Title: The secrets of times past

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I only created the daughters

A/N: Probably won't continue this.. But I will if enough people convince me :)

"And there's no place like home." The book shut with a large thud.

"That's it?"

"Yes that's the end of the story."

"But what happened to the little girl?"

"She came home. I told you that."

"But what happened to the witch? People just don't melt like that."

"Well she was so evil that she did melt." The words stung Glinda's throat. Did she really just say that? "That's it for today kids" Glinda stood up making sure her dress was perfectly straight, next she checked her tiara. It was still there.

"But Miss Glinda."

"I said that's enough for today kids. Now hurry back to your mothers." The little children waved goodbye and they scampered out of the room. Glinda was sick of being Glinda the Good. Years ago she would have yearned for this treatment. But now..well now she just wanted to disappear into a crowd and never to be seen again. She heard a knock on her door, but didn't bother to see who it was. "Come in." she said without moving her head.

"Glinda darling, it's time for your speech."

"I don't feel up to it Chuffrey." Glinda's husband hurried over to her.

"They made you read the story again didn't they."

"They keep asking for it. If only they knew..if they knew..."

"How much pain it causes you? Glinda you have to tell them someday, that it really did happen."

"Oh they wouldn't believe it. Half the people in Oz don't even believe me anymore. All I do is smile and wave. A monkey could do that." Chistery. Glinda quickly changed the subject. "No matter. Just tell them that I came down with something."

"Oh they'll never believe that." Glinda whirled around and put her hands on her hips.

"Well why in Oz's name not?"

"Because you've used that excuse for the past two weeks now." Glinda managed to utter a small 'Oh' before turning the other way. "Just go out on the balcony and wave. It's not that hard." Glinda didn't answer. "I know you miss her. But you have to move on." The words echoed in Glinda's mind. How can I move on if I don't admit that anything happened.

"I'll be out in a minute."

"That's my girl." Chuffrey gave Glinda a peck on the cheek and quickly exited out the double doors. She sat down at the vanity and picked up the small green bottle. She tossed it between her two palms, almost cradling it. She felt the urge to throw it at a wall. She thought that breaking it would release the pain. But she knew in her heart that it wouldn't. She heard the roar of the crowd outside waiting to see her face. Her heart sank a bit. What has happened here, what have I done? She shifted her weight on her chair debating whether or not to stand up. Chuffrey knocked on the door again and Glinda sighed. He dress made a certain 'swooshing' sound that tended to get on her nerves. "Glinda, your people are waiting. You can't stay in there forever." Glinda bunched her dress up in here her hands and stood up. She caught her reflection in the mirror. Crow's feet extended form here deep blue eyes. Wisps of blonde hair stuck out of her jewel encrusted tiara. She flattened them and put them in a Bobby pin. Chuffery knocked again. He didn't say anything. Glinda knew that she had to get out to the balcony. She smiled, to make it seem like everything was okay. She silently walked over to her door. She paused for a minute. You chose this for yourself Glinda, this is what YOU wanted. Glinda made her way down the hallway. Chuffrey came up behind her and held onto her hand. It comforted her and she smiled. She wished that he would know how she felt. If only someone understood me.. She could hear the crowd screaming for her. Chuffrey gave her hand a squeeze and opened the french doors leading to the balcony. She watched as her high heels disappeared under her dress. Like the real problems of Oz. Hidden under the fluff and beauty. She slowly lifted her head to see the people. They waved pictures of her and pictures of witch hats with x's through them. She raised her hand painfully and waved it through the air. A fake smile crossed her lips. Glinda spotted two teenage girls in the swarm. They looked about college age. They were holding pictures of Glinda and waving them like maniacs. They were truly happy and devoted to Glinda. A wave of sickness came over her. She motioned for Chuffrey to come over. She whispered to him that she was ill and quickly exited. Chuffrey stepped up to her position and spoke.

"I am sorry to announce that Glinda the Good has fallen ill. She will not be giving any more public appearances today. That is all, thank you." He stood back and watched as the people began to file out. Their faces filled with disappointment. Chuffrey backed into the hallway. He heard light sobbing coming from their bedroom. He debated whether or not to go in. She's my wife I need to help her. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Glinda was sitting at her vanity. She was clutching a photo in her trembling hands. Chuffrey made his way over to her. "Glinda... who did you see out there." Glinda raised her head. Black lines were drawn from her eyes. Her tiara was sideways and her hair had become a mess. Chuffrey wondered how she could have fallen apart that quickly. She attempted to speak between sobs.

"No one really... I ...I just." Chuffrey pulled her into his embrace.

