brightly, however there stood no crowds. Elphaba ran as fast as she could so that she could see the moon hitting the water.

Not paying heed to anyone or anything, she collided and fell back onto the wooded walkway.

She sat up from her spot, and that was when she saw him...