« Please, Lily, please, let me see !
-Just a few moments now. We're almost there!"
The car parked and the brunette got out to open her girlfriend's door. Then, she led Zelena on the walkway as delicately as she could, but Zelena still stumbled onto the sidewalk.
"I'm sorry…
-It's okay. But come on, Lil, you can free me now! Where are we?
-7th avenue. Be patient!
-I've been patient faaaaar long enough, Beasty."
Lily sighed.
"I already told you not to call me that… You watching "Maleficent" wasn't a good idea, my mother's gonna kill me if she hears you…
-Oh don't worry; we both know she loves me! Inside. It's hidden, but I can feel it. Anyway, nobody can stay mad against Zelena!" smiled the witch from ear to ear.
A little smile curving her lips, Lily thought about how right the redhead was, shook her head, sighed again, and took off Zelena's blindfold; which was probably the only way to keep her quiet.
And it worked pretty well.
"Whoa." whispered the witch, impressed.
Times Square was facing her, with its massive amount of lights, giant screens, noises and people all around. The commercials were playing all in the same time, and the screens lit up the night as if it was daytime, showing a huge crowd of people passing, walking, talking or eating in a noisy, colorful and lively picture.
For a moment, Zelena remained speechless, watching the street and all those ads glittering all around. Everywhere she looked, there was a new thing to discover. Her senses were overwhelmed by so many information that she couldn't think, only watch with this amazed and cheesy smiled that she hated so much and that only Lily could see on her.
She turned to Lily and grabbed her hand. "Where…?
- Zelena, this is Times Square. Happy birthday!" the dragon-girl beamed, satisfied. She had known Zelena would love this place.
They walked hand in hand along the streets, Lily showing Zelena all of her favorite stores and ads. A bunch of costumed cartoon heroes came up to them. One of them was a fake Elsa who took Zelena by the shoulder, thinking the tourist-y looking woman would like to have a picture with her. Confused, the witch freed herself and turned to face the girl.
"I'm sorry, I'd rather not. See, I have a… rather complicated history with the Snow Queens. Both of them."
Then, she noticed a red-capped plumber in overalls with a 'M' on them.
"Who's that supposed to be? Was he in our land?" she whispered to the brunette
Lily laughed. "He's Mario, and no, I don't think we know him personally. He's a video game hero. Where exactly did you live in New York, honey? In a cave?
-Don't make fun of me!" groaned the red-haired woman.
Lily smiled, took Zelena in her arms and put a small kiss on her lover's cheek. "I'm sorry, Z. I won't do it again."
The witch smiled once more, retook her girlfriend's hand, and began walking again
"Let's see more of this, Beasty!"
Lily sighed, and followed her as she walked through the crowd, till Zelena stopped in the middle of the street. "What's wrong, love?" she asked the witch
Zelena pointed to an ad on one side of the street, showcasing a white witch whispering in a green one's ears. At the bottom of the sign, it read "Wicked" in thick, white letters.
Oh, right. Lily had forgotten about that.
"Is that green thing supposed to be … me?"
Lily slowly nodded. "Kind of. It's a musical, telling another version of your tale."
Zelena remained silent for a while, thinking. Then, she turned to Lily. "Is it good?
-What?
-The musical. You've seen it?
-No, I could never afford it. But as a child, I once heard a song from it on the radio, a song I always loved. I used to sing it when I was feeling lonely or powerless, and that happened pretty often.
- What is it? The song?
- It's called "Defying Gravity""
The red-haired woman looked in Lily's eyes and smiled at her. She grabbed both of her hands, and lightly squeezed them.
"Sing it for me. Please."
Disconcerted, Lily blinked. "I can't do that here" she answered. "There's too many people around.
- Then let's go somewhere else. You wanted to show me New York, didn't you?"
Zelena smiled, dropped the girl's hands, and her faithful broomstick appeared in her own.
"How did you…
- There's no magic in this world, but magical items do work. Wanna go for a ride?
-But all the people around…
- Oh come on, Lil'! Who cares? Anyway, no one will believe them if they tell. Are you coming?"
Zelena climbed atop the broomstick and felt a hand on both her hips, then a chin on her shoulder. Now, they could fly. Under the astonished gaze of everyone around, the witch and her lover took off into the air. Soon, all the lights, all the sounds, were far away, and they were all alone in the night sky. The whole town was lying just beneath them, sparkling and twinkling with all the lights it had to offer. The wind was blowing, the cold air making them shiver. They were flying as if the rest of the world didn't exist, as if there was just the two of them. Together. Alive. Free. They stared for a while, imagining a little human being living his life behind each glittering window.
Lily huddled against Zelena's back. "I've never seen New York like that. It's… It's beautiful."
Zelena nodded and felt Lily hugging her tighter. She smiled, and asked in a soft voice, "Do you know what could make this moment even better?
-What?
-Sing. Please."
Lily cleared up her voice.
"Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap!
It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you won't bring me down"
The song suddenly ended with a panicked scream. "Careful! The building!"
The witch, who had forgotten to watch where she was going by listening, straightened her path with a laugh.
"Z., that's not funny! You almost killed us!" Lily was clearly a little ruffled by her "near-death" experience.
"Oops" giggled the witch. She glanced back at Lily and noticed her pouty expression.
"Oh come on, we're still here, aren't we? You're a fucking dragon, and you care about hitting a wall?
"I may be a dragon, but you're not."
Silence. And then:
"Sing again."
"I'm through accepting limits
'Cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But 'til I try, I'll never know!
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost!
I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you won't bring me down"
Lily's rich, clear voice was flying away with the wind, filling the night with her song, with freedom, with hope. They landed on the top of a building and sat down to watch the night sky, hand in hand. Zelena cuddled into Lily's arms, and closed her eyes.
"You know that song, don't you?" asked the brunet as she held the girl closer.
She nodded. "Keep going, please. Don't stop."
"Only if you sing with me."
Zelena remaining silent, Lily took to her song again, caressing her lover's red hair.
"Unlimited
My future is unlimited
And I've just had a vision
Almost like a prophecy
I know it sounds truly crazy
And true, the vision's hazy
But I swear, someday I'll be..."
A soft voice joined hers. She looked at her lover and smiled, while they shared the last verse.
"Flying so high! Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye! Defying gravity
So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately,
"Everyone deserves the chance to fly!"
I'm defying gravity!
And you won't bring me down"
As the silence slowly came back, Zelena whispered, "Beasty?"
Sigh.
"Yeah?
-I'll never bring you down."
AN: A huge thanks to Jen Hunt for her help !