If These Wings Could Fly

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Wicked… or Birdy's song "Wings" either for that matter, because if I did, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic right now. I'd be pretty rich.

Yeah, so first multi-chapter story... please review . It's obviously based on the song "Wings" by Birdy. It takes place in New York City for reasons that will be explained, and for all you hopeless romantics out there: lots of corny, cute Fiyeraba fluff. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Sunlight Comes Creeping In

Sunlight poured through the window of the characterless Hampton Inn room. Elphaba opened her eyes to her second day in the foreign land. She panicked for a minute, questioning why she was thee in the first place, then the reasons flowed back into her memory in an instant. She left her old life behind, her terrible life; all the havoc and the mayhem. It was gone now. The torment was over, and now she was in a whole new land of opportunity. There were no fraudulent "wizards" or flying monkeys. No evil fathers named Frexspar, or "wicked" witches (well now, technically there is one). Her future seemed unlimited, the possibilities were endless; but if only her sweet Fiyero were here to share the times with her.

"Oz knows where he is now," She thought aloud to herself, as she sat up in her bed. 'Probably dead or bleeding, maybe imprisoned with the Gale Force or in the Emerald Palace.' She thought to herself, this time, only in her mind. She threw the covers off of herself and stood up, walking to the window. She looked across the city skyline, and then cast her stare down to the people below. It was no Emerald City, but it was still and impeccable sight. She observed the people walking below her, realizing that most of her clothing would not be sufficient to walk around in this city. If her green skin didn't make her stick out enough, most of her clothing choices would.

She was running low on money. Along the way to the wall between the two worlds: Earth and Oz, she sold many of her belongings so she'd have money for the journey. When she crossed the wall and mysteriously ended up in New York City, all of her Ozian money somehow transformed itself into American currency. This was how she was paying for the hotel. From her two days' experience in the new land, she found that Oz and America had many similarities: there were cities with stores and businesses, restaurants and shows. However, this new land did not seem to have magic, the buildings were dull and gray instead of vibrant emerald. People dressed differently and it smelled funny here. even with the strangeness, she knew she had to find her way, and make a living for herself.

She dug through her small travel bag, selecting a short, black dress Galinda had bought for her in her days at Shiz University. It was not really her style, but it was the only thing that could possibly work and blend in in this city. The dress was black with cap sleeves and a low neckline. It was tight and fitted on top, and flared out in the skirt, falling about two inches above her knees. With this she wore the only pair of shoes she owned: a pair of mid-calf, lace up, black boots. She wove her thick, ebony hair into her usual braid, allowing a few short strands of hair to fall around her face. She took a deep breath, picked up her satchel, and exited her room. She needed to find a job.

She took five flights of stairs down to the lobby of the hotel, deciding it would be in her best interest to stop at the front desk. "Uhm… excuse me, Miss?" A young woman with dark skin and dark hair peeked up from the computer she was typing on. At her first glimpse of Elphaba, she twitched, startled. Before she could even answer, Elphaba chimed in. "Yes, I know. I'm green. Let's not get into this. I just came here to ask you if you knew of any places that may be hiring. I never got to finish my college education because… uhm… because things came up. But I need money. I'm running out of the money I came here with." The woman nodded understandingly. "I understand. I don't know off the top of my head, but I can look it up for you right here, Miss… uh… what is your name?" Surprised with the woman's kindness and calmness about her skin tone, she replied, "My name is Elphaba. Elphaba Thropp." The woman nodded and typed something into the computer. "Well, Miss Elphaba," she said, "You could try for a job at any of the Starbucks', Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, stores like Forever 21 or American Eagle. If you're twenty one or older, another option is to take a short, free bartending course and get a job as a bartender. It might be more beneficial, especially on the NYC bar scene. You could make a great deal more money in tips. Bars are always hiring." Elphaba nodded. "That sounds great. I should probably get two jobs with the position I'm in right now. I'll try a restaurant or store, and where is the bartending course being held?"

"Actually, right here in our conference room. It's four hours, starting at two."

"Fantastic. Thanks for all of the help."

"One more question before you go—"

"Ugh. NO, I am not seasick, no I did not eat grass as a child, my father was not a frog, and NO I am not some superhero character named Gamora!"

"Well, okay. I just wondered why you decided to paint yourself green. Is there some meaning to it? Are you a performer of some sort?"

"Hrmph… well… I don't really know how to put this, but it's not paint. I guess you could call it a strange, rare birth defect, but it's made my life a living hell."

"Wow. That's… interesting. I've never heard of that defect before. Any idea what causes it?"

"Yes, but it's a very long story. I'm the only person who ever got it, and I really don't feel like going into what causes it."

"Oh, okay. I get it. If you ever do want to tell me, you're quite welcome to."

"I'll keep that in mind, and thank you so much again for the help." Elphaba faked a smile and walked into the city, but she couldn't help but to long for Fiyero to be right there, by her side.