For Pops, who listened to me ramble about this idea last night. I hope you enjoy. Please leave your thoughts :)
Nothing was working.
She had tried to get comfortable in various ways. First the right side, then the left when that had failed to be fruitful. When neither of those positions proved suitable, she had tried lying on her stomach the same way she had when she was a child. That seemed to work for a short time…until every muscle in her neck had begun to scream in pain from the odd angle at which she had placed her blonde head. In the end, she had ended up exactly where she had started: lying flat on her back, staring wide-eyed at the gilded ceiling of her private chambers.
Next she had tried all of age-old methods. Counting sheep had only left her alert and confused. Really, that was too much thought for how late it was. Warm milk had been soothing. The trip to the restroom twenty minutes later, however, had been a rather unwelcome distraction when one was too tired to see straight. Finally she had simply lay still and shut her eyes, hoping that blessed relief would come from no effort at all. That, however, had lasted a whole of fifteen minutes before a slight noise from below her balcony had caused her to sit straight up.
It was useless. No matter what she tried, Glinda the Good could not sleep.
Now she had retreated to the back corner of her bed, an easy task given her small size compared to the bed's enormous plains, and simply huddled in a small, pink heap, patiently awaiting the dawn or sleep.
At this point, it was whatever decided to come first.
A soft breeze chose that moment to enter the room, gentling moving the curtains in a rhythmic sway against the open window. Glinda closed her eyes, strangely comforted by the calming air that now reached passed the window to tug at her golden curls, miraculously somewhat still intact from that morning.
It was on night such as these that could relax her body after a tiring day that consisted of meeting after meeting with Ozian officials, activists, and numerous nobleman of various ranks and titles. These meetings were the first step in cleaning up the mess that the Wizard had left behind in the wake of his departure.
The blonde felt a small smile creep up her lips as the winds left her face in favor of something more easily moved. As she let out a deep sigh, the good witch eased herself out to her full height before once again curling into a ball. Her duties were tiresome; that was a given. But these things were necessary to restore Oz to the great land it had once been.
The great land that someone has once wished for.
Though her eyes remained closed, the unbidden thought of her old friend made the blonde's breath catch in her throat as she came to another realization about the same woman.
Had it really been a whole year?
As she lay in silence, Glinda mentally calculated the subsequent hours, days, and months since her friend's untimely death. When she did indeed come to the conclusion that it had been exactly one year to the day of Elphaba's death, tears began to seep from her eyes, eyes that were clamped shut in an effort to forget, almost as if she were able to erase the memory of it all, it just might bring the ones she loved most back to her.
After all, it was because of Elphie that she was working so hard to restore Oz to its former glory in the first place. Elphie had given her life for her cause and now Glinda had taken a vow to do the same, for Elphie, Fiyero, and the Animals.
Most importantly, for herself.
A sudden movement caused Glinda to freeze where she was. At first, she thought she must be imagining things. Her chambers were several stories above the ground, making it nearly impossible to enter unless it was through the ornate doors.
Or through the balcony
Her eyes immediately shot open as she lay in the silence. Reason told her she had nothing to fear, but the bigger part of her, the part that still harbored irrational fears from childhood, told her that something was present and that she was no longer alone with her thoughts.
Ever so slowly, the blonde unfurled herself, adjusting the straps of her pink nightgown for decency's sake. Some things just never changed. Slowing sitting up, she pulled the blanket around her and called softly, "Who's there?"
Silence was her only answer.
"I know I'm not crazy," she murmured softly, almost as if she was trying to convince herself of that very statement. 'Who's there?" she called again, louder this time.
Still no one answered, but a slight movement from the far corner of her chamber caught her eye. Glinda's heartbeat immediately doubled in rate. "I know you're there!" she called, her voice sounding much braver than she felt. "Show yourself!"
A soft curse came from the curtains by the balcony, confirming the blonde's suspicion as her visitor's point of entrance. Blue eyes widened at the sound, her mind refusing to believe that what she heard could actually be real. But the figure chose that moment to emerge from behind the curtain, a musty broom clasped in one hand while the other held her iconic black hat in its place atop a mass of raven hair.
'Elphie?" Her name was a breathless whisper.
The woman in question gave a slight nod. "Hello, Glinda."
She could only blink. "My eyes must be playing tricks on me. Is it really you?"
"It's me," the figure verified, stepping into the path of moonlight that bathed the room in a soft glow.
Still not quite sure that the apparition was real, the blonde remained still for several moments, studying the woman in front of her, In all actuality, she hadn't changed much. After all, a year really wasn't that long. Physically, she was still the same Elphaba that she'd always known. Tall, ebony hair that fell straight down her back, and that midnight black gown of hers that glinted hues of red and violet in the correct light.