"Glinda I think you need to tell them. You can't go on ducking out of things to just sit here and cry. Glinda they need to know the truth." Glinda stopped. She asked if she could borrow the handkerchief he always kept in his pocket. She blew her nose quite loudly. She was silent for a moment debating what to say.

"But I'm not sure if I know the truth anymore." Chuffrey put a reassuring hand on Glinda's shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll do the right thing, you always have." Glinda smiled and stood up. She saw her face in the reflection and laughed. Don't I look attractive. Chuffrey stood up and began to straighten up the room. Glinda whipped around causing her dress to make that annoying sound.

"What are you doing?" Chuffrey stopped and looked down at his hands. He was holding a picture he had started to dust with his handkerchief. "You know, I just blew my nose into that.." Chuffrey put down the picture. It was of Glinda, the girls and him. "Where are they?"

"Who?"

"The girls."

"They're in the courtyard. Do you want me to get them?" Glinda nodded and continued to fix her makeup. "Are you going to tell them?" She nodded again.

"They deserve to know." Chuffrey nodded his head this time and went to get the girls. Glinda finished her makeup and took off her tiara. She would rather be Mom than Glinda the Good any day. Her daughters and husband were the only ones who could see through all the glitter and fame. She could hear them coming down the hallway. They were giggling as usual. They stopped as the approached the door. The handle slowly opened and Chuffrey let in their two daughters. The girls just shy of fourteen had stern looks on their faces. Glinda smiled to let them know that she just wanted to be their mom, but they didn't seem to notice. Chuffrey left the three and went to attend to the gardens. Chuffrey loved the gardens, that's why he named one of their daughters Hyacinth. Glinda named the other twin daughter Autumn because they were born in the early fall. They stood in a corner by Glinda's vanity. Unsure of what to do. Whenever their mother would call them in they were in some kind of trouble. "Girls?" Their ears perked up like a dog's would. "Girls I have something I need to discuss with you." Autumn whispered something to her sister that Glinda could hardly make out. "What you say?"

"..N-Nothing ma'am. It's just whenever you want to talk to us, we're in trouble.."

"And I don't remember doing anything wrong.."

"Girls nothing is wrong. Your fa-... I have been keeping something from you for a long time and it's about time I tell you." The two girls slid over to their mother's bed and sad next to her. They tried not to get to close because their always seemed to be a barrier around her. One that no one could break. "Do you remember the story of the Wicked Witch of the West?"

"The one with the little girl and how she melted that evil woman?" Hyacinth's words burned the inside of Glinda.

"She was NOT EVIL" The sudden outburst scared the girls and they began to back away. "I'm sorry girls it's just. You haven't heard the whole story." Glinda explained how she met The Witch "Elphaba" as she called her in college. She told stories of parties and dances. She mentioned the name Fiyero but quickly stopped herself. She went on to talk about meeting the Wizard and how they went their separate ways. The whole time the girls sat motionless listening to their mother's story as attentive as militants preparing for war. She finished the story and the girls stayed silent. They didn't know if this actually happened or if their mother was just making stuff up.

"So, you were her friend?"

"Yes I was."

"Oh." The girls sheepishly backed from Glinda in case she was going crazy. "Do you have anything to remember her by?" Glinda silently stood up and moved to her vanity. She picked up the green glass bottle and the picture she had been holding earlier. She stayed standing and motioned for the girls to come over to her.

"This was hers." Glinda passed the bottle. They didn't want to touch it at first thinking it might be cursed. Once they finished examining it, Glinda handed them a torn picture. Autumn held it, but Hyacinth looked over her shoulder. The picture was of two girls. One blonde, pone green. The girls gasped when they saw the witch. Their mother assured them it was okay. The two girls in the picture we stuck to each other like glue. Their mother looked as if she was in her early 20's. But their eyes focused on the other girl. It looked as if someone took all the lights of the emerald city and turned them into the pigments of her skin. They were smiling and the city scene was painted behind them. The girls looked at their mother Glinda's head was bowed but she didn't cry. She had no tears left in her, all she had was hatred. They passed the photo to their silent mother who was now standing. She loomed over them like a problem not yet resolved. Autumn and Hyacinth left without any words to the woman who had been friends to the embodiment of evil. Or at least that's what they had been told. Glinda sat in her now empty room. She didn't move, and she hardly breathed. Chuffrey returned tot eh room. Glinda didn't look at him.

"Can we talk?"

"About what."

"The girls think you were friends with the devil." Glinda smirked.

"Imagine what the rest of Oz is going to say when I tell them tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Already?"

"I really don't care anymore Chuffrey. They can take away my tiara, and they take away my power." She paused "But I will not for one second regret being her friend." Chuffrey gathered his courage for he knew nothing good would come out of the conversation he was about to start.

