Title: Flying Freely Once More
Rated: PG-13
Auther: MeganFaye
Disclaimer: I don't own Oz or the characters of Wicked.
Note: This is written with the adorible Kristin Chenoweth and the sexy Idina Menzel as Glinda and Elphie! The BEST Cast: Original!!!
I hate Mondays.
A year ago today was the worst Monday I'll ever have to go through.
I watched a spoiled child melt the most misunderstood person in this land. I saw her melt, from just behind the curtain. And then I had to praise the little girl who murdered my best friend. I wanted to crawl right under my pink silk sheets and never leave my bed.
Instead, I rule Oz. I rule it as Elphaba would want it; animals are speaking again, and the Munchkins are free. Their farms are running more smoothly, feeding the land of Oz once more.
Each city has a leader that meets with me once a month, including my own father. I am my father's big boss. I always wanted to be important.
And now I am.
But it doesn't matter.
Elphie isn't here.
"Elphie," Fiyero whispered. Elpheba laughed lightly, looking into the crystal ball, and put a gentle finger to her lips. "Sorry. Why are you doing this? You aren't in any trouble any more."
"You told me to hide, so I'm hiding. Get out out of my crystal ball." Elphaba laughed and put the ball back into her bag, where Fiyero couldn't be seen or heard. Elphie had made it clear that Glinda wasn't to clear her name. But, being stubborn and being a Good Witch, she felt she had no choice.
Glinda the Good made it very clear to all of Oz what had happened. She told the tale of the corrupt Wizard, the young green girl who just wanted to be liked, and the teacher who wanted power. Dorothy, who had not killed Nessa, but had killed Elphaba, had been a pawn.
And now Elphaba hid.
She'd spent a year in hiding with Fiyero. Soon after they ran away together, they discovered that they had only one thing in common; they were much better as friends. It was a quick discovery; she threatened to set him on fire. He had helped Dorothy. It was a betrayal that neither could move past.
And now Elphaba hid. Specifically, she hid on Glihnda the Good's balcony in a bush, and hoped to God that it didn't rain before Glinda went up to bed.
"Goodnight," called the sweetest voice Elphaba had heard in a full year. She looked into the darkened room as the fluffy pink gown walked in. It looked so big on Glinda's tiny frame. As soon as the door closed, Glinda yanked at the dress as she stepped into her dressing closet. Elphaba held her breath for what felt like an eternity. The Galinda that she remembered stepped out, in a pink silk nightgown and robe. Her hair was down, the glitter and sparkles had been washed from her face completely. She looked like Galinda again. However, she looked so sad. Elphaba wanted so badly to hold her and tell her everything was all right.
Elphaba felt her breath catch again when she saw Galinda fluff her pillows; her mother's green bottle was under the pillow. Galinda held it and smiled sadly. "If you were here, I'd tell you it was safe with me."
"So tell me," Elphaba whispered. She was so soft, she was certain that her friend hadn't heard.
"Elphie?" Glinda called, looking at the window. She brought the candle to the balcony door and stepped out, looking around. "Elphie, if you're here, please......don't hide." After a moment of total silence, Glinda's head sank and she stepped back into the palace. She turned to close the door, but stood nose to nose with Elphaba.
"Please don't scream."
"Gee, you died, you look like a zombie, and you're standing in my room, on the anniversary of being melted by a 12-year-old with a concussion. Screaming seems like the perfect thing to do."
"Can I explain?"
"Oh, I'd like that."
"Fiyero set up a trap door, and we hid out. We were going to hid forever, but about a week in, we broke up." Glinda sucked in a deep gasp. "He helped them. He helped them plot my death. And there were a few other reasons, but they aren't important."
"Do you know how much I missed you?" Glinda's voice broke, and tears filled her eyes. Elphie gentle pulled a lock of blond hair from her face and used the pad of her thumb to brush a stray tear from Glind'a cheek "Elphie, its really you." Glinda threw her arms around her best friend and wailed. "I missed you....soo....much....Elphieeeeee!"
"I missed you, too." Elphaba hugged her tightly for a full minute before Glinda spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me you were alive?" came a tiny angry voice.
"Can we talk about that later? Right now I'm just happy to see you, and...well...I think that broom gave me a few splinters." Glinda laughed into her friend's shoulder. "Did you get shorter?"
"I'm not in my usual 4-inch heels."
"And you call me'Elphie,' huh?" Glinda glared up at her before pulling away. She hopped onto her bed and patted next to her. Elphaba smiled and joined her friend on the soft bed. Elphaba felt as though she sank 4 feet into the down mattress.
"I cleared your good name. Anyone who even so much as utters the words Wicked Witch of the West is sent directly to me." Elphaba looked away and frowned. "There are still a lot of people who don't understand, but I will do everything possible to clear your name. You aren't wicked. You are, by far, one of the kindest people I've ever met. Elphie, I want the world to know how much good there is in you."
"Why?"
"You're father would want you to."
"My father only wanted me to take care of Nessa-"
"He wasn't your father. You're a child of two worlds."
"Two worlds?"
"Elphaba, The wizard...had a green bottle, like this one." Glinda handed the bottle over gently. "He was in-love with your mother, and he didn't know about you until after you....melted." Elphaba swallowed hard. "He didn't know, and he is gone. Back to his own world."
"So what? All that really means is that I had two fathers who didn't want me." Her voice was flat.
"He was heart-broken when I handed him the bottle. Completely broken. You had a father who loved you."
"That doesn't change a thing." Glinda wrapped her arms around the green woman and pulled her close.
"Yes it does." Elphaba nodded slowly and cried into Glinda's arms.
Glinda wasn't sure what had woken her up. It may have been the thunder, or the fire going out when the wind pushed the window open. Oh, but when they woke up, it was a flurry of cries, and Glinda rushing to close windows; the rain had hit Elphaba, waking her. They had been awake less than a minute when Elphaba hissed in pain and started to pull at her damp clothing. Glinda dashed into her dressing closet for a towel and fresh clothes.
"Cut it!" Elphaba yelped. "Hurry!" Glinda grabbed scissors from a drawer near-by and cut the clothing from Elphaba and draped the fluffy towel around her naked form. She couldn't help but notice the scars and welts on her skin from old water encounters. She also remembered that they hadn't been there when they were in school.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, thank you."
"I keep the plants groing in the halls of the palace; no sunlight and little water." Elphaba smiled shyly. There was a plant whose sap cooled the pain, and cleaned the wounds without harming her. It would leave no scar. It was how Elphaba cleaned herself, as bathing was impossible. Glinda disappeared into the dark for a few moments before Elphaba felt her moving on the bed again. "How bad is it?"
"Bad enough. Can you....?" Elphaba asked as she turned around, back facing Glinda.
"Elphie, this is terrible! Your whole back is a mess! And your hands! Did you fly in the rain?" Elphaba nodded. "Why?"
"I needed to see you. I couldn't wait another moment. And our house has a leak in the roof. I was getting wet either way. At least this way, I saw you." Her voice softened as the sap was squeezed from the thick leaves onto her back. Glinda's warm hands rubbed it in, calming the pain away. Before she was done, the green skin had smoothed over, healing itself, and even taking the older scars.
"Maybe I should try this stuff; my hands look fantastic!" Elphaba laughed softly. "I'll leave the leaves for you, and find someone to relight the fire," she said softly, suddenly aware how naked and in bed her friend was.
Glinda the Good padded through the halls of her palace, seeing her kind guards standing watch over her. They smiled down at her, and she, up at them. She asked how each was doing that night, and asked that she not be disturbed once she returned to her room. She softly informed the guards that once her fire were relit, she and her guest were to be left to themselves, and the room across the hall was to be made up in the morning.
"Make sure the windows tightly latch; my guest has a thing about water, and was soaked to the skin when mine blew open." The guard nodded gently.
"Your Goodness?"
"Yes, Remzen?"
"Your guest, would she need the Oil plants moved in as well?" he asked knowingly.
"Yes, Remzen. Thank you." He bowed his head, and quickly walked down the hall to carry out the orders given.
When Glinda returned to her room with Stenzal, a palace caretaker, Elphaba was curled up in a chair. She jumped, startled. Glinda smiled softly at her, in her light-pink over-stuffed chair, in a light purple night gown and robe that were both too small. Elphaba looked from the man to Glinda and back to the man.
The old man just knelt by the fireplace and set new logs.
"Good morning, Ms. Thropp. Would you like tea brought up, Your Goodness?" he asked, lighting the fire.
"No, thank you. We'll be down for morning tea. Can you ask the kitchen to prepare warm milk, with a little vanilla and ginger for my guest?
"Yes, of course."
"Thank you. Also, please," she said softly. "Be mindfull of water and ice in the Palace while my friend is here. The floors are not to be mopped, a simple dusting is all they ever really need anyway. Can you please let the palace know?" The old man nodded and stepped from the room. Elphaba looked at the fire place, and a glowing lavender fire warmed the room.
"Purple?"
"I requested different colored fires from our local tin wood cutter. He's an old Tin friend."
"Boq?"
"Yes. He'll be delighted to know you're here.
"I wasn't planning on staying long-"
"You live in a leaky house somewhere. Why aren't you in a palace? Isn't Fiyero a Prince?"
"He's a scarecrow on the lamb; he was a follower of the Wizard. Not that he faults you for anything, he just wanted to be human again, and isn't so bright toe realize that the Wizard couldn't do it for him. He really cared for Dorothy while they travelled together."
"Does he know you're here?" Elphaba nodded. "He was the scarecrow? As in TheScarecrow?" Elphaba nodded again.
"I said the spell to make him feel no pain while he was tortured, and that was how it backfired." Elphaba stared at her hands. Glinda reached out to her to pull her up.
"The nightgown suits you. Purple looks great with green," she said, gently. "You look like a little lilac." Elphaba smiled. She felt at home in the Glinda's Palace. "A really tall little lilac."
"Gee. I feel special."
"Its late, Elphie; the morning guard is already on duty. Come get a little sleep. The bed is warm, and we need to talk in the morning." Elphaba climbed into the massive bed and stared at her friend.
"I couldn't tell you because I needed you to be safe, Galinda," she whispered. "I couldn't handle it if something terrible had happened to you. I left, and you live in a gorgeous palace with people who love you serving you." Glinda scooted over across the bed to arm's reach from Elphaba and gently tucked the dark hair from her face. "I don't know if I could live with myself if I'd let anything happen to you," she whispered.
"I've missed you, Elphie."
"I've missed you, too."
Thanks for reading Chapter 1! There's plenty more to come. I haven't given up on my House fanfictions yet, but I needed a break. And this was pleading with me to write it.