As Glinda studied her, however, she began to notice a definite change in her friend. There was a maturity about her, even more so than there had been at Shiz. From the stories she had heard, she could only imagine what Elphie must have endured, including her apparent death, which at the moment, didn't seem so apparent anymore.
They would have to discuss that, most definitely.
Shifting to a kneeling position on her bed, the blonde said again, "Elphie?"
A soft chuckle came from the shadows. "I thought we had established that."
"Sorry," The apology was lost in an urge to squeal excitedly, an urge that she managed to hold back with great effort. "I can't believe you're here! Where have you been? Are you alright? Why aren't you dead?"
Her brow rose in her standard way at the final question. "Are you sure I'm not?"
"What?"
The green girl came forward. "Glinda, how do you know that any of this is real? Your mind could be playing tricks on you for all you know. You were there when I died, were you not?"
"Well….yes, but…"
"Then how can you be certain I'm actually here in front of you?"
She couldn't. Not anymore, at least.
Elphie--or whatever appeared to be Elphie-- moved to take a seat on the end of Glinda's bed. The blonde watched her with wide eyes, still trying to process the whole idea that her friend might actually be here with her. "You're not real?"
"I never said that, did I? I'm afraid that's up for you to determine."
"How?"
She shrugged. "That's also for you to figure out."
Glinda knew of one way to be certain. Ever so slowly, she moved closer to the other woman, one white hand extended to touch the sleeve of her dress. Her fingers were centimeter away when Elphaba suddenly jerked away from her grasp. "Don't touch me," she ordered softly.
"What?" This took the shorter girl back. "Why not?"
Elphie slanted a knowing gaze in her direction. "You can't. Just trust me on this, Glinda. It's simply better if you don't know for sure."
She shook her head. "What if I want to?"
"Would you take the chance that I really am not here?"
"It's not as though it would make a difference?"
This caught the green girl by surprise. "What?"
"It's been a year, Elphie! A whole year that I've mourned for you, that I've wished that somehow you could come back, and that I've put on fake smiles when people say the awfulest things about you! I'm tired of it!" She sighed. "I'm doing my best, but you know that I was never as strong as you. I don't know how I can do this forever."
For a moment, it seemed that Elphaba would reach out to her friend, but thought the better of it. Instead, she folded her hands in her lap and said softly, "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused, but you underestimate yourself, Glinda. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Look at all that you've done in such a short time."
The blonde met her gaze. "How do you know that?"
She gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I have my ways."
"You always have, haven't you?" murmured Glinda. "All I wanted to do was to make you proud of me. We didn't have long before your…erm…death, and there was so much that I wanted to say then that I didn't have the chance too."
Elphaba tipped her head to the side. "Well, I'm here now. Tell me."
Her best friend shook her head. "It's been so long, I'm not even sure I remember most of it."
"Tell me what you do."
Another shrug. "This is so surreal, I'm not even sure what is reality anymore." Blue eyes met dark brown. "It's ironic, really."
"How so?"
The blonde emitted a small chuckle. "Think about it, Elphie. I don't even feel like I'm living my life anymore. When we were in school, this was your ideal and your cause. My worries went no further than how I would look the next day."
The Witch's smile was wry, taking in her friend's overtly pink nightgown. "Well, your fashion sense has certainly stayed intact."
"Thank you!" Glinda's smile grew larger. "And you seemed to have picked up on some tips too. That dress is absolutely fabulous? Wherever did you get it?"
This time, Elphaba chuckled outright. "Some things never change, do they?"
The other girl shook her head. "I guess not. And yet…" she trailed off, bringing her gaze to the window. "Some have changed so much, it's hard to see any trace of the old." She turned around to meet Elphie's waiting gaze. "Do you ever feel like you're in a world other than your own?"
"I can't quite say that I follow you."
Glinda leaned closer. "Like I said before, Elphie. This," she motioned to the room around her, a prime apartment in the Emerald City, reserved only for those who were found to be high in the former Wizard's favor, "was your dream. To live in the Emerald City and fight for the Animals and their rights. You were the one who was so passionate about their fight, that you were willing to do whatever it took to see it to the end. Sometimes I feel like I'm living the life that you were meant to rather than my own."
"Maybe you were meant to live this way. Glinda, look at all the good you've done! Not only have you helped the Animals, the people adore you; something you've always wanted. You're doing fine, dearie. I promise you that."
"Maybe," Glinda conceded. "Somehow I just pictured my story differently."
'Don't we all," Elphaba murmured softly, pushing a piece of stray hair to rest behind a green ear. As she did so, the silver charm hanging from her neck caught a stray moonbeam, causing a shimmering effect to resonate through out the room.
As was always the case when she saw something shiny, the Good Witch reached for it. 'What's that?"
The green girl moved out of the way just before the blonde's hand could touch the necklace that rested against her throat. "Glinda, no touching, remember? That was part of the deal."
"Sorry." She withdrew her hand and settled for gazing intently at the charm, a simple silver heart imprinted with a hand. 'Where did you get that? You hate jewelry."
She shrugged. "I still do. Actually, it's yours."
"It is?" She gazed at the ncklace again. "I don't remember it much, I'm afraid."
Elphaba shook her head, "You wouldn't, Glin. Actually, I bought it for you. I meant to give it to you for your twenty-first birthday but certain….circumstances prevented that."
Knowing that was just after Elphaba's sudden reappearance, she nodded. "I understand," she said softly. "And you've kept it all this time?"
The other woman bristled. "Well, I wasn't about to return it, if that's what you mean"
Glinda suppressed a smile when her friend brushed off any hint of sentiment with a logical statement. Some things never did change. Instead, she simply nodded and said, "Well, even though I never got it, I do love it. It's beautiful."
The green girl acknowledged her gratitude with a slight nod, but her attention was once again on the window. "I should go." It was said ore to herself than anything.
Panic seized Glinda's heart. "Elphie! You can't! You just got here! How do I live your life?"
She sighed. "You live it the best way you know how. Make it your own as I have done. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I'm living your life."
Glinda ignored her cryptic words. "But what about me? What am I supposed to do without you?"
"The same thing you've been doing, dearie. You'll find you're way. I'm sure of it."
"Elphie!"
She turned again, her brows raised in question.
Glinda paused before asking, "What happened to Fiyero? Have you seen him where you've been?"
A soft smile crossed her friend's face as she held up her left hand. "I suppose you could say that."
Glinda squealed as only Glinda could at the gold band on her hand. "Oh! You got married in heaven! How sweet!"
Resistign the urge to roll her eyes, the green girl only smiled as Glinda asked, "Are you happy?"
"You know, Glin. I really am." Elphaba answered, raising her gaze to meet the blue eyes of her friend. "Maybe for the first time in my life."
"I'm glad," the blonde answered softly. "Will I see you again?"
The green girl shook her head. "I don't think so, my sweet. I shouldn't have even come tonight."
"Why did you?"
She hestated, fingering the necklace before finally saying, "Because I missed you. After all, you are my only friend."
She turned once again to the balcony, but Glinda's voice stopped her again. "Elphie?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"Ah, Glin…" Unable to prevent it any longer, Elphaba went to the shorter woman and, in a rare show of affection, wrapped her in a tight hug. "I love you too. I'll miss you."
"Why can't you stay?" The words were muffled in her shoulder.
She shook her head. "I can't explain it. You're not even sure I'm real, remember? You'll just have to trust me on this."
"I know and I do." Glinda said as she released the other woman. "Can you at least stay until I fell asleep? I seem to have trouble doing that these days."
The green girl paused, uncertainty painted over her features. "Glinda…."
"Please?"
She released a long sigh. "Very well. But I'm staying right here."
"Fair enough" She got comfortable beneath the covers, reveling in the sense of peace that came just from knowing that Elphie was there. "So you don't mind that I'm living your life?"
"Not really" came the voice from the opposite side of the room. 'Someone has to. Why not you?"
"Thanks, Elphie," Glinda murmured, quickly falling under the spell of slumber. "I guess if I'm meant to live someone else's story, yours is the one I would choose…"
It was the bright rays of the sun that woke the Good Witch the following morning.
Stretching leisurely, Glinda nearly settled back into the covers when the events of the previous night came rushing back. Elphie…
Throwing the covers from her body, the blonde rushed to the balcony, eager to find any clue as to whether or not her friend had actually been in the room. As her eyes took in every detail of the chamber, she felt her heart sink.
Nothing was the least bit different.
"A dream," she murmured softly. "It was all a dream." She shook her head, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. "But I was so sure. How could I have been dreaming?"
But it was clear that she had. A fantasy conjured in her mind from the fierce longing of a reunion that could never happen.
Turning from the window, she padded back to her bed, intent on getting an early start to her day.
"I don't understand," she said to herself as she pulled at the covers. "It all seemed so real. How could it have happened? I saw her die!" She shook her head again. 'Face it, Glinda. You're losing your mind. There's no way in Oz that Elphie could have-"
Her sentence stopped short as something on the bed caught her attention. Her breath caught in her throat, the blonde reached down to finger the small object and couldn't help but shake her head. Oh, Elphie
On the pink sheets of her bed lay a delicate necklace of pure silver, the charm at the end turned upside town. As she turned it over, a silver heart with the imprint of a hand lay before her eyes and, suddenly, Glinda knew.
No matter the story, some things never change.