Elphaba Thropp stared out the window of the small cottage her and her husband had built in the Badlands. She looked towards the east, towards The Emerald City, where she knew her best friend still lived, probably with a husband, maybe with children. Elphaba's husband came up behind her and drew her into a loving embrace.
"I miss her too, Elphaba."
"Its not fair. For her to think we're dead. For her to think it's her fault."
"It isn't fair for us to have had to leave our home. The world isn't fair, my precious Fae, you must know that by now, my love. I just hate seeing you so sad."
"Do you regret leaving Oz, Yero?"
"Sweetheart. That's like asking me if I regret our life together?"
"Do you?" asked the emerald beauty. "Don't you think it would have been easier for you to stay with Glinda? "
"Yes."
Elphaba spun in her love's arms. "What?"
"You asked me if I thought staying with Glinda would have been easier. The answer is yes," Fiyero explained, "but that does not mean I regret this. How could I?" He placed a gentle, loving kiss on Elphaba's lips and continued. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Fae. Better than castles and adoring fans, better than Glinda. All of that was fake, but this, " he shook his head, and slowly caressed Elphaba's cheek, "is the truest thing I have ever felt. " She began to cry and he quickly wiped her tears away.
"I'm so sorry, Yero. About everything that happened. I-"
Fiyero silenced his precious girl with a kiss. "Hush, my love. How many times do I have to tell you how grateful I am? If you don't have a problem with my being a scarecrow, I don't either."
They settled in to the simple exchange they'd had since they first became lovers. Fiyero started it this time. "You're so beautiful."
Elphaba smiled softly. "You don't have to lie to me."
"It's not lying," Fiyero started and they both finished the exchange together: "It's looking at things another way."
The green girl turned back to the window, to Oz, to her best and only friend. "I'm not sad anymore, Yero. I still miss her, I always will, but I'm not sad anymore." _
Glinda the Good stared out a window in Chuffrey manor. She purposely looked towards the western sky where her Elphie said she'd be. Rationally, she knew she was looking at nothing but the Badlands; both her best friend and first love were dead, and it was her fault. Not to mention Elphaba's sister, Nessa, who was also dead because of her. Usually, Glinda could go most of the day without thinking about the tragedies she caused, but today was different. Today was haunting and lonely and the Good Witch desperately longed for the advice and presence of her friend. Today was the tenth anniversary of Elphaba's death and Glinda was to give a celebratory speech. The task was excruciating for Glinda every year, and every year she came closer and closer to clearing Elphie's name, to breaking her promise to her best friend.
Just then, Glinda's five-year-old daughter came bounding into Chuffrey manor. Melena was a carbon copy of her mother, her exquisite blond ringlets resting on her lower back.
"Mama, guess what?"
Glinda reflexively smiled at her little girl's bell chime voice. "What is it, my darling?"
"Today in school we learned about the wicked witch," Melena reported to her mother.
"Did you?" asked Glinda, her smile instantly fading.
"Yup," Melena answered. "But you wanna know a secret, Mama?"
Glinda's smile began to reach her eyes again. "Yes, my sweet?"
"I don't think she was a bad lady."
Glinda's curiosity was piqued. "And why is that?"
"Well," Melena explained, "sometimes when I get sad, I also get mean. But I'm not a bad person."
Glinda, following her daughter's explanation, became overcome with pride for the little girl who could understand something no one else in Oz could.
"So, Mama," Melena continued. "I don't think the witch was evil. I think she was just sad."
Glinda lifted her daughter into her arms, holding back tears. "I think she was just sad too, my sweet girl. I think so too."