"Did you tell the girls about.. Fiyero?" Glinda turned around. How did he find out about Fiyero? She turned back around to face him.

"How do you know about Fiyero.." Glinda never wanted her husband to find out about Fiyero. He was her first love. Sometimes she would think about what would have happened if he hadn't loved...

"It's alright dear, we don't need to talk about him now.. Or ever."

"Okay good because I don't want to talk about it." She turned around again. She faced toward her window with a view of the city. The sun was starting to set over the horizon. Green lights twinkled from tall buildings. She closed her eyes and it was still there.

"Alright, I'm going downstairs to see when dinner will be ready." Chuffrey backed away from Glinda. "One question though. Did you love him more than you love me?" She didn't say a word. The pain of the silence pierced a hole into the deepest part of his heart. He muttered "That's what I thought" to himself. Overwrought with emotions, he stormed out of the room. The door slammed behind him causing Glinda to jump. They never really got into fights, and this was the only kind of argument they had ever had. As a couple they were admired. "We could be just like Glinda the Good and Sir Chuffrey!" "Glinda the Good and Sir Chuffrey never fight.. Why should we?" But everyone knew that Glinda wore the pants in the relationship. Most assumed it was because Glinda was the one always in the spot light. At one point a horrible rumor passed around that Glinda would keep Chuffrey in a cage, and would only take him out when she needed him. They found the starter of the rumor and locked him in jail. Glinda asked them to let him go free but it was against Oz's code of conduct to insult a public official. She visited him in jail once. He told her that the only reason he did it was because he loved Glinda and couldn't stand that she was with Chuffrey. She understood how it felt to love someone and not to be loved back. She knew it all too well.

The dinner was unusually quiet. Glinda noticed how Chuffrey wouldn't even make eye contact with her. The girls picked up on it too. They weren't used to their parents not talking. Their mom and dad may not have been the happiest of couples, but they never seemed to bicker. Glinda cut the roast chicken just as she had been taught as a teenager.

Your hands are delicate flowers.

You are cutting butter.

The Uplands hadn't had many 'family dinners'. They actually never had any. No times of telling what happened at school, jokes about what the teacher was wearing, no retelling of the time Glinda denounced the Wizard. All they had were schedules and statistics. But tonight there wasn't even that. The girls began to get worried, and they thought it was their fault.

"Ma'am... Sir..is this our fault?"

"Did we do something wrong?" Glinda turned and smiled at her girls. This action confused them more, and they turned their faces back to their plates. Glinda finished chewing her last piece of chicken and swallowed it slowly.

"Girls this doesn't involve you.. You're father and I had a.." She stopped herself. Was it really a fight or am I blowing this out of proportion?

"We had a disagreement girls." Chuffrey spoke for the first time during the mean. "Nothing more than a disagreement. Now finish your dinner." Chuffrey looked at Glinda. She had a stern look on her ace and was focused on cutting her carrot properly. "Glinda can I see you in the hall for a moment?" She nodded and silently got out of her chair. A crumb had fallen onto her pale pink gown. She flicked it off. Perfect just like always. The kitchen staff opened the doors for the two as they entered the long hallway. Familiar paintings greeted them like old friends. Chuffrey sat down on the last stair of the spiral staircase leading upstairs. He put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes a bit. "Look Glinda why are we fighting. This is stupid. I'm sorry I asked about him..." She didn't respond. "Just talk to me at least." Glinda played with the sequins on her dress. She loved to tilt them a certain way that would catch the reflection of the light. Chuffrey stood up and grabbed Glinda's shoulders. He turned her head so she would look at him. "Talk to me!" And in that instant Glinda began to cry. She didn't think she had anything left in her, but Chuffrey's anger made her realize, that there was someone who loved her, and she had been treating him like garbage. The hatred inside her, she realized, was for herself. Hatred for not being a good mom, a good wife, a good public official, and for not being a good friend.

"I'm so so sorry Chuffrey." She put her head on his shoulder and the tears began to cease.

"It's okay, I'm sorry too." He wrapped his arm around Glinda and held her tightly. He rocked her back and forth assuring her that everything was going to be alright.

That night, Glinda opened a drawer in her vanity. She lifted a small switch opening a secret chamber of the drawer. Her fingers found a ripped picture. She carefully lifted it out and held it in her hands. It was of her and Fiyero at their engagement party so many years ago. Glinda smiled but it faded at soon as it came. She tore the picture and through the two pieces out the window next to her bed. It flew away with a on a chilly breeze from the north. Watching it go lifted an invisible burden from her shoulders. She left the room to go to the balcony to give her speech and tell all of Oz about her friendship with a certain green woman. Glinda stopped and caught her reflection in her mirror. Her drooping eyes had lifted and for the first time in a while, she felt truly happy.