A/N: Note to self - don't listen to music ever. Anyways, I have very little idea if this is even worth uploading...I honestly believe it is one of my better works. I just hope you enjoy this. :)
As Elphaba looked towards the horizon, a single memory worked it's way to the front of her mind, despite her attempts to keep it buried. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her long, green arms around them, quickly burying her face in her skirt. It seemed like a lifetime ago. So long ago since she left Shiz and Glinda in the Emerald City. Slowly, she lifted her head and focused on the setting sun, trying to bury the memory again, to no avail.
"Elphie!" the high-pitched voice suddenly called. Elphaba blinked a few times as a short, blond woman appeared in her line of vision. She expected the woman to disappear, but she stayed still, a gentle breeze blowing the short yellow dress. "Elphie, I've been waiting."
Elphaba smiled, stood up, and walked over to the slightly-pouting blond.
"I am terribly sorry, my precious Glinda," she whispered. She pulled Glinda into a hug and let out a slow breath. "I lost track of time. Please forgive me."
Glinda swayed slowly, enjoying the feel of Elphaba's arms around her. "You were forgiven before you even left me, Elphie," she said softly, closing her own eyes. Elphaba kissed her slowly and gently, wanting to burn this into her memory forever. A few minutes passed before Glinda moved away and turned her back to the slightly-surprised emerald-skinned woman.
"You know, I have always loved sunsets," she whispered. Elphaba smiled and wrapped her arms around the woman, resting her chin on the bare shoulder. "They are so beautiful and innocent - sort of like snow. I wonder what causes sunsets..."
Elphaba smiled at the sound of Glinda's giggle. "The color of a sunset is caused by the angle of the sun. The red colors in a sunset are usually more noticeable because red travels faster than the other colors," she explained slowly and softly. Glinda giggled again. "I love your giggle."
"Well, I love you," Glinda said. She turned around in Elphaba's arms, quickly placing a kiss on thin green lips. "Can we stay and watch the sunset?"
Before Elphaba could answer, Glinda pulled her down. She wiggled her way between Elphaba's legs, leaning against her, facing the sunset. Elphaba smiled to herself as she intertwined her fingers with Glinda's.
"Never leave me," Glinda whispered after a short while of silence. Elphaba opened her mouth to speak, but Glinda continued. "Promise me, Elphie. Promise me you will never leave. Promise me that you will never hurt me, that you will always be honest with me when something is bothering you."
Glinda turned around to face Elphaba. There were tears in her eyes. "Promise me, Elphie! Please."
"I promise that and so much more, my sweet," Elphaba whispered. Glinda kissed Elphaba, all her insecurity and fears melting away. When they finally parted, Elphaba continued her thought. "You are my everything. Without you, I cannot live, Glinda. If I hurt you, even by accident, I would die. I could not leave you to save my own life, and I cannot lie to you."
"I love you," Glinda murmured, a small smile appearing on her face. She hugged Elphaba tightly and buried her face in the green shoulder she had grown to know as a pillow.
Elphaba closed her eyes and allowed a few tears to fall down her face. She never wanted to remember that time she spent with Glinda...all it did was remind her of all the ways she went wrong. So long had passed since then, and she wasn't sure what exactly had brought her back to that place. She watched the sunset for a while, allowing herself some time to think back happily.
A soft voice drew her back to reality though. A soft, familiar voice. "E...Elphie?"
Dark eyes met crystal for split second before Elphaba rose on her shaky legs. The owner of the voice, a blond woman that was around the same age as Elphaba, took a hesitant step forward.
"Is that...is that you, Elphie?"
She spoke slowly and softly, fear and disbelief evident in her voice. Elphaba couldn't form any words as she stared at the one person she ever let close. The woman stepped forward again, tears building up in her eyes, but she refused to let them spill over.
"Am I hallucinating again? Oz, please do not let this be another dream."
"It...Glinda...I..."
Glinda lunged at Elphaba, throwing her arms around her and breaking down. She barely managed to stay standing as she cried into the familiar chest. Elphaba hesitantly returned the sudden hug, biting her lip and trying to bury the feeling that she didn't deserve forgiveness.
After a few long minutes, Glinda moved back a few steps so she could look at Elphaba. Intense anger and hatred burned in her eyes as she pulled her arms back to her, her hands balled into fists. She closed her eyes and shouted at Elphaba, gently beating on her chest.
"You left me! You left me alone, you hurt me, after you promised, Elphaba Thropp! You promised me, and you broke that promise! How dare you come back here? How dare you toy with my emotions - you are just going to leave again! Why did you come back here?" she shouted, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Slowly, her words became more and more unintelligible until she was quiet, staring up at Elphaba.
"I am so sorry, my precious Glinda," Elphaba finally said. "I did it for your safety. The Wizard...he would have killed anyone that knew where I was. He would have taken you and hurt you - the idea of that fueled my decision to leave. I apologize, truly and deeply. I understand if you do not want to forgive me. I understand if you want to turn me in to the Wizard, Glinda. I deserve what ever you deem appropriate."
Glinda kissed Elphaba, taking the green woman by surprise. When they parted, Glinda smiled.
"I waited so long for you. I came back here every day, hoping that you would come back and just hold me," she said. "Every day, I felt a little more of myself die. I...I do not know why I subjected myself to repeated heartbreak, I just did. The possibility of finding you here kept me going, I guess. Elphie...I love you. I always loved you - I always will. Until the day I die, beyond that even."
"I..."
"You deserve my forgiveness. You did what you thought was appropriate to protect me, even if it meant causing both of us emotional pain. Nothing you do could ever make me hate you, Elphie. Nothing could ever make me not forgive you."
"Glinda...you...I cannot stay...you know this..." Elphaba whispered, her voice cracking from the intensity of her emotions. Glinda kissed her cheek. "I...I do not know what brought me back here. I wish I would have remained away..."
"Take me with you," Glinda said softly. Elphaba started to protest, but Glinda pressed her index finger to green lips. "No protesting. You are going to take me with you, Elphaba Thropp. We cannot remain apart anymore - I cannot wait for you any longer. I am going with you, whether you like it or not."
Elphaba smiled slightly. She looked at the horizon, her smile widening at the fading colors of the sunset. Glinda followed Elphaba's gaze and smiled too.
"I love you," Elphaba murmured.
"Sunsets mean a lot to us," Glinda replied. She looked back at Elphaba. "Are we going to leave, Elphie?"
With a wave of her hand, a broom flew towards Elphaba. "If you are ready, my sweet."
Glinda nodded enthusiastically. She and Elphaba sat on the broomstick as Elphaba whispered a chant, making the broom rise in the air slowly.
"Promise me something, Elphie," Glinda said, squeezing Elphaba gently. "Promise me we will be together for the rest of our lives."
The broom started moving forward as Elphaba smiled to herself.
"I promise."