Thanks to wonderful reviewing peeps

James birdson

Stephanie

Lozzakapozza and

Leia Emberblaze

You are all awesome, and i hope you enjoy your virtual cookies, which will be coming by broomstick ;)

Disclaimer: I invented the idea for wicked while not having a job, not getting round to making plans with anyone, not revising for my modules, dying my hair purple and going to weird sleepover you can read about in my other story "A slightly random sleepover".

Now you can go sue me. Have fun with that.

I have no idea what to say. So i draw you into my arms instead, and hug you tightly, and wonder what can i possibly do?

Nothing. There's nothing i can do. All i can do is hold you, as you cling to me with something akin to trust. And i taste bitter shame for my cosseted, protected life, so different to yours, and the stupid, mindless prejudice of people in general, proving once and for all that in the end, hate is stronger than love.

I always had believed it was the other way round, but the evidence for the opposite is sobbing right in front of me.

I have nothing to say, nothing that means anything anyway.

Don't cry? Something tells me you've been living by that phrase most of your life, but if anyone anywhere ever had reason to cry, its you.

It's okay? To say that would feel like an insult; its not true anyway, no matter how much i want it to be.

But i can't say nothing...

"Elphie...it's not your fault, okay?" I paused "Any of it. Your mother, Nessa...that was all because of your father-"

You cut me off, your words muffled against my neck. "Y-you may be the expert, b-but do you know what my f-first memory is, Miss Glinda?"

I shook my head, mute.

"My first m-memory is my father telling me mother's death was because of me. And n-no one, not even the doctor, ever challenged him. So you'll forgive me for contradicting you."

" Elphie-"

"Glinda, it's...it's okay. I-I've accepted it...And i don't blame father or Nessa for hating me, or anyone else. I'm not crying because of them. I'm crying because...because even w-when you accept that you deserve something, it still hurts..." Your voice wavered, broke, and even as i felt my heart ache for you, i felt something else too, the beginnings of anger.

I hugged you fiercly again, and raised my voice above your sobs.

"Elphie! Listen to me! No matter what anyone says, it is not your fault! I refuse to let you accept something that isn't true! Your mother died giving birth to Nessa too early, and that's why she's in a chair, right? Right?"

I felt you nod.

"And that happened because of the milk flowers, right?"

I am so greatful you told me the details of this.

"The milk flowers which your father forced your mother to eat?"

"But only because..."

"Because he couldn't cope with having a child whose skin was a little different to his? His own prejudice is not your fault, Elphie. He knows that too. He takes his anger out on you because he knows it was his fault. He just doesn't want to accept it, that's all."

You didn't say anything at first. Then:

" Miss Glinda, are you just making this up to make me feel better?"

"Two things. Firstly, PLEASE stop calling me Miss Glinda. I really hate it. And second..."

I was trying to think of a better way to put it, wishing i had a bigger vocabulary or something, when you interrupted, narrowing your eyes.

"You hate being called Miss Glinda?"

I nodded, slightly disconcerted at your sudden change of subject but at least you'd more or less stopped crying. "It sounds so...it just gets on my nerves. It's so formal, and prissy. There's nothing wrong with my name, it doesn't need a prefix..."

A small smile played around your lips. "But...Miss Glinda...i mean, Glinda...you practically invented it! And all your friends call you Miss Glinda..."

"I know. But i don't like it when you use it."

With just a hint of sarcasm you looked at me "Why? Because I'm not your friend?"

"No. Because you're the only friend i have who counts."

xxx

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Loveage xxxxx