General Wicked Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of it's characters.
Rating is T: This story contains content that is not suitable for young readers. (There is some mild language and some mild violence.)
Author Note: I hope you enjoy my story. Feedback is always welcome and enjoy!
The Heart Must Decide
"Three years. Three hellish years. Had it really been that long since the supposed death of the Wicked Witch of the West? Had it really been that long since I fooled them all?" Elphaba whispered, to herself, as she poked at the all ready dying fire. It was a brutal night as the temperature dipped down the lowest it had been the whole week. What kind of life was this? Well one thing Elphaba knew for sure. She never thought that her life would be like this. She never thought her life would be so poor so...awful.
It was not until a violent cough from her loyal winged monkey, Chistery, that pulled the green witch from thought. The poor little creature had been sick for weeks, and with everyday that went by he only got worst. Elphaba quickly rose from her spot, near the fire, and took a new position at Chistery's side.
"Do you need some water?" She asked him.
"Pl-ease..." The monkey struggled. Elphaba in turn took out her canteen and gave it to him. Without wasting another moment Chistery drank a few gulp fulls. "Th-ank y-ou."
"You're welcome, Chsitery, now sleep. You need your rest if you hope to get better." Elphaba said, as she took back the canteen and patted his head.
Once the winged monkey closed his eyes for sleep Elphaba hung her head in shame. Their life was so poor that the green woman couldn't even get medicine for the little monkey. To make matter worst they were entirely alone. After Elphaba had faked her death Fiyero had stayed only a year with her. A few months before Fiyero had left Elphaba had found a way to turn him back into a human. After many failed attempts of course. In a way Elphaba wasn't surprised he had left. For the most part she didn't really care. She didn't love him in a romantic way she had once thought. No, she never loved him in that way. There was only one person Elphaba loved in that way and it wasn't Fiyero.
Where Fiyero had went Elphaba wasn't sure. He had only left a short note that didn't explain much of his plans but it was to the point that he wasn't going to come back. It's hard to beat around the bush that you're leaving someone. Elphaba didn't hold anything against Fiyero for leaving, but it would be nice to have someone else with her. Just so she doesn't feel quite as lonely.
A few hours passed before Chistery awoke. His body was shivering extremely because of the cold. Elphaba saw this and draped her black cloak over him. The winged monkey smiled at her and pulled the material closer around him.
"Y-ou're a go-od pe-rso-n, El-ph-ab-a." He whispered in a voice much weaker than the green witch had heard before.
Elphaba returned the smile and kissed his forehead before attempting to sleep herself.
...X...
The sun was just rising, bring forth a new day, when Elphaba awoke from slumber. She rose to her feet, stretched her limps before shooting a quick glance over to Chistery.
"Usually his cough wakes him up by now. I'm glad he's getting more sleep, the Unnamed God knows he needs it." Elphaba whispered, as she gave a sigh before heading out to look for breakfast.
...X...
When Elphaba returned she found Chistery still asleep. The green witch hopes were a bit higher because she had found a pear. Pears were one of Chistery's favorite foods.
"Hey, Chistery, wake up look what I found for you." Elphaba said, as she gently shook him. The winged monkey didn't move however. "Chistery?" Elphaba tried again. She then noticed his face was pale and his body was ice cold. "No." Elphaba whispered, as she felt his pulse but felt nothing. "Damn it!" The green witch pounded the ground of the cave as she felt tears fall down her face. Chistery was dead. Now she was truly and completely alone.
...X...
That evening Elphaba buried Chistery under the tree near the cave. Hopelessness and depression seemed to consume every part of her. Her heart felt empty and her soul felt hollow.
"At least you're at peace, Chistery, but what am I to do?" Almost like Chistery had heard her prayer...the wind picked up and Elphaba looked up to see the wind was blowing all the branches of the trees towards the North.
"Glinda." Elphaba replied, her voice soft. "Do I dare go back to her? Sweet Oz, if I came back now she'll know that I lied, and she will probably hate me for it." But just the thought of going back to Glinda made Elphaba's heart beat wildly from excitement. "I hope she is still where I think she is."
Elphaba had no idea what was going on with Glinda these last three years. Being in constant hiding made it almost impossible to know what was going on in Oz. The more Elphaba thought about going back to Glinda the more she liked the idea.
"I should have never lied to her about my death. Well it's time to make things right. I'm going to tell her the truth, and it she hates me than so be it." Elphaba said, before bowing one last time to her fallen friend's grave and then mounting her broom and taking off.
...X...
For a two days, with hardly any stops in between, Elphaba flew towards Emerald City. That was the last place Elphaba knew Glinda was before faking her death. She could only pray that the blonde witch was still there. After searching each colossal outlandish mansion near the City, under the cover of darkness, Elphaba came to the one she was looking for. A small wooden sign on the front door was the proof she needed for it read, "Home of Glinda the Good."
"Well I have come too far to back down now." Elphaba whispered, as she quickly noticed an open window on the second floor. "Prefect." The green woman made sure the coast was clear before flying up towards the window. After peering inside, to be sure no one was in the room, she entered. A quick look around the room made it clear she was in a bedroom. It wasn't as pink as Elphaba would have thought, but the room still had some of Glinda's personality in it. Just then footsteps could be heard heading towards the room Elphaba was in.
"Damn, got to hide." Elphaba said, as she raced into an open closet door and shut the door just enough so she could see through a crack. Seconds passed before the footsteps entered the room. Elphaba looked through the crack and her heart almost stopped, for she saw the person who had come into the room was none other than Glinda. She was still the perfection of beauty Elphaba had remembered. The only thing that was really different was Glinda had these dark circles under her eyes that couldn't be ignored.
Elphaba watched as Glinda flopped down on her bed for a moment to take a quick breather. She then began to strip off her dress.
"Sweet Oz..." Elphaba replied, as she turned her head away.
Even though Glinda didn't know she was there Elphaba still felt like the blonde should have her privacy. The green witch darted her eyes away in the hopes Glinda was a fast dresser, but soon found out she had no such luck. After sneaking a few quick glances that only lasted a second or two Elphaba then closed her eyes. When she opened them again Glinda was done changing out of her blue dress and into a pink nightgown. Elphaba's mind was reeling over seeing Glinda again, and the green woman swore if her heart was beating any harder Glinda would know someone was in the room with her because she could hear the beats. After putting her dress away Glinda sat on her bed once more and began to whisper out loud.
"I wish you were here, Elphie. I miss you so. But at least I know you are at rest and in a better place." Elphaba felt her throat tighten slightly after this brief speech by the blonde maiden was completed.
'Even after all these years she still thinks of me. She still prays for me. She still...' Elphaba would have continued but what happened next the green witch couldn't have predicted. For some reason she lost her footing and came tumbling out from the closet.
Maybe it was because of the light feeling in her head caused by the thought of Glinda. Or maybe with all the clothing, in the closet, her feet got tangled and she couldn't moved too quickly and in turn she fell. Well what ever the reason Elphaba landed with a great thud. Glinda grabbed her chest and gave a half gasp half scream as she watched the unknown figure topple onto the floor.
"Well that was unexpected." Elphaba grumbled, as she pulled herself to her feet and began to brush the dust from her black attire. Once she lifted her gaze the green woman came face to face with the Good witch. An awkward silence passed between them and no one dared to say anything. A minute seemed like an eternity for Elphaba but Glinda did speak up.
"Elphie? Is that really you?" She whispered in shock, as a hand shot up to cover her mouth.
"Yeah, it's me." Elphaba answered, after a moment or two. "I'm...I'm here." The green witch then made a sudden moment and hurried over to Glinda's side. Elphaba was surprised to see Glinda pull away in a frightened fashion.
"Are you here to haunt me because I didn't morn you properly or something?" Glinda asked, her voice fearful.
"Glinda, I'm not a spirit." Elphaba replied, as she took a step closer.
"No, stay back! Please don't haunt me." Glinda wailed, as tears were threatening to flood down her blue eyes.
"Glinda, my sweet, I mean you no harm. I'm NOT dead." Elphaba said, as she made her movements slower as not to scare the blonde witch.
"Prove it then. Prove to me you're alive." Glinda answered, as she trembled.
"Fine." Elphaba answered, as she looked about the room.
Her brown eyes quickly fell on a glass bowl. With one motion she grabbed the bowl and smashed it. Once the pieces were on the ground the green witch looked over each one until she found a large jagged one. She then rolled up her sleeve and placed the jagged piece of glass against her arm. Then with a fast slash gave herself a shallow wound. Just enough so her arm was bleeding a little. She showed the blood to Glinda and the blonde in turn gave off a sound that could have been a squeal or a sob before rushing into the green witch's arms.
The force from the blonde surprised Elphaba to say the least, but after a moment or two she returned the embrace with as much strength she could muster without it being over the top. Elphaba had to admit she hadn't felt this good in years. Just holding Glinda again brought pure bliss to her heart. After a minute Elphaba pulled back so she could stare into the blonde woman's sapphire eyes.
"Don't cry, my sweet, it pains me so to see you weep." Elphaba said, as she caught the tears that escaped down Glinda's face.
"Elphie, please don't. You'll burn yourself. Won't you?" Glinda asked, as she gave a sigh.
"Water doesn't burn me." Elphaba replied, once all the blonde's tears were wiped away. "It was a lie so all of Oz would have no doubt about me being dead." Then without warning Elphaba kissed Glinda on the forehead as her own tears threatened to drip down her face. "Forgive me. Please don't hate me."
"Elphie, what do you mean?" Glinda asked, as she ran her hands over Elphaba's clad arms.
"I never wanted to keep this secret from you. By Oz, Glinda, I regretted everyday that I didn't tell you the truth about me being alive."
"To be honest, Elphie, a part of me wants to hate you. That part of me doesn't want me too forgive you." Once Glinda said that Elphaba hung her head in shame, but the blonde took two fingers and placed it under the green chin and lifted, so Elphaba was staring into her eyes again. "But my heart won't allow me hate you...ever. I forgive you, my Elphie."
"Thank you, my sweet, you don't know how much that means to me." Elphaba answered, as took Glinda's right hand and kissed the top of it. Once she pulled her green lips away however, Elphaba noticed for the first time a ring on Glinda's finger. But not just any ring. It was a wedding ring. "You're married?" Elphaba asked, her voice clearly upset even though she tried to hide it.
"Oh, yes, I am. I got married two years ago." Glinda replied, her voice soft.
"I should have known you would find someone. Well who is he?" Elphaba asked, as she tried to keep her jealousy at bay.
"Elphaba, I... well...you see..." But before Glinda could finish someone came through the door.
"Glinda, my wife, sorry I'm late but I have a surprise for you."
Elphaba's eyes widened and shock seized her heart. There standing before her, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands was Glinda's husband...Fiyero